Colin's Last Stand: Fireside Chats

Legions of great films have relied on stellar special effects over the decades, but it's the ones that utilize practical effects that really stand the test of time. Today's guest -- Damon Weathers -- is Studio Coordinator at Legacy Effects, an award-winning practical effects team responsible for some of the awesome stuff you've seen in tons of Marvel movies, the Jurassic Park and Terminator franchises, and even shows like Grey's Anatomy. What does Damon do, and how do he and his team work alongside some of the great filmmakers in the world? Why are practical effects so important in such a digitized world? And what does the future hold for his craft? Listen and find out.

There are only a few questions that have truly consequential answers. "What's for dinner?" is a far more common (and certainly useful) inquiry than "what's the meaning of life?" It's just that one seeks a constantly-changing answer in pursuit of an ephemeral solution, while the other gets at the very basis of who we are, why we're here, and what our purpose is. Today's guest, Robert Bell, mixes the blue collar with the white in an interesting way, seeking knowledge as a means to better himself and his understanding of the world, even if it's not relevant to his job, his relationships, or even his other hobbies. It's insight for insight's sake, perhaps the greatest variety of wisdom there is.

50 episodes ago, we flipped the script here on Fireside Chats. Instead of being the interviewer, I (Colin!) became the interviewed. Episode 50 quickly went down as a fan-favorite, and with that in mind, I thought I'd do something similar for Episode 100. Once again, my girlfriend Erin sits in to ask me questions, and not surprisingly, we touch on quite a few topics: Finding happiness in the world, coming to terms with who you are, seeking out analog activities in a digital world, the ups and downs of living a largely reclusive life, and more. Fireside Chats is officially the first CLS product to reach 100 episodes, and it simply wouldn't be possible without you. Thank you.

Things tend to lean in a serious direction here on Fireside Chats, and that's all well and good. We often delve deep, get real, and challenge ourselves. But today's episode veers in a decidedly more lighthearted direction. Collin Sparling is a young 20-something music fan who asked to come on the show to talk about his experience singing in a metal band. But our conversation quickly veered into general music talk, our shared love of rock, playing in a band growing up, and how important our parents were (and still are) to our musical development. If you're a music fan and wonder why the subject doesn't come up more on Fireside Chats, you have a point. This episode should smooth things over.

Back on Episode 80 of Fireside Chats, we welcomed Kris Hall to the show, a man who was willing to openly talk about his battle with alcoholism, how adversely it affected his life, and how it almost cost him everything, including his children and his wife. Today, we welcome Kris' wife Joanne to the show, so she can give her "side" of the story. While we learned a great deal from Kris about what it means to be an addict, we still have much to explore about what it's like to be subjected to an addict's behavior. Kris and Joanne came out of the other side of their years-long ordeal stronger than ever, but it certainly could have gone another way.

Meet Jeremy Goldman, an expert in computer learning algorithms and AI who has worked for some of the world's biggest tech companies. And boy, does he have a ton of insight into what's going on with Google, Uber, and many others who rely a great deal on knowing and understanding you. Yes, you! For what may seem futuristic and still on the horizon is quickly drawing near at an unexpected and unsettling clip. But one thing's for sure: The likes of Facebook know you a whole lot better than almost anyone in your life. Are you unsettled? Good! Strap in for some real talk.

People either get dogs or they don't. Heck, sometimes a person doesn't get dogs, and then suddenly, they do (like yours truly). But one way or another, they're an essential part of human life, and have been for thousands and thousands of years. Today's episode of Fireside Chats focuses on our most trusted animal companions, but through a random lens: The world of grooming. Nakita Jenks is an Arizona-based dog groomer, and she comes packing tons of industry stories and a lot of expertise into how to best take care of our furry friends. So let's pick her brain for an hour or so, learn about the ups and downs of the canine world, and perhaps get closer to answering an age-old question: Why can't we resist these lovable, loyal, and silly creatures?

Toys are an integral part of childhood, but for quite a few of us, they remain relevant in some way, shape, or form long after they probably should. Then again, that's what's so fun about toys as we get older: They're plastic encapsulations of a simpler time, before bills, relationships, jobs, and reality took over. Today's guest, Kenny Koepnick, works at a toy and collectible shop in Ohio, and not only does he get to live in a world of nostalgia, but he knows a whole lot about what makes that world tick. How are old toys and collectibles priced? What products are in demand, and what others have no value at all? How do collecting trends materialize and dissipate, and how is it similar or different from other completionist-type hobbies? Turns out we've much to discuss.

We've spent a lot of time on Fireside Chats discussing the ins and outs of Christianity, but we never ventured into the territory of its sister religion -- or perhaps parent religion, more accurately -- until right now. Judaism is a fascinating point of conversation, because unlike many other global religions, it's both a religious identity and a cultural identity, many times in excess of Irish or Italian Catholics, the Russian Orthodox, and pretty much any other similar fusion (save maybe the Mormons, who are no stranger to this show). To represent the so-called Jewish Experience, please welcome Michael Shamah, a student from New York City who hails from a devoutly Jewish family and lives a devoutly Jewish life, all the while living in a place indelibly (and awesomely) influenced by its Jewish population (and I would know!). In short: What is it like growing up in a community within a community, and is it a burden or honor -- or sometimes both -- to carry thousands of years of tradition, history, and tragedy deep within?

It's incredibly uncommon for people to hurt themselves out of the clear blue sky and for no reason whatsoever. Even if we can't comprehend why, or understand someone's motives, or make sense of any of it whatsoever, people inflict pain on themselves because they're already hurting. It's one of life's harshest paradoxes. Our guest this week -- John Rossi -- seeks to explore that paradox by telling the story of his years-long struggle with anorexia (a severe eating disorder that sees its victims literally wither away), and how, by employing pain, he hoped to erase all else that ailed him. Not surprisingly, his approach didn't work, but thankfully, he's here with us today to tell his cautionary tale. It's almost always better to work through your pain than avoid it all costs. Here's one story that succinctly explains why.

People can find themselves addicted to almost anything, whether it's to alcohol or to benzos, to shopping or to gaming, to this or to that. But what happens when your chronic overindulgence happens to align with one of society's biggest taboos, something virtually every adult enjoys (whether regularly or occasionally), yet rarely speaks about earnestly? In short: What happens when you can stop watching pornography? Today's guest -- Matt Plaster -- speaks honestly about his addiction to porn, when and how it started, how it evolved and became worse over time, and how he ultimately got a hold of what ailed him. What do his family and friends think? How has it affect his education and his professional life? And how did his addiction alter previous relationships? We work through all of that (and more!) in what is undoubtedly one of the most flatout candid Fireside Chats yet recorded.

The American education system is pretty unique, especially compared to the rest of the modern world. Instead of having a totally top-down governmental approach, schools in the United States are left largely to the whims of state and local bureaucrats, and the outcomes are as varied as they are fascinating. One such teacher in one of America's thousands of school districts is today's guest, David. David's a middle school history teacher, and I got to pick his brain for about an hour about what he does specifically, but also about the state of America's schools more broadly. What are kids learning? How are teachers teaching? And in what ways do we get it right or need to improve? Eyes front, class. Let's learn something.

In a strange sort of way, this week's episode of Fireside Chats is all about reality. The reality of living your normal, everyday life while also trying to pursue your dreams and passions. To talk about such a common (yet seldom-discussed) situation is Brian Penaloza, a CLS fan who works by day at a car dealership, and by night growing his tabletop RPG Twitch channel. How does Brian balance the necessities of life with the things that make life worth living? And how is he slowly turning a side project into something real? That's what our nearly hour-long discussion is all about, a chat that we hope inspires you to get out of your comfort zone, and pursue your own wild ideas.

Stay-at-home moms are some of society's most unsung heroes. Raising kids is a tough job, after all, and motherhood comes at a cost. But what about society's fathers? Hell, what about society's fathers that bear the brunt of of parental responsibility while their wives go to work? It's not a terribly common situation even in modernity, but it does happen more often than you might think, and that's what today's episode is all about. Chad Lewis is a stay-at-home dad with a professional wife who brings home the bacon. So what's it like to reverse society's expectations? What kind of challenges does such a situation bring with it? And what kinds of rewards can the inverse of your the everyday nuclear family provide?

Being a successful content creator is all about finding your niche, and I must say, my friend Matt Schroeder -- aka MrMattyPlays -- has one of the best niches there is: Role-Playing Games. Matt is a popular YouTuber and podcaster, and he's built his audience by honing in on a genre he loves. But being an online personality isn't all roses; it's a lot of hard work, too. Today, Matt and I talk for about an hour about what he does, what we do, and everything in between. Our chat provides interesting insight into the life and times of the YouTuber and podcaster world, and will perhaps provide a blueprint for those who want to pursue a similar path... or avoid it at all costs.