PODCAST · society
Building a Better Dave
by Dave Jackson
A funny look at relationships, marriage, divorce, love, sex, life, dating advice, and the weird thoughts that pop into Dave's head when he is sleep deprived. Guaranteed to make you laugh, cry, think, or groan. Life is too important to be taken seriously
Episodes
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Stop Signs, Golf Clubs, and the KKK: Why We See What We're Looking For
Stop Signs, Golf Clubs, and the KKK: Why We See What We're Looking For" If you see people as the enemy, you're going to find evidence of it everywhere, because that's exactly what you're looking for. That's the theme running through this episode, and I've got three ridiculous, infuriating…
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Quit Telling Me What To Think
I expect the news to lean left or to lean right, and it drives me crazy. The one side calls the other side a bunch of names. We never really get the true story. It's all intended not to inform but more to entertain and to get a bunch of bullet points across. Now it's getting worse. When I was a...
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The Kids are Going to Be Here
I got a call from my sister-in-law as I was driving to get some pizza, and she invited me over to her house because the 3rd of April is my great nieces birthday. We were going to have a makeshift birthday party at the house, and she said all the kids are going to be here, meaning my niece and her...
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I'm Not 23: My Persuit of Brandywine Falls
This month has been a wild ride—I've spent a ton of money and even more energy waterproofing my basement, only to find out the pipes were completely clogged and needed major repairs. My childhood hangout is now a construction zone, and the work isn't over yet. But it's not all about the...
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And Then Life Pulled Me Back In
On this episode of Building a Better Dave, I open up about a lifelong battle with debt, from childhood lessons learned at the family kitchen table to the hard realities of bankruptcy, divorce, and the ever-looming burden of credit cards. I share how persistent financial setbacks reshaped his...
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Brilliant Journalism
In this episode, I look into the hilariously pointless world of sports interviews. Ever sit through those sideline or post-game questions and wonder why we bother? Trust me, I do too! Whether it's ex-players like Doug Deacon giving us obvious advice ("If you want to win, you've got to score...
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Waterboarding for Fruit
Hey, it's Dave—and on this episode of Building a Better Dave, I talk all about the weirdness that is Halloween in my neighborhood lately. As October rolls in, I've noticed a crazy escalation in skeleton yard decorations. What used to be simple six-foot skeletons have turned into these massive...
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Old Habits Die Hard
In this episode, I open up about a recent experience I had on Reddit where, despite my own advice, I ended up feeding the trolls. I share how I got pulled into a frustrating back-and-forth with someone who just wasn't open to any input, and how that made me reflect on my own "educator…
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I'm Going to Need Some Proof Please...
So I had no idea I would get backlash about saying, "Hey I think Charlie Kirk might be on to something about this we shold all talk to each other.." thing going on. I got TONS of people tell me to dig deeper and I found a black, gay dude standing up for Charlie. Wait, I thought Charlie was a…
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Where Did My Country Go?
I just don't recognize my country. I got to see someone shot in the neck and die today. Then people cheered because they didn't like his opinions. It just seems so weird. Meawhile the mainstram media fans the flames of the divided states of America, and nobody knows how to have a dialogue…
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14 Hours in a Car
So I'm driving to Chicago and back over a weekend. That's 14 hours in a car. While I'm not ancient, I'm not young. I'm not 23 anymore. Did I just write a check with my mind that my body can't cash? I'm trying to find some food in Chicago and took a wrong turn. Chicago, like every city in America,...
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But I Can Still Play Ping Pong
In this episode, Dave shares a candid account of his recent health updates, and it's a mix of challenges and victories. From starting the year with new exercise routines to discovering unexpected health issues, Dave opens up about how turning 60 has brought a wave of concern regarding blood…
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Father Time is Undefeated
Today I share some insights as I deal with the loss of a friend. Death sucks, but when you lose people who are YOUNGER then you, with no warning, it really sucks. Today I talk about losing my friend Niel Guilarte who I worked with during the making of The Messengers: A Podcast Documentary We got…
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Someone Stop This Train
This was recorded during my last few minutes of being 59. Life is dragging me kicking and screaming into my 60s. I'm not happy about it. Don't you get it? I'm 23 honest. I've been 23 my whole life? Have I made my last trip to Dairy Queen? It turns out everything I eat is poison. That's something...
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I'm not a Car Guy
Episode Summary In this episode, Dave reflects on his recent struggles with his car in frigid Ohio weather and how it reminded him of the "old days" of dealing with unreliable vehicles. From the quirks of old, hand-me-down cars to the challenges of modern, fuel-injected engines, Dave humorously...
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The Gift of Covid
A Christmas Conundrum: What do you do when the much-anticipated family gathering is jeopardized by an unexpected bout of COVID-19? Dave recounts his experience, offering a candid and touching perspective on the true meaning of the season. Reminiscing with Friends: From cherished childhood…
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An Easy Way to Make $50 a Month
I filed for Bankrupcy in 2004. I know there is a difference between being poor and being BROKE. Today I share a strategy I've been doing for most of this year and it's saving me close to $50 a month and I don't have to do a thing. A bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and Max is $30/month Peacock $14/month...
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What's Wrong with My Brain? Dealing with Self-Doubt and Recognition
In the latest episode, I share my personal experience with podcasting, detailing how I ended up in podcasting post-divorce while living in my brother's basement. Despite successfully establishing myself over two decades and earning recognition, I still struggle with imposter syndrome. Reflecting…
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Get Your Money Working For You
Welcome to another episode of Better Dave! Today, I'm diving into the fascinating world of personal finance and exploring how we can get our money working for us. I've spent over three decades with the same bank, but recently, I've rediscovered the benefits of modern financial tools like SoFi and...
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Losing Everything to Gain Perspective- A Story of Hope and Humanity
Today's story reminds us there's still hope in humanity. In this episode, our host, Dave Jackson, shares a personal mishap that turns into a surprising testament to the goodness of people. After a pleasant bike ride in Ohio, Dave discovers he's lost his wallet, containing all his essential cards...
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The Unforgettable Jim Blackstock: Lessons and Laughter at a Memorable Funeral
On the latest episode of Better Dave, titled "Putting the FUN in Funeral," host Dave Jackson shares a heartwarming and humorous tribute to his favorite teacher and mentor, Jim Blackstock. This episode takes us on an emotional yet uplifting journey, emphasizing the profound impact a great teacher...
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Dave at 59: Reflections on Life, Facing Aging, and Ditching Dairy Queen
Today I turn 59 and apparently, I have one goal: Don't Break a Hip. So I reflect a bit on my 20s, 30s, and 40s, as I have 365 more days in my 50's. According to AI, "From reminiscing about past relationships and experiences to contemplating the inevitability of aging and the challenges of staying...
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What A Wonderful World
Sometimes we forget what life was like, and in todays' episode I realize that I can get the answer to just about everything with a few clicks of a mouse. Things we learned today. Which way to set your ceiling fan in the winter. Rhino Sex Elephant Sperm Collection
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You've Gone Too Far With Time Blindness
Yuri Bezmenov was a russian journlist who defected to the USA. He explained a strategy of the KGB. HE said this in 1984. It was called either ideological subversion, or active measures. What it basically means is to change the perception of reality of every American to such an extent that despite...
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Surviving a Rollercoaster of a Day: Unexpected Hurdles and Heart-Pounding Moments
Today we have a very relatable topic to delve into. We've all had those days where everything seems to go wrong, where every step forward feels like two steps back. Well, my friends, today we're talking about having a bad day. All I had to do was go to Walmart, buy some fruit and two cables, and...
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Band-Aid Blues
Welcome back to another episode of "Building a Better Dave" with your host, Dave Jackson. In today's episode, a mysterious bump near the armpit is getting bigger. Dave takes us on a journey of curiosity, self-discovery, and a deep desire to stay healthy. Join us as we explore the hilarious yet...
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Pistols at Dawn!
So Meta/Facebook released a "new" app called Threads. I installed it to check it out, and well... It's Twitter. No. Seriously, it is Twitter (with a different name) Why? Because of a difference of opinion, once again, America separates. Pinapple Pizza Sompe people love pineapple on your pizza,...
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Spiking Like a Mother
I've started using a Continous Glucose Monitor (or as the cool kids call it a CGM) from Signos. It's pretty amazing and the thing I love about it is if I put in my food into the app before I eat it, it will warn me, "Hey, you better exercise for 20 minutes when you finish eating THAT." So I do…
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Chipmunks Aren't Sexy
Dallas turned 45 (See picture here) and Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Charlene Tilton, Audrey Landers, Steve Kanaly, Joan Van Ark, Sheree Wilson and Cathy Podewell met up for a reunion. Victoria Principal didn't attend. . Here are three key takeaways: Dave has never seen anyone who looks better…
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Outrunning the Cheetah
I looked up and I was subscribed to Peacock, Hulu, Netflix, Apple TV, Hbomax, the only one missing was paramount. I use YouTube TV to get "TV." As I was considering closing these, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to chime in on the conversation around the water cooler at work. Then I...
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The Cure For Plastic Bags
I spoke about my now PSTD reaction to finding pile after pile after pile of plastic bags that my sister (who NEVER throws them away) had stored throughout my house in a previous episode. After watching a report from ABC News called Trashed: The Secret Life of Plastic Recycling that there was an...
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It's All About the Mindset: The Road to Adulting
I've got some momentum going. My house is cleaner, my vocabulary is growing, my finances are more organized, I'm focused on losing weight, and I'm possessed by the spirit of my Mom, who is helping me locate the best deals for food. When something doesn't go your way, it's not a failure. It's an...
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Old Dog - New Tricks?
In this episode, I talk about making a brain tattoo, setting myself up to succeed (if I can just remember what it is I'm working on...) and parenting yourself. I just need to add one thing to my routine. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Todoist App Evernote App Google Calendar Todoist Tutorials ENJOY…
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A Special Place in Hell
While I never met him in person, a fellow Libsyn employee was killed by a drunk driver on 12/4/22. He was a wife and three young daughters. If you're new, I was married to an alcoholic, and hearing about drunk drivers is somewhat triggering. Throw on top a parent leaving the earth way too soon…
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The Male - An Endangered Species?
I am worried about men. I think we are an endangered species. Here is why: SPORTS We listen to sportscasters who are making millions talk about athletes who are making millions for team owners who make billions. There are dedicated radio stations that talk about nothing else than how the team is...
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I Blame Carlin, Pryor and Chappelle
So I'm back from an event where people got offended by the presence of someone being in a room. That's a new one for me. I've been disappointed to see someone but seeing them never brought me harm. How can you say you are for inclusion, and at the same time say you want to exclude someone? I…
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Recreational Outrage
It's hard to watch a friend get canceled. My friend Daniel is a devout Christian. Currently, there is the worry that Roe Vs Wade will be overturned and abortion will be illegal. Daniel left a comment on a tweet that was pro-choice. ""Stopping the mass murder of blacks and women, along with all…
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The Joy of Commercials
Today I share a story that I have not thought about in a long time. It's weird to think of a time when there was ONE TV in the house, and you couldn't fast forward through the commercials. My brother and I created a sport that we played during the commercials. This came to me after attending a...
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Was Frosty Depessed?
When I read the lyrics of the song "Frosty the Snowman" I saw some disturbing things. Frosty was on the pipe. He was headed to the village with a broomstick in his hand. Frosty attempted death by cop. If Frosty was black in lived in Chicago, he would've been dead. Did Frosty have a death wish?…
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75 MILLION DOWNLOADS!
Today I'm talking about my time at the Spark Christian Podcast Conference in Grapevine Texas this week. I got to hear Tara-Leigh Cobble speak twice and WOW what a story. She (in two years) has 75 million downloads of her Bible Recap podcast. Would I get up the nerve to ask her on my show? If you...
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Am I Having a Heart Attack?
So on Tuesday, I had to crawl through the back window of my house after locking myself out of my house - wait for it - twice. On Friday I had one of my "Sweating buckets, getting dizzy, can't decide if I'm going to have explosive diarrhea, vomit or passout" sessions. This now has fairly nasty...
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Hey There You Are!
Today I explain some side effects of 2020. COVID 19 where 19 stands for how many pounds did you gain? It turns out 444 lbs is heavy. I may have more deliveries in the future. My gut is ruining my aim I have carried on a Jackson tradition Sometimes life has to hold a mirror up until you…
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I Don't Want to Do My Homework
While many people may find themselves crying watching This is Us, I thought things had taken a weird turn when I found myself choking back tears when I was watching the Real World Reunion (on the Paramount Network). When I feel this way, I have a mental picture of one of those Submarine doors…
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Where in the World is Roy?
This episode really makes me sound weird. What I'm getting at is how things make you feel. "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. - Maya Angelou My second marriage wasn't always bad. My wife and I...
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Just Me And My Thoughts and an Empty Old House
I found myself in my new old house. This was different. I had no speakers, no Internet, and my phone was there, but that wasn't going to work. I was alone - with just my thoughts. I wasn't sure what would happen, but sometimes when I'm left alone with just the voice in my head things can go...
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Bags, bags, and More Bags
Today I share some insights into love and living with people who had disorders. I currently get annoyed with how cashiers bag things at the store. I end up with twice as many bags as needed. It just seems everywhere I turn, I'm opening a drawer, a pocket, a box, and its all bags. Love is knowing...
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Not As Hard As You Thought
I lost a lot of sleep worrying about talking to my sister. My sister (who I love dearly) has always had my back and has a very unique set of skills. While never officially diagnosed, I think it is safe to say she has some form of Aspergers. This can make things "fun." My brother and I (and, well...
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Without a Care in the World
It's always weird how any stories in my childhood involving animals of some sort have a weird outcome, In this case, it was lightning bugs. I took a second tonight and really let myself go back to the front yard. To the time of being a kid and shouting when you achieved your goal. When the only...
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There Goes My Hero
Why is it that the people that seem to make the best points ae comedians? The other night I watched 8:46 by Dave Chappelle. It's an amazing presentation. I also loved his last special on Netflix called Sticks and Stones. Then at 4 in the morning, it came to me: DAVE CHAPPELLE IS MY HERO. He makes...
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Do Your Homework Watch the 13th
I am an ill-informed middle-aged white dude. A black man was lynched in 2020 in broad daylight as George Floyd was pinned to the ground by police and later would die. I often hope someone will come along and teach me so I'm not so ill-informed on how to act, what to say, etc when it comes to…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A funny look at relationships, marriage, divorce, love, sex, life, dating advice, and the weird thoughts that pop into Dave's head when he is sleep deprived. Guaranteed to make you laugh, cry, think, or groan. Life is too important to be taken seriously
HOSTED BY
Dave Jackson
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Building a Better Dave have?
Building a Better Dave currently has 261 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Building a Better Dave about?
A funny look at relationships, marriage, divorce, love, sex, life, dating advice, and the weird thoughts that pop into Dave's head when he is sleep deprived. Guaranteed to make you laugh, cry, think, or groan. Life is too important to be taken seriously
How often does Building a Better Dave release new episodes?
Building a Better Dave publishes regularly with 261 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Building a Better Dave?
You can listen to Building a Better Dave on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Building a Better Dave?
Building a Better Dave is created and hosted by Dave Jackson.
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