Episode 87 of Podyallup is for Friday, August 7, 2026. The episode begins with an ugly Mariners loss before moving into health, anxiety, smartphones, local stories, language teaching, and a crowded weekend at the Washington State Fairgrounds.

The host also continues remembering technology journalist and podcaster John C. Dvorak, whose voice had been part of his life for thousands of hours.

An 11-0 Mariners loss

The Mariners lose 11-0 in a game that feels like another sign of the season slipping away. The team grounds into four double plays, fails to score, and never becomes competitive.

Victor Robles provides the day's lone source of entertainment by pitching the final innings. Baseball can change quickly, and a few hot players could still alter the season, but the difficult August schedule leaves little room for another prolonged slump.

The host tries to model optimism for his children while admitting that a noncompetitive baseball game makes that difficult.

Two useful local medical experiences

The episode includes a positive recommendation for a local orthodontic practice that has provided attentive care at a substantially lower price than some alternatives. The transcript does not clearly capture the practice's name, so it is not included in the links above.

The host also recommends Washington Gastroenterology's Sunrise location in Puyallup. After Kaiser offered appointments in Bellevue and Federal Way with long waits, the Sunrise facility provided a closer appointment and a shorter scheduling delay.

The procedures themselves went smoothly, although another examination is planned to collect additional samples and establish a clearer baseline.

Stomach pain, anxiety, and the gut-brain connection

Months of stomach pain led to testing, procedures, and conversations with doctors. With no obvious physical cause explaining the symptoms, the discussion turned toward anxiety and the connection between the gut and the brain.

Human beings are built to scan for danger. When life is going well, those systems may continue searching for a threat anyway. The host has declined anxiety medication for now and has instead noticed that staying occupied and changing his relationship to the symptoms may be helping.

Birdsong, walking, and looking from side to side can help the body register that the surrounding environment is safe. Staring down at a screen all day does the opposite by narrowing attention and separating a person from the physical world around him.

The case against getting another smartphone

The family's aging iPhones are running out of storage. Apps remove themselves, necessary downloads fail, and the pressure to replace otherwise functional devices begins to feel like planned obsolescence.

The host does not want a newer iPhone or Android device. What he really wants is a heavy Bakelite landline attached to the wall, with no phone following him after he leaves the house.

Modern life makes that difficult. Two-factor authentication, family logistics, school activities, email, and specialized apps all assume that everyone owns and carries a smartphone.

Possible alternatives include a basic flip phone or a Light Phone, while keeping the old iPhone at home on Wi-Fi for the few services that still require it.

Email, procrastination, and getting older

Email is useful because messages arrive instantly, but that same convenience creates a permanent backlog. The host admits that messages often move to the back burner until he forgets to answer them entirely.

He used to postpone tasks and eventually complete them. Increasingly, he postpones them and simply does not return. It is a habit he once noticed in his father and now understands much better.

Help report the story of Puyallup

Listeners are invited to send local stories, family history, upcoming events, school district information, anonymous tips, and details about the parts of Puyallup that deserve more attention.

The show becomes more valuable when people across the community serve as its eyes and ears. A small tip about an event, a family connection, or a local issue can become the starting point for a future episode.

To send a story, correction, event, or tip, email andrew@podyallup.com.

How many hours do we hear someone speak?

John C. Dvorak's death raises an unusual question: how many hours does a person hear his father talk during the first 25 years of life?

A rough AI estimate produces about 7,700 hours, though the host suspects his own total may have been lower because his father worked so much. By comparison, he may have heard Dvorak speak for 1,500 to 2,000 hours across several podcasts.

That is enough time to become familiar with someone's stories, habits, opinions, jokes, cultural references, and view of the world. The relationship remains one-sided, but the absence still feels real when the voice suddenly stops.

Episode 88 may include a more direct tribute. Eighty-eight was one of Dvorak's recurring numbers and references.

Washington State history through ESL

The summer ESL class continues using Washington State history as the setting for intensive English practice. Recent topics include D. B. Cooper, the Oregon boundary dispute and "54°40' or Fight," and the Great Seattle Fire of 1889.

The Great Seattle Fire offers a clear example of one problem compounding another. A city built largely from timber faced a major fire while even some of its water pipes were made from wood.

Students read demanding texts, discuss unfamiliar vocabulary, watch videos connected to the readings, and process the same ideas through several forms of language. The goal is not merely to study grammar but to build understanding through sustained context.

Adult learners rebuilding professional lives

Many students arrived in the United States after working as attorneys, engineers, and other professionals in their home countries. They now face the difficult task of improving their English while learning how their education and professional experience might transfer into a new system.

Questions about employment do not always have easy answers. A former lawyer, for example, may need to investigate state licensing requirements, the bar examination, or limited pathways that make use of another language or an area of legal expertise.

The host respects the persistence required to rebuild a working life in a new country while learning the language at the same time.

Value for value

Podyallup does not use conventional advertising. Listeners support the show by sharing it, contributing information, helping produce future episodes, and sending financial value when they find the program useful.

To support the show, visit podyallup.com/donate.

The episode number is 87, making an $87 contribution one possible way to send the show number back.

28th Annual Round Up Auction

The Washington State Fair Foundation holds its 28th Annual Round Up Auction on Friday, August 7. The sold-out event supports the Blue Ribbon Scholarship Program, which has awarded more than $2.4 million to Washington students since 1991.

The evening includes a silent auction, hosted appetizers, an open bar, dinner, a live auction, and a Fund the Need appeal. The foundation expects to award approximately $250,000 in scholarships this year.

The event is limited to registered guests age 21 and older. Guests enter at 15th Avenue and 5th Street and proceed to the AgriPlex.

Hot Tub & Swim Spa Sale

A Hot Tub & Swim Spa Sale runs at the fairgrounds from August 7 through August 9. Visitors should enter through the Gold Gate.

Hot Barker Nights

Hot Barker Nights returns to the Washington State Fairgrounds on Saturday, August 8, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The family-friendly car show began as a way to honor Steve Barker. It now includes hundreds of classic cars, hot rods, custom trucks, muscle cars, motorcycles, daily drivers, project vehicles, vendors, food, music, raffles, and more than 30 trophy categories.

All makes and models are welcome. Vehicle registration is $35 after July 27, spectator admission is $3, and children under 16 are free. Visitors may use the Green or Red Gate.

Lewis & Clark/Emerald CFA Cat Show

The Lewis & Clark/Emerald Cat Fanciers' Association show takes place Saturday and Sunday, August 8 and 9, in the Expo Hall.

The all-breed show includes four judging rings each day and cats in costume at noon. The event logo features a pirate cat riding an orca, which may be the most memorable image discussed in the episode.

Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 6 through 16, and $10 for seniors. Children age 5 and younger are free. Visitors should enter through the Gold Gate.

Listeners who attend are encouraged to report back on how the cats respond to being dressed in costumes.

Closing

Episode 87 closes with thanks to everyone who listens, supports the show, shares local information, or helps tell the story of Puyallup. New episodes release every Friday.