The Unknown Studio

This is the very last episode of the Unknown Studio we'll ever create. And I don't really know what to say. It's been over six years of doing a twice-a-month show about the City of Edmonton. We've interviewed well over 100 people. We've produced exactly 125 episodes. Scott and I learned a lot about this city and the people who make it the strange and wonderful place that it is. We broke a few stories, and maybe even a few hearts — in the best possible way. We've even, I daresay, learned a lot about ourselves and each other. And to end things off, we return to where we started: in an abandoned oil rig, with guest Brittney Le Blanc — who has always been a huge supporter of the show — talking about social media in Edmonton. Thank you to everyone who's listened to and supported us. See you... out there.

This episode, we ask the question: "WTF Libraries?" Why do they still exist, when virtually everyone has access to the internet in some form? In order to answer this question, we invited MASTER LIBRARIAN Kyle Marshall onto the show to talk about modern public libraries. And also sexual education. Just one more episode left before the Unknown Studio is no more! Image by light sweet crude on Flickr.

We're only two more episodes away from the end of the Unknown Studio! As Scott and I count down to the end, we cast about thinking of who we haven't had on the show, but should. The first person who came to mind was Samantha Power. Sam's was on our live show at the end of season 6. She was a delight. And up until this point, it's been a shame that we haven't had her on the show. But we've corrected our error! In this episode, we talk journalism, where it's going, what they teach you in J-school... and we also talk Star Trek. Because.

Scott and I got to be the media guests of honour at Pure Spec this year! We've often interviewed the author guests of honour at this annual event, but this time we were guests ourselves. And part of our duties included interviewing Mike Sass and Jim Beveridge, the artist guests of honour, about their craft. It was a terrific conversation, and a great opportunity for the Unknown Studio. I know I speak for Scott when I say this is one of our official duties we'll sorely miss when the podcast is over. Hope you enjoy the show! Cover image by Mike Sass

The podcasting community keeps growing. Karen Unland has had her fingers on the pulse for months now, and she's doing a great service to fans of homegrown content. But credit must go to the creators, of course, for having the courage (or folly) to start their own shows. We invited two of those courageous (or foolish) people onto the show this week. Phil and Robyn Wilson have recently started their own podcasts, which we think officially makes them a podcasting power couple. Phil's new show is called Off Menu — all about food producers, chefs and growers in and around Edmonton; Robyn's is called The One — all about how couples first met, and what keeps them together. Give us all a listen, and throw a subscribe their ways as well!

Many moons ago, we contacted a plucky graphic designer to create our logo for us. That graphic designer's name is Eldon Kymson, and he isn't actually a graphic designer anymore; he's the Creative Director at Habit. Scott and I felt we were well past due in inviting Eldon onto the show. So we made up for it with this episode! Join us as we speak with Eldon about designing logos, his favourite brands and his favourite place on Earth: Japan. Image by Tanaka Juuyoh on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

The Unknown Studio has been around for almost six and a half years. This episode marks the beginning of our seventh season. And it also marks the beginning of the end of the show. After much deliberation, Scott and I have decided to hang up our mics and headphones, and end the Unknown Studio by the end of 2015. But that means we still have a few more episodes, complete with great guests, to throw your way. This episode we go guest-less and discuss all things Edmonton, Alberta and even Canada. From Uber to elections to LRT. Hope you enjoy this last bit of Unknown Studio goodness. We'll miss you all! But we have more episodes coming before it's all over! Image by dalioPhoto on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

What's the best way to wrap up your 6th season? Why, with a variety show performed live in front of an audience, that's how! The show featured some incredible entertainment, including: new music from local a cappella group Apocalypse Kow stand-up comedy by Edmonton's own Clare Belford an interview with former online editor and head of Capital Ideas from the Edmonton Journal Karen Unland a hilarious panel of nerds — including Samantha Power, Scott C Bourgeois, Devin R Bruce, Joel Forth, and Karen Unland — defending their favourite Star Trek series in what's being called Battle of the Trekses

A few months ago, former Edmontonian-turned-New-Yorker Leanne Brown launched a Kickstarter for her new cookbook Good and Cheap. The book is all about eating well on 4$/day. With a fundraising goal of $10,000, Brown crushed it, earning over $140,000 to get copies of the books to backers and people and non-profits who most badly needed them. Scott and I spoke with Brown on her most recent trip to Edmonton. She's hilarious and awesome, and you should buy the next edition of her book. Image of egg and polenta shamelessly borrowed from Leanne Brown's website.

This episode, we invited Brandon Schatz and Danica Le Blanc — two of the three owners of Edmonton's newest comic store (and the drunken minds behind the Doctor Whooch podcast) — to tell us what Variant Edition will be bringing to the city of Edmonton. Located in Oliver, and having their grand opening on May 2nd (which is also free comic book day), Variant Edition is approaching comic books sales differently. Listen to find out more! Here's a round-up of links we mentioned on the episode: Legislative Assembly of Cards Legislative Assembly of Cards/House of Cards side-by-side The Mary Sue article on MRAs at Calgary Expo The Hugo Awards Controversy Image by Sam Howzit on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license  

For as long as I've woken up early to watch morning television (which is really only 5-6 years if I'm honest), Ryan Jespersen has been a mainstay on CityTV's Breakfast Television. But in December he announced he'd be trading TV cameras for radio microphones. In mid January, Ryan started a new job as the host of aptly named Ryan Jespersen Show on 630 CHED. So Scott and I sat down with the soon-to-be-father to talk about the transition from early mornings to less early mornings, and the differences between radio and television.

When I met Nate Box, he hadn't even opened his first café yet. He's now working on opening his fourth. Nate's success, and that of his partners, is astonishing. So when he announced he'd be opening up a café in a historic home in the community of Riverdale, we knew we had to have him on the show. This episode, we chat with Nate about his latest venture — Little Brick — and what it means for the City of Edmonton. Hope you enjoy! Image by Edmonton NextGen. Used under Creative Commons License.

If you're fond of playing games on boards, listen up: we have just the thing for you... GOBFest! In this episode, we chat with Catrin Berghoff about what goes into planning GOBFest, what people can expect when they show up, and what fabulous prizes you can win just by doing what you love: playing games. Image by Alexandre Duret-Lutz on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

When Randy Brososky realized he had the opportunity to get a project he'd been thinking about for years funded, he nearly didn't jump at the chance. But with just a week to submit a pitch, he launched into action. A few months and a $10,000 grant later, the pilot of Necessary Evil was born. Scott and I spent some time with Randy talking about the concept and creation of Necessary Evil, and the fact that he'll need your support and votes to get into the next round. Enjoy the episode! Necessary Evil website Necessary Evil on Storyhive Necessary Evil on Facebook Necessary Evil on Twitter All My Sins (one of Randy's previous projects)

It's time for another ill-informed Oscar show! Especially given that Scott and I have only seen one of the best-picture-nominated films. So to fill the void, we invited Gregg Beever one of two Inglorious Hipsters, and Mark Jowett the twisted mind behind Deed The Inky, to join us and share their predictions. What happens next will blow your mind. But probably not. But we still hope you enjoy the show! Image by Hollywood Souvenir Shops on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

NOTE: we had some recording equipment issues, which resulted in less-than-awesome sound for our interview. We fixed it up as best we could. Our apologies to our guests and you, our listeners. Scott sat down with... well, me. And also Trent Wilkie and Andrea Beça from Friends Without Benefits, a new sketch comedy group we've formed. I'm not going to talk to much about how awesome we are (which is very), and I'll let the [low-sound-quality] episode speak for itself. Our show launches tomorrow, January 29. Check out the trailer!

If you've been in Edmonton's Downtown or Whyte Avenue areas in the last few months, you've might have seen a few branded vehicles cruising around. The branding, in bright orange, says, "Pogo CarShare." A new form of shared transportation has arrived in the city (and no, we're not talking about Uber). Scott and I sat down with two of Pogo's co-founders—Alexis Alchorn and Kieran Ryan—to talk about why the time was right to bring car-sharing to Edmonton, why they didn't opt to try and lure Zipcar or Car2go to the city, and what their plans are for world domination (or, you know, responsible and smart expansion of the popular service out to the rest of the core). This episode also marks the launch of the Unknown Studio's Patreon campaign. We're asking you, our listeners, to support us with more than just your ears, emails, and delightful remarks on Twitter and Facebook. We want you to consider making a monthly donation to the Unknown Studio so we can do more, better, exciting things. And if you don't want to donate, hey, that's cool too. We just want to keep making a show worthy of your ears and brains.

One of our favourite Christmas traditions is the Unknown Studio Annual Gift Exchange. So join us as we reflect on the past year, look forward to what's in store for 2015, and give each other material goods like proper North Americans. Happy Christmas to you all from Scott and myself! We'll see you after 2014!

Like any good pair of podcasters who were born and raised on the Internet, we started our show off by talking about the new Star Wars trailer. And also, all the derivatives created therefrom. But that's not why Scott and I spent a few hours in the studio this week. No, the truth is we wanted to talk about Edmonton's newest print magazine The Yards. We invited award-winning journalist Omar Mouallem to join us and talk about the famous Egon Spengler quote, "Print is Dead," and also to tell us what's in store for The Yards. Give it a listen, send us a tweet or leave us a comment. Image by Mack Male on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

Scott and I are fortunate to be invited to the Pure Spec Festival each year. We're usually brought in to interview the literary guest of honour. This year, we were delighted to interview renowned author David Gerrold. You may recognize him as the author of many science fiction novels, series and even television episodes. We spend an hour with David, talking about the genre, the state of television, and the trouble with Tribbles — this is a special hour-long interview, outside of our typical format. But we had such a blast with David, we wanted to share the whole interview with you. You can follow David on Twitter, and you can also like his Facebook Page. Photo by Clinton Ouderkirk.

When Jim Prentice won the provincial Tory leadership race, it meant change for the provincial government. It also meant four hotly-contested byelections — three in Calgary, and one in Edmonton. It ALSO means we need to make sense out of what's happening under the dome at the provincial legislature. In order to do that, we enlisted award-winning political blogger Dave Cournoyer, owner and author of Daveberta.ca, to sort through all these details. Dave spent some time in the hot-seat with us, and shared his thoughts and analysis about the political landscape both provincial and federally. You won't want to miss this episode, even if politics aren't your thing.

This episode of the Unknown Studio is brought to you by Waterloo Ford. Malissa Sekela is an artist. She went to school at Guru Digital Arts College, and she loves to draw. But she also loves dressing up in costume. You might even call her a professional cosplayer — although she says she does it for love and not for money. We spent a half hour talking to Malissa about her cosplaying experiences and what it takes to be a serious cosplayer in this episode of the show. You can also still donate to Scott's Extra Life — and give money to the Stollery Children's Hospital!

This episode of the Unknown Studio is brought to you by Waterloo Ford. Welcome back to another season of the Unknown Studio. We're on season six now, if you can believe that. And we owe it all to you, our listeners. Now on with our most recent show! Our first show back includes some banter about winning (and losing) awards. And we also chat with Ramin Ostad, one of the organizers of Extra Life Edmonton — 24-hour gaming marathon fundraiser for the Stollery Childrens Hospital; and Anita Bourgeois, Scott's lovely wife. Here are some useful links that were part of this episode's discussion: Scott's other podcast — Numenera: The Signal Scott's other podcast won an ENnie! Adam won an award from the U of A Ramin has been on two other Unknown Studio episodes — one about art and videogames, and one about the Canadian videogame awards Donate to the Extra Life Edmonton team Donate to Scott for Extra Life The music used in our Waterloo Ford add came from audionautix.com.

Scott and I were so privileged to have one of our old Gateway pals on the show. Cosanna Preston was the once-upon-a-time news editor at the paper. Following her Gateway time, she spent some time in Mexico, England and Nigeria — the latter for which she lived in for 4 years, and met her husband there. We chat with Cosanna about life in Africa, and what it's like being back in beautiful Regina, Saskatchewan (she was just visiting Edmonton). Scott has also chosen a winner of an Oodle Noodle prize pack! We'll be in touch with our winner shortly!

Last week, Scott and I were invited to appear on Breakfast Television to cap off the show's almost-always-annual BT Bloggers Week. We followed in the footsteps of several other fantastic bloggers who appeared throughout the week, including Mack Male and Karen Unland, The Kitchen Magpie, and Nicole Rowan among several others. We had a really great time hanging out with Jespo and the BT crew. I can't think of a nicer, more fun group of people to spend three very-early-morning hours with. We even got to chat with an inspiring young lady named Hannah Alper, who's touring the country right now talking about child poverty and animal rights. You can view the segments Scott and I were featured in here, here and here. Special thanks to Jason Halbauer for reaching out to us and asking us to be on the show! Hope you enjoy the episode!

Edmonton's theatre community has staged many original works over the past decade. The Citadel, Edmonton's premiere theatre, has itself staged many adaptation that have been written here. What is much rarer for the Citadel is a completely original work. But that has changed. To cap off an outstanding year for the Citadel, the theatre is staging Make Mine Love, an original work written by Tom Wood. You can read about the play here on the Citadel's website. But for our 100th episode, Scott and I wanted to talk about the technical aspects of the film, because it involves some unusual techniques and some specialized technology. I'm talking about Projection Mapping, which was made possible by the creative team at the Citadel with the help of Owen Brierley, the Executive Director of Guru Digital Arts College (and one of our sponsors). Owen's been on the show before, but it was time to have him back. Find out what it took to take Make Mine Love from page to stage! And listen to this episode for you chance to win Oodle Noodle gift certificates!

They say the third time's a charm. Nothing could be closer to the truth for rookie City Councillor Andrew Knack. Representing Ward 1 in Edmonton, Councillor Knack took two previous runs at representing the ward before he landed a huge win the third time around, just this past October. In this episode of the Unknown Studio, Scott and I chat with the new councillor about the transition to working on City Council, the issues that hit his inbox on a weekly or daily basis, and the one-sided rivalry for most e-mails received in a day — which Councillor Amarjeet Sohi is currently winning, hands down. We also make an alarming number of puns on Councillor Knack's last name, and discuss — you guessed it — the weather. Image by TheLocalGood.ca.

Have you ever had a great idea that you just didn't know what to do with? That you weren't sure how you were going to get off the ground? How you were going to turn that idea into an actual THING? Well, if you're in Edmonton on the weekend of May 31, there's a place for you. It's called the Good 100, and Nadine Riopel was on the show to tell us about it. Nadine is the mind behind the blog The Savvy Do Gooder. We talk to her about her start in philanthropy and how that's led her to the Good 100. Scott and I also talk about the weather, and why Spring is the worst season. And we want to know your favourite Edmonton summer festivals! Tweet us!

We begin this latest episode of the show, predictably, with a conversation about the weather. We couldn't not do it. When things warm up like this in March, you have to say SOMETHING. But weather can't be the only thing we talk about this episode, and it isn't. In fact, we talk about food a lot. This is thanks in part to Phil Wilson, aka Baconhound. He's on the hunt for the best burger in Edmonton, and he's eaten about 14 burgers (or perhaps more) on his journey to finding the ultimate grilled-meat sandwich. Find out what Phil's discovered so far, and also hear an in-depth conversation about tipping, all on the latest episode of the Unknown Studio. Photo by Robyn Wilson, author of Joyful Follies and wife to Baconhound.

People love talking about movies — whether they're according-to-Hoyle qualified to or not. And we're no different. But Scott and I aren't going to deign to talk movies on our own, oh no! In this episode, we chat Oscars with Mark Jowett, Gregg Beever, and Erin Bourne — variously regulars on the Inglorious Hipsters podcast and Edmontonians at large! The panel does its best to guess — based both on Hollywood politics and the merits of the individual films — who will win the major categories, and even some of the minor ones. Give us a listen and share your predictions! Image by ebbandflowphotography on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

Scott and I were fortunate enough to sit down with Edmonton's Mayor Don Iveson this past weekend. We talked about his first 100 days in office, what he feels he's accomplished so far, and what's on the horizon for the rest of his term. We also find out about his favourite mayoral perk — all while the mayor sat there in a fabulous tuxedo (he was due at a fundraiser after he talked with us). Join Scott and I as we chat with Edmonton's second-youngest mayor, and also discuss random things like Netflix and the Game of Thrones theme song.

There's no escaping the weather in this town. It's remarkable — that is, it's worthy of remark. And so Scott and I do what we're loathe to do, but have done for every single one of the episodes we've published so far this season: talk about the weather in Edmonton. But it gets better! From there, we cover a swath of topics, and get into a great conversation with our guest Randy Brososky. We brought Randy on the show because, well, he asked (it's that easy!). And also because he had a lot to talk about with us. So we got to know Randy's background, his thoughts on Edmonton, and the work he does, to his true love: fire-breathing. You should get to know Randy, too. Right now. Press play. We promise, you won't hate it. (Click the link to read the blog we discussed with Randy.) This episode was made possible by the amazing digital wizards at Guru Digital Arts College, and those fantastical noodle-slingers over at Oodle Noodle.

There's nothing like having a chat with your pals over bottomless pints at the local watering hole. In fact, it's such a fun time that it's the concept for Adam McGale's podcast "The Pub." The 12-episode podcast series just wrapped up its first season, so Scott and I invited Adam into the Unknown Studio to chat about his show, about fictional podcast/radio series, and pride boners. That's not a typo. Hope you enjoy the episode!

It's Christmas time, a special time at the Unknown Studio. Every year, Scott and I do a Christmas episode. Sometimes this means bringing guests in who have interesting Christmas stories, work with Christmas charities, or just want to spread that good Christmas cheer. This year, it meant talking to a legitimate mall Santa, played by Greg Laskey. Greg's been working part-time as a mall Santa for about four years, and he sort of fell into it. But his epic beard and his pleasant demeanor make him an ideal stand-in for jolly ol' Saint Nick, I'm sure you'll agree. We hope you enjoy the show, and the tinkering we're doing with the new format. On behalf of Scott (and myself), we wish you all a very Merry Christmas. We're taking a break over the holidays to relax with family and friends, but we'll be back with new material in the New Year. Happy Holidays, y'all!

We start this episode off with a format change, because we think you like hearing what we have to say. Scott and I want to shoot the shit more with you, our listeners. So, we spent some time at the beginning of the show talking about some of the things we've been involved with over the last little while, snowfall in Edmonton and #yeggame — Scott's idea to gamify the city. We also think you love food. Because you sure post a lot of photos of it on Instagram and Twitter. Postmedia thinks the same thing. So they've brought something called "Gastropost" to Edmonton. Spun off after successes in Toronto and Vancouver, Gastropost has arrived in Alberta. Postmedia Labs' Brittney Le Blanc, who we're had on the show several times before, joins us to explain Gastropost and how you can get involved. Enjoy the show, let us know what you think of the new format, and share any ideas you have for #yeggame in the comments!

Welcome back to the fifth season of the Unknown Studio, loyal listeners! We took a hiatus because politics. But we're back, and you can count on us for regularly scheduled content! And because we're late in starting the season, we'll be late to end it too. Our season premiere sees Scott and I speaking with one of the Pure Speculation Festival's Guests of Honor, author Gail Carriger. Gail's the author of the Parasol Protectorate series, as well as the Finishing School series. We had a lovely time chatting with her at the festival, and hope you enjoy her insights on writing, reading and living. Thanks again to the Pure Spec organizers for having Scott and I out! Image by Clinton O.

It was the best of times, it was the... well, less than best of times. And what I'm referring to is season 4 of the Unknown Studio. Yes, friends, this episode marks the end of 19 episodes of greatness*. And in order to inspire you, we brought current Mayor Stephen Mandel to our studio to talk about his career, the upcoming municipal election, and what comes next for the man who's been Edmonton's mayor for three terms. There's some other fabulous content here, too. A dramatic reading by one Scott C. Bourgeois, a rant by yours truly, and a peek at what Edmonton Nerd Nite has to offer. Give us a listen, and try not to be too upset that we're taking the summer off. Also, let us know what you thought of the episode in the comments! *According to Adam Rozenhart and Scott C. Bourgeois.

Last week, Scott and I say down with Emerson Scorba — founder of the Wanderer Online — and his colleague Breanna Mroczek — editor at the Wanderer — about, you guessed it, The Wanderer Online! The Wanderer, if you've never read it, is an online magazine that does for the city what no other blog since the Edmontonian has: cover it, and cover it well. If you're looking for a local online news source with quality writing, that's what the Wanderer is. So Scott and I chatted with Emerson and Breanna about the founding of the Wanderer, what it's all about, and how you can get involved. With also spoke with our guests about the Stand Up for Edmonton conference taking place this Saturday at the Stanley Milner Library. Tickets are still available, and you should go. Give the episode a listen and let us know what you think. And remember: only one episode left this season, and we have a very excellent guest to chat with, so stay tuned for that. Image by Mack Male on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

Boy, it's been awhile since we've aired a new episode. As Scott mentions in the intro to this latest episode, it's because we've both busy and unable to set aside the time to sit down with a guest. So we created a lovely clip show for you, until we can bring a guest in for our next episode. In this episode you'll hear: me chatting with Dave Cournoyer about Edmonton's forthcoming municipal election Scott chatting with Hal Johnson (yes, that Hal Johnson) about he and Joanne McLeod participating in the next Amazing Race Canada me chatting with Terah and Janelle from I Dig Your Girlfriend all about Pride Enjoy, and please leave us a comment letting us know what you thought. Image by Dave Sutherland on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

Well, we weren't truly in the buff. Figuratively, we might have felt a little naked, as we didn't have the delightful cover of a guest or two to chat with. What we did have were wits, and a lot of discussion of summer plans and movies. Speaking of movies, in this episode, I spoke with Lindsey McNeill of Gillian's Just Right fame about her CineCoup experience. Finally, we have a dramatic reading for you, just because Scott has a wonderful voice, and a dry-cool wit about him. Hey, he could probably be an action hero! Hope you enjoy the show! Image by Mack Male on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

A musician and a comedian walk into a recording studio. And the punchline for that is essentially 50 minutes of laughter. Sore abs and cheeks laughter. In this episode, the exceedingly talented and delightful Erica Viegas joins Scott and I to chat about her forthcoming album, and the VIA Rail whistlestop tour she's embarking on to take the album across Canada. Long-time listeners will recall that Erica's been on our show several times, including for our season 3 finale live episode. Listeners may also recall Trent Wilkie, who was our emcee at that show. He joined us in this episode as well, to discuss the forthcoming first-annual Yeggies (of which I am a founder and committee member). Trent is hosting, and he talks about what the night's going to look like, and what's gone into the Yeggies so far. Give us a listen and leave a comment, wouldja?

And... we're back! It's true, Scott and I took a bit of a break over the last few weeks. There was a long weekend in there due to Easter, and some life-stuff got in the way of things. But this podcast, being the labour of love that it is, is back. And it's back with sweet, nerdy vengeance. Because our guests are also all about labours of love. We spoke with Steven "Full Frontal Nerdity" Hodges about some of the interesting work he's been doing. And we spoke with Jay "I Quit" Runham. About quitting. Because his Jay n J podcast has ended and is turning into something different. And if you're a nerd for storytelling, we also have the winner of Edmonton Story Slam's Slam-Off on our show. Let us know what you thought of the episode in the comments! Image by Rochelle Hartman on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

That is the question that the "Mayor's Taskforce on Image and Reputation," as it was called eons ago, is asking. The group has evolved into the Make Something Edmonton Taskforce led by Amy Shostak, Chris LaBossiere and Todd Babiak — and supported by a pile of engaged citizens. They're launching their initiative tonight at the Avenue Theatre, and people are really eager to know exactly what this is all about. Scott and I are eager too, so we sat down with Todd and Amy last week to find out what the deal is This episode also includes a follow-up conversation with Lesley Vaage — one of Lindsey MacNeill's supporters on the Gillian's Just Right Cinecoup Coup. I chatted with Lesley to find out how things are going in the Cinecoup competition so far. And Scott supplies you all with a dramatic — VERY dramatic reading! Apologies for the sound quality on this episode. Scott sounds faint, and that was my error. Next time he'll be back, with voice modulation and explosions in the background... WHICH HE WILL DROWN OUT WITH HIS BOOMING VOICE. Let us know what you think in the comments! Image by Wade Kelly on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

It this episode, Scott and I chat with Edmonton horror filmmaker Lindsey MacNeill. If you've ever been to the Next Act on more than one occasion, odds are Lindsey's brought you your beer. And while she's slinging suds at one of Edmonton's favourite watering holes, she's also dreaming up screenplays. One of Lindsey's creations was turned into a TV show called Truckstop Bloodsuckers. And her next project is a film-length film she's starring in called Gillian's Just Right — and she needs her help to fund it. We talk with Lindsey about her latest venture, about filmmaking in Edmonton and about being horrifically delightful. This episode also features the winner and our favourite pick from February's Story Slam. This month is the annual Slam Off, so the third Wednesday of this month — the 20th — will be your opportunity to hear from the best storytellers of the year. Image lifted directly from the title screen of the Gillian's Just Right trailer.

It's that time of year when Hollywood looks at itself, really looks at itself and asks, "How can we demonstrate in no uncertain terms that we must be celebrated for our greatness?" It's actually kind of like the Yeggies, but with, you know, star power. And actors. And Billy Crystal, though thankfully not as the host this year. And they call them the 85th Annual Academy Awards. And that's really what this episode is all about. Featuring such film experts as Jay n J n Gregg Beever n Erin Bourne, we tackle the important issues: like how to host an Oscar party? Did Argo and Ben Affleck get snubbed? Why do we subject ourselves to a 3-hour telecast (23 hours, if you include the red carpet stuff)? And who will be named... BEST? This lively discussion will make you laugh, cry, and laughcry, which is a condition for which you should seek medical attention. And to top it all off, we ditch the Fast Fifteen in favour of Oscar Trivia Through The Ages. Leave a comment on the episode and let us know what you think! Image by Beacon Radio on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

Many people spend their time wandering through the city miserable. And local photographer and Wonderful Person™ Ashley Green is trying to change that. Ashley is the mind behind LoveLetters2Strangers, a relatively new initiative that involves creating lovely little notes of encouragement that are distributed to random people walking in the street, left behind in coffee shops for someone to pick up, or hidden in books in the library. Scott and I spent an hour the other day — our first ever live show broadcast over the web — chatting about what Ashley does, why she does it, and what she has planned for LoveLetters2Strangers' next phase. This episode also features a masterwork Dramatic Reader from Scott. The topic: slash fiction. I'll leave you to sit there and listen, while you shake your head in strangely prideful disbelief. Let us know what you thought of this episode in the comments!

Sometimes a podcast is too good for me to go through it thoroughly for you and provide a breakdown. This is one of those podcasts. Last weekend, Scott and I spent some time with writer, journalist and lyricist Omar Mouallem. I've been reading Omar's stuff in newspapers and magazines for years. I got to know him as one of the frequent readers at Edmonton Story Slam (also featured in this episode). I've even been the subject of one of Omar's pieces. He's a thoughtful man, a gracious and thorough interviewer and a really excellent person. We wanted to find out more about Omar and his experiences, so Scott and I spent an hour — which wasn't enough time — chatting with him about his recent appointment to EPL's Writer-in-Residence chair, and how he manages his work as an independent writer. Omar tells stories — it's his job. But in this episode he tells stories, making my and Scott's jobs all the easier. Give this show a listen, and experience Omar Mouallem: the man, the rapper, the guy who took his shoes off and leaned back in a chair to chat with us like we were old friends. Image from Omar Mouallem's Wikipedia Page.

This time of January is typically cold. And even a city with a Winter City Strategy needs to work hard to get people out of doors. Enter the Deep Freeze Byzantine Winter Festival, with its ice sculptures, curling, and this year: cowboys! Scott and I sat down with one of the festival organizers, Cadence Konopaki to find out what this six-year-old festival brings each winter to Alberta Avenue. Peep the breakdown: 0:00: Intro - Resolutions in the Calgary Zoo's Polar Bear Exhibit 0:55: Welcome to a new year, kids! 1:30: Cadence Konopaki from the Deep Freeze Byzantine Winter Festival 9:19: Andrea Peyton from WeeHelp.ca 12:47: Russians and Ukrainians at the Deep Freeze Festival 27:40: Dramatic Reading: A synopsis of the first ten volumes of Sweet Valley High 35:38: Finding out how Deep Freeze "goes" 40:16: The Fast Fifteen with Cadence Konopaki Image by Brittney Le Blanc on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

"HAVE YOU FINISHED YOUR SHOPPING YET?!" That's what I've been asking everyone I bump into over the last few weeks. It's probably because I'm exhausted and I'm having trouble being my usual charming self. Instead I'm being an unoriginal bastard. The Christmas break can't come soon enough. I know a lot of you are feeling the same way. And I know a way you can cope: the Unknown Studio's Christmas episode! Scott and I sat down with Brittney Le Blanc, friend to everyone, and Jessica Holt, friend of the friend to everyone to talk about their the 5K365 project that launched in September. And that conversation became the springboard to — you guessed it — talkin' 'bout 'Xmas! This is our 4th annual Christmas show, and features only the interview with the ladies — because it's that riveting, and the season has kept Scott and I too busy to collect stories. But fear not, for we will reinvigorate the show in the New Year with all kinds of fantastic segment-y business! Enjoy the show, and note that we'll be taking a break until the second week of January. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good podcast listen! Image by Guy Schmidt on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.

If you're in the know in Edmonton, you've probably heard of Dana DiTomaso. Dana moved here from Hamilton 3 years ago with her now-wife; she's the technology columnist on CBC's Edmonton AM; she was named Top 40 Under 40 this year by Avenue Magazine; she was named one of the "Next Ten" by Alberta Venture; she's the president of digital agency Kick Point (you should also check out the Kick Point Blog); and she's utterly brilliant and delightful. Though Dana was on our live show last season, we wanted to bring her back and spend a bit more time with her chatting about... well, everything. Hope you enjoy this episode! Image by Guru Digital Arts College. Taken at the Capital Ideas "Fail" Panel (from L to R: Karen Unland, Dana DiTomaso, Owen Brierley).

This past weekend, Scott ran the show on his own while I was away at a course in Calgary. His guest was author SM Stirling, one of the guests of honour at the annual Pure Speculation Festival. Check out the conversation Scott had with SM and enjoy the rest of the show! 0:00: Intro - "Scott's Solo Show" 1:05: Signing cheques with SM and Jan Stirling 18:00: A Dramatic Reading of Precursors by TV Tropes with Scott C Bourgeois 22:15: Honeymoon stories with SM Stirling 33:10: Adam Rozenhart Unleashed: The Yeggies.com 38:53: So many books, so little time with SM Stirling 54:32: The Fast Fifteen with SM Stirling Image by Jim H on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons License.