Thank you.
Oh, Jacob, something special must be.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Oh, Jacob, something special must be.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Jacob, something special must be happening on busted pencils today.
Because you caught me by surprise.
Why don't you just take it away, my friend?
Tim, what day is this?
What day is this said?
No, Tim, it's the first show of the new year.
I'm not talking just the first producer's choice show of the new year, Tim.
This is the first busted pencils of 2026.
And I'm very excited.
I appreciate that the excitement I can, I can feel it coming through in that music.
I don't know the words to that song though.
I know some of them and then I go.
For other lyrics, you know, but.
I think I know may old acquaintance and then something.
Happy New Year.
Forget that's all I know.
It's been a week.
I've been yelling it.
I'll say it loudly and enthusiastically to everybody I see for the first time in this new year.
So hear that song.
See you guys.
It's the first time I'm seeing your faces in 2026.
So happy New Year.
And happy New Year to all you listeners.
Out there first show after New Year's.
My voice is scratchy.
Been yelling all week.
Especially New Year's Eve.
You know how it goes.
It's not on my back deck banging Pat pots and pans.
Something you know used to do in the in the 70s as kids.
You know that that was how the neighborhood knew it was a New Year.
So I decided to restart that tradition.
Pots and pans.
You know why though?
Because my wife decided we needed new pots and pans for Christmas.
Which meant the old pots and pans.
I had to give them a send off.
Yeah, sir.
Tim, I remember you were telling me that back when you were in college going down the Oregon trail.
You used to have to bang the pots and pans and keep the coyotes away.
But this is not the 1800s.
2026.
And we're going to talk about it here on the producer's choice.
Let's listen to the thing.
For two, two, producer.
I take up the choice.
Chairman of the board.
You and I will have two choices.
Chairman of the board.
I've got the board.
It's spelled B-O-R-E-D.
We choose to go to the moon.
Life's full of tough choices in here.
We chose...
Poor thing.
Fellas, I hate to break it to you.
But 2025 has gone the way of the dodo.
It's gone.
Fellas, because a lot of things happened in the past year.
Some were bad.
Like the gutting of public education in this country.
By a lady who wants through the undertaker,
through an announcer's table.
But some good things happen too.
Like the invention of the extremely popular producer's choice show.
Nice.
So you take those things and on balance,
yeah, it's a mix bag.
But one thing is clear to me, folks,
as I sit here now before you.
2026 is wide open with possibilities and opportunities
for those who don't know what to do.
And that's what we're going to talk about today.
Tim and Johnny, the ways in which we hear
on the producer's choice show are hoping
to make 2026 a better year than 2025.
And what better way to discuss that
than to engage in that most important New Year's ritual?
Resolutions.
Ooh.
Ooh.
Now, I'm just going to ask you guys both a general question.
Before we get started.
Do you go in for the New Year's resolutions
in your day-to-day lives?
Or are you against them?
What's going on?
Are you neutral?
What do you think?
Well, I, you know,
here's the problem with resolutions.
They're not usually very successful when you,
you know, kind of start that out.
I know it's something nice.
You know, I'm going to do this for the New Year.
I'm going to do that.
But I try not to make resolutions as much as I
more try to just lean into being thankful
that I get to experience all the new things
that this current New Year that we're in gets to bring me.
Because, you know,
every year is going to be different.
So, um, I just kind of position myself to say,
you know, what I would like to do for the New Year.
I guess this is the resolution, Jacob.
I would just like to live more in the moment,
more in the present and be, you know,
well, back to Teacher Halle and Dr. Joanna.
Try to live a life more regulated.
I like that.
I've always struggled with my resolutions.
Eight years in a row now.
Resolution is to be in the NBA.
That has failed eight years in a row.
And frankly, not any closer.
But I got a feeling this is going to be my year.
So we'll track that as the year goes along.
See if I get a try out with the pistons.
Johnny.
Give me your take on the whole resolution phenomenon.
Well, Jacob, I'm kind of like the Grinches,
the Christmas.
I am to New Year's resolutions.
Um, I'm not the biggest fan of them.
You know, I, I embrace that, you know,
friends and family members make them and share them.
And I'm kind of like, yeah, yeah, it's that.
It's kind of like the Grinch is the Christmas.
I am to New Year's resolutions.
It's more crowded in the gym.
For a couple of weeks, you know,
uh, the, the fresh produce at the grocery store.
Is a little more picked over than usual.
You know, all the, all the,
the important habit breaking kind of things that people
talk about all year seem to go into action.
Uh, for a couple of weeks at least.
Um, and I'm sort of like, see,
it's all going to not happen.
Anyways, why do you waste your time on these things?
No, but nonetheless, uh, I'm supportive of them.
I don't participate in it.
Uh, if I'm going to make a change,
I make the change.
And I don't need it to be January one to do that.
Uh, so that's just always been my little bar humbug about it.
But I absolutely love New Year's.
Because I like that.
Well, every day you can always rewrite your story.
And I guess that's sort of like my grand art of New Year's resolutions is that January one.
It's a new year.
It's a new slate.
Let's go.
Let's make it an even better year than the year before.
So, you know, 2025 had some ups had some downs.
Let's have 2026.
The ups outweigh the downs.
So I get excited about, you know, beginnings.
But I don't make any specific commitments to changes.
Hi, maybe that's also a proct of me being required to change so many things all the time in my life.
Uh, because I tend to be a person of access.
When it comes to something that it's like, oh, I've done too much of that.
It's time to switch gears and change that habit a little bit.
That I can't usually wait for January 1st to make necessary changes.
But nonetheless, you know, I, I've fallen the thumbs down category to New Year's resolutions.
Um, let's just celebrate we're going into a new year.
Okay.
So we've got two party poopers, but screw you guys because we're doing it anyway.
We're going to talk about resolutions on this show.
And thankfully, some of them you don't directly have to fix all on your own.
I understand where it's a big world and we can only do so much here on this show.
I'm going to start with one of those big questions.
And thankfully, Dr. Tim Slecker, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci, two education experts are here to help me come up with these.
And we'll keep it here with you, Johnny, on the first question.
Can you give me a resolution you'd like to see for a way that education can improve in this country in 2026?
It's not all on you, but you know, what do you want to see get better?
Well, you know, uh, Jacob, thanks for asking this because I'm most certain we're going to have a whole show about this.
You know, Tim and I have a longstanding tradition of our New Year's premonitions and a resolution and a premonition are different.
But I'm going to kind of connect because in preparation, I've been, you know, holding on to some of my premonitions for the upcoming year.
And I'll sneak a related premonition that it's going to be connected to a resolution for education.
One of my premonitions for the year and I'll talk about this a little bit more is that the culture war we've talked about for the last couple of years, it gets weird.
And I'm excited about that. That's my premonition. I'll expand more on that on our premonitions show.
But for now, what I mean to say Jacob is that I think it sparks more local interest in curriculum in education.
And I think it was designed to do that by the right by the Christian nationalists in a particular way.
You know, to do book fans and all kinds of like scary things to bring up in school boards. But I think it gets weird. I think it backfires on them. And this is my resolution that local communities engage more in their local decision making, especially around curriculum and school board things.
I think what started as a loud voice and a particular group of the culture war, which was responded by a loud left responding group in the culture war gets weird because the masses kind of get more involved.
So not the extreme ends, but the bulk of the people in between start to get really involved in things get a little weird for the culture war.
That's my resolution. Get more involved locally, no matter where you're at, whether you're on the right, the left or in the middle, you're part of the community get involved.
I think those local politics, I'm going to say they get weird.
Our local politics might be getting weird. And I think this discussion might get a little weird because I'm going to ask Tim the same question, Tim, give me a resolution for education in America for 2026. What do you want to see get better?
You know, the whole idea of getting weird. Yeah, man, it's getting weird.
Let's get with you know, I, yeah, I'll go with definitely like to see the culture wars kind of go away for a little bit, but I really would like to see this year.
As really taking advantage of and capitalizing on the local leadership example, we saw in rural Wisconsin last year with Mike Bigley, CISA 4.
And again, people like, oh, it's the, no, it's not about the AI. It's about the leadership that the local educators there through their superintendent all the way down to the teachers and the community members actually grabbed a hold of the curriculum in a way that is really pushing forward.
That's best for kids with best for community. I see more of those types of opportunities as actually being the antidote to what Johnny was talking about the culture wars here, because when you're engaging like that, you got to bring the community together.
You have to be put in there and when you say about the community, it's industry, it's teachers, it's parents coming together and saying, you know what, the standard sit and listen and test and produce results.
Come on, man, you know what the results are going to be. First of all, aren't we all tired of test scores as the result of education. Don't we want to see the results being some type of move in a direction where students and teachers get to see how education unleashes them to make changes to get better jobs to transform their whole community.
And so that's where my is it, you know, prediction, whatever you want to say, premonition resolution, the antidote to the culture wars that Johnny wants to see get weird.
I think that actually you move those in a way that I just described and again, keep pointing to our partners up there and that sees a foreign rural Wisconsin Mike Bigley that that is the pathway that shows us the way out of the culture wars right there. So how's that Jacob?
Tim, I, I liked your answer a lot and I liked it so much that I'm not even going to get mad that that you guys have decided to take this in the direction of premonitions, which are not synonymous with resolutions. I'm even really close.
Yeah.
Well, I tried to, I tried to center mine, I summarized it. Tim wants more AI and I want things to get weird.
And one revolution.
Yeah, let's get weird and let's have more AI.
Okay, I should have said that. So what I, what I want is the example that Mike Bigley and CSI 4 set for us to be the direction of education in 2026.
There's that better.
That was better, Tim.
And I'm going to ask you a question now about how you are going to be the direction you want to see things go because there's two reasons I have you guys on this show all the time.
That the number one reason is because you're educated educators, your people who work in education and you know it like the back of your hand.
And the second reason is because you're my boss and I have to.
No, but going with the more important of those, which is what you guys know, I want to ask you this, Tim, we'll keep it right with you.
What's one resolution that you're personally going to make towards improving as an educator or administrator in 2026?
Well, I, you know, I'm going to stay right in line with where I'm going.
I am going to devote even more time and resources and effort finding more Mike Bigley's more CSI 4s, more opportunities like that to bring those stories to busted pencils.
So that more and more busted pencils listeners get to hear stories that are exciting about the possibilities about people doing awesome amazing things in education.
So for me, it is dropping sometimes that tendency to think that education gets better by criticizing what what is negative.
And instead really putting forward that lifting the positive where are those great stories because that doesn't mean that we ignore those things.
By putting forward these voices of change of leadership of possibility, that is what I am going to do more of in this year and drop that kind of cleaning attachment to clickbait negative stories about Linda McMahon.
Yeah.
I like that, Tim. I think people have had had enough of just, you know, making fun of Linda McMahon. Why do we keep doing that?
Linda, who the hell do you think you are?
All right. I had to do at least once. Johnny, you know, this year you've been like the lions from last year. You made the playoffs. You're already good.
What are you going to do in 2026 to raise the bar even more as the educated educator that you are?
Well, I think, you know, Jacob, Tim, I love this one. I'm going to continue started this a little bit in 2025.
But 2026 is probably the year that it comes to a more fruition in my practice, both on busted pencils, but as a as a teacher, I'm going to incorporate more familiarity with AI.
I'm going to embrace a little bit here. I'm not, I'm not quite converting. I'm not getting baptized to the church AI to him.
We'll get too excited there. That might be 2027.
2026. I'm just going to embrace the role that it's playing in the futures about for our students.
A little bit more how to support faculty members, my colleagues and including myself and responsibly integrating it into our teaching.
And as well, bringing it into the show, and then twofold, like I talked about in Jacob's first question, getting weird by being breaking the norm.
Just him, you touched on this too, not taking the clickbait, the sensationalized, you know, story that's that's that's father in the in the culture war, right, whether it's the left clapping back at the right or the right setting something out.
You know, throwing darts at each other across the proverbial table. So, you know, I'm saying, let's get weird. Let's look for the stories like Tim's talking about here. That's also my resolution.
More involvement in our guests and in our coverage of what's happening for all the people in between, like we're not going to ignore listening to the right or to the left.
I love the perspectives you take, especially the ones Tim and I, you know, we both share pretty strong leftist ideas.
But and we listen a lot in the past year to loud opposition to that, which is always there's always space for disagreement.
But I want to say resolution pay more attention to everything in between, right, which busted pencils you've always said Tim conversations with our neighbors.
You know, lifting those up, you know, being fertilizer for that garden of everything in between to grow and flourish.
One thing I'm not going to change though with my neighbor, my neighbor likes to drink like natural light and bud light and stuff. I'm still bringing these free advertisements.
Well, you know, or I'm bringing the stouts and porters, though, I'm going to continue drinking good beer.
Those that shall remain nameless.
Unless you want to sponsor busted pencils.
Good porters, you're out there. We're ready.
My resolution for this coming years to introduce busted pencils, ale, that we can, you know, distribute across Wisconsin, the Midwest, I think we've got an opportunity here.
You know, I do know a brewery that would more than entertain that idea, Jacob, former sponsor. So, you know, we know some, we have some friends who have been involved in the show, who would take that idea, Jacob and run with it.
So we might have to put you in touch with them. That might be a fun 2026 project for busted pencils. I think we said it here, collective resolution, get a beer.
And there we go. Let's go.
Now I've only got one last big question for you guys today. And it's not one of these difficult questions that I like to pose.
I, you know, I bring out a lot of gotcha questions on the show.
But today, I'm going to just ask you this, guys, very simply, do you stay up and celebrate New Year's or are you over it?
Are you just, ah, it's nine o'clock. I'm going to bed.
I think I've been over it actually since college. I mean, some of the best times was New Year's Eve in college, especially for stigma.
I'm going to pop brothers out there. Yeah, you hear me. You know, we would all, you know, be home for Christmas break, but always make that road trip back up to Edinburgh, Pennsylvania.
And open up our cold fraternity house because, you know, the landlord had shut off the heat.
So just go in there though and throw a New Year's Eve party like, well, you know, it wasn't 1999 yet, but we were getting ready for it. Let me just put it that way, Jacob.
I mean, you guys were partying like it was 1899 back then, I believe.
No, that like the oil lamps.
That would make sure they could heat their home.
Now, but I, whether I stay up or whether I don't, it's really not a big thing.
I like to kind of stay up though, just from the standpoint of not being one of those people that goes, boy, you're old, because I'm already getting the, oh, wow, you're old.
So I at least try to make it till 1230.
I support that. And Tim, I want to thank you for being so candid in your answer. I thought for a second there, you're like, and whether I do or not is none of your business.
I'm glad that they didn't go in that direction. Johnny, how you feeling about New Year's, what do you do?
Well, I'm going to turn it back. I'm going to have you guys guess.
Do you think I'm the Grinch of celebrating New Year's because I've already poo pooed resolutions? Or do you think that I party every New Year's like it's 1999.
Check up. What do you think?
Johnny, I think it's pretty obvious that you have a good time on New Year's. You're a fun guy. We all appreciate that you're the party animal, the show.
I'm going to say, yes, I'm going to give you a yes. Tim, what do you think? Tim, yeah, what do you think? Let's get, let's get this idea.
He's got to stay up, man. He's got, he's got kids that are staying up. So that's just the reality. Now, whether he's party in like it's 1999.
I don't know, but maybe we can, you know, kind of get what is that Andy and Anderson to pay a visit to Johnny on New Year's Eve to see where he's at.
See, you know, what number of shot he's on talking, you know, what time you can have a good time without consuming alcohol.
I don't say anything about the alcohol consumption on New Year's Eve, but I will give you this. You're both 100% correct except Tim's logic that got him there is incorrect. My kids actually go to bed.
And I love New Year's Eve. I love New Year's Eve. I love New Year's Day. I mean, I love most holidays. That's no no surprise to the pencil busters out there.
But come on, Tim. We have the wonderful opportunity as educators to lock in that we're not working on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.
Right. For many years, like these were working holidays. And for many, most people in America, they really are. But for us educators, we're all hopefully guaranteed that, you know, we're not teaching on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.
So Tim, these have been big nights for me. And I love it. I love New Year's Eve. I love to go to New Year's Eve parties. I like to cook a big New Year's Eve dinner. I like New Year's Day brunch.
And the best thing about being on the West Coast now is that I essentially have two big ball drops. Right. I've got the East Coast.
I got the East Coast. I knew Jacob would love that.
But at least you got two. Yeah. Now there's a reason. Right. We stay, we stay anatomically correct here on busted pencils. But I have the countdown to the New Year from New York City, not once, but twice.
So I celebrate it with all my Midwest and East Coast friends, which is earlier my time. And then I rally for the West Coast New Year's Eve. Right.
We have the countdown again. So you can promise that my, the New Year's party I host ends on Eastern time. Right. And then I move to another party that celebrates with equal intensity for the midnight stuff. And I love seeing fireworks on New Year's Eve. That's one of my favorites. I know it's bad for people with PTSD and with, you know, animals in our community. I know it.
I'm trying to hold space for both things, but I love everybody being outside, you know, at midnight, whether you're banging pots and pans, gluten or hollering or, you know, observing fireworks or whatever it is. But yeah, man, I love New Year. So, you know, I bring, I bring my A game in the party department for a fun, exciting New Year's Eve New Year's day.
I mean, it's a pretty, it's pretty much a 48 hour festivities nonstop. That's also why I have a horse voice today, man.
And you want to talk about 24 seven fun, but let me tell you nothing's more fun than the producer's choice show here on busted pencils.
But guys, man, another great show and a great one to kick the year off. But unfortunately, there's just not enough time to ask the next 12 questions I had about New Year's.
I guess those three will have to stand until next year. But before we go, I've got one last question. Let's go.
Give you guys 60 seconds to respond to this classic New Year's question. Dr. Tim Slecker, by the end of 2026.
How many push ups do you want to be able to do?
10.
That was very good. And I appreciate you knew it. And I can tell you've been thinking about it, just like I have.
Dr. Johnny Lupinachi by the end of this wonderful, great year. We're about to have how many push ups do you want to be able to do?
Oh, Jacob, I don't know. Let's say it would be pretty awesome if I could could rip off 50.
Now, now you can check me back. You can check me at the end of the year for that.
And I as the producer, I'm going to go with 11 to be one more than Tim, but not have to go and do as many as Johnny. And I think that is a great place for us to be.
Guys, thanks for coming on. Hope you had a good New Year.
And now it's time for your moment of sin.
How can you have a war on terrorism when war itself is terrorism?
Thanks for listening to this New Year's episode of producer's choice. And remember, you can grab other great podcasts filled with all kinds of busted pencils content, an Apple podcast Spotify.
And of course, you can always find us on the civic media rep website. And remember to grab this week's class in session on Wednesday, you can get home room on Mondays.
And of course, you can always get these great producer choices on Fridays. And don't forget pencil busters.
You can catch the broadcasts on Saturdays at 3 p.m. Central time across all the civic media network stations for one hour of your favorite blue collar scholars Tim and Johnny.
And keep busted pencils.
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