01:17 – Jeff starts the show discussing how he and Derek met, Suzanne gives a shout-out to the next Drinking for Conservation upcoming event, Owl Have a Drink, and shares some of the other animals and habitats they’ve supported through drinking.  Derek talks about his recent trip to Tokyo, the primary places they focused on, and Suzanne expresses how amazing the food is in Greece. 

14:33 – Derek talks about the weather while there, Jeff recommends the Grit City Podcast coloring book, and jumps into the top ten Halloween costumes of 2024.  Derek and Suzanne guess the costumes they think made the top, discuss the resurgence of the Raygun Costume, and Derek explains the costume Poppy Playtime CatNap.

29:50 – They rank candies that Jeff puts head to head, what they want to see in their Halloween Bag, and Derek shares the candies he brought back from Japan.  Jeff talks about when he enjoys a plain Hershey candy bar, Suzanne talks about the gluten-free goodies she loves, and Jeff kicks off the head-to-head scary movie rankings.

44:55 – Suzanne shares her appreciation for creepy literature turned into film, Derek talks about why he would go with the movie Long Legs over the movie Strangers: Chapter 2, and they all choose Late Night with the Devil over I Saw the TV Glow.  Jeff reviews the movie Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, Suzanne talks about her favorite Halloween costume, and what she loves most about Halloween.

Special Guest: Suzanne Akerman.

Sponsored By:

• Cosmic Bottles: Tap into the universe of craft beer! CRAFT BEER FOR YOU! Tired of the same old grocery store beer selection? Looking for a beer selection that caters to your taste? At Cosmic Bottles the choice is always yours. Every day: 11am - 10pm 27116 167th Place SE Suite 108 Covington, WA 98042
• RCF Exteriors: Cut Wood. Not Corners. RCF Exteriors specializes in Window and Door installation across the South Puget Sound region. RCF Exteriors is a customer service orientated company with 20+ years experience in window and door installation. Our efficient and knowledgeable team is dedication to making sure you are satisfied with not only the final product but throughout the entire installation process. Email: rcfexteriors@gmail.com Phone: 253-446-8854
• Die Cut Stickers: Use the code GRITCITY15 at checkout and get 15% off your entire order! · Insanely custom stickers crafted to survive the PNW and beyond! Promo Code: GRITCITY15

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• Derek Graziano (@sometimesgeek) • Instagram photos and videos — Voice in people's ears. Sometimes Podcasting. Sometimes Voice Acting. Always posting video game stuff and board game stuff.
• ICHIRAN | Japan's #1 Tonkotsu Ramen Restaurant
• Kizuki Ramen- Authentic tokyo style Japanese ramen near me — Our food is still prepared the same way as it is in Japan; utilizing a unique method of roasting bones before boiling, which is similar to the French style of making consommé.
• The Grit City Podcast - GCP Coloring Book! — The Grit City Podcast Adult Coloring Book!
• Longlegs - Wikipedia — Longlegs is a 2024 American horror-thriller film written and directed by Osgood Perkins and starring Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood, and Alicia Witt.
• The Strangers: Chapter 2 - Wikipedia — The Strangers: Chapter 2 is an upcoming American horror film directed by Renny Harlin, and written by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland.
• I Saw the TV Glow - Wikipedia — I Saw the TV Glow is a 2024 American psychological horror drama film written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun.
• Late Night with the Devil (2023) - IMDb — A live television broadcast in 1977 goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation's living rooms.
• The Monkey (2025) - IMDb — When twin brothers Bill and Hal find their father's old monkey toy in the attic, a series of gruesome deaths start. The siblings decide to throw the toy away and move on with their lives, growing apart over the years.
• Alien: Romulus - Wikipedia — Alien: Romulus is a 2024 science fiction horror film directed by Fede Álvarez and written by Álvarez and Rodo Sayagues.
• Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls (2023) - IMDb — Fledgling occultist Onyx and a group of worshipers attend a once-in-a-lifetime ritual at their idol BARTOK THE GREAT'S mansion.
• The 2024 DB Cooper Conference — On November 24th, 1971 in Portland, a man calling himself “Dan Cooper” boarded a Northwest Airlines 727 jetliner bound for Seattle.
• Cosmic Bottles - Covington Place, Covington, WA — Craft Cocktails - We have a killer craft cocktail menu. Come by and try something new!

03:18 – Jeff talks about the otter attack in Bremerton, the gang of otters running around in New York, and they discuss their odds against otters on land. Jeff turns it over to Suzanne Akerman recording from Drinking for Conservation, Suzanne talks about the history behind Drinking for Conservation, and Lindsey from Washington Wild shares the type of conservation work they do.

17:15 – Suzanne explains the history behind the giant white bucket they bring along to the events to give people other ways to donate, encountering people who are new to Drinking for Conservation, and attendees share what brought them to the event. She gives info on what people can find in the take-home selection at Peaks and Pints, and encourages people to follow Drinking for Conservation for future events.

30:12 – Jeff talks about his amazing experience at Tibbitts@FernHill, the reservation process, and the plates he enjoyed with the five-course meal. He shares the prices, ability to bring your own drinks, and his recent visit to his favorite local dispensary. Scott discusses the benefits of using the Petals app and dorks out on other things he likes to track.

50:19 – Jeff talks about ordering the coloring books, Scott discusses the benefits of coloring, and plans for how listeners can buy one. He talks about the alcohol loopholes Mormon wives have found, how people with passports don’t have to get the Real ID, and Jeff shares why people worldwide may not stamp your passport.

Special Guest: Suzanne Akerman.

Sponsored By:

• Cosmic Bottles: Tap into the universe of craft beer! CRAFT BEER FOR YOU! Tired of the same old grocery store beer selection? Looking for a beer selection that caters to your taste? At Cosmic Bottles the choice is always yours. Every day: 11am - 10pm 27116 167th Place SE Suite 108 Covington, WA 98042
• Die Cut Stickers: Use the code GRITCITY15 at checkout and get 15% off your entire order! · Insanely custom stickers crafted to survive the PNW and beyond! Promo Code: GRITCITY15
• The Union Club: The Union Club is a coworking space contributing to Tacoma's growing artistic and entrepreneurial communities. It combines a maker studio, event hall, and office coworking space, in a 15,000 square foot historic building in downtown Tacoma, Washington.

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• Otter attacks child at Bremerton Marina — A child walking on a dock at the Bremerton Marina was attacked and pulled under the water by a river otter Thursday morning, then pulled from the water by their mother, who was also bitten on the arm by the otter, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
• New York Post | Jogger left bloodied, unable to stand after getting mauled by gang of otters | Instagram
• The Grit City Podcast - Suzanne Akerman — Suzanne Akerman spends her days sharing her passion for animals with visitors at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium where she works as a staff biologist for the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater.
• Drinking for Conservation | Facebook
• Peaks and Pints Proctor Tacoma | Tacoma craft beer bar, bottle shop and restaurant — We’re a craft beer taproom where brew nerds can wave their geek flags.
• A Community for Naturalists · iNaturalist — Explore and share your observations from the natural world.
• People stunned after learning what Mormons still do despite not drinking alcohol as new Mormon Wives show exposes reality — People stunned after learning what Mormons still do despite not drinking alcohol as new Mormon Wives show exposes reality
• The Grit City Podcast - GCP Coloring Book!
• TibbittsFernhill

00:25 – The show kicks off confirming that charcuterie boards are the fancy version of Lunchables, Suzanne expresses her love of the GCP cats, and proposes a purr-fect cat calendar. She explains how parthenogenesis works, turning Party for Polar Bears into Proctor Polar Bear Crawl, and the businesses that will be participating in the crawl.

17:17 – The guys call out how they each pronounce Opossum, Suzanne’s got the lowdown on proper pronunciation of the word, and explains how they have semi-prehensile tails. She talks about how they can become problems, Justin talks about the benefits they bring, and dives into Caster Questions. Suzanne talks about the Zoo Snooze, Scott talks about the Elephant meeting a Sea Lion, and Suzanne expresses the fun of doing the animal drive-by.

33:07 – They ponder on how one might go about teaching an otter to fly, how long it would take, and Scott talks about the article where a mushroom was growing on a frog. Suzanne explains ways people can support animal conservation, how little actions can make a big difference in preservation, and the types of kid-friendly opportunities offered at the zoo to educate kids.

50:28 - Scott talks about the wild burros in Nevada, Justin reminisces on swimming lessons as a kid, and what it would take for him to ride a horse. He talks about the different animals his grandparents had, Scott talks about running into an ostrich on the back roads in Nevada, and Suzanne shares her ostrich sighting.

Special thanks to Suzanne for joining the crew on this episode! Looking forward to the next great update!

Special Guest: Suzanne Akerman.

Sponsored By:

• The Union Club: The Union Club is a coworking space contributing to Tacoma's growing artistic and entrepreneurial communities. It combines a maker studio, event hall, and office coworking space, in a 15,000 square foot historic building in downtown Tacoma, Washington.
• Grim Workshop: Grim Workshop specializes in the making and using of ultralight, reusable, and wearable everyday carry tools. Perfect for a standalone ultralight survival kit that you can keep on hand at all times or as an addition to an existing survival kit to remove unwanted weight. A Family Owned and Operated Company Grim Workshop is proudly family owned and operated deep in the heart of Texas
• Die Cut Stickers: Use the code GRITCITY15 at checkout and get 15% off your entire order! · Insanely custom stickers crafted to survive the PNW and beyond! Promo Code: GRITCITY15

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• Snoozes at Point Defiance Zoo: Spend the night at the Zoo! — Your group can join us for a special overnight experience at the Zoo!
• Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium — Open 9am - 3:30pm Thur-Mon Closed Tue-Wed
• The Grit City Podcast - Suzanne Akerman
• An Elephant Meets A Sea Lion And It's The Cutest Encounter Ever - YouTube
• Adventures with Jumbo Jet the radiated #tortoise at the #zoo! | TikTok — Adventures with Jumbo Jet the radiated #tortoise at the #zoo!
• Scientists Baffled by Mushroom Growing on Live Frog — In what is believed to be the first ever such documented case, researchers in India came across a live frog with a small mushroom growing on the side of its body.
• Conservation Northwest | Keeping the Northwest Wild — Keeping the Northwest Wild
• Northwest Trek Wildlife Park | Eatonville, Washington
• Tacoma’s injured ‘punk rock’ coyote, Jawless Jerry, has died | Tacoma News Tribune
• 2024 Polar Bear Proctor Crawl - The Proctor District - Tacoma, WA

01:38 – Scott and Justin talk about where Cosmic Bottles is located, their most recent guests, and Justin talks about Jeff Goldblum’s two jazz albums. They talk about what country he has a statue in, other records Jeff has put out, and Justin talks about the sounds he appreciates in music made in record form. They talk about their favorite times to listen to Jazz, the types of Jazz they enjoy, and going to Party for Polar Bears at Dystopian State Brewing.

19:03 – They talk about things they would add the Fat Zachs pickle pizza, Scott talks about his recent visit to Twin Peaks, and his service there. They talk about the importance of trying a dining location three times before deciding on the final review of the location, Justin talks about the Jeff Goldblum show, and they segue into Crypticon.

38:15 – Scott talks about volunteering at Norwescon, Justin talks about the familiarity with both Norwescon and Crypticon, and they talk about ways to pump up their immune system before hitting up the Crypticon parties. Justin talks about the party suites for Crypticon, his favorite party there, and they talk about potential giveaways during the convention. Justin talks about their current giveaways, other prizes, and patron incentives.

57:48 – Justin talks about turning his guest room into a Rainbow Room, how the idea was born from his love of LED smart lights, and Scott talks about the upcoming event with Billy. He dives into Scott Topics, talks about the new impossible super-thin, stronger-than-steel sheets, and how we phase back in forth in alternative realities. Justin talks about how movies have gently incorporated aliens into our reality, the different places he’s lived in Tacoma, and encourages listeners to let GCP know if they’re going to be at Crypticon.

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• Crypticon Seattle
• Fat Zach's Pizza — Fat Zach's Wood Fired Pizza debuted in 2018 as a small food cart on the corner of Pioneer and 2nd in downtown Puyallup.
• Norwescon — Norwescon is the Pacific Northwest’s premier science fiction and fantasy convention, and one of the largest entirely volunteer-operated regional conventions in the United States.
• Scientists have done the “impossible” by polymerizing a material in sheets — The breakthrough polymer could wind up protecting everything from cell phones to houses and bridges.
• The World According to Jeff Goldblum - Wikipedia — The World According to Jeff Goldblum is a 2019 American documentary streaming television series presented by Jeff Goldblum streaming on Disney+ from November 12, 2019.

01:44 – Brogan gives the team a review of how his day has been so far, they share type of alcohol they’re enjoying, and Brogan gives an update on when Cosmic Bottles is opening. Suzanne share’s how she’s feeling, things she’s been doing at the Point Defiance Zoo, and how the zoo has been shifting during Covid. She shares cool tarantula facts, the wide range of critters she gets to work with, and the new avenues the zoo has opened up during this crazy time.

21:12 – Jeff throws his otter question to Suzanne, he reminds listeners that otters do have a great PR team but they are monsters, and Suzanne talks about plans to send Jeff a special shout out from the Sea Otters. She talks about the upcoming event with Drinking for Conservation, they talk about the various Zoom meetings they’re all attending, and Suzanne explains what the Grit City Carnivore Project is.

39:11 – Brogan shares that his dog howls when he plays the harmonica, Suzanne expands on what that phenomenon is, and Justin encourages Brogan to share that on TikTok. Brogan gives props to the GIFs on Discord, Justin poses the question on if the zoo has a hippo, and Suzanne shares that the zoo in Seattle has one. Brogan suggests that they host a live Drinking for Conservation when Cosmic Bottles opens, Justin talks about Pierce County Restaurant Rally, and Scott asks Suzanne what animals she loves to see and work with at the zoo.

58:48 – Suzanne agrees to go out with GCP on their Big Foot Hunt, Justin shares his excitement on who their upcoming guest is going to be, and they share their favorite Clownvis songs. Scott talks about their new shirts that are available to their Patreon listeners, gives a shout out to their latest Patriot, and Suzanne talks about the methods used to train a tortoise to do tricks. Suzanne lets the group know how kids that are interested in being a zookeeper can start getting involved in it now, how adorable tiny pigmy rabbits are, and Justin encourages listeners to join their Patreon team!

Thanks Suzanne for catching up and letting us know what’s been going on at Point Defiance Zoo!

Special Guest: Suzanne Akerman.

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• Cougar Mountain Zoo
• Prom for Penguins!!! — Free for people to drop in and share some ways to raise money for penguins!
• Grit City Carnivore Project — Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is partnering with the Schell Lab at the University of Washington, Tacoma and Northwest Trek on a community science project – reporting sightings of carnivores like coyotes and raccoons in the greater Tacoma area.
• Pierce County Restaurant Rally
• Pygmy Rabbit - Conservation Northwest — Washington’s pygmy rabbits are small, few and far between. We’re working to conserve and improve their habitat.

01:23 – Suzanne explains what Point Defiance AAZK is, the types of volunteer opportunities at AAZK, and Justin and Scott comment on going to the Red Wolves Drinking For Conservation event. Justin thanks GCP listeners, shares where people can find them online, and GCP’s plan to bring back Boot To Boot. Suzanne talks about the upcoming event March for Penguins, Scott gives props to the Red Wolf breeding facility in Washington, and Justin asks Suzanne about the pregnant muskox at the zoo.

15:40 – Suzanne talks about the planning that goes on around breeding at the zoo, the zoo’s upcoming St. Patrick’s Day themed events, and Justin gives a shout out to GCP’s photographer Mandy. Scott gives a shout out to Wing Man, they talk on their go to Karaoke songs, and Justin shares when he fell offstage while doing Karaoke. Suzanne tells the guys about the new zoo show that’s starting on Mothers Day, Scott recommends reading the Willow books, and Justin talks on the GCP movie review episodes.

30:15 – Suzanne shares how people can volunteer at Point Defiance, talks on the benefits for the youth that sign up for the Youth volunteer program, and the benefits they have discovered with the youth program. Suzanne talks about Point Defiance’s tarantula Caroline, Justin shares the story of when his mom had a tarantula, and kicks off Coaster Questions. Suzanne answers what her scariest moment with an animal has been, and the intimidation behind dumping a bucket of gran to the animals at Northwest Trek early in her career.

48:35 – Suzanne talks about her favorite animal, what training a tortoise entails, and Justin and Scott give their called shots. Justin gives a shout out to Alexis at Sublime Therapeutic Massage, Scott gives props to the Hoover Ville bar in Seattle, and Suzanne recommends Edgeworks Climbing Gym in Tacoma. She gives props to the Grand Cinema, talks on her appreciation for Grand Cinema’s dedication to sustainability, and when the March for Penguins is happening.

Thanks Suzanne for another great conversation on the haps at Point Defiance Zoo!

Special Guest: Suzanne Akerman.

Sponsored By:

• Die Cut Stickers: Use the code GRITCITY15 at checkout and get 15% off your entire order! · Insanely custom stickers crafted to survive the PNW and beyond! Promo Code: GRITCITY15

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• March for Penguins! — This month's DFC event will be a blast!
• Charlotte The Muskox Is Pregnant
• Sublime Therapeutic Massage — If you’re looking for professional massage therapy for pain and injury treatment, or just to relax, you’ve come to the right place.
• Grand Cinema - Independent, International, and Local Films — The South Sound's nonprofit home for independent film
• Edgeworks Climbing, Tacoma's Climbing Gym — #1 choice for indoor rock climbing in the South Sound.

2:10 – Justin shares where listeners can find them online, Scott shares the octopus story out of Australia, and they discuss the importance of people not messing with wild animals. Suzanne shares how people can participate in beach walks with the Point Defiance Zoo, what a naturalist means in terms of those working at the zoo, and gave updates on the new stuff happening there. She discusses the eight new red wolf puppies at the zoo, the endangered Malayan tapir born, and how long she has been working at the zoo.

15:11 – Suzanne talks about the giant punch rats in Tanzania trained to sniff out landmines, Justin’s cat raides the feathers she brought from the zoo, and she talks about the Drinking for Conservation events for endangered species. She shares what events they have coming up, they talk about preserving salmon, and Suzanne shares where people can find out more information on their events online. Justin talks about other ways the zoo gives back to the community, Suzanne talks about the sloth cookies she brought, and they dive into coaster questions.

30:09 – Suzanne gives her thoughts on if there was a battle between a monkey and a shark who would win, the difference between a monkey and an ape, and weird conversations she has at the zoo with her fellow zoologists. She talks about how she would eat a platypus, different cultures that eat the head of animals, and what animal she would choose to help her survive in a zombie apocalypse.

43:24 – Suzanne shares the difference between ravens and crows, where people around the PNW can see ravens, and Justin talks about his crow friends. He talks about the different presents the crows have brought him and Michelle, Suzanne talks about University of Washington studies on crow intelligence, and where people can find her at the zoo. She talks about her favorite animals to work with at the zoo, how dangerous sloth nails are, and how people can get zoo memberships.

Thanks Suzanne for the interesting conversation and info on the new things going on at the zoo!

Special Guest: Suzanne Akerman.

Sponsored By:

• The Union Club: The Union Club is a coworking space contributing to Tacoma's growing artistic and entrepreneurial communities. It combines a maker studio, event hall, and office coworking space, in a 15,000 square foot historic building in downtown Tacoma, Washington.

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• 'Heroic' giant rats sniff out landmines in Tanzania | Sam Jones | Global development | The Guardian — 'Heroic' giant rats.
• Explore the Shore at Point Defiance Zoo: citizen science at Owen Beach — Explore the Shore
• Drinking for Conservation — Find out about their upcoming events here!

The show kicks off with conversation on how Suzanne and Justin met through karaoke in an apartment complex where they section off studio rooms to use for private karaoke rooms. Susanne then dives into her career as a Staff Biologist at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium and how she got started with them as a volunteer in 2002. She talks about doing stage shows at the zoo and what made her decide to study zoology.

15:49 – Suzanne talks about exotic animal trade, the zoo recommending that people don’t buy exotic animals, and how breeders of cats and dogs at times make people write essays before they allow them to buy their new pet. She verifies that ligers are real animals and the genetic problems that come up with breeding them. She mentions that good organizations and zoos don’t promote ligers because they want to focus their efforts on breeding animals that need to be reproduced.

26:35 – Suzanne covers the American Association of Zoo Keepers and the Point Defiance AAZK chapter that holds monthly Drinking for Conservation events. She explains that all of the funds raised at each event are donated to the organization that supports the endangered species they are highlighting that month. She explains where people that would like to attend can find them on Facebook. Talk then turns to otters and how their cute, cuddly, playful, act is just a just a front.

44:24 – Suzanne tells the guys about Northwest Trek, her internship there and her 7 hour interview that got her the internship on the spot. She covers Point Defiance building their new aquarium that will open at the end of the summer and people being able to attend the zoo during their renovation. They also cover the opening of Wild Wonders at the zoo, opened May 12th runs all summer long.

The show comes to an end with discussion over Sasquatch and invasive species in Florida including snakes, monkeys, and gutter gators. Thanks Suzanne for joining the guys for an insightful look at what it’s like to be a staff biologist!!

Special Guest: Suzanne Akerman.

Sponsored By:

• Wizard's Keep Games: Building Community Through The Power Of Games. Stop by and check out the weekly events. Commander, D&D, Friday Night Magic, It all happens at Wizard's Keep Games in Renton. 17148 116th Ave SE Renton WA, 98058
• The Lindsay Jackman Group: We understand that buying or selling a home is more than just a transaction: it’s a life-changing experience. That’s why our team of highly-seasoned real estate professionals are dedicated to providing exceptional, personalized service for all of our clients. We take great pride in the relationships we build and always work relentlessly on the client’s behalf to help them achieve their real estate goals. Lindsay Jackman, Broker 253.857.3366 RE/MAX EXCLUSIVE 7201 Pioneer Way Ste A 101, Gig Harbor, WA 98335

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