Tag Archives: Caitlin Weaver

My Holiday or: A Happy Podfather

30 Wednesday Sep 2020

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

Today I get to celebrate a holiday that many celebrate now but when I started there were a lot fewer. Today is International Podcast Day.

I have mentioned before that I have been podcasting longer than probably 98% people in the area and probably that much or more continuously. I started podcasting in 2007 when I was co-owner of a local comic book store. We only did about 5 or 6 that was even worth mentioning and it most of that was rehashing recorded conference calls with Marvel Comics execs. But, it was a start and wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to do a radio show. I wanted to talk about pop culture. I still want to do radio. And, in a way, I do.

I started The Less Desirables with my pal Brian Attridge on February 3, 2010. You know that story. Eugene came along, Brian left, Caitlin came, Eugene left, Bruce came, Bruce left, Danielle came, Caitlin left, Bethany came. I’ve talked that ad nauseum by now. I wanted to do more than The Less Desirables, though. I wanted a whole network of podcasts, whether I was involved or not, perhaps just as an associate producer. Also, I wanted to get my “studio” out of my house and into a real business location.

So, in late 2012, Eugene and I moved all my stuff from my bedroom loft to a spot in the Chatham Building off of Fourth Street in WSNC. Soon after, in early 2013, I started producing both the Camel City News Hour hosted by Chad Nance and Fan Interference hosted by Ty Collins. CCNH lasted a few years and Fan Interference is still going today. Later in 2013, Nikki Miller-Ka, The BCPF and I started Tart & Tangy Triad, a food news podcast. That went until early 2016.

In February 2015, five years after starting The Less Desirables, Jon Lowder, Paul Jones, and I started The Beer Dads Podcast, after we were sitting at Small Batch Beer trying to decide what we were going to do a podcast about and I came in complaining about 3B, my son. We recorded it and Jon and Paul have become partners of mine. We have crossed the 200 episode mark.

In July of 2016, I recorded my first episode of The Man Who Ate the Town Podcast because I wanted another food podcast and had to rebut nasty comments about a critique of a local restaurant that I was actually a fan of. That is still going and I have had four co-hosts. Kelly Bone was my first, followed by Tim Johnson, then Ray Morgan. Ray is still with me and we have added Lea Metz to our lineup. I love them both being there. We will record episode 170 next week.

In late 2016, I started Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking Podcast with Jordan Keiper and we had a lot of drinking to do, for sure. We recorded into 2017 had to pause due to an illness in Jordan’s family. We are still on that hiatus, although Jordan and I have discussed, along with Danielle from TLD restarting it back up, but C-19 and other issues have kept us from doing that.

In 2018, along with “Jeff Evans” and Rory, we started Apartment 5B: Irrational Conversations with the Cool Breezes of Anytown, USA. We did that up to the pandemic, which JE’s wife was getting ready to have a baby, so we put everything on hold and we haven’t started back up.

In July 2019, Clay Howard and I started Beeswax Vinyl & More, a podcast that explored music in a different way. Clay’s schedule didn’t allow for him to do that long. I’m exploring other options for that. I haven’t given up on it. Stay tuned.

In February of 2020, Eugene B Sims started his long-awaited podcast, Wheeler’s Dog. He does two a week, one for the general public and one for his Patreon subs. I am an “associate producer” for that show. It’s all Eug, really. But, it is on my network.

And, finally, in July of this year, my “Kousins” Gary and Marvin and I started Asylum: The Tales from the Devereaux Diaries Podcast. We talk music but almost exclusively about our favorite band, KISS.

Also, I have produced a lot of podcasts for companies and clients. Forsyth Magazines, Blue Door Group, Phoenix Rising, Ring the Bell Realty, Center for Private Business, Dr. Shawn Ricks, and more are on the way in the next few months.

So, podcasting is now in my blood. I have done it so long and for so many that I’ve been christened, “The Podfather” and I love that title. I run with it and will continue to do so. So, to all my podcasting co-horts, whether they’re mine or not, to those in the community that do podcasts that I’m not part of but may have been inspired by (so I’ve been told) and to the people who listen to them, HAPPY INTERNATIONAL PODCAST DAY!!!!!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I think podcasting is here to stay.” – Adam Scott

The One With Them All (Mostly) or: The 10th

05 Wednesday Feb 2020

Posted by in Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

I am a lucky man. A truly lucky man.

I love what I do. I know you are probably tired of hearing (reading) me say this and I know I say it a lot. I love my “job.” It’s not a job, per se. It’s not a career. It’s just what I do. What I do is podcasting. Just like I said on Monday (with the 10th anniversary of the first episode of The Less Desirables), without The Less Desirables, I probably wouldn’t be where I am in this industry.

20200205_212043-01

l to r: C Jay, Danielle, Scorp, Bethany, Brian, Eugene, The BCPF, Caitlin, Dory

I’m no big wig in it, but around here, to quote Ron Burgundy, I’m kind of a big deal. That is just me taking goofy, I don’t really think that I’m that big a deal.

Tonight, though, I got to realize what great friends and “family” I have. My podcasting friends. My podcasting family.

Brian, Eugene, Caitlin, Danielle and Bethany, all former or current co-hosts of The Less Desirables, joined The BCPF, The Beer Guru – C Jay Platt and his wife Dory (The Barley Babe) in helping me celebrate this podcast and what it has become. Brian came all the way from Richmond, VA and drove back after the podcast. Caitlin came from Baltimore. C Jay and Dory came from Charlotte. That’s amazing.

We talked about starting the podcast (Brian and I), Eugene’s joining and “not leaving,” Brian’s education and subsequent departure, Caitlin’s arrival, Eugene’s departure, Bruce’s arrival and departure, Danielle’s arrival, Caitlin’s departure, Bethany’s arrival and Danielle’s hiatus.

We talked about our memories, our guests, our music, our episodes and so on and so on.

I’m not going to write much more right now, I want to just relish the moments.

I can’t thank every one of them and every one of you that may have ever listened to the podcast, enough. If you hadn’t, perhaps you would? I recommend this one.

Tonight was a great night, a great show, a great time with great friends and family.

Until the next 10 years, this podcast at any pod time…
Scorp out!

—
“Better than tuna fish on cinnamon swirl raisin bread…” – The Less Desirables

A Decade of Decadence or: The Most Desirables?

03 Monday Feb 2020

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

Today is the 10th anniversary of The Less Desirables’ first-ever episode, both recording and airing. February 3, 2010, was a Wednesday and I went to the area between Reynolda Road, Silas Creek Parkway and Wake Forest Road and picked up Brian from work as his car was in the shop.

08c6c-tld

10 Years Old Today (the podcast, not the logo)

I took him to my house only to realize that I didn’t have the right mic or mic cable in my house for more than one person to talk. So, we had to run over to where the bands that I had been in had practiced and grabbed the right mic and cable and headed back to my house.

We sat in the “media room” (what is now 3B’s room) and looked at each other. “What are we going to talk about?” I asked. “I don’t know,” he said. I replied, “I tell you what… I’ll hit the record button and we’ll just see what happens. If we don’t like it, we can try again.”

The point was to have a 20-minute podcast, this newfangled kind of “radio-on-demand” or recorded audio thingy because 20 minutes is about the length of an average commute here in the Triad. Some are longer, some are shorter, but it’s about average at 20. How we were going to come up with something to talk about for 20 minutes was wracking our brains.

I hit the button. 38 minutes later, the first one was recorded. An hour later it was on a web server and I had half-arsed written an RSS feed, the best I could figure, and was ready for people to listen to. I don’t know that anyone did. I still don’t know if they hear them now. I just know that there are plenty of downloads. That first one was a bit rough and I think neither Brian nor myself would argue that.

It wasn’t fascinating stuff. But, you know what? Few people were doing it. We essentially had our own radio program, a morning-type show, and we were proud of that. And, here we are 10 years later and I am still proud of what we did that first day and all 520 episodes since. I am pretty sure Brian would agree with that.

This Wednesday will be the 10th-anniversary recording, number 521. I know that Eugene, Caitlin, Beer Guru Jay Platt, Danielle and Bethany will be there. There is a slim chance that Brian and Bruce will come but I’m not really sure. I’d love to have all of us in a room at once. Heck, it would be great if Superfan Damien could be here, too. But, he’s all the way out in Super Bowl Champion World (that’s Kansas City). It would be great, though. That first show even predates The BCPF by a few months.

Without that first show, there probably wouldn’t be any Fan Interference, any Camel City Dispatch News Hour, Tart & Tangy Triad, The Beer Dads, The Man Who Ate the Town, Apartment 5B, Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking, or Beeswax Vinyl & More. No The Less Desirables Network. No, Rule 1 Podcast, Owner’s Manual, No Mask No Cape Podcast, Forsyth Mags Podcast, Open the Blue Door Podcast, Wine About Real Estate Podcast, Margaret’s SpeakEasy Podcast, Transformative Conversations Podcast, Lunch Link Podcast, Thrive with Dara and Garth, or any of the ones that I should be starting in the next few weeks.

I’m not saying that none of these last group of podcasts wouldn’t be there, I’m just saying that I wouldn’t be the one making them happen if it weren’t for the first-ever recording of The Less Desirables 10 years ago today. I wouldn’t be called “the Podfather.”

When I started this journey in 2010, no one knew what a podcast was. I had to explain around seven times a day what it was. Now, I only have to explain it once every seven days. Now, almost literally everyone has a podcast and when people around here want to start one, they at least come to me first. That makes me feel good. It makes me feel important. It makes me feel like I truly am the “father” of the podcast culture around this area.

All this because Brian and I sat in a room in my house and made stuff up for about 40 minutes. Since that first day, there is only one thing that has stayed constant since the very first show. Not me, I haven’t been on every show. Not Brian, he left in 2014. Most would think it is the theme song (which I wrote, by the way). Nope to all of that. The only thing constant since the first-ever show (which was recorded on that day) is the disclaimer at the very end. It still has Brian’s voice on it, here, five and a half years since his leaving. So, even though he’s not here, he’s here every week.

If you’d like to hear this (very rough) first episode, you can do so here. Listen to that one and then listen to the one this week and hear the difference.

Well, here’s to another 10 years (at least) of The Less Desirables and The Less Desirables Podcast Network. Thank you for listening and reading…

Until tomorrow, same pod channel at some pod time (your choice)…
Scorp out!

—
“The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the contributors and not necessarily those of our distributors or hosting company. This podcast is copyrighted and any use of this product cannot be reproduced without the expressed written consent of Such-N-Such Limited, Inc. So don’t do it…” – The Less Desirables

The TLD 500 or: Breaking at the Speed of…

12 Thursday Sep 2019

Posted by in Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

There are milestones and there are milestones!!! Last night, I recorded the 500th episode of The Less Desirables. Of those 500, I have been on 497 of them. I’ll explain. In 2012, on April 18, a Wednesday, I had my heart surgery. That was the first show I missed. In 2013, I was in Europe for two weeks. Brian and Eugene handled the recording for those. Also, in 2013, I was in Costa Rica and Brian had to be at a school function (he was in the MBA program at Wake Forest) and Eugene had a problem with the studio equipment so he went home. That was the only week in 501 weeks that we missed a show. I don’t blame Eug for that. My setup isn’t the easiest to operate. TLD

Last night, Danielle had a family function to attend so she couldn’t be there. Our friend Tracy Bush was there to fill in. Of course, Bethany was with us, because that’s her spot! Eugene was there to celebrate with us. Our guest for the night was Chad Nance, who hosted a podcast on the network at one time. He was instrumental in the whole John Lawson story, or as the press wants to call it (and how Lawson would want it), “Pazuzu.” We really talked just a little about story and more about the production. It was a fun show. A bit long, sure, but still great.

501 weeks. That’s almost 10 years. That happens in February. I’m planning on a big deal for the 10th-anniversary show. So, keep an eye on that. It was good to have my pals on the show with me. I did talk a little bit about doing all I feel I’ve accomplished doing the podcast.

If it weren’t for TLD, we may not have ever done the Camel City Dispatch (now defunct) or Fan Interference, the first two podcasts that made The Less Desirables Network an actual “network.” There wouldn’t have been a Tart & Tangy Triad which eventually led to The Man Who Ate the Town. There wouldn’t have been The Beer Dads, Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking, Apartment 5B, or Beeswax Vinyl & More. Without doing those podcasts, I wouldn’t have gone on to produce the TVA vaping podcast, the Thrive podcast, Rule One podcast, Open the Blue Door podcast, The Owner’s Manual podcast, Wine About Real Estate podcast, Dr. Shawn Ricks’ podcast, a few new ones that I can’t talk about, yet and more. I would never have gotten the local nickname “the Podfather.”

With all these shows (and other things that either is in the works or never materialized), I estimate that I have produced around 1300-1400 podcast episodes. I really need to go back and do a full count because I’d really like to know. I have every episode of every podcast I’ve ever recorded, published or not, save one episode, or so I think. I may have found it on the server and downloaded it but if I did lose it, it was from 2011, I think. Jerry Chapman was our guest. But, other than that, I have every single one. Perhaps I’ll put that number together someday.

But, 500 episodes. To toot my own horn. That’s really something. And, it’s really impressive, for any show. Especially one that is weekly. Some podcasts do several a week and may have bigger numbers but I don’t know what those are. After all, The Less Desirables is the longest, continuously-running pop culture podcast in North Carolina. Some may have been there before me but didn’t keep it up or they showed up just after me, but I have been at it longer. Toot! Toot!

Here’s to the next 500 and I appreciate every listen you may have ever given us, Dear Reader. Thank you so very much. Thank you, Brian, for starting this with me. Thank you, Eugene, for bringing us into prominence. Thank you, Caitlin, for keeping us all in line and taking those shots at Eug and me. Thank you, Bruce, for teaching us how to be more professional in our “radio selves” and being there for us. Thank you, Danielle, for coming in and teaching us humility and how a badass woman can run a business with authority (and taking over as the “shot-taker” from Caitlin). Thank you, Bethany, for always having my back and being my other badass “work wife.” I love you all for what you have meant to this “little project.”

So, I’ve rambled enough. Until the next 500,
Scorp out!

—
“Better than tuna fish on cinnamon swirl raisin bread…” – TLD Announcer

Is There a Doctor in the House? or: The Fort in the Woods

28 Wednesday Aug 2019

Posted by in Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

Salutations™!!

3321-01

Me with Dr. C!

Tonight on The Les Less Desirables we had brothers Jacob and Issac Rudolph who were promoting their new business, Fort in the Woods, which focuses on getting young folks’ noses out of their electronic devices and out in nature and the great outdoors. We talked about the business, nature, outdoors, life, music, beer and trebuchets. If you don’t know what a trebuchet is, Google it. It seems it would be a world of fun!

In addition, Danielle had to leave early because she was under the weather. But, Caitlin Weaver, former co-host of TLD came in for the last part of the show. She had her dissertation defense today and she passed! Yay! So, now we will call her Dr. Caitlin, or as she liked when I called her, Dr. C!! Congrats to her!

You can listen to the episode HERE.

We also recorded Fan Interference for the first time in a month. Hear that HERE.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“At Fort In The Woods, we embrace and celebrate a boyish, adventurous spirit and seek to create content that encourages boys and young men to be creative, value wisdom, and find adventure.” – Fort in the Woods

Many a Brew or: The Less Desirables Beer of the Week

09 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by in Beer, Podcasting

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

Bull’s Tavern, the Official Beer Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents a shload of beer.

Yep, I said it was a shload of beer. Chances are the brews we had on the show this evening you’re not going to find at Bull’s Tavern, so instead, we are just going to talk about Bull’s Tavern. 1_tld

They have 24 taps. They have an extensive liquor wall. And, they have a lot of live music. So, beer, booze, music. That’s a great combination. Add in a great atmosphere and you have a near perfect place.

The thing about the beer selection at Bull’s Tavern is that there are many that you won’t find anywhere else in WSNC. That’s because, with Bull’s partnership with Gate City Growlers, they get brews that you just won’t find anywhere else. They drive to the far reaches of the state to get the best beer this state has available. Yum!

As far as live music goes, here’s what they have going on this week:

May 10 – Something Like Seduction
May 11 – Little Stranger
May 12 – Brothers Pearl

Go support local music and have a great beer whilst you’re at it.

Tune in to this week’s show and listen to Caitlin, Bethany and me talk about the beer that Caitlin brought. You can listen HERE.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Milk is for babies. When you grow up you have to drink beer.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Piggybackin’ or: Celebration Time

06 Tuesday Feb 2018

Posted by in Food, Life as We Know It, Podcasting

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

I’m going to piggyback The Man Who Ate the Town as I always do, but I’m also going to talk about what I said I was going to talk about, yesterday. Kelly and I talk about Camino’s new co-owners, Super Bowl and our food for the big game, Wise Man, Willows and a brand new Asian place called Dynasty. You can hear about that HERE.TLD

Now, on to the other thing. This past Saturday, February 3rd, was the EIGHTH anniversary of the very first recording of The Less Desirables podcast. I tell this story every year and I know you get tired of reading about it but here goes anyway…

Brian and I sat in what is now my son’s bedroom and labored over what we were going to talk about for twenty minutes. This after we spent an hour running around getting all the right cables and such together from where the bands I was in practiced. We pulled it off and the next week we did it again. And the next. And so on. Our first outside guest was Brian’s brother Sean who played the part of the Least Desirable. I feel I can tell that, now.

Then, our first “official” guest was our buddy Jay Platt who was our Beer Guru for the first three years. That date was March 17, in which we went to Finnigan’s afterward to get some holiday time in and started really promoting the show. Jay was a quarterly regular and then moved monthly until circumstances led to him having to stop. I miss old Jay.

We started having guests regularly after a while and one of those was my buddy Eugene, whom other than The BCPF, I probably write the most about on this blog after myself. He became a fixture and co-host as the Official Third Wheel and TV Guru.

Brian eventually bettered himself and moved to Virginia leaving Eugene and me to tend the garden. We then added Caitlin to our fold and she became the Third Wheel. Eugene left and we brought Bruce in to replace him. Bruce was fun, but life took him back to Chi-town. Caitlin took the co-pilot chair and eventually another guest became a permanent fixture, that being Danielle.

With Caitlin, we always knew we were on a limited-time basis with her, because she was going to be moving once her degree was finished. We did get to milk her time for about a year longer than we thought and that was great

When Caitlin had to move, yet another past guest came in to take the Third Wheel seat, or as we call it now, the “Abuse Tim” chair. That would be Bethany and that’s where we are now. Danielle, Bethany and me, with a bevy of guests.

Tomorrow, we will record show #417. That’s more than and longer than any other podcast in this area and as far as I can tell, this state. Without that first one eight years ago, I wouldn’t produce Fan Interference, The Camel City Dispatch/Electric Camel Pod, Tart and Tangy Triad, The Beer Dads, Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking or The Man Who Ate the Town podcasts. With the exception of the CCD and T&TT podcasts, I still do the others as part of The Less Desirables Network.

There are more TLD podcasts and shows coming, whether as part of the TLD Network, a whole new podcast network or for individuals’ use. The future is bright, but I have to get busy, there’s a lot of podcasting to do, yet.

We would have never gotten where we are without our sponsors: City Beverage, Finnigan’s Wake, King’s Crab Shack, Washington Perk, Bull’s Tavern, Underdog Records, Test Pattern. Also, we thank a/perture cinema, The Garage, Bob’s Big Gas Subs and Pub, Cafe Rochè for their support early on and up until the last little bit. A few of those are no longer in existence but we do appreciate them being with us when they were.

This Saturday, we are celebrating our eight-year fun, along with the rest of the network, our guests, our listeners and our people. We are doing that where the whole thing was conceived: Finnigan’s Wake. That’s where I pitched the idea to Brian and we planned its course. I am now inviting all of you to Finnigan’s to celebrate with us. The party is from 7-10, February 10. I really hope to see a lot of you there!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Voted the best pop culture podcast within a four-block radius in downtown Winston-Salem, this is The Less Desirables.” – TLD Announcer

Introducing… or: Top Shelf Top Leaf

15 Wednesday Nov 2017

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Podcasting, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I would like to introduce to you the newest member of The Less Desirables… Bethany Miller!

23168004_10214833041638345_5124017710526520744_n

Bethany Miller

 

Now, Dear Reader, I’m sure that you figured out that she has been a regular guest co-host pretty much since the first show after Caitlin left. The plan was to go with a rotating bevy of guest hosts and that would basically be “auditions” for the spot. But, Bethany kept showing up – which is a good thing – and she was engaging with the guests, she’s funny, she’s witty and she is not afraid to take shots at me, which as any listener to The Less Desirables knows, is imperative. So, throw out the “guest” part. She’s official! She’s the seventh person to hold the title of “co-host” (counting myself).

Bethany and her husband, JD, own Top Leaf Cigar Lounge and they offer a great place for people to go, purchase their high-quality cigars (not that Swisher Sweets stuff – not that there’s anything wrong with that), sit comfortably in a casual setting with people of like mind and enjoy camaraderie in this cigar smoking community.  Bethany and JD know what they’re doing and they can guide you in your quest for the “perfect cigar” for you.

Danielle asked me, “can we keep her?” And, you don’t really tell Danielle “no.” Plus, I have been extremely happy with Bethany’s adopted role and she has taken up the mantle. So, welcome, Bethany Miller! Congratulations!

Of course, Wednesdays are usually beer day but Danielle is bringing a “Dealer’s Choice” tonight. Whatever she brings, you can pick it up at City Beverage. Listen tonight to hear what it is and what we think about it. And, if you haven’t yet, check out Bethany as our new co-host.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I’ll take the ‘insult Tim chair.'” – Bethany Miller

On Spot(ify) or: Playlisting

23 Monday Oct 2017

Posted by in Life as We Know It

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

On Wednesday nights or Thursday mornings (whenever I get to it) I offer up a new playlist on Spotify. It is sometimes my list but mostly it is the playlist from The Less Desirables Network cast of characters. That means that The BCPF, Beer Dad Jon, Beer Dad Paul, Jordan from Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking, TC of Fan Interference, Danielle and Caitlin have all done playlists up to this point. Caitlin has left The Less Desirables because she moved for work. We are working with some guest co-hosts for the time being. running-og

I’m going to ask Eugene (still part of The Less Desirables family) to contribute on a regular basis even though he has a large playlist of his own. And, I’m also going to ask some of our frequent guests to do the same. The contributors (including myself) are on a mostly-regular rotation. There are some weeks that I don’t have one to put in and that’s okay, I guess. I’ll do them when I have them.

The point is to get everyone who listens more in tune with the folks they listen to on the podcasts each week. A little insight into what goes on in their heads or some of their favorite tunes, the reasons for the lists can be anything. It is anything, really. Take this week’s playlist for example. The BCPF gave me several lists to choose from. Being as this is the only one I’ll get to from her before Halloween, I decided to take that one. It’s all songs that are spooky, talk about death, violence (as she can get, I promise it’s not that bad) and maladies that impose themselves on our fears and torments. I am making that part up. It’s just a list of songs that she likes that are a bit out there (in a non-regular The BCPF way). Give it a listen and you’ll hear what I’m talking about.

You can listen to these playlists, not only on Spotify but also on Soundsgood.co. The Soundsgood feed allows listeners to listen to available songs on platforms that may or may not be on Spotify. Some are available on YouTube, Apple, Amazon and so on. That part is still being worked through and tweaked so, keep checking back. So, here are the playlist links:

Spotify
Soundsgood.co
TLD Podcast Network (click on the link on the right hand side of the webpage)

The URL for the Spotify and Soundsgood.co links will change every week. Just subscribe to me, or check the TLD Network link to get the latest of each. Also, if you follow the TLD Network Facebook and Twitter accounts, they are updated weekly, as well.

Enjoy listening, Dear Reader, until tomorrow…
Scorp out!

—
“White on white translucent black capes. Back on the rack. Bela Lugosi’s dead.” – “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” (Hawkins, Hawkins, Murphy, Ash)

Two Birthdays or: The Important Things

11 Wednesday Oct 2017

Posted by in Life as We Know It

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

Salutations™!!

So, I struggled today with what to write about but I decided that I would write about both and I felt the struggle leave. There are TWO major milestones happening today. On this day in 1977, my little sister was born. I’m no maths scholar by any means but if I take 1,977 from 2,017, that leaves 40. Right? FORTY! Man, it’s often a surprise that I let her live that long. Of course, I jest. She’s always taken good care of me when she needed to. 551589_3780918167809_2064565919_n

When we were much younger, we rarely got along. I’m a month shy of seven years older than her. It’s not like I hide my age so I’m not giving anything away there. She was too young to hang with my friends and truthfully, she annoyed the bejeezus out of me.  Always wanted to play with my stuff and always claimed that everything was hers. There was something about a Whitney Houston record and a Fleetwood Mac tape in there somewhere, right, sis? As we grew older, the contention didn’t necessarily go away.

Once, when we were still living in WV, she kept doing cartwheels in front of the TV while I was watching wrestling. I asked her to stop. I told her to stop. She didn’t stop. I got up on the back of the ugly (but oh so interesting) black/white/red chair I was sitting in and when she came through again, I did a clothesline off the “top rope” on her and she hit her head and I busted her lip. There was also a time when we had just moved here and I was “watching” her. I locked her out of the house and she put a broom handle through the window. Or was it me? I don’t really remember.

We had some big arguments, water (with ice) thrown to the face, a takedown, near hits and near misses. I don’t know about her, but I’m not proud of any of those fights, but that’s what siblings do, right? I would always make her so mad when she would throw the “I’m going to tell mom!” at me. I would hurry and tell on myself so she didn’t get the satisfaction. She would do whatever she could to get me into trouble but then would stand and scream at our mother to stop whipping me. Those were the days.

But, because we all end up growing up, somehow, we did. We don’t always see eye-to-eye but I really enjoy hanging out with her, now. We can have “life” conversations, general conversations, she listens to a few of my podcasts religiously (and I talk about her on those), we’ve grown up. She’s a great mother to my nephews. Any problems they have is certainly not from my side of the family. I kid. We get to hang out sometimes and have dinner at Willows and we always talk cooking and recipes during the holidays. She still can’t let things go, but that’s just our Leah. I wouldn’t want her any other way. She’s bad-arsed in just about every way. The BCPF says she’s so glad that my sister likes her and is glad she’s “on her side.” She’s scary when she’s not on your side. I’m scared of her. So, happy birthday or solar circumnavigational anniversary day, sis. I do love ya and can’t wait until we’re back at Willows having a burger and sangria.  I could write a 10,000-word blog post and it would still not be enough to cover her and my stories.

SO, the other thing that I’m celebrating today is that on my sister’s 40th birthday, it’s also The Less Desirables‘ 400th episode! Who would have thought when Brian and I started this roller coaster ride back in 2010 that it would still be going strong in 2017? I could see missing a few weeks here and there, but nope (in actuality, only one was missed). We’ll have world-class body painter Cheryl Ann Lipstreau in to celebrate with us and maybe a few other guests. I’ll probably get my face painted. You’ll want to hear that, I’m sure. So, here’s to Brian, Eugene, Caitlin, Bruce and Danielle for helping me keep this dream alive. I still love my “job” and love sharing it with you, Dear Reader (and Listener). 400 is a big number, I hope the next 400 will be as fun as the first 400. Thank you for listening!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“For there is no friend like a sister in calm or stormy weather; To cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands.” – Christina Rossetti