Episode 441, Gas Tank Trips, brings back Shimek from Conversation Is Ventilation for another one of Jeremy’s on-air therapy sessions that a lot of us secretly need.
What starts as a laugh about Jeremy’s new studio and his wall of t-shirts quickly turns into a deep dive on purpose, fulfillment, and why so many firefighters stop having fun as they get older on the job. Shimek breaks down his idea of “gas tank trips” – filling the tank, picking a direction, staying off the interstate, and just going – as a metaphor for unplugging, being present, and saying yes to unplanned experiences with your family, your crew, or even by yourself.
Jeremy opens up about being buried by life, trying to balance work, family, and the firehouse, and realizing he needs more of those simple, intentional getaways with his wife and kids. The two talk about avoiding the bitter, disgruntled firefighter trap, the responsibility of the senior man to tell stories and pass it on, and how powerful it is to be honest, vulnerable, and just 1% better than yesterday.
From t-shirt walls and peanut butter-and-jelly “Shimek” sandwiches to heavy talk about mental load, happiness, and connection, this episode is a reminder to put the phone down, hit the two-lane roads, and start having fun on purpose again.
