My name is John,

I’m 43 years old, husband, father, small business owner, radio DJ, podcaster, and I have Multiple Sclerosis.

I created the What’s The Matter With Me? Podcast to share what I’m going through.

Portrait

I believe in using the transformational power of creativity to achieve social justice. Joseph Beuys once famously claimed that, “Each person is an artist.” In the words of the Spanish poet Antonio Machado, “Wanderer, your footprints are/ the path, and nothing else;/ wanderer, there is no path,/ the path is made by walking.” My work consists of public interactions that create new conditions in the community.

I have multiple sclerosis and that affects my life and work in many ways. I am the host of What’s The Matter With Me?, a podcast where I share my experiences, challenges and triumphs as a patient with MS. The podcast develops my Disability Consciousness and bridges me with my caregivers, doctors, the disabled community, and community-at-large.

If each person is an artist, and we create the road by walking, then it is up to us to create the world we want to see.

Ancient Cattle Herders

cover

In “Ancient Cattle Herders,” scientists solve a genetic mystery about multiple sclerosis, Christina Applegate goes on the Emmys, and we read about how acceptance is key.

Caused by people with horses

Surely a big deal with far-reaching implications

Scientists crack mystery of how MS gene spread

10th January 2024, 08:09 PSTShare

By Philippa RoxbyHealth reporter

An international team of scientists say they have unearthed the answer in the DNA of ancient teeth and bones.

The genes which protected our ancestors from animal diseases now raise the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS).

The researchers call their discovery “a quantum leap” in understanding the evolution of the disease.

And they say it could change opinions on what causes MS, and have an impact on the way it is treated.

https://bbc.com/news/health-67917294

Surely a big deal with far-reaching implications, but I’m not 100% sure what they are. Something to do with ancient cattle herders, beasts and DNA helixes like you see above.

Remember

  • Reminder to put the selfie in and don’t forget it like last time, remind listeners to subscribe
selfie
ancient cattle herders selfie

90s are back: E-Mail

Emmy TV Moment

  • Christina Applegate on the Emmys was a huge moment that increased MS consciousness

Having That Falling Feeling Inside

  • Fell in the house Wednesday at 10:45am. my wife was here.
  • I bled a little from one of the stitches, but didn’t open up and stopped pretty quick when I iced it so I didn’t go to the ER but I think this still counts as a fall
  • If Christina Applegate did it, we would say, “she fell.”

If it’s the last thing I ever do

  • Fellow KFJC DJs reach out to me to take part in stuff, but I can barely make it around my house
  • Moving to San Leandro added 9 minutes and a bridge to what had been a straight shot from east san jose
  • I’m not walking very well
  • I would be there if I could be
  • I need to figure out my wheelchair transport situation

Like a helicopter

  • The wall blew off on that 737 Max 9

Come up off that

  • We got permits for solar last year but we’ve kind of been dragging our feet with the sales people and this year they want to take our money and now I’m getting calls from the operations department

Not a word

Acceptance is key

  • Blog post about disability and acceptance that I thought added valuable perspective to my situation

@johnhoppin

Chapters

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | Subscribe

New Pie Cutter

cover

Welcome to the Season 8 Premiere, “New Pie Cutter”

In this episode, “New Pie Cutter” which is a kind of smorgasbord episode, we celebrate the new year, the new season, the new theme song. People get ready, the new episode is here and ready for liftoff.

Shout outs

s

  • Shout out to the sandman
  • Contact me on the contact form to get a shout out
    • Maybe the best shout out you’ll ever have, or that anyone’ll ever have

New Pie Cutter

  • To avoid a repeat of this year’s thanksgiving gorefest, I ordered a metal pie cutter on ebay, with a stainless steel blade and a silver handle –
  • it’s here and it’s beautiful and sturdy

Dinner a la GoGo

  • GoGo has limitations as a dating service
  • an awkward seating arrangement
  • at least they got a name change

TV burial

  • bought a big new tv bc mine crapped out after 15 years

What’s causing it

  • Dad butt dialed me again and he was like well. what happens is,I keep my phone in my back pocket, i think i butt dialed you

Maxims

  • I will try to eat cheese no matter how old it is just to see
  • A pint is a pound the world around

Correct Technique

swallowing heads
correct and incorrect swallowing techniques
  • Swallow while staring at your sternum
  • I learned it from Koko

Wheelchair Fake News

riding in the park
With my son
  • parts on my wheelchair broke in airline baggage
  • “jazzy passport is discontinued”
  • and other lies the wheelchair salesman told me

Notes

  • making memes
  • yogurt marinade
  1. Mix 1 cup yogurt, 2 tsp Hoppin Hot Sauce, and 1.5 tsp salt
  2. Pour over 8 boneless chicken thighs and rest for at least four and up to twentyfour hours
  3. Grill and eat over rice with some white sauce and extra hot sauce to taste

AI Guy

  • I posted a picture of myself that was made by AI and I put it as my story and a lot of people haven’t heard from in a long time contacted me and maybe didn’t realize the picture was not of me but it was a hallucination by AI

Admission

  • the triage nurse at the hospital asked me if i used to be a wrestler

Chapters

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | Subscribe

Can You Eat Blood?

cover

Welcome to “Can You Eat Blood?” the first episode after a break for a few weeks. I had trigeminal neuralgia face pain, so I took a a couple of weeks off. I think AI would say that these are bunch of unrelated thoughts.

Shout-outs

  • Shout out to the poet Joe Imwalle who called me to thank me for sending a link to his linktree while at the same time insinuating (correctly or not) that almost no one listens to my podcast.
  • Joe played guitar in my high school band and now he’s a published poet
  • Shout out to Jeremiah Jahnson who gave us a shout out on KFJC, Saturday morning at 8:30
  • Shoutout to Hoppin Hot Sauce

Gray room

  • We went on a date at Yonsei Handrolls because the movie was too long to do otherwise

What To Do

  • When you have MS people are alwaays sending you scholarly articles like this one

Caramelized shallots

  • Chicken and pasta with caramelized shallots

Thanksgiving

  • Thanksgiving is for 14 this year
  • Thanksgiving menu

5% salt

  • I wrote the sauerkraut recipe for the school recipe book

I can breathe again

  • The espresso machine is back

No Swap

  • We’re taking a break from the Booze-Only Yankee Swap this year

Face on the fritz

  • My face is bothering me due to the storms in the atmosphere
  • Unfortunately I couldn’t eat dinner with my family
  • I had a scrambled egg on some rice so it’s not like I’m dying

Turkey Brain

  • A week away and the Thanksgiving meal took over my mind
  • I hope that I will be in the clear and so I can enjoy eating the meal and not be in fear
  • I’m put in the meat order after trying to put it in back in October and they were like, “We’ll do it next week.” I’m either super early or coming in in the nick of time

Cool hipster shoes

  • The guy at the mobility shoe store asked me what kind of shoes I want and I said I was a hipster and I was cool and he said so you want dress shoes?

Too Much Blood

  • Jan hasn’t been able to smell anything since he was 18
  • Nami drank Jan’s blood
  • But at least she didn’t drink her piss

Rejection

  • Uniform Rejection of All writing submissions

Disability studies

Mysterious note

  • “Not just the bad stuff but the stuff I thought was really good”

Washed up

  • In a discussion of popular music John John told us Lady Gaga is washed up

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | Subscribe

God Of Thunder

Welcome to What’s The Matter With Me? Podcast Season 7. Episode 31, “God Of Thunder”

cover

The provided text seems to be a collection of various unrelated topics and updates, including shoutouts, a fundraiser for KFJC, an art acquisition by SFMOMA, the outcome of a baseball game, discussions about tucking in a t-shirt, an exploration of self-sufficiency, cooking, and conversations about toxic behavior with your son.

ChatGPT

Shout Outs

  • Shoutouts to Rocky who dug the face tattoo idea
    • Remember to use the drawer.
    • Repeat: do not get a face tattoo, just a drawer full of scraps of paper with tattoo ideas written on them
  • Shouts out to Max Level, standing at the edge of an inky black ocean holding a torch aloft

Fundraiser is done

2023 KFJC Artist Shirt by Abigail Mae
  • The KFJC fundraiser wrapped up bc we raised our operating budget for the coming year
  • I donated to fundraiser @ KFJC and got the artist shirt (pictured above)

Outsider Granted Entry

JOSEPH ALEF, UNTITLED (JA 072), 2018, WORK ON PAPER, 22 X 30 INCHES via Creative Growth

“SFMOMA’s investment marks a historic milestone in the contemporary art world,” said Ginger Shulick Porcella, Executive Director at Creative Growth Art Center. “It has been far too long that art institutions have ignored or underrecognized artists with disabilities. These talented creators can no longer be relegated to the category of ‘outsider artists’ as they firmly occupy the walls of museums worldwide.”

SFMOMA

Rangers In 5

  • Diamondbacks lost the world series in five games to the Rangers
  • As promised, I now have an Adolis Garcia Rangers jersey on order for my son

Locked In With Deepak

Art School Job Prospects

  • The person who named cymbals had a really cool job
  • Do you think the hiring manager had other well qualified candidates?

Keep your shoes on

  • Tucking in a t-shirt in doesn’t make it look any more formal
  • If you are in my family, it makes you look like a pumpkin who thinks that a tucked in t-shirt is appropriate to wear to an event that it clearly is not
  • Otherwise, you wouldn’t tuck it in your silly t-shirt.

Everybody needs directions

  • Even Jesus Christ was not perfect

God of Thunder

  • I was the drummer from Def Leppard for Halloween
  • Tight reviews: one reviewer was 5’9″ 230 lbs “pretty sure my junk was showing”
  • The tights fit, and I don’t think my junk was showing

Exploration in Self-sufficiency

  • I took the kids to school by myself, picked them up, fed them, bath, and bedtime
  • So my wife could go to San Diego on a work trip

Green sauce for steak and vegetables

Get every last drop

Toxic messaging

  • Talking to my son about the imagined bullies in middle school
  • Trying to introduce the concept that making fun of a adisabled person is a toxic behavior, and as he gets older it’s going to be important to see that clearly
  • I am not at all sure that will help him

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | Subscribe

What’s Really Going On

cover

In “What’s Really Going On”, John discusses the challenges he’s been facing with his children, particularly their lack of cooperation

He shares the stress and difficulty he experiences in trying to handle this situation, about the frustration of dealing with his son’s behavior and the impact it has on their daily routines. He expresses his hope for a resolution and mentions that it’s the 30th episode of his podcast this year.

The episode discusses various topics, including John’s family life, his children’s behavior, his creative work with Hoppin Hot Sauce, and his experiences at a drum and bass show.

Forming a rock band

What I meant when I said that the fans of What’s The Matter With Me? Podcast could change the course of history is that there’s enough of them to form a rock band

Coffee Annual Deep Cleaning

We took the coffee machine in to get serviced

Pile of Sticks

All of my walking sticks are bent or otherwise unusable and I have them in a pile in the corner. I called in the warranty for one of them, and the replacement will come on Monday.

Drum and bass

I went to the drum and bass show at the Golden Gate Park Bandshell in my wheelchair

Submission

Kind of a milestone: I submitted poetry to ten publications. It’s probably just the beginning.

Hot Sauce

Hoppin Hot Sauce Original Flavor
Check Out Hoppin Hot Sauce On Amazon

Making a new production of Hoppin Hot Sauce, getting everything ready

What’s really going on

cover
My son is driving me wild, and my daughter is watching and learning

John discusses the challenges he’s been facing with his children, their lack of cooperation in doing homework. He shares the stress and difficulty he experiences in trying to handle this situation, and the frustration of dealing with their behavior and the impact it has on their daily routines. He expresses his hope for resolution and a good night’s sleep.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | Subscribe

Multifaceted Discourse

cover

In “Multifaceted Discourse” John discusses various topics and gives shout-outs. Here’s a summary of the episode:

The humorous and diverse “Multifaceted Discourse” delves into a smorgasbord of subjects, with the usual touch of self-deprecating charm.

Being a jazz vocalist is a real thing

We saw Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter at Yoshi’s, where they always have a great accessible seating setup

It was cool to see a jazz vocalist headliner; they scat on every song

Bow Down

John dishes out shout-outs, paying homage to a variety of individuals, and even reflects on reaching a milestone 201st episode.

Shout out to slartibartfast who loves the production

Shout out to Jersey girl, who ideated the blind musicians kfjc special

Shout out to Nathan Mary tibby & butters who wrote in to Let me know, this is my 201st episode

Shout out to the sandman who said “it’s good and reassuring that AI cannot describe your show. Your show is about a specific human experience. I am glad that AI does not understand that yet, it means we still have time”

Onus Removed?

This could be a moment to rethink the A.D.A.’s framework. The Justice Department could take a larger role in enforcing the law, and Congress could amend the statute to give businesses a window to correct violations.

Evelyn Clark

We nearly take a thought-provoking turn reading The New York Times’ article, “It’s Time to Rethink the Americans With Disabilities Act,” shedding light on disability-related discussions.

Always Protect Yourself

A viewing of the film “Million Dollar Baby”; delving into thoughts on body limitations and the pursuit of perfection.

As Lennard Davis himself has written, “what is universal in life, if there are universals, is the experience of the limitations of the body”. Yet in films like Million Dollar Baby, and seemingly in every other ideological corner, we confront what Davis calls a “fantasy…of the perfection of the body and its activities”. We cannot step into this ring alone.

Jay Dolmage &William DeGenaro, Ph.D.

Submission

The episode then takes a poetic turn, inspired by Joe Imwalle. I’ve submitted my poetry around to some places and that’s a lot of fun and disheartening, but I’m more having fun with it.

Still need a lift

Wheelchair lift issues are ongoing.

Book Rundown

Book reviews include “2021 Best Sports Writing” anthology, Brandon Taylor’s “The Late Americans” and “Biography of a Phantom” by Mack McCormick.

Letting AI sum up

“Multifaceted Discourse” is a delightful blend of humor, insight, and intrigue.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | Subscribe

A Range Of Subjects

cover

A Range Of Subjects

We’re paid through the year

In this podcast episode, John shares personal anecdotes, music interests, and his challenges due to multiple sclerosis. He discusses social experiences, urban planning, wheelchair tennis, and efforts to improve mobility. The episode offers insights into his life and diverse interests.

My wife reminded me of the time I got nervous with her family and I said that jujubees give you “copious fecal matter”

Music Rundown

New adds:

Gabor szabo bacchanal – 1969 psychedelic apocalypse world music guitar centric 

Dad gave it to me

Zum Vol 1 & 5: indie experimental playlist from George Chen
sick thoughts on total punk records

This got me into the KBD scene – here is the Wikipedia page

from The Odd Man Who Sings About Poop, Puke and Pee

Tremor Control

I’m deep diving into olivia tremor control

Will Cullen Hart has MS

The collected works book, mostly olivia tremor control covers and related ephemera

‘Jazz’ alone will do

Renaming jazz CD genres into just jazz from contemporary jazz, jazz fusion, hard bop, or whatever

Not always social

Being social is hard bc its hard to be social

Baby’s in the corner

I went to my Mom’s birthday and everyone stood around and it wasn’t the right place to hang out

I got out of there and went to a table in the corner of the room

The party was crowded but nobody sat next to me and I received people like the pope. trying hard to recognize them after not seeing them for many years. It was ok. I chose a seat that was very close to the stage.

2.5 Ft/Sec

Read a piece in the times about urban planning for senior citizens

Stir Crazy

hard to get a round

trying not to go nuts

Burning Man attendees got to go home, when will I get to leave

Wheelchair Tennis

Watched the wheelchair us open tennis, Spaargaren NED v Fernandez ARG

Liberation

CALLED the mobility people TO GET THE LIFT GOING

We set an installation date for October 10

Choking on food

Had one of John’s friends for dinner and they ate seconds and thirds, then everything was gone and it was gratifying. Ground beef tomato pasta

Then I coughed on some Watermelon covered with tajin. “This is normal”, John told his friend. I guess it is. I felt bad for him.

AI Cooking School

AI Hoppin Hot Sauce food photographs are impressively strange

Challenging Juju

1919 market warehouse party spot is still for sale 20 years later

For the nth time

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | Subscribe

Stream Of Consciousness Narrative

stream of consciousness narrative cover

Potty Mouth DJ

Delving deeper into what AI says I already do, I present to you, “Stream Of Consciousness Narrative.”


The “What’s The Matter With Me?” podcast is a stream-of-consciousness narrative where the host, John, shares updates and thoughts on various topics that are currently on his mind. In this episode, John talks about a range of subjects, including his recent visit to urgent care, his experience with physical limitations due to multiple sclerosis, and his creative work on fundraising ads for a local radio station. He also mentions listening to the “Iowa’s Newsworthy Past” podcast, gives a shoutout to his friend George Chen, who runs a music distribution platform, and reflects on the nature of his podcast as a support mechanism. Throughout the episode, John’s narrative style is reflective and personal, touching on both humorous and serious topics.

Artificial intelligence

I like that, “reflective and personal.” I’m starting to think that AI really gets me. Enough claptrap, let’s dive right in.

Is it a population thing

Oklahoma and North Dakota have the fewest listeners to this podcast. California and New York have the most.

Quit/Nah

I am thinking about ending the podcast, what do you think? Use the contact form on whatsthematterwithme.org. Scratch that, if things seem bad, I’m going to think they’re worse. I’ll take no action.

Funky Worm

From Beyond The Grave

essential vonnegut caedmon

Listening to the Kurt Vonnegut interview cd from the back of my wife’s old crashed car, he discusses how making a play is like getting yourself a new family. Listening to it, I felt that it related to how volunteering at KFJC provided support at a time when I had changed my lifestyle. I had moved from Brooklyn, to East San Jose, and I was looking for a new scene.

Thee Song Candidate

Shout out to Rocky who wrote in saying she dug the new theme song candidate from last episode, “Goru.” I admit that it was heavily influenced by if not completely derivative of The Body & OAA, but maybe that isn’t a bad thing.

In Between The Lines Of Age

Having my doctors tell me that my leg is useless or that my hand is paralyzed reminds me of when my kids used to say, “You can’t use your hand”, and then I would put a piece of paper in it. And say, “what about this?”

Listening without intention

Iowa’s Newsworthy Past is a podcast with about 200 episodes consisting of readings from pretty old Iowa newspapers. You can listen to it really hard or you can zone out and let time and space melt away.

Acquiring Legitimacy

George Chen’s Zum Audio Vol 5 compilation was on bandcamp radio last week and that’s a pretty big deal even for an accomplished polymath gadfly like George.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | Subscribe

Last day of summer at the Jelly Belly factory

last day of summer at the jelly belly factory cover

Welcome to “Last day of summer at the Jelly Belly factory” on What’s The Matter With Me? Podcast. I asked my artificial intelligence tool what this episode was about, and it summarized it thusly:

The main idea of this episode is a stream of consciousness narrative where you share updates on various topics, including your experiences visiting a Jelly Belly factory, your interest in music, your thoughts on different sayings and maxims, an accident where you hit your head and had to get staples, and some personal reflections and anecdotes. The episode covers a range of topics and thoughts that are currently on your mind.

Without further ado…

Reggae bible study

Have you been studying your reggae bible? I haven’t, but on Dj Robert Rankin’s Solid Foundation reggae show I heard the lyric, “The race is not for the swift, but who can endure.” I googled it, and it’s from the Bible, a riff on Ecclesiastes chapter 9, verse 11.

The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

Ecclesiastes 9.11

This could relate to people in wheelchairs, who aren’t very fast, but who have the strength to endure what is happening to them.

Hotter than rats in a sack

The family went to Fairfield and Suisun City for the kids’ last day of summer break. It was 98 degrees in Fairfield, but the Jelly Belly factory was climate-controlled.

Afterwards, we went to Retroactive Records and Games in Suisun City.

More Maxims

Mean what you say and say what you mean.
Those who say don’t know, and those who know don’t say.
Smile now, cry later.

Pile it up high

They put me on a medication that causes drowsiness and I’m like add it to the pile. Thankfuilly, that was last week and now I’m off it. Meanwhile, I am working on reordering the shoes in my correct size, but its not exactly going smoothly.

To top it off, my AFO brace is still broken and tough to walk in. Trying to get up, I fell and hit my head and cut myself. After some cajoling, I went to the ER and got four staples. I admit that I’m glad I did. Next week, I’ll go in to the office and get them removed.

New music adds

Looking over the list, I can see that this week’s music run-down is guaranteed to freak out the squares. Nine Inch Nails do soundtracks, Portishead stepped on a Lego, Gravy Train go up-market, and extreme hardcore vocal interplay – this week’s music adds have a little bit of something for everybody. Don’t let your life go silent.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Original Score) by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

Enemy of Love by The Body & OAA

No Jack Swing by Brontez Purnell

CHOKE! SPLIT by XGRIFOX

This Week’s Selfie

last day of summer at the jelly belly factory selfie

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | Subscribe

Iron Curtain

cover

Welcome to “Iron Curtain,” a trip behind the enemy lines of the mind, contrasting the styles of my current dentist, The Cat, with my last dentist, The Iron Curtain. Peel back the layers of flayed gum tissue and see!

To give you a hand, I asked artificial intelligence to find the funniest part:

It’s challenging to pinpoint a single “funniest” part, as humor is often subjective and can vary based on individual preferences. However, there are several moments that include lighthearted anecdotes, witty observations, and amusing descriptions. For instance, John’s description of his neighbor, the retired police officer, and his interactions with people caught driving around is quite humorous. Additionally, his playful musings about the “Iron Curtain” dentist and the Ukrainian war, as well as his interactions with his dentist and the solid wheels for his wheelchair, also carry a humorous tone. Humor is often found in the unexpected and quirky details of everyday life that John narrates in his podcast.

Sounds completely amazing, let’s dive in!

Caught in the act

Retired cop caught some people driving around. He subtly got their name and address and he’s still taking their statement

Shoe Fail

I bought Billy shoes and they were too small – got to exchange

New Kind Of Animal

Got my teeth cleaned where they do it like cats instead of like the iron curtain. I wonder if she ever wanted to quit being a dentist in the states and move back to Ukraine and do her iron curtain work on Russian soldiers

Live Ukrainian Death Match

Accidentally head-butted the wall in the garage – abrasion. Fell on my stomach.

Sinkrippers

We got the pedestal sink in the bathroom anchored to the wall with a a piece of wood and my friend complimented me that my house looked nice

My kingdom for a tube

Popped my tire, and instead of getting a replacement, I got a new wheelset. I got solid wheels for my wheelchair at the medical supply store, where they said nobody uses tubes anymore.

A Rare Success

Last night for dinner grilled a 2# Rib steak, onions, cabernet – it came out as even a rare that I have ever cooked.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | Subscribe