Seemingly Ordinary

Bill Wuebker coached baseball, basketball, and other sports from his early twenties to the age of eighty. A beloved mentor of many, he was inducted into the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Bill Wuebker is also my dad. (This episode was recorded in the summer of 2020.)

I started a new podcast about teens and their work. They tell what they like, what they don't, and if their job has any upward potential. Available on Spotify and--soon--Apple.

From pranks to oddness, these are the stories of students and teachers. Some stories are funny, some will make you cringe, some will make you admire teenagers, and others are just...out there. Featuring three hosts: a football coach, a drama teacher, and me.

Emily Wobker is a beloved teacher and an avid reader. We have a wide-ranging conversation about some of her favorites. Emily will make you want to spend all day and all night with a great book!

Bianca Tropeano is such a one of a kind person that it’s challenging to know how to introduce her. She’s devoted her life to working for extremely unusual charities. And—this is a cool hobby of hers—she really excelled at Title Boxing Company! Currently, she lives in Paris. (This episode was recorded in July 2020.)

Charles Lanza grew up in New York but moved to the greater Kansas City area, where he taught theology. I wanted to ask Charles what it is like to move from New England to the Midwest? The stories are very entertaining! (This episode was recorded in July 2020.)

Jamie Cailteux is one of the best-read people whom I know. Her insights into books, and life, are the fusion of entertainment and insight. (This episode was recorded in July 2020.)

Michael Consiglio was voted teacher of the year by his peers. Beloved by his students,  here is Mike speaking about Personal Finance.  (This episode was recorded in July 2020.) 

Jamie Cailteux reads so much I find it dizzying. In this episode, we discuss a wide variety of books, from the religious to the classics, including "Gone with the Wind." (This episode was recorded in July 2020. Part II will appear on Oct. 5, 2021.)

Molly Cook dances for the Oklahoma City Ballet. Starting at age four, Molly has often worked at her craft for:  one to five hours a day, and fifty weeks a year. Her work ethic--and her desire to do something beautiful for the world--are deeply inspiring.  She is here with her friend, Abby Herrick, who also graduated from SJA. (This episode was recorded on June 21, 2021.)

Abigail Herrick wrote two plays that 100% floored me. She also wrote one of the funniest speeches I’ve ever heard.  Today, we’ve going to talk about all of that, including her writing techniques—because she’s good! A deep-thinking Catholic, Abby studies English and Education. Her friend, Molly Cook, a professional dancer, is joining us for this episode, which was recorded in July 2021.

Christy Dalke has had the most incredible life for the last five years. A major life change led her to: a) Moving across the nation; b) Getting a Ph. D.; c) Switching careers; d) Dating someone great; and e) Winning a prize in a dance competition.  Today, we’re mostly focusing on dance competition because it’s such an incredible story of a person over age 30 not just taking on something brand new,...

            Italy. Japan. Mexico. The United Kingdom. Greece. Switzerland. Austria. The Czech Republic. Netherlands. France. Iceland. Canada. Taiwan. The Philippines. Thailand. Laos. Cambodia. Kenzie Grimm traveled to 18 nations all by the time she was 23 years old! And she did it all in a very affordable way! Today, we discuss how you can add travel and adventure to your life—and do so on a colle...

Kari Kennedy Ashley co-leads a grief ministry. For anyone who has ever lost someone, this episode has a lot of helpful information. Find her at smallpiecesofjoy.wordpress.com. (This episode was recorded on June 22, 2021.)

Emily Mushinski loves to dance and travel. In previous episodes (#15 and #23), I asked her about both because she’s led a thrilling life. She’s danced professionally in Hungary, lived in Panama, traveled to the jungle, and met snakes and monkeys. She went to college in the The Netherlands, and traveled to Ethiopia and India.  But what is  BlinkVerse?  It's an amazing idea. Find out! (This epi...

Reed Wilkinson, 21,  was mostly a nonreader in high school--but since then, he's explored everything from brilliant philosophers (Marcus Aurelius) to self-growth (Dr. Jordan Peterson); from ancient politics (Plato and Aristotle) to religion ("The Case for Christ," by Lee Strobel and "Terror of Demons" by Kennedy Hall). But the conversation really heats up when we talk abou...

Dan and Rachel approached love and marriage in a fascinating way. Rock-solid, easygoing, and hard working people, their story and approach to life  is deeply inspiring.  (This episode was recorded July 19, 2020.)

Lee Ann Ochs is the co-owner of Level-Up STEM KC, a business that helps students and schools improve their STEM skills. A mom, teacher, and entrepreneur, Lee Ann helps people all day long, on multiple levels. This episode is primarily about education, and the innovative ways Lee Ann's business helps it along. (This episode was recorded on July 17, 2020.)

Andy Flattery is the owner of Simple Wealth Planning. He helps young and affluent families in the earlier stages of wealth building.  He also hosts the podcast, The Reformed Financial Advisor , and contributes to two more: Catholic Money Mastermind and the Moonlight Graham Show. We have a long-ranging discussion about all things personal finance. (This episode was recorded July 14, 2021.)

Matt Surface is a national level bodybuilder. He also runs his own business as a full-time personal trainer. He helps real people get real results. Warning: his dedication and enthusiasm are contagious. (This episode was recorded June 18, 2021.)

Lucia Brancato is an  event planner and an English teacher. Her hobbies include creative writing and travel. There’s something about Lucia that gets your attention. Maybe it’s her high standards. Maybe it’s her crystal-clear thinking. When you hear from her, you’re going to realize instantly that you are speaking with a very organized, hard-working person with a kind heart. (This episode was recor...

If you've ever wanted an alternative to life's prescribed choices, this episode is for you. Before she decided to be with her kids full time, Emily Wobker was a beloved high school teacher at a very demanding school, and she taught a class that a lot of schools don’t even offer—but they really should. She taught World War II and Holocaust, as well as many religion classes. Starting in 20...

Fasting for five days. Living for a year in a midwestern city without a car. Saving 70 to 95% of his income on a teacher's salary. Getting jacked, and then doing an Ironman. Tyler does experiments that some would call crazy...that even he calls crazy. But he  gets results! And he teaches many others to do the same. Go wild with Tyler!   (This episode was recorded July 2, 2020.)

Erin Forbes is the author of the Fire and Ice Trilogy , a fantasy trilogy which is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and everywhere books are sold. Her books are loved internationally--and she finished her first novel when was only 16! Erin is also a graphic designer, and gives advice to aspiring authors on Instagram. (This episode was recorded June 12, 2021.) 

Sarah and William Wright host The Playwrights,  a podcast about famous authors and their stage works. Also, Sarah teaches drama and puts on the plays at St. James Academy, while William teaches Social Studies and puts on the plays at St. Michael the Archangel High School. They married in 2018. We discuss their lives, why they got into theatre, what their philosophy of good dramas, comedies, and mu...