Many students at Tahoma may know Mr. Anthis as just an English teacher, but his classes are anything but boring. Teaching Honors 9, Public Speaking, and Modern American Myths, Mr. Anthis brings engaging and creative teaching methods to all of his classes. But his talents don’t stop at the classroom door. Outside the classroom, Mr. Anthis puts his heart into podcasting while spending time with his different co-hosts. Dive into the inspiration and creativity behind the mic with Mr. Anthis. 

                     Inspiration 

Mr. Anthis originally began his podcasting journey in 2012. But that beginning wasn’t for money or fame. “The inspiration is that I wanted to spend time with my brother who lives across the state. So it was a way for us to spend time with each other.’ The idea of creating a podcast was just a way to spend time with his brother and have some fun. 

Recently, Mr. Anthis has started podcasts with his kids. The Podcast titled ‘Peanut Butter and Sprinkles’ is a comedy podcast that he’s started with his daughter. The idea behind this podcast was nothing out of the ordinary. “I was on a walk with my daughter and it was just really strange. Our conversation just got really funny and so I took my phone out and I started recording us.” Because of this random occurrence, a new hobby began for him and his daughter. It was a way for them to connect. While the inspiration for podcasting came from wanting to spend time with his family, the medium of it became something he enjoyed as well. 

                  Why Podcasting?

Why not a blog? Or a Youtube channel? Mr. Anthis loves podcasting because he believes that it’s the most authentic and intimate way of communicating. “You’re literally sitting in somebody’s ear talking to them and if you listen to the same podcasters over and over, you really feel like you get to know who they are.” It can be a soothing thing, it’s unedited talking.  This way he can spend more time with them while balancing teaching and other hobbies. 

          Peanut Butter and Sprinkles

Peanut Butter and Sprinkles is the title of the podcast that Mr. Anthis does with his daughter. It’s a comedy podcast that follows their silly antics. The name was derived from the food peanut butter and jelly. But peanut butter and jelly didn’t accurately describe the two personalities of Mr. Anthis and his daughter. “We wanted to make it sillier, so sprinkles is more of her personality and I’m the boring peanut butter. But stable and nutritious peanut butter.” This way the name can still be fun and appealing, while still displaying the personalities in the podcast. 

 Following the recording of their conversation, Mr. Anthis listened back and thought that they should make this something that they do. It was a way for him to spend quality time with his daughter, while still having fun of his own. This podcast is on the sillier side and is known by most of Mr. Anthis’s students.  This podcast  gets lots of publicity throughout the school, “I’ll wear t-shirt’s of or bracelets because it’s okay if my students know about that one because I think they can listen to it and enjoy that silliness.” I recommend this podcast to everyone. It’s all fun and appropriate for students to listen to. 

               Advice on Podcasting

“Just to get going, start it. Podcasting is really easy.” The only way to start a podcast is to just get going. If you want it that bad, you will find a way to make it happen. No matter if you want money, fame, or just pleasure out of it, just get going. If you want to get ahead with your podcast, find something that separates you from the rest. Find your topic or your interest and just start. There is no real tried and true way of starting a podcast. You just do it. The starting could be rough, or it could be smooth, it’s all luck. The best thing about podcasts is that “[. . .] you can be you. You are the content.” It’s all you, nothing can start without you. 

Mr. Anthis’s journey as an educator and podcaster shows how it truly is important for one to have hobbies outside of school. “You don’t want school and work to become your soul identity.” If it does, then there is nothing that makes you, you. Whether your hobby is having comedy podcasts with your family or playing sports, having hobbies is what makes you unique. 

By balancing his roles as a teacher and podcaster, Mr. Anthis shows the importance of pursuing interests outside of work or school, not just for fun, but as a way to stay connected with his students and his family.