PODCASTS

Hedda Gabler

GNTLGNT said:

....let me put my stethoscope down, and don my headsets.....the problem occurs when the host(s)try to be more clever than their guests, or attempt to take the spotlight away from them.....bad hosting at it's finest....

There is nothing wrong with once the discussion gets underway to give opinions on whether something is good or bad in their opinion. If they liked it or not. We all are going to have opinions on King’s work.  But the hosts immediately took a tone with their guests instead of really talking to them about a book they chose to talk about. I’m sure they had much more to say about the writing, characters, plot, King — yes. They talked about these things, but I don’t think they were respectful to their guests. They were more than happy to joke and ridicule it. Which really translated to ridiculing them. 

it felt to me that the guests saw where their lack of interest and conversation was going and didn’t try real hard after that. The hosts were not interested in talking about Tommyknockers and when they did, it was mostly jokes. The guests attempted to talk serious about it throughout, and just finally joked about it too. 

Then it was all Yellowjackets. A good interviewer lets his guests talk. Asks the questions and shuts up. 

If you wanted to talk Yellowjackets, book them honestly. Not under the false “ pick a king topic and we’ll discuss.” 

Someone else listen to the WHOLE  podcast. Maybe you’ll get a different feel. 

Sure. The guests could have been more forceful with staying on the Tommyknocker topic, but they are busy.  Not going to die on that Kingcast hill. 

GNTLGNT

A good interviewer lets his guests talk. Asks the questions and shuts up. 

....exactly!.....

Hedda Gabler

I am still making my way through Chris Hadfield’s Masterclass. It’s about 8 hours of a lot of information, so I’m not just blowing through it. 

I have to say, I totally love this guy. Love him. His smarts turn me right the fuck on. 🤣😂🤣😂

Of course, it goes without saying there would be no sex involved. We would totally dock up through mind meld capabilities. And my fuse couldn’t take his fuse — mind blown. 🤯 

annnnd scene. 

Seriously, i have gotten so choked up over just the beauty of his job. How respectful and lovingly he talks about space. So smart. He is kind and funny — but I have no doubt he would be a fucking badass when he needed to be. 

I have taken over 30 Masterclasses.  I cannot recommend this enough. It’s expensive. But most of my classes are like college classes with top professionals.  I take classes in everything because I’m a firm believer I can still learn new things from everyone. 

The classes have workbooks — some are thick like a college textbook. I have copied out hundreds of pages of workbooks. Some i just look at and don’t copy. Some I don’t even glance at because I know I took away from their spoken words what was important to me. 

Chris did a spacewalk where he attached a robot arm. Once attached it,  he had these “blankets” that he had unwrapped from the arm. They were the “packaging” and he needed to bring that stuff back inside. 

His arms were full so an astronaut inside brought him in with a robot arm. Nothing is done quickly.  So he sat back and looked around . He turned his lights off. He was in the middle of the Aurora.  He wasn’t seeing it off away from him, he was in it. He told the station to turn off the lights so they could see it.  It was unbelievable.  He said it was like surfing it.  I was totally weeping at this point. 

I am such a sucker for beauty and kindness and miracles and magic.  Totally verklempt. 

Anyway the point of my babbling, this would make a great gift for someone who loves to constantly learn and grow. Challenge their thinking ideas. You can buy a class, but I’d shell out for a year.  Access to all classes.  Don’t  bother with the stagnant assholes, there is no hope for them . 

Hedda Gabler

And did you know, the surface of the moon isn’t dust. Or sandy. Because there is no rain, no weather on the moon to wear down particles so the  surface is sharp like tiny pieces of glass. And when they walked on the moon, the bottom of their feet brought hundreds of little pieces of glass back on board. It can get into their instruments. They can breathe it . 

They are looking at ways of keeping suits outside so they don’t bring those things on board. They would enter the suits from the back instead of pulling them on. Russian suits enter from the back. 

And, there is radiation, constant. They have to monitor that. Xray techs wear tags to monitor their exposure, they wear them too. 

Hedda Gabler

He was doing a spacewalk one time and got vertigo because something flashed by him out of the corner of his eye and made him woozy— it was Africa .  

Hedda Gabler

He is so interesting. 

Hedda Gabler

Sorry.  Sorry.  I'm like a little kid.  Constantly questioning.

Why?
Because.
But why?
Because.

Good teachers know the because and can talk to you in language you understand.  From birth to old as dust, they can most times tell you the because.  Chris is so good at answering those "whys."

He said that when they finally get to space and turn the engines off, total weightlessness.  You are now a gangly Bambi trying to maneuver your body.  And he said, the first thing every astronaut does is head to the window. And the window is covered in nose prints because you are trying to control your floating body but everyone boops into the window with their nose.  

They constantly have to clean the windows to get a clear view.  Who wants to see the universe through smudgy nose prints?

Hedda Gabler

Contingency Sim.

That is a death simulation.  Astronauts run thousands and thousands of simulations.  They start off simple.  And then they get progressively more challenging.  More issues and failures are thrown in.  They build their skills.  

They also run Death Simulations or what they call Contingency Sims because that sounds better than Death Simulations.  

And one day, they ran a Contingency Sim that Commander Chris Hadfield died.  Chris brought his wife in for that day.  I understand why he did it.  She needed to be prepared for the possibility.  

Hedda Gabler

He talks about Mars.

He likens it to back when ships were first sailing the oceans.  Magellan launched from Spain in the early 1500s with 5 ships and 250 people to circumnavigate the globe. (A round thing you flat earth mother f**kers.). After 3 years, only one ship made it back with 18 people.

That is what they are facing now in space exploration.  They need to decide if it is worth it right now to risk people to Mars with those types of terrible odds and those consequences.

Hedda Gabler

Yep.  Finished Chris Hadfield.  Highly recommend.

Finished Jake Shimabukuro.

Now watching Jodie Foster, filmmaking.

Hedda Gabler

Hedda Gabler said:

He talks about Mars.

He likens it to back when ships were first sailing the oceans.  Magellan launched from Spain in the early 1500s with 5 ships and 250 people to circumnavigate the globe. (A round thing you flat earth mother f**kers.). After 3 years, only one ship made it back with 18 people.

That is what they are facing now in space exploration.  They need to decide if it is worth it right now to risk people to Mars with those types of terrible odds and those consequences.

wellllll, the earth is actually pear shaped.  Just learned that from Neil deGrasse Tyson.

GNTLGNT

.....you write so damn well Deej.....you are a balm to a frenzied mind....

Hedda Gabler

GNTLGNT said:

.....you write so damn well Deej.....you are a balm to a frenzied mind....

You are always so sweet. I babble. I know I do. I just get overly excited by something and start yapping.  

Hedda Gabler

You’re Dead To Me — a very fun look at the history of all sorts of things. 

Hedda Gabler

The Losers Club podcast just dropped an interview with Stephen Graham Jones. Super well done. Professional. Intelligent.  Humor without being a goofy mess. 

I give the hosts big props for shining the spotlight on their guest, not themselves. Obviously they inserted themselves just enough to propel the interview forward.  Can’t give enough praise especially to the one host. She/he/they was very prepared and had questions and observations that kept the interview fresh.  Great job you guys!

Stephen Graham Jones recommended many books but one that grabbed my interest and he highly highly recommended saying he himself had read it at least 5 to 7 times — FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven. 

Anyone read this? Thoughts?

Hedda Gabler

Lining up a radio drama to short circuit my thoughts so I can go back to sleep. Will put on my eye black-out shades. 

A tip for those of you who have tried sleep masks and gave them up because they were irritating. I used to not be able to wear these. I have long eyelashes and the flat mask would bend them back at uncomfortable angles. (My eyelashes, not my eyeballs. Eyeballs bent back at uncomfortable angles is unsightly and unmanageable.)

 I found an eye mask that is cupped— like little mini bras for your eyeballs.  Work great! Cross-your-eyeball bras that may or may not lift and separate. 

I really shouldn’t post when I wake up in the middle of the night. It’s sort of like playing Wordle at that time — dangerous in a very geriatric way. 

GNTLGNT

Notaro

BBC Radio - The Lunar Effect; Tales Of Werewolves

Hedda Gabler

Notaro said:

BBC Radio - The Lunar Effect; Tales Of Werewolves

I particularly loved that first story. The reader was very good. Not all narrators are suited to it. She was perfect. 

 I thought it was a shame though, that they labeled it the way they did.  Totally gave away a very subtle, well written story. Sneaking up on the listener would have been so much more delicious. 

Hedda Gabler

Notaro said:

BBC Radio - The Lunar Effect; Tales Of Werewolves

That first story is written by John Connolly? He wrote it under the pseudonym Laura Froom to be in an anthology of female Irish writers ? 

He did a fantastic job with that story. 

It’s titled The Cycle. But I really recommend listening to this narrator.  It is the first story on that BBC radio drama. About 13 minutes of your life.

treat yourself. 

Hedda Gabler

@Notaro — are there still traditional Mop Fairs? Apparently they originated in England before making their way to Ireland.Renaissance Fairs still happen, do people carry an item of their trade at Mop Fairs? 

I mean, i know there are Job Fairs or Hiring Fairs, but I like the idea of a Mop Fair where you carry an item. 

There’s a good story with that idea. I know what I would carry.  🤣

Hedda Gabler

https://youtu.be/k8Fp-CquGIQ

Read by Leonard Nimoy, There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury shows a masterful use of language. Beautiful example of “ how to.”

Notaro

Hedda Gabler said:

@Notaro — are there still traditional Mop Fairs? Apparently they originated in England before making their way to Ireland.Renaissance Fairs still happen, do people carry an item of their trade at Mop Fairs? 

I mean, i know there are Job Fairs or Hiring Fairs, but I like the idea of a Mop Fair where you carry an item. 

There’s a good story with that idea. I know what I would carry.  🤣

No Hedda I've never heard of any here, I think they still have them in parts of the UK.

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

@Notaro — are there still traditional Mop Fairs? Apparently they originated in England before making their way to Ireland.Renaissance Fairs still happen, do people carry an item of their trade at Mop Fairs? 

I mean, i know there are Job Fairs or Hiring Fairs, but I like the idea of a Mop Fair where you carry an item. 

There’s a good story with that idea. I know what I would carry.  🤣

....I peeked around a bit and found numerous posters advertising upcoming Mop Fairs, so in short-they are still a thing app-uh-rent-lee.....

Hedda Gabler

What would be your item of  trade? Anyone.

 For instance, Scott could be a stethoscope.