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Coaster Enthusiast Conversations Ft. John Mike
86 Plays9 days ago
Everybody knows him, everybody loves him, our famous friend John Mike! He is one of Allison's best friends (and just officiated the wedding!), and there's a lot of coaster travel history between the two to talk about. Travel stories, his history with parks and content creation, and much more in this qpisode!
Follow John Mike on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/junglejikes/
A BIG shoutout to our Patreon supporters! Much love to Chris, Chad, and Adam for the support! Check out https://www.patreon.com/c/InvertedCreative if you want to learn more!
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Transcript
Introduction and Wedding Officiant Guest
00:00:00
Speaker
You are listening to the Inverted Creative Podcast. I'm Allison. I'm Brian. And I'm Jen.
00:00:16
Speaker
Well, hello, hello, and welcome to another Coaster Conversations, Coaster Enthusiast Conversations. I don't even know what call my own podcast episodes. Anyway, yeah I have a very special guest with me today.
00:00:30
Speaker
um Oh, who the heck are you? I don't, I don't even know who I am. So that's a great question. yeah No, we we are joined. We it's only me. I am joined by one of my best friends in the world.
00:00:45
Speaker
He is the guy who married us this past weekend, which was exciting.
Post-Wedding Plans and Polish Cuisine
00:00:52
Speaker
Stop it. Stop it. Everybody knows him. Everybody loves him. It is our famous friend, John Mike. Oh my gosh. You even got the jingle in there from show. I did. my gosh.
00:01:10
Speaker
Anyway. Anyway. Anyway. Hello, John Mike. Hello. Hello. We are still ah recovering from this weekend.
00:01:21
Speaker
Yeah, it was kind of a little bit of a shindig that went down this weekend. Yeah. And, you know, we've... You know, you you, Allison, you've been back to work for now two days this week. I've been back one, and I'm still...
00:01:39
Speaker
ah How can I say this? Winded. Yeah. I have been winded. Yeah.
00:01:52
Speaker
you know Coming off of this weekend and then leaving for Europe in less than 48 hours. am tired. That's right. You all are getting ready to go. That's exciting. When this drops, we'll be somewhere in the middle of it all. but
00:02:08
Speaker
We're pre-recording before I leave. Indeed. So when you, when you all hear this, Alison could be having some very fine Italian food at the lovely Italian establishment of all of our Actually, no, we'll be in Poland by the time this drops.
00:02:28
Speaker
so well You know, maybe, maybe a, uh, let's see. Oh, in Poland, email so like a, like a stroopwafel. That is not Poland in the least. I know it's not Polish at all. I don't even know what Polish food is. I know they have food there. they have They have pierogies. I know that's a big one.
00:02:48
Speaker
Okay. You know
Focus on Creative Discussions and John Mike's Coaster Background
00:02:49
Speaker
what? Pierogies. I love making some pierogies. It sounds like I'm going to have to go to the store and buy myself some pierogies and air fry them to be joining joining you all in spirit. so Yummy.
00:03:03
Speaker
Yes. Pierogies do sound good. They do. A little snack food does sound good right now. i was craving chips and salsa earlier, like a I don't know what, but.
00:03:17
Speaker
What are you not craving chips and salsa? I mean, listen, it's a good little snack food. Anyway, where we are well we are on the inverted creative podcast, which is not about snack food or Italian food or pierogies, even though all of those are delicious. so We're here to talk about you Oh no.
00:03:45
Speaker
I guess to get started, do you want to just kind of give us the rundown on you, who who you actually are, home park, cred count, all that good stuff? Yeah, so um my name is ah John Michael and um or lot of people call me Jike for short, um random nickname that um a friend in a semi-past life gave me, and it kind of stuck.
00:04:13
Speaker
ah So my home park is Kentucky Kingdom. We have a Flying Fox, or as I'm going to affectionately know it as, T4, getting ready to be opened here within the next couple of weeks, here later in the month of May 2026.
00:04:30
Speaker
Um, credit count, I am currently at, I'm fact checking myself right now.
00:04:40
Speaker
Um, please stand by. i am so sorry. i am ill prepared. And because of how simple of a coaster enthusiast I am, all my credits are on a note on my notes app on my phone.
00:04:58
Speaker
You know, I could also just look at the spreadsheet that I got for the wedding. That's true. um I'm currently at 608. So climbing up that ladder slowly but surely.
00:05:13
Speaker
um Definitely not um on your left with anyone right now. And I do not know when the next time is going to be that this number is going to increase. It'll just...
00:05:26
Speaker
It'll be at some point soon, I hope. Well, you'll get flying fox soon. Yeah, so it'll go up by one, so I'll be at 6.09. Woo! Almost nice.
00:05:38
Speaker
Well, that there's extra zero in there, man. Yeah.
00:05:43
Speaker
Oh, man. So, yeah, that's kind of a little bit about me.
Coaster Experiences and Innovations
00:05:47
Speaker
You know, obviously. huge overview. 50,000 foot view of who i am Do you have any trips planned soon?
00:05:59
Speaker
Nope. Nothing on the horizon? No. i've I've had complications due to... um Just a little insight for all those of you that are listening.
00:06:10
Speaker
had some complications with my job recently. And all of my paid time off is blacked out. Otherwise, would be accompanying you all in Poland. Yeah, we should be there. don't know.
00:06:23
Speaker
So... Um, obviously, you know, wish I could be doing that, but instead, um I ah do have, i have a friend that has been Alcino who it is, it's James, who is trying to convince me to go out to Iowa with him. Um, at some point in the summer, which i would love to go back out there and experience the now Hersh and owned adventure land.
00:06:46
Speaker
Um, which adventure land is ah just a fun time. Yeah. Um,
00:06:53
Speaker
uh, Lost Island, of course, my gosh, Lost Island. Uh, and of course they have a Fire Runner now, their RMC, uh, Raptor single rail coaster. Oh, love to ride that.
00:07:05
Speaker
And, and I mean, in general, Lost Island is still, I think, probably the most well thought out modern regional independent park that we will probably see in the very least in this decade. Right. Um,
00:07:23
Speaker
The execution of it is just an incredible. And, you know, I know that you all have talked about it from a creative standpoint, but even from just a guest standpoint, yes, there's growing pains and such that any property will have, especially in the amusement or entertainment space. But to have Lost Island as well thought out as it is right out of the gate, it it just goes to show that it's a passion project, you know? Mm-hmm.
00:07:53
Speaker
So, but anyway, yeah, that will probably be the soonest trip that I will be on if I make it happen. um Are you going at the Holiday World birthday party bash?
00:08:10
Speaker
Oh, the no questions. Okay. Just make it clear. I don't know if that counts as, or is classified as like an upcoming trip for you. It's a trip, just not new creds. Well, i mean, it's, I mean, it's technically an upcoming trip because it's, it'll still be happening. It's just in August.
00:08:30
Speaker
I mean, August will be here before we know it though. Yeah. Well, i mean, I said the same about y'all's wedding and next thing you know, I've, it's good Yeah, next thing you know, it was January 2026 and all of a sudden the scream happened and then now you're already married. Yeah. kind time Time seriously has been flying lately.
00:08:50
Speaker
i don't like it. I know. um Speaking of time flying. when when When did we meet? I honestly can't really pinpoint when we met.
00:09:03
Speaker
well we accidentally met in 2019 and didn't even know it yeah that was it over georgia is that right no dollywood oh yeah yeah yeah that's right yeah we accidentally met in 2019 um at a coaster force shoot um at dollywood and so alice and i were there on a um Well, the park was closed. It was a private filming day for Coaster Force.
00:09:32
Speaker
And Dollywood had graciously agreed to allow ah the folks over at Coaster Force to have some guests on the rides to give them some personality for the videos.
00:09:44
Speaker
um So we went, we got to ride Tennessee Tornado. Dragonflyer was there at the time as well. i think that was 19. Yeah, that was in 19.
00:09:57
Speaker
um Dragonfly or Thunderhead, which we got evacuated off of Thunderhead. Still my only evac cred, actually. technically Technically, I got evacuated off of Gemini, but that was just from the break room because they couldn't advance the train.
00:10:15
Speaker
so um But, you know, we had Thunderhead, and I think... I know we did testing 2 on Dragonfly or Mystery Blind, Lightning Rod...
00:10:27
Speaker
I think we got like one ride on lightning rod and then it went down. Yeah. it Literally faulted like right after the first like cycle that we wrote it, it faulted and went down.
00:10:39
Speaker
Um, but yeah, so Allison and i accidentally met there. a little did we know, but a few years later 2021,
00:10:50
Speaker
um Allison was originally going to be going to Elstamble one for for the drunk riders and which led into buzz bars being created, um which unfortunately you cannot go to that because you came down with the Rona.
00:11:05
Speaker
Yep. Literally like 36 hours before our flight tested positive. Yep. And we were all like, that is unfortunate. No, thanks. yeah And you know, ice storm happened and yeah, the ice storm happened.
00:11:20
Speaker
um ah Gosh, i remember that. The ice storm happened and we were all, you know, trying to decide if we were still to try to make the thing happen and then we did.
00:11:31
Speaker
um But... See, i'm I'm kind of confused too because i i remember i was supposed to meet you then. and I remember being in Atlanta.
00:11:44
Speaker
You stayed at our house for New Year's, I think. Yeah, I did do that one year. But I don't remember... The context of how that happened. I can't remember either. All I know is I remember I drove down.
00:12:00
Speaker
And I stayed at y'all's place. And I remember being. Insanely
Memorable Trips and Cultural Reflections
00:12:05
Speaker
excited. Because. I beat the clock to midnight. And I shaved over 30 minutes. Off of my drive. We won't talk about how I shaved 30 minutes off of my drive.
00:12:16
Speaker
um Let's just say I was moving very expeditedly. on the On the road. um And so that was really, really cool to be able to um do that. oh That was New Year's going into 2022. Because I did just find a picture of you sitting on my couch with Cheez-Its.
00:12:37
Speaker
That checks out. Yeah.
00:12:42
Speaker
here I don't know if you can see my camera very well, but there you go. Oh my gosh. Yep. There I am. ah Um... Cheez-its and all.
00:12:54
Speaker
Yeah. like it We went to Six Flags the next day. That's right. We did get over Georgia.
00:13:07
Speaker
I still can't remember how we how I ended up doing that. I have no idea. Well, so anyway, we met somewhere in there. Did you go on the Silver Dollar City trip with us?
00:13:20
Speaker
No, I did not go on that trip. with yeah Because we had just gotten back from that. I remember I wanted to go, but something...
00:13:30
Speaker
i think... Oh. I think I was... Where I was too new at work. I didn't want to put off put in for taking off work. That close to a velocistumble. Because I think that's when you all went, right?
00:13:47
Speaker
that Or was that trip at later on i can't remember time is a construct yeah it was right after like shortly after velocistumble that's what i thought okay okay so we met at velocistumble clearly
00:14:08
Speaker
literally just like scrolling through pictures on my phone as we try to relive uh the beginnings of our friendship
00:14:18
Speaker
Oh no, a lot's changed in life since then. Just a wee little bit. Just a smidge.
00:14:30
Speaker
A few things, like three or four. you know nobody Yeah, a couple. Maybe v lost the last stumble is where we really started like hanging out. I know that you got on video the first time I met Simon yeah at SeaWorld. I remember that.
00:14:50
Speaker
I'm pretty sure I met everybody at SeaWorld. Like I walked in and found everyone.
00:14:57
Speaker
I mean, that would be pretty on brand for me. Yeah, probably.
00:15:04
Speaker
So yeah, so World, that's kind of how we think our friendship began, question mark. Yeah. And then I moved up to Cincinnati a few years ago, and now you know we live an hour and a half apart.
00:15:16
Speaker
Yep. And you're just always up here, which is great. Yeah.
00:15:26
Speaker
Yeah, especially with, you know, the the cost of living. Totally nothing has changed about that. No, not at all. Anyway. um So how did you get into coasters slash theme parks slash this hobby as a whole?
00:15:43
Speaker
o That's a loaded question. So back when I was a wee lad. wee lad. Yeah, a wee little lad.
00:15:56
Speaker
Now, when I was really young, so I'm talking 1992. nineteen ninety two So I was, no, took me to SeaWorld in ninety ninety ninety two and on ninety three um my parents took me to seawor in ohio Yes, that park. That SeaWorld. That SeaWorld that existed.
00:16:23
Speaker
um So my parents took me to that park. And um that's kind of where it, you know, everything kind of jettisoned off.
00:16:39
Speaker
um Like, I still... Like not as vivid as when I was a child, but when I was a child, like I had very distinct memories that I could recall from that trip.
00:16:50
Speaker
But i had completely forgotten that we went to SeaWorld as I got older. And so I was confused as to why i kept having these really vivid memories of Shamu and just could not place them to save my life. And finally, like...
00:17:07
Speaker
ah one of my other relatives was like, well, you know, you went to SeaWorld when you were little. i was like, I did? And sure enough, like, I have the pictures in my bedroom um from that first trip. So Allison, I may send you a couple if you want to try to take a look at those for maybe the cover art or whatever.
Impact of Coasters and Travel on Personal Growth
00:17:23
Speaker
sure um But yeah, so it kind of began there.
00:17:30
Speaker
um And it was kind of a twofold thing. So one, like, you know, my parents... kind of had a little bit of the travel bug. But the other caveat to it was my parents knew that there was something going on with me, but they couldn't put their finger on it um in terms of development.
00:17:52
Speaker
And what they saw, though, was whenever they took me to those very um unique situational contexts, it did something to me.
00:18:04
Speaker
um and in a positive way. And so they recognized that and then they began just taking me to more of these places. So, for example,
00:18:16
Speaker
um I remember going to Dollywood. um i think that was, so you know, went to SeaWorld, Ohio first. That was in 1992, 1993. But then in 1998,
00:18:28
Speaker
um but then in ninety ninety four I believe it was, we went to Dollywood. I remember the only thing I actually really remember from that trip is the old a wooden painted sign that had Dolly's signature down at the bottom of it that said, that said y'all come back now, you hear?
00:18:54
Speaker
Like, there at the old entrance, which is... If you're listening and you're familiar with Dollywood, it's just before Aunt Granny's. um If you're walking toward Craftsman's Valley to go up that hill and everything, um you'll see a ah long building that kind of spans the entirety the Midway right there that now has like a skillet restaurant and something else over there too with patio chairs and everything around it.
00:19:23
Speaker
um That was the original entrance to Dollywood like back in the early 90s. And that was the you know expanded entrance at the time. And so you know that gives you a bit of an idea of just how much Dollywood has grown and changed since then.
00:19:39
Speaker
um But then we went to ah Paramount's Kings Island at the time in 95. And that's when I rode my first coaster. I've heard that place. Yeah. You know, small little place. Small little place.
00:19:52
Speaker
And um went to Kings Island, you know, kept going to Kings Island, then ended up going to Kentucky Kingdom in the late ninety s I vividly remember being in the park when Chang was brand new um because my aunt and uncle went and rode Chang, and my mom obviously out you my mom didn't want to ride it, and I was obviously way too young to ride it. And...
00:20:22
Speaker
We were, you know, right there. if you're If you're looking at the old plot where Chang was, ah we were in front of the present-day Hurricane Bay entrance.
00:20:34
Speaker
Excuse me. And, you know, we were looking at the silhouette of Chang, and my aunt uncle were on the train and was cresting the lift hill. as it crested the lift hill...
00:20:47
Speaker
this curtain of rain just overtook the ride right as they hit the pre-drop to go on the right course. So they got soaked.
00:21:04
Speaker
But then as I got older, like my parents tried to help me push the ah envelope. They tried to get me on you know Thinking back to King's Island once again, they tried to get me on to you know King
Challenges in Social Media and Technology
00:21:14
Speaker
Cobra. They tried to get me on to Flight of Fear. They tried to get me on to Vortex.
00:21:19
Speaker
um They did successfully get me on Backwards Racer. I don't know how they pulled that off. But the bug really didn't take hold until 2005 when I rode my first inverting coaster, which was Son of Beast.
00:21:38
Speaker
Yeah. That's a way to start. You know, sometimes you just gotta, you know, throw yourself into the deep end of the pool. you And, um, that came about because i was on a youth trip up to Paramount's Kings Island and, um, I had friends that were, you know, in the youth group that were trying to get me to go on to the ride. And I was like, no, I don't want to do it. It goes upside down. or And and,
00:22:06
Speaker
yeah remember and I remember just being nervous as heck. you know I remember going up the lift hill, not being able to hear yourself think because that lift hill with those premier trains was so loud.
00:22:25
Speaker
And I just remember thinking, holy crap, like we're I'm doing this. And made it through the first part of the ride, you know, came through the midcourse. And I remember just vividly death gripping the handlebar ah that was like on the backside of the car body um of the road in front of me for the vertical loop. And I remember just death gripping it and being like, okay, here it comes. Here it comes. Oh, no.
00:22:52
Speaker
And we shoot through the loop and come out the other side. And I still remember this. We come out the other side. We begin going into the double helix behind the lift.
00:23:05
Speaker
And I remember saying to myself, I was scared of that. oh i was like, I like that. and then it was downhill from there. Literally.
00:23:18
Speaker
Literally. I feel like... um that's just something a lot of kids go through is like, I mean, I'm myself included, like, um, so scared of him for all this time. And then you finally do it and you're like that's, that's what I was scared of.
00:23:35
Speaker
Right. Yeah. And you know, like the, it's kind of ah like looking back, it's a scenario of the one that got away, you know, with King Cobra, because I really wish I could have ridden that. And my mom, like, went and wrote it to prove to me, that was the thing I that was the thing i neglected to mention. My parents, for for Flight of Fear, Vortex, and King Cobra, like, I stayed on the midway watching them
Involvement in Coaster Community and Personal Growth
00:24:04
Speaker
go and ride, and for them to prove to me that, hey, it's safe, it's fine, which ironically, yeah the the one ride that my mom, that I vividly recall my mom doing that for me for,
00:24:18
Speaker
was Vortex. And as my mom aged, um she had some health she had had some health complications earlier in life, and that led to her spine losing some of its... um It led to her losing some of her height.
00:24:36
Speaker
And so when she went and wrote Vortex as an older person and she lost that height, she was in the prime real estate for the Arrow OTSRs.
00:24:48
Speaker
So she went and wrote it and she came off. She's like, that thing beat me up. I can't believe that. You don't have to go ride that job, Michael. Like that is just, oh my gosh.
00:25:00
Speaker
And then it wound up being my favorite at the park. until It got demolished in 2019. So funny how that happens.
00:25:12
Speaker
Yeah, i still remember my like one that got away was Viper out over Georgia. Because I told myself I was going to ride it the next time I was there. And then they took it down.
00:25:25
Speaker
That sounds something somewhat similar. um i went to King's Dominion. And um for whatever reason, Volcano had a mechanical malfunction.
00:25:40
Speaker
And um it was just closed. Like, it was just down. Stared at it the entire day. Didn't get it. I don't even know if I ever got to see Volcano in person.
00:25:55
Speaker
don't remember when my first and Kings Dominion trip was. It was... So, I mean, it... It looked good. Like, it presented well from that one area on the Midway. But other than that, I mean, the ride layout is kind of...
00:26:11
Speaker
ah Yeah, I know. but it It was just so unique. Oh, absolutely. It was a very unique attraction, you know. mean, of course, built at the height of the Coastal Wars. Right. And
00:26:24
Speaker
that was when everyone, you know, went it from parks to manufacturers, were pulling out all the stops. you know, technology wasn't fully matured to that point. We had just gotten to a place where the technology that could be integrated into those attractions was like barely just stable enough to make it happen, you know?
00:26:46
Speaker
And, you know, I, I kind of miss that pioneering spirit. I kind of miss that. yeah The ability of an, of a coaster to make everybody's jaws drop.
00:26:59
Speaker
um And I mean, they still can still
Community and Personal Influences
00:27:03
Speaker
do. I mean, I think one prime example of that kind of level of just, presence is going to be tormentor rampage rampage you run down six flags over texas you know just how high it is with it being a dive coaster right so i mean it can still happen but i miss that pioneering the pioneering days of the modern day like coaster some of the coast coaster designs we have now you know
00:27:31
Speaker
Um, because people, the manufacturers and parks alike were doing some crazy stuff. I mean, you have X with aerodynamics, you had B and M just coming onto the scene, you know, after they created Kumba and others in the early nineties. And then they gave birth to the invert model, which was a playoff of arrows, suspended swinging coaster and a different tank on that idea.
00:27:56
Speaker
um you know, and then you had intimate just doing insane stuff like using, um, LSMs to launch a coaster up 400 something feet in 1997.
00:28:10
Speaker
So, you know, we're talking years before Cedar point broke all the records. Um, you know, I, I miss, I miss that, you know,
00:28:22
Speaker
um I mean, I'm i'm very fortunate i got to live through it though firsthand and I'm able to recall bits and pieces of it. So yeah I do feel kind of like we're seeing a resurgence of that kind of innovation though.
00:28:35
Speaker
Like thinking about the axis coaster, um project purple. think like all the, they're all just trying to one up each other now with less competition.
00:28:48
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, i i i don't think it's so much competition between the properties now. because And I mean, for those of you listening, you know obviously we're speaking to you from the context of the United States. Yeah. And so now, after the merger of Cedar Fair and Six Flags, um most of our regional park base in this country is not competing against anyone in a vast majority of markets. Yeah.
00:29:17
Speaker
And so...
00:29:20
Speaker
Now, instead of the parks really competing for stuff, you have the manufacturers coming up with a crazy idea for a one-off attraction that they will be willing to build for the right customer.
00:29:32
Speaker
And so,
Inspirational Mentors and Fulfilling Dreams
00:29:34
Speaker
i mean, to to give modern-day, now post-merger Six Flags credit, at least they're not just buying 15 clones and popping them down to the park and saying, here's your coaster, have fun.
00:29:48
Speaker
you know, that is one, one thing I will give them credit for because project purple could have just been off the shelf model, you know, and, um, it's very much not that.
00:29:59
Speaker
So no kidding. So, um, it's, it's good to see that, as you said, you know, Alison, like, There is a bit of, there is some innovation coming back. It's just coming back in a different way. Right.
00:30:12
Speaker
It's not, it's definitely not like the coaster wars again, but. Oh, absolutely not. The the money for those is gone. yeah It's long gone. All the money is going into these singular projects.
00:30:24
Speaker
Yep. To come up with whatever new world old record or whatever they can. Oh, absolutely. It's all about the marketing now.
00:30:35
Speaker
Well, it's about marketing, but also I think, too, it's about something that that a story can be weaved around, too. yeah Oh, for sure, a story.
00:30:47
Speaker
And, you know, like i mean, I would love to see, in the in the current context of the United States, I don't foresee this, but I would love to see and attraction be delivered on the level that some European parks do in terms of theming and immersion.
00:31:05
Speaker
Like, I would love to see that. Like, which coaster is an example, out of curiosity?
00:31:13
Speaker
Oh, boy. ah
00:31:19
Speaker
i mean, I know this is probably the basic European enthusiast one to mention, but um I was going to say fly. Yeah. um my My mind went to Konda.
00:31:33
Speaker
Conda too. Okay, yeah. Because Conda has that very unique off-shot area where it's kind of off on its own. Yeah, and it has its own like whole entry plaza. But then I guess Fly has its own entire area that it's woven into.
00:31:47
Speaker
Fly has its own entire little miniature city like yeah that it flies over. thing he said the word he said the magical word. Quick, everybody take a drink of water Okay. I can do that.
00:32:02
Speaker
I have water here.
00:32:08
Speaker
Do I?
00:32:11
Speaker
Hydrate or dehydrate. Yup. But yeah, I mean, you know, so like fly me, even i would say a little bit too, with like Voltron, um, as well.
00:32:25
Speaker
Um,
00:32:28
Speaker
um I mean, I know this is not a coaster, but I would say even Mystery Castle is another good example. Yeah.
00:32:38
Speaker
Okay. Changing gears because this just made me think of it because we literally just listed a whole bunch of things that we've gone to ride together. um Which is wild to think about. um You and i we've gone on some crazy trips together.
00:32:55
Speaker
What has been a standout trip that we've been on together for you?
00:33:01
Speaker
Good gosh.
00:33:05
Speaker
I mean, as I said during the wedding ceremony, you know, the the number of times that a trip has begun with either the playing of an attraction's soundtrack, all of my words of, so I have an idea. yeah Like... And this is how we came up with our group chat that's called Bad ah bad Trip Ideas Incorporated, so which I think has like 10 of us in there now.
00:33:29
Speaker
pray Praise be to happy be. Happy be is where it all started. Yep. We stand the happy be. We stand happy be. That terrible little coaster.
00:33:40
Speaker
I almost got stung by a wasp on. It's so bad. um And for those of you at home, for context, look up Happy Bee at dan a book Dana Brooke Greenhouse in Harrisburg, Kentucky.
00:33:52
Speaker
You're welcome. we We made a special trip down there for us to ride it. Yes, we did. And that's where the the group chat started. Yep. um So, anywho, standout trip, man.
00:34:09
Speaker
i I mean, I can't really hardly put it down to one. yeah um
00:34:22
Speaker
I think
00:34:27
Speaker
I think Europa was really fun just because of how many people we could get to go um especially with the fact that it began with ah you, Mike and I in your car listening to the um Oh gosh, it wasn't Yeromir.
00:34:49
Speaker
What soundtrack was it?
00:34:53
Speaker
Was it Lisey Bird? No. No, because I thought it was actually. I thought it was something from Europa. I thought it was too. I'm pretty it sure it was something for Europa.
00:35:04
Speaker
Because that was us manifesting. Maybe it was just Europa Park. I think, yeah, it was it was ah it was some kind of soundtrack from Europa. I can't recall what ah what it was. But um i remember videos of Ultron that were coming out at the time.
00:35:21
Speaker
Yeah, that's right. There were videos of Ultron coming at the time. And I remember you just like, you kind of joked about like, oh, you know, I'm manifesting this.
00:35:34
Speaker
And I said, stop it or whatever. And remember Mike kind of laughing and We thought that you were going to change the song to something different, but then you went back to Europa Park music.
00:35:45
Speaker
I would vividly recall being like, Allison, stop. You keep doing this. We're going to turn it into a trip. Whoops. Whoops. And next thing you know, we have Dakota coming through the door of a fondue place, tripping and breaking the door off.
00:36:00
Speaker
No, it was just the Garland. I know was the Garland, but I was saying more dramatic effect. No, I think he did almost break the door too. i think he pulled it the wrong way or something and it got gone.
00:36:12
Speaker
He did. He pulled it the wrong way and the Garland came down. and the plays where We got yelled at in German. and Yeah. a guy Well, i mean, we were in Sweden at that point. No, not Sweden.
00:36:24
Speaker
We were in Switzerland and, you know, we were also like those of us that were already at the table, we were trying not to laugh. And the the this the gentleman that was our waiter was just like, he he was giving disappointed dad face. like he get Like, that is the one thing that is universal language. Like, you don't have to you don't have to say a single word. He was just giving disappointed dad. I think I remember him coming over and holding the door open and being like, just go, just go.
00:36:53
Speaker
He did. right He did. and Because Dakota didn't know what to do and he was trying to fix it and then he made it worse because ah the other side of the garland came down off the door. i just i think I was right behind him and we're just like standing there with his garland like draped over his shoulders.
00:37:07
Speaker
i Because I was already seated and I remember looking up and saying something to the effect of what on earth is going on over there? Oh man.
00:37:18
Speaker
But then we had one of the best meals of our life. We did. We did. And so, um you know, we went to Europa and everything. um But man, I... you The Europa trip overall, I would say, was probably my most fun.
00:37:37
Speaker
um I still think about those Eros that Joey took us to when we had that one night by the park. Yeah. um Those were tasty. I think my favorite moment, though...
00:37:51
Speaker
was the very first trip like going over and we landed it in Brussels and um we drove down to Fantasia land um and you know ultimately went Fantasia land and um Pallapsa, Dupin and then we popped over to France and we got to be out on that beach for a minute and shockingly there were people in the water it was not warm nope um It was November.
00:38:22
Speaker
Yeah, it was November. It was not warm. um The wind was howling. But I think my favorite moment overall, and I know that you shared this with me um as well of being a core memory, is just that night in Antwerp after we ate Italian food.
00:38:40
Speaker
Yeah. a Del Grazo. No, it's not Del Grazo. What was it called? Somebody, another mutual friend, you know, posted a picture, ironically, from the same exact street that we walked down. Oh, yeah.
00:38:53
Speaker
With the same exact angle that I have a picture of. And I saw the Italian place and I was like, I walked there. um But yeah, I just, I remember that night because that was the night that kind of helped me to see that, hey,
00:39:09
Speaker
there there is a world to be seen and to be experienced, explored, um people to talk to, you know, that are outside of the context of where you may be or may have been born and raised. And kind of having that third eye opened, you know, um because I just, I remember at one point on that night,
00:39:37
Speaker
you and you and Mike had went into a convenience store to to go look at something because one y'all saw something in a contra-a-numab. And i remember just standing there against the pole, not having my phone out, just looking around Antwerp and listening to the people in a language that I didn't know what they were talking about, but they were just enjoying their lives.
00:40:02
Speaker
And... That was the moment that I was just kind of like, wow, like I want to see more of this. Like I want to you know, um went from, you know, being born and raised in rural central Kentucky to being on the other side of the globe for the first time. And that's, that's the favorite memory I have. And I mean, that one, that memory that night, everything we did, including the KFC.
00:40:31
Speaker
if you like In the shadow of a cathedral. In the shadow of a cathedral, um I'm still kicking myself in the shin that I didn't get a brewski at that bar in the castle that when we walked by. Still kicking myself about that.
00:40:48
Speaker
um Or we didn't stop it at like that Irish pub earlier in the night before. I know! Oh my gosh. And...
00:40:59
Speaker
I'm still kind of kicking myself that, you know, if if I was not, and you know, if we weren't as tired and didn't get delayed by that traffic and everything else getting back over to Antwerp,
00:41:11
Speaker
you know i would have loved to have stayed out and just talked to more people or go to the Irish club that randomly transformed into a nightclub because yes I just – I will never forget walking by like, oh, normal Irish pub. And then after the sunset, it's – Yeah, like we had gone back over there werere like, oh, let's go get like a pint or something. Nope.
00:41:35
Speaker
Let's go get a pint. And then next thing know, the Torculator is happening over at the Irish Pub, which makes complete sense. Yeah. another Another funny moment. It was right before we headed back to the hotel. It was later in the night.
00:41:49
Speaker
um I think it was when we were walking over to the Waffle Place. Oh, yeah. I forgot we did the Waffle Place. And we and I got a waffle in Goldfine. And...
00:42:01
Speaker
um
00:42:04
Speaker
I remember we turned down one of the streets and I remember just from this small little like club or like, like small plate, like bar place.
00:42:15
Speaker
I just remember hearing Nelly's hot in here blaring. I don't recall that. And I was just like, wow. Okay.
00:42:28
Speaker
Oh man. i haven't, I have a two, heavy too auditory heavily of a memory no I get that um but yeah so I mean in a very long an elongated roundabout way my favorite trip Europa Park favorite moment thus far international travel is still the night in Antwerp yeah that was a good time just taking stupid pictures gosh imitating statues
00:43:01
Speaker
doing your pose or whatever under that bridge.
00:43:06
Speaker
Getting pissed that you all stuck me at the front row of freaking Chiapas. And I erroneously believe that the Germans were smart enough to put, Oh yeah, this has a winter mode. It won't get you as wet.
00:43:17
Speaker
No, they should have just paused the boat mid for mid last drop and just handed you a bucket of water to soak yourself before you went down. Yeah.
00:43:29
Speaker
One of my other favorite moments from that trip is your on-ride photo from Whinges. ah
00:43:39
Speaker
Maybe I'll make that the episode art.
00:43:44
Speaker
a I forgot about that photo. forgot I remember when when when we all saw it, we like were crying laughing. yeah Oh my gosh.
00:43:57
Speaker
And at five euros a pop, I mean, had to buy it. Yeah. Shout out to your European parks for having everything, you know, reasonably priced. For real.
00:44:10
Speaker
have an honorable mention for a domestic park trip that we've done. And that was the OSHA Crud Run. Yeah. That was a good one. That was that was a banger.
00:44:23
Speaker
That was a banger. Just going to like the sketchiest parks all in one trip and hoping we make it out alive. And every park on that trip was quote unquote, Oh shit compliant. um Yeah.
00:44:39
Speaker
Cause I remember coming up with that one during, um, I think it was like the wobble fest that we did. We're sitting at, sitting at breakfast at the true and coming up with an idea for just a, how many terrible parks can we do in one trip, but still have a good time.
00:44:56
Speaker
Oh yeah. coined it the OSHA cred run and people have continued the trend. Yeah. And now it's like a running joke amongst like so many people doing another OSHA cred run up there. Yeah.
00:45:11
Speaker
That's what it's called to do all the, like the Wisconsin parks. And I mean, we were smart and went all the way up to green Bay. One. I mean, it's funny because, you know, uh,
00:45:26
Speaker
Oh dear. What is it called? um Oh my gosh. Zippin' Pippin's there. I'm blanking on the park. Bay Beach. Bay Beach, yeah. um Bay Beach is very much actually OSHA compliant and, you know, ah very polished, very proper, you know, old school style amusement park.
00:45:50
Speaker
And then you had Little America. And then you had... um Mount Olympus, which we all know Mount Olympus.
00:46:02
Speaker
um We also had the Family Fun People's Choice. pete Yes, thank you. People's Choice Family Fun Center with the Dueling Urinals. um
00:46:15
Speaker
Gosh, what else do we have? ah Indiana Beach. Indiana Beach, yep. All the little plus ones. like yeah oh and then we we also did get um at safari uh safari land yeah safari land thank you uh we also got safari land which that tiger terror had no business being no no business being unironically that good may it rest in peace a yeah amen you know pour one out for a king
00:46:50
Speaker
Oh, boy. So, yeah. we've
00:46:54
Speaker
Oh, one other trip. this this could We could literally just talk for hours about trips that we've been on. um Yeah, I know. The ah Pennsylvania trip with Matt.
00:47:05
Speaker
My first time meeting Matt and just absolutely broke him in the car. Literally broke him. um Man.
00:47:18
Speaker
And now it's and And now look where Matt has come along into all of this. It's, you know, like, um man.
00:47:31
Speaker
Craziness. I feel like we should have just another episode at some point. Just me and you talking about all the tropes that we've been on. Yeah, see how much. There's been so many. See how much I can actually recall versus not recall. Right.
00:47:45
Speaker
I can recall most of them. yeah i've like While you've been talking, I've been scrolling through my phone looking for pictures of you to use for episode art and like just being reminded of some of these trips.
00:48:02
Speaker
Memphis Kitty Park.
00:48:09
Speaker
Oh my gosh. You said Memphis what? Memphis Kitty Park. I don't think we went to that. We did. We ah we were... ah Oh, that's in Ohio.
00:48:22
Speaker
Yeah, not Memphis. Yeah, sorry. My bad. Taylor doesn't know this, but... San Bernardondo.
00:48:33
Speaker
um Yeah, Memphis, Kitty Park. We went over to Waldemere. Yep.
00:48:41
Speaker
Gosh. I mean, we've had so many random shenanigans. We have.
00:48:47
Speaker
All right. Anyway, enough trips. we'll We'll do more that eventually. um In terms of content creation, I know you have a little side project for Jungle Jikes.
00:49:00
Speaker
Yes. Inspired by a Jungle Gyms. in an International Food Market. Yeah. Jungle Gyms price magic, but now it's just jike magic. Yes. Still to this day, jike magic. Yeah. We have someone that referenced that literally over the weekend, I'm pretty sure.
00:49:16
Speaker
um Oh, yeah, it was Kyrie. Kyrie kept calling it Jungle the entire time. He refuses to call it Jungle Gyms. Every time he texted me, he was like, do you want anything from Jungle Gyms? like, no, no, I'm good. But
00:49:33
Speaker
yeah, do you want to talk about kind of that conversation? Journey. don't know if you it's a journey, but just another an outlet for, uh, some of your photography and trip recaps.
00:49:44
Speaker
Yeah. So,
00:49:47
Speaker
um you know, my Instagram is, uh, jungle dykes, um, travel magic as Alison already said. um and it's, I want to take it to kind of another level of terms of creativity and being able to do reels and stuff.
00:50:05
Speaker
Um, um, just trying to find
00:50:11
Speaker
other content like savvy people that know what they're doing to kind of, I don't want to say manipulate the the Instagram algorithm, which is heavily, you know, reels biased now, unfortunately.
00:50:26
Speaker
um But navigating, but be able to navigate in such a way that it can be better utilized, I guess is the appropriate thing to say. um i mean, because admittedly, it's been kind of quiet over there for a minute now.
00:50:42
Speaker
um But I do want to get like I am going to get back into the habit of getting back on there and consistently posting again, because I do enjoy it. um I love it's it's kind of a potpourri type of scenario with it of.
00:50:58
Speaker
I don't really have an objective of like, oh my gosh, I want to grow this and become the next big thing. But um I utilize it to be able to share my experiences and travels to others. And, you know, maybe along the way, find some local businesses. Well, continue to find local businesses.
00:51:17
Speaker
Excuse me. Continue to find local businesses to support and shout out to. um Still to this day, I've only had one local business that I have.
00:51:28
Speaker
not put onto that account or recommended it to anyone willingly. So, um, so far it's been really good for me to be able to showcase those places because it might be a place that, you know, it could be a little bit off the beaten path or it could be a random mom and pop shop that you don't really know about or have heard about. And, um, you know, it's, it's just a place for me to shout out those types of places, but also it's a place to share my travels with others, you know,
00:51:57
Speaker
ah Because I do enjoy that and I don't want to clog up my own personal um social medias with all of that because I tend to do a lot of hopping around.
00:52:08
Speaker
Yep. I hope that as I continue to get older, I am able to continue to keep hopping around um and doing a random, you know, buffoonery. So we're good at that.
00:52:21
Speaker
Yes. Yes. Shenanigating. Shenanigating.
00:52:27
Speaker
um Do you have any interest in like pursuing more reels in the future? Oh, I absolutely do. okay um I mean, i've I've had a few ideas that will randomly creep through my head. And that's the thing, though, is I will get an idea and I will see my head how i want it to go But then me trying to do it with only a phone.
00:52:53
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, it's not. Like I thought about getting one of those little small guests, I guess they're called Osmos or whatever they are. yeah Like i thought about getting one of those at some point, but it's like,
00:53:09
Speaker
I just, I have issues with like the Instagram reels editor and I'm just really bad at using that. And I much prefer to just use premiere pro and then send things back to my phone to post. But that's a lot of effort.
00:53:23
Speaker
Yeah, because the the, I mean, I'm going to be honest, like, even on the photo side, the baked-in Instagram tools that they've rolled out are kind of all just half-baked.
00:53:35
Speaker
Yeah. You know, none of them are any good. And plus, like, you know, with photos, depending on your quality of photo that you upload to Instagram, it's going to be compressed to heck anyway. Yeah. So, yeah.
00:53:51
Speaker
you you know i I wish that you didn't have to do all this clunkiness if you are someone that is a creative and wants to do something well and does want to share that with the world.
00:54:02
Speaker
um
00:54:05
Speaker
it's just It's still to this day is very clunky ah being able to do that. But I mean, it's i do think like with, for example, between macOS and iPhones, um you know, you do have that little more of ah of connectivity or integration, I should say, of being able cross post stuff a little easier now.
00:54:28
Speaker
um But I mean, still, like, as you said, though, Allison, like it's the the built in tools for Instagram leave a lot to be desired. Yeah. People talk about like like talk crap about the ah Apple ecosystem a lot.
00:54:47
Speaker
um But man, has it been good for my productivity. Like well having a MacBook and having my iPhone and then just um being able to just so quickly share things back and forth makes my life so much better.
00:55:03
Speaker
Well, and it's it's very funny that you say that because when I was in college, we had a professor that swore by everything Apple. and And, you know, some of us being college students thinking that we knew better,
00:55:17
Speaker
um You know, talk to him and we're like, oh, you know, why do you like everything from Apple? raw um And he looks at us and goes, he said, tell me how your PC is working. He's like, tell me how you can go from one device to another simply and everything just works.
00:55:38
Speaker
And everything communicates with each other. And you don't have to think about doing it. It just doesn't. Yeah. And i remember that being said, that little seed kind of being planted in my head. um Because at that time, you know, of course, this is in 2009, 10, 11. So, you know, we are in the infant days of Android.
00:56:02
Speaker
um And, you know, the iPhone, we were on iPhone 4 and 4S at that point. And so the iPhone had already come into its own. And I remember going from that um that old android to an iphone 4 or 4s and just having my mind blown of oh my gosh like the apps aren't crashing all the time you know it's the phone stays on and doesn't do anything weird you know um
00:56:34
Speaker
And I mean, yeah, like if you're a development, if you're from, and if you're into software coding or wanted wanting to do gaming and such, you know, the Mac ecosystem is not really tailored for that.
00:56:45
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, they're Apple is trying to fix that. But when it comes to solid integration across the totality of the ecosystem, and when it comes to the ability of graphics people or audio people or DJs or what have you, being able to create and brainstorm and such, you know, the the Mac, and app by extension, the Apple ecosystem is the best to do it because Windows is so fractured. And then, of course, you know, Linux, well, Linux is not built for that stuff at all.
00:57:22
Speaker
Yeah.
00:57:27
Speaker
Sorry to get onto side tangent about technology there, but you know, you know, it all ties in. It isn it ist it is a creative podcast. song It is the creative part of um, and it just kind of, you know, depends on how people work best. What's most efficient for them.
00:57:43
Speaker
Absolutely. What system works for them. Um, I guess speaking of, i don't know if that's really speaking of technology. That's a terrible segue. Anyway, um who kind of inspired you getting into the community and being creative?
00:58:01
Speaker
Oh, well, without opening too much of Pandora's box chat, there's a story. So ironically, it's, and it's hard to believe, you know, um actually 10 years ago around this time of year um it was the opening day of storm chaser there was a guy um that was there and he was there with his brother and they said that they were starting a youtube channel and um i was like you know i'll subscribe to it whatever and so i subscribed to and that led to us becoming friends and that led to our little friend group growing and um
00:58:46
Speaker
with that particular channel and again this is pre-instagram real days so you know this is exclusively when instagram is on photos and um you know they the youtube channel was organically growing the instagram was growing and i got to help a ton with the instagram because the the other people just didn't have any interest in running it um And you know we had a lot of good organic growth. And so that's kind of where the creativity kind of pretty much began.
00:59:18
Speaker
um you know there There were some decisions that were made by sort by parties within that friend group, um which unfortunately led to the um closure of that a YouTube channel, that social media um that I was helping to run. But the bug for...
00:59:39
Speaker
continuing to create or continuing to um highlight my travels or highlight um other places, like other businesses, that that stayed with me even from then.
00:59:53
Speaker
um And so it took me a long time to figure out what I want to do. And also just because I'm always kicking the can down the road with a lot of stuff in life. um you It was actually conversations with you that Led to me being like, you know, okay. I can start the Instagram.
01:00:10
Speaker
i Gosh, i could I think it was... I think it was coming back from Pennsylvania. When I was trying to think of a name. And I told you I wanted to do it.
01:00:22
Speaker
And... um I jokingly said, you know, something about having a logo because i was like, I don't want a shitty logo. And then you just randomly like pooped out like three or four different options in 10 minutes in the backseat of the car. And I was like, girl, what? Yeah, that's just what I do. No, I remember you giving like certain like keywords and vibes.
01:00:45
Speaker
And I happened to have my laptop with me and I saw it in my head, threw it together, turned around the screen. I'm like, oh, you mean like this? You're like, what? What? Yeah, I remember i remember vividly being like, excuse me? like Like, girl, I didn't realize you were i didn't well you were in the kitchen back there cooking. Like, man.
01:01:03
Speaker
oh I did that all the time at my last job. We'd be in, like, meetings over, you know, some, like, um advertisements, marketing stuff or whatever. Everybody's talking, and I'm just there quiet on my laptop, and then they're like, Allison, what do you think? And I turn my laptop around with an entire thing designed. I'm like, oh, like this? They're like, yeah.
01:01:19
Speaker
ah yeah, just like that. Yeah. You're like, yeah, that's just what I do. I work in the background and then just work my magic.
01:01:31
Speaker
yeah Yeah. ah And so that led to me creating it. And, you know, I do hope that I can make it grow a little bit more and and everything.
01:01:44
Speaker
um Cause I do want to, you know I do want to see some kind of growth from it, perhaps. um But also, like I just want to continue sharing my adventures with people and having a more centralized place for me to be able to do that is very, very helpful.
01:02:01
Speaker
you know it's very helpful to have that instead of having three, four, or five different things kind of hop, skipping, and jumping everywhere.
01:02:10
Speaker
Yeah, I know that feeling. Right? always have so much going on. Um, what are some your other hobbies outside of coasters? Ooh, um, outside of coasters.
01:02:26
Speaker
I really enjoy, i enjoy sunsets, long walks on the beach. Hobbies, not dating profiles.
01:02:38
Speaker
Um, No, I enjoy being outdoors. i enjoy hiking. Like that's something that I've really gotten into because as I was growing up as a kid and heading to my teenage years, I didn't mind being outside, but I also didn't really go seeking it out.
01:03:01
Speaker
And so i've learned to i've sort i've learned to treasure that a lot more. and i enjoy hiking and going on, you know, walks. I enjoy, um being outdoors. As I said, i enjoy spending time with friends, you know, because ah as we said at the beginning of the episode, you know, it's crazy how much time has elapsed just in the span of us basically knowing each other since 2019.
01:03:32
Speaker
um
01:03:35
Speaker
And trying not to take those days for granted because even in my work, like I've caught myself being like, oh my gosh, I want the clock to tick by. I just want to be off work. And I've had to stop myself and be like, no, like, yes, you are at work. Yeah, nobody wants to be at work. Everyone wants to be to do whatever they wish that they can truly do.
01:03:58
Speaker
But even those monotonous days, like, we shouldn't really go and try to just wish our days away because next thing you know, you know, we're all going to grow old and, and we may not all have our health. We may we may not have our mobility. We may not have our, um, mental facilities all with us.
01:04:22
Speaker
And, um, you know, I've, I've just learned to just in take take each day at face value and enjoy it with the people and the – well, with the people you want to be with.
01:04:38
Speaker
And yeah, i mean that's a little bit of a rabbit hole. That's a little more heavy than I expected. Yeah, a little bit of a rabbit hole for my hobbies. And I know it's probably a little heavy for a creative podcast, but here we are. Yeah.
01:04:56
Speaker
Um, but yeah, no, like
01:05:01
Speaker
I just enjoy spending time a lot with people and that's something that I never want to lose. Yeah. I think that's like the greatest thing that I've gained from this hobby as well is just the people.
01:05:16
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, just take a look at the wedding. Like, ah um Oh, man, I should pull up those stats that i read out at the wedding.
01:05:28
Speaker
You should. So, um
01:05:34
Speaker
don't remember if I talked about this on the recap episode of the wedding, even though it was a literally away a couple days ago I recorded that. um It was about 48 hours ago. That I recorded it? Yeah, something like that.
01:05:47
Speaker
Yeah, because it was on the way to Cedar Point. Yeah. Yeah.
01:05:54
Speaker
um okay so on my rsvps so we had like probably 70 coaster people invited to the wedding like it was a very high percentage yeah because me and mike met through coasters and all of our friends are in coasters so naturally that's just how it happens um but in our rsvp i asked people to put their cred count um as as one does um my family members were all very confused my sister I was very proud of my sister she was determined to figure out her credit count um and we went back and forth for a while on a google doc where she listed out all the parks that she had been to and the years and what coasters she remembered and I went back and looked at what coasters were there during that year and gave her a list and she figured out what one she remembered being on anyway her coaster counts like 70.
01:06:45
Speaker
i Okay. Yeah. um My dad's is three. I gave him a shout out in the welcome speech. yeah The average cost or the average count of just the coaster people that RSVP'd. And that's not even including people who like stopped counting at a certain number like Larson did. Some people just didn't put a number.
01:07:08
Speaker
um But the approximate average was 526.5 coasters. five hundred and twenty six point five coasters
01:07:18
Speaker
Is the half a evacuation? Or is it a boomerang that they only got that valleyed and they didn't get the whole circuit on? It's just an uneven average.
01:07:33
Speaker
It's a very uneven average. But yes, it was a very high average of coasters. It was kind of crazy that it was that high. Like I remember... yeah i remember you telling me that it was pretty high and then you said it at the welcome speech. I was like, oh crap.
01:07:53
Speaker
a People were cheering at that too. It was crazy. Yeah, they were. Oh my gosh. ah yeah there There were quite a few ah nerds at the wedding.
01:08:08
Speaker
Quite a few, girl. That just goes to show like the people that you meet in this community. and i mean You obviously have something to bond over. just got to find the people in the community that you jive with the most.
01:08:21
Speaker
Stick with them. Absolutely. Exhibit A. My guest on this podcast today. Stop it!
01:08:32
Speaker
um I do want to wrap this up soon because I still need to pack for Europe. You do need a pack for Europe. I literally haven't even started. My bag is still not empty from this past weekend.
01:08:44
Speaker
Oh, boy. Yeah, and i have tonight and tomorrow, and that is it. well Speaking of which, Mike is literally currently buying me clothes for this.
01:08:57
Speaker
Well, there you go. Because I don't have time to. Look at him go. Um, but one last question to kind of close it out is what advice do you have for younger enthusiasts getting into the hobby?
01:09:11
Speaker
Oh boy. wow. Um, Hmm. Say you were to be a role model for kids in getting into coasters. Oh gosh. That's terrifying. Um,
01:09:32
Speaker
I guess if you are of a younger demographic and you have stumbled upon this and you're listening to it thus far, um
01:09:46
Speaker
I think the advice I would give you is the advice I had to tell myself is this whole thing of being obsessed with coasters and enjoying them and knowing all the facts and stats and you know, what is a block zone and and all that, it's it's not so weird.
01:10:08
Speaker
And there's a lot of creative history um looking back, you know, over the attractions that were that have already been brought to life, um you know, going back 50, 60, 70, 80 years ago.
01:10:28
Speaker
and um there's a lot of wonder to be seen and understood from all of that. And, um,
01:10:41
Speaker
even in this heavily technology tech technology, technological age with artificial intelligence and all that, never lose the creative spark, never lose your ability to take up an interest in a hobby. And furthermore,
01:11:02
Speaker
it may seem like a lot right now to you, um, caring about what your friends and others may think, but ultimately it, in the grand scheme, it truly doesn't matter.
01:11:14
Speaker
And in so long as you are yourself and you surround yourself with the people that will push you to become a better version of you.
01:11:28
Speaker
And, um,
01:11:31
Speaker
You know, that's advice I wish I had given myself when I was younger to help me understand that there is hope at the light of a, you know, at the end of a very dark tunnel. And, um you know, I'm very happy that I got to walk out of that tunnel and I got to, you know, have, you know, been blessed with friends that I can count as family and and still be able to be comfortable enough in my own skin to be like, yeah, I like coasters, so what?
01:12:03
Speaker
You know, so it's like, oh if we're going to hobby shame here, tell me your hobbies. I'm sure I can think of ways to shame yours. So, um but yeah, I mean, that's, that's the, that's the advice I would give someone younger is, you there's a lot of fun, creative history. There's a lot of hilarious stories. There's stories that I have been fortunate to have had stumble into my lap that, you I have to look back and just laugh at them because they are literally that audacious. Um, but I, I love for hearing about those things. Um, because it it showcases the care and the love that people put into bringing these attractions to life for your enjoyment.
01:12:48
Speaker
Oh,
01:12:51
Speaker
ah I'm happy to, play a little bit of a role in getting you into some of these new places. Oh, stop it. Stop it. like I still remember us sitting at the um the Dublin airport at the end of our first Europe trip eating our like Thanksgiving sandwiches or whatever they were.
01:13:12
Speaker
Burger. It was a burger because Ireland calls them burgers and they're chicken sandwiches. Whatever it was, it had a bunch of, I think mine was it was a turkey thing because it was Thanksgiving and there were bunch of fixings on it and all that.
01:13:24
Speaker
um mommy Mine was like a turkey, but yeah there was chicken on it too. I can't remember. I don't know. But drinking a a European Fanta because they're superior. Amen. And just reminiscing on the trip on your first whirlwind of a European trip.
01:13:43
Speaker
Yeah. And i I recall breaking down in tears. Yep. In my with the Dublin airport with my pint of Guinness and my Thanksgiving burger ah my plate and looking like a bu babbling idiot. um Because um I had a fourth grade teacher. Her name was Miss Whitesell. And um she...
01:14:12
Speaker
outside of my parents, specifically my mom was the first person, first adult to really believe in me and, um, kind of implanted the, the seed in my ear of, you know, if you want to go see the world, you can do that. Like, I know you can do it. I know that you can, you are capable.
01:14:38
Speaker
Um, Because you know at that time I was really struggling with my um with my Asperger's syndrome and I didn't really have anyone outside of my mom in my court. And that was the first time I really had someone in my court for that. And she was the one that played to that seed of, hey, you can go see the world. And it was just having that moment there at the Dublin airport because it was the first time that i really got to sit down and just kind of debrief mentally.
01:15:10
Speaker
And it hit me that I did it, you know, that I got to go and I got to see a new part of the world I never thought possible. And man, little did I know or that was going to lead. Yeah.
01:15:24
Speaker
Oh, hello, Nemi. Jesus. Sorry. Nemi is just like at the door and just like did a front flip against the door and it scared the crap out of me. ah Well, he's just trying to let you know, mom i'm i'm here. No, he sees a to a toy that's running like right past the door that he can't reach.
01:15:45
Speaker
Yeah, Jake. Yeah, like now me and you have been to like, what? Something like 10 countries together. ah no not 10. I know me and Mike have done 10.
01:15:58
Speaker
As of today. That'll change in a few days, but... Stand by. I have been to... a
01:16:13
Speaker
I have one that you all have not been to. So I have 10 as well. Which one? but Well, technically it's a country. Puerto Rico.
01:16:25
Speaker
I mean, I also have Mexico and the Bahamas, but I haven't done those with Mike. Yeah, I got Puerto Rico. so But hey, maybe...
01:16:37
Speaker
you know At the very least, next year, I'll add to that flag list. so We'll make it happen. Yeah. Hopefully without PTO blackouts.
01:16:49
Speaker
Trust me. I know the feeling. Yeah. yeah We love it. Anyway. Anyway. Thank you for joining me on here, John Mike.
01:17:02
Speaker
Of course. This has been fun. It's always fun when we get to hang out. It is. Even though, you know, we were literally sharing a house this weekend. We were. As we tend to do a lot of weekends.
01:17:16
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Well, any parting words for the podcast?
01:17:27
Speaker
I guess my parting words for the podcast is going to be um A quote that I actually used at the wedding, which is, take care of yourselves and each other.
01:17:45
Speaker
oh So, um which bonus points if you know who said that, for those of you listening. I don't even remember you saying it during the ceremony. So there's that.
01:17:57
Speaker
The whole thing was kind of a blur. I need you to send me everything you wrote. i I do have the script. I was actually... um i got something in mind. So, anyway.
01:18:08
Speaker
um Okay. But... Yeah, no. Bonus points if you can do that. Now... Don't know if you all will be up for it, but i do have something since, you know, Bryant is not with us and by extension Jen, since neither them are with us tonight.
01:18:30
Speaker
I do have coaster trivia. Oh, maybe if you all want to, if you feel comfortable enough to slip the answer in for the next week's episode, um we can do that.
01:18:43
Speaker
Well, you'll have to remind me in like a few weeks because the next like actual recording we'll do will be after we come back home. Oh boy. Okay.
01:18:54
Speaker
But that's what socials are for, right? Yeah. I just hope but we both remember it. We don't leave everyone hanging. Yeah. If we do, someone will remind us. I'm sure.
01:19:06
Speaker
I'm sure. All right. Well, so the question is
01:19:14
Speaker
What has been the only coaster to have been as fully assembled and then painted?
01:19:29
Speaker
I can think of one, but I don't know if it's the right answer.
01:19:34
Speaker
So again, the the question is, what has been the only coaster to have been fully assembled At its site.
01:19:46
Speaker
And then. It was painted. Well I'll hear the answer in a few minutes. When we ah stop recording. Yes. But for all of our lovely listeners. um Put your answer in on the ah Instagram post. Whenever I actually finally make it. Because I'll have to remember to do that in Poland.
01:20:05
Speaker
Yeah. You might have to remember to do that. Yeah. But. Give us your answers. I'll be curious if my guess is correct. I don't think it is, but that's fine.
01:20:18
Speaker
um In the meantime, hashtag keep thinking inverted, or I guess I should pull a Jen and be like, I think that brings us to the end of our episode. i get it um Channeling my inner Jen. But yeah, keep thinking inverted and we will see y'all next time.