A collection of vignettes written while sitting with my Dad over his last few months. Happy Father's Day, everyone.

Pete Brown Says

Episode 29: Hey! Cut-off Man!

A years-long ebay quest for a specific cap has me wondering why we hang on to negative stories. Plus, a mini-history of the long defunct Cleveland Barons and the kind of shit that went down on school buses in the 1970s and 80s. Ebay Auction Listing (now expired): https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1970s-NHL-Cleveland-Barons-Winter-Knit-Hat-Hockey/323966571446 Music and SFX Credits - Intro and interstitials by Brian Hake - Additional Interstitials by Kevin Davison - "I'm Not Myself" by Delicious, feat. Brian Hake and Kevin Davison - "I'm Not Myself" by Delicious, feat. Brian Hake and Kevin Davison - "I Will Be There For You" by Alibi, licensed via podcastmusic.com SFX sourced from Freesound.org, including: - Sounds of Winter Jacket rustling by rightaway: https://freesound.org/people/rightaway/sounds/394026/ - Scratchy Record by bone66638 https://freesound.org/people/bone666138/sounds/198855/

A knit cap with a ball on top

Hi! I’m Pete. I’m a middle-class father of two who lives in the comfortable ‘burbs of Central Ohio. Most of my life takes place within this suburban bubble, a fact that I’m never more aware of than when a Presidential election rolls around and Ohio is overrun with candidates and pundits all speaking about an electorate that I don't recognize. And I want to change that. This is Ohio 2020 is a both a podcast and a documentary film project chronicling my efforts to escape my bubble in the year leading up to the 2020 election, to meet and interview my fellow Buckeyes from all walks of life – especially those most different from my own. I want to hear your stories: how you grew up and came to be the person you are today. And I want to understand how those stories influence how you think politically. The portrait of the Buckeye electorate that we create is one that begins in the personal and leads to the political. You can subscribe to This is Ohio 2020 now, wherever you get your podcasts. Music: "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Introducing This is Ohio 2020

Pete welcomes a guest storyteller for the final Season 2 episode...you'll learn how to tell good biker gangs from bad biker gangs, how to gouge a guy's eye out and buy cigarettes at age 10, the greatest Christmas card in history and the secret meaning of the phrase "stinky on you." Plus, Pete shares some insights on Season 2, his plans for Season 3 and a whole new podcast project that's launching soon. Links: The Jesus Gerbil: Life is Funny: https://thejesusgerbil.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/the-jesus-gerbil/ The Nest Theatre: https://nesttheatre.com/event/word-live-literature-oct-10-2019-7pm/

S2 Finale: Stinky On You!

Pete goes in search of a song he heard a local band play on a rainy Thursday night in 1993 at a bar called Ruby Tuesday. And, dropping his son off at college for the first time sparks Pete's memories of his first few months away at college in 1989 in all of his be-mulleted, hacky sack playing glory. Plus, an extended rant on the spelling of band names.

The Song Remains the Same

A Meditation on Posterity...One of Pete's old friends is not invited to a party. Dusting off his investigative reporting skills, Pete traces this back to a pair of a purple socks, a flood and an old chair. This episode heads down to Central Texas, where I drive my editor crazy as a budding sportswriter, take umbrage with a publicity stunt from the local university, learn first-hand how flooding impacts a community, before returning back to Ohio where Pete notices a chair on the verge of setting a world endurance record, comes clean to his wife about a future museum, and thinks for a bit about the relaionship between social media and posterity. Read the original essay here: https://medium.com/@petebrownsays *Music and SFX in this episode includes * "I'm Not Myself" by Delicious (feat. Brian Hake and Kevin Davison) Selections from the website audionautix.com Selections licensed from the website podcastmusic.com Selections from Freesound.org, including: https://freesound.org/people/NathanLomeli/sounds/79190/ https://freesound.org/people/Jace/sounds/155310/ https://freesound.org/people/ImKoryu/sounds/171261/ https://freesound.org/people/jedspear/sounds/322921/ https://freesound.org/people/Bansemer/sounds/160494/ https://freesound.org/people/AlienXXX/sounds/347980/ https://freesound.org/people/shelbyshark/sounds/457730/ https://freesound.org/people/KieranKeegan/sounds/431477/ https://freesound.org/people/XfiXy8/sounds/467289/ https://freesound.org/people/toonothing/sounds/201534/ https://freesound.org/people/MyLittleAwesome/sounds/169574/ https://freesound.org/people/waveplayold/sounds/381353/ https://freesound.org/people/GowlerMusic/sounds/266566/ https://freesound.org/people/AlucardsBride/sounds/172738/ https://freesound.org/people/thanvannispen/sounds/9429/ https://freesound.org/people/TheScarlettWitch89/sounds/437612/ https://freesound.org/people/AmeAngelofSin/sounds/253458/ https://freesound.org/people/Simon_Lacelle/sounds/45654/ https://freesound.org/people/Tomlija/sounds/99635/ https://freesound.org/people/xtrsounder/sounds/202498/ https://freesound.org/people/contramundum/sounds/315758/ https://freesound.org/people/nigelcoop/sounds/210513/ https://freesound.org/people/Benboncan/sounds/61311/

Not Invited to the Party

In the fall of 1989, new radio DJ Pete inexplicably and uncharacteristically turns against Aerosmith's song "Love in an Elevator." Here's the whole story, and it's as ludicrous as late 80's hair metal lyrics can be. Read the original essay here (https://medium.com/@petebrownsays/love-in-an-elevator-9be1c7734db0?source=friends_link&sk=4af25ae535da089af716d55e4fd9fb6c). Visit ColumbusCalling.com (columbuscalling.com) *Music and SFX in this episode includes * "I'm Not Myself" by Delicious (feat. Brian Hake and Kevin Davison) Excerpts used for further commentary from "Love in an Elevator" and "Janie's Got a Gun" by Aerosmith, "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake, "Rock of Ages" by Def Leppard and "Angela" by Motley Crue, "Most of the Time" by Bob Dylan, as well as the film "Aerosmith: The Making of Pump." Selections from the website audionautix.com Selections licensed from the website podcastmusic.com Selections from Freesound.org

Love in an Elevator

Millenial bashing is popular among the grouchy old white guy set, and Pete says it's complete and utter bullshit, laying out the argument that those who are bashing Millenials as the everybody-gets-a-trophy generation are hypocrites at best and unloveable assholes at worst. A Gen-Xer stands up for his Millenial colleagues, even as they stand accused of killing everything from breakfast cereal and divorce to car ownership and wine. Along the way, he touches on technology, Santa, Imma Keep It Real With u Chief meme, tae kwon do, rotary telephones, mimeographs, The Print Shop, spirit awards, drugs, coaching tee ball, snack schedules and Jesus. Read the essay version over on Medium (https://medium.com/@petebrownsays/the-big-lie-e43c4357e7ab). Music and SFX in this episode includes "I'm Not Mysefl" by Delicious (feat. Brian Hake and Kevin Davison) Selections from the website audionautix.com (audionautix.com) Selections licensed from the website podcastmusic.com (podcastmusic.com) Selections from Freesound.org (freesound.org)

The Big Lie: or, Millennials are killing this episode

Pete explores his fears around his son's imminent departure for college, reflecting on teaching, teenagers, oil changes, work ethics, shitty rakes and cheap tacos along the way. Read the original essay here: https://medium.com/@petebrownsays *Music and SFX in this episode includes * "I'm Not Myself" by Delicious (feat. Brian Hake and Kevin Davison) Selections from the website audionautix.com Selections licensed from the website podcastmusic.com Selections from Freesound.org, including: https://freesound.org/people/InspectorJ/sounds/398194/ https://freesound.org/people/kaponja/sounds/54255/ https://freesound.org/people/freefire66/sounds/175954/ https://freesound.org/people/Robinhood76/sounds/329949/ https://freesound.org/people/z2cradio/sounds/426406/ https://freesound.org/people/thefsoundman/sounds/118513/ https://freesound.org/people/orangefreesounds/sounds/329855/ https://freesound.org/people/DCElliott/sounds/381453/ https://freesound.org/people/NenadSimic/sounds/169086/ https://freesound.org/people/NenadSimic/sounds/169086/ https://freesound.org/people/luminadii/sounds/336754/ https://freesound.org/people/InspectorJ/sounds/405561/ https://freesound.org/people/ahill86/sounds/207145/

How to Like It

We were already full-up on dogs when my wife and kids asked if we could adopt a disabled labrador retriever. When we did, my daughter asked if we could make a movie about him, and over the past ten years, we shot footage and interviews every few months or so. This episode draws from all of that material, and we used it to create a short companion video for this episode: I did not foresee how much our lives would be impacted by Timbuktu. Here's his story... Read the original essay here: https://medium.com/@petebrownsays *Watch the Short Film: * This episode has an accompanying short film...check out Timbuktu in all his glory. https://vimeo.com/321262030 *Music and SFX in this episode includes * "I'm Not Mysefl" by Delicious (feat. Brian Hake and Kevin Davison) Selections from the website audionautix.com Selections licensed from the website podcastmusic.com Selections from Freesound.org, including: * https://freesound.org/people/Setuniman/sounds/403968/ * https://freesound.org/people/chripei/sounds/393663/ * https://freesound.org/people/Setuniman/sounds/248140/ * https://freesound.org/people/TobiasKosmos/sounds/163280/ * https://freesound.org/people/esperri/sounds/118965/ * https://freesound.org/people/be-steele/sounds/369648/ * https://freesound.org/people/caquet/sounds/221171/ * https://freesound.org/people/michorvath/sounds/388245/ * https://freesound.org/people/ItsSmallPotatoes/sounds/219532/ * https://freesound.org/people/dersuperanton/sounds/433709/ * https://freesound.org/people/soundmary/sounds/196650/ * https://freesound.org/people/delphidebrain/sounds/236011/ * https://freesound.org/people/HerbertBoland/sounds/29697/ * https://freesound.org/people/squashy555/sounds/238612/ * https://freesound.org/people/smokum/sounds/89209/ * https://freesound.org/people/Pastabra/sounds/366017/ * https://freesound.org/people/JuanMerieVenter/sounds/327666/

Timbuktu

I revisit some of the dicey decisions I made in my early 20s, and as my son prepares to head off to college, I wonder how I can help him not do the same. Along the way I touch on the burrito buggy, selling plasma, drink-and-drown, quad night at the Junction, French class, spring training, hoodoos at the Grand Canyon, taco eating contests, getting lost,saying cool beans, 8 am classes, Whoppers, Ogre and Mrs. Ogre, the London tube, french fries and the only truth I can seem to grasp after 25 years of beating myself up over one bad choice made in a hot basement corridor. Read the essay on Medium: https://medium.com/@petebrownsays/sleeping-late-and-speaking-french-81daf82b14de Music and SFX in this episode includes: "I'm Not Myself" by Delicious (feat. Brian Hake and Kevin Davison) Selections from the website audionautix.com Selections licensed from the website podcastmusic.com Selections from Freesound.org, including * https://freesound.org/people/klankbeeld/sounds/405249/ * https://freesound.org/people/ahjteam/sounds/202671/ * https://freesound.org/people/Podsburgh/sounds/370710/ * https://freesound.org/people/CyrileneRossouw/sounds/407577/ * https://freesound.org/people/Ev-Dawg/sounds/346772/ * https://freesound.org/people/Duesenbert/sounds/404430/ * https://freesound.org/people/kyles/sounds/454389/ * https://freesound.org/people/wdmatheson/sounds/341181/ * https://freesound.org/people/BiancaBothaPure/sounds/365711/ * https://freesound.org/people/mario1298/sounds/155778/ * https://freesound.org/people/meggiepie/sounds/389678/ * https://freesound.org/people/ciccarelli/sounds/135447/ * https://freesound.org/people/JSC2011/sounds/347743/ * https://freesound.org/people/johnnypanic/sounds/350305/ * https://freesound.org/people/LittleRainySeasons/sounds/335906/ * https://freesound.org/people/SMATTS/sounds/443002/ * https://freesound.org/people/Breviceps/sounds/445978/ * https://freesound.org/people/rodincoil/sounds/271945/ * https://freesound.org/people/Rocotilos/sounds/341488/ * https://freesound.org/people/NenadSimic/sounds/169086/

Sleeping Late and Speaking French

From the 1978 Chevy El Camino to Popeye's 'roid rage to Barack Obama to Notting Hill: I walk you through a series of phrases that I struggle to understand, ending, inevitably, at Whoomp! There it is! Along the way, an almost-selfie teaches me something weighty about myself. You won't believe what it is. Read the essay on Medium: https://medium.com/@petebrownsays/whoomp-there-it-is-f90ca0389f46 Risk! Live Show, Cincinnati: http://risk-show.com/ *Whoomp, there he is: Obama lookalike in Tag Team's 1993 video: http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/07/obama.music.video/index.html * Music and SFX in this episode includes: "I'm Not Myself" by Delicious (feat. Brian Hake and Kevin Davison) Selections from the website audionautix.com Selections licensed from the website podcastmusic.com Selections from Freesound.org, including * https://freesound.org/people/lwdickens/sounds/317738/ * https://freesound.org/people/1sticky8/sounds/249538/ * https://freesound.org/people/lunchmoney/sounds/378723/ * https://freesound.org/people/santino_c/sounds/170825/ * https://freesound.org/people/noah0189/sounds/264499/ * https://freesound.org/people/jmayoff/sounds/256959/ * https://freesound.org/people/benjaminharveydesign/sounds/315941/

Whoomp! There it is!

What's missing between WTH and WTF? The answer involves death metal, the Super Bowl Shuffle and an actual telegram from Western Union. Read the original essay: https://medium.com/@petebrownsays/wth-vs-wtf-5bb19e5097e5 Risk! Live Show, Cincinnati: http://risk-show.com/tour/ Cleveland Scene, "Bad Apples" 2002: https://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/bad-apples/Content?oid=1483545 Music and SFX in this episode includes "I'm Not Mysefl" by Delicious (feat. Brian Hake and Kevin Davison) Selections from the website audionautix.com Selections licensed from the website podcastmusic.com Selections from Freesound.org, including NenadSimic: https://freesound.org/people/NenadSimic/sounds/169086/ DW: https://freesound.org/people/D%20W/sounds/151985/

WTH vs. WTF

I explore the connection between social media, my teenagers and my blood pressure. Along the way, I discover what connects J. Alfred Prufock, Snapchat, Instagram, beastiality, cat-eating aliens, blue monkeys, spam and ferrets. Believe it or not, the answer is Bon Jovi. Read the original essay here: https://medium.com/@petebrownsays/the-context-crisis-4846e734d713 Music and SFX in this episode includes "I'm Not Mysefl" by Delicious (feat. Brian Hake and Kevin Davison) Selections from the website audionautix.com Selections licensed from the website podcastmusic.com Selections from Freesound.org

The Context Crisis

When was the last time you flipped someone off? Or were on the receiving end of the bird? From Improv class to creative writing workshops to parking lots to bossy drivers and hammer-wielding tweens, I explore my evolving relationship with this most basic form of communication. Read the original essay here: https://medium.com/@petebrownsays/flippin-the-bird-84276282aa3d Episode Photo "126/365 F You (but with a smile)" by Flickr user stuartpilbrow (http://bit.ly/2TlUxDK) Music and SFX in this episode includes "I'm Not Mysefl" by Delicious (feat. Brian Hake and Kevin Davison) Selections from the website audionautix.com Selections licensed from the website podcastmusic.com Selections from Freesound.org, including: * https://freesound.org/people/limetoe/sounds/342465/ * https://freesound.org/people/saturdaysoundguy/sounds/388032/ * https://freesound.org/people/vedas/sounds/178673/ * https://freesound.org/people/zombiechaser3/sounds/134991/ * https://freesound.org/people/kvgarlic/sounds/253535/ * https://freesound.org/people/YinYangJake007/sounds/415296/ * https://freesound.org/people/Julien%20Matthey/sounds/436588/

Flippin' the Bird

Pretty good stories. Told by Pete. This podcast features creative nonfiction audio stories written by Pete Brown. They're pretty good stories, solidly GenX, works of memoir steeped in nostalgia. From a suburban Cleveland childhood in the 1970s and 80s up through today's modern parenting dilemmas, these stories are funny, poignant and a great listen.

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Pete Brown Says

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