Almost Certainly Not

Let's get on the same page and figure out what the book is about. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

"The past is never dead; it's not even past." ― William Faulkner, Requiem for a Nun Can I learn to let go? MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Some people just know it when they see it. Some seem to have their eyes turned to the wall. Which are you? Can we tell? MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

"It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience." --Julius Caesar MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

On bad days the craving is strong. On good days it is unbearable. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

It's a dangerous thing to live a life where you won't accept advice. It's worse still to not even seek it. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Have you ever thought: "I could just kill somebody right now"? To what extent did you mean it? MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

“Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.” ― Sigmund Freud "Being entirely honest with oneself is a nearly unbearable exercise that often leaves one in a more tenuous position than when they began." ― Dan Lauer MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The view from the bottom is dark and lonely. But fighting is always an option. With the right kind of eyes, fighting is the only option. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Sometimes that entails resorting to a mental health treatment typically regarded in the modern age as barbaric and passe. The truth of the matter is far more complicated. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

It's always best practice to reach for the stars, but it's also possible to get burned. There can be a wide gulf between expectations, hopes, wildest dreams and reality. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The extent to which life can at once become both simpler and more confused is maddening. As is consistent lack of sleep. Additionally, the second point has a lot of influence on the first. These disparate thoughts, and more, are explored in detail. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Memory is a funny thing, especially when yours no longer works properly. The worst part about not remembering something is that you can't remember that you can't remember. I explore this and more, in depth, in today's episode. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Kernel Panic: a safety measure taken by an operating system upon detecting a fatal error in which it either is unable to safely recover or cannot have the system continue to run without having a higher risk of major data loss. Panic Attack: a sudden episode of intense fear or anxiety and physical symptoms, based on a perceived threat rather than imminent danger. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

There are many words one could use to describe me. Misanthrope. Curmudgeon. Loner. Prick. Asshole. And they’d be right. But a word not often associated with me, is friend. You, dear listeners, would likely not disagree. And you’d be right, more often than not. But not always. My first guest ever on the show is appearing, in part, to prove that. She is a commercial, film and television actress, a national voice over artist and a performer at Orlando area theme parks. Please welcome, to Almost Certainly Not: Leyla Lawrence. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The saga continues with guest Leyla Lawrence. Things get personal. Things get complicated. Things get serious. Things get fucking ridiculous. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The show takes a turn for the better with the addition of the one and only Leyla Lawrence as a permanent co-host, helping to add a voice of reason to a show that typically contains anything but. We cover previous episode reactions, my treatment progress and complications therein and, believe it or not, we dip a toe in Me Too. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

"Did you miss me?" -- Jim Moriarty MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Dan makes some new, shocking revelations about that part of himself that shall not be named. Leyla asks Dan absolutely anything, in addition to taking on all social media responsibilities for the show because of Dan's ineptitude. Leyla has a pulled groin, but powers through heroically. Both horror and hilarity ensue. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The question time tables get turned on Leyla, much to Dan's delight. While Dan expounds on his tortuous thought process, particularly with regards to breasts. He also recites a poem. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

WARNING: The contents of this episode may be disturbing or frightening to some listeners. This is not an enticement or a teaser. This is true. However, the audio is being released, in it's entirety, in order to maintain the goal and reason for the existence of this podcast: to illuminate and to tell a very specific story. MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Leyla helps Dan solve a mystery. Dan discovers what breakfast is really all about. Leyla doesn’t want to get in touch with college Leyla for a variety of reasons. Dan relates multiple disquieting tales related to his mental health…but what else is new? MUSIC: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sandra Lynn Johnson-Hughes vanished without a trace in the dense Sierra National Forest in the summer of 2020. Her campsite was found abandoned, her belongings scattered as if she'd left in a hurry. Then came the sightings—fleeting glimpses by hikers who swore Hughes looked disoriented, barefoot, and bruised. Each time, she vanished into the trees before they could reach her. Weeks passed, and hope waned, until one day, a chilling discovery was made deep in the wilderness—something that changed everything. But if it wasn't Sandra... then who, or what, had been watching from the woods? → Credits, References, Corrections, and More Home: https://almostcertainlynot.com/ → Support Join our Patreon with the link below. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Almost_Certainly_Not → Original Article/Script Substack: https://danwlauer.substack.com/p/electric-blue → Post Meridiem: An Unreliable Memoir of Madness in Los Angeles Dan Lauer has a memoir available on Kindle & Paperback. Amazon: https://a.co/d/a1tPujS "Post Meridiem is an unreliable memoir of events that occurred in Los Angeles County between June and September 2009. From the bewildering cast of a state-run psychiatric hospital to the horrific exhibits of the Museum of the Morbid, Dan Lauer searches for comfort and solace from a severe depression-driven psychotic break from reality in all the wrong places."

Imagine a life without food, where the human body thrives on nothing but air and sunlight. Breatharianism—a belief that we can survive without eating—has fascinated and horrified skeptics for decades. Devotees claim they've unlocked the ultimate secret to longevity, shedding their dependence on physical sustenance. But what happens when followers go too far and are fully taken in by the figureheads who don't practice what they preach? Behind the serene promises of enlightenment lie stories of starvation, mystery, and death. → Credits, References, Corrections, and More Home: https://almostcertainlynot.com/ → Support Join our Patreon with the link below. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Almost_Certainly_Not → Original Article/Script Substack: https://danwlauer.substack.com/p/waiting-to-inhale?r=11vpl1 → Post Meridiem: An Unreliable Memoir of Madness in Los Angeles Dan Lauer has a memoir available on Kindle & Paperback. Amazon: https://a.co/d/a1tPujS "Post Meridiem is an unreliable memoir of events that occurred in Los Angeles County between June and September 2009. From the bewildering cast of a state-run psychiatric hospital to the horrific exhibits of the Museum of the Morbid, Dan Lauer searches for comfort and solace from a severe depression-driven psychotic break from reality in all the wrong places."

In the summer of 1916, the Jersey Shore was rocked by a series of brutal shark attacks that left beachgoers terrified and authorities baffled. Over twelve harrowing days, five people were attacked, four of them fatally, in a rampage that moved from the ocean to a quiet creek inland. → Credits, References, Corrections, and More Home: https://almostcertainlynot.com/ → Support Join our Patreon with the link below. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Almost_Certainly_Not → Original Article/Script Substack: https://danwlauer.substack.com/p/we-saw-the-water-turning-red → Post Meridiem: An Unreliable Memoir of Madness in Los Angeles Dan Lauer has a memoir available on Kindle & Paperback. Amazon: https://a.co/d/a1tPujS "Post Meridiem is an unreliable memoir of events that occurred in Los Angeles County between June and September 2009. From the bewildering cast of a state-run psychiatric hospital to the horrific exhibits of the Museum of the Morbid, Dan Lauer searches for comfort and solace from a severe depression-driven psychotic break from reality in all the wrong places."

The myth of the fearless, lethal soldier collapses under a surprising truth: most soldiers in combat do not shoot to kill. Despite rigorous training, many hesitate to pull the trigger, even when their survival depends on it. This isn't due to lack of skill or weaponry but a profound psychological barrier against killing, rooted deeply in human nature. Combat studies have revealed that, throughout history—from ancient warriors to modern soldiers—the reluctance to take life persists. Military training has adapted, but the instinct to preserve life challenges assumptions about warfare, revealing the complex human morality laid bare on the battlefield. → Credits, References, Corrections, and More Home: https://almostcertainlynot.com/ → Support Join our Patreon with the link below. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Almost_Certainly_Not → Original Article/Script Substack: https://danwlauer.substack.com/p/hold-your-fire → Post Meridiem: An Unreliable Memoir of Madness in Los Angeles Dan Lauer has a memoir available on Kindle & Paperback. Amazon: https://a.co/d/a1tPujS "Post Meridiem is an unreliable memoir of events that occurred in Los Angeles County between June and September 2009. From the bewildering cast of a state-run psychiatric hospital to the horrific exhibits of the Museum of the Morbid, Dan Lauer searches for comfort and solace from a severe depression-driven psychotic break from reality in all the wrong places."

How often do we pause to examine the words we use, the phrases we repeat, or the idioms that slip into our conversations? From “shouting fire in a crowded theater” to “good fences make good neighbors,” our common expressions are relics of history, reshaped by time. As we question their evolution, we reflect on how language mirrors our collective thinking, and why rediscovering their roots is not just an act of curiosity, but a journey toward sharper, more profound communication. → Credits, References, Corrections, and More Home: https://almostcertainlynot.com/ → Support Join our Patreon with the link below. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Almost_Certainly_Not → Post Meridiem: An Unreliable Memoir of Madness in Los Angeles Dan Lauer has a memoir available on Kindle & Paperback. Amazon: https://a.co/d/a1tPujS "Post Meridiem is an unreliable memoir of events that occurred in Los Angeles County between June and September 2009. From the bewildering cast of a state-run psychiatric hospital to the horrific exhibits of the Museum of the Morbid, Dan Lauer searches for comfort and solace from a severe depression-driven psychotic break from reality in all the wrong places."

In the quiet of 1929 Arkansas, the tale of Connie Franklin gripped the nation. A drifter with a devil-may-care charm, Franklin disappeared just before he was to marry a young farm girl. Soon, whispers of a gruesome murder surfaced, with accounts of violence, betrayal, and a body burned in a fiery pit. As a trial of the accused unfolded, shocking twists and dark secrets blurred the lines between victim and villain, leaving the truth shrouded in uncertainty. Who was Connie Franklin, and what truly happened in those shadowed hills? Sometimes, the dead don't stay silent. And sometimes, they don't stay dead. → Credits, References, Corrections, and More Home: https://almostcertainlynot.com/ → Support Join our Patreon with the link below. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Almost_Certainly_Not → Post Meridiem: An Unreliable Memoir of Madness in Los Angeles Dan Lauer has a memoir available on Kindle & Paperback. Amazon: https://a.co/d/a1tPujS "Post Meridiem is an unreliable memoir of events that occurred in Los Angeles County between June and September 2009. From the bewildering cast of a state-run psychiatric hospital to the horrific exhibits of the Museum of the Morbid, Dan Lauer searches for comfort and solace from a severe depression-driven psychotic break from reality in all the wrong places."

Every move is calculated, every sacrifice intentional. Manipulation, like chess, is a game of control—of positioning others without them realizing they're being played. The most skilled manipulators don't force; they guide, nudging their pawns forward until checkmate feels like their opponent's own doing. How does this happen, why is it so consistent in its method and execution and where is the line between sympathy for those who suffer from these traits and accountability for the pain they inflict on others? → Credits, References, Corrections, and More Home: https://almostcertainlynot.com/ → Support Join our Patreon with the link below. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Almost_Certainly_Not → Post Meridiem: An Unreliable Memoir of Madness in Los Angeles Dan Lauer has a memoir available on Kindle & Paperback. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Post-Meridiem-Unreliable-Madness-Angeles/dp/B0CHL1FY9T "Post Meridiem is an unreliable memoir of events that occurred in Los Angeles County between June and September 2009. From the bewildering cast of a state-run psychiatric hospital to the horrific exhibits of the Museum of the Morbid, Dan Lauer searches for comfort and solace from a severe depression-driven psychotic break from reality in all the wrong places."

On a lonely stretch of highway in New Hampshire, Betty and Barney Hill's peaceful road trip home turned into a nightmare that defied explanation. A strange light in the sky. A sudden lapse in time. Fragments of impossible memories—figures with dark, staring eyes, cold metal instruments, a mysterious star map. Were they abducted by beings from beyond our world, or were their minds playing tricks on them? Decades later, their story remains one of the most chilling and controversial UFO encounters ever recorded. What really happened that night? → Credits, References, Corrections, and More Home: https://almostcertainlynot.com/ → Support Join our Patreon with the link below. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Almost_Certainly_Not   → Post Meridiem: An Unreliable Memoir of Madness in Los Angeles Dan Lauer has a memoir available on Kindle & Paperback. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Post-Meridiem-Unreliable-Madness-Angeles/dp/B0CHL1FY9T "Post Meridiem is an unreliable memoir of events that occurred in Los Angeles County between June and September 2009. From the bewildering cast of a state-run psychiatric hospital to the horrific exhibits of the Museum of the Morbid, Dan Lauer searches for comfort and solace from a severe depression-driven psychotic break from reality in all the wrong places."

Dan has had a very bad week, having lost much of his forward momentum and comes to some important, but difficult realizations that he and Leyla explore. Leyla still knows absolutely nothing about The Beatles. And the "breakfast" mystery is solved...kind of. MUSIC: Slow Burn & Just As Soon Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Leyla is very gross in a lot of ways. Dan is very antisocial in every conceivable way. Leyla calls Dan a psychopath more than once. It turns out that Dan's imaginary friend made an appearance on the last episode and neither Dan or Leyla were aware of it. And much, much more, none of which is repeatable in polite company. MUSIC: Slow Burn & Just As Soon Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

On Thursday, 23 January 2020 at 9:54 PM EST Leyla received a text message originating from Dan's phone number requesting that she call if available. She was and did. In the 13 years that Dan and Leyla have known each other Dan has never once made that request. He still hasn't to this day. MUSIC: Slow Burn & Just As Soon Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason. Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me. MUSIC: Slow Burn & Just As Soon Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

For the first time in a long time Dan does an episode solo. He doesn't like it. This, actually, should be considered a spinoff called "Maybe Certainly Not." Regardless, Dan has some updates about what is going on, upsides, downsides and progress, slow that it may be. Never fear, Leyla will return in episode 6. MUSIC: Slow Burn & Just As Soon Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Yeah, I was in the right! Yes, absolutely in the right! I certainly was in the right! Yeah, I was definitely in the right; that geezer was cruising for a bruising...Yeah. Why does anyone do anything? I don't know, I was really drunk at the time... MUSIC: Slow Burn & Just As Soon Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

No update today. Just a thing I wrote. I don't remember when and cannot say why. It's called "Mrs. America".

Leyla makes her triumphant return, while Dan drinks too much (for these days), shares too much and points to the sky, saying: "The sun's not yellow, it's chicken!" MUSIC: Slow Burn & Just As Soon Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

"The stabbing horror of life is not contained in calamities and disasters, because these things wake one up and one gets very familiar and intimate with them and finally they become tame again. No, it is more like being in a hotel room in Hoboken let us say, and just enough money in one's pocket for another meal." -- Henry Miller MUSIC: Slow Burn & Just As Soon Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

THE PLATFORM is an audio play adaptation by author and filmmaker Dan Lauer of Chris Marker's seminal 1967 French film "La Jetée" which serves as the basis for the film "12 Monkeys." The following rules were set for the adaptation by Dan Lauer: He must speak all the dialogue He may only use sound effects and music included in Final Cut Pro X (no downloads) He may not add anything to the plot to elaborate or clarify The final product may not be longer than 25 minutes Watch the original: https://www.amazon.com/Jetee-H%C3%A9l%C3%A8ne-Chatelain-Davos-Hanich/dp/B00E7ND9GI Purchase Dan Lauer's debut memoir POST MERIDIEM: https://www.amazon.com/Post-Meridiem-Unreliable-Madness-Angeles-ebook/dp/B0CC4HQR9R/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Dan Lauer is on threads: https://www.threads.net/@danwlauer