Four Shaggy Dog Stories

Four Shaggy Dog Stories

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Hi, my name is Brian. I only know four shaggy dog stories, but I'm happy to tell them to you over and over again. This podcast was inspired by Sleep With Me and The Worst Idea of All Time. Every week, I'm going to tell one of the shaggy dog stories I know, and tell it for about an hour. It should be a relaxing listen that you can fall asleep to, and the stories will never be exactly the same. Icon Artwork is "Old English Sheepdog" by Mark Scholl.

Brian Smith


    • Aug 3, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 54m AVG DURATION
    • 22 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Four Shaggy Dog Stories

    Watermelon #4 - The Tree

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2020 63:21


    A carnival comes to the tree's park, but weird flyers with some kind of melon on them have been appearing, too,That's it for this season, folks. I'm closing down for the school year. I'll be back next June-ish with some more stories, and it's possible there will be some bonus stuff when I have time.Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/balouContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comThanks for listening, and stay healthy out there,-B

    African Peach Pie #4 - The Tree

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2020 66:35


    A pie seller comes to the farmer's market in the tree's park.One more next week, and then we're on break for the school year.Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/balouContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    african tree peach pie
    Hiatus Announcement

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2020 2:58


    After "The Tree" series, I'm going to need to wind this podcast down to get ready for the school year and my new kid. I'll try to post more episodes when I have time, but this may have to become a podcast that has a new season each summer.To be clear, this isn't the end. There will be two more podcasts to finish out the current batch of four, and I'll be back at the very least next summer. But after "The Tree", that may be it until the next school year is over.Contact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    The Clown #4 - The Tree

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2020 61:26


    The tree gets excited for an upcoming show in its park to break the long, hot, still monotony of summer.Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/balouContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    Story Recommendations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2020 9:35


    I'm tapped out this week, folks. Here are some recommendations for other great stories out there: Fallen LondonA Dark RoomThe Night Vale Presents family of podcastsThe Thrilling Adventure HourThe Adventure ZoneGONELimetownOld Gods of AppalachiaAnyways, happy Fourth of July!Contact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    Bonus - "You Are A Volcano" audio logs

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2020 66:50


    A volcano watches the developing society on its island, trying not to obliterate them with an eruption.I created another solo RPG for the Wretched & Alone game jam, and this one I can actually post a live-play of! In this game, you are literally a volcano and you use story prompts to build a society and help your inhabitants react to changes on the island. I'm really proud of how this one came out. You can check out the game here:https://balou85.itch.io/volcanoContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    Red and White #4 - The Tree

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2020 65:41


    A red and white tree is having a boring day, but the seasons are changing.Welcome to another set of stories; I'm calling these "The Tree" for a reason that will become quite obvious once you start listening.Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/balouContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    Clown #3 - Noir

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2020 65:46


    A clown tries his hand at stand-up comedy. It doesn't go well.This one isn't especially noir-y, I suppose, but the walk home is exactly how I remember walking home late at night in the city. I like how that part came out.Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/balouContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    Watermelon #3 - Noir

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2020 70:24


    A man tracks the trail of a conspiracy around watermelon, and enjoys some delicious tacos on a snowy day.I had some real difficulty recording this one, what with everything that is going on. You'll notice a few places where I change details from the beginning to the end, but hey, we still get there, and it is a shaggy dog story. It's also not super noir-y the whole way through, but it starts and ends there.Black lives matter. George Floyd and too many others should still be alive.Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/balouContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    Trailer - The Artifact RPG

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2020 1:54


    This week, I've been working on a submission to an online game jam. You can check out the jam itself here: https://itch.io/jam/wretched-jamAnd check out my submission here: https://balou85.itch.io/the-artifactMy game, The Artifact, is a solo, cosmic horror, storytelling RPG. You are sent a mysterious artifact and have to try to get rid of it before it drives you insane.Hope you enjoy, and I should be back with another regular story next week.Contact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comStay safe,-B

    Red and White #3 - Noir

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2020 67:56


    A singer takes to the stage for the nightly show at a red and white supper club, while outside the rain pours down.I really had fun recording this one. At various points in the story, I thought of some darker, more gritty directions I could take it in, but decided not to. Minor spoiler, but this is maybe the happiest ending I've done so far. Enjoy.Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/balouContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    African Peach Pie #3 - Noir

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2020 65:45


    A detective tailing a suspicious character stumbles onto an out-of-the way restaurant specializing in whiskey drinks and pie.Welcome back to a new setting that I'm calling Noir. I'll use this to explore some of the tropes of old detective movies and film noir in general. Hope you enjoy!Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/balouContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    african noir peach pie
    Watermelon #2 - Arcology

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2020 68:57


    Memories of an old story from her grandfather send a young woman searching for answers about a forgotten melon.This is the fourth and final story in the arcology setting. Next week, I'll start telling the stories over again in a new setting. Haven't decided what I'm going to do yet, but I've got a couple of ideas.Want to help pick out the setting of the next batch of stories? Check out my Patreon page at the below link!Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/balouContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    Clown #2 - Arcology

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2020 64:25


    A deep sea welder helps to repair damage to one of the arcologies caused by an earthquake, but this stupid clown on her team keeps distracting her.This is the third story in the arcology setting. Next week, we do the Watermelon story, and I'm still not sure how that one is going to work, especially the ending, since there aren't really streets underwater. Stay tuned!Want to help pick out the setting of the next batch of stories? Check out my Patreon page at the below link.Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/balouContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    Bonus - "The Wretched" Audio Logs

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2020 54:43


    The sole survivor of an attack on a deep space salvage ship tries to repair the engines and signal for help, while keeping the creature at bay. Story is told through a series of daily audio logs.Ok, this was seriously fun. I recently purchased an online copy of the solo RPG "The Wretched", by Chris Bissette. You can check out that RPG, as well as his other stuff at these links:https://loottheroom.itch.io/wretchedhttps://loottheroom.uk/The idea behind "The Wretched" is basically the premise from up at the top of this episode description. Through a combination of rolling a die, pulling cards from a deck, and balancing a wooden block tower (I used Jenga), you encounter different situations on a daily basis, and survive them (or not), based on the outcome of those card pulls, die rolls, and your tower staying balanced. At the end of each day in the game, you record an audio log about everything that happened, and then try to keep surviving.Did I mention that you can get this RPG for as little as $5? Highly recommended, and he's even got some community copies for folks who are going through lean times right now.I also stepped up my audio editing a bit for this one, and added in an alarm sound effect that I got from https://www.fesliyanstudios.com - they've got a bunch of royalty-free sounds that you can use, and it's not just alarms!I really enjoyed making this one, and since it's outside of my usually loop of four stories, I'm posting this one as a Bonus. I'd love to do more stuff like this in the future, so if you have any other ideas of solo storytelling RPGs that I could record, feel free to get in touch.See you again on Monday with our next regular installment,-BPatreon:https://www.patreon.com/balouContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.com

    Red and White #2 - Arcology

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2020 64:02


    Red and white twins go on a school field trip from their arcology to a deep-sea vent.This is the second story in the arcology setting. I've got an idea for how to handle the Clown story in this setting, but not a great one for the Watermelon story yet. Stay tuned!Want to help pick out the setting of the next batch of stories? Check out my Patreon page at the below link.Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/balou Contact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope everyone is staying safe and well,-B

    African Peach Pie #2 - Arcology

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2020 67:20


    A man is stranded in an underwater city while grocery shopping and has his very first slice of fruit pie.This episode is the first of the second set of stories. I'll be telling all four of them in this particular setting, which happens to be underwater arcologies. If you want to hear a bit more about the genesis of this idea, check out this TVtropes explainer: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ArcologyWant to help pick out the setting of the next batch of stories? Check out my Patreon page at the below link.Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/balou Contact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comHope you enjoy the new setting!-B

    african tv tropes peach pie arcology
    Bonus - Shaggy Dog Explainer

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2020 17:52


    This bonus episode is all about why I am doing this particular podcast, the inspirations behind it, and the rules that I've set for myself in terms of creating this podcast and telling these stories. It also includes bite-size versions of the stories that I will keep telling, over and over, in case you've fallen asleep to any of them and missed the ending.References:http://www.zombiemathadventure.com/http://www.nightvalepresents.com/startwiththishttps://www.lenswork.com/lwpod.htmhttps://mst3k.com/https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/adventure-zone/https://blart.libsyn.com/http://www.worstideaofalltime.com/about.htmlContact:4shaggydogstories@gmail.comThanks so much for listening, and I'll see you with another full episode on Monday.

    The Fourth Shaggy Dog - Clown #1

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2020 62:33


    The fourth shaggy dog story - the clown story. This is the last one that I learned, and the one that I was most worried about having to stretch into a full hour. This one took a big left turn about halfway through, but I'm pretty happy with where it came out. A man is insulted by a clown, tries to get back at him, and then finds a new life.I'm still messing with settings on my new microphone, and I feel like this week I was getting a bit more sort of tape-hiss noise in the background. Please feel free to let me know what you think at 4shaggydogstories@gmail.com.And those are the four stories I know! Now I just have to find more ways to tell them. I'm going to record another episode in the near future, not a full story episode, but rather one explaining more about this podcast, the rules I'm trying to follow, and what inspired me to start this.

    The Third Shaggy Dog - Watermelon #1

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2020 63:38


    The watermelon story... this is the first Shaggy Dog story I learned, and maybe the one that I'm most excited to play with in the future. A little girl is disappointed that she doesn't get watermelon for lunch, and then her entire world is upended.Once again, I'm trying a new recording set up, so if this one sounds better or worse to you, please feel free to let me know at 4shaggydogstories@gmail.com.Next week, I'll tell version #1 of the last Shaggy Dog story I learned, and then... well, I'll have to find some new ways to tell the stories, won't I?

    The Second Shaggy Dog - African Peach Pie #1

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2020 62:30


    I learned this Shaggy Dog story from my friend Pierce when we had a substitute teacher for band class one day in high school. A man has an unforgettable slice of pie and tries to get more.I tried a different recording set-up this time, and hopefully the audio sounds a little better to y'all out there. Once again, feel free to let me know at 4shaggydogstories@gmail.com what you think.Looks like I'm on track to do this once a week, releasing new episodes on Monday morning! Stay safe and healthy out there my friends, and hopefully this track will help you relax. It's certainly helping me - I nodded off at least once while editing this yesterday.

    The First Shaggy Dog - Red and White #1

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2020 61:26


    My very first podcast, and one of the first Shaggy Dog stories I ever learned. Two red and white children have a playful day and a sleepover with one of their red and white friends.This is also the first time I've tried editing podcast audio, so please feel free to let me know at 4shaggydogstories@gmail.com if there are any issues.Hope you enjoyed, and I'll post another story soon. I hope to publish at least once a week.

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