Jim Ellermeyer

Fishing Without Bait 525: Vic’s Story: Identity, Transition & Finding Community

July 28th, 2026  |  18 mins 20 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

Fishing Without Bait welcomes Vic Costik, creator of the New Rust podcast, for the first part of a conversation about Pittsburgh, community, identity, and finding the freedom to live authentically. Vic shares how moving from New York City to Pittsburgh helped him discover found family, embrace his community, and ultimately begin meeting himself for the first time.

Fishing Without Bait 524: Political Differences Without Losing Each Other

July 21st, 2026  |  26 mins 6 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

In the third and final part of their conversation, Jim Ellermeyer and Missy Sorg explore how active listening, critical thinking and a mindful pause before reacting can help people move beyond political labels and social-media echo chambers. Missy shares a personal story about revealing her political affiliation to a longtime friend and explains how their disagreement became a conversation rather than the end of their friendship. The episode closes with a challenge to become more open, informed and willing to understand people across the political aisle.

Fishing Without Bait 523: Beyond the Party Line

July 14th, 2026  |  23 mins 54 secs

abortion discussion, accountability, adoption, bipartisan conversation, civic engagement, communication, community, compassion, critical thinking, difficult conversations, emotional intelligence, family support, forgiveness, foster care, infertility, jim ellermeyer, lifelong caregiving, listening to learn, mental health, mindful living, mindfulness, mr. rogers, personal responsibility, political dialogue, political representation, producer mike, recovery, representative democracy, republican perspective, respect, respectful disagreement, social media echo chambers, special needs care, teenage pregnancy, voter education, wellness, wise mind

In Part 2 of our conversation with Missy Sorg, we explore difficult questions surrounding abortion, adoption, foster care, family support, voter education, and personal responsibility. Missy and Jim Ellermeyer also examine how political labels and social media echo chambers interfere with our ability to listen, learn, and treat one another with respect.

Fishing Without Bait 522: Respect Across Political Lines

July 7th, 2026  |  26 mins 28 secs

abortion discussion, birth control, common ground, contempt prior to investigation, difficult conversations, emotional wellness, fertility treatments, friendship, full impact mindfulness, jim ellermeyer, mental health, mindfulness, mindfulness podcast, missy sorg, patriotism, personal growth, podcast, polarization, political differences, recovery, recovery podcast, respectful disagreement, social media, wellness, women’s health

In Fishing Without Bait 522, Jim Ellermeyer welcomes Missy Sorg for Part 1 of a thoughtful conversation about political differences, friendship, respect, and the search for common ground. Together, they discuss how people can move beyond labels, assumptions, and anger to have more honest conversations about difficult topics.

Fishing Without Bait 521: Fighting Ideas, Not People with Eamon and Merlin

June 30th, 2026  |  22 mins 38 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

In Fishing Without Bait 521, we conclude our four-part conversation with returning guests Eamon and Merlin, hosts of A Gay and His Enby. Jim, Eamon, and Merlin explore faith, identity, queer history, community, personal freedom, and the importance of finding your voice.

AwesomeCast 784: SteamOS, Shokz Headphones, Retro Phones, Sports Tech & a T-Pain Social Media Fail

June 23rd, 2026  |  59 mins 35 secs

ai coding, amd gpu, automation, baja sae, bazzite, bone conduction headphones, chachi says, claude guillemot, commodore phone, dave podnar, digital twins, doordash, dumbphone, formula sae, gadgets, gaming, gta 6, jon maddog hall, lgbtq tech history, linux gaming, linux history, michael sorg, mlb, nex playground, open ear headphones, open source, pc gaming, pittsburgh podcast, pixel art baseball, podcast, pride month, proton, referee technology, retro phone, retro tech, ribbie, running headphones, sailfish os, shokz openrun pro 2, social media fail, sorg, sports technology, steam deck, steam machine, steamos, t-pain, tech podcast, technology podcast, ubisoft, valve, var, vibe coding, video game news, world cup

Fishing Without Bait 520: Eamon & Merlin on Faith, Curiosity, and Healing

June 23rd, 2026  |  26 mins 48 secs

a gay and his enby, authentic conversations, compassion, curiosity, deconstruction, eamon, emotional wellness, faith, forgiveness, healing, hope, identity, jim ellermeyer, meditation, mental health, merlin, mindfulness, mindfulness podcast, personal growth, recovery, resilience, self awareness, self reflection, sorgatron media, spirituality, trauma recovery, wellness

In Part 3 of our conversation, Eamon and Merlin explore the power of curiosity, challenging deeply held beliefs, and finding healing through honest self-reflection. They share personal experiences around faith, identity, trauma, and spiritual growth while encouraging listeners to embrace compassion—for themselves and others.

Sunday Sessions 1000 Words with Roni Nicole: SOS

June 20th, 2026  |  40 mins 59 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

Host Roni Nicole sits down with SOS to discuss her nearly ten-year wrestling journey, from training at Arizona Wrestling Federation to becoming a coach and nationally traveling performer. Together they explore how storytelling shaped her wrestling career, what being pansexual means to her, and why authentic representation matters both inside and outside the ring.

Sunday Sessions 1000 Words with Roni Nicole: BH D0oom

June 19th, 2026  |  33 mins 57 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

For this Pride Month edition of Sunday Sessions: 1000 Words, Roni Nicole sits down with veteran professional wrestler BH Doom for an intimate conversation about identity, authenticity, and finding the courage to live openly.

Wrestling Mayhem Show 1008: Dozen Dollar Ideas

June 17th, 2026  |  1 hr 8 mins

880 wrestling, aew, aew streaming, chris lerusso, danhausen, independent wrestling, indy wrestling, jack pollock, jack pollock i want a new hip, jackson argos, jock samson, king of the ring, mad mike, michael sorg, missy sorg, pittsburgh wrestling, queen of the ring, wardlow, what we learned, wrestling mayhem show, wrestling podcast, wwe

Sorg checks in from Michigan while Missy recounts producing Jack Pollock's emotional "I Want a New Hip!" benefit show featuring surprise appearances from Pittsburgh wrestling legends, Wardlow, Jackson Argos, Chris LeRusso and more.

The crew also discusses Danhausen's incredible mainstream rise, WWE's King of the Ring tournaments, AEW's streaming platform expansion and closes with What We Learned.

Fishing Without Bait 519: Eamon and Merlin on Why Bigotry Can't Survive Proximity

June 16th, 2026  |  23 mins 22 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

In Part 2 of our conversation with returning guests Eamon and Merlin, we explore how personal relationships challenge prejudice, why forgiveness is often a gift to ourselves, and how meaningful human connection can overcome fear and misunderstanding.

Through stories of family, faith, community, and personal growth, this episode highlights the power of proximity, empathy, and open-mindedness.

Fishing Without Bait 518: Eamon and Merlin Return: Community, Identity, and Courage

June 9th, 2026  |  20 mins 49 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

Returning guests Eamon and Merlin join Fishing Without Bait for the first part of a thoughtful conversation about community, identity, belonging, and the life-changing decision to leave Texas and relocate to Pittsburgh. Together with Jim Ellermeyer, they explore authenticity, acceptance, fear, faith, and what it means to create a life where you can truly be yourself.

AwesomeCast 781: Google’s AI Scam Call Fix, Home AI Data Centers & Nintendo’s Virtual Boy Comeback

June 2nd, 2026  |  53 mins 37 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

This week on AwesomeCast 781, Sorg, Katie, and Podnar are recording from the road in Ann Arbor, Michigan, while covering the AutoDrive Challenge and breaking down a packed week in tech, gaming, AI, gadgets, and local Pittsburgh creativity.

Stories & Gadgets Discussed:

He-Man movie excitement and Denny’s tie-in menu
https://www.dennys.com/promotions/he-man-movie
Sorg and Katie talk Masters of the Universe hype, themed shirts, Skeletor, nostalgia, and the wild Denny’s promotional food lineup.
USB-C wireless lavalier microphone from TikTok Shop
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP92fEduBXyNW-MWMCM/
Podnar shows off a budget two-pack wireless lav mic with charging case, USB-C receiver, magnetic clips, pass-through charging, and easy phone/computer setup.
Pride History Month: Alan Turing
https://www.alanturing.net
Podnar highlights Alan Turing’s role in breaking Enigma, early computing, artificial intelligence, the Turing Test, and his importance during Pride Month.
ChachiSays Video Game Minute: Steam Deck price increase
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz725d5d1x7o
Chachi covers a reported 40% Steam Deck price jump and the larger conversation around gaming hardware costs.
Modern Warfare’s next story setting
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9q391y5088o
The next Modern Warfare game is discussed with a plot centered around Korea and the North/South conflict.
Unreal Engine 6 announced
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/epic-announces-unreal-engine-6-which-will-run-the-next-era-of-rocket-league/
Epic’s Unreal Engine 6 announcement gets spotlighted, including its connection to the next era of Rocket League.
NVIDIA-linked mini AI data centers for the home
https://www.inc.com/moses-jeanfrancois/nvidia-mini-ai-data-center-house/91340588?brid=YWdncwHdllWCngoYfFZ4UgdFmvNg
The crew discusses the idea of installing small AI data centers at homes, possible monthly compensation, energy concerns, smart panels, solar power, and whether distributed AI infrastructure makes sense.
Virtual Boy games added to Nintendo Switch Online
https://www.vgchartz.com/article/467822/5-virtual-boy-games-added-to-nintendo-switch-online/
Sorg talks about trying the new Virtual Boy library on Switch, including Space Invaders, Jack Bros, Tetris, Mario Clash-style gameplay, and the weird legacy of Nintendo’s red-and-black headset.
Donkey Kong 64 coming to Nintendo Switch Online
https://www.ign.com/articles/donkey-kong-64-confirmed-for-nintendo-switch-online
Donkey Kong 64 is joining Nintendo Switch Online, giving Sorg another retro Nintendo title to revisit.
Google fake call detection for AI impersonation scams
https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/02/google-rolls-out-fake-call-detection-to-protect-against-ai-deepfake-impersonation-scams/
Katie explains Google’s Phone by Google fake call detection, device verification, RCS, and why families may need modern “secret word” safety plans to combat AI voice scams.
Squonk’s Joy Machine at Three Rivers Arts Festival
https://www.wesa.fm/arts-culture/2026-06-02/pittsburghs-squonk-joy-machine-three-rivers-arts-festival
Katie spotlights Pittsburgh performance group Squonk and their interactive Joy Machine street puppet installation at the Three Rivers Arts Festival.
Microsoft Scout AI agent
https://www.wired.com/story/meet-microsoft-scout-your-ai-coworker-that-never-logs-off/
Podnar discusses Microsoft’s move toward smaller AI agents built into Office, Teams, calendars, and workplace tools.
Michigan fireball
https://www.mlive.com/weather/2026/06/bright-fireball-flared-out-over-michigan-monday-night-did-you-find-debris-in-your-yard.html
Podnar shares reports of a bright fireball over Michigan and Ohio, meteor debris, and how these events remind us we are part of a much bigger universe.

Fishing Without Bait 517: Joanna Lowe on Turning Pain Into Purpose

May 26th, 2026  |  23 mins 49 secs

pittsburgh, podcast

Fishing Without Bait 516: Joanna Lowe on Grief, Art, and Learning to Live Again

May 19th, 2026  |  15 mins 33 secs

bereavement, depression support, edinburgh fringe festival, emotional honesty, emotional resilience, emotional wellness, grief, grief support, healing, jim ellermeyer, joanna lowe, mental health, mental wellness, mindfulness, mindfulness and grief, mindfulness podcast, parenting through grief, podcast interview, recovery, self help podcast, sorgatron media, suicide awareness, surviving loss, trauma, trauma recovery, wellness podcast, widow, widowhood

In Part 3 of our conversation with Joanna Lowe, we explore the complicated reality of grief, anger, survival, and support after devastating loss. Joanna shares deeply personal reflections on widowhood, parenting through trauma, and what people can truly do to support someone who is grieving.

Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast player and support ad-free episodes on Patreon.

Joanna’s work:

The Occasional Epiphany by Joanna Lowe
Cup A Joe Productions Facebook

Support us on Patreon for ad-free episodes:
Fishing Without Bait Patreon

Pick up the book:
Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book

Fishing Without Bait 515: Joanna Lowe on Grief That Changes You Forever

May 12th, 2026  |  23 mins 40 secs

coping with grief, emotional trauma, grief, grief support, healing, joanna lowe, life after loss, loss, mental health, mental wellness, mindfulness podcast, mindfulness practice, podcast interview, prolonged grief disorder, ptsd, recovery journey, self discovery, trauma recovery, wellness

In Part 2 of our conversation with Joanna Lowe, we explore the deeply personal and life-altering impact of grief after the sudden loss of her husband. Joanna shares how trauma reshaped her identity, faith, and ability to feel, offering an unfiltered look at prolonged grief and recovery. This episode is a powerful reflection on loss, survival, and rediscovery.