The Grit City Podcast

The Grit City Podcast crew is back for another Hangover Sunday, and this episode manages to cover an impressive amount of ground without ever really staying on one subject for very long. The episode opens with Jeff sharing a genuinely frightening story from a couple of weeks earlier. He describes waking up in bed to find his wife telling him that he had apparently suffered a seizure and needed to go to the hospital. Still confused and coming out of the episode, Jeff remembers emergency responders arriving at his house and attempting to convince him that it was time to leave. His response? He needed about twenty minutes. Eventually, Jeff made it into an ambulance and to the hospital, where doctors ran tests and tried to determine what had happened. He describes waiting for the worst possible news while medical staff kept reassuring him that things appeared to be okay. The aftermath was less dramatic but considerably more painful, with his muscles feeling like he'd run multiple marathons and his tongue taking a beating during the incident. Naturally, the guys find a way to turn the whole experience into comedy, including Jeff's realization that one of the biggest victories of the night was simply not pissing himself. After getting that out of the way, the conversation shifts to Olympia. Scott and C-Note recently visited Porchfest in Olympia and came away impressed by the smaller, neighborhood-like festival atmosphere. The crew talks about wandering through the city, finding live music in unexpected places, and stumbling across bands playing in garages and alleys. The conversation turns toward Olympia's long musical history, including its punk and grunge connections, before moving into comedy and the generally strange atmosphere that makes Olympia such an interesting place to spend a day. Food naturally becomes part of the discussion. Charlie's gets a mention, but the real star is West Side Tavern and its surprisingly excellent food. Scott becomes particularly enthusiastic about the pickle fries—actual pickle-based fries rather than the usual fried pickle chips—and the crew spends considerably more time discussing them than anyone probably expected. The conversation then moves into other weekend adventures. C-Note talks about a trip to Rockaway Beach on the Oregon coast with his family, including a visit to Tillamook and some early-morning metal detecting. The discussion naturally expands into magnet fishing, the kinds of things people might accidentally pull out of rivers, and the strange appeal of spending hours searching for something that may or may not be worth finding. Eventually, the Grit City crew gets into one of the modern world's great frustrations: trying to watch football without paying for an absurd number of television services. Cable, YouTube TV, Fubo, Amazon, Netflix and NFL packages all enter the discussion as the guys try to figure out why watching the games people actually want has become so complicated. That leads directly into a larger conversation about streaming television. The crew reminisces about having only a handful of television channels growing up and contrasts that with today's enormous libraries of movies, shows, streaming services and advertisements. Tubi, smart TVs and streaming boxes become the next rabbit hole, followed by concerns about privacy and what modern televisions may be doing behind the scenes. From there, technology takes over completely. The guys talk about AI, small cyber decks, security devices, streaming hardware, cloud gaming and the strange explosion of inexpensive technology projects that people can now build or buy. The discussion eventually reaches Super Boxes and IPTV, followed by NVIDIA Shield, cloud gaming and the question of whether physical media might actually be making a comeback. The episode closes with a nostalgic discussion of older game consoles such as the PlayStation 3 and Dreamcast, along with the renewed interest in physical games, printed photographs and owning actual copies of things rather than depending entirely on digital services. It's a quintessential Hangover Sunday: a serious personal story, a trip to Olympia, questionable food obsessions, Pacific Northwest adventures, football frustrations, streaming technology, retro gaming, AI and enough random side conversations to make the whole thing unmistakably Grit City. Chapters & Timestamps 00:00 – Cold Open Chaos 01:36 – Welcome Back to Hangover Sunday 02:05 – Jeff's Unexpected Hospital Trip 03:48 – The Ambulance Ride Nobody Plans For 05:04 – "Pale and Sweaty" at the Hospital 06:08 – The Tests, Recovery & Waiting for Answers 07:09 – The Muscle Pain Aftermath 09:00 – Massage Therapy & Getting Back on His Feet 09:18 – The Real Victory: Didn't Piss the Bed 11:38 – C-Note Hits Port-Fest in Olympia 12:01 – Olympia's Music, Punk & Grunge Scene 14:27 – Garage Bands, Convenience Stores & Olympia Weirdness 15:08 – Olympia Jam Grass Collective 17:28 – Comedy in Olympia 18:29 – Why Olympia Is Such a Weird Town 20:35 – Olympia Food: Charlie's & West Side Tavern 21:29 – The Pickle Fries Have Arrived 23:18 – Dave's Hot Chicken & Giant Portions 25:16 – Vegetarian Haggis Somehow Enters the Conversation 25:53 – Why Olympia Is a Good Hang 26:30 – Rockaway Beach, Tillamook & Metal Detecting 27:47 – Magnet Fishing & Finding Questionable Things 28:36 – Geocaching, Job Hunting & Life Updates 35:20 – The Football Streaming Problem 36:00 – How Many Services Does It Take to Watch Football? 38:28 – "We Got Played": The Streaming Revolution 39:00 – NFL Sunday Ticket Still Isn't Enough 40:03 – Too Much Sports, Too Much Content 42:20 – The Golden Age of Information 43:00 – Tubi, Old Movies & Nostalgia 44:00 – Commercials Are Everywhere 45:09 – Streaming Boxes & Cutting the Cable Cord 46:13 – Smart TVs, Local Channels & Privacy 49:03 – The First Wave of the AI Takeover 51:25 – The Flipper Craze & DIY Cyber Decks 52:43 – Security, Technology & the Future 53:33 – Super Boxes, IPTV & Streaming Crackdowns 54:37 – NVIDIA Shield & Cloud Gaming 55:48 – The Return of Physical Media 56:25 – PS3, Dreamcast & Retro Gaming 57:39 – Why People Are Printing Photos Again 58:29 – That's a Wrap

The Grit City Podcast crew is back with another Hangover Sunday, and this week's episode proves once again that a simple weekend recap can go almost anywhere. Jeff, Scott, Mike and C-Note kick things off by talking about the podcast itself. After years of making Grit City episodes, the crew has noticed a major increase in listeners, with downloads reportedly tripling over the previous month and a half. They take a moment to thank the longtime listeners, welcome the newcomers and remind everyone about the Grit City Discord, Patreon and the growing collection of classic episodes. Then Jeff gets into the main event: the 2026 Tumwater Artesian Beer Fest. Jeff spent the weekend hanging out with friends, including Ken Carlson, before heading into the festival. The group wasn't exactly made up of professional beer drinkers, but that didn't stop them from sampling the local scene. The festival featured beer, cider, mead and plenty of fruit-forward drinks, including strawberry, huckleberry, watermelon basil and blueberry offerings. There was also plenty of food. Puget Sound Pizza gets a shout-out for serving enormous slices, while the guys discuss barbecue, food trucks and eventually making a stop for ice cream afterward. Being the designated driver wasn't a bad deal either, with discounted admission and free non-alcoholic drinks and snacks. The weather also played a role. What was expected to be an overcast day turned sunny and hot, leaving people baking in the unexpected Northwest sunshine. Fortunately, the crew had a solution: food, drinks and eventually ice cream. Jeff also puts the Grit City hotline to work with some genuine on-location reporting. Festival attendees check in with their names and what they're drinking, giving listeners a little taste of the event directly from the crowd. Of course, no Hangover Sunday would be complete without several completely unrelated detours. The crew revisits some classic Grit City history, including the early days of the podcast, old sponsors, conventions and a bizarre story involving a giant carrot costume that apparently looked enough like a hot dog to cause some confusion. From there, the conversation travels into the world of strange internet rabbit holes before landing on something much more wholesome: professional disc golf. The guys discover just how serious the professional disc golf world has become, including a major tournament at The Preserve. Eventually, naturally, they return to beer. The crew debates hazy IPAs, traditional IPAs, hops, yeast, fruit flavors and the difference between craft beer and the kind of "garage beer" people drink when they aren't thinking too hard about what they're drinking. And then the conversation takes a hard turn toward food. A bizarre peanut butter, potato chip, barbecue sauce and pita bread creation gets discussed with the seriousness of a culinary crime investigation. The guys then move into an argument over American cheese before somehow landing on Cincinnati chili spaghetti and the strange combination of spices—including cinnamon and cloves—that goes into it. Finally, the episode reaches its logical conclusion: incredibly hot wings. The crew remembers a meal involving wings so brutally spicy that everyone eventually gave up. One person even managed to rub the sauce into his eyes, turning an already painful meal into a full-blown disaster. Beer festivals, disc golf, carrot costumes, craft beer debates, bizarre sandwiches, Cincinnati chili and nuclear-level wings. It's another weekend in the world of Grit City—and another perfectly chaotic Hangover Sunday. 00:00 – Cold Open Chaos The episode starts with the usual Grit City technical confusion before the intro. 01:18 – Welcome to Hangover Sunday Jeff, Scott, Mike and C-Note kick things off and admit everyone had a big weekend. 02:13 – Grit City Is Growing The crew thanks listeners after noticing downloads have roughly tripled over the previous month and a half. 03:11 – The Grit City Archives A look back at the show's older interview episodes, the early days of podcasting, and recording interviews in the back of bars. 05:53 – Old Episodes Become Local History The guys talk about people and businesses from the early Grit City days that aren't around anymore. 06:04 – The E.J. O'Donnell Story A conversation about one of Grit City's longtime sticker partners and how one former contact went on to build a successful business. 07:47 – Call the Grit City Hotline The crew promotes the listener hotline and talks about the new AI-generated jingles. 10:46 – Tumwater Artesian Beer Fest 2026 Scott recaps his weekend at the Tumwater Artesian Beer Fest and hanging out with Ken Carlson and friends. 11:19 – Ken Carlson, Beer & A Very Reluctant Beer Drinker The crew talks about Ken, his work, his writing, and bringing a reluctant beer drinker along for the festival. 12:26 – DD Discount, Pizza & Festival Food Being the designated driver has its perks, including cheaper admission, free non-alcoholic drinks and snacks. 14:10 – Ice Cream Saves the Day The crew discovers the simple beauty of post-festival ice cream—and the heat starts becoming a problem. 15:19 – On-Scene Reporting from Tumwater Scott talks about calling into the Grit City hotline from the festival and getting some real-time reactions. 16:21 – Live from the Beer Fest Festival-goers check in with their names and drinks, including strawberry cider, huckleberry cider, watermelon basil cider and blueberry jam ale. 17:25 – The "Jimmathy" Problem The guys discover a suspiciously named drink and debate whether they're comfortable with it. 18:42 – How to Do a Proper Grit City Check-In The crew explains the strategy behind approaching strangers at events and getting them on the hotline. 19:07 – Fruit Beers, Mead & the Steam Mule A deep dive into the festival's flavored drinks, huckleberry mead and one particularly questionable-sounding "Steam Mule." 20:22 – Wristbands, Sunshine & Camp Stamp Cameras The guys discuss the festival's wristband system, unexpected sunshine and Scott's photography setup. 22:28 – Mead, Cider & Braggot A stop at Acorn Brewing leads to a discussion about mead, cider, beer and the mysterious hybrid drink known as braggot. 23:13 – What Exactly Is a Black & Tan? A quick beer education session turns into another Grit City tangent. 24:58 – The Giant Carrot That Looked Like a Hot Dog An old workplace story involving a giant carrot costume somehow looking like a hot dog. 25:32 – The Night Side Distillery Days The crew remembers an old sponsor, conventions and a particularly memorable case of flavored vodka. 26:02 – The Carrot Incident Explained The legendary carrot story gets the full treatment. 29:00 – The Internet Rabbit Hole The conversation turns toward strange online rabbit holes and the kind of stories that always seem to end with demons, dimensions and doom. 33:26 – Disc Golf Has a Pro League?! The crew discovers just how serious professional disc golf has become, including a tournament at The Preserve. 34:00 – Skip Aces & the Disc Golf Tour A surprisingly enthusiastic discussion about professional disc golf and Minnesota's top courses. 40:00 – Minnesota, Family & Pay-What-You-Can Events The conversation shifts into Minnesota culture, family stories and the idea of events using donation-based admission. 45:57 – PorchFest, Conventions & Finding Something to Do Every Month The guys discuss PorchFest, local events and the dream of having enough business-related excuses to attend conventions constantly. 46:50 – Are Microbreweries Disappearing? A conversation about the changing craft beer scene and the future of small breweries. 50:00 – Hazy IPAs & Why They Taste Fruity The crew debates IPAs, hazy IPAs, hops, yeast and why some beers taste more like citrus than traditional beer. 56:35 – Midwest Beer vs. Garage Beer A discussion about regional beer preferences and the idea of a "garage beer." 57:28 – The IPA Weekend The guys admit the conversation has basically become an extended beer discussion. 59:59 – The Peanut Butter, Potato Chip & BBQ Sauce Situation A bizarre food combination involving peanut butter, potato chips, barbecue sauce and pita bread gets put on trial. 01:02 – American Cheese Controversy The crew debates American cheese, melted cheese and whether American cheese belongs anywhere near pizza. 01:03 – Cincinnati Chili Spaghetti The conversation turns to Cincinnati chili, spaghetti and the surprisingly complicated ingredients involved. 01:04 – Spaghetti vs. Chili: The Family Food Debate A discussion about childhood food traditions turns into another culinary argument. 01:08 – Nuclear Wings The guys remember an encounter with brutally hot wings that eventually defeated everyone at the table. 01:09 – The Food Disaster Files The episode closes with stories about bad restaurant experiences and the strange food-related luck of the Grit City crew.

Some episodes begin with a carefully planned topic. Others start with admitting you accidentally drank too much while sitting on the couch. This week's Hangover Sunday definitely falls into the second category. The crew checks in after another Pacific Northwest weekend filled with everything from lawn mowing marathons and postponed range trips to geocaching adventures and a family visit to Mount Rainier. As always, the conversation celebrates everything that makes living in the Northwest special—cool weather, incredible scenery, and those hidden places that seem too beautiful to be real. Then... someone brings up sporks. What starts as a joke turns into a surprisingly convincing argument that the humble spork might actually be humanity's greatest eating utensil. Childhood memories of school lunches, camping gear, Kentucky Fried Chicken meals, and everyday practicality make for one of the funniest conversations of the episode. Of course, being the Grit City Podcast, the discussion couldn't stay on utensils forever. The conversation shifts into the rapidly changing world of artificial intelligence. The crew explores new AI companion devices capable of creating custom personalities, voice interactions, and virtual characters. From building digital tour guides to recreating fictional personalities, they discuss both the impressive possibilities and the limitations of today's AI tools. That naturally leads to a larger question: What happens to jobs? The hosts share perspectives from technology, manufacturing, retail, and creative industries, discussing how AI is already reshaping employment. While automation is replacing certain tasks, they also argue that human creativity, craftsmanship, and genuine personal connections may become even more valuable in an AI-saturated world. The conversation wraps with concerns over personalized pricing, automation in grocery stores, and the importance of continuing to support artists, creators, and independent businesses through purchases and platforms like Patreon. As always, Hangover Sunday delivers exactly what listeners expect: friends sitting around having honest conversations that somehow wander from lawn mowing to sporks to artificial intelligence without ever feeling forced. It's funny, thoughtful, occasionally ridiculous, and unmistakably Grit City. Join the GCP Community on Discord: https://discord.gg/yuEq7e2Ed4 Chapters 00:00 – Cold Open & Hangover Sunday Begins 01:18 – Welcome to the Grit City Podcast 02:00 – Weekend Recap: Hangovers, Lawn Mowing & Shooting Plans 04:05 – Mount Rainier, Geocaching & Pacific Northwest Appreciation 06:20 – The Great Spork Debate Begins 08:05 – Childhood Memories of Sporks & School Lunches 09:10 – AI Companion Devices and Custom Digital Personalities 14:20 – Building Your Own AI Character 18:30 – AI, Automation & Job Security 22:00 – Will AI Replace Office Jobs? 26:00 – The Future of Artists, Creators & Supporting Local Talent 30:00 – Retail, Grocery Stores & AI-Powered Pricing 33:00 – Closing Thoughts & More AI Rabbit Holes

Hangover Sunday - PorchFest, Rainiers, Glamping & Finding Your Doppelganger Sometimes the best weekends don't need a big plan—they just need good friends, great weather, and enough stories to fill a podcast. This week's Hangover Sunday episode is exactly that. The crew kicks things off by sending their thoughts to C-Note and his family before diving into a recap of one of the busiest weekends they've had in a long time. Scott shares his experience exploring Tacoma PorchFest, one of the city's most unique community events. Live music spills from neighborhood porches, comedy shows pop up inside local businesses, and the entire 6th Avenue district transforms into one giant celebration of Tacoma culture. Along the way, the guys talk about meeting Migs from KISW, checking out SOS Pro Wrestling, discovering new bands, reconnecting with friends, and enjoying one of those rare Pacific Northwest summer days where everything simply comes together. The conversation shifts from neighborhood festivals to another Tacoma tradition—a Tacoma Rainiers game at Cheney Stadium. While the Rainiers may not have had their best day on the field, Scott explains why minor league baseball remains one of the best entertainment values around. Great seats, cold beer, hot dogs, and an afternoon with friends make the final score almost irrelevant. Jeff balances out the city adventures with a weekend getaway to Suncadia Resort near Cle Elum. Instead of roughing it, he experiences what can only be described as "luxury camping," complete with mountain scenery, hiking trails, golf, wildlife, and enough amenities to make even the least outdoorsy person appreciate a weekend in the Cascades. The discussion turns into a celebration of everything that makes Washington State such an incredible place to explore. As always, the conversation refuses to stay on one track for long. The crew eventually wanders into a surprisingly entertaining discussion about doppelgangers, accidental family discoveries through email, genealogy, and whether everyone has someone else walking around who looks just like them. It's another classic Hangover Sunday episode filled with laughs, local recommendations, random tangents, and the kind of conversations that happen after a weekend well spent. Whether you're looking for your next Tacoma adventure, planning a Rainiers game, or just want to hear friends swap stories, this episode has something for everyone. If you've ever been to PorchFest, found your own doppelganger, or have a great Pacific Northwest weekend story, the crew wants to hear from you. Give the Grit City Podcast a call at 1-855-474-8272 or 1-855-GRITCPC and you might hear yourself on a future episode. Chapters 00:00 - Welcome to Hangover Sunday 01:40 - Missing C-Note and a heartfelt message 02:40 - Tacoma PorchFest recap begins 09:45 - Tacoma Rainiers game experience 18:10 - Finding your doppelganger 22:40 - Jeff's luxury glamping trip near Cle Elum 31:00 - More Pacific Northwest travel talk and weekend adventures 40:00 - AI, technology and random rabbit holes (approx.) 49:00 - Listener callouts and weekend reflections (approx.) 58:00 - Wrapping up another Hangover Sunday (approx.)

Hangover Sunday: Fireworks, Fallout & Forest Mysteries Nothing says Hangover Sunday quite like trying to recover after Independence Day while your neighborhood sounds like an active war zone. This week's episode starts exactly where you'd expect—with everyone comparing Fourth of July experiences. From window-rattling mortars and terrified pets to exploding garages and fireworks landing on rooftops, the crew shares stories that are equal parts hilarious and terrifying. They also revisit the questionable decisions many of us made growing up with bottle rockets, Roman candles, and whatever fireworks we could get our hands on in the '80s and '90s. As always, the conversation quickly veers off into unexpected territory. The crew shifts from neighborhood explosions to another kind of power: AI. With massive data centers popping up across the country, they discuss the growing demand for electricity and water, the environmental impact of modern computing, and whether micro modular nuclear reactors could become the future of powering AI infrastructure. The discussion covers everything from nuclear submarines and radiation safety to how communities might react if small reactors became common. Of course, this wouldn't be Grit City Podcast without a conspiracy detour. The second half of the show explores Washington State's long history of strange disappearances, Missing 411 cases, Bigfoot lore, Mount Rainier mysteries, and the eerie reputation of the Pacific Northwest's forests. Inspired by a recent Why Files interview with researcher David Paulides, the crew debates whether these stories are simply the dangers of the wilderness—or something far stranger. The result is another classic Hangover Sunday episode that effortlessly bounces between comedy, technology, personal stories, conspiracy theories, and plenty of laughs. Whether you're here for the Fourth of July mishaps, curious about the future of nuclear-powered AI, or fascinated by the mysteries hidden in Washington's forests, there's something for everyone in this week's conversation. As always, if you've got your own unbelievable fireworks story—or a strange experience in the woods—give the Grit City Podcast crew a call and join the conversation. Chapters Timestamps are approximate from the transcript. 00:00 – Hangover Sunday kickoff after the Fourth of July 01:35 – Everyone's Independence Day recap 06:00 – Fireworks gone wrong and neighborhood war zones 10:00 – Photography, drones, and backyard fireworks 13:00 – The best (and worst) fireworks stories from childhood 17:45 – Roman candles, YouTube rabbit holes, and "Put It In Reverse Terry" 18:15 – AI data centers and America's growing power problem 20:00 – Micro modular nuclear reactors explained 23:00 – Water usage, politics, and the future of AI infrastructure 27:00 – Nuclear energy myths vs. reality 36:00 – Washington forests, Missing 411, and unexplained disappearances 40:00+ – Bigfoot, national parks, and Pacific Northwest mysteries