Simple Joe

Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here. Today I wanted to share a quick but important update with you. I’m taking a short break from the show so I can fix some structural and process issues behind the scenes and make sure Simple Joe is smoother, more focused, and more valuable for you going forward. This isn’t about stepping away from what I love. Spending this time with you every day truly is the highlight of my day, and that’s exactly why I want to get this right. I’ll be back very soon, so please don’t unfollow or unsubscribe. If you’ve ever reached out to me before, there’s a good chance I’ll be in touch to ask for your thoughts and input on the show, and if you haven’t, I’d love to hear from you now. Having listeners from all over the country and the world still blows my mind, and every message means more to me than you probably realize. For now, hang tight, stay subscribed, and know that I’m not going anywhere. I’m just making things better so the time we share together each day is even more meaningful Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you. You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!

Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here. On today’s episode of Simple Joe for Monday, January 5, 2026, I kick things off with a truly unsettling but fascinating look at Victorian-era post-mortem photography and how long exposure times made the stillness of the dead appear sharper than the living, which leads to a broader reflection on memory, time, and how differently we capture moments today. I share the weather for Brussels, Belgium and Cincinnati, Ohio, reflect briefly on winter, family time, and disappearing snow, and celebrate birthdays for Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Bradley Cooper, Clancy Brown, Chuck Noll, January Jones, Bob Eubanks, Irene Cara, Walt Frazier, Pamela Sue Martin, and Marilyn Manson. We take a quick trip back in history to January 5 with James Watt’s improved steam engine patent and Henry Ford’s groundbreaking five-dollar-a-day wage announcement, then recognize National Bird Day, National Screenwriters Day, National Whipped Cream Day, and National Keto Day, including a personal note on why keto works so well for me. As it’s Monday, I also share today’s Interesting Headlines and ask you to let me know which one you’d like me to dig into on Thursday. Today’s Interesting Headlines: A forgotten shipwreck reveals a perfectly preserved 19th-century time capsule Teen inventor creates a low-cost device that turns air into drinking water New brain scan can reveal thoughts without spoken words A man has visited every country in the world without ever boarding a plane Retired mailman finally opens a collection of letters people asked him to keep Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you. You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!

Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here. Today, on the very first day of 2026, I start with a quirky fact about a town in Norway where it’s illegal to die, which turns into a reminder that the world is full of strange, practical problems we never think about until we have to. I talk a little about ringing in the new year with friends, coming into the day slower than usual, and why I actually enjoy the daily rhythm of recording this show, even when it runs late. We check the weather in Beijing, where it’s already tomorrow, and back home in Cincinnati, then I reflect on birthdays from today in history, including J.D. Salinger, Betsy Ross, Paul Revere, Barry Bonds, and Fats Domino. I also acknowledge the Emancipation Proclamation taking effect on this day in 1863 and spend some time thinking about what New Year’s Day really means, not in terms of big resolutions, but small, intentional changes that focus on relationships. For Thursday’s story feature, I dive into a Science News article by Nikk Ogasa about an asteroid that has a small chance of hitting the Moon in 2032, and why stories like that don’t scare me as much as they give me perspective, shrinking everyday worries and reminding me how meaningful our lives really are. I wrap things up by encouraging you to rest if you need to, make a great memory if you can, and spend time with the people you love, because memories are better than stuff. Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you. You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!

Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here. In today’s episode of Simple Joe, I settle into the calm of the day after Christmas with a surprisingly humbling thought about honey and the quiet, unseen work behind the simple things we often take for granted. I reflect on family traditions, missed holiday plans due to illness, time spent with my grandson, and that familiar stretch between Christmas and New Year where life slows down just enough to think ahead. We hear the weather for Hermitage, Tennessee and Cincinnati, Ohio, recognize notable birthdays, revisit a few fascinating moments from history, and talk about Boxing Day and National Thank You Note Day, along with why gratitude still matters. Today, we'll explore my Top 10 Podcasts of 2025, a personal look at the shows that lived in my ears this year, based on real listening data, repeat plays, enjoyment, and personal development value. I don’t give the list away here, you’ll have to listen for that, but I do share why podcasts matter to me and how the right voices can help us learn, laugh, slow down, and think a little deeper. It’s a reflective, easygoing episode about curiosity, connection, and remembering that the conversations we carry with us often mean more than anything we unwrap. Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you. You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!

Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here. On this Christmas Eve episode of Simple Joe, I share the accidental but heartwarming story of how NORAD began tracking Santa in 1955, a simple mistake that turned into a beloved tradition. We check in on the weather for Honolulu, Hawaii and Cincinnati, Ohio, celebrate birthdays and historic moments from December 24th, and recognize Christmas Eve, National Eggnog Day, Last-Minute Shopper Day, and Universal Human Solidarity Day. For Wildcard Wednesday, I take on a very serious issue: coffee mugs. I make the case that we all own way too many mugs, explore why mugs became the default appreciation gift, and suggest that time, experiences, and shared moments send the same message without overflowing our cabinets. As always, I wrap things up by encouraging you to slow down, make great memories, and remember that memories are better than stuff. Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you. You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!

Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here. In today’s Saturday episode of Simple Joe, I explore the surprisingly powerful idea of a “Done for the Day” list, inspired by my recent rereading of Effortless by Greg McKeown, the follow-up to Essentialism. We talk about why traditional to-do lists often leave us feeling overwhelmed and unfinished, even when we work all day, and how defining what “done” actually looks like can change the way we experience our work, our energy, and our rest. I share reflections on deadlines, productivity pressure, and why work expands when we don’t create clear finish lines, along with real-life thoughts on vacations, unfinished projects, and the mental weight of carrying too much forward. Along the way, we cover the weather in Antioch, California and Cincinnati, Ohio, birthdays, historic events, and today’s celebrations, including International Human Solidarity Day, National Sangria Day, and National Fried Shrimp Day. This episode is about simplifying effort, choosing what truly matters, giving yourself permission to stop, and ending the day with clarity instead of guilt, so you can rest well and show up better tomorrow. Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you. You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!

Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here. In today’s episode of Simple Joe, I start with one of my favorite kinds of stories, the kind where curiosity changes everything, like how the microwave oven was invented by accident when Percy Spencer noticed a candy bar melt in his pocket. From there, I share the weather for Sterling, Virginia and Cincinnati, Ohio, celebrate birthdays including Keith Richards, Steven Spielberg, Brad Pitt, and Billie Eilish, touch on moments in history like the Mayflower arriving at Plymouth Harbor and the debut of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and recognize National Bake Cookies Day. The heart of the episode, though, is a story that stopped me in my tracks, a skydiver in Australia who ended up dangling 15,000 feet in the air after their parachute caught on the tail of the plane they had just jumped from. I walk through what happened, how the pilot and emergency crews stayed calm under unimaginable pressure, and why experts believe this rare incident likely came down to timing, airflow, and early parachute deployment. It’s a story about fear, patience, trust, and steady decision making when things go wrong in ways no one expects, and a reminder that sometimes courage looks like hanging on while others do their job. Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you. You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!

Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here. Today on Simple Joe, I’m wrapping up my three-part Why I Believe series by sharing why I openly identify as a Christian. I talk about the Voyager Golden Record and what it says about humanity, then we move through the weather in Southfield, Michigan and Cincinnati, celebrate a few birthdays, and reflect on history and National Monkey Day. The heart of today’s episode, though, is an honest conversation about community, church, and what it really means to live out faith alongside other people. I explain why following Jesus was never meant to be a solo journey, why accountability can be a gift, how the Christian church has supported me when life has been hard, and why hypocrisy in Christianity does not negate the teachings of Jesus. This episode is not about having perfect answers or blind certainty, but about choosing a way of life that produces meaning, generosity, forgiveness, and hope for believers and non-believers alike. Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you. You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!

Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here. Today’s Simple Joe episode for Friday, December 12, 2025 is a fun one, starting with the surprising fact that honeybees can recognize human faces, and I share how bees always seem to find me, plus a little warning that they might remember you if you have ever bothered their nest. I’m wrapping up my last day in Sacramento, and we take a quick trip down the road with the weather in San Francisco, where it stays beautifully consistent all weekend, then we contrast that with a cold Cincinnati forecast that includes snow and a deep freeze. From there, I run through today’s birthdays, including Frank Sinatra, Dionne Warwick, Bob Barker, Mayim Bialik, Connie Francis, Sheila E., and Sarah Douglas, hit two major historic moments from December 12, and celebrate National Gingerbread House Day, National Ambrosia Day, and National Poinsettia Day. Then we get into the Friday Top 10 feature, counting down the most famous lines in movie history, talking through why these quotes have stuck with us for decades, plus a few honorable mentions that deserved a nod, and I wrap it all up with a reminder to make a great memory heading into the weekend, because memories are better than stuff. Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you. You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!

Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here. In this episode of Simple Joe, I share the fun origin of voicemail and a few memories of old-school answering machines, give you the weather for Bethel, Ohio and Cincinnati, celebrate birthdays like Dorothy Lamour, Dan Blocker, Susan Dey, Raven-Symoné, and Cincinnati’s own Joe Burrow, and mark Nobel Prize Day, Dewey Decimal System Day, and National Lager Day while I talk a bit about libraries and my favorite beers. Then for Wildcard Wednesday I dig into the truth behind the popular myth that we only use 10 percent of our brain, what modern brain imaging actually shows, why the idea of “hidden potential” is so attractive, and how our real limits often come from fear, habits, distraction, and lack of attention instead of unused brain power. If you want a thoughtful, encouraging reminder that your brain is fully online and that growth comes from courage, focus, and intentional choices, this episode is for you. Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you. You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!