Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, it is easier than ever to have your voice heard.
Many have turned to podcasts, online audio programs that cover any number of topics, to achieve that goal.
These 蜜柚直播ans are reaching new audiences as podcast hosts.
You鈥檙e Doing a Great Job
David Ross had just turned 35. His wife was out shopping, so he had the house to himself.
Inspired by podcasters around the nation, he had dabbled with the idea of starting his own.
Deciding to make that dream a reality, Ross hopped on the internet, searched for a platform to host his podcast, paid the $100 annual fee, then pressed record.
There was no plan. No fancy microphone.
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鈥淚 just talked about all the jobs I鈥檝e had,鈥 Ross says. And there are plenty: He says he鈥檚 tried out more than 75 different jobs in his life.
In 2019, Ross started the 鈥淵ou鈥檙e Doing A Great Job鈥 podcast as a way to talk to people about their careers and let them know they鈥檙e appreciated 鈥 all while providing a dose of comedy.
"We're tough as saguaros," editorial cartoonist David Fitzsimmons says. He says he saw a video made for the people of Detroit and became inspired to do his own take for 蜜柚直播.
鈥淚鈥檓 always going around telling people, 鈥楬ey, you鈥檙e doing a great job,鈥欌 Ross says. 鈥淪ometimes it might come off as sarcastic, but I鈥檓 saying it genuinely. I just want everyone to feel encouraged.鈥
Ross has worked in banking, at a local furniture store, in construction, as a barista, at retirement homes 鈥 the list goes on.
His podcast, which goes up on , Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadio online, has featured the voices of ministers and doctors to lawyers and truck drivers.
Ross admits that the podcast isn鈥檛 perfect. Before the coronavirus pandemic, he鈥檇 sometimes record his podcasts in front of a live audience or inside eateries like Mama鈥檚 Famous Pizza & Heros. Sometimes he presses record before he鈥檚 actually ready to begin 鈥 so listeners can hear what鈥檚 going on in his surroundings.
鈥淭he most polished? They鈥檙e not,鈥 he says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not perfect, but that鈥檚 what I like about them.鈥
Now retired from rapping, Gabriel Barreda has stepped into the world of podcasting. 鈥淚 want the artists鈥 voice to tell their story,鈥 he says, adding that there is a lot of talent in the local hip-hop scene and he thought there was a need to document it.
MANKIND PODCAST
Gabriel Barreda started making music in the 鈥90s. Now retired from rapping, he鈥檚 stepped into the world of podcasting.
鈥淚 found myself coming back (to the hip-hop scene) in a way where I wanted to help document it,鈥 Barreda says. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what it was, but I knew I wanted to do something for the community.鈥
The Mankind Podcast started in 2017 as The AfterWorld Podcast 鈥 named after a lyric in Prince鈥檚 鈥淟et鈥檚 Go Crazy.鈥
鈥溾楾he AfterWorld鈥 didn鈥檛 make sense or tie into 蜜柚直播鈥檚 hip-hop,鈥 Barreda says, describing it as a 鈥減ilot that got out of control.鈥
Once he had a better grasp on podcasting, Barreda changed the name to The Mankind Podcast 鈥 in honor of his stage name.
Barreda鈥檚 goal is to make the podcasts timeless so people listening tomorrow, next week or a year from now will still find them meaningful.
鈥淚 want the artists鈥 voice to tell their story,鈥 he says, adding that there is a lot of talent in the local hip-hop scene and he thought there was a need to document it.
鈥淚 want to get their process, mistakes they鈥檝e made, celebrate their successes, give an idea of their struggle 鈥 but also give other artists an idea of what they鈥檙e getting into,鈥 he says.
Since 2017, he鈥檚 talked with at least 120 local rappers and hopes that the podcast can eventually show how much each artist has grown, acting as a 鈥測earbook鈥 of their careers.
鈥淚鈥檝e been documenting the scene since 2017 and now in 2020, it feels like we鈥檙e starting to see acts get signed to national record deals,鈥 he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e right there 鈥 moments away.鈥
Keep up with The Mankind Podcast at . The podcast is available through Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Anchor, among other sites.
In 2015, Wayne Saeger visited the 蜜柚直播 Indoor Sports Center and asked to put some of his own pinball machines in the space. A year after the owner agreed, Saeger decided to start a podcast to talk all things pinball.
TUCSON PINBALL
Wayne Saeger got his first pinball machine in 2010.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really know what sparked it, but I鈥檓 an Air Force brat so I moved around a lot,鈥 he says. 鈥淥n base, there was always an arcade. I鈥檝e had video games since the Nintendo entertainment system 鈥 the first one 鈥 and I remember playing Super Mario Bros. when I was 6 or 7.
鈥淚 should鈥檝e turned into an arcade person, but there was just something about pinball.鈥
He loved visiting D&D Pinball, which hosted monthly tournaments on Fourth Avenue.
Beyond his time at D&D, though, Saeger wanted more and decided to host informal tournaments at Golf N鈥 Stuff. But there was a problem: He had no control over the machines if one broke.
So, in 2015, Saeger visited the 蜜柚直播 Indoor Sports Center and asked to put some of his own pinball machines in the space. The owner agreed 鈥 and Saeger鈥檚 organization 蜜柚直播 Pinball was born. A year later, Saeger decided to start a podcast to talk all things pinball.
鈥淪ome of it is storytelling 鈥 of the adventures we go on when traveling to different events, but a lot of it is focused on local events,鈥 Saeger says.
Before the pandemic, he鈥檇 host weekly tournaments in 蜜柚直播, where points could qualify gamers for regional or national competitions. Saeger has 13 machines in two 蜜柚直播 locations, including the sports center and BlackRock Brewers.
Saeger has a group chat with a few of his friends, where they talk about pinball frequently. But there was more about pinball that he wanted to dive into and explore, so he turned to podcasts.
鈥淭here were topics I wanted to go more in depth on and document in some way or some how,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 wanted to talk about what I was seeing and experiencing.鈥
鈥淚 try to have a little bit of fun,鈥 Saeger says. 鈥淲hen it stops being fun, it stops being a hobby.鈥
Find all things 蜜柚直播 Pinball at and through Apple Podcasts.
Frank Powers takes a video of, from left, David Ross, Rich Gary and Jeremy Segal for 鈥淵ou鈥檙e Doing A Great Job.鈥 Ross started the podcast to talk to people about their careers and let them know they鈥檙e appreciated 鈥 while providing a dose of comedy.
Gabriel Barreda, a former rapper, wants to shed light on local artists through his podcast, The Mankind Podcast. Barreda usually records at local businesses, but due to the coronavirus he鈥檚 recording in public spaces.
Wayne Saeger, middle, started the 蜜柚直播 Pinball organization in 2015. He鈥檚 pictured here with two of his regular tournament attendees Robert Noble and Derek Jordan.
Contact reporter Gloria Knott at gknott@tucson.com or 573-4235. On Twitter: @gloriaeknott
Gloria Knott
#ThisIs蜜柚直播 Editor
