Eureka Point Lighthouse

The Connection Between FORCING SMILES and Suicide Prevention Efforts , by Brian Jost , 12/21/2025. This document may be available online at:   https://forcingsmiles.com/suicide-prevention Audio of this writing is available to listen to in the “Eureka Point Lighthouse” podcast ( episode #26 ): https://eurekapointlighthouse.com/ep-026-suicide-prevention                  As I have been preparing for...

Here’s a preview of the FORCING SMILES show that is happening Thursday 10/23/2025 at 7:15pm at The Finnish Bistro in St. Paul , MN. The song at the end of episode, “Love (Through the Eyes of a Teddy Bear),” was written and recorded around 2002 to 2005 (music and lyrics by Brian Jost). Conversation recorded 10/22/2025. Forcing Smiles (Brian Jost & Ryan Riley):   https://forcin...

On this episode, Brian Jost (Forcing Smiles) sits down with Shannon Thompson , aka. Rap Mahomez (hip-hop artist, emcee, beatmaker, and lyricist from Minneapolis, MN) as they discuss their music, mental health, their creative processes, and the reasons behind using their voices to make art. Brian and Shannon were high school classmates and haven’t seen each other for about 32 years! You will...

Recorded 02/23/2025. My new psychiatrist warned me of the dangers of THC for someone like me who has experienced psychosis as part of bipolar disorder type 1. Also, I practice a few songs from my September 2024 album “Making Room” which I find myself wanting to forget. All music, lyrics, voices, full podcast production by Brian Jost, aka. Forcing Smiles. https://forcingsmiles.com/home...

Progress continues with Brian Jost’s unfinished 2004 song “I Guess I Will.” For more music, blog posts, and other info, please visit: https://forcingsmiles.com/music https://EurekaPointLighthouse.com/ https://www.inthemic.com/ Read or listen to Brian Jost’s  memoir :   “Grounded by Bipolar Disorder; One Pilot’ s Landing”  (available in print, e-book/kindle, and audiobook).  Click...

New song parts captured for “I Guess I Will.” Zoom H2n MP3 64k (about 15 minutes), then WAV 48k/24b (about last 3 minutes). Note… the Wav was up front before intro on separate track with a bit of chorus and reverb. For more music, blog posts, and other info, please visit: https://forcingsmiles.com/music https://EurekaPointLighthouse.com/ https://www.inthemic.com/ Read or listen t...

Brian Jost practices piano and tries to re-learn “I Guess I will” as his kids get ready to leave for school. For more music, blog posts, and other info, please visit: https://forcingsmiles.com/music https://EurekaPointLighthouse.com/ https://www.inthemic.com/ Read or listen to Brian Jost’s  memoir :   “Grounded by Bipolar Disorder; One Pilot’ s Landing”  (available in print, e-book/kin...

This version (Cloverleaf Mix) of “I Am Afraid” (written January 2009 by Forcing Smiles/Brian Jost) was performed and recorded in March 2024 by Brian Jost partially at Cloverleaf Audio-Visual in St. Paul, MN, and was mixed and mastered by Matt Ebso (Cloverleaf owner). For more music, blog posts, and other info, please visit: https://forcingsmiles.com/music https://EurekaPointLighthouse....

Continuation of episodes 15 and 17. Brian works on his recently rediscovered 20+ year-old song,  “I Guess I Will,”  written and originally recorded in the later part of 2004 while living in a cabin rental in Barnum, MN, when I was working in Duluth, between living in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. For more music, blog posts, and other info, please visit: https://forcingsmiles.com/mus...

Brian works on his recently rediscovered 20+ year-old song, “I Guess I Will,” written and originally recorded in the later part of 2004 while living in a cabin rental in Barnum, MN, when I was working in Duluth, between living in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. For more music, blog posts, and other info, please visit: https://forcingsmiles.com/music https://EurekaPointLighthouse.com/...

“Devil Said” was written and recorded by Brian Jost (Forcing Smiles) likely towards the end of 2004 (no later than December 2004) while Brian was living in a cabin in Barnum, MN, when he was working in Duluth, between living in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. Brian plans on re-recording “Devil Said”  for his 2nd album “Letting Barnum Be,” before releasing album #3, “The Other Side.” F...

This song, “I Guess I Will,” was written and recorded in the later part of 2004 while living in a cabin rental in Barnum, MN, when I was working in Duluth, between living in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. I plan on re-recording “I Guess I Will”  for my 2nd album “Letting Barnum Be,” Before moving on to album #3, “The Other Side.” For mo...

I found a bunch of music I wrote and recorded in 2004 while living in a cabin rental in Barnum, MN, when I was working in Duluth, between living in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. This music is from a very difficult and important time of my life. I feel decided that I will re-record much of this 20+ year old music as album 2, titled “Letting Barnum Be.” We’ll see if...

Don’t waste your time listening to this. Song title: “Jingle Jangle” or maybe “Jingle Jangle Smack” (written Sept. 2024) by Forcing Smiles (Brian Jost), copyright 2024. For more music, blog posts, and other info, please visit https://forcingsmiles.com/music https://EurekaPointLighthouse.com/ https://www.inthemic.com/ Read or listen to Brian Jost’s  memoir :   “Grounded by Bipolar...

Song title: “Like a River” (written Oct. 20245) by Forcing Smiles (Brian Jost), copyright 2024. For more music, blog posts, and other info, please visit https://forcingsmiles.com/music https://EurekaPointLighthouse.com/ https://www.inthemic.com/ Read or listen to Brian Jost’s  memoir :   “Grounded by Bipolar Disorder; One Pilot’ s Landing”  (available in print, e-book/kindle, and audio...

Here’s a feel-good song for the New Year by Forcing Smiles! Something much more positive compared to what I’ve shared in the past. Title:  BLEEDING OUT   “I can feel it on the inside. Someone pounding on my shell. Yelling at me to get out now. Telling me to leave my hell…” All music and lyrics by Brian Jost, aka. Forcing Smiles, copyrighted. For more music, blog posts, and other info, please visit...

Recorded December 2024. For more music, blog posts, and other info, please visit https://forcingsmiles.com/music https://EurekaPointLighthouse.com/ https://www.inthemic.com/ Read or listen to Brian Jost’s  memoir :   “Grounded by Bipolar Disorder; One Pilot’ s Landing”  (available in print, e-book/kindle, and audiobook).  Click HERE  to find the book on Amazon and Audible. SUICIDE AND CRISIS HOTLI...

Here is the demo album (recorded December 2023 ) which I have started to re-record in March 2024. Most of these were written in January 2019. A few are much newer. Tracks 1-12 were recorded on 12/15/2023 at home. Track 13 was recorded on 12/18/2023 at Cloverleaf Audio-Visual, a recording studio in St. Paul, MN, where some of the later re-recording has taken place. All recording, engineering, mixin...

Brian considers stopping the podcast production, and shares a newer song titled “Buy Me a Ticket” which he will be performing at an open mic. For more music (SoundCloud), blog posts, and other info, please visit  https:// EurekaPointLighthouse.com / Read or listen to Brian Jost’s  memoir :   “Grounded by Bipolar Disorder; One Pilot’ s Landing”  (available in print, e-book/kindle, and a...

The band has not done a good job of staying motivated to produce this podcast in an organized manner. Brian practices a new chord progression and melody change for “Skeletons.” Everyone is getting tired of that song. For more music (SoundCloud), blog posts, and other info, please visit  https:// EurekaPointLighthouse.com / Read or listen to Brian Jost’s  memoir :   “Grounded by Bipolar Disorder; O...

Brian Jost and the Eureka Point Lighthouse band try to revive the podcast after taking a six-month break. For more music (SoundCloud), blog posts, and other info, please visit  https:// EurekaPointLighthouse.com / Read or listen to Brian Jost’s  memoir :   “Grounded by Bipolar Disorder; One Pilot’ s Landing”  (available in print, e-book/kindle, and audiobook).  Click HERE  to find the book on Amaz...

Brian reads another (possibly fake) letter about a real situation from “Tom” the medic who recently assisted Brian after he called 911 for a possible heart attack. Then Brian reads a real blog post titled “Others Have it Worse” written by his real friend Al Levin . The band shares a song titled “Better Off In the Morning” written by Jimmy in 2019 (OK, fine, Brian wrote it). The blog post shared in...

This episode includes a letter written to the band by “Distractible Dude” who asked about how to maintain a meditation practice and how to avoid distractions while meditating. Brian tries to answer to the best of his ability. Brian discussed meditation instruction by Andrew Archer , LICSW . See links below at the end of these show notes for more information. The band shares the songs “Cup of Coffe...

Brian talks about how he became afraid to share his personal mental health recovery story after he became a parent. Brian and the band discuss positive self-talk and some of the things they have learned in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Bob’s poem “Where’s My Art” (read in episode 2) becomes a song in episode 3. This episode ends with Brian performing the song “God’s Apology.” More music (Sou...

Brian Jost shares an experience of having his mind hijacked by fear and anxiety at his son’s baseball game during a tornado watch. The “Eureka Point Lighthouse” band shares Jimmy’s song “I Am Afraid” written in January 2019. Bob shares a poem titled “Where’s My Art.” The episode ends with a song titled “I Love My Bed.” Enjoy. More music (SoundCloud), blog posts, and other resources:  https://Eurek...