Episode 106: Cape Cod's First Air Disaster; Google's 25th Anniversary; Summer Vacation Movies; Rye, NH; Jimmy Hoffa(8-2-2023)

The Goonies as writing inspiration. Urban legends 1980s kids will remember. What music played on MTV's first day?
Everyone has their origin story, how they ended up where they are or doing what they are doing. In Episode 135 of the podcast, I share my story of how I first got interested in being a writer. It goes all the way back to 2nd Grade, my favorite teacher ever, and a surprising inspiration, the movie The Goonies.
Kids who grew up in the 1980s get ready for some major flashbacks. We go way Back In the Day to look at urban legends that kids from the 80s will remember. Some are silly old wives' tales, some are much darker and serious, and all are in this segment.
At 12:01 am on Saturday, August 1, 1981 MTV made its grand debut. Everyone likely knows the very first video ever played on the channel (hint: Video Killed the Radio Star), however, what came next? This week's Top 5 will look at the rest of Day One and the most-played musical artists during MTV's first 24 hours.
There will also be a brand new This Week In History and Time Capsule centered around the introduction of the pain reliever aspirin by the Bayer company.
For more great content become a subscriber on Patreon or Buzzsprout!

Helpful Links from this Episode

• The Lady of the Dunes.com
• Purchase My New Book Cape Cod Beyond the Beach!
• In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide(2nd Edition)
• Kiwi's Kustoms - Etsy
• DJ Williams Music
• KeeKee's Cape Cod Kitchen
• Christopher Setterlund.com
• Cape Cod Living - Zazzle Store
• Subscribe on YouTube!
• Initial Impressions 2.0 Blog
• MTV's First 100 Videos

Listen to Episode 134 here 

Subscriber-only episode

Hello subscribers!
It's March, spring is arriving. The sun will bring some warmth and so will a new subscriber-only bonus episode of the podcast! This is the 6th monthly installment in the series where I review a blog I had written called Initial Impressions which I began in 2010.
For those who might be new here, this blog was meant to be a behind-the-scenes look at my travel trips but ended up as a fever-dream mix of random quotes, predictions, observations that would make Seinfeld proud, and some actual looks into the places I was visiting.
In February love was in the air as I navigated around such random topics as: why mosquitoes love me, celebrity MySpace interactions, quarter-life crisis issues, crying over sports, and a Rubik's Cube of a shower.

For March the wackiness shows no signs of slowing down as I look at subjects such as: dinner and a show at Subway, am I Jim from The Office, or am I the NFL, insects causing auto accidents, faux sports outrage, Crocodile Dundee in Rockport, MA, and more!
These episodes might be a unique and sometimes embarrassing look into my psyche nearly fifteen years ago, but they are undoubtedly worth sharing with you, my most loyal subscribers!
Thank you so much for subscribing to my channel and enjoy this sixth episode of the exclusive members-only podcast.

Check out the YouTube Channel of DJ Williams whose music is used in both the main and subscriber podcasts!

If you are not a subscriber go become one and get in on the fun of these crazy shows either on Buzzsprout or on Patreon!

Some of the most memorable commercial jingles of the 90s. A trip back to Cape Cod's beloved Bassett's Wild Animal Farm. Historical Leap Day events.
Episode 134 takes a trip back to simpler times. First, it begins with a trip back to the days when a petting zoo was popular entertainment. In the time before the Internet and smartphones, young people had fewer options for fun on Cape Cod. One such attraction that is looked back upon fondly is Bassett's Wild Animal Farm in Brewster. Animals both native and foreign to Cape Cod were front and center for generations of kids. Learn the story of that beloved spot.
Simpler times continue with a lot of earworms in the form of some of the best (and a few worst) commercial jingles of the 1990s. We go way Back In the Day and dial up the nostalgia to 11. Do you remember any of these?
Once every four years we get an extra day. Not a warm summer day, but a day nonetheless. This week's Top 5 will share some of the historic events to happen on Leap Day, February 29th.
Of course, there will be a brand new This Week In History and Time Capsule focusing on the creation of the very first National Park, Yellowstone.
For more great content become a subscriber on Patreon or Buzzsprout!

Helpful Links from this Episode

• The Lady of the Dunes.com
• Purchase My New Book Cape Cod Beyond the Beach!
• In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide(2nd Edition)
• Kiwi's Kustoms - Etsy
• DJ Williams Music
• KeeKee's Cape Cod Kitchen
• Christopher Setterlund.com
• Cape Cod Living - Zazzle Store
• Subscribe on YouTube!
• Initial Impressions 2.0 Blog

Listen to Episode 133 here 

A driver's ed film that scarred children of the 1960s. Stories of my time as a degenerate Las Vegas gambler. Some of the best 1980s teen movies, and more.
All of this is front and center on Episode 133 of the podcast.
Las Vegas is called 'Sin City' for a reason. All of the excesses that you could want are within arms reach. Even if you are a resident you cannot escape the pull of some of the vices. During my time living in Vegas in 2000-01 I found out that my major weakness was the lure of gambling. I will share some head-shaking yet hilarious stories of my days as a degenerate gambler.
From laughs to horror. In 1964 a film was created to help scare straight potential new drivers. It was called Red Asphalt and its gory graphic content depicting real traffic accidents is still shocking 60 years later. We go way Back In the Day as I review this unique and terrifying driver's ed film.
From horror to warm and fuzzy nostalgia we look back at some of the best 1980s teen movies this week in the Top 5. Get your Netflix, Hulu, or whatever streaming service you have ready to make a playlist.
There is also a brand new This Week In History and Time Capsule centered around Thomas Edison's creation of the phonograph and how the way we consume sound changed forever.
For more great content become a subscriber on Patreon or Buzzsprout!

Helpful Links from this Episode

• The Lady of the Dunes.com
• Purchase My New Book Cape Cod Beyond the Beach!
• In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide(2nd Edition)
• Kiwi's Kustoms - Etsy
• DJ Williams Music
• KeeKee's Cape Cod Kitchen
• Christopher Setterlund.com
• Cape Cod Living - Zazzle Store
• Subscribe on YouTube!
• Initial Impressions 2.0 Blog
• Red Asphalt - Archive.org

Listen to Episode 132 here 

Happy Valentine's Day! Love is in the air on Episode 132 of the podcast.
Helen Keller was an icon of the 20th century and a true testament to the will of the human spirit due to her achievements despite being rendered both bling and deaf at an early age. One of the loves of her life was the many trips that she made to Cape Cod during her childhood through early adulthood. We will look at her connection to The Cape.
I love The Simpsons. At its peak it was arguably the best show ever made, at least in the conversation. For more than three decades it has entertained millions. This week we go way Back In the Day to try to shine a little light on why the show has been successful and of course share some funny memories of the show.
Those celebrating Valentine's Day need their own romantic playlist of music. I will share some of my own picks for you as we look at my Top 5 love songs.
There is of course a new This Week In History and Time Capsule centered around the first ever news brief sent via the telephone. What does it have to do with love? Who knows.
Also there may or may not be a story told of someone's worst first date, get ready!
For more great content become a subscriber on Patreon or Buzzsprout!

Helpful Links from this Episode

• The Lady of the Dunes.com
• Purchase My New Book Cape Cod Beyond the Beach!
• In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide(2nd Edition)
• Kiwi's Kustoms - Etsy
• DJ Williams Music
• KeeKee's Cape Cod Kitchen
• Christopher Setterlund.com
• Cape Cod Living - Zazzle Store
• Subscribe on YouTube!
• Brewster Historical Society
• Initial Impressions 2.0 Blog

Listen to Episode 131 here 

It is the dead of winter and Episode 131 will try to bring the warmth. It begins with a trip back to a long-since-forgotten Cape Cod establishment. The Chequesset Inn of Wellfleet, the Grand Resort of the Outer Cape, was an oasis of luxury in the late 19th and early 20th century. However, it has been all but lost to time. We'll look back at its story this week.
For 70 years one magazine has captured the world of athletics better than all others. Sports Illustrated has been more than just a sports magazine, it became a cultural institution. Anyone who is anyone in sports has been either on the cover or extensively written about in the magazine. With questions looming about its future it's appropriate to go Back In the Day and cover the legacy of Sports Illustrated.
There is a fine line between innovative and impractical. This week's Top 5 is going to cross way over that line as we look at some of the most ridiculous, dangerous, and downright stupid inventions ever.
On a brand new This Week In History and Time Capsule we look at the importance of Bob Marley. Few people have transcended their industry to become a cultural icon in quite the way Bob Marley did and we'll look at some reasons why.
For more great content become a subscriber on Patreon or Buzzsprout!

Helpful Links from this Episode

• The Lady of the Dunes.com
• Purchase My New Book Cape Cod Beyond the Beach!
• In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide(2nd Edition)
• Kiwi's Kustoms - Etsy
• DJ Williams Music
• KeeKee's Cape Cod Kitchen
• Christopher Setterlund.com
• Cape Cod Living - Zazzle Store
• Subscribe on YouTube!
• SI 100 Greatest Sports Photos
• Bob Marley.com
• Chequesset Inn Photos - Wellfleet Historical Society

Listen to Episode 130 here 

Subscriber-only episode

Hello subscribers!
It's February so here is a Valentine from me to you with a new subscriber-only bonus episode of the podcast! This is the 5th in the series where I review a blog I had written called Initial Impressions which I began in 2010.
For those who might be new here this blog was meant to be a behind-the-scenes look at my travel trips but ended up as a fever dream mix of random quotes, predictions, observations that would make Seinfeld proud, and some actual looks into the places I was visiting.
In January I dove headlong into such subjects as: the worst things spilled on me when I worked in restaurants, singing servers at Subway, a shocking misspelling of YouTube, lunch break at the nut house, and whether monkeys could be trained to be flagmen.
For February love is in the air as I navigate around such random topics as: why mosquitoes love me, celebrity MySpace interactions, quarter-life crisis issues, crying over sports, an a Rubik's Cube of a shower.
These episodes might be a unique and sometimes embarrassing look into my psyche nearly fifteen years ago, but they are undoubtedly worth sharing with you, my most loyal subscribers!

Thank you so much for subscribing to my channel and enjoy this fifth episode of the exclusive members-only podcast.

Check out the YouTube Channel of DJ Williams whose music is used in both the main and subscriber podcasts!

If you are not a subscriber go become one and get in on the fun of these crazy shows either on Buzzsprout or on Patreon!

The first day at a new job can be exciting, it can also be nerve-racking. In Episode 130 of the podcast we look at a day of work that was a mixture of both. In Restaurant Storytime VII: A Great First Impression I share the details of my first shift ever in the hospitality industry. For it to be on the podcast you know it was not an ordinary day.
1994 was a monumental year for the music industry. There were numerous groundbreaking albums and songs that made their way into the world. There were also events that occurred that are still shaping the music landscape to this day. We will go way Back In the Day to look at 1994 the Year In Music Part 1, January through June, with Part 2 coming later this year.
Fears of things such as flying, the unknown, deep water, and darkness, are fairly common. However this week's Top 5 will focus on those fears that are far less common, and at times oddly specific, as we dive into some of the most unusual phobias.
There is also a brand new This Week In History and Time Capsule centering around the creation of the soft drink juggernaut Coca-Cola. Why has this drink held such an important place worldwide for so long?
For more great content become a subscriber on Patreon or Buzzsprout!

Helpful Links from this Episode

• The Lady of the Dunes.com
• Purchase My New Book Cape Cod Beyond the Beach!
• In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide(2nd Edition)
• Kiwi's Kustoms - Etsy
• DJ Williams Music
• KeeKee's Cape Cod Kitchen
• Christopher Setterlund.com
• Cape Cod Living - Zazzle Store
• Subscribe on YouTube!
• Better Help.com
• I'd Like To Teach the World to Sing - Coca-Cola Commercial

Listen to Episode 129 here 

Let's go to the mall! Words that were always music to the ears of anyone who grew up in the '70s, '80s, and '90s. A visit to the mall was always a special and exciting time back then.
The indoor mall is still a popular destination today, however, its heyday was definitely the '70s through the '90s. 
You didn't need much money as the 'mall rat' identity only required you to be inside a mall hanging out with friends. Kids of the day could spend hours sitting on benches or wandering the corridors looking into some of the stores that will be mentioned this week.
In Episode 129 of the podcast, we will look back at some of the popular, beloved, and maybe some lesser-known mall stores that attracted customers, or perhaps at least hordes of wandering mall rats.
How many of these stores did you spend hard-earned money at?
If your favorite store of the past isn't mentioned have no fear as there will be a Part 2 coming in the future!
For more great content become a subscriber on Patreon or Buzzsprout!

Helpful Links from this Episode

• The Lady of the Dunes.com
• Purchase My New Book Cape Cod Beyond the Dunes!
• In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide(2nd Edition)
• Kiwi's Kustoms - Etsy
• DJ Williams Music
• KeeKee's Cape Cod Kitchen
• Christopher Setterlund.com
• Cape Cod Living - Zazzle Store
• Subscribe on YouTube!

Listen to Episode 128 here 

An AI Therapist? A Pixelated Talking Parrot? Ruining the Lives of Sims? These are just a few of the possibilities one could have found 30 years ago during the rise of the MS-DOS computer game. Episode 128 of the podcast will reminisce about some legendary titles that helped pave the way for the modern wonders of gaming.
Mill Hill in West Yarmouth on Cape Cod was a haven of entertainment for nearly a century. The Mill Hill Club is the most well-known establishment while the Mill Hill Pavilion was the original. Sandwiched in between was a spot that was both a novelty and a success story. The Mill Hill Arena spent nearly 40 years supplying Cape Cod with world-class professional wrestling and amateur boxing. Learn its story this week.
When it comes to fast food, not all chains are created equally. For every McDonald's and Wendy's that has become ingrained in society, countless others might have had success but ultimately faded away. This week's Top 5 looks at discontinued fast food chains. Whether as big as any chain ever, a relative flash in the pan, or too ahead of its time, many different roads led to these chains ending.
There is also a brand new This Week In History and Time Capsule featuring one of the most infamous crimes of the 20th century. The Black Dahlia murder was equal parts sad and gruesome, and surprisingly Elizabeth Short has a connection to New England.
For more great content become a subscriber on Patreon or Buzzsprout!

Helpful Links from this Episode

• The Lady of the Dunes.com
• Purchase My New Book Cape Cod Beyond the Dunes!
• In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide(2nd Edition)
• Kiwi's Kustoms - Etsy
• DJ Williams Music
• KeeKee's Cape Cod Kitchen
• Christopher Setterlund.com
• Cape Cod Living - Zazzle Store
• Subscribe on YouTube!
• Dr. Sbaitso - ClassicReload.com

Listen to Episode 127 here