Storytime with Paul Dore

The Story: Part Four of the last essay in the book about a terrible car accident I was in a few years ago. This is about how I hit the ground, collapsed really, and there was nowhere to go but up. This last part of the essay is half redemption and half heist movie.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: Part Three of the last essay in the book about a terrible car accident I was in a few years ago. This is about how I had a bit of a downslide into self-pity, which almost led to some serious addiction problems.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: Part Two of the last essay in the book about a terrible car accident I was in a few years ago. This is about my arch-enemy, someone so critical that I went all the way to Russia to get rid of. Oh, and that arch-enemy is me.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: Part One of the last essay in the book about a terrible car accident I was in a few years ago. These four parts cover everything from the Incredible Hulk to travelling to Russia to stealing back my brain. This first part is about the actual accident.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: This is a story about my most prominent feature: my nose. Listen to the epic journey of how I went from feeling ashamed of my nose to being proud of it.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: Another travel story, this time up and down the hills of San Francisco.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: This is a story about the time I travelled through China. An intense first day in Beijing, a long train ride, and a Bad Buddha seared the experiences I had directly on to my brain.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: This is another attempt at a fictional story. It's a mystery about finding a clue and investigating a possible crime. Things don't end well.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: This is a story about stuff - having it, wanting it, wondering what to do with it, and trying to get rid of it. Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: No, this is not a story about Robert DeNiro. It's a different kind of road trip - one that happens in real life as well as traversing through memories. Both good ones and bad.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: Don't worry, despite what the title says, I am not a murderer of people. It's far less serious, but no less drama. This story is all about what it means to need to get somewhere and how far you are willing to push yourself.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: I've not always been so comfortable with fiction. I don't know why. There are a few fiction stories in this collection, although some of them might not be so far from the truth. This is a story about a man who takes a job in another city after a tragedy. He befriends a cat who seems to teach him a thing or two.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: Here's a double-header: a combination live performance AND in-studio production. This is about the plight of the single person and the strange assumptions that people make about us. And of course, because it's me, I only make the situation worse.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: Here's a long story about my experiences at a ten day silent meditation retreat. Honestly, I'm not always a fan of stories like this, but it took me years to unpack what in the hell happened during those ten days. So, naturally, I had to write it all down. From David Bowie to neighbour farts to zombies - this one also has it all, but very quietly.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: You might've heard some of these stories before, but now they are all together in one omnibus episode. These are a series of very short stories that explore what I believe to be my place in the world - and how I often feel out of place. From swimming pool mishaps to bathroom mixups to getting locked in a bike cage. This episode has it all!Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: If we're smart, every relationship has something to teach us - even the failed ones. If you're me, it might take some time, like almost twenty years. This episode is about how music can be a transportation device and a person who had a huge impact on my life.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: This episode is about a very unique and special friendship I had with a nun. After becoming interested in my family's history, my mother told me to contact The Nun, a distant cousin of my father. So, every few months, I would visit the convent and we would talk about the past, which helped me understand the present.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

The Story: On this episode, you'll hear all about the many - MANY - failures of my love life. From online dating to getting into a relationship with a ghost to getting older as a single person, this story is full of all the reasons I've looked for love in all the wrong places.Season Six: This season is all about my latest book, I'm Leaving It and Other Stories. It's a collection of stories - both real and fictional - and the podcast includes a few excerpts from the book. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the whole damn thing in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at any online bookseller.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don't Tell has been my storytelling home for more than five years. All live performances from this season were recorded at one of these events. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org.

Season Five: The season ends with this special last minute bonus episode.The Story: This is a live performance from the last Stories We Don’t Tell event of the season. For the show, I had an entirely different story prepared, but something more important happened. At the last minute, I decided I wanted to share some experiences from a ten-year friendship that was very essential to my evolution as a writer and as a person. Stories We Don’t Tell was the perfect environment to talk about this friend of mine, I’m sure he was smiling down on that show.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell has been my storytelling home for almost five years. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.Listen and/or Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog. Listen to the episode with the player below.

Season Five: This season I go back to my roots, and share some stories recorded in-studio. You’ll get one story per episode, along with a return of Paul’s Picks, where I share something I’ve been reading, watching, or listening to.The Story: Usually I move through the city invisible, and I like it this way. Sometimes you have to step outside of yourself. Step back. Reassess your situation. And in these times, you might see a better vision of yourself. Of who you could be.Paul’s Pick: The podcast Believed really blew me away. It’s a mini-series about the Olympic gymnastic scandal, and it’s so intense at times I needed to take a break. I think these are important stories to document, no matter how difficult they are to hear. I am so appreciative of the many people that came forward to tell their stories.How did Larry Nassar, an Olympic gymnastics doctor, get away with abusing hundreds of women and girls for two decades? Believed is an inside look at how a team of women won a conviction in one of the largest serial sexual abuse cases in U.S. history. It's a story of survivors finding their power in a cultural moment when people are coming to understand how important that is. It's also an unnerving exploration of how even well-meaning adults can fail to believe. Listen to the podcast here.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell has been my storytelling home for almost five years. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog.

Season Five: This season I go back to my roots, and share some stories recorded in-studio. You’ll get one story per episode, along with a return of Paul’s Picks, where I share something I’ve been reading, watching, or listening to.The Story: Sometimes when you walk down a quiet street, you never know what could happen. This is a story about where someone asked me to do something I don’t know how to do, and I just rolled with it.Paul’s Pick: I used to see a movie in a theatre once a week. I went by alone and it was my little treat to myself. Although I don’t often go to the theatre much anymore, there is a power to it. Sitting in the dark with strangers and experiencing something collectively.Some movies were so important to me that I remember which theatre and where I was sitting. Children of Men was one of those movies. It’s a powerful movie. I walked out of that theatre wondering what in the hell I just saw. I was hesitant to watch it recently, out of a fear that it wouldn’t hold up. If anything, the movie is even more relevant than when it came out.I became quite smitten with the director, Alfonso Cuaron, and quickly watched all his other movies. When I heard about his latest, Roma, I knew that was a movie I’d like to see in the theatre. In very different ways, Roma was just as powerful. More subtle. Understated, sure. But it really was unlike anything I had seen in a while.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell has been my storytelling home for almost five years. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog.

Season Five: This season I go back to my roots, and share some stories recorded in-studio. You’ll get one story per episode, along with a return of Paul’s Picks, where I share something I’ve been reading, watching, or listening to.The Story: It was one of those times where I just started walking and kept walking. I am The Walking Man, after all. There’s never a goal in mind, but I always seem to arrive exactly where I supposed to be.Paul’s Pick: Outside of David Sedaris, Stewart Lee has been the biggest influence on me as a performer. Simply put: he’s brilliant. Sometimes he’s almost too smart for his own good. I first heard him on Marc Maron’s podcast years ago, and quickly devoured all of his standup comedy shows. Sometimes you don’t know where he’s going, and he even seems not to know, but every story is a journey to a place I never imaged. This long story - tell it to me straight like a pear cider made out of 100% pears - is classic Lee and my absolute favourite.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell has been my storytelling home for almost five years. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog.

Season Five: This season I go back to my roots, and share some stories recorded in-studio. You’ll get one story per episode, along with a return of Paul’s Picks, where I share something I’ve been reading, watching, or listening to.The Story: I didn’t realize just how influential Anthony Bourdain was to my life and writing. This story reflects on my own interactions with his work - both his television shows and his books.Paul’s Pick: It only made sense to choose one of Bourdain’s television shows as this episode’s Paul’s Pick. However, I’d rather point to one of his books that I read after he died - Medium Raw. He writes openly about suicide and depression, and is insightful after the fact as he provides clues to his mental health struggles.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell has been my storytelling home for almost five years. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog. Listen to the episode with the player below.

Season Five: This season I go back to my roots, and share some stories recorded in-studio. You’ll get one story per episode, along with a return of Paul’s Picks, where I share something I’ve been reading, watching, or listening to.The Story: On a routine business trip, I experienced the worst turbulence I’ve ever felt. Together with Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible, the turbulence jolts my head back on straight.Paul’s Pick: I’ve grown so cynical. When I was watching the documentary about Mr. Rogers, Won’t You Be My Neighbour, I waited for the part where the movie turned and we find out he got off on little kids. By the end, I was in tears. Turns out, Mr. Rogers was just a really good dude, and someone that really cared about kids. He felt it was important to be honest with them, understand feelings like hate and anger, and deal with difficult cultural experiences directly. The documentary is an exploration of the life, lessons, and legacy of iconic children's television host, Fred Rogers. Watch the trailer here.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell has been my storytelling home for almost five years. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog.

Season Five: This season I go back to my roots, and share some stories recorded in-studio. You’ll get one story per episode, along with a return of Paul’s Picks, where I share something I’ve been reading, watching, or listening to.The Story: I woke up one day and there was a pain in my eye so severe that I had to start wearing an eyepatch. And from here, of course, the natural progression was to acquire a parrot, eventually spending the rest of my life sailing the seven seas as a pirate.Paul’s Pick: This is the second time Haruki Murakami has been a Paul’s Pick. As soon as I started reading his latest book, Killing Commendatore, I felt like I had come home. Murakami’s usual meanderings and beautiful absurdist tendencies are all on display here. You don’t ever really know where you’re headed at the beginning of a Murakami book, but the writing is so smooth that you’ll go anywhere. This is something I have always admired - the way he roots his stories in somewhat of a reality, and bit by bit, slowly starts introducing strange occurrences until you find yourself in a completely different world.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell has been my storytelling home for almost five years. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog.

Season Five: This season I go back to my roots, and share some stories recorded in-studio. You’ll get one story per episode, along with a return of Paul’s Picks, where I share something I’ve been reading, watching, or listening to.The Story: I kept seeing the same man every few months. Just out of the corner of my eye. He was a stranger and these were all just random coincidences. Or were they?Paul’s Pick: After listening to one episode of the podcast Small Town Dicks, I was obsessed. Then after hearing that the main two detectives on the show were identical twins, I figured this had to be scripted. It’s not. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the terrible things people do to each other. It’s smart, great storytelling, and at times even incredibly emotional.The podcast is about the big-time crime that’s happening in Small Town, USA. Each episode features the detectives who broke the case in their small town, and includes assets like jailhouse phone calls, suspect interviews and 9-1-1 calls. The show is anchored by veteran, identical-twin detectives Dan and Dave, and hosted by actresses, Yeardley Smith and Zibby Allen. Listen to the podcast here.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell has been my storytelling home for almost five years. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog.

Coming Soon - Season Five: In preparation for Season Five to drop into your feeds, I put together this bonus episode to get things started. This season I go back to my roots, and share some stories recorded in-studio. You’ll get one story per episode, along with a return of Paul’s Picks, where I share something I’ve been reading, watching, or listening to.The Story: This bonus episode isn’t so much a story as it is a look behind the curtain. I work long and hard on each story, especially when the subject matter is something important to me. After performing a story at Stories We Don’t Tell, I wrote down ten rules that I like to follow when putting together something that I want to get right.Podcast Partners: The live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell has been my storytelling home for almost five years. To learn more, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.Read a transcript of this episode on my blog.

Season Four: This season of Storytime with Paul Dore is being released in two different sections. The first six episodes will be audio excerpts from my new novel, Dreams of Being a Kiwi. Since the novel deals with themes involving mental health issues, the second part of the season will be conversations about this topic with various experts and interesting people.The Episode: I lied. I said episode nine would be the last one. This is a special live episode of the book launch for Dreams of Being a Kiwi. As usual, it wasn’t your average book launch. Featuring music by Arlene Paculan and storytelling by me, we combined music, photographs, and videos to tell the backstory of the book. To check out some of the pictures and videos that went with the show, slide over to the blog for further information. For photographs of the event, go to the book page on my website.Podcast Partners: The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com. The live event was held at the Centre for Social Innovation and support was provided by the Stories We Don’t Tell crew.

Season Four: This season of Storytime with Paul Dore is being released in two different sections. The first six episodes will be audio excerpts from my new novel, Dreams of Being a Kiwi. Since the novel deals with themes involving mental health issues, the second part of the season will be conversations about this topic with various experts and interesting people.The Episode: For each episode, I'll be including a short preamble that briefly introduces the topic and guest. The preamble is about how mental health and my inner voice have largely shaped many things in my life, both how I perceive myself and how others perceive me. I decided to end this season with a story performed live at Stories We Don't Tell. The story ties both parts of this season together and is a good representation of how I deal with my inner voice.Podcast Partners: The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.

Season Four: This season of Storytime with Paul Dore is being released in two different sections. The first six episodes will be audio excerpts from my new novel, Dreams of Being a Kiwi. Since the novel deals with themes involving mental health issues, the second part of the season will be conversations about this topic with various experts and interesting people.The Episode: For each episode, I'll be including a short preamble that briefly introduces the topic and guest. The preamble is about how important it is to my mental health to have various kinds of creative outlets. The conversation is with Adrianna Prosser, a storyteller and geeky social media addict who supports mental health advocacy through her podcast Stories Like Crazy. Combining her Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and safeTALK certification, she hopes to engage the audience and go beyond the stage and screen to creating a safe place for discussion and sharing. She is currently an Ontario Association for Suicide Prevention (OASP) member. Originally broadcast last year on the Stories We Don't Tell Podcast, I had the privilege of talking with Adrianna about her one-woman bereavement piece 'Everything but the Cat..'. and the work she does outside of the stage. To learn more about Adrianna, visit adrianna-prosser.com.Podcast Partners: The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.

Season Four: This season of Storytime with Paul Dore is being released in two different sections. The first six episodes will be audio excerpts from my new novel, Dreams of Being a Kiwi. Since the novel deals with themes involving mental health issues, the second part of the season will be conversations about this topic with various experts and interesting people.The Episode: For each episode, I'll be including a short preamble that briefly introduces the topic and guest. The preamble is about some of my thoughts about mental health and some things that have helped me. The conversation is with Amanda Wintink, a neuroscientist and founder of the Centre for Applied Neuroscience where they help with personal and professional development guided by neuroscience, psychology, and mindfulness. I’ve known Mandy for years now and appreciate her unique approach and perspective. For this conversation, we talked about mental health through the lens of neuroscience. Visit knowyourbrain.ca for information about the Centre for Applied Neuroscience and listen to her Mandyland Podcast, conversations that deserve attention. Disclaimer: we recorded this interview outside on a windy balcony, so it was … windy.Podcast Partners: The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.

Season Four: This season of Storytime with Paul Dore is being released in two different sections. The first six episodes will be audio excerpts from my new novel, Dreams of Being a Kiwi. Since the novel deals with themes involving mental health issues, the second part of the season will be conversations about this topic with various experts and interesting people.The Story: The hero of Dreams of Being a Kiwi hit rock bottom long ago. Suffering from a debilitating mental illness, he finds himself tucked away in a hospital. Despair kicks in and he sees no way out of the darkness. Then a kiwi comes along and brings hope into his existence. He soon fills his days and nights with dreams of travelling across the world to a new and peaceful life. Dreams are different from reality. He can only plan his plane tickets, ferry rides, and cross-country trips so far. When he finally takes the leap towards his goal, he finds adventure, love, and battles with the greatest foe of all: himself. This episode is about what happens tomorrow.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog at pauldore.com.Podcast Partners: The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.

Season Four: This season of Storytime with Paul Dore is being released in two different sections. The first six episodes will be audio excerpts from my new novel, Dreams of Being a Kiwi. Since the novel deals with themes involving mental health issues, the second part of the season will be conversations about this topic with various experts and interesting people.The Story: The hero of Dreams of Being a Kiwi hit rock bottom long ago. Suffering from a debilitating mental illness, he finds himself tucked away in a hospital. Despair kicks in and he sees no way out of the darkness. Then a kiwi comes along and brings hope into his existence. He soon fills his days and nights with dreams of travelling across the world to a new and peaceful life. Dreams are different from reality. He can only plan his plane tickets, ferry rides, and cross-country trips so far. When he finally takes the leap towards his goal, he finds adventure, love, and battles with the greatest foe of all: himself. This episode is about the mysterious case of Francis Leifhead.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog at pauldore.com.Podcast Partners: The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.

Season Four: This season of Storytime with Paul Dore is being released in two different sections. The first six episodes will be audio excerpts from my new novel, Dreams of Being a Kiwi. Since the novel deals with themes involving mental health issues, the second part of the season will be conversations about this topic with various experts and interesting people.The Story: The hero of Dreams of Being a Kiwi hit rock bottom long ago. Suffering from a debilitating mental illness, he finds himself tucked away in a hospital. Despair kicks in and he sees no way out of the darkness. Then a kiwi comes along and brings hope into his existence. He soon fills his days and nights with dreams of travelling across the world to a new and peaceful life. Dreams are different from reality. He can only plan his plane tickets, ferry rides, and cross-country trips so far. When he finally takes the leap towards his goal, he finds adventure, love, and battles with the greatest foe of all: himself. This episode is about how a kiwi changed everything.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog at pauldore.com.Podcast Partners: The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.

Season Four: This season of Storytime with Paul Dore is being released in two different sections. The first six episodes will be audio excerpts from my new novel, Dreams of Being a Kiwi. Since the novel deals with themes involving mental health issues, the second part of the season will be conversations about this topic with various experts and interesting people.The Story: The hero of Dreams of Being a Kiwi hit rock bottom long ago. Suffering from a debilitating mental illness, he finds himself tucked away in a hospital. Despair kicks in and he sees no way out of the darkness. Then a kiwi comes along and brings hope into his existence. He soon fills his days and nights with dreams of travelling across the world to a new and peaceful life. Dreams are different from reality. He can only plan his plane tickets, ferry rides, and cross-country trips so far. When he finally takes the leap towards his goal, he finds adventure, love, and battles with the greatest foe of all: himself. This episode introduces the love interest of our main character.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog at pauldore.com.Podcast Partners: The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.

Season Four: This season of Storytime with Paul Dore is being released in two different sections. The first six episodes will be audio excerpts from my new novel, Dreams of Being a Kiwi. Since the novel deals with themes involving mental health issues, the second part of the season will be conversations about this topic with various experts and interesting people.The Story: The hero of Dreams of Being a Kiwi hit rock bottom long ago. Suffering from a debilitating mental illness, he finds himself tucked away in a hospital. Despair kicks in and he sees no way out of the darkness. Then a kiwi comes along and brings hope into his existence. He soon fills his days and nights with dreams of travelling across the world to a new and peaceful life. Dreams are different from reality. He can only plan his plane tickets, ferry rides, and cross-country trips so far. When he finally takes the leap towards his goal, he finds adventure, love, and battles with the greatest foe of all: himself. This episode introduces the mysterious sister of our main character.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog at pauldore.com.Podcast Partners: The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.

Season Four:This season of Storytime with Paul Dore is being released in two different sections. The first six episodes will be audio excerpts from my new novel, Dreams of Being a Kiwi. Since the novel deals with themes involving mental health issues, the second part of the season will be conversations about this topic with various experts and interesting people.The Story: The hero of Dreams of Being a Kiwi hit rock bottom long ago. Suffering from a debilitating mental illness, he finds himself tucked away in a hospital. Despair kicks in and he sees no way out of the darkness. Then a kiwi comes along and brings hope into his existence. He soon fills his days and nights with dreams of travelling across the world to a new and peaceful life. Dreams are different from reality. He can only plan his plane tickets, ferry rides, and cross-country trips so far. When he finally takes the leap towards his goal, he finds adventure, love, and battles with the greatest foe of all: himself. This episode introduces the main character of the book and follows him as he travels halfway across the world.Season Four: This season of Storytime with Paul Dore is being released in two different sections. The first six episodes will be audio excerpts from my new novel, Dreams of Being a Kiwi. Since the novel deals with themes involving mental health issues, the second part of the season will be conversations about this topic with various experts and interesting people.Read: Read a transcript of this episode on my blog at pauldore.com.Podcast Partners: The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at officialarlene.com.

The StoryThis is a bonus episode to get your appetite ready for the upcoming release of season four of Storytime with Paul Dore.A special Halloween episode, the Hauntings of High Park is seven scary short stories that have all been verified through historical research and documentation. If you find yourself in Toronto, this episode can be used as an audio guide to a ghost walking tour through the park.Podcast PartnersThis podcast is brought to you in part by the live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell. Check out their blog, podcast, and information on the latest event on the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at arlenepaculan.com.TranscriptRead a transcript of this episode on my blog: http://pauldore.com.

Season ThreeFor the third season of Storytime, I’m trying something a little different. Each episode is a live recording from the Stories We Don’t Tell monthly event.The StoryI love riding my bike in the city, both for pleasure and transportation. I live in a condo building and bikes are stored in cages near the parking garage. This is a story of when someone locked me in the bike cage. Spoiler: I almost meet my demise.Podcast PartnersTo learn more about the live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at arlenepaculan.com.Read, listen, watch - blogs, podcasts, videos - http://pauldore.com.

Season ThreeFor the third season of Storytime, I’m trying something a little different. Each episode is a live recording from the Stories We Don’t Tell monthly event.The StorySkating is for the winter months, swimming is for the summer months. In my personal observations, I’ve noticed men - and it’s almost always men - have to display their machismo in public pools. This is the story of such a man, but one that gets his comeuppance.Podcast PartnersTo learn more about the live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at arlenepaculan.com.Read, listen, watch - blogs, podcasts, videos - http://pauldore.com.

Season ThreeFor the third season of Storytime, I’m trying something a little different. Each episode is a live recording from the Stories We Don’t Tell monthly event.The StoryAnother episode, another story about an ambulance. I thought that emergency vehicle sirens were something we all generally understood. As you’ll hear in this story, that is not always the case.Podcast PartnersTo learn more about the live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at arlenepaculan.com.Read, listen, watch - blogs, podcasts, videos - http://pauldore.com.

Season ThreeFor the third season of Storytime, I’m trying something a little different. Each episode is a live recording from the Stories We Don’t Tell monthly event.The StoryOne of my favourite things to do is go to the theatre. This story is about when I found myself in a very precarious position while trying to relieve myself during an intermission. There’s a comedian in every crowd.Podcast PartnersTo learn more about the live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at arlenepaculan.com.Read, listen, watch - blogs, podcasts, videos - http://pauldore.com.

Season ThreeFor the third season of Storytime, I’m trying something a little different. Each episode is a live recording from the Stories We Don’t Tell monthly event.The StoryDuring the cold winter months, I enjoy taking advantage of the many outdoor skating rinks in city parks. That is, until one day when some park officials lost their minds when I was figure skating on a hockey rink. Things did not end well.Podcast PartnersTo learn more about the live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at arlenepaculan.com.Read, listen, watch - blogs, podcasts, videos - http://pauldore.com.

Season ThreeFor the third season of Storytime, I’m trying something a little different. Each episode is a live recording from the Stories We Don’t Tell monthly event.The StoryThere are some experiences that make us question the world and our place in it. This story is about an ambulance racing to save someone’s life, that is, until it meets some very entitled pedestrians.Podcast PartnersTo learn more about the live monthly event Stories We Don’t Tell, visit the website at storieswedonttell.org. The theme music is by singer/songwriter Arlene Paculan, check her out at arlenepaculan.com.Read, listen, watch - blogs, podcasts, videos - http://pauldore.com.

The StoryRounding out this second season of the podcast, I’m including a three part mini-series. Each story is half neuroscience and half personal story. I think the stories speak to the science involved. Personally, I’m fascinated with neuroscience and the ability for the brain to change.The season finale is about hope. The mirror box was created to help people with phantom limbs. The first part of this episode explains who created the mirror box and how to make your own. The second half of the episode connects the dots of the personal story that has been echoing the neuroscience.Paul’s PickDavid Sedaris is one of the major reasons why I do what I do. The first time I saw him on David Letterman, I had no idea what was happening. He was standing at a podium reading from a piece of paper. He was serious and had a point but was also very funny. Who was this super man?I devoured his latest book Theft by Finding. For nearly 40 years, Sedaris has faithfully kept a diary in which he records his thoughts and observations on the odd and funny events he witnesses. From deeply poignant to laugh-out-loud funny, these diary excerpts collected in Theft by Finding reveal with new intimacy a man longtime readers only think they know. Tender, hilarious, illuminating and endlessly captivating, a rare look into the mind of a great comic artist.

The StoryRounding out this second season of the podcast, I’m including a three part mini-series. Each story is half neuroscience and half personal story. I think the stories speak to the science involved. Personally, I’m fascinated with neuroscience and the ability for the brain to change.This second episode in this series is called Phantom Limb and explores what happens when someone loses something, either physical or otherwise.Paul’s PickRoxane Gay is one of those writers that kept coming up in various conversations over the years. Finally, I got around to reading her latest book, Hunger.The New York Times bestselling author has written with intimacy and sensitivity about food and bodies, using her own emotional and psychological struggles as a means of exploring our shared anxieties over pleasure, consumption, appearance and health.Personally, I cried several times while reading this book. It took me a long time to realize that the deeper and more personal you write, the more universal your story. I have lived a totally different life than Gay, but there were so many times that I connected to her pain, sensitivity and honesty.

The StoryRounding out this second season of the podcast, I’m including a three part mini-series. Each story is half neuroscience and half personal story. I think the stories speak to the science involved. Personally, I’m fascinated with neuroscience and the ability for the brain to change.This first episode is called Memories are Plastic and introduces a few of the concepts I’m most interested in. The personal story involves a simple experience in childhood that still resonates.Paul’s PickI couldn’t start off a mini-series involving neuroscience without sharing the Hidden Brain Podcast.The Hidden Brain Podcast helps curious people understand the world and themselves. Using science and storytelling, Hidden Brain’s host Shankar Vedantam reveals the unconscious patterns that drive human behaviour, the biases that shape our choices and the triggers that direct the course of our relationships.

The StoryA few years ago, I had the opportunity to write a sequel to one of my favourite movies. The movie didn’t quite work out, but I had some interesting and memorable experiences with the artists involved. This was my big break, but at the same time, it was an empty pursuit. Perhaps I flew too close to the sun?Paul’s PickI’m not saying that Hard Core Logo was the movie I wrote a rejected screenplay sequel to, it’s merely a coincidence.Hard Core Logo blew me away the first time I saw it. It’s a movie that is very much alive, each frame busting at the seams with realistic performances.It’s an oldy, but a goody.

The StoryI’m not one for dressing up on Halloween. I’ve been to many parties with people dressed ridiculously and I am the one who they make fun of. This story is about the first time I felt compelled to make myself available to pass out candy to kids on Halloween. It didn’t turn out as planned.Paul’s PicksOkay, the show Brooklyn 99 doesn’t need any help in the promotional department, but I couldn’t help giving them a nod during a Halloween-themed show.Honestly, I had my doubts about the show, but they all went away pretty much from the start. With a surprisingly diverse cast, the stories and characters were funny and endearing right off the bat.The highlight of every season has been the Halloween episodes where everyone competes for the title of Amazing detective/genius.

The StoryIt’s tough having a very prominent nose. The relationship with my nose has changed over the years and has settled into more of a slight appreciation. However, as you will see during this story, that wasn’t always the case. Recorded live off the floor at Stories We Don’t Tell.Paul’s PicksI never thought I’d get all teary-eyed over a story involving a ‘super pig’, but then Okja came along. The movie is about a young girl named Mija who risks everything to rescue her kidnapped best friend Okja, a genetically built animal created by a powerful, multi-national company.The movie was co-written by a favourite author of mine named Jon Ronson and caused some controversy when it was in competition at the Cannes Film Festival without plans to release it theatrically. The film Luddites called foul on producer Netflix, but in my humble opinion, the media landscape is changing fast. Shit or get off the pot.Okja is at times heart warming and at other times a tension-filled chase movie. One thing was for sure, I was rooting for Mija and Okja right from the start.

The StoryHow much of our lives do we spend waiting? I have some very specific numbers for you in this story about all the ways we waste our time waiting. All I know is that you shouldn’t wait any longer and listen to this episode right now.Paul’s PicksI’ve been listening to Dan Savage’s podcast on and off for years. Basically, Dan started his career as a joke - the idea being he was a gay man giving straight people sex advice. He’s definitely no joke (although he can be very funny) and has evolved over the years.Sure, I don’t always agree with Dan, but that’s going to be the case when someone has a point of view. More often than not, I do find myself learning something new from him and he is a voice that cuts through a lot of the noise.