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Inspired by the saying, "Walk a mile in someone else's shoes," Jess sheds his cautious nature to become the drag queen Josie Jean Helix in a one-night-only performance at The Garden Nightclub. Watch these videos:Watch the time lapse as Jim turns Jess into the drag queen Josie Jean Helix through makeup and a wig.Jess performs as Josie Jean Helix at The Garden Nightclub in Des Moines.

What happens when your luck leaves you? In this episode, we explore stories of bad luck—and what people do to make it good.

Have you missed us since January? Get a sneak peak of Season 2 in this teaser. And hear the hopeful voices of Iowans describing their first warm welcome to the state.

The Middle of Somewhere staff voted on our favorite stories since our launch in August. Here are our top three picks!

This holiday season, explore how people celebrate in Iowa: from a 70-year-old Nativity treasured by an entire town to a 94-year-old woman who has been baking the same Christmas cookies for 66 years. We also delve into the meaning of Hanukkah and how to deal with grief and loss this time of year.

Our fourth episode delves into a common occurrence that plagues our minds and our lives: forgetting. We explore a vanished theme park that operated for more than 60 years, hear from Iowans about their most absentminded moments, and consider what's left when Alzheimer's takes everything else.

Our third episode takes you beyond the headlines of the 2016 presidential campaign, beyond the pages of a new book by an award-winning Iowa author and beyond the crowds of our famous state fair.

Our second episode shares stories of exploration, both personal and geographical: Iowa's first entrepreneur, transgender identity, a tiny island on a mighty river, and the iconic galactic explorer James T. Kirk.

Our inaugural episode shares stories of new beginnings in Iowa: immigrants from both Germany and Mexico building a home here, a family legacy of feeding the hungry inspired by a childhood memory, and a couple who founded a community theatre after a family tragedy.