POPULARITY
Categories
283 episodes with cc by nc sa
140 episodes with cc by nc sa
71 episodes with cc by nc sa
61 episodes with cc by nc sa
38 episodes with cc by nc sa
29 episodes with cc by nc sa
59 episodes with cc by nc sa
37 episodes with cc by nc sa
35 episodes with cc by nc sa
14 episodes with cc by nc sa
29 episodes with cc by nc sa
27 episodes with cc by nc sa
223 episodes with cc by nc sa
43 episodes with cc by nc sa
10 episodes with cc by nc sa
28 episodes with cc by nc sa
8 episodes with cc by nc sa
9 episodes with cc by nc sa
13 episodes with cc by nc sa
16 episodes with cc by nc sa
10 episodes with cc by nc sa
6 episodes with cc by nc sa
12 episodes with cc by nc sa
7 episodes with cc by nc sa
9 episodes with cc by nc sa
3 episodes with cc by nc sa
5 episodes with cc by nc sa
18 episodes with cc by nc sa
3 episodes with cc by nc sa
12 episodes with cc by nc sa
9 episodes with cc by nc sa
8 episodes with cc by nc sa
5 episodes with cc by nc sa
12 episodes with cc by nc sa
6 episodes with cc by nc sa
61 episodes with cc by nc sa
3 episodes with cc by nc sa
3 episodes with cc by nc sa
7 episodes with cc by nc sa
11 episodes with cc by nc sa
4 episodes with cc by nc sa
5 episodes with cc by nc sa
5 episodes with cc by nc sa
5 episodes with cc by nc sa
3 episodes with cc by nc sa
8 episodes with cc by nc sa
3 episodes with cc by nc sa
4 episodes with cc by nc sa
7 episodes with cc by nc sa
5 episodes with cc by nc sa
3 episodes with cc by nc sa
4 episodes with cc by nc sa
4 episodes with cc by nc sa
3 episodes with cc by nc sa
#why #elephants #princessThe first story talks about who has power in a forest.The second story talks about why elephant lips droop.The third tells us of the danger in every whisker.And the final story tells about the bead feelings between monkeys and crabs.Source: Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India, by Katherine Neville FleesonNarrator: Dustin SteichmannSound Effects: 10 min rain by Dustin SteichmannMusic: Asian Orchestra Music Pinpeat / ស្តេចយាង ពិណពាទ្យPodcast Shoutout: Tales From The Enchanted ForestListener Shoutout: Hargeisa, SomalilandPhoto Credit: "Elephant mouth, Amboseli National Park, Kenya" by GRIDArendal is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
En aquest episodi de La Nova Mobilitat Actual, gravem amb en Martí des del càmping per portar-vos l'actualitat de les últimes dues setmanes. Analitzem el trencador Ferrari Luce dissenyat per Jony Ive, que canvia el rugit del motor per un "solo" de guitarra elèctrica, i SpaceX amb llançament 12 de Starship i IPO. A més, repassem els problemes de Waymo amb els bassals, l'arribada dels robotaxis a Madrid, el desastre de Blue Origin i la nova aposta de la Generalitat de Catalunya per fomentar la innovació en la Mobilitat.Temes tractats:
Following our deep dive into physical AI, the La Nova Mobilitat team brings you the second part of our live "Tech & Tapas" event in Zurich. In episode 87.2 (recorded in English), Martí and Miquel moderate an engaging roundtable discussion with Robert Mackenzie (ellipsis), Oliver Nahon (Swiss Association for Autonomous Mobility), Alberto Martín (Catalonia Trade and Investment), and Jorge Peña (ZHAW Center for AI) to discuss the real-world impact of AI and the future of autonomous mobility.
Super-Geschwister Marta und Kuba erforschen Begrifflichkeiten rund um die Verwandtschaft und darüber hinaus, von Onklix bis Submatrix. Außerdem hat Kuba LeGuins „Lathe of Heaven“ gelesen und gesehen und berichtet, ob Traum-Special-Effects früher futuristisch aussahen. Und anhand vom Picknick am Valentinstag fragen wir uns, ob alles SciFi ist, worin ein Alien versteckt sein könnte. Kapitelchen & Tracklist 0:00:00 Rrrrrose – Loyalty Freak Music – plan 9 from the sunny forest CC BY 0:00:15 Ist Picknick am Valentinstag Science Fiction? 0:13:50 Deathless Gods with Human Bods – Inheritance CC BY-NC-SA 0:17:58 O wie Onkel Neelix: Sci-Fi-Verwandtschaftsbeziehungen, Teil I 0:40:24 ari melody & mellodoot – Level One – VIP CC BY-SA 0:43:54 O wie Onkel Neelix: Teil II 1:08:13 starkeeper – Skygazer CC BY-NC-SA 1:11:15 LeGuins Lathe of Heaven 1:36:49 PITCH BITCH – Doomscrolling CC BY-SA 1:40:57 Audiorätsel 1:56:29 Wheelchair Sports Camp – YESS i'm a MESS CC BY-NC-SA Flyer Shownotes Picnic at Hanging Rock with Jane Schoenbrun, Blank Check Podcast (beam.ly? What?) O wie Onkel Neelix: Kinbank: database of kinship terminologies Trekkiepedia-Folgen: Kinder, Trill, Borg, Borg 2.0 Wikipedia: Kinship terminology, Bienen-Superverwandtschaft (Haplodiploidie) LeGuins Lathe of Heaven: Buch und Film bei Wikipedia, und Martas Artikel... hier. Audiorätsel: Quelle, Hintergrund (Wikipedia) Credits & Lizenz Cover: basierend auf Robert Fludd Metaphysik und Natur- und Kunstgeschichte beider Welten, nämlich des Makro- und des Mikrokosmos, 1617; Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons Diese Folge erscheint unter CC BY-NC-SA 3.0, d.h. unsere Inhalte gerne teilen, remixen, aber uns bitte erwähnen und ja kein Geld verdienen! Musik siehe jeweilige Lizenzen.
En aquest episodi de La Nova Mobilitat Actual tractem el viatge de Trump i la colla de CEOs als EUA. Elon Musk és molt respectat a la Xina i pel selfie amb Lei Jun aprofitem per parlar de Xiaomi. També viatgem a la Cimera de Mobilitat Autònoma de Suïssa per entendre com Europa vol integrar els robotaxis, i mirem cap a l'espai amb l'imminent vol 12 del Starship. A més, repassem el viatge del president Illa a Califòrnia i la prohibició de robots humanoides als avions comercials.Temes tractats:
ISBW 22.11 (There will be a giveaway of Ruinous Creatures! I'm taking entries until May 21! Email me with GIVEAWAY in the subject line! You do not need to be a paying supporter to enter.) Recently we welcomed Jessi Cole Jackson to the show to talk about her debut novel, Ruinous Creatures! We cover Jackson's unique bone-specific magic system and her inspirations, not to mention how to wrap your head around romance and spice when you've only written tame things before. Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is May 16. This post went live for supporters on May 11, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon! Links: Jessi Cole Jackson Sarah Maclean T. Kingfisher Naomi Novik The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love Save the Cat The Heroine's Journey The Author Burnout Cure podcast 4 Act Structure Evergreen Links Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn. Get archives of the show via Patreon. May 16, 2025 | ISBW 22.11 | murverse.com "Ruinous Creatures and Magic Systems" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
What happens when the La Nova Mobilitat team travels to Zurich, the European hub of robotics and artificial intelligence? In this special live episode (recorded in English), Martí and Miquel dive deep into the world of physical AI, from autonomous vehicles and quadrupeds to microscopic medical devices. We sit down with industry leaders and top researchers—Enric Galceran (Google), Kateryna (ANYbotics), Thomas (ERNI), and Salvador Pané (ETH Zurich)—to separate the humanoid hype from the real-world applications transforming our industries today.
From a 10-bed lying-in hospital to Handel's Messiah, the Rotunda Maternity Hospital has operated continuously for 281 years. A Nurses' Week story. Summary Across the street from Danny’s Dublin hotel stood a large white institutional building with no signage. It turned out to be the Rotunda Hospital — the oldest continuously operating maternity hospital in the world, delivering babies in the same building since December 8th, 1757. Surgeon Bartholomew Mosse founded it after losing his wife and child in childbirth, trained as a midwife in Paris at a time when physicians were penalized for practicing midwifery, and returned to Dublin determined to build something that didn’t yet exist. The first version had 10 beds and delivered 190 babies in its first year, with one maternal death. Unable to raise money for a larger hospital — no one wanted to fund poor women’s care — Mosse attended the world premiere of Handel’s Messiah in Dublin in 1742 and was inspired. He turned the future hospital site into a pleasure garden with orchestras, dances, and theater to attract wealthy donors. He was later imprisoned for debt, escaped through a castle window in Wales, hid in the mountains for three weeks, and died exhausted and broke in 1759, less than two years after the new hospital opened. Sara E. Hampson, one of Florence Nightingale’s original nurses, became the hospital’s first female superintendent in 1891 — a thread that ties Nurses Week directly to this building, Danny almost walked past. Click here to view the printable newsletter. More readable than a transcript. Contents Podcast episode on YouTube Episode Proem: No Signage, No Appointment, No Problem Hello. Welcome to 2026 Nurses Week, May 6th through 12th. I’m very proud to be a nurse. I’ve been a nurse for 50 years. And my grandson’s going to nursing school next year. He’s graduating as a senior and will attend Loyola University in Chicago for its nursing program. I’m very proud. I want to tell you a story about one of the most significant things that happened during our trip to Ireland a couple of weeks ago. We were staying in the north-central city of Dublin, Ireland. Across the street, I saw a big white institutional facade with no signage. It looked like the side of the building. Next to it, on its right, was a dome with a more modern sign that read “Ambassador”. So, I went into the hotel and asked, “So what’s this building?” And they didn’t know. I looked it up, and it turned out to be the Rotunda Hospital. The Rotunda Hospital is the oldest freestanding maternity hospital in the world. Midwifery Was Scandalous. He Did It Anyway. Now let me see. I’ve got some notes here. The hospital was founded in 1745 by a man named Bartholomew Mosse, M-O-S-S-E. He was a certified surgeon. His wife and child died in childbirth. After this tragedy, he left Ireland to serve as a doctor with the British Army. While he was away, he received midwifery training at a hospital in Paris and obtained his midwifery license, which was unusual. In fact, fellows of the Royal College of Physicians were even penalized if they practiced midwifery. But Mosse wanted to change that. So, he built this small place, 10 beds, that… Let’s see, when did it open? I guess it opened in 1745. Mosse’s ambition was to build a dedicated maternity hospital in Dublin to provide medical care and shelter to the city's penniless mothers. This came after he encountered unspeakable conditions during his practice, particularly in the aftermath of the 1739 famine. So he established this 10-bed hospital. It was in a small theater called the New Booth Theatre. It says here that it was the first lying-in hospital of its kind in the world. It had only 10 beds, but in its first year, 190 babies were born, and just one mother died. But obviously, they couldn’t meet demand with 10 beds. When No One Funds Poor Mothers, Try Dancing Mosse tried to raise money to build a larger hospital, but nobody really wanted to give money to poor women. So he happened to attend the world premiere of Handel’s Messiah on April 13, 1742. While he was there, he was inspired to raise money by entertaining the wealthy. Somebody sent me a picture of the Handel statue that’s in front of the theater where the premiere was, which I thought would be interesting. According to my research, on the evening of April 13th, 1742, Handel conducted the world premiere of his Messiah on Dublin’s Fishamble Street, and Mosse was present. Historians suggest that this moment crystallized Mosse’s idea of using high-society entertainment to fund a hospital for the poor. So Mosse turned the proposed hospital site into a pleasure garden with a live orchestra, theatrical performances, and dances in a coffee house, marrying philanthropy with frivolity to reach the wealthy. Debt, Daring Escape, Death Here’s a little interesting tidbit. Lotteries nearly destroyed Dr. Mosse. Before he was able to return to Ireland, he was arrested and charged with being 200 pounds in debt, and he’s thought to have been imprisoned in Beaumaris Castle in Anglesey, Wales. The story was that he managed to escape through a window and hid in the Welsh mountains for three weeks before reaching Ireland. He then vindicated himself by publishing his receipts and lottery accounts, whatever. But less than a year after the hospital opened, he was taken seriously ill, exhausted, heavily in debt, and petrified about the prospect of arrest and imprisonment. He died on February 16th, 1759. Fix the Air, Save the Babies. Then and Now. Around 1781, when the hospital was poorly ventilated and every sixth child died within nine days of birth, they realized the problem was poor ventilation. Ventilation was improved, and mortality dropped to 1 in 20 over the following five years. They’re also planning to celebrate their millionth birth in 2026. It’s just amazing. I met a saleswoman in a sweater store who asked where we went in Dublin. When I told her about the Rotunda Hospital, she said she had a difficult pregnancy and birth without insurance. She received care at the Rotunda Hospital, with her baby in neonatal intensive care for three weeks and herself as an inpatient for two weeks. Awesome care! So, when we were there, I, an old white guy in a wheelchair, motored into the Rotunda Hospital and stopped at the registration desk to ask if I could speak with someone. I had not made an appointment. I was leaving the next day. Very nice people. I tried to get hold of people in their library, research, and marketing, but they were busy, of course. Oldest? It's Relative. I’m really impressed by the idea of being the world's longest-operating specialist hospital. I was trying to get some perspective on that, so I looked up the oldest continuously operating hospitals, and here’s what I learned. I learned that in the United States, the oldest continuously operating hospital is Bellevue Hospital in New York City, which opened in 1736 as a six-bed infirmary.[1] So, it began as a haven for the indigent and is still a major public hospital on the East Side of Manhattan. It opened nine years before Mosse opened his first lying-in hospital. The other long-running hospital is the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia[2], established in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond. It’s still operational as part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. The oldest hospital is the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris[3], which officially opened in 650 AD, and that’s the hospital where Mosse became a midwife. There’s St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, founded in 1123[4]. And there’s the Hospital de Jesús Nazareno in Mexico City, opened in 1524. But really, the Rotunda is the oldest maternity-only specialist hospital, continuously operating in the world, which is a more specific and arguably more impressive claim than the general acute care hospitals Bellevue and Hôtel-Dieu, which have both moved buildings, changed missions, and been rebuilt. The Rotunda has been delivering babies in the same building since December 8th, 1757. That’s really something. Reflection: Nightingale Was Here Too So, let’s bring this back to Nurses Day and to Florence Nightingale. Interestingly, Sara E. Hampson was one of the original Nightingale nurses and the first lady superintendent of the Rotunda Hospital in 1891. So yay, nursing. Yay, history. I’m really looking forward to exploring more of this amazing hospital in Dublin. I wonder who was in charge all these years, and how it survived past Mosse and through those first decade or first few years? And then, how did the Rotunda Hospital survive war, famine, pandemics, and technological change? What research occurred there? Is there a diaspora of Rotunda alumni? Anyway, more to come. Thanks. Referenced in episode [1] By Harper’s Weekly – Harper’s Weekly, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6014479 [2] William Strickland (1788-1854) Engraver: Samuel Seymour (1796-1823), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons [3] I, Clio, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons [4] See page for author, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Are you part of the Rotunda Hospital diaspora? Find me at dannyhealthhats@gmail.com. Tell me your version. Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Substack Patreon Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection Claude, Perplexity, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci Inspired by and Grateful to: Dr. Lisa Masinter and Dr. Michele Whitt, Janice Tufte, Linda DeRosa, Luc Pelletier, Cherie Binns Photo Credits Ann Boland, Paul Boland, Janice Tufte, Danny van Leeuwen, and as referenced in the transcript Related episodes from Health Hats https://health-hats.com/pod133/ https://health-hats.com/ob-nurse-cannabis-nurse/ https://health-hats.com/build-it-and-they-will-come/ Artificial Intelligence in Podcast Production Health Hats, the Podcast, utilizes AI tools for production tasks such as editing, transcription, and content suggestions. While AI assists with various aspects, including image creation, most AI suggestions are modified. All creative decisions remain my own, with AI sources referenced as usual. Questions are welcome. Creative Commons Licensing CC BY-NC-SA This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms. CC BY-NC-SA includes the following elements: BY: credit must be given to the creator. NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms. Please let me know. dannyhealthhats@gmail.com Material on this site created by others is theirs, and use follows their guidelines. Disclaimer The views and opinions presented in this podcast and publication are solely my responsibility and do not necessarily represent the views of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute® (PCORI®), its Board of Governors, or Methodology Committee. Danny van Leeuwen (Health Hats)
En aquest episodi de La Nova Mobilitat Actual viatgem virtualment a la gran fira Auto China de Pequín per descobrir l'allau de novetats mundials: des de les 6 noves bateries de CATL fins al revolucionari sistema autònom VLA2 d'XPeng.També repassem els últims resultats financers de Tesla, marcats per la confessió d'Elon Musk sobre els retards del FSD i l'obsolescència del Hardware 3. Finalment, toquem de peus a terra analitzant l'estat real dels robots humanoides a la fira Hannover Messe i l'aclaparador ecosistema de manufactura de Shenzhen.Temes tractats:
For Revolutionært Kommunistisk Parti, er arbejdernes internationale kampdag ikke en ceremoniel festdag eller en festival. For os er dagen en vigtig del af den levende kamp for kommunisme, en kamp som strækker sig langt udover Danmarks grænser. Nærmest på månedlig basis, udstiller kapitalismens sit eget forfald i form af en ny menneskeskabt katastrofe, så klassekampen kan på ingen måde siges at være ovre - hverken globalt eller i Danmark. Hør hvorfor vi stadig har en verden at vinde, i dette særafsnit af Revolutionær Kommunistisk Podcast som er baseret på et udvalg af taler fra 'Revolutionær 1. maj' i København. Talere (efter rækkefølge): Andreas Nørgård, Asger Ammundsen, Keagan Chronnister og Uffe Skovmand. Mødte du os ikke til 1. maj? Skriv til os her og gå med i kampen
"If you injure somebody, that injury tells a story, and you have to decide whether that story fits the rest of your story." 22.10 In this episode, I go into "realism" with regards to injuries and health. Are injuries for pain? For an instant of shock? To give the character a new hardship? We talk about some of Stephen King's works and how to balance realism with narrative flow. This post went live for supporters on April 21, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon! NOTE- This coming weekend (May 1-3) I will be GoH at DemiCon! Remember, you can join us live on Thursdays at 3 PM Eastern on Twitch! Don't miss our next live episode! Links Ravencon Demicon Evergreen Links Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn. Get archives of the show via Patreon. April 27, 2025 | ISBW 22.10 | murverse.com "Are you sure you want to injure that character?" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
Marta verfolgt die Abenteuer von Murderbot und denkt dabei über Humor als kosmische Universalie nach. Kuba hat Tipps für Youtube-Videos rund um Fanproduktionen, Filmrequisiten und Buchstabenersetzung. Beim Wattwandern lernen wir außerdem, wie es ist, eine Muschel zu sein, und von Apple lernen wir, wie es ist, ein Interface aus flüssigem Glas zu bedienen. Kapitelchen & Tracklist 0:00:00 Graves Into Gardens – Loop (2023) CC BY-SA 0:00:19 Intro, Kuba vs Hive, Marta im Babymuseum 0:09:38 liddie dissociating – keen CC BY 0:11:29 Murderbot 1 0:31:48 Lauren Estes – Candle Queen CC BY-NC-SA 0:34:13 Murderbot 2 0:51:37 Jamie Paige – Hope Café CC BY-NC-SA 0:55:13 Audiorätsel, YouTube Tipps 1:20:51 June LaLonde – Something Grand CC BY-NC 1:24:50 Muscheln = Watt³ 1:38:21 Graves Into Gardens – Sober Up, Let's Get Going (2025) CC BY-SA 1:39:30 Liquid Glass 1:56:16 Felicity Mangan – Mud Flats CC BY-NC Flyer Shownotes Murderbot Martha Wells und ihre Bücher auf Wikipedia; marthawells.com Die Murderbot-Serie auf Wikipedia Videoessays (alle Links zu YouTube) Audiorätsel Quelle Contrapoints: Saw Lindsay Ellis: Did Disney Steal Aladdin? Jenny Nicholson: My Favorite Twilight Knockoff Cathode Ray Dude: Filming Video: CRTs on Set DeadBlossomJesse (Links mit Timecodes) Future Week: Day 2 VOD Stores Podcast / Store Trek Muscheln Wattenmeer-Besucherzentrum Cuxhaven Kosmos-Naturführer „Was finde ich am Strand?“ Muscheln auf Wikipedia Projekt zu Byssus / Muschelseide im Naturhistorischen Museum Basel Der Sarlacc in Star Wars („Plural: Sarlacci“, Wikipedia) Sandwurm / Shai-Hulud auf Wikipedia Muscheln bei Spongebob (Spongepedia) Credits & Lizenz Cover: basierend auf Robert Fludd Metaphysik und Natur- und Kunstgeschichte beider Welten, nämlich des Makro- und des Mikrokosmos, 1617; Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons Diese Folge erscheint unter CC BY-NC-SA 3.0, d.h. unsere Inhalte gerne teilen, remixen, aber uns bitte erwähnen und ja kein Geld verdienen! Musik siehe jeweilige Lizenzen.
"Every character is the star of their own story." ISBW 22.9 In this episode we talk about how different writers view characterization, from the ones who struggle to the ones who say the characters live in their heads. How do you manage all these wily beasts who want their stories told? I will also be appearing next week at Ravencon, and then the following week at Demicon! This post went live for supporters on April 17, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon! Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is April 24, when we will talk about A Year of Furious Creation. Links Ravencon Demicon Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman Evergreen Links Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn. Get archives of the show via Patreon. April 21, 2025 | ISBW 22.9 | murverse.com "When Characters Go Rogue" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
En aquest episodi de La Nova Mobilitat Actual repassem les notícies més destacades del sector després del nostre esdeveniment "The Robots Are Us". Temes tractats:
Participatory governance in healthcare means asking the right people the right questions. Three stories where listening as leadership changed everything. Summary This episode is about listening as leadership — the gap between where knowledge lives and where decisions get made, and what it costs when we pretend that gap doesn’t exist. Three stories from my career as a nurse manager, quality director, and VP — three moments where participatory governance in healthcare produced the same result: a no to the status quo. Not a radical no. An obvious one. Obvious, that is, once someone finally asked the people living inside the system. Topics covered: Open visiting hours in the ICU — and what happened when staff pushed back Seven therapy visits, no prior authorization required — and what happened when the company was acquired A disability services resident on a board of directors — and the simple fix that improved every patient experience metric Why participatory governance is the fastest, cheapest diagnostic tool most health system leaders never use The honest difference between patient advisory boards and actually sharing power with patients What patient-centered care looks like when it moves beyond consultation into real shared decision making Click here to view the printable newsletter. More readable than a transcript. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProemPart 1: ICU Doors OpenPart 2: Seven Visits, No Questions AskedPart 3: The Right to Say GoodbyeSynthesis: What's Common Across All ThreeReflection Podcast episode on YouTube Episode Proem I’ve spent most of my career in institutions, hospitals, managed care companies, and disability services agencies. These are large, slow-moving systems with their own inertia, logic, and knack for designing processes that work best for billing, and not so well for those receiving or providing services. I should know. I’ve been inside these systems as a clinician, boss, consultant, caregiver, and patient. The boldest changes I was part of didn’t come from a consultant’s report. They didn’t come from a board retreat or a leaders' strategic planning day off-site — though, Lord knows, I’ve sat through plenty of those. They came from the moment when someone, usually someone with very little institutional power, said: This doesn’t work. It’s hurting us. The hardest part wasn’t hearing that. The hardest part was finding the gumption to act. Institutions are good at explaining why things are the way they are. They have binders of policies for that. My secret as a consultant was embarrassingly simple: the people who hired me already had the answers they needed. The nurse who’d been there fifteen years knew. The member who couldn’t get her calls returned knew. I sought them out, listened, and translated their words into a PowerPoint that the boardroom could hear. I want to tell you about three times I got it right. Three moments when the change that mattered was a no. No to visiting hours that kept families from the people they loved. No to a prior authorization process that treated patients and clinicians like suspects and required an army to administer that suspicion. No to a system that let care aides disappear from people’s lives without warning or goodbye, as if the people whose lives they were in didn’t deserve a heads-up. None of these nos were mine originally. I heard them from a family pacing a waiting room, from a member who couldn’t get the help she needed, and from a man with a disability who sat on our board and told us, plainly, what it felt like to wake up one day to find that someone essential to his life was simply gone. Participatory governance sounds like it belongs in a policy manual, right between stakeholder alignment and learning organization. When participatory governance works, it's permission. Permission for the people living and working within a system to tell the truth about it. And the willingness, on the part of whoever’s in charge, to let that truth land. Even when it’s inconvenient. Especially then. Part 1: ICU Doors Open My first experience as a boss was as an ICU nurse manager, a job I got, I should mention, without ever having worked in an ICU or having been a boss. A story for another day. The honeymoon was short. Strictly prescribed visiting hours, ninety minutes in the morning, ninety in the evening, were leaving families miserable. I could see it. They could feel it. In collaboration with my bosses, the ICU medical director, and the chief nurse, I eliminated visiting-hour limits entirely. My staff, who had recruited me for the role, now deeply regretted it. I hadn’t consulted them or thought through the workflow implications. They were furious, and they weren’t wrong to be. But we kept the visiting hours open. Over time, something shifted. I learned how to be a boss. Nurses learned to include families in care and treatment. Patients and families arrived home better prepared. Physicians, for their part, didn’t much care either way. The lesson I learned: this was a story about control. Mine, the nurses’, and ultimately the families’. We eventually set up an informal patient and family advisory group, not because I had planned to, but because we needed them in the room. Part 2: Seven Visits, No Questions Asked My job title was Director of Quality at a behavioral health managed care company. If you’ve spent any time in managed care, you know what that means: Director of Trying to Get an A+ in Every Measure, Whether It Has Meaning or Not. Prior authorization was the centerpiece. A member needs therapy. Their provider submits a request. Someone on our end reviews it, approves or denies it, requests more information, waits, and follows up. The member waits. The provider waits. And somewhere in all that waiting, the person who needed help either got it, gave up, or got worse. I inherited this process. I did not invent it. My boss and I set up an advisory group with members on one side and providers on the other. We asked about their experiences with our company. They were not subtle. Members said the pre-auth process made them feel they had to prove they deserved care. Providers said the company’s default assumption was that they were lying. Neither response was a ringing endorsement. So, we experimented: seven visits, upon request. No authorization required. If a member or their provider asks, they get them. No forms, no review, no waiting. The result: outcomes held. Members received care faster. Providers stopped spending half their administrative time on the phone with us. And our call center, the engine room of the prior authorization machine, grew quieter. Then quieter still. A substantial portion of our staff spent all day managing a process that, in large part, was designed to manage itself. Strip it out, and you didn’t need nearly as many people to run it. The bureaucracy wasn’t protecting anyone. It was the cost. We had real data. Member satisfaction trended up. Providers, for the first time in recent memory, said something positive about the company. The advisory group had surfaced a truth that no quality metric had found, because no quality metric had asked the right people the right question. Then the company was acquired. New owners, new priorities, no appetite for any of this. The program was terminated, and the advisory group disbanded. I can only assume the prior authorization process resumed its proud tradition of making everyone miserable in the name of oversight. I learned that participatory governance surfaces the truth faster than most quality improvement methodologies I’ve encountered. But institutions don’t always want the truth. Sometimes they want the process. The process is familiar. It distributes responsibility. It means nobody has to decide. The advisory group uncovered a truth. It turned out that the people who bought the company got a veto. Part 3: The Right to Say Goodbye There’s a particular kind of organizational meeting where everyone knows something is wrong, the data is right there on the slides, and somehow the conversation goes nowhere. Lots of nodding. Lots of concern. Lots of commitment to further analysis. I worked as VP of Quality at an organization supporting forty thousand people with disabilities, many of them living in group homes, relying on personal care aides for the most intimate parts of daily life. Getting dressed. Eating. Toileting. Moving through the world. At my first Board meeting, we reviewed satisfaction survey results, which were poor. They were not nuanced, requiring careful interpretation. They told us something was bad. And we were doing what organizations do: analyzing, discussing, and scheduling follow-up meetings to review the analysis. We were not asking the people who lived there. The agency was committed to resident/patient participation in governance committees, including the Board; in this case, a resident of one of our group homes served on the Board. Not as a symbol. As a Board member. At one of these meetings, in the middle of what was shaping up to be another productive session of collective concern, he said something that stopped the room. He said: People leave without warning. A personal care aide, someone who helps you start each day, who knows how you take your coffee, which jokes make you laugh, and how you like your blanket folded, is just gone one morning. No notice. No goodbye. Someone new shows up, and you’re expected to adjust. He said it plainly, not as an accusation but as a fact. He apparently assumed, incorrectly, that we already knew. We didn’t. Or rather, someone knew. The people living in the homes knew. The aides probably knew. It just hadn’t made it into the meeting room until he put it there. The fix was insultingly simple. When an aide left, for any reason, residents would be told in advance. A chance to say goodbye. A proper introduction to whoever came next, rather than a key, an address, and good luck. That was the intervention. Advance notice, a goodbye, a hello — the basic courtesies we’d extend to anyone, anywhere, in any other context. Survey results improved dramatically in the next cycle. Not in one or two categories. Across the board. Because what was wrong wasn’t a program or a resource allocation. It was that the people living inside the system had been treated as though their experience of it didn’t count as information. The lesson I carry from that room is the simplest I know: the person living inside the system always knows. They know what’s breaking, what would fix it, and they’ve usually been waiting, sometimes for years, for someone to ask. You just have to put them in the room and believe them when they speak. The keyword is just. Just assumes a lot. Synthesis: What's Common Across All Three Three organizations. Three populations. Three problems, unresolved within systems staffed by smart, well-meaning people. In every case, the answer was already there. It lived in the wrong room. I want to be honest about something. Looking back, only one of these three was truly participatory governance: the man in the group home who served on our board. The ICU families and advisory group members had real influence but no structural authority. They could inform decisions, but they couldn’t stop them. That distinction matters, and I don’t want to paper over it. What they all shared was something simpler yet harder than governance design: someone with institutional power chose to ask, then chose to act on what they heard. The families pacing the ICU waiting room knew visiting hours weren’t protecting patients; they were protecting the unit’s sense of order. The members and providers in that behavioral health advisory group knew prior authorization wasn’t ensuring quality; it was ensuring paperwork. The man on our board knew what was breaking down wasn’t resources or staffing ratios. It was the simple human expectation of a goodbye. None of them needed a consultant. They needed someone with enough authority to ask the question and enough humility to sit with the answer. Here’s what I’ve come to believe: participatory governance, done seriously, is the fastest and cheapest diagnostic tool any leader has. Faster than a consultant. Cheaper than a task force. More accurate than a satisfaction survey that asks the wrong questions of the right people and calls it listening. The nos in these stories weren’t radical. They were obvious, embarrassingly obvious, once you asked the people who already knew. What made them feel radical was the gap between where the knowledge lived and where decisions were made. That gap has a name. Several, actually. We call it hierarchy, liability, chain of command, and expertise — the comfortable assumption that the people at the top understand a system better than those inside it every day. Sometimes that’s true. Often it isn’t. And the cost of acting as though it’s always true is borne by those with the least power to push back. The anxious family in the hallway. The member who couldn’t get through. The man in the group home who, generously, assumed we already knew what he was about to tell us. They were the experts. We had the org chart. Reflection Honestly, I’m proud of these three stories, but I’m not sure I deserve much credit. In each case, the hard work, the observing, the enduring, the knowing, was done by someone else. A family pacing a hallway. A patient who kept calling back. A man who showed up for board meetings and told the truth to a room that had been avoiding it. I contributed a willingness to ask and enough positional authority to act on what I heard. I'm struck by how long those answers had been waiting. The ICU families weren’t new. Frustration with prior auth wasn’t a surprise to anyone who’d navigated it. How long had group home residents been losing people without warning? Nobody seemed to know exactly, long enough that it had stopped registering as a problem and had started registering as just the way things were. That’s the part I can’t shake: the way systems normalize their own failures. The way this is how we do it becomes indistinguishable from this is the only way it can be done. And the people most hurt by that confusion are usually the least positioned to correct it. I got lucky. Three times, I was in the right seat, and the right person was willing to tell me what I needed to hear. Not every leader gets that, and not every leader goes looking for it. The question I’d leave you with — the one I still ask whenever I walk into a new system, a new organization, or any room where decisions are being made about people who aren’t present: Who already knows the answer? And what would it take to let them say it out loud? If you’ve been in that room — where someone finally said the quiet part and the right no was finally spoken — I want to hear about it. Find me at dannyhealthhats@gmail.com. Tell me your version. I promise you: it’s better than you think. And someone out there needs to hear it. Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Substack Patreon Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection Claude, Perplexity, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci Inspired by and Grateful to: Jan Oldenburg, Laura Marcial, Ronda Alexander, Libby Hoy, Lacy Fabian, James Harrison Photo Credits NASA Referenced in episode Related episodes from Health Hats https://health-hats.com/patient-family-advisors-back-2-basics/ https://health-hats.com/teachable-spirit-patient-family-advisors/ https://health-hats.com/pod237/ Artificial Intelligence in Podcast Production Health Hats, the Podcast, utilizes AI tools for production tasks such as editing, transcription, and content suggestions. While AI assists with various aspects, including image creation, most AI suggestions are modified. All creative decisions remain my own, with AI sources referenced as usual. Questions are welcome. Creative Commons Licensing CC BY-NC-SA This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms. CC BY-NC-SA includes the following elements: BY: credit must be given to the creator. NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms. Please let me know. dannyhealthhats@gmail.com Material on this site created by others is theirs, and use follows their guidelines. Disclaimer The views and opinions presented in this podcast and publication are solely my responsibility and do not necessarily represent the views of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute® (PCORI®), its Board of Governors, or Methodology Committee. Danny van Leeuwen (Health Hats)
#stepmom #giant #magicIn this story, a boy is warned not to go hunting in the black mountains. He does, and a whole saga begins. Enjoy!Source: The Golden Maiden, and other folk tales and fairy stories told in Armenia by A. G. SeklemianNarrator: Dustin SteichmannMusic: LIVE: Komitas | Armenian National MelodySound Effects: Tiny trickling forest creek (loopable) by Mjeno -- https://freesound.org/s/405138/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Podcast Shoutout: LexitectureListener Shoutout: PittsburghPhoto Credit: "Melon" by Guillaume Brialon is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Què hem de saber realment abans de fer el salt i comprar un cotxe elèctric? Quins mites infundats ens hem de treure del cap? En el capítol 85 de La Nova Mobilitat conversem amb en Marc Belzunces, geòleg, divulgador científic i autor del llibre "Vehicle elèctric: guia d'ús i compra per a tots els usuaris". Analitzem l'estat actual del mercat, la tecnologia de les bateries i la crua realitat econòmica de l'electrificació. En aquest episodi descobrireu:Mites i desinformació: Desmuntant les "fake news" sobre la contaminació, els incendis i la vida útil de les bateries amb dades purament científiques.El fals debat de l'autonomia i els híbrids endollables: Com hem de canviar el "xip" mental sobre la recàrrega i per què en Marc desaconsella rotundament comprar un vehicle híbrid endollable (PHEV).La guerra de les bateries (NMC vs. LFP): Per què la tecnologia xinesa LFP (Liti Ferro Fosfat) ha guanyat la partida, oferint bateries més segures, econòmiques i amb una vida útil d'anar sobrats.El cost real (TCO): Com l'estalvi en combustible i manteniment fa que el cotxe elèctric ja sigui l'opció més rendible per a la gran majoria (amb el cas claríssim del sector del taxi). L'electrificació del transport no és només una qüestió de militància mediambiental, avui dia s'ha convertit en una decisió purament lògica i econòmica. En Marc ens aporta la seva visió com a divulgador per entendre la transició energètica i reclama un canvi vital: deixar de subvencionar la compra de vehicles i destinar totes les ajudes a posar carregadors als pàrquings comunitaris.Marques de temps:(00:00) Benvinguda a l'episodi 85 i presentació de Marc Belzunces.(00:57) El nou llibre: Una guia pràctica per a futurs usuaris de vehicles elèctrics.(08:34) Perspectiva històrica: De la crisi dels fems de cavall al cotxe elèctric.(14:16) L'estalvi econòmic real (TCO) i per què el taxista que no s'hi passa perd diners.(18:40) L'ansietat d'autonomia i la realitat còmoda de carregar al pàrquing.(24:09) Híbrids endollables (PHEV): Per què són una mala decisió financera i de manteniment.(29:09) Revolució a les bateries: NMC vs. LFP i la durabilitat extrema.(37:52) Combatre la desinformació i els interessos corporatius del lobby fòssil.(44:48) Qüestionari final: El futur de l'enginyeria, el problema de la xarxa i l'endarreriment de Catalunya.Mecenatge i SuportSi voleu donar suport al projecte, ho podeu fer a través de patreon.com/LaNovaMobilitat.Un agraïment molt especial als nostres mecenes: - Xavier Anzuela. - Aitor Querol. - Marc Esquius. - Victor Hernandez. - Mariano Moya.No oblidis subscriure't i valorar el podcast! Notes Legals: La Nova Mobilitat © 2022 by Miquel Testar & Martí Pascual is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Les opinions expressades són personals dels productors i convidats. Amb el suport de Fulls d'Enginyeria d'Enginyers Industrials de Catalunya. Música: "Future Calm" de penguinmusic (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).
En aquest segon episodi especial de La Nova Mobilitat des de Malaga, al eMobility Expo World Congress. Oferim una jornada plena d'entrevistes amb grans referents de la indústria de la mobilitat sostenible, el motorsport, la investigació i la produccio per debatre com afrontar la descarbonització. Analitzem des del futur del vehicle elèctric i el reciclatge de bateries, fins als combustibles sintètics i com automatitzar les nostres fàbriques per no perdre competitivitat a Europa.Temes tractats:
"I think the thing people have the most problem with is, 'This was very good, but it didn't excite me.'" ISBW 22.8 Mur is back solo, talking about Rejectomancy and how to interpret the rejections you get, and more importantly, how to move forward after getting said rejection. And the bad news: you're aiming to make writing a job, which means you have to deal with the bad parts along with the good. Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is April 9*, when we will talk about A Year of Furious Creation. *(Maybe. I may have jury duty that day. Stay tuned.) Links The person who coined the phrase 'rejectomancy.' Escape Pod Evergreen Links Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn. Get archives of the show via Patreon. April 6, 2025 | ISBW 22.8 | murverse.com "Can Rejectomancy Save Our Sanity?" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
En aquest episodi de La Nova Mobilitat Actual analitzem l'ofensiva total d'Uber per dominar el mercat dels robotaxis i la cara i creu de la indústria automobilística alemanya.Temes tractats:
"Acceptance is built on a pile of rejections." ~ Justin C. Key ISBW 22.7 Dr. Justin C. Key joins us to discuss his debut novel, The Hospital at the End of the World, exploring intersection of medicine and AI. Justin shares his experiences as a psychiatrist and balancing a medical career with being an author. We go over writing process, community, and the lessons learned from both success and setbacks. This post went live for supporters on March 27, 2026. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon! Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is April 2, when we will talk about Characters with a Mind of Their Own. Links Justin C. Key Escape Pod Out There Screaming Vital, the Future of Healthcare Scribophile The Hospital at the End of the World Evergreen Links Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn. Get archives of the show via Patreon. March 30, 2025 | ISBW 22.7 | murverse.com "Medicine and AI with Dr. Justin C. Key" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
"Weird is hot right now." ISBW 22.6 CW- pet death. It's been a rough week, so I'm talking regret and spite. Can they help and fuel us? Or is it just wasted bile? Then we talk about new book releases, like Nobody's Baby by Olivia Waite and Hell's Heart by Alexis Hall. And we touch on our next show, an interview with Justin C. Key, author of The Hospital at the End of the World. Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is March 26, when we will talk about Rejectomancy. Links Nobody's Baby by Olivia Waite Hell's Heart by Alexis Hall The Hospital at the End of the World by Justin C. Key Ruinous Creatures by Jessie Cole Jackson You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado Wolf Worm T. Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon) Flyleaf Books Evergreen Links Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn. Get archives of the show via Patreon. March 23, 2025 | ISBW 22.6 | murverse.com "Regret, Spite, and shiny new book haul" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
In this episode, we are going to explore the world of arachnids, but not the spiders you likely imagined after I said that. Nor ticks, nor mites, nor scorpions. No, today we are focusing on solifuges. “Soli-what?” you may be thinking.Joining us to explain more is Dr. Paula Cushing. Paula works at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in Colorado, where she is the senior curator of invertebrate zoology. She is an evolutionary biologist who studies evolutionary patterns and processes in arachnids. Paula's research focuses on the diversity of arachnids in the Rocky Mountain/Great Plains ecoregion, leveraging community science projects such as the Colorado Spider Survey to engage more people in gathering observations. She has done research in all the deserts of the western United States, in Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Puerto Rico, as well as in Mexico and Panama. ---Photo credit: Harshjeet Singh Bal's CC BY-NC-SA 2.0Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
"Take your time, there's no rush. The audience will be here whenever your story is ready." ISBW 22.5 In this episode we welcome author Olivia Waite to discuss her latest books, including Murder by Memory and Nobody's Baby. We touch on one of my favorite topics, writing science fiction mysteries, but we also delve into compelling beginnings and how to avoid the cringe in romance. Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:30) Writing Updates (05:00) Interview with Olivia Waite (10:00) Discussion on Book Beginnings (15:00) Overview of Nobody's Baby (25:00) Writing Process and Genre Exploration (35:00) Audience Questions (This post went live for supporters on March 12, 2026. If you want early and ad-free, episodes, support at Patreon!) Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! Next episode is March 19, when I interview Justin C. Key, author of The Hospital at the End of the World. Links Olivia Waite Douglas Adams Terry Pratchett Ocean's Echo Evergreen Links Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn. Get archives of the show via Patreon. March 16, 2025 | ISBW 22.5 | murverse.com "Revisiting Space Murder with Olivia Waite" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
This show has been flagged as Clean by the host. We'll explain why we're doing it, what it is, and cover some useful tools along the way. I've been watching movies recommended to me by my colleagues. As I work for a global company, the recommendations are often “Foreign Language”, which by definition is every movie to someone. It's often difficult to read the subtitles, or they are distracting from the acting. So I thought of converting the subtitles to speech for inclusion as an audio track, to produce a Voice Over or Lectoring audio track. Lectoring aka Voice Over Translations First used is soviet countries to read the news and propaganda from a lectors - the first podcasts ? In Polish, lektor is also used to mean “off-screen reader” or “voice-over artist”. A lektor is a (usually male) reader who provides the Polish voice-over on foreign-language programmes and films where the voice-over translation technique is used. This is the standard localization technique on Polish television and (as an option) on many DVDs; full dubbing is generally reserved for children's material. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lector#Television Example: Night of the Living Dead To give you an idea of what this sounds like I'm going to play you an example of the out of copyright movie, Night of the Living Dead . In the United States, Night of the Living Dead was mistakenly released into the public domain because the original distributor failed to replace the copyright notice when changing the film's name Original First the original sound track, then the same clip with the voice over track. Voice Over Proof of Concept As a native English speaker I find it difficult to follow those Voice Over tracks as I am trying to focus on the underlying audio. In discussions with Polish friends, it seems that this is not a problem when Polish is your native language. To put that to the test I wanted to try it out on a movie to see if that were indeed the case. I asked on Mastodon for a non English movie that was Creative Commons but did have English Subtitles, and HPR host Windigo had the answer. 2009 Nasty Old People is a 2009 Swedish film directed by Hanna Sköld, Tangram Film. It premiered on 10 October 2009 at Kontrapunkt in Malmö, and on file sharing site The Pirate Bay. The film is available as an authorized and legal download under the Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-SA. So my idea was to take each bit of subtitle text, convert it to audio, then have the generated audio play at the same time the subtitle appears on the screen. We use piper to process shows here on HPR, and we also generate srt, or SubRip subtitle files for each show. SRT or SubRip files are the easiest subtitle file to work with. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SubRip The SubRip file format is described on the Matroska multimedia container format website as “perhaps the most basic of all subtitle formats.” SubRip (SubRip Text) files are named with the extension .srt , and contain formatted lines of plain text in groups separated by a blank line. Subtitles are numbered sequentially, starting at 1. The timecode format used is hours:minutes:seconds,milliseconds with time units fixed to two zero-padded digits and fractions fixed to three zero-padded digits (00:00:00,000). The comma (,) is used for fractional separator . A numeric counter identifying each sequential subtitle The time that the subtitle should appear on the screen, followed by –> and the time it should disappear Subtitle text itself on one or more lines A blank line containing no text, indicating the end of this subtitle I downloaded the movie from the Internet Archive , and then used Piper voice to convert a minutes worth of subtitles. piper_voice: A fast and local neural text-to-speech engine that embeds espeak-ng for phonemization. GPL-3.0 license Once I had the audio prepared for a sample of the subtitles, it was over to audacity to create a new subtitle audio track. Audacity is the world's most popular audio editing and recording app GPL v2 or later, Timing the segments would be a problem, if it were not for the fact that Audacity supports srt files as Labels. File > Import > Lables. Then select the srt file The subtitle track with the text of the audio will be displayed. I could then Import each Audio segment and line them up with the subtitle track for to get the correct timing. Each subtitles segment created a new separate audio file which I then exported. I then used Kdenlive to open the video and import the audio and subtitle tracks. Kdenlive: is the acronym for KDE Non-Linear Video Editor. It works on Linux, Windows, macOS, and BSD. GPL-3.0-or-later There is a good article on adding by Jean-Marc on How to Add Subtitles Easily in Kdenlive Project > Subtitles > Add Subtitle Track Select the Subtitle file Align the subtitle and audio track. After rendering the segment out I was satisfied that this was something worth doing. The script The script can be found on the episode page for this show on the HPR site, and I put it together as a proof of concept. It creates a new audio track for the subtitles, and merges this with the original sound track to create a new selectable sound track. It begins by creating a length of silent audio that is as long as up to the first subtitle time segment begin timestamp. The first subtitle segment is converted from text to speech using Piper voice That segment of audio is added to the initial silence track. We check the total length so far, and then see if there is supposed to be silence between the last and next subtitle segment begin timestamp. If there is, then a filler piece of silence is added until the next subtitle should appear. If not then the audio for both subtitles play immediately after one another. I was worried that the subtitle audio would then lag behind the on screen dialogue but it works surprisingly well. Even long series of dialogue sort themselves out after a bit. We do this over and over again for each subtitle, right up to the very end of the movie. This new subtitle to speech audio track is then merged back into the media file as a new audio track. 96 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:10,640 It will be two years before it's this big 97 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:17,840 But don't you bother. By then I'll be long gone 98 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:22,400 It was just a question 99 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:25,480 Porridge? Original First the original sound track, then the same clip with the voice over track. Voice Over Lessons learned Now that I have done this for a lot of movies, there a few tips for getting the best output. The creation of the audio track usually goes well, but you can run into issues with the merging of the new track back into the movie. Preparation The first thing you need is a subtitle file which will be the basis of the voice you will be listening to. It should be good quality so that it matches when the actors speak. It's important to clean up this before you use it, fixing spelling mistakes and removing html that will get rendered. Listening to three hours of “I L Zero ve y Zero u”, or “less than forward slash I, greater than”, or “L am from Lndia” can get a bit tedious. You should also try and get versions that translate the songs as well. Getting a SRT file from the media. As many Subtitles are taken from a DVDs they can often be poor Optical character recognition versions of the bitmap-based streams. So a picture of string “Hello World” rather than the letters. ffmpeg By far the easiest and best way to get the subtitles is to extract it from the movie itself, provided it's a separate track. ffmpeg is a complete, cross-platform solution to record, convert and stream audio and video. LGPL-2.1-or-later, GPL-2.0-or-later https://ffmpeg.org/ ffmpeg -y -hide_banner -loglevel error -txt_format text -i "${this_movie_file}" "${this_srt_file}" Getting a SRT file from the web. If that fails you can try to get the subtitle files from the Internet. https://www.opensubtitles.org Select your language with the highest subtitle rating. You can check the media using the mpv media player. mpv is a media player based on MPlayer and mplayer2. It supports a wide variety of video file formats, audio and video codecs, and subtitle types. GPLv2+, parts under LGPLv2.1+, some optional parts under GPLv3 https://mpv.io/manual/master/ Name the srt file with the same prefix as the movie and mpv will play it. You can also use the --sub-files= option as well. mpv "${this_movie_file}" --sub-files="${this_srt_file}" Scrub through the file to see if the timing is correct. The subtitles can be toggled using the j key. Fixing Timing issues It's very important to get the subtitles to align, otherwise the voices will be out of sync. When the subtitles don't match up, it's usually that they need to have the start offset corrected. ffsubsync will automatically try and adjust the offset of the first subtitle to the first use of speech in a movie. ffsubsync: Language-agnostic automatic synchronization of subtitles with video, so that subtitles are aligned to the correct starting point within the video. MIT license https://github.com/smacke/ffsubsync pip install ffsubsync ffs video.mp4 -i unsynchronized.srt -o synchronized.srt LosslessCut will allow you to quickly remove additional trailers, or ads, at the beginning, so that ffsubsync will have a better chance of working if they are trimmed away. LosslessCut: aims to be the ultimate cross platform FFmpeg GUI for extremely fast and lossless operations on video, audio, subtitle and other related media files. GPL-2.0 license https://github.com/mifi/lossless-cut If that fails to match up the subtitles, you can use mpv keyboard shortcuts , move to the first speech segment an then press the Ctrl+Shift+Left and Ctrl+Shift+Right to adjust subtitle delay so that the next or previous subtitle is displayed. It will also show a number giving the miliseconds the delay is, eg -148416 miliseconds or -148.416 seconds. You can use many tools to adjust the subtitles, and I tried out SRT Offset . srt-offset: A simple command-line tool to offset SRT subtitle files. This tool allows you to adjust the timing of subtitles in SRT files, which can be useful when subtitles are out of sync with the video. MIT license srt-offset -i input.srt -offset -148.416 -o output.srt Manually adding the new subtitle to speech audio track If that presents an issue then you can use avidemux to just add the new audio track. Avidemux: is a free video editor designed for simple cutting, filtering and encoding tasks. GPL V2 Open Avidemux, and select “File > Open”, to select the movie. Then go to “Audio > Select Track” Select the next unselected track and tick “Enabled”, “Add Audio Track” Then pick the new mixed track, in this example .~NastyOldPeople_mixed.mp3 Conclusion I now find it much easier to watch a movie with the voice over track. It gets to a point where I don't even notice it is there and just hear the actors speak in their own language, and I just know what they are saying. Links 2009 Nasty Old People A Spanish voice-over translation avidemux by Jean-Marc on How to Add Subtitles Easily in Kdenlive container format Decimal separator extension ffmpeg ffmpeg on wikipedia ffsubsync GPL-3.0 license GPL v2 or later Kdenlive LGPL-2.1 LosslessCut Matroska MIT license Movie on Archive.org mpv mpv keyboard shortcuts mpv wikipedia Nasty Old People from the Internet Archive Night of the Living Dead Noc żywych trupów | Film grozy | Polski lektor OpenSubtitles opensubtitles.org Optical character recognition Piper voice SRT Offset srt, or SubRip subtitle files SubRip Timecode Voice-over translation Whisper Provide feedback on this episode.
Health Hats walks & floats through ancient Maya caves in Belize with forearm crutches, teamwork, trust, and shared decision-making every step of the way. Watch this episode on YouTube. Audio is published, but not the same Podcast episode on YouTube Summary What does it take to go cave tubing in Belize when you use forearm crutches and have no electric wheelchair? For Danny van Leeuwen, it takes the 3 T’s: Time (a half-mile walk), Trust (in guides and companions), and Talk (real-time decisions about stairs vs. river crossings). HHP245 is a first-person GoPro video of Danny floating through the sacred Caves Branch River — ancient Maya ceremonial grounds — with his wife and friend Linda. It’s part adventure, part health advocacy, and part proof that with the right team, you can push your capabilities further than you thought. Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProemNarrativeReflectionRelated episodes from Health Hats Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Substack Patreon Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection Claude, Perplexity, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci Inspired by and Grateful to: Mike and Linda DeRosa, Ann Boland, Ruben, David, and all our guides and helpers Photo Credits for Videos All by Danny van Leeuwen using GoPro10 Referenced in episode Nohoch Che’en Caves, Branch Archeological Reserve, Episode Proem I delight in pushing the boundaries of my capabilities. In Belize, floating in a tube through caves and snorkeling stretched me. How can tubing stretch anything? It's passive floating. The event included a mile-long walk to the cave entrance – relatively flat with some steps and wading across the river, a mere six-inches deep. No electric wheelchair, just my forearm crutches. Our guide and my compatriots shared in the decision-making and assisted me. This video episode was taken with a GoPro camera hanging around my neck. Watch the video. Reading will not give you the flavor. Narrative Let me tell you a little bit about where we are what you’ll see. Excuse me, as I will be certainly butchering some of the names of stuff. So where we are is Nohoch Che’en Caves, Branch Archeological Reserve, also called the Caves Branch River. It’s in the Cayo District, and districts are like provinces or states. It’s by far the most famous cave tubing destination in Belize and one of the most unique in the world. So this was sacred to the ancient Maya. They were considered portal to Xibalba, the Maya underworld. This wasn’t just mythology. The Maya actively used these caves for religious rituals and ceremonies, particularly during times of drought when they needed to communicate with the rain God, chaac. I don’t know. Archeologists have found ceramic offerings, jade artifacts and human remains inside; evidence of sacrificial rights dating back over 2000 years. The caves were largely forgotten after the Maya civilization declined and weren’t widely known to the outside world until the 1980s and nineties when the Belizean guides and explorers began documenting them and it became a active tourist destination in the early two thousands. So the Caves Branch River flows through a network of limestone caves carved out over millions of years. The system I floated on. Is part of a much larger Karst landscape riddled with interconnected caves. Some of them still unexplored. Pretty amazing, huh? Reflection That was it. Fifteen minutes of about an hour total time and 30 minutes of recording. I hope it gives you a flavor of what we did. It was awesome. I will be producing a couple more videos from Belize over the next few months. The next video will be of the Mayan ruins, then making tortillas and tamales, and then, we'll see. Related episodes from Health Hats https://health-hats.com/pod223/ https://health-hats.com/pod191/ https://health-hats.com/pod164/ Artificial Intelligence in Podcast Production Health Hats, the Podcast, utilizes AI tools for production tasks such as editing, transcription, and content suggestions. While AI assists with various aspects, including image creation, most AI suggestions are modified. All creative decisions remain my own, with AI sources referenced as usual. Questions are welcome. Creative Commons Licensing CC BY-NC-SA This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms. CC BY-NC-SA includes the following elements: BY: credit must be given to the creator. NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms. Please let me know. danny@health-hats.com. Material on this site created by others is theirs, and use follows their guidelines. Disclaimer The views and opinions presented in this podcast and publication are solely my responsibility and do not necessarily represent the views of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute® (PCORI®), its Board of Governors, or Methodology Committee. Danny van Leeuwen (Health Hats)
"It might be too much, but it looks really fun." ISBW 22.4 I've had a strong opinion about writing contests for years, but things have apparently evolved. I was reading about writing contests and found two that were quite interesting. A bit of housekeeping: I am no longer doing an exclusive version of Patreon episodes. They will still be early, still ad-free, but I've found that making two versions of the same show is just too much for me right now. I will still do completely exclusive episodes that the feed will never see, but I will rarely do extended interviews, etc. (This post went live for supporters on February 25, 2026. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!) We touch on the Webbys and why I won't enter them, and as for contests, NYC Midnight and Writing Battle intrigue me! The both have good rewards, good communities, and reasonable rules. Then I chat with the livestream, which you can join on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! Next episode is March 5, where I interview Olivia Waite, author of Murder by Memory and Nobody's Baby. Links Writer's Digest NYC Midnight Writing Battle Evergreen Links Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn. Get archives of the show via Patreon. February 27, 2025 | ISBW 22.4 | murverse.com "Have I changed my opinion on writing contests?" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
"If [I] start thinking about the details, [I] will either go down the wrong pathand not record or [I'll] talk [my]self out of it." ISBW 22.3 I finally finished the archives, and learned quite a bit about myself, not all good things. We also touch on Hugo season, book club scams, and AI publicists. This post went live for supporters on February 20, 2026. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon! Notes I FINISHED THE ARCHIVES! Now I just have to figure out how to release them. Hugo voting is open! I'm playing Dispatch and Clair Obscur, which are going to be my nominations for the Best Game Hugo. Dispatch has made me think a lot about interactive fiction. Beware the newest book club scam. I want to stream some solo-RPGs. I'm considering ION HEART, Midnight Muscadines, and A Perfect Rock. Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders made pure gold with Our Opinions Are Correct. Check out my 2026 appearances thus far! Next one is Ret-Con in Durham, NC, March 6-8. Evergreen Links Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn. Get archives of the show via Patreon. February 23, 2025 | ISBW 22.3 | murverse.com "977 Episodes: What Have I Learned?" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
"Not every opportunity is equal, and you don't have to chase everything." ~Tim Minneci ISBW 22.2 What do you need to have when you're wrangling several pro writers? What can a writer expect from an assistant? Meet Tim Minneci, writer, podcaster, musician, and my assistant. (And Ursula's, and Kameron's.) We discuss the challenges of being a writer, the importance of having an assistant, and the various tasks that come with supporting authors in their creative endeavors. Tim covers social media, the publishing industry, and the balance between creativity and administrative work. (This post went live for supporters on February 16, 2026. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!) Links Tim Minneci and his Dig Me Out podcast Evergreen Links Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn. Get archives of the show via Patreon. February 18, 2026 | ISBW 22.2 | murverse.com "The Art of Juggling Writers (as an assistant)" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
Former Nike exec Mark Hochgesang interviews Danny on Heavy Hitter Sports Podcast about MS & being an adaptive athlete. Just back from Belize! Training works. Summary My friend Mark Hochgesang, former Nike exec and host of Heavy Hitter Sports, recently interviewed me. While I usually wear my life on my sleeve on Health Hats, this conversation revealed something different—how I think about myself as an adaptive athlete. Phil Knight’s mantra: “If you have a body, you’re an athlete.” I never thought of it that way until Mark helped me see it. Training to travel? That’s athletic training. Loading a 60-pound wheelchair into an SUV? Strength work. Walking 3,500 steps a day with MS? Competition with myself. Here’s what we covered:
"All I can do is what I can do right now." ISBW 22.1 First episode of the year, and we talk about the things we may not want to take along with us into the new year. New books, new shows (Patreon-only Evil Mur podcast called STET!), and all that other stuff. (This post went live for supporters on January 12, 2026. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!) Links Stet (first episode is free to everyone!) Gnosia (game and anime) Escape Pod How to Be More D&D The Compound Recipes for an Unexpected Afterlife Evergreen Links Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn. Get archives of the show via Patreon. January 6, 2025 | ISBW 22.1 | murverse.com "Careful What You Pack" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
Health Hats Danny celebrates 50 – years with his honey & pounds lost. With gratitude for privilege, & best health thru family, media, music, travel, & advocacy. Summary Think of 2025 as Danny’s Sofrito year—familiar and unexpected ingredients simmering together. The base: 50 years married, daily saxophone practice, steady MS management. The aromatics: Cuban jazz immersion, co-founding a Personal Health Data Bank, and celebrating with old friends on Bloom Mountain. The heat: losing 50 pounds, earning $150 as a “professional” musician, and learning from his grandsons. What makes sofrito work is the slow sauté, the patient layering of flavors. Danny’s learning the same with music (leave white space), with health (five out of ten is excellent), and with AI (it changes the work but doesn’t replace Mom’s feedback). Between PCORI Board meetings, podcast production, band rehearsals, and startup strategy sessions, he’s discovered that retirement’s spicy complexity comes from knowing when to drop out, when to join the rhythm section, and when to let the energizing endorphins carry you through disturbing times. The recipe? Nap whenever and keep improvising. Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProemFrom Mom to AI50 Years of Love and Privilege RoastedRolling in CubaToo Many and Too Few HornsBest GovernanceGame-Changing StartupOnwardBest Health NowEndorphins and GratitudeRelated episodes from Health Hats Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Substack Patreon Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro and outro Claude, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci, Whisper Transcription Podcast episode on YouTube Inspired by and Grateful to: All of you! Photo Credits for Videos 50th Anniversary images by Patti Harris, Rich Rieger, Jodi Buckingham, Ann Boland, Christine Higgins, and me Swiss cheese image by Rahul Pugazhendi on Unsplash Nourish image by Santiago Lacarta on Unsplash Cuba images by Ann Boland, Richard Fish, Gisselle Perez, and me Zoom images by Michael Chaffin and Steve Heatherington Links and references The Curse of an Aching Heart Music by Al Piantadosi, Lyrics by Henry Fink 1913 played by the Summer Street Stompers https://health-hats.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/The-Curse-of-an-Aching-Heart-20251206.mp3 Referenced in episode Dan Fox and Morningside Studios, the Havana Music School, the Havana Jazz Festival Lechuga Fresca Latin Band and Summer Street Stompers Dixieland Band Research partnerships and participatory governance of AI Personal Health Data Bank https://goodlistening.org Episode Proem I love retirement. I have plenty to do on my own schedule. I can nap almost whenever I want. I‘m no better at saying no. Every day feels rich, although I don't always know what day it is. From Mom to AI My podcast about best health continues to flourish and nourish. Thank you very much. I embrace the tension between creativity and productivity as I test new approaches and media. I published fifteen new episodes in 2025, plus 32 YouTube episodes, and countless social media shorts. What do you think of my new intro and outro? Grandsons Leon and Oscar encouraged me to update them. Leon has been updating my website, as a growing proportion of people access my back catalog. Both Leon and Oscar advise me on direction, content, and strategy, especially using social media. I meet regularly with my virtual, supportive, and challenging podcasting peeps. I enjoy experimenting with AI in production to find and create images and suggest brief descriptions and section headings. My favorite prompt is “Suggest three ironic titles, brief descriptions, and section headings, a tech-savvy teen would appreciate.” I rarely use the suggested responses, but I chuckle and take an unexpected path. AI does not make me more productive; it changes the work a tad. When I first started blogging, I would read draft episodes to my mom. Her feedback was more often helpful than AI's. I miss my mom. 50 Years of Love and Privilege Roasted The highlights of the year included celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary with old friends and my grandsons. Our son, Ruben, served as Master of Ceremonies. Nine people from our 1975 wedding joined us in July on Bloom Mountain in West Virginia to tell stories. We played the Dating Game and Danny and Ann Trivia. We, rather, I, got roasted. Oscar, Bruce Kimmel, and I played Simple Gifts on clarinet, bass, and baritone sax. We sang Simple Gifts at our wedding. Listeners and viewers, you can find full performances of this and other referenced tunes at the end of the podcast. Readers, click the links in the transcript or check the show notes. Rolling in Cuba Another highlight was our week-long trip to Cuba for a music extravaganza. Dan Fox and Morningside Studios arranged it, and the Havana Music School hosted a week of the Havana Jazz Festival, daily lessons and ensemble work, culminating in a gig at a restaurant attended by many Havana musicians in town for the Festival. One of the tunes I recorded from the gig, “Sofrito” by Mongo Santamaria, has had 48,000 views on YouTube as of this writing. Before this, my most-viewed videos had 300 views. I'm grateful to Pachy Silveria for saxophone instruction and to Claudia Fumero and Gisselle Perez for their kindness in hosting. I worried about wheelchair access before we went to Cuba, but I needn't have. My wheelchair was no more of a barrier there than it is anywhere else. Too Many and Too Few Horns Speaking of music, I'm playing in two bands now-Lechuga Fresca Latin Band and Summer Street Stompers Dixieland Band. Lechuga Fresca is reconstituting after several musicians moved on to other projects. I'm often the only horn player at rehearsals, while we have five horn players in the Summer Street Stompers. Too few and too many. Both situations have challenges. I've never had to hold my own in a band completely; usually, I hide behind someone. With a horn section, the music at its best is controlled cacophony. Too many horns are nuts. I'm learning to lay back, not hide, drop out sometimes, join the rhythm section other times, and leave more white space in my solos. I'm grateful to my teacher of 17 years, Jeff Harrington. Oscar and I figure that I must be a professional musician. While I don't make a living playing, I made $150 this year. I average 1 hour a day with my music, and it feeds my soul and creates new pathways in my Swiss-cheese brain. Best Governance I'm in my sixth year on the PCORI (Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute) Board, focused on shifting the balance of power in community-research partnerships and in the participatory governance of AI used in research. If reappointed, I'll enthusiastically re-up for another six years. PCORI has the best Board, leadership, and staff dynamics, as well as the output, of any organization I've participated with during my 50-year career. A nod to Jan Oldenburg for outstanding coaching that kept me focused on two goals at a time. Game-Changing Startup A year ago, I would have said serving on the PCORI Board of Governors was the pinnacle of my career but let me tell you about my new career gig. For twenty-five years, I've worked with many collaboratives to advance patients’ abilities to turn their health data into useful information to make choices about their health and care. “Gimme my damn data” is a great slogan and first step, but success could be drinking dirty water out of a firehose. I virtually met my start-up partners, Tomas Moras and Marianne Hudgins in April and started working together in August. We're seeking seed funding to build a Personal Health Data Bank, an owner-controlled health data bank that promotes individual data ownership, safety, security, and trust by storing personal health data from any source and using AI-assisted synthesis to serve the data owner. Data owners' needs vary. We might need our data for research participation, health data summarization, clinician visit prep, care coordination with family in whatever diaspora, or tracking data over the years, across health systems and locations. We have a sandbox where we are testing and enhancing existing open-source technology while we figure out participatory governance to address ethical, privacy, and usability issues. We favor a bottom-up rather than a top-down approach as we build community and services for owners and their trusted networks. I'm excited about the challenge of finding the smallest viable community that can use these Data Banks, with everyone making enough money to sustain the banks, service providers, and networks. No data broker would make money on the data. I'm revved up as I learn about a new audience – investors. The diversity of investors rivals that of any culture I'm new to. Onward I traveled to DC, Portland OR, New Orleans, and Colorado. In 2026, we booked a trip to Belize with Linda and Mike DeRosa. We are also planning a trip to Ireland and Wales with my brother-in-law, Paul Boland, I'll be sharing more about my adventures on my podcast and social media. Best Health Now Oh, I almost forgot. My health is excellent, meaning I spend a decent share of time in a state of best health. Talked to a friend, Shel. How do you answer people when they ask how you are doing? On a scale of 1 to 10, with this administration, the best is a seven. Considering the annoyances of MS, that brings it down to a five. So, how are you doing? Five out of ten is best health. I lost 50 pounds this year after a Type II Diabetes diagnosis. Mobility remains steady, though I was slowing down before the weight loss. I rate symptoms as annoying, seriously annoying, or disabling. Episodes of disabling symptoms are rare and brief. I know how to handle most symptoms most of the time. I'm delighted with a five. Endorphins and Gratitude I'm grateful for my health, my pathological optimism, my privilege, my honey, my grandkids, and my health team. I appreciate all of you – family, friends, and colleagues. You infuse me with energizing endorphins, the best antidote to fatigue. May you celebrate the energizing moments you find in these disturbing times. A https://goodlistening.org poet wrote this poem for me. Related episodes from Health Hats https://health-hats.com/pod233/ https://health-hats.com/pod228/ https://health-hats.com/pod128/ Artificial Intelligence in Podcast Production Health Hats, the Podcast, utilizes AI tools for production tasks such as editing, transcription, and content suggestions. While AI assists with various aspects, including image creation, most AI suggestions are modified. All creative decisions remain my own, with AI sources referenced as usual. Questions are welcome. Creative Commons Licensing CC BY-NC-SA This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms. CC BY-NC-SA includes the following elements: BY: credit must be given to the creator. NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms. Please let me know. danny@health-hats.com. Material on this site created by others is theirs, and use follows their guidelines. Disclaimer The views and opinions presented in this podcast and publication are solely my responsibility and do not necessarily represent the views of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute® (PCORI®), its Board of Governors, or Methodology Committee. Danny van Leeuwen (Health Hats)
"You tell them enough information to show that you know 10% of what you're talking about, and your reader will assume you know the other 90%." In this episode, Mur discusses the seemingly innocuous action of research, and how it can become a trap that distracts from actual writing. Advent calendar info and AI complaints are free additions! Links Kim Stanley Robinson Cory Doctorow The Sociopath Next Door Master of Malt Advent Calendars Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. December 4, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 24 | murverse.com "Research or Procrastination?" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
"It's a definitely a giftable type thing for the Tolkien lover in your life." In this somewhat festive episode we talk about all the books we weren't able to feature over the year, to let you know about books you may not have heard of. We go by blurbs and first sentences - video also shows book covers! We talk SF, horror, mystery, and more. Mur might also rant about publicists who use AI. Check out all the books here! (affiliate) Links T. Kingfisher Kosoko Jackson R. Lee Fryer LaDarrion Williams Agatha Christie Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. November 16, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 23 | murverse.com "2025 Gift Guide" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
We’re tracking down the wellspring of “dark academia” in Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, and plucking on threads that stretch out to current fantasy and science fiction literature, with reviewer Roseanna Pendlebury as our guide. Casella manages to throw some shade at Arrival, somehow, and also references Dumb & Dumber. Podcasts, reviews, interviews, essays, and more at the Ancillary Review of Books. Please consider supporting ARB’s Patreon! Guest: Roseanna Pendlebury Title: The Secret History Host: Jake Casella Brookins Music by Giselle Gabrielle Garcia Artwork by Rob Patterson Opening poem by Bhartṛhari, translated by John Brough Transcribers: Kate Dollarhyde and John WM Thompson References: Isaac Fellman’s Notes from a Regicide E.J. Swift’s When There Are Wolves Again Ned Beauman’s Venomous Lumpsucker Rebecca Campbell's Arboreality Simon Roy's Griz Grobus & A Star Called The Sun Ursula Whitcher's North Continent Ribbon Tartt’s The Goldfinch Euripides’ The Bacchae Jane Alison's Meander Spiral Explode: Design and Pattern in Narrative Roger Ebert's review of Roger Avary’s film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's The Rules of Attraction (which, we didn’t get into this in the episode, is sort of in the Expanded Secret History Universe) Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Grey J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Sofia Samatar's The Practice The Horizon and the Chain R.F. Kuang's Katabasis & Babel Fellman's The Two Doctors Górski Marina & Sergei Dyachenko's Vita Nostra, translated by Julia Meitov Hersey Ceaușescu's bathroom Peter Farrelly’s film Dumb and Dumber Sir Arthur Conan Doyles’ Sherlock Holmes story A Study in Scarlet Ted Chiang's "Story of Your Life" vs. Denis Villeneuve's film Arrival Becky Chamber’s To Be Taught if Fortunate Emily Tesh’s The Incandescent Jill Murphy’s The Worst Witch "All art is perfectly useless" C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces Samatar's A Stranger In Olondria and The Winged Histories Fellman's The Breath of the Sun Katherin Addison's The Goblin Emperor & sequels Dungeons & Dragons Roseanna’s Small Press Dispatch series at ARB Roseanna's blog Tolkien's Beowulf & The Tolkien Reader Lina Palera’s Seikilos Epitaph with the Lyre of Apollo, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0* *Note that ARB & AMOT are generally distributed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, but will match the CC of any incorporated material for particular posts/episodes.
We’re tracking down the wellspring of “dark academia” in Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, and plucking on threads that stretch out to current fantasy and science fiction literature, with reviewer Roseanna Pendlebury as our guide. Casella manages to throw some shade at Arrival, somehow, and also references Dumb & Dumber. Podcasts, reviews, interviews, essays, and more at the Ancillary Review of Books. Please consider supporting ARB’s Patreon! Guest: Roseanna Pendlebury Title: The Secret History Host: Jake Casella Brookins Music by Giselle Gabrielle Garcia Artwork by Rob Patterson Opening poem by Bhartṛhari, translated by John Brough Transcribers: Kate Dollarhyde and John WM Thompson References: Isaac Fellman’s Notes from a Regicide E.J. Swift’s When There Are Wolves Again Ned Beauman’s Venomous Lumpsucker Rebecca Campbell's Arboreality Simon Roy's Griz Grobus & A Star Called The Sun Ursula Whitcher's North Continent Ribbon Tartt’s The Goldfinch Euripides’ The Bacchae Jane Alison's Meander Spiral Explode: Design and Pattern in Narrative Roger Ebert's review of Roger Avary’s film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's The Rules of Attraction (which, we didn’t get into this in the episode, is sort of in the Expanded Secret History Universe) Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Grey J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Sofia Samatar's The Practice The Horizon and the Chain R.F. Kuang's Katabasis & Babel Fellman's The Two Doctors Górski Marina & Sergei Dyachenko's Vita Nostra, translated by Julia Meitov Hersey Ceaușescu's bathroom Peter Farrelly’s film Dumb and Dumber Sir Arthur Conan Doyles’ Sherlock Holmes story A Study in Scarlet Ted Chiang's "Story of Your Life" vs. Denis Villeneuve's film Arrival Becky Chamber’s To Be Taught if Fortunate Emily Tesh’s The Incandescent Jill Murphy’s The Worst Witch "All art is perfectly useless" C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces Samatar's A Stranger In Olondria and The Winged Histories Fellman's The Breath of the Sun Katherin Addison's The Goblin Emperor & sequels Dungeons & Dragons Roseanna’s Small Press Dispatch series at ARB Roseanna's blog Tolkien's Beowulf & The Tolkien Reader Lina Palera’s Seikilos Epitaph with the Lyre of Apollo, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0* *Note that ARB & AMOT are generally distributed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, but will match the CC of any incorporated material for particular posts/episodes.
"You want to preserve your experience of the work. You want to preserve the doing of the art." ~Cadwell Turnbull Amazing author Cadwell Turnbull joins us to dives deep into the creative process and discuss his latest book, A Ruin Great and Free. We talk about his writing journey, trilogy challenges, and approaching social issues in his books. (This post went live for supporters on November 24, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!) Download Transcript Links Cadwell Turnbull and on YouTube Emily St. John Mandel Octavia Butler North Carolina State University's MFA program Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "The Journey from Ideas to Anarchy with Cadwell Turnbull" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. November 24, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 22 | murverse.com "The Journey from Ideas to Anarchy with Cadwell Turnbull" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
Kirk & Lacy on shifting research funding away from federal grants: what happens to community partnerships when the money—and the rules—change? Summary Three Audiences, One Report Lacy Fabian and Kirk Knestis untangle a fundamental confusion in community health research: there are three distinct audiences with competing needs—funders want accountability, researchers want generalizable knowledge, and communities want immediate benefit. Current practice optimizes for the funder, producing deliverables that don’t help the people being served. The alternative isn’t “no strings attached” anarchy but rather honest negotiation about who benefits and who bears the burden of proof. Kirk’s revelation about resource allocation is stark: if one-third of evaluation budgets goes to Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProem1. Introductions & Career Transitions2. The Catalyst: Why This Conversation Matters3. The Ideal State: Restoring Human Connection4. The Localization Opportunity5. Evidence + Story = Impact6. The Funder Issue: Who Is This Truly Benefiting?7. Dissemination, Implementation & Vested Interest8. Data Parties – The Concrete Solution9. No Strings Attached: Reimagining Funder Relationships10. Balancing Accountability and Flexibility11. Where the Money Actually Goes12. The Pendulum Swings13. The Three Relationships: Funder, Researcher, Community14. Maintaining Agency15. Listen and LearnReflectionRelated episodes from Health Hats Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Substack Patreon Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection Claude, Perplexity, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci Podcast episode on YouTube Inspired by and Grateful to: Ronda Alexander, Eric Kettering, Robert Motley, Liz Salmi, Russell Bennett Photo Credits for Videos Data Party image by Erik Mclean on Unsplash Pendulum image by Frames For Your Heart on Unsplash Links and references Lacy Fabian, PhD, is the founder of Make It Matter Program Consulting and Resources (makeitmatterprograms.com). She is a research psychologist with 20+ years of experience in the non-profit and local, state, and federal sectors who uses evidence and story to demonstrate impact that matters. She focuses on helping non-profits thrive by supporting them when they need it—whether through a strategy or funding pivot, streamlining processes, etc. She also works with foundations and donors to ensure their giving matters, while still allowing the recipient non-profits to maintain focus on their mission. When she isn't making programs matter, she enjoys all things nature —from birdwatching to running —and is an avid reader. Lacy Fabian’s Newsletter: Musings That Matter: Expansive Thinking About Humanity’s Problems Kirk Knestis is an expert in data use planning, design, and capacity building, with experience helping industry, government, and education partners leverage data to solve difficult questions. Kirk is the Executive Director of a startup community nonprofit that offers affordable, responsive maintenance and repairs for wheelchairs and other personal mobility devices to northern Virginia residents. He was the founding principal of Evaluand LLC, a research and evaluation consulting firm providing customized data collection, analysis, and reporting solutions, primarily serving clients in industry, government, and education. The company specializes in external evaluation of grant-funded projects, study design reviews, advisory services, and capacity-building support to assist organizations in using data to answer complex questions. Referenced in episode Zanakis, S.H., Mandakovic, T., Gupta, S.K., Sahay, S., & Hong, S. (1995). “A review of program evaluation and fund allocation methods within the service and government sectors.” Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Vol. 29, No. 1, March 1995, pp. 59-79. This paywalled article presents a detailed analysis of 306 articles from 93 journals that review project/program evaluation, selection, and funding allocation methods in the service and government sectors. Episode Proem When I examine the relationships between health communities and researchers, I become curious about the power dynamics involved. Strong, equitable relationships depend on a balance of power. But what exactly are communities, and what does a power balance look like? The communities I picture are intentional, voluntary groups of people working together to achieve common goals—such as seeking, fixing, networking, championing, lobbying, or communicating for best health for each other. These groups can meet in person or virtually, and can be local or dispersed. A healthy power balance involves mutual respect, participatory decision-making, active listening, and a willingness to adapt and grow. I always listen closely for connections between communities and health researchers. Connections that foster a learning culture, regardless of their perceived success. Please meet Lacy Fabian and Kirk Knestis, who have firsthand experience in building and maintaining equitable relationships, with whom I spoke in mid-September. This transcript has been edited for clarity with help from Grammarly. Lacy Fabian, PhD, is the founder of Make It Matter Program Consulting and Resources. She partners with non-profit, government, and federal organizations using evidence and storytelling to demonstrate impact and improve program results. Kirk Knestis is an expert in data use planning, design, and capacity building. As Executive Director of a startup community nonprofit and founding principal of Evaluand LLC. He specializes in research, evaluation, and organizational data analysis for complex questions. 1. Introductions & Career Transitions Kirk Knestis: My name’s Kirk Knestis. Until just a few weeks ago, I ran a research and evaluation consulting firm, Evaluand LLC, outside Washington, DC. I’m in the process of transitioning to a new gig. I’ve started a non-profit here in Northern Virginia to provide mobile wheelchair and scooter service. Probably my last project, I suspect. Health Hats: Your last thing, meaning you’re retiring. Kirk Knestis: Yeah, it’s most of my work in the consulting gig was funded by federal programs, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Ed, the National Institutes of Health, and funding for most of the programs that I was working on through grantees has been pretty substantially curtailed in the last few months. Rather than looking for a new research and evaluation gig, we’ve decided this is going to be something I can taper off and give back to the community a bit. Try something new and different, and keep me out of trouble. Health Hats: Yeah, good luck with the latter. Lacy, introduce yourself, please. Lacy Fabian: Hi, Lacy Fabian. Not very dissimilar from Kirk, I’ve made a change in the last few months. I worked at a large nonprofit for nearly 11 years, serving the Department of Health and Human Services. But now I am solo, working to consult with nonprofits and donors. The idea is that I would be their extra brain power when they need it. It’s hard to find funding, grow, and do all the things nonprofits do without a bit of help now and then. I’m looking to provide that in a new chapter, a new career focus. Health Hats: Why is this conversation happening now? Both Kirk and Lacy are going through significant changes as they move away from traditional grant-funded research and nonprofit hierarchies. They’re learning firsthand what doesn’t work and considering what might work instead—this isn't just theory—it’s lived experience. 2. The Catalyst: Why This Conversation Matters Health Hats: Lacy, we caught up after several years of working together on several projects. I’m really interested in community research partnerships. I’m interested in it because I think the research questions come from the communities rather than the researchers. It’s a fraught relationship between communities and researchers, often driven by power dynamics. I’m very interested in how to balance those dynamics. And I see some of this: a time of changing priorities and people looking at their gigs differently —what are the opportunities in this time of kind of chaos, and what are the significant social changes that often happen in times like this? 3. The Ideal State: Restoring Human Connection Health Hats: In your experience, especially given all the recent transitions, what do you see as the ideal relationship between communities and researchers? What would an ideal state look like? Lacy Fabian: One thing I was thinking about during my walk or run today, as I prepared for this conversation about equitable relationships and the power dynamics in this unique situation we’re in, is that I feel like we often romanticize the past instead of learning from it. I believe learning from the past is very important. When I think about an ideal scenario, I feel like we’re moving further away from human solidarity and genuine connection. So, when considering those equitable relationships, it seems to me that it’s become harder to build genuine connections and stay true to our humanness. From a learning perspective, without romanticizing the past, one example I thought of is that, at least in the last 50 years, we’ve seen exponential growth in the amount of information available. That's a concrete example we can point to. And I think that we, as a society, have many points where we could potentially connect. But recent research shows that’s not actually the case. Instead, we’re becoming more disconnected and finding it harder to connect. I believe that for our communities, even knowing how to engage with programs like what Kirk is working on is difficult. Or even in my position, trying to identify programs that truly want to do right, take that pause, and make sure they aim to be equitable—particularly on the funder side—and not just engage in transactions or give less generously than they intend if they’re supporting programs. But there are strings attached. I think all of this happens because we stop seeing each other as human beings; we lose those touchpoints. So, when I think about an ideal situation, I believe it involves restoring those connections, while more clearly and openly acknowledging the power dynamics we introduce and the different roles we assume in the ecosystem. We can’t expect those dynamics to be the same, or to neutralize their impact. However, we can discuss these issues more openly and consistently and acknowledge that they might influence outcomes. So, in an ideal scenario, these are the kinds of things we should be working toward. 4. The Localization Opportunity Health Hats: So Kirk, it strikes me listening to Lacy talk that there’s, in a way, the increased localization of this kind of work could lead to more relationships in the dynamic, whereas before, maybe it was. Things were too global. It was at an academic medical center and of national rather than local interest. What are your thoughts about any of that? Kirk Knestis: Yeah, that’s an excellent question. First, I want to make sure I acknowledge Lacy’s description philosophically, from a value standpoint. I couldn’t put it any better myself. Certainly, that’s got to be at the core of this. Lacy and I know each other because we both served on the board of the Professional Evaluation Society on the East Coast of the United States, and practice of evaluation, evaluating policies and programs, and use of resources, and all the other things that we can look at with evidence, the root of that word is value, right? And by making the values that drive whatever we’re doing explicit, we’re much more likely to connect. At levels in, way, in ways that are actually valuable, a human being level, not a technician level. But to your question, Danny, a couple of things immediately leap out at me. One is that there was always. I was primarily federally funded, indirectly; there’s always been a real drive for highly rigorous, high-quality evaluation. And what that oftentimes gets interpreted to mean is generalizable evaluation research. And so that tends to drive us toward quasi-experimental kinds of studies that require lots and lots of participants, validated instrumentation, and quantitative data. All of those things compromise our ability to really understand what’s going on for the people, right? For the real-life human stakeholders. One thing that strikes me is that we could be as funding gets picked up. I’m being optimistic here that funding will be picked up by other sources, but let’s say the nonprofits get more involved programs that in the past and in the purview of the feds, we’re going to be freed of some of that, I hope, and be able to be more subjective, more mixed methods, more on the ground and kind of maturein the, dirt down and dirty out on the streets, learning what’s going on for real humans. As opposed to saying, “Nope, sorry, we can’t even ask whether this program works or how it works until we’ve got thousands and thousands of participants and we can do math about the outcomes.” So that’s one way I think that things might be changing. 5. Evidence + Story = Impact One of the big elements I like to focus on is the evidence—the kind of, so what the program is doing—but also the story. Making sure both of those things are combined to share the impact. And one of the things that I think we aren’t great about, which kind of circles back to the whole topic about equitable relationships. I don’t often think we’re really great at acknowledging. Who our report outs are for 6. The Funder Issue: Who Is This Truly Benefiting? Health Hats: Yes, who’s the audience? Lacy Fabian: Describing the kind of traditional format, I’m going to have thousands of participants, and then I’m going to be able to start to do really fancy math. That audience is a particular player who’s our funder. And they have different needs and different goals. So so many times, but that’s not the same as the people we’re actually trying to help. I think part of actually having equity in practice is pushing our funders to acknowledge that those reports are really just for them. And what else are we doing for our other audiences, and how can we better uphold that with our limited resources? Do we really need that super fancy report that’s going to go on a shelf? And we talk about it a lot, but I think that’s the point. We’re still talking about it. And maybe now that our funding is shifting, it’s an excellent catalyst to start being smarter about who our audience is, what they need, and what’s best to share with them. 7. Dissemination, Implementation & Vested Interest Health Hats: So, in a way, that’s not only do we need to think about who the work is for. How do we get it to those people? So how do we disseminate to those people? And then, what are the motivations for implementation? And it seems to me that if I have a vested interest in the answer to the question, I am more likely to share it and to try to figure out what the habits are—the changing habits that the research guides. What are some examples of this that you’ve, in your experience, that either you feel like you hit it like this, worked, or where you felt like we didn’t quite get there? So, what are your thoughts about some practical examples of that? Kirk Knestis: I was laughing because I don’t have so many examples of the former. I’ve got lots of examples of the latter. Health Hats: So start there. 8. Data Parties – The Concrete Solution Kirk Knestis: A good example of how I’ve done that in the past is when clients are willing to tolerate it. We call them different things over the years, like a data party. What we do is convene folks. We used to do it in person, face-to-face, but now that we’re dealing with people spread out across the country and connected virtually, these meetings can be done online. Instead of creating a report that just sits on a shelf or a thumb drive, I prefer to spend that time gathering and organizing the information we collect into a usable form for our audiences. This acts as a formative feedback process rather than just a summative benchmark. Here’s what we’ve learned. You share the information with those who contributed to it and benefit from it, and you ask for their thoughts. We’re observing that this line follows a certain path. Let’s discuss what that means or review all the feedback we received from this stakeholder group. It’s quite different from what we’ve heard from other stakeholders. What do you think is happening there? And let them help add value to the information as it moves from evidence to results. Health Hats: This is the solution to the funder problem. Instead of writing reports for funders, Kirk brings together the actual stakeholders—the people who provided data and benefit from the program. They assist in interpreting the findings in real-time. It’s formative, not summative. It’s immediate, not shelved. 9. No Strings Attached: Reimagining Funder Relationships Health Hats: I think it’s interesting that a thread through this is the role of the funder and the initiative’s governance. I remember that we worked on a couple of projects. I felt like the funder’s expectations were paramount, and the lessons we learned in the process were less important, which aligns with what we didn’t show. Publication bias or something. Sometimes in these initiatives, what’s most interesting is what didn’t work —and that’s not so, anyway. So how? So now that you’re looking forward to working with organizations that are trying to have questions answered, how is that shaping how you’re coaching about governance of these initiatives? Like, where does that come in? Lacy Fabian: Yeah. I think, if we’re talking about an ideal state, there are models, and it will be interesting to see how many organizations really want to consider it, but the idea of no-strings-attached funding. Doesn’t that sound nice, Kirk? The idea being that if you are the funding organization and you have the money, you have the power, you’re going to call the shots. In that way, is it really fair for you to come into an organization like something that Kirk has and start dictating the terms of that money? So, Kirk has to start jumping through the hoops of the final report and put together specific monthly send-ins for that funder. And he has to start doing these things well for that funder. What if we considered a situation where the funder even paid for support to do that for themselves? Maybe they have somebody who comes in, meets with Kirk, or just follows around, shadows the organization for a day or so, collects some information, and then reports it back. But the idea is that the burden and the onus aren’t on Kirk and his staff. Because they’re trying to repair wheelchairs and imagining the types of models we’ve shifted. We’ve also left the power with Kirk and his organization, so they know how to serve their community best. Again, we’ve put the onus back on the funder to answer their own questions that are their needs. I think that’s the part that we’re trying to tease out in the equity: who is this really serving? And if I’m giving to you, but I’m saying you have to provide me with this in return. Again, who’s that for, and is that really helping? Who needs their wheelchair service? And I think that’s the part we need to work harder at unpacking and asking ourselves. When we have these meetings, put out these funding notices, or consider donating to programs, those are the things we have to ask ourselves about and feel are part of our expectations. 10. Balancing Accountability and Flexibility Health Hats: Wow. What’s going through my mind is, I’m thinking, okay, I’m with PCORI. What do we do? We want valuable results. We do have expectations and parameters. Is there an ideal state? Those tensions are real and not going away. But there’s the question of how to structure it to maximize the value of the tension. Oh, man, I’m talking abstractly. I need help thinking about the people who are listening to this. How does somebody use this? So let’s start with: for the researcher? What’s the mindset that’s a change for the researcher? What’s the mindset shift for the people, and for the funder? Let’s start with the researcher. Either of you pick that up. What do you think a researcher needs to do differently? Kirk Knestis: I don’t mind having opinions about this. That’s a fascinating question, and I want to sort of preface what I’m getting ready to say. With this, I don’t think it’s necessary to assume that, to achieve the valuable things Lacy just described, we must completely abrogate all responsibility. I think it would be possible for someone to say, money, no strings attached. We’re never going to get the board/taxpayer/or whoever, for that. Importantly, too, is to clarify a couple of functions. I found that there are a couple of primary roles that are served by the evaluation or research of social services or health programs, for example. The first and simplest is the accountability layer. Did you do what you said you were going to do? That’s operational. That doesn’t take much time or energy, and it doesn’t place a heavy burden on program stakeholders. Put the burden on the program’s managers to track what’s happening and be accountable for what got done. Health Hats: So like milestones along the way? Kirk Knestis: Yes. But there are other ways, other dimensions to consider when we think about implementation. It’s not just the number of deliveries but also getting qualitative feedback from the folks receiving the services. So, you can say, yeah, we were on time, we had well-staffed facilities, and we provided the resources they needed. So that’s the second tier. The set of questions we have a lot more flexibility with at the next level. The so-what kind of questions, in turn, where we go from looking at this term bugs me, but I’ll use it anyway. We’re looking at outputs—delivery measures of quantities and qualities—and we start talking about outcomes: persistent changes for the stakeholders of whatever is being delivered. Attitudes, understandings. Now, for health outcomes—whatever the measures are—we have much more latitude. Focus on answering questions about how we can improve delivery quality and quantity so that folks get the most immediate and largest benefit from it. And the only way we can really do that is with a short cycle. So do it, test it, measure it, improve it. Try it again, repeat, right? So that formative feedback, developmental kind of loop, we can spend a lot of time operating there, where we generally don’t, because we get distracted by the funder who says, “I need this level of evidence that the thing works, that it scales.” Or that it demonstrates efficacy or effectiveness on a larger scale to prove it. I keep wanting to make quotas, right, to prove that it works well. How about focusing on helping it work for the people who are using it right now as a primary goal? And that can be done with no strings attached because it doesn’t require anything to be returned to the funder. It doesn’t require that deliverable. My last thought, and I’ll shut up. 11. Where the Money Actually Goes Kirk Knestis: A study ages ago, and I wish I could find it again, Lacy. It was in one of the national publications, probably 30 years ago. Health Hats: I am sure Lacy’s going to remember that. Kirk Knestis: A pie chart illustrated how funds are allocated in a typical program evaluation, with about a third going to data collection and analysis, which adds value. Another third covers indirect costs, such as keeping the organization running, computers, and related expenses. The remaining third is used to generate reports, transforming the initial data into a tangible deliverable. If you take that third use much more wisely, I think you can accomplish the kind of things Lacy’s describing without, with, and still maintain accountability. Health Hats: This is GOLD. The 1/3: 1/3: 1/3 breakdown is memorable, concrete, and makes the problem quantifiable. Once again, 1/3 each for data collection and analysis, keeping the organization alive, and writing reports. 12. The Pendulum Swings Lacy Fabian: And if I could add on to what Kirk had said, I think one of the things that comes up a lot in the human services research space where I am is this idea of the pendulum swing. It’s not as though we want to go from a space where there are a lot of expectations for the dollars, then swing over to one where there are none. That’s not the idea. Can we make sure we’re thinking about it intentionally and still providing the accountability? So, like Kirk said, it’s that pause: do we really need the reports, and do we really need the requirements that the funder has dictated that aren’t contributing to the organization’s mission? In fact, we could argue that in many cases, they’re detracting from it. Do we really need that? Or could we change those expectations, or even talk to our funder, as per the Fundee, to see how they might better use this money if they were given more freedom, not to have to submit these reports or jump through these hoops? And I believe that’s the part that restores that equity, too, because it’s not the funder coming in and dictating how things will go or how the money will be used. It’s about having a relational conversation, being intentional about what we’re asking for and how we’re using the resources and then being open to making adjustments. And sometimes it’s just that experimentation: I think of it as, we’re going to try something different this time, we’re going to see if it works. If it doesn’t work, it probably won’t be the end of the world. If it does, we’ll probably learn something that will be helpful for next time. And I think there’s a lot of value in that as well. Health Hats: Lacy’s ‘pendulum swing’ wisdom: not anarchy, but intentional. Not ‘no accountability’ but ‘accountability without burden-shifting.’ The move is from the funder dictating requirements to relational conversation. And crucially: willingness to experiment. 13. The Three Relationships: Funder, Researcher, Community Health Hats: Back to the beginning—relationships. So, in a way, we haven’t really —what we’ve talked about is the relationship with funders. Lacy Fabian: True. Health Hats: What is the relationship between researchers and the community seeking answers? We’re considering three different types of relationships. I find it interesting that people call me about their frustrations with the process, and I ask, “Have you spoken with the program officer?” Have you discussed the struggles you’re facing? Often, they haven’t or simply don’t think to. What do you think they’re paid for? They’re there to collaborate with you. What about the relationships between those seeking answers and those studying them—the communities and the researchers? How does that fit into this? Kirk Knestis: I’d like to hear from Lacy first on this one, because she’s much more tied into the community than the communities I have been in my recent practices. 14. Maintaining Agency Health Hats: I want to wrap up, and so if. Thinking about people listening to this conversation, what do you think is key that people should take away from this that’ll, in, in either of the three groups we’ve been talking about, what is a lesson that would be helpful for them to take away from this conversation? Lacy Fabian: I think that it’s important for the individual always to remember their agency. In their engagements. And so I know when I’m a person in the audience, listening to these types of things, it can feel very overwhelming again to figure out what’s enough, where to start, and how to do it without making a big mistake. I think that all of those things are valid. Most of us in our professional lives who are likely listening to this, we show up at meetings, we take notes. We’re chatting with people, engaging with professional colleagues, or connecting with the community. And I think that we can continue to be intentional with those engagements and take that reflective pause before them to think about what we’re bringing. So if we’re coming into that program with our research hat on, or with our funder hat on, what are we bringing to the table that might make it hard for the person on the other side to have an equitable conversation with us? If you’re worried about whether you’ll be able to keep your program alive and get that check, that’s not a balanced conversation. And so if you are the funder coming in, what can you do to put that at ease or acknowledge it? Suppose you are the person in the community who goes into someone’s home and sees them in a really vulnerable position, with limited access to healthcare services or the things they need. What can you do to center that person, still like in their humanity, and not just this one problem space? And that they’re just this problem because that’s, I think, where we go astray and we lose ourselves and lose our solidarity and connection. So I would just ask that people think about those moments as much as they can. Obviously, things are busy and we get caught up, but finding those moments to pause, and I think it can have that snowball effect in a good way, where it builds and we see those opportunities, and other people see it and they go, Huh, that was a neat way to do it. Maybe I’ll try that too. 15. Listen and Learn Health Hats: Thank you. Kirk. Kirk Knestis: Yeah. A hundred percent. I’m having a tough time finding anything to disagree with what Lacy is sharing. And so I’m tempted just to say, “Yeah, what Lacy said.” But I think it’s important that, in addition to owning one’s agency and taking responsibility for one’s own self, one stands up for one’s own interests. At the same time, that person has to acknowledge that everybody else knows that the three legs of that stool I described earlier have to do the same thing, right? Yeah. So, it’s about a complicated social contract among all those different groups. When the researchers talk to the program participant, they must acknowledge the value of each person’s role in the conversation. And when I, as the new nonprofit manager, am talking to funders, I’ve got to make sure I understand that I’ve got an equal obligation to stand up for my program, my stakeholders, and the ideals that are driving what I’m doing. But at the same time, similarly, respecting the commitment obligation that the funder has made. Because it never stops. The web gets bigger and bigger, right? I had a lovely conversation with a development professional at a community foundation today. And they helped me remember that they are reflecting the interests and wishes of different donor groups or individuals, and there’s got to be a lot of back-and-forth at the end of the day. I keep coming back to communication and just the importance of being able to say, okay, we’re talking about, in our case, mobility. That means this. Are we clear? Everybody’s on the same page. Okay, good. Why is that important? We think that if that gets better, these things will, too. Oh, have you thought about this thing over here? Yeah, but that’s not really our deal, right? So having those conversations so that everybody is using the same lingo and pulling in the same direction, I think, could have a significant effect on all of those relationships. Health Hats: Here’s my list from the listening agency, fear, mistake, tolerance, grace, continual Learning, communication, transparency. Kirk Knestis: and equal dollops of tolerance for ambiguity and distrust of ambiguity. Yes, there you go. I think that’s a pretty good list, Danny. Lacy Fabian: It’s a good list to live by. Health Hats: Thank you. I appreciate this. Reflection Everyone in a relationship faces power dynamics – who's in control and who's not? These dynamics affect trust and the relationship’s overall value, and they can shift from moment to moment. Changing dynamics takes mindfulness and intention. The community wanting answers, the researcher seeking evidence-based answers, and those funding the studies, have a complex relationship. Before this conversation, I focused on the community-research partnership, forgetting it was a triad, not a dyad. The Central Paradox: We have exponentially more information at our disposal for research, yet we’re becoming more disconnected. Lacy identifies this as the core problem: we’ve stopped seeing each other as human beings and lost the touchpoints that enable genuine collaboration—when connection matters most. This is true for any relationship. The Hidden Cost Structure Kirk’s 1/3:1/3:1/3 breakdown is golden—one-third for data collection and analysis (adds value), one-third for organizational operations, and one-third for reports (mostly shelf-ware). The key takeaway: we’re allocating one-third of resources to deliverables that don’t directly benefit the people we’re trying to help. Perhaps more of the pie could be spent on sharing and using results. Three Different “Utilities” Are Competing Kirk explains what most evaluation frameworks hide: funder utility (accountability), research utility (understanding models), and community utility (immediate benefit) are fundamentally different. Until you specify which one you’re serving, you’re likely to disappoint two of the three audiences. Data Parties Solve the Funder Problem Pragmatically. Rather than choosing between accountability and flexibility, data parties and face-to-face analysis let stakeholders interpret findings in real time – the data party. I love that visual. It’s formative, not summative. It’s relational, not transactional. The Funding Question Reverses the Power Dynamic. Currently, funders place the burden of proving impact on programs through monthly reports and compliance documentation. Lacy’s alternative is simpler: what if the funder hired someone to observe the program, gather the information, and report back? This allows the program to stay focused on its mission while the funder gains the accountability they need. But the structure shifts—the program no longer reports to the funder; instead, the funder learns from the program. That’s the difference between equity as a theory and equity as built-in. Related episodes from Health Hats Artificial Intelligence in Podcast Production Health Hats, the Podcast, utilizes AI tools for production tasks such as editing, transcription, and content suggestions. While AI assists with various aspects, including image creation, most AI suggestions are modified. All creative decisions remain my own, with AI sources referenced as usual. Questions are welcome. Creative Commons Licensing CC BY-NC-SA This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms. CC BY-NC-SA includes the following elements: BY: credit must be given to the creator. NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms. Please let me know. danny@health-hats.com. Material on this site created by others is theirs, and use follows their guidelines. Disclaimer The views and opinions presented in this podcast and publication are solely my responsibility and do not necessarily represent the views of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute® (PCORI®), its Board of Governors, or Methodology Committee. Danny van Leeuwen (Health Hats)
"Anytime someone starts a sentence with, 'why don't you just,' immediately stop listening to them." ~Valerie Valdes (Lia Amador) While it hasn't been a long time for podcast listeners, it's been a while for us and considering her expertise, I've invited Valerie Valdes back for a candid discussion about the recent demise of NaNoWriMo and what it means for writers. We delve into the challenges of maintaining community and motivation without the established infrastructure of the once-beloved event. Valerie shares her insights as a former municipal liaison and offers alternatives for writers looking to stay engaged during November. We cover Nano 2.0, Shut Up and Write, and 4 The Words. Community is one of the most important parts of this month, and we make sure people know that they're still not alone! (This post went live for supporters on November 4, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!) Download Transcript Links Valerie Valdes / Lia Amador Escape Pod NaNoWriMo 2.0 Shut Up and Write 4thewords Dreamfoundry World Anvil Game of Tomes Kate Cavanaugh's Livestream Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "NaNoWriMo's Ghosts and New Beginnings" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. November 6, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 21 | murverse.com "NaNoWriMo's Ghosts and New Beginnings" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
#halloween #folklore #germanyIn the first tale, we learn about a little German ship spirit. Treat him well or you will be in danger.In the second time we learn about what happens when you squeeze the local people too much.Source: The Klabautermann Meyer, G. F. Schleswig-Holsteinische Sagen. 1929, p. 55ffSource: The Ship of Hell Sundermann, F. Sagen und sagenhafte Erzählungen aus Ostfriesland, 1869. p. 25ffBoth translated by Jürgen Hubert on his blog.Narrator: Dustin SteichmannMusic: A Baroque Letter by Aaron KennyPicture Credit: A Klabautermann on a ship ―Froｍ Anton von Werner (illustr.); Ludwig von Henk (1885) [1882] Zur See."Bergers Chocoladen Der Klabautermann JPG" by janwillemsen is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.Sound Effects from Zapsplat and Freesound.org
"If you're writing your stories down, you're more than a writer than a lot of people ever will have the courage to try to be." It's a solo episode! I get into the complexities of writing and self-doubt, the struggles of completing a manuscript, the challenges of balancing creativity with personal life, and the ever-present specter of The Imposter Cop. We try to accept the importance of focusing on one task at a time, despite everything. Also we talk about K Pop Demon Hunters, exploring its themes and storytelling techniques. (This post went live for supporters on October 22, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!) Download Transcript Links The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs K Pop Demon Hunters NaNo2.0 Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "The Bully that Knocks: The Imposter Cop" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. October 27, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 20 | murverse.com "The Bully that Knocks: The Imposter Cop" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
"You should be writing, because that's the only thing that ultimately you can have even a hope of controlling." ~Valerie Valdes Welcome back to the talented Valerie Valdes, also known as Lia Amador! We are here to launch her newest book, a fantasy rom-com titled Witch You Wood. We talk magical reality shows, romance, and tropes. We also get real about the struggles that persist even after being published. Valerie discusses her experiences with self-doubt and how she manages to push through these challenges. We also explore the nuances of writing romance, the balance between subtlety and straightforwardness, and the significance of knowing your audience. (This post went live for supporters on October 20, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!) Download Transcript Links Valerie Valdes / Lia Amador Escape Pod International Latino Book Award Ali Hazelwood Mary Balogh India Holton Jackie Lau Archive of Our Own Baldur's Gate 3 Hades 2 Behooved Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "Exploring Romance and Reality in Writing with Valerie Valdes" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. October 23, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 19 | murverse.com "Exploring Romance and Reality in Writing with Valerie Valdes" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
[Worldcon] was my first convention where I went to panels, gave a reading, and had a big party. It made my sweet little book feel like the huge thing it is in my heart and mind. -Tim Chawaga S21 Ep18 In this episode, we welcome Tim Chawaga, author of Salvagia, as we dive into the depths of his near-future science fiction mystery set in a flooded Florida. Tim shares the inspiration behind his book, where a freelance Salvagia diver uncovers a dead body while searching for valuable artifacts from the past. We explore the blending of genres in Salvagia, from climate fiction to humor, and discuss the delicate balance between plot and world-building in writing. Tim reflects on his debut at Worldcon, the challenges of imposter syndrome, and the importance of building connections within the writing community. (This post went live for supporters on October 16, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or get my newsletter at Ghost!) Download Transcript Links Tim Chawaga Salvagia Seattle Worldcon Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "From Idea to Ink: Tim Chawaga on Crafting Salvagia" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. October 16, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 18 | murverse.com "From Idea to Ink: Tim Chawaga on Crafting Salvagia" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
Even writing badly will get you to writing well eventually. - Chinaza Bado S21 Ep17 In this episode, we sit down with Chinaza Bado, author of Birth of a Dynasty, to discuss the challenges and strategies of getting a trilogy published. Chinaza shares advice for how to query the a book and how to pitch a trilogy to publishers. We also discussed agents and marketing yourself in a competitive landscape. (This post went live for supporters on October 14, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or get my newsletter at Ghost!) Links Chinaza Bado Harper Voyager Martha Wells Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "Navigating the Trilogy: Insights from Chinaza Bado" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. September 8, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 17 | murverse.com "Chinaza Bado and Navigating the Trilogy" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
#halloween #spooky #jerseyshoreIn this story, we get a good old fashioned ghost sighting that is probably related to a guy stealing money from drowned tourists. Come listen to this first spooky tale of the spooky season.Source: Twenty-Five Ghost Stories by W. Bob HollandSound Effects: Zapsplat, Sonic Sound fx, TSPT (zapsplat.com), Klank Beeld (freesound.org) and Dustin SteichmannMusic: DAMP WEATHER by JONES & COLLINS Astoria Hot Eight; Lee Collins; Sidney Arodin (public domain)Photo credit: "Marine Gate Mansions (Southport Promenade Hospital) Southport" by mrrobertwade (wadey) is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Content warning: since Spread Me is erotic horror, this episode has an explicit tag. I wrote it to have fun because I have written a lot of books that were not fun to write... -Sarah Gailey In this episode, we welcome Hugo winning author Sarah Gailey, author of Spread Me, as we explore the wild world of erotic horror. Sarah shares their journey of writing a novel that takes inspiration from John Carpenter's classic film, The Thing, blending horror and erotica and humor. We dive into the creative process behind Spread Me, discussing the unique premise of a research crew encountering a specimen with prurient interests, and how the protagonist's unusual attraction to viruses plays into the narrative. (viruses!) Sarah candidly reflects on the challenges of writing explicit content and the journey of finding the perfect title that captures the essence of their work. And we get Sarah's meticulous approach to outlining and how specificity in description enhances storytelling. Then we fight book bans! It's a magical time. (This post went live for supporters on August 29, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or get my newsletter at Ghost!) Transcript Links Sarah Gailey Nightfire Know Your Station Authors Against Book Bans Publishing Professionals Against Book Bans Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "The Sweet Spot of Horror and Desire with Sarah Gailey" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. September 1, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 15 | murverse.com "The Sweet Spot of Horror and Desire with Sarah Gailey" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
You have to celebrate your friends who are more successful than you. ~Jim Kelly In this special 20th anniversary episode of I Should Be Writing, recorded live at Worldcon 2025, I reunite with my mentor and long-time friend, James Patrick Kelly. We talk about the last two decades of writing, the evolution of our careers, and the ever-changing landscape of storytelling. We still face bullies like self-doubt and shiny new ideas, but we also explore strengths like community support and celebrating each other's successes. We discuss all the bullies unveiled, the concept of "bullies" that plague writers, including the Imposter Cop, the Blade, and the Nap. And as always we discuss how to handle creative hurdles. Transcript Links James Patrick Kelly The First Law of Thermodynamics Escape Pod Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. September 5, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 16 | murverse.com "20 Years of ISBW, Live from WorldCon with James Patrick Kelly!" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
I think I was a very... particular kind of undergraduate workshop student. -Dan Kois In this episode, I welcome my old classmate from UNC, Dan Kois, Slate editor and author of Hampton Heights. We dive into our journey from college classmates to published authors. Both pro writers, we each took a very different path. Dan shares the inspiration behind Hampton Heights, a thrilling adventure featuring four kids selling newspapers and encountering monsters unexpected relatives, and more. Of course we discuss the struggles of self-doubt, the impact of mentorship, and the significance of continuing to write despite the obstacles. Transcript Links Dan Kois Hampton Heights Slate Vintage Contemporaries Lynda Barry Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "Chasing Monsters: A Journey Through Hampton Heights" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. August 29, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 14 | murverse.com "Chasing Monsters: A Journey Through Hampton Heights" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
'Reformed Pantser' is one of the most difficult things to be. -Seth Haddon In this episode, we welcome Seth Haddon, the talented Australian author behind Volatile Memory. We cover hybrid publishing, writing routines, and pursuing nuns. Volatile Memory explores themes of transhumanism and identity within a corporate-dominated future. Also haunted masks. And love. (This post went live for supporters on August 25, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or get my newsletter at Ghost!) Transcript Links Volatile Memory Blind Eye Books Reactor Seth on Internet, Instagram, and Patreon Evergreen Links See all books from Season 21 Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing. Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate Theme by John Anealio Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books! — "The Haunted Mask: Exploring Volatile Memory with Seth Haddon" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon or support via Ghost!! Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please! CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon. August 25, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 13 | murverse.com "The Haunted Mask: Exploring Volatile Memory with Seth Haddon" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
© 2020-2026 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
