Agent Palmer

Matt is a podcaster, sports guy, movie and music fan, an Oregon Duck through and through plus many more things and a family man… There is no defining him other than to say he is unique and a great guy. So let’s get to it!

Agent Palmer [AP]: State your name.
Matt G [MG]: Matt G*[redacted]*

[AP]: Current City and how long have you lived there?
[MG]: Portland, Oregon (in the burbs). I’ve lived here since early 2010, but I’ve lived here on and off for nearly 30 years.

[AP]: Did you choose to live there and why?
[MG]: It’s always been home and when my wife got a great job opportunity while we were living in Seattle, we couldn’t pass up the chance to move back here (first time for her).

[AP]: What town did you grow up in, and what impact did it have on you?
[MG]: Portland (technically a suburb called Lake Oswego). Portland was a great town to grow up in, because it’s a smaller “big” city so everything is very accessible and the sense of community is strong. It’s grown quite a lot since my youth so the feel is a bit different, but I still love it.

The smaller suburb where I lived was (and still is) very white and middle-to-upper class so I wasn’t exposed to as much culture as I would have liked. But I had to move when I was a sophomore in high school and that was a big shift. I went from a medium-sized wonderbread school to a large, very diverse school in Alexandria, Virginia. It sucked leaving my life-long friends (especially at that age) but in retrospect it made me grow up and learn about things that I never would have if I finished school in Oregon.

[AP]: Was the diversity of Alexandria responsible for your eclectic tastes in music?
[MG]: Not particularly. I started getting into hip hop when I was still in Oregon. First with RUN DMC, LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys, among many others. In fact, in 8th grade, my friends and I entered a lip sync contest and did a rap song which was well received by the kids but not so much by the faculty and judges. [Matt tells the full story in Reasons Are Several Episode 29.] My time in Alexandria did expose me to even more music, especially some of the Washington, D.C. punk/hardcore scene.

[AP]: You mentioned your wife, so you must be married? Also for how long and do you have any kids (how old)?
[MG]: Happily married for nine years (been together for more than 12). We have two sons, aged 4 and 6.

[AP]: How did you meet your wife?
[MG]: It was an office romance. We met in Portland while working on a project together. She was in our Seattle office. We got to know each other for the next 4-5 months and eventually started dating and did that long distance for about a year and a half before I moved up there.

[AP]: And how did you know she was “the one?”
[MG]: Maybe because she was the “only one” who put up with my shit? Actually we just hit it off in every way. Very similar sense of humor and outlook on life. She’s also tougher than me so I knew I’d be in good hands.

[AP]: What is your current profession and do you have any side jobs or professions?
[MG]: I work in IT, doing project management for a public relations firm. On the side, I sell crocheted My Little Pony characters online and I do a half-clown, half-magician act for kid’s parties. Seriously though, raising a couple of kids doesn’t leave much room for side jobs unless you consider our podcast a side job – and I do, with the amount of time I spend on it.

[AP]: Well, we’ll get to the podcast but let’s focus on the IT gig. Based solely on the world of The IT Crowd, how does that sitcom compare with your daily work?
[MG]: Oh it’s nothing like that show – though I really wish there was a Matt Berry character, Douglas Reynholm, in our office (maybe I’d go in more). I’m not involved in the system administration or support work so I’m not as privy to those requests. And we’re not relegated to the basement like they were. However, the main business of the company is quite a different day-to-day than The IT Crowd staff for sure.

[AP]: On Twitter you have stated that you work from home. As all of the other IT professionals are now drooling, if you can elaborate, please do.
[MG]: It started when I was up in our Seattle office. I had a fairly nasty commute, because I worked on the east side. At one point, I badly injured my left ankle in a soccer game so I had to work from home for a week or two while I recovered. I realized how productive I was at home (and how nice it was to work in sweats and a t-shirt with showers optional) so I proposed the idea to my boss. She works out of her house in San Diego so she was on board and I’ve been doing it ever since. I’ve been exclusively remote for the past 8-9 years, but I do go in 1-2 times per month for face time and meetings.

[AP]: Was being an IT project manager your first choice for a career path?
[MG]: Not in the least. I just wanted a job when I was younger and ended up moving into IT with my current company (which I’ve been with for 18 years).

[AP]: Wow, 18 years! That means you seen quite the technological advances in what you work with on a day to day basis. Do you remember what the technology was when you first started and how it compares to what you work with today?
[MG]: The first time I ever did anything IT or Web-related was in college around ’96 when I used a one-page sheet I got from the computer lab titled, “How to build a Web page.” We were allotted a certain amount of space on university servers to tinker and that’s where I first tried coding. It was very basic HTML and it was ugly (as most sites were then). Netscape Navigator ruled the day (I can still see that gray border browser) and stylesheets weren’t around yet, so it was nasty.

I did some Web design on the side but was never very good – mostly helping small businesses get some Web presence up but it wasn’t until about 2-3 years in at my work that I went to the design and IT side as a full-on job. I recall a lot of Microsoft Frontpage back in the day as that’s what we used to build our Intranet. We eventually moved to SharePoint which we’ve used every version of since. The advances in front-end/UI have been tremendous but the back-end stuff is what has really been powerful for us. I’m not a developer so I only dabble in such things and know just enough to get into trouble. So I have a technical side to me but I tend to stick to project management, information architecture, etc.

[AP]: If you were not an IT project manager, what would have been your other career path, or what would you be doing now?
[MG]: There’s a lot of things I’d like to be doing. I’ve always been intrigued by the sports world, of course. At various times, I’ve thought I’d like to be a pro athlete (pfft!), sports writer, play-by-play announcer, etc. I know that working in sports can sour you on fandom and allegiances. In that field, you’re meant to be more neutral and treat it as a business rather than a hobby or entertainment. That said, it always had a draw.

[AP]: Really, a draw? Are you sure color commentator isn’t still something you’d jump at the chance to do?
[MG]: I would ABSOLUTELY jump at the chance to do it but that is a game you have to get into at a young age and really take your lumps. I’d have liked the play-by-play role more than the analyst. But you have to start young and cover some pretty unglamorous sports and leagues before you make it up to doing a professional or college team (or league). Sadly, Palmer, I think that window closed long ago.

[AP]: You must be educated… So where did you go to college?
[MG]: I went to the University of Oregon. Go Ducks!

[AP]: What other schools, if any, did you apply to or have interest in? And why did you choose Oregon?
[MG]: I graduated high school on the east coast so I poked around at schools there. For a while during my senior year, I strongly considered going to the College of Charleston, but I never visited and in the end looked at Arizona State and Oregon. Oregon was the right fit for me from a comfort and culture standpoint so I ended up there (even though I’m pretty far from being a hippy).

[AP]: What did you originally go for and what degree or degrees did you end up with?
[MG]: I started as a History major because that’s always been a huge interest for me. I quickly realized that a degree in History wasn’t much good unless I was going to get into teaching or some sort of research position. I switched to Political Science because I was raised around politics and had some interests in doing that for a career. Clearly this paid huge dividends as I ran far away from the political arena shortly after graduating.

[AP]: I myself had political leanings in college. Is it that we all go through that phase and the politicians are the ones who are still in that phase?
[MG]: I think many, many people go through a phase where they get interested in politics or at least into issues that are politically-driven. For me it started when I was young because I grew up around it. For many it happens in college. By the time I was done with college, my interest in it just completely waned and I decided to go another direction.

[AP]: Moving on, you are, like myself, an enigma within nerd culture of someone who enjoys the nerd stuff AND sports. How do you manage your many fandoms?
[MG]: I suppose I’m fairly specialized in nerdiness in that I only geek out about certain things. I dig on things like Star Wars and I play some video games, but that’s about the extent of it. However, you could very much call me a sports nerd because I geek out about a lot of things in that realm. I am a stats nut with a sometimes eye-roll-inducing memory of sports moments and players. I ran hockey and baseball fantasy leagues for many years and operated them like a second job. I am constantly watching, reading, tweeting and thinking about sports. I used to write more but I realized that I’m a pretty crap writer.

[AP]: Do you still fantasy? And overall, being a stats guys, how good are you? Do you have any go to statistics in any specific sport, and is there any team you have to have players from or any team whose players you won’t draft?
[MG]: Not really. I am doing a fantasy hockey league this year (organized by the guys at The 4th Line Podcast), but I have given up my commissioner days. When I was in my heyday, I was pretty consistently good because I was manually scoring the leagues so I knew who was good and who wasn’t. Which situations to play guys and not, etc. I let personal biases get in the way of picking at times. I pretty much avoided the rosters of the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers, respectively.

[AP]: Well, let’s dive down the other big fandom rabbit hole. Favorite Sports / Teams?
[MG]: Oregon Ducks (football and hoops); New York Islanders; Portland Trailblazers; Arsenal; San Francisco Giants; Los Angeles Rams; Portland Timbers and I have a small man-crush on Camilo Villegas (golf).

[AP]: Can I safely assume that Fever Pitch is the reason for your Arsenal fandom?
[MG]: You may NOT assume that. The book was written before I became a fan and the movie came out around the time I got into it. However, I didn’t read the book or see the movie until the mid-2000s after I was already pretty entrenched in my support of the club. I went from a casual fan in the late 90s to early 2000s to going whole hog when I moved to Seattle and found a supporters pub where I went every Saturday to watch matches. Add in a footy trip to England a couple years later and I was very into it. (If you’re ever really bored and want to see my crap writing, the blog I did for that trip is still up almost 10 years later – footytrip.blogspot.com.)

[AP]: You’re a huge college football fan. What got you into it?
[MG]: My dad really got me into it because he’s a massive Texas A&M fan (his alma mater) and I was raised watching games every weekend. Throughout my youth, I was a rabid Aggie fan and could tell you anything you wanted to know about the team from about 1985 to 1992. It all changed when I went to college myself as my devotion switched before I even took a class.

[AP]: How does your fandom of college football as a whole compare to that of the NFL?
[MG]: Night and day really. I was pretty out of touch with the NFL for years but have paid more attention over the past 2-3 as I have done the show. I think I’d benefit from doing fantasy football cause it would make me pay even more attention to it. With college, it’s a passion. With the NFL, it’s an interest.

[AP]: As any listener of your show is aware, you are a huge Oregon Ducks fan. But based upon the “Fight Songs” episode you did, I believe your affections aren’t exclusive to the Ducks. So, what was your journey in fandom to the Ducks?
[MG]: I still have a soft spot for the Aggies (and hate to see my dad suffer) but everything changed September 1992. I had always paid attention to the Ducks but once I started going there, I completely shifted my fanaticism.

The first play I saw (wasn’t even in my seat yet) at Autzen Stadium was a punt return for a touchdown (Ronnie Harris) against UNLV. They routed the Rebels and I was hooked. They were a very mediocre program then – maybe mediocre is being generous – but in 1994, a magical run changed it all. I have very vivid memories of every game that season and the run to the Pac-10 title and the Rose Bowl.

Ever since my college days, I’ve been a huge fan and it has basically ruled my life. I’ve calmed down a bit in recent years with the volatile reactions to games, but I still get pretty jacked up every Saturday. My wife probably roots for the team just because of how much their wins and losses affect my mood.

If you’re reading this and wondering, ‘why does this grown man with children care so much about sports?’, that is a very valid question. Maybe I should shield my kids from watching sports for fear this will happen to them!

[AP]: I don’t think there is anything you can do. On the plus side, their fanaticism may end up being Star Wars, but as we know… That doesn’t mean it will be better than enduring a few losing seasons, right?
[MG]: Star Wars fanaticism can include losing seasons – i.e. the Prequels. There are disappointments in everything, right? But with sports, there are more heartaches than most other things. When you invest so much time, attention, money and emotion into a team – which reasonably sounds ridiculous to many people – it can really take a toll.

Speaking of Fever Pitch, there’s a great scene in that movie where his girlfriend comes over to console him. He thinks she “gets it” and feels badly because Arsenal lost their match and jeopardized their chance at the winning the league but she’s actually there because he missed out on getting a new job. Take a look, it’s outstanding and sums up the feelings of many sports fans, I think.

[AP]: And your favorite ways to spend free time?
[MG]: I’m somewhat of a homebody so I love hanging with my boys and my wife or getting together with the rest of my family. I try to sneak in a lot of golf and a couple times a year get out of town for a guy’s golf trip. I’m also devoted to my rec hockey team.

[AP]: Despite the fact that the NHL is a “major” league, hockey seems to be hit and miss in the United States… Any explanation as to why?
[MG]: Hockey is one of those sports that seems to have a pretty specific and loyal fan base. You don’t get a lot of casual hockey fans. With football and basketball, hell even baseball, you can check in and out pretty easily and that doesn’t seem to be the case with hockey.

The other barrier is the youth participation. Costs are high, ice rinks and times are limited and the parental commitment is pretty heavy. USA Hockey is making a concerted effort to fix this problem by making the game more accessible and easier on the kids and their families (more local play vs travel, etc.). I don’t know that it will ever be more than the fourth most popular sport here (if that), but I’d like to see it grow. I’d kill to have a team here in Portland.

I love watching and talking hockey but I don’t have a lot of vehicles to do so. Scott isn’t into it so we don’t talk much about it on the show and most of my friends don’t really dig it either. I’ve just recently tried to get back into the NHL with the fantasy league, listening to Carl and Joel on the 4th Line Podcast (they even let me guest host once!) and watching games when I can. I nearly bought the Center Ice package this year but couldn’t pull the trigger.

[AP]: You also enjoy hoops. College, pro, or both?
[MG]: I follow the NBA more than college, but like most sports fans I really dig the NCAA Tournament. It’s such a fun thing to watch every year. Bracket time is so hilarious because you get to hear people say silly things like, “why the fuck did I take New Mexico over Purdue?” as if they’d seen one minute of those teams play all year.

I’m a big Ducks hoops fan and follow them and the Pac-12 a bit but my interests are deeper in the NBA, especially with the Portland Trailblazers. I wasn’t even three years old when they won their only championship. I’ve seen them come so close over the past 40 years only to fall short a number of times. But the beauty (and agony) of following sports is that you hitch your emotions to a team’s wagon and you’re stuck for the rest of your life. At least I believe that’s how the rules work.

[AP]: Do you participate in a bracket pool? Is it something you look forward to, or just sometimes every few years? And how good are you at picking? How many have you won of those you’ve participated in?
[MG]: I do an NCAA Basketball pool every year and usually a College Football Bowl pool. I’ve won the basketball pool once and typically finish in the top 15-20% but I’m by no means an expert. Football I’ve never won but have come close. I did the NHL playoffs pool last year and did alright. It’s just for fun cause it’s pretty hard to “expertly” pick them, especially the basketball tourney.

[AP]: Favorite Music?
[MG]: This is a very difficult question to answer because there are a million artists I love and it crosses over a number of genres. I have an affinity for hip hop music (circa 1985-2005), rock and alternative (if that’s a thing anymore). I grew up with a lot of Frank Sinatra and Willie Nelson so I have a soft spot for them. But in general, I don’t dig on house, country, mainstream pop…stuff like that.

[AP]: What are your favorite books?
[MG]: Books? What are those? Sadly, I rarely read anymore. The only two places I ever really have the opportunity to read is on an airplane or a commode. I just don’t have enough down time to do it. Going way back to when I had more opportunities to read, I’d say some of my favorites included: Profiles in Courage; All the President’s Men; Among the Thugs; Fever Pitch; The Miracle of Castel di Sangro; The Coach’s Art; Notes from a Small Island; many more I can’t remember. I was into science fiction books when I was younger – so a lot of William Gibson and Steve Perry – but not as much anymore.

[AP]: Given all that you are involved in, do you want to make reading a priority again?
[MG]: I’d like to read more, sure. I’d like to watch more TV shows and movies as well. It’s just hard to squeeze that in with my other interests. And believe me, I try, as my lack of sleep would indicate.

[AP]: Favorite Movies?
[MG]: I tend to be a sucker for movies about sports, war, spies, science fiction and history. Here are some favorites: Hoosiers; The Natural; Rocky (Creed might be in the mix now); Miracle; Gallipoli; The Right Stuff; The Godfather; A New Hope; Empire Strikes Back; Goodfellas; Stand By Me; Saving Private Ryan; Raiders of the Lost Ark; Terminator; The Untouchables; Lawrence of Arabia; Braveheart; Heat; Trainspotting; The Bourne Identity; Donnie Darko; Jaws; North by Northwest; Glory; No Way Out; Wargames; Pulp Fiction; Good Will Hunting; Boyz n the Hood; Skyfall; Blackhawk Down; Mission Impossible; Office Space; Vacation; Weird Science; The Jerk; Full Metal Jacket; Patton…is anybody still reading at this point? I gotta stop because this could go on for a long time. I have a ton of favorites (clearly).

[AP]: That’s quite a list. Would you consider yourself a cinephile or just a movie lover?
[MG]: I think of a cinephile as someone who has a vast knowledge of movies – not just moments and quotes, but all the players in making a movie and how that can affect the outcome. I’m not that. I just love movies and am one of those people who finds flicks I like and can re-watch them over and over. I’ve just recently been able to get to the theater more (with the kids being older) and I am really digging that because I enjoy the movie-going experience. It could be the popcorn and chewy sweet tarts, as well.

[AP]: Once and for all, would you like to state, for the record, your thoughts on the Star Wars Prequels?
[MG]: Sure. This is nothing groundbreaking or original, but I think the prequels are best left behind and not considered part of the saga. I was excited at the time, but the writing, the casting and the abusive use of CGI made those three movies unwatchable.

I took one final run at them before Episode VII came out and that was a harsh reminder of how awful that trio was. I had it in my mind that Episode I was decent because I tend to like the first movie in a series since it sets the tone, provides background for characters, etc. I was wrong, it’s bad. Really bad. Episode II is probably the worst, but even III is pretty shite with the continuation of the chemistry-lacking Padme-Anakin relationship along with the coup de grace of Darth Vader’s “Nooooooooooo!” That line summed up the Prequels quite nicely.

I like what they’ve done with the new one and what they are doing going forward. Star Wars is at its best when it uses young, relatively unknown actors as its main characters. If they’re British, even better. I’m hoping to see more of Luke in Episode VIII and then they can have him and Leia bow out so we move forward with the new generation. And I’m even geeked about the side projects, albeit a bit concerned about who will be cast as young Han Solo.

[AP]: With the children you have, have you been able to successfully, actively or passively, pass on your many fandoms? And how did you do it?
[MG]: I’m certainly trying! My love of the Star Wars movies (well, not those three, but you know what I mean) has translated heavily to them. We showed my older son A New Hope when he was three which was in line with when I first saw it since I was that age when it was released (yes, I’m old). They both love the original trilogy and even got into the animated series (Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels). My younger son has clearly been seduced by the dark side because his three favorite characters from all the movies and shows he’s seen are Darth Vader, Kylo Ren and the Inquisitor.

On the sports side, they both have interests but I haven’t pushed it on them too hard. My older son is into taekwondo, basketball, flag football and golf. He’s starting to take it all more seriously and really enjoying it. My younger son has done some soccer, but he’s just getting started in sports. I am toeing the line of trying to get them involved but not be a maniacal sports dad. I really want them to find sports they love because I got so much out of them (and still do).

[AP]: Favorite TV Shows?
[MG]: Current/recent: The Americans; Breaking Bad (I’m only 1.5 seasons in); Louie; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; Drunk History; The League; Friday Night Tykes (though I feel guilty about it).

Past: Friday Night Lights; Party Down; Arrested Development; The Office (both); The X-Files; Curb Your Enthusiasm; Cheers; Mr. Show; Kids in the Hall; The Wonder Years; Larry Sanders; The IT Crowd; The Young Ones.

[AP]: You’re all over the place here. But I have to say that I share your love for some of these, especially The IT Crowd and Cheers. Do you get to watch TV often, with everything else you do? Is the DVR your lifeline?
[MG]: The only thing I watch live is sporting events. Everything else I watch on DVR so I use that quite a lot. I also use Netflix to go back and watch series I missed. My wife and I watch some of those shows I mentioned together, but her time is limited too so some things I watch by myself in the wee small hours of the morning.

[AP]: Who are your favorite podcasts? Why?
[MG]: The list is long and distinguished (pause for Neil C to finish off that quote)…

There are a bunch that I listen to because I try to test out as many as possible. I do this to support the indie podcast community and to find people I dig listening to each week. I’d hate to leave anybody off so I won’t start naming but let’s put it this way – if I’ve been on your show or had twitter conversations with you about your show, then you’re on my list.

On the more professional side, WTF with Marc Maron and How Did This Get Made are the only two I still listen to regularly. With Maron, I listen when I like the guest because he’s a great interviewer but I don’t listen just for him. For HDTGM, I try to listen to every episode when they cover a movie but skip a lot of the prequels in between. I am also hugely influenced by Uhh Yeah Dude but I had to stop listening to them so I wouldn’t keep subconsciously ripping them off! It’s a great show and I still inadvertently “borrow” some of their style.

[AP]: Aside from supporting your indie podcast brethren, do you get inspired for new show ideas by listening, or is it just for entertainment?
[MG]: It’s mostly entertainment because there are so many good shows out there with everything from interesting content to hilarious banter. I am sure I get ideas from other shows but I try not to carbon copy them. I realize that there are no original ideas in podcasting (for the most part) but I feel bad straight ripping off people’s ideas. That said, my apologies to anybody who I’ve ripped off in the past and sorry for doing it again in the future.

[AP]: What inspired you to start Reasons Are Several?
[MG]: Well, speaking of Uhh Yeah Dude – while they are a big influence, I’d have started earlier on this endeavor if it wasn’t for them. My buddy, Bret, and I talked for months about doing a show (back in 2006-07) but once he discovered Uhh Yeah Dude, he decided that our show would mimic theirs so much that we couldn’t do it. A couple years later, I roughly hashed out a three-man show format with my buddies Kevin and Casey in Seattle but we couldn’t make it work schedule-wise so we never started. The idea cooled for many years until I floated it to my buddy, Scott, and he bought into it.

We talked about doing a more niche show but didn’t want to be tethered to one particular topic or team or sport. So we left it more open with a sports base, but with the freedom (of a conversational style show) to cover anything we wanted. In the end, it’s really just an opportunity for me and my friend to catch up, vent about stuff, and stay in closer touch than we’ve been able to in the past. Hell, Scott barely realizes that other people listen to our chats.

[AP]: How did you meet Scott, and was he on board with the podcast idea the first time you floated it by him?
[MG]: We met at work – I guess when you spend so many years at a workplace, you get some relationships out of it, eh? He worked in our Seattle office while I was in Portland so we only hung out a few times. When I moved to Seattle he was at another company but we got together periodically for beers, for some hip hop shows, etc. But we always kept in contact via email and text because of many of our common interests.

He was interested right away but wasn’t sure how it might work. He had spent a number of years doing a blog for one of the Seattle newspapers and worked hard on it so I think he was skeptical on how great the show could be given our life/family commitments. In the end, we decided to just keep it casual, talk about stuff we like and not worry too much about who or how many people listened.

[AP]: How well do you manage your time? And how do you or don’t you manage it?
[MG]: Oh, I suck at managing my time. I work too much, sleep too little, watch too many sports, spend too much time on the podcast, and on and on. It’s on my resolution list to be more efficient and get some damn Z’s!

[AP]: What is the most productive/creative setting for you to accomplish your work?
[MG]: At home and at night (preferably late). That’s when I tend to do my best thinking and best work. It’s not healthy and I need to fix this so I can go to bed at a proper time, but my whole life I’ve been a late-night thinker.

[AP]: Well I can’t speak for everyone, but I turned from a night thinker to a morning thinker in the last few years. I’m not sure how I made the jump, but rest assured it can be done… Although, I still manage a few late night work sessions every once in awhile, you just can’t eradicate your inner night owl.
[MG]: I’ve spent a lifetime this way. It started when I was a kid, went to the next level in college (I worked full-time graveyard shift) and continued from there. I could sleep from 4am-9am and feel good but heaven forbid I have to get up at 6 (even if I went to bed early). It’s just a weird mindset I can’t seem to get out of but it’s on my resolution list to work on my sleeping pattern so we’ll see how it goes.

[AP]: What hasn’t been checked off your bucket list?
[MG]: So many things. There are a ton of places I’d still like to visit, mostly in Europe. I’ve always wanted to learn to speak Italian because of my family heritage but I should probably be more practical and learn Spanish since my son does that in school. I’d love to be more handy and mechanical because I’m not very manly in those areas. There are too many to mention, really. But if you boiled it down to one thing, I’m going to get sappy. I’d like to be around to watch my two sons grow up and be successful. The rest of it is gravy.

[AP]: And what would you like that gravy poured over?
[MG]: Well, I love me a traditional Thanksgiving dinner so I’d say turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing.

[AP]: Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given.
[MG]: “Do or do not, there is no try. “ Wait, that’s not it. “Lord loves a working man, don’t trust whitey.” Nope, it’s probably, “ball don’t lie.”
Seriously though, I’ll just pick one. Someone told me shortly after college, “your job is what you do, not who you are” and that has stuck with me. I work hard for my company and it’s important to take your job seriously. However, I am not a big career-oriented person in the sense that it’s mostly a means to an end – offering me the ability to do things I enjoy with the people I care about in my free time.

[AP]: Best advice you could give to someone.
[MG]: Spend way less time comparing yourself or your situation to other people and way more time being grateful for the things you have. It’s easy to get caught up in admiring or judging other people’s lives, but that has nothing to do with you. Focus on yourself and your family. (I should find a way to condense that so it fits on a bumper sticker or coffee mug.)

[AP]: What can you tell us about any upcoming projects?
[MG]: What I can tell you is that there aren’t any. Well, we’d like to do more movie commentary episodes as part of our show because we had a lot of fun doing ‘Saw’ a couple months ago. You’ll see more of those in the future. There was a time where I started to put out feelers to do some additional episodes with me interviewing people but it never got any legs. Besides, I listen to many podcasting friends who do ten times the job I could ever do as an interviewer.

I’d love to guest host or collaborate with other podcasters more, but it’s hard to balance that with the family time. Just doing my show takes up a regular spot so sneaking in other shows or projects is tricky. Maybe down the road though.

[AP]: Professionally or in your side projects, what are some of your big successes, public or behind-the-scenes?
[MG]: I don’t think I’ve had any big successes. I mean, I have a job I enjoy where I get to work from home and get heaps of personal leave. That employer is also responsible for me meeting my wife which led to me having a great family. So that’s not a success that graces the cover of a magazine, but I’m one lucky SOB.

[AP]: Speaking of luck, despite the fact that we haven’t met, I have come to understand you are young beyond your years. Please tell me about the Fountain of Youth.
[MG]: It doesn’t exist. I’ve been blessed with decent genes to keep a youthful look, but I’m sure it won’t last. Even Paul Rudd ages at some point – maybe?

[AP]: Perhaps… Well, is there anything else you would like to add, or do you just want the bright light turned off?
[MG]: I just want to thank you for all you do for us. You are a great promoter of our show and your weekly live tweeting is appreciated because we love the engagement. And of course, thanks for doing this interrogation with me and letting me share a bit more about myself. Okay, you can turn off the light now.

Transmission Terminated…