Podcasts about tolkein

How do we live in dark and difficult times? There are lots of places that people look to answer those questions. One place I find wisdom is J.R.R. Tolkein's classic story, The Lord of the Rings. In today's episode how these stories became so much more than a fantasy escape, what they have to say about the role of stories in our lives, and the inspiration that I find for living through the darkness. This I Heart This, everyone. I'm Ben Lord. Let's talk about what we love. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IHeartThisPodcastEmail: ben@iheartthispodcast.com

What's up, Slackers!This week we take a journey through the pages of the books and magazines that shaped our Gen X childhoods!From choose-your-own-adventure stories to fantastical tales of chocolate factories and epic fantasy worlds, we'll revisit the books that sparked our imaginations. Plus, we'll flip through the colorful, quirky magazines filled with comics, humor, and puzzles that kept us entertained for hours.The Books: Relive the thrill of interactive adventures, whimsical stories about magical elevators, sci-fi paperbacks, epic quests with hobbits, enchanting Greek myths, and the timeless humor of Snoopy and the Peanuts gang.The Magazines: Dive into the world of kid-friendly publications with hidden pictures and quirky characters, plus the irreverent humor of satirical comics featuring iconic mascots and legendary artists.These stories and visuals resonated with us, influenced pop culture, and gave many of us a lifelong love for reading,

In this episode Charbel sits down with author Joseph Pearce to discuss his journey from agnostic to Catholic through the literary works of authors such as J.R Tolkein, C.S Lewis, G.K Chesterton and Shakespeare. He is an internationally acclaimed bestselling author, speaker, teacher, esteemed biographer and scholar of great books from the classical to the modern. Links from episode: Joseph's website: jpearce.co Hartford College website: hartfordcollege.nsw.edu.au Joseph Pearce Books at Parousia: Tolkien Man and Myth https://store.parousiamedia.com/tolkien-man-and-myth-joseph-pearce-ignatius-press-paperback/?searchid=0&search_query=Joseph+pearce Classic Literature Made Simple https://store.parousiamedia.com/classic-literature-made-simple-joseph-pearce-ignatius-press-paperback/?searchid=0&search_query=Joseph+pearce The Good The Bad and The Beautiful: History in Three Dimensions https://store.parousiamedia.com/the-good-the-bad-and-the-beautiful-history-in-three-dimensions-joseph-pearce-ignatius-press-paperback/?searchid=0&search_query=Joseph+pearce Faith of our Fathers: A History of True England https://store.parousiamedia.com/faith-of-our-fathers-a-history-of-true-england-joseph-pearce-ignatius-press-paperback/?searchid=0&search_query=Joseph+pearce Twelve Great Books: Going Deeper into Classic Literature https://store.parousiamedia.com/twelve-great-books-going-deeper-into-classic-literature-joseph-pearce-ignatius-press-paperback/?searchid=0&search_query=Joseph+pearce Catholic Literary Giants https://store.parousiamedia.com/catholic-literary-giants-joseph-pearce-ignatius-press-paperback/?searchid=0&search_query=Joseph+pearceL International purchases: https://jpearce.co/books/ Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com/mailing-list/ Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute.

Case and Sam are looking back at the earliest episodes of the show! Check out their thoughts on the seventeenth episode when Case sat down with Ben Milton and Addy Thomas and chatted about The Hobbit Trilogy! Overview   In the latest Podcast Discussion meeting, hosts Case and Sam explored a meta-review of their previous episode on The Hobbit trilogy, originally recorded after their first year of podcasting. The discussion began with an overview of the original episode, highlighting a consensus that three films were excessive for the source material. They praised Martin Freeman's casting as Bilbo while critiquing Peter Jackson for trying to align the film's style with The Lord of the Rings, particularly noting that the addition of the villain Azog was unnecessary. They also pointed out issues with character design and narrative structure, suggesting a two-film adaptation could have better captured character arcs and pacing, particularly with scenes involving Smaug. The Battle of Five Armies was identified as the weakest film, marred by excessive padding and a lack of personal stakes compared to earlier battles in the franchise. The hosts expressed the importance of subtlety in fan service and connections to The Lord of the Rings while reflecting on their own views from the initial episode. They concluded by sharing their love for film and announced upcoming episodes focused on Captain America and Alien Resurrection, while encouraging listener engagement through their Discord server.   Notes Introduction and Episode Context (00:00 - 09:47) Case and Sam introduce this meta-episode reviewing a previous podcast about The Hobbit trilogy The original episode featured Case, Ben, and Addie discussing at 'CPOV Studios' They note this was recorded after completing the first year of the podcast Main critique established immediately: three movies was far too many for The Hobbit source material The hosts mention they didn't rewatch the entire trilogy for this meta-review Initial Critique of The Hobbit Films (09:48 - 19:09) The hosts praise Martin Freeman's casting as Bilbo as a perfect choice that connects to Elijah Wood's Frodo They criticize Peter Jackson for trying to make The Hobbit fit the style and scale of Lord of the Rings The unnecessary villain Azog (the pale orc) is identified as a major problem They note Jackson used artificial narrative structures to create three separate arcs where the source material didn't support it Discussion of how Lord of the Rings doesn't rely on personified villains, but on evil as a force ‍️ Character and Design Issues (19:09 - 28:25) The hosts criticize the framing device that has Bilbo explaining the dwarven kingdom's history They argue Bilbo should be an uninformed viewpoint character discovering the world along with the audience The dwarves' inconsistent design is highlighted as problematic (either caricatures or just normal people) They discuss how the dwarves don't feel cohesive like in Lord of the Rings and lack distinct personalities Case praises the Gollum scenes as genuinely excellent despite other issues ️ Proposed Two-Movie Structure (28:25 - 37:07) Case suggests ending the first movie at Lake Town as a natural breaking point This would create a moment where Bilbo has a true choice to continue or turn back They discuss how this cut would make Bilbo's character arc work better for the first film The second film could focus on Thorin's character arc They criticize how the actual film cuts (especially the Desolation of Smaug ending) feel like TV cliffhangers Smaug and Pacing Issues (37:07 - 46:35) The hosts praise the actual Smaug and Bilbo conversation scenes They criticize the extended Smaug chase/forge scenes as unnecessary padding Discussion of how Jackson is good at bringing book scenes to life but struggles when expanding material They propose that the second movie should open with the dwarves finding the door to the Lonely Mountain They critique the narrative weight of many extended sequences that don't actually advance the story ️ Battle of Five Armies Criticisms (46:36 - 55:45) The Battle of Five Armies is identified as the weakest film with the most padding They argue the battle should have been the third act of a movie, not an entire film Discussion of how the battle needed to feel smaller and more personal than Lord of the Rings battles They appreciate the decision to make Bilbo more active in the battle than in the book The hosts criticize the 'video game' quality of action sequences like the barrel rider scene ‍️ Fan Service and Connections to Lord of the Rings (55:45 - 01:04:58) They discuss how Legolas' inclusion made sense for the first film but was forced in later films They appreciate seeing Saruman before his fall to evil The hosts criticize heavy-handed references to Lord of the Rings (like mentioning Aragorn/Strider) They note how forcing connections to the original trilogy hurt the story Discussion of the 'video game' quality of action sequences compared to Lord of the Rings Meta-Discussion of the Episode (01:04:58 - 01:15:51) Sam and Case reflect on the original episode, finding it thorough and well-argued Sam admits not rewatching the trilogy for this meta-review as it would be too time-consuming They reaffirm that the trilogy's main problem is its excessive length Sam praises the costumes while Case notes the 48 FPS format made everything look fake They discuss how watching the entire Middle-earth saga chronologically would be challenging Final Thoughts and Upcoming Episodes (01:15:51 - 01:32:34) Case reiterates that a good two-movie cut exists within the trilogy's footage They agree the first film is the most watchable of the three Both hosts express their love for the first Captain America film (their next episode topic) Sam mentions she didn't rewatch the Hobbit films as they would take 10+ hours They provide information about their Discord server and social media presence Upcoming podcast episodes announced: Alien Resurrection and Captain America: The First Avenger Action items Join and participate in the Discord server for further discussion (01:31:00)

There are some episodes of Book Talk that are a special treat and today's is one of those. Sarah Arthur and I met briefly at the Christy Awards where everyone was abuzz about her nominated novel Once a Queen. What I learned quickly is that novel and her latest, Once a Castle, are heavily influenced by her love of Tolkein, Lewis and L'Engle. She has written many non-fiction works including A Walk with Frodo and A Light so Lovely, now sitting on my TBR pile, which explore the themes and lives of books and great authors. Those influences dash across the pages of her novels.I so enjoyed this conversation that covered everything from the difference in writing a first novel over 20 years versus a second in 8 months and the way fiction and nonfiction are so vastly different to write. We also explored the themes of her books and the joys she finds in writing -- it's such a sweet joy -- I don't want to spoil it for you. My Amazon cart filled, and I can't wait to hear what you love most about meeting this delightful author.Connect with Sarah ArthurFacebook | X | Instagram 

Mumble when you're not confident around the sixtieth digit or so, because we're back for De Mol België Season 13 - and its visit to the one place that Logan spent six months that we're actually allowed to talk about - Thailand! Over these nine weeks, three guys who love to get to know people while dancing - Michael, Logan & Bindles - will be recapping and breaking down everything that happens as we try and work out who has been given the task to spread bad luck in the Land of Smiles and become the Mole - beginning with the premiere and elimination of no-one! In this episode - Logan surprises us all, Fuzzy gets a bingo square right away, Michael's been improving community relations, we touch upon Jeopardy! UK, the Muay Thai challenge gets improved, the mildly-offensive descriptions return, Papa Bear's been watching Taskmaster, the Bible is rewritten by Tolkein, Bindles goes down a rabbit hole, we wonder why they needed drivers in Thailand and not Vietnam, Gilles shows off, we reveal the fourth pad thai item, medical emergencies are sexy, we sing Hilde's praises, our history comes back to bite us in the form of a fake podcast, we've got a little addition to First Suspicions and we lock in our first set of suspects. You can join in with our First Suspicions game by filling in the form here and play along with this week's Bother's Bar Suspect List here. We will see you next week for Episode 2! Please note: This episode is intended on being spoiler-free, but references to any season we have already covered (WIDM 10-11, 14, 17-25 and Renaissance; België 4-12) may be made. This episode is supported by our friends over at Zencastr. Create your podcast today! Social Media: Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Bluesky Threads Patreon  

John Crowley's Little, Big is, at once, a family saga, a fairy tale, an occult thriller, an idyll, a dystopia, as well as a meditation on myth and history, the real and the fantasy, memory and imagination. Little, Big is also a book that JF and Phil have been planning to discuss for as long as Weird Studies has existed. In this episode, they are joined by writer and scholar Erik Davis to explore the enduring charms and mysteries of one of the greatest—and most underrated—American novels of the late twentieth century. Order Christian Bunyan's Weird Studies poster here (https://www.christianbunyan.com/Weird-Studies). Visit Weirdosphere (http://www.weirdosphere.org) for more details on Erik Davis's ongoing course, The Three Stigmata of Philip K. Dick. Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/weirdstudies). Buy the Weird Studies soundtrack, volumes 1 (https://pierre-yvesmartel.bandcamp.com/album/weird-studies-music-from-the-podcast-vol-1) and 2 (https://pierre-yvesmartel.bandcamp.com/album/weird-studies-music-from-the-podcast-vol-2), on Pierre-Yves Martel's Bandcamp (https://pierre-yvesmartel.bandcamp.com) page. Listen to Meredith Michael and Gabriel Lubell's podcast, Cosmophonia (https://cosmophonia.podbean.com/). Visit the Weird Studies Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/shop/weirdstudies) Find us on Discord (https://discord.com/invite/Jw22CHfGwp) Get the T-shirt design from Cotton Bureau (https://cottonbureau.com/products/can-o-content#/13435958/tee-men-standard-tee-vintage-black-tri-blend-s)! REFERENCES John Crowley, Little, Big (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780061120053) Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780142410318) Thomas Mann, The Magic Mountain (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781774640449) Eric Davis, interview with Neil Gaiman and Rachel Pollack (https://techgnosis.com/the-gods-of-the-funny-books/) David Lynch (dir.), Lost Highway (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116922/) America, “The Last Unicorn” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51Ez6ZVz68c&ab_channel=America-Topic) John Cooper Powys, [A Glastonbury Romance](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/959613.AGlastonburyRomance) J. R. R. Tolkein, The Lord of the Rings (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780547951942) Patrick Harpur, Daimonic Reality (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780937663615) Lord Dunsany, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Dunsany) Irish novelist Special Guest: Erik Davis.

  To start off Women's History Month, we're going all the way back to the the animated feature film that started it all, Disney's Snow White from 1937. We're joined yet again by author and podcaster Bethanie Finger to talk one of her and Cullen's favorite fairy tales. Cullen finally gets to show off his two Snow White-themed mugs in all their color-changing glory, Hannah shocks everyone with news that she HAS seen this classic Disney film, and Bethanie reveals Evil Queen's grocery list for magic spell ingredients.   Check out Bethanie's Lunar Chronicles podcast, Prince Kai Fan Pod wherever you get your podcasts! Follow her podcast on Instagram (@PrinceKaiFanPod). You can also follow Bethanie on Instagram (@BethanieFingerAuthor) and go to her website, BethanieFingerAuthor.com, to get the latest news on her upcoming book tour! Be on the lookout for her other podcasts on the Three Sisters Podcast Network!   Research for this episode: Tolkein and Lewis and Snow White  Little Snow White by the Brothers Grimm  Wishing Wells  ATU Types  The Fairest of Them All by Maria Tatar    ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.  

If you're familiar with the work of world-renowned Belbin Team Roles you'll be inspired by this conversation. ·       Why understanding each person's team role is ever more critical ·       The original research was carried out by Mrs Belbin who deliberately shone away from the limelight – a timely revelation to mark International Women's Week ·       Face to face communication is becoming more prevalent ·       Why reflecting on what we've achieved is vital ·       AI has the potential to make us more ‘human' Jo's what 3 words to a road to happiness and balance for 2025: ·       Team – we can only achieve so much by ourselves ·       Slow-space – (we loved this) breathe, slow down and create pauses ·       Reflection – let's just have some more ‘wow' look what we've achieved! Tune in to find out why Her non-fiction book that would get her through isolation – Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Trilogy, especially chosen to reread to see how if her older lens sees things differently For contact details see below. Instagram: cripps.sarah and bigbalancetheory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcrippsand  https://www.linkedin.com/company/big-balance-theory/ Linktr.ee/bigbalancetheory bigbalancetheory@gmail.com Jo Keeler (7) Jo Keeler | LinkedIn Belbin www.belbin.com  

We talk TOLKEIN with the Open Window Theatre gang. openwindowtheatre.org facebook.com/badmouthtc instagram.com/badmouthtc twitter.com/badmouthtc Music credit: MusicbyAden - Mythology by MusicbyAden is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0CC Download: Musicbyaden – Mythology @musicbyaden

It's a time of year when many of us try to recapture some of the wonder at the world we felt as kids... and Katherine Rundell has a special gift for doing just that. The British author and Oxford University fellow has drawn comparisons to J.R.R. Tolkein for her fantasy books beloved by younger and older readers alike. She joins Piya Chattopadhyay to talk about two of her latest – Impossible Creatures, which brings unicorns, dragons and griffins to life for children; and Vanishing Treasures, which reflects on animals threatened with extinction for adults – and why she thinks cultivating wonder in worlds both imagined and real is vital.

Looking for a new read? Something that will make you sharper in 2025 or something for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list? Or maybe you just want closer access to the ideas shaping today's brightest changemakers. No matter the reason, look no further than our annual books roundup, an episode collecting books that have transformed how some of the top global leaders manage teams, get inspired and motivated, shift mindsets and more. This year's recommendations include fresh takes on classic business books, histories, time-honored works of literature, and new favorites that can change how you build and lead.   Leaders and their book selections: Leader: Alexi Robichaux, CEO, BetterUp Book Selection: Boyd Varty's Liontracker's Guide to Life:  Leader: :  Book Selection: Eliyahu Moshe Goldratt's The Goal:  Leader: Sahil Tesfu, Chief Strategy Officer, Essity Book Selection: Mark Manson's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a ****: Leader: Christopher Oakes, CEO, Reefgen Book Selection: Cal Newport's A World Without Email: Leader: Book Selection: Brian Merchant's Blood in the Machine:  Leader: Serge Raemaekers, CEO, ABOLOBI Book Selection: Jim Collins' The Flywheel Effect:  Leader: , CEO, Zum Book Selection: Clayton Christensen's The Innovator's Dillemma: Leader: Jordan Justus, Automotus Book Selection: Matt Ridley's How Innovation Works:  Leader: Catalina Cock Duque, founder, Fundacion mi Sangre Book Selection: Otto Scharmer's Leading from the Emerging Future: Leader: Christophe Catoir, President, Adecco Book Selection: W. Henry Gilbert's Homo erectus:  Leader: Kara Alaimo, Professor and author, Fairleigh Dickinson University Book Selection: Kate Manne's Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny:  Book Selection: Mikki Kendall's Hood Feminism:  Book Selection: 's Invisible Women: https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Women-Data-World-Designed/dp/1419729071 Leader: Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Book Selection: J. R.R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Series:  Leader: Florian Hoffman, Founder, The Do Book Selection: Voltaire's Candide:  

Hello, Void! We're back this week feeling fresh and wriggling as a new-caught fish. Or maybe a child throwing a tantrum. We debate the effects of magic in Tolkein's world, where the ent-wives have gone, and Gollum/Smeagol's ring motivations. We learn even more about Middle Earth as we venture into the wilds: oliphaunts are elephants with more tusks, dwarf women have beards, and there are even more hot men in Rohan (Karl Urban). Will Feramir ever break the curse of men, or will Sam finally get some taters? The world may never know! 

Matt and Katie discuss the Rings of Power finale, dividing their thoughts between the Rotten Tomatoes categories of rotten and fresh. They also answer one of life's deepest questions. Which Middle Earth character would do our jobs? It's an episode as thrilling as the Rings of Power finale, if you removed the epic battles, clash between good and evil and state of the art special effects. 

Are myths a waste of time, or do they hold profound relevance in our modern world? Today we explore this question with author John Hendrix as he reveals how J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis understood the enduring power of mythology in an age that prioritized reason and science.Join us as we unpack how myths provide more than mere entertainment. They offer a portal to explore universal human experiences, our longing for the new heavens and earth, and our desire to be part of a greater narrative. In an era where modernity has "exhausted us," find out why mythical stories continue to resonate and provide a sense of belonging that transcends the limitations of a merely fact-based worldview.You can learn more about John Hendrix and his writings at https://www.johnhendrix.com/

"Good Noses in Bad Business" An unexpected journey comes to it's conclusion, featuring special guest Matt (@rogueprintco)       Episode Artwork by @shaunmakesAudio Production by Astronomic AudioMusic by Mike HammockFeaturing:Shaun as The GamemasterAlex as TomtenCristina as Ada BigtoeJanette as Timmalee ChantafootMatt as Matt —Need More Bob in Your Life? Check out our other (SFW!) podcast, Tales of BobApple PodcastsSpotify—Support the Show:PatreonMerch StoreContact Us:DiscordTheHouseOfBob.orgTwitterInstagramFacebookEmail—Thank you so much to our current Patreon supporters! This podcast would not be possible without you.Nelle NinoDan Klip-KlopThe Pink PastorElliGary TheobaldGarbanzoD ChanAnettebrunoreturnsThomas KuhlmannConnor McCollochPadraig HegartyBrandon KnoxTeam EAMONNPavel LishinChristine BraileTom InnsElias AndersonMark BoykinJessica ColvinScooter EmersonJoshKeith HaddadBluckett12Tom WesleyJessicaLuke Conroy—Music by:Mike Hammockhttps://mikehammock.bandcamp.com/Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"A bit of a to-do" An unexpected journey begins, featuring special guest Matt (@rogueprintco)       Episode Artwork by @shaunmakesAudio Production by Astronomic AudioMusic by Mike HammockFeaturing:Shaun as The GamemasterAlex as TomtenCristina as Ada BigtoeJanette as Timmalee ChantafootMatt as Matt Mattison —Need More Bob in Your Life? Check out our other (SFW!) podcast, Tales of BobApple PodcastsSpotify—Support the Show:PatreonMerch StoreContact Us:DiscordTheHouseOfBob.orgTwitterInstagramFacebookEmail—Thank you so much to our current Patreon supporters! This podcast would not be possible without you.

Daily Dad Jokes (22 Sep 2024) The official Daily Dad Jokes Podcast electronic button now available on Amazon. The perfect gift for dad! Click here here to view ! Email Newsletter: Looking for more dad joke humour to share? Then subscribe to our new weekly email newsletter. It's our weekly round-up of the best dad jokes, memes, and humor for you to enjoy. Spread the laughs, and groans, and sign up today! Click here to subscribe ! Listen to the Daily Dad Jokes podcast here: https://dailydadjokespodcast.com/ or search "Daily Dad Jokes" in your podcast app. Interested in Business and Finance news? Then listen to our sister show: The Daily Business and Finance Show. Check out the website here or search "Daily Business and Finance Show" in your podcast app. Jokes sourced and curated from reddit.com/r/dadjokes. Joke credits: silentpl, space0watch, porichoygupto, air28uk, BrewSwayin, another-dave, SeekerSpock32, weirdalyankee, tinygluesticks, chimchalm, porichoygupto, Drunkeh, , roxas_leonhart, zsm1994, KevinLeeC, Devex123, CalmFan381, GrilledSpamSteaks, rogueasset, TOPSIturvy, Rav4xle, AutumnMare, fullmiz, Weekly-Bumblebee6348, Sir_Pluses, StrafemOrigin, athei-nerd, GiborDesign, HellsJuggernaut, wavemotiondan, Ok_Presence36, gregorytilidie, Almarrio, NiteOwlNov, ilikesidehugs, ArcticTrek, FlibMyWib, hashtagranch, jzagri, NoWhammiesStop, TheScarletSho, astrosmash77 Subscribe to this podcast via: iHeartMedia Spotify iTunes Google Podcasts Youtube Channel Social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter Tik Tok Discord Interested in advertising or sponsoring our show? Contact us at mediasales@klassicstudios.com Produced by Klassic Studios using AutoGen Podcast technology (http://klassicstudios.com/autogen-podcasts/) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Problem-solving the crises of the modern world is often characterized by an economy and architecture of exploitation and instrumentalization, viewing relationships as transactional, efficient, and calculative. But this sort of thinking leaves a remainder of emptiness.Finding hope in a time of crises requires a more human work of covenant and commitment. Based in agrarian principles of stability, place, connection, dependence, interwoven relatedness, and a rooted economy, we can find hope in “Love's Braided Dance” of telling the truth, keeping our promises, showing mercy, and bearing with one another.In this episode, Evan Rosa welcomes Norman Wirzba, the Gilbert T. Rowe Distinguished Professor of Christian Theology at Duke Divinity School, to discuss his recent book Love's Braided Dance: Hope in a Time of Crisis.Together they discuss love and hope through the agrarian principles that acknowledge our physiology and materiality; how the crises of the moment boil down to one factor: whether young people want to have kids of their own; God's love as erotic and how that impacts our sense of self-worth; the “sympathetic attunement” that comes from being loved by a community, a place, and a land; transactional versus covenantal relationships; the meaning of giving and receiving forgiveness in an economy of mercy; and finally the difficult truth that transformation or moral perfection can never replace reconciliation.About Norman WirzbaNorman Wirzba is the Gilbert T. Rowe Distinguished Professor of Christian Theology at Duke Divinity School, as well as director of research at Duke University's Office of Climate and Sustainability. His books include Love's Braided Dance: Hope in a Time of Crisis, Agrarian Spirit: Cultivating Faith, Community, and the Land;This Sacred Life: Humanity's Place in a Wounded World; and Food & Faith.Listen to Norman Wirzba on Food & Faith in Episode 49: "God's Love Made Delicious"Show NotesNorman Wirzba, Love's Braided Dance: Hope in a Time of CrisisHow the crises of the moment boil down to one expression: whether young people want to have kids of their own.How Norman Wirzba became friends with Wendell BerryWendell Berry, The Unsettling of America“Love's Braided Dance” from “In Rain”, a poem by Wendell Berry“You shouldn't forget the land, and you shouldn't forget your grandfather.”Return to agricultural practicesSacred gifts“An agricultural life can afford doesn't guarantee, I think, but it affords the opportunity for you to really handle the fundamentals of life, air, water, soil, plant, tactile  connection that has to, at the same time, be  a practical connection, which means you have to to bring into your handling of things the attempt to understand what you're handling.”AnonymityNorman Wirzba reads Wendell Berry's “In Rain”Hyperconnectivity and the meaning of being “braided together”Love as Erotic Hope—”the first of God's love is an erotic love, which is an outbound love that wants  something other than God to be and to  flourish. And that outbound movement is generated by God's desire for For others to be beautiful, to be good, and I think that's the basis of our lives, right?”Audre Lorde and patriarchyAffirming the goodness of ourselves and the world as created and loved by GodHow the pornographic gaze distorts the meaning of erotic loveDancing as a metaphor for God's erotic loveDeep sympathy and anticipation, and the improvisational movement of danceWoodworking: taking time and negotiation“Sympathetic attunement” and improvisationManaging the unpredictable nature of our worldRevelation of who you are and who the other is—it's hard to reveal ourselves to each otherHonesty and depth that is missing from relationshipsLearning the skill of self-revealingBelonging and Robin Wall Kimmerer's sense that a people could be “loved by the land”Physiological, material reality of our dependence on each other, from womb to tomb“The illusion that we could ever be alone or stand alone or survive alone is so dishonest about our living.”Denying our needs, acknowledging our needs, and inhabiting trust to work through struggle together“It's not about solutions.”“Some of the needs  are profound and deep and they take time and they are  never fully resolved. But it's this experience of knowing that you're not alone, that you're in a context where you are going to be cared for, you'll be nurtured, and you'll be forgiven when you make mistakes means that you can carry on together. And that's often enough.”Transactional vs covenantal approach to relationshipsGranting forgiveness and receiving forgivenessTransformation is not a replacement for reconciliationRather than denying wrongdoing or seeking to eliminate it, focusing on a renewed effort to be merciful with each other.Economy and architecture“So how is the land supposed to love you back if it has in fact been turned into a toxic dumping zone?”“Think about how much fear is in our architecture.”Building was vernacular—people were involved in the development of physical structuresJ. R. R. Tolkein, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers: Ents vs Saruman, natural agrarianism vs technological dominationJoy Clarkson, You Are a TreeRooted economy“Is anything worthy of our care?”When a parent chooses a phone and loses a moment of presence with children“Go to some one and tell them, ‘I want to try to be better at being in the presence of those around me.'”Be deliberateProduction NotesThis podcast featured Norman WirzbaEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Alexa Rollow, Kacie Barrett, Emily Brookfield, and Zoë HalabanA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

Welcome Middle-Earthers to the Ring of Power Hour! It's been a long journey to Season 2 but it is upon us and we can't wait to have you back! We're a little behind but time to catch up and get this fellowship going again! Here we're previewing Season 2 before we dive into our whole episode breakdowns! Let's do this! Join hosts Jay and J.R.(R?) as they are back to break it all down for you! Join us for the Ring of Power Hour! EMAIL THE PODCAST: ⁠⁠ringofpowerhour@gmail.com⁠⁠ JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP:  ⁠⁠The Ring of Power Hour Podcast Group | Facebook⁠⁠ FIND US ON NPR ILLINOIS! ⁠⁠https://www.nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network⁠⁠ FIND US ON FACEBOOK – ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork/⁠⁠ FIND US ON TWITTER – ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/FrontRowReviewz⁠⁠ Please enjoy this episode of THE RING OF POWER HOUR and as always, we'll see you in the front row!

Join Dave and Wayne for genre television show news, a glimpse into what the hosts are currently watching, and commentary and analysis of the Prime VIdeo series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. This week on the SciFi TV Rewatch podcast Dave and Wayne return to the world of Tolkein and the season two premiere that features the creation of the three rings and the conflicts surrounding the potential misuse of their power.  In our What We're Watching segment, Dave completed S1 of Orphan Black: Echoes and really enjoyed it and also found time to complete the final season of Vikings: Valhalla. With school back in session, Wayne found it difficult to find any time for genre television viewing. In Listener Feedback, Fred from the Netherlands watched a show Dave recommended earlier, the teen time travel tale Paper Girls. Alan in England finds fault w/the “Next time on Rings of Power” clips at episode's end. Remember to join the genre television and film discussion on the SciFi TV Rewatch Facebook group for the latest genre television show news and podcast releases. Episode Grade: Dave B+  Wayne A

Chuck Dixon is a veteran comic book writer with thousands of titles to his name including a record run on Batman at DC Comics (where he co-created the villain BANE along with Graham Nolan) and seminal work on Marvel's The Punisher.His other work includes extensive runs on titles as diverse as Conan the Barbarian, Nightwing, The Simpsons and SpongeBob Squarepants.  Chuck is the most prolific American comic book writer of all time with thousands of issues and over 40,000 pages of comics in publication.  He adapted J.R.R. Tolkein's The Hobbit into one of the most successful graphic novels in publication and just one of his entries on the New York Times bestseller list. He is also the author of the bestselling SEAL Team 6 novels from Dynamite.   Want to watch: YouTube Meisterkhan Pod (Please Subscribe)

An ancient mystery about ancient things. Today on Odd News+ we go back several thousand years to investigate a Tolkein-related mystery. Plus, coffee vs tea and your daily horoscope. An Indonesian island holds the key to a mystery about a special early human cousin. Could it be Bilbo Baggins? If you're a Gemini, today's horoscope is for you. Pay attention to the advice. It could save you a trip. We want to settle the debate over coffee vs. tea. And we know exactly who can help us. >> Hear episodes from all the participants in Dog Days of Podcasting>> Support comedy4cast by becoming a patron on Patreon>> Or you can get Clinton a Dunkin' card or a cup of coffee via Ko-Fi>> Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, MeWe, Mastodon, and BlueSky>> Give us a call via the Super Secret Phone Line (213) 290-4451>> Drop us an email at podcast @ comedy4cast.com>> Also check out Clinton's other podcast, The Topic is Trek>> Certain sounds effects heard on comedy4cast are courtesy of freeSFX and FreeSound.org Click here for a transcript of this episode.

An ancient mystery about ancient things. Today on Odd News+ we go back several thousand years to investigate a Tolkein-related mystery. Plus, coffee vs tea and your daily horoscope. An Indonesian island holds the key to a mystery about a special early human cousin. Could it be Bilbo Baggins? If you're a Gemini, today's horoscope is for you. Pay attention to the advice. It could save you a trip. We want to settle the debate over coffee vs. tea. And we know exactly who can help us. >> Hear episodes from all the participants in Dog Days of Podcasting>> Support comedy4cast by becoming a patron on Patreon>> Or you can get Clinton a Dunkin' card or a cup of coffee via Ko-Fi>> Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, MeWe, Mastodon, and BlueSky>> Give us a call via the Super Secret Phone Line (213) 290-4451>> Drop us an email at podcast @ comedy4cast.com>> Also check out Clinton's other podcast, The Topic is Trek>> Certain sounds effects heard on comedy4cast are courtesy of freeSFX and FreeSound.org Click here for a transcript of this episode.

Red Sky Mourning. America at odds with its foundational principles. But where can we go? No new world for which to sail. Talking the new thriller from Jack Carr. Planting our flag right here at home on this week of July Fourth. Addressing the problem from within. Betrayed by the people in power. Rightsiding the American Flag. Observing ongoing vindication for Backbone Radio. Hoaxes leaving no traces. The perils of puppetry. Bill Kristol turns on Biden. Jill Biden not yet letting go. Dig It, Lebowski, Whoomp There It Is. Meanwhile, J.R.R. Tolkein on myth, muscle and learning. The ideal of the Scholar Warrior. The ring-bearer wearing a tuxedo, at age three. The Swim Meet DJ. Host family vignettes. Happy Fourth! With Great Listener CallsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The whole gang is in concert to ask about if "hard" and "loud" are the same, the relevance of RFK jr, the Twin Cities, the Quad Cities, the suspicious nature of Battle Creek, MI, Scientology, Tolkein as a theologist, how many Mullets per Wickstrom in a Hectare, Trump's guns, and the priority order of Talking Heads albums. get the full ep and more by subscribing at patreon.com/beepbeeplettuce

This week on Weird Studies, Phil and JF explore the intersections of the beautiful and the terrible in art and literature. There is a conventional beauty that calms and placates, and there is a radical beauty which, taking horror's pale-gloved hand, gives up all pretense to permanence and fixity and joins the danse macabre of our endless becoming. This episode is a preamble to a five-week course of lectures and discussions starting June 20th on Weirdosphere, JF and Phil's new online learning platform. For more information and to enroll in The Beauty and the Horror, visit www.weirdosphere.org. REFERENCES JF Martel, Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice (https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/j-f-martel/reclaiming-art-in-the-age-of-artifice/9781668640289/?lens=basic-books), the audiobook, with a new introduction written and read by Donna Tartt. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15239678/) William Blake, “The Tyger” (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43687/the-tyger) Junichiro Tanizaki, In Praise of Shadows (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780918172020) Steven Spielberg, Raiders of the Lost Ark (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/) Walter Pater, The Renaissance (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781604597042) David Lynch, Twin Peaks: The Return (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4093826/) Anna Aikin, “On the Pleasure Derived from Objects of Terror (https://biblioklept.org/2018/10/25/on-the-pleasure-derived-from-objects-of-terror-anna-letitia-aikin/) Donna Tartt, The Secret History (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781400031702) Keiji Nishitani, Religion and Nothingness (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780520049468) Charles Baudelaire, “Le Voyage” (https://fleursdumal.org/poem/231) Franz Schubert, “Death and the Maiden” Quartet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No._14_(Schubert)) Franz Schubert, Piano Sonata in C major, D. 840 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_in_C_major,_D_840_(Schubert)) J.R.R. Tolkein, The Hobbit (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780547928227)

This week on Weird Studies, Phil and JF explore the intersections of the beautiful and the terrible in art and literature. There is a conventional beauty that calms and placates, and there is a radical beauty which, taking horror's pale-gloved hand, gives up all pretense to permanence and fixity and joins the danse macabre of our endless becoming. This episode is a preamble to a five-week course of lectures and discussions starting June 20th on Weirdosphere, JF and Phil's new online learning platform. For more information and to enroll in The Beauty and the Horror, visit www.weirdosphere.org. REFERENCES JF Martel, Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice (https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/j-f-martel/reclaiming-art-in-the-age-of-artifice/9781668640289/?lens=basic-books), the audiobook, with a new introduction written and read by Donna Tartt. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15239678/) William Blake, “The Tyger” (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43687/the-tyger) Junichiro Tanizaki, In Praise of Shadows (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780918172020) Steven Spielberg, Raiders of the Lost Ark (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/) Walter Pater, The Renaissance (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781604597042) David Lynch, Twin Peaks: The Return (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4093826/) Anna Aikin, “On the Pleasure Derived from Objects of Terror (https://biblioklept.org/2018/10/25/on-the-pleasure-derived-from-objects-of-terror-anna-letitia-aikin/) Donna Tartt, The Secret History (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781400031702) Keiji Nishitani, Religion and Nothingness (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780520049468) Charles Baudelaire, “Le Voyage” (https://fleursdumal.org/poem/231) Franz Schubert, “Death and the Maiden” Quartet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No._14_(Schubert)) Franz Schubert, Piano Sonata in C major, D. 840 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_in_C_major,_D_840_(Schubert)) J.R.R. Tolkein, The Hobbit (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780547928227)

On today's episode we explore everything from 1970s top secret nuclear bunkers to Tolkein's mines of Mordor. Phil 'The Tunnel Inspector' Catling takes us down the rabbit hole stopping off in Alan Garner's Brisingaman via Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising. Expect dystopian futures, ancient barrows, sigils of lost civilisations and darkening skies. Also the brilliant Rik Rankin, star of Outlander and Rebus, reads form George MacDonalds 'The Princess & The Goblin.'Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Xenharmonic black metal project Melopœia consists of Brian Leong, Jon Lervold, and Dave Tremblay. Their albums are inspired by J.R.R. Tolkein, and features his direct text both sung, and by mapping the letters of the text to different notes of 26-tone equal temperament. Their latest album utilizing this is “Valaquenta,” be sure to catch the latest track “Varda” which we discuss and play in the episode! Their earlier album, “Ainulindalë,” used the same method of starting the album and then uploading tracks one at a time as completed.   Intro: Melopœia - Varda [Valaquenta] 26-TET Melopœia - Varda [Valaquenta] 26-TET Melopœia - But an Instrument [Ainulindalë] 26-TET Melopœia - But an Instrument [Ainulindalë] 26-TET Melopœia - Varda [Valaquenta] 26-TET Melopœia - Varda [Valaquenta] 26-TET Melopœia - Varda [Valaquenta] 26-TET Melopœia - Ilúvatar's Chord [Ainulindalë] 26-TET Outro: Melopœia - Varda [Valaquenta] 26-TET   Melopœia's Bandcamp: https://melopoeia.bandcamp.com/album/valaquenta https://melopoeia.bandcamp.com/album/ainulindal   Support us on Patreon! (If we get 60 patrons, episodes will be released regularly instead of sporadically) https://www.patreon.com/nowandxen Follow http://nowandxen.libsyn.com https://twitter.com/now_xen https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/   Subscribe RSS: http://nowandxen.libsyn.com/rss iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n… Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mhnGsH… Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/nowxen Twitter: https://twitter.com/now_xen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnmYNMpemAIq8DnK5HJ9gsA  

Help us improve the podcast! Click here to take our listener survey—5 respondents will be randomly selected to receive a signed and personalized copy of Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most.We need the world to understand it. Human embodied experience and material life in the world has a profound effect on our thinking—not just poetry and pop music, but our intellectual reflections, philosophical theories and scientific observations, to the most mundane conversations.Take a closer look at human language and ideas, and we'll find we are deeply embedded, grounded, and built on a foundation of metaphor. That last sentence, for instance, depends on the metaphor KNOWLEDGE is a BUILDING. But navigating this terrain can be treacherous and we can easily get lost (another metaphor: LIFE is a JOURNEY). But to be a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit, flourishing with vibrant leaves, we can allow our roots to sink down into this reality and bloom and reach upward (YOU are a TREE).Theologian Joy Marie Clarkson joins me and Macie Bridge today for a conversation about metaphor. It's brimming and full of metaphor itself (that one's KNOWLEDGE is a CONTAINER), but it's not too meta.Joy is research associate in theology and literature at King's College London. She's the author of Aggressively Happy: A Realist's Guide to Believing in the Goodness of Life, as well as her most recent You Are a Tree: And Other Metaphors to Nourish Life, Thought, and Prayer. Her writing has also appeared in The Tablet, Christianity Today, and Plough Quarterly. She is the Books and Culture Editor for Plough Quarterly and hosts a podcast called Speaking with Joy.Together we discuss: How we see ourselves as human: Are we trees? Are we machines? The beauty of language and the glory of poetry to reveal intangible or invisible wisdom and experience. Joy explains the hidden negation in metaphors and the dance between subjective convention and objective realities. We revel and play with language and its particularity. We discuss Julian of Norwich on Jesus as the source of motherhood. J.R.R. Tolkien on technology and redemption through trees and dark journeys. And we explore the many metaphors that seem to undergird Christian theological reflection on flourishing life.About Joy ClarksonJoy Marie Clarkson is research associate in theology and literature at King's College London. She's the author of Aggressively Happy: A Realist's Guide to Believing in the Goodness of Life, as well as her most recent You Are a Tree: And Other Metaphors to Nourish Life, Thought, and Prayer. Her writing has also appeared in The Tablet, Christianity Today, and Plough Quarterly. She is the Books and Culture Editor for Plough Quarterly and hosts a podcast called Speaking with Joy. Check out her Substack here.Show NotesExplore the book: Joy Clarkson, You Are a Tree: And Other Metaphors to Nourish Life, Thought, and PrayerJoy Clarkson's SubstackMetaphor embedded throughout thought and languageAre you a machine? Are you a tree?Hidden negation within metaphorsBill Collins poem, “Litany”: “You are the goblet and the wine.”Aristotle on metaphor: Carry over the properties of one thing to another.Whispering “not really though”Metaphors about God and internal or hidden negationComplexity of the worldPosture of humilityLiteral language is a kind of trick to think that “we actually have said the thing finally and completely.”Thomas Aquinas, medieval theologians and speaking about God by way of analogy“The words we can say about God kind of come from, the perfections we perceive and things in the world.”Medieval bestiaries“The true panther is Christ.”“The sweet breathed, multicolored Christ panther.”When language falls shortPseudo-Dionysus the AreopagiteUnspeakability of things and the radical particularity of languageJulian of Norwich, Jesus as the source of motherhood: “Jesus our true mother.”Bobby McFerrin's “The 23rd Psalm”Metaphors about humanityHumanity as machines vs humanity as treesMechanical metaphors for humanity fall short and become dangerous when it implies that we are only as good as our productivityTrees are an older and more mysterious metaphor for human beings.Security and success—top dog vs underdogMetaphor: SUCCESS is UP and climbing the corporate ladder“We need each other.”The Giving Tree and Treebeard from J.R.R. Tolkein's, The Lord of the Rings*The Two Towers—*Saruman vs the Ents and ecological and technological ethics that provide insight for our humanity and lived environmentThe Christian life as a metaphor“You are God's poem. You are kind of this living, breathing poem that's drawing its imagery from the goodness of God.”Poesis and the imago DeiPhenomenological description of things in everyday life“Paying attention to those kind of very everyday experiences just filled me personally with a sense of how densely meaningful and poetic our everyday lives are.”Production NotesThis podcast featured Joy Marie ClarksonEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Macie Bridge, Alexa Rollow, & Tim BergelandA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: bookish festival meetups and poop books for potty training Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: answering questions about our thoughts on bookish villains The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) .  .  .  .  .  2:56 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week 3:13 - The Tucson Festival of Books Please RSVP to currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com if you're going to come Saturday, March 9!  5:52 - Everybody Poops by Justine Avery 5:58 - Potty by Leslie Patricelli 6:17 - Poopasaurus by Plum Coconut (Amazon link) 6:18 - Dino Potty by Sara Conway 6:33 - P is for Potty by Naomi Kleinberg 6:35 - The New Potty by Mercer Mayer (Amazon link) 6:58 - It Hurts When I Poop! by Howard J. Bennett 7:05 - Bunny's Big Problem by Simone Majetich (Amazon link) 7:37 - Poop There It Is by Little Hippo Books (Amazon link) 10:08  - Our Current Reads 10:22 - Something Close to Magic by Emma Mills (Kaytee) 10:29 - The Novel Neighbor 10:42 - Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree 13:18 - The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz (Meredith) 15:25 - The Nowhere Bookshop 17:34 - The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi 16:36 - Starter Villain by John Scalzi 19:05 - Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz 20:25 - My Friend the Octopus by Lindsay Galvin (Kaytee, Blackwell's UK link) 23:23 - The Magic All Around by Jennifer Moorman (Meredith) 29:24 - Libro.fm 30:17 - Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina (Kaytee) 30:24 - Capital Books on K 32:02 - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson 32:32 - Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina 33:19 - All Her Fault by Andrea Mara (Meredith) 34:43 - Currently Reading Patreon 34:50 - Fabled Bookshop 36:55 - I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh 36:57 - Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips 37:23 - All Things Bookish Villains 40:25 - All Her Fault by Andrea Mara 42:02 - East of Eden by John Steinbeck 42:56 - The Reformatory by Tananarive Due 43:42 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 44:31 - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo 45:06 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling 45:08 - The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein 45:24 - The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 48:12 - A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny 48:58 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 50:21 - Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver 51:00 - Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris 51:38 - Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King 53:11 - Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots 54:12 - Meet Us At The Fountain 54:20 - I wish to press How the Word Is Passed by Cint Smith into listeners' hands. (Kaytee) 54:21 - How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith 56:03 - I wish listeners would stop using the Patreon app to listen to our content and add patreon to wherever they listen to other podcasts. (Meredith) 57:02 - Check our Instagram @currentlyreadingpodcast for the video instructions to add Patreon to your podcast feed. Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February's IPL is brought to you by Booktenders in Huntington, West Virginia. Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

In my life coaching work we practice thinking about what you hope your kids will say about you as their mother and homeschooler, in the future. And then taking action now to help create that outcome. We dream about what our children's futures will look like, and sometimes it keeps us up at night. If you ever worry about your kid's futures and what they will say about their experience in your homeschool, then today's podcast episode will help you take a big deep, calming breath and rest into what God is inviting you into today.  I am joined today by former homeschooled student, now adult and published author, Maddie Dobrowski. Maddie and I had one of the most life-giving conversations on the podcast. We talked not just about her book, The Lord of the Rings and Catholicism (which is amazing and you should get your copy right now!), but we actually primarily discussed her experience as a homeschooled student and how it has played an integral role in forming her into the successful adult (and practicing Catholic for everyone keeping score) she is today. She has the most incredible insight from the student's perspective, shares vulnerably about how her life hasn't necessarily turned out the way she expected, but how beautifully it is turning out to be. And she attributes so much of it to the examples she had growing up in a big, Catholic, homeschooling family environment.  Especially her mother's influence.  I walked away from this conversation feeling like I had just been on retreat and I think you will, too! I'd like to invite you to listen in on this delightful and inspiring conversation: You're Doing Better Than You Think You Are with Maddie Dobrowski.   Subscribe to Fiat Life Coaching weekly life coaching emails. Join the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast Free Facebook Group Get The Lord of the Rings and Catholicism by Maddie Dobrowski Follow Maddie on IG Join Maddie's Substack

They're taking Reginald to Isengard! Luckily we've got some good company to kill time on the journey, as Red from Overly Sarcastic Productions joins Dom on the pod to talk about J.R.R. Tolkein's The Fellowship of the Ring, among other LOTR lore.This podcast, like Dom's videos, sometimes touches on the foul language, violence, assaults, and murders in the books we read. Treat it like a TV-14 show.For the full episode with video, and bonus content, check out Dom's Patreon:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DomSmithWhere to find Red: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OverlySarcasticProductionsAurora: https://comicaurora.com/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/OSPTwitter: @OSPyoutubeWhere to find Dom:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dominic-NobleWebsite: https://www.dominic-noble.com/Second channel: https://www.youtube.com/@domnobletoo8238Twitter: @Dominic_Noble Instagram: @dominic_nobleMerch:https://www.teespring.com/stores/domi...For information about sponsoring a video, convention appearances and similar business inquiries please contact my representation at dominicnoble@viralnationtalent.comEditor:Sophia Ricciardiwww.sophiakricci.com Music:“European Waltz” performed by Il NeigeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DJilneige

Ok - we get it. And don't worry, it's addressed right at the top. Welcome to our nightmare! A place where Marty keeps speaking, Brendan keeps tenuous-ing and Frank gets called out by Ludo staff. But there's also plenty of Tolkein plot-holes, Warner Bros parallels, Coconut drinks and cross sections to be had. So hold your breath and enjoy another glorious Australia-specific puppeteering shoutout, all the way from the moon. 

KENTARO MIURA! In my excitement to talk about Berserk, I forgot to mention the name of its creator, Kentaro Miura! My apologies! In this episode, we talked about: Earthdivers by Stephen Graham Jones https://bit.ly/3TH6rus Berserk by Kentaro Miura https://bit.ly/41HJHMO Never Met a Duke Like You Amalie Howard https://bit.ly/3vjooVK Strange Matter: Bad Circuits And we mentioned, without getting too in-depth: The Lord of the Rings by JR.R. Tolkein (as read by Andy Serkis) The Duke of the Abruzzi by Mirella Tenderini, Michael Shandrick Goosebumps: Welcome to the Dead House by R.L. Stine https://bit.ly/3GZ1zcs Soichi by Junji Ito Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor https://bit.ly/3NKirr1

The final film in Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein's The Lord of the Rings came to a conclusion twenty years ago this month. Following the success of the first two films, the question remained whether the third could meet the expectation - and the hype - in the days leading up to its release. Needless to say, the film was a hit on an epic scale, coming in as the top film of 2003 and the first film to cross the billion-dollar mark since Titanic. Aside from financial success, the film was hailed as one of the greatest cinematic achievements of all time, delivering a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy and earning praise on every level of production. At the 76th Academy Awards, the film took home an Oscar in all eleven categories for which it was nominated, including Best Picture. Only one film can wear the crown of greatest fantasy epic ever made - is it The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King?   For more geeky podcasts visit GonnaGeek.com   You can find us on iTunes under ''Legends Podcast''. Please subscribe and give us a positive review. You can also follow us on Twitter @LegendsPodcast or even better, send us an e-mail: LegendsPodcastS@gmail.com   You can write to Rum Daddy directly: rumdaddylegends@gmail.com You can find all our contact information here on the Network page of GonnaGeek.com Our complete archive is always available at www.legendspodcast.com, www.legendspodcast.libsyn.com

Well, we made it to the end of the year (almost!), and we are back at the Art Angle with our monthly Round Up, where we bring together some of our esteemed reporters to talk about the big stories that are swirling in the air. Joining host Ben Davis this week to chat are senior editor Kate Brown and senior market reporter Eileen Kinsella. As always, there is a lot to talk about this month. First up, we'll discuss the the state of the art market as evidenced by the recent art auctions in New York, ahead of the final crash of art fairs of the year taking place in Miami. We'll also talk about the state of politics and culture in Italy, which interestingly enough, now involves a conversation about J.R.R. Tolkien, the beloved author of Lord of the Rings. Finally, we discuss artist Anish Kapoor and his Vantablack, ultra-black artworks, which are on view now at Lisson Gallery in New York.

Make an Advent donation to the Living Church.Get 84% off a gift subscription to The Living ChurchIn the beginning, creation. Millennia pass. Creatures alternately live peacefully then get it horribly wrong. Long geneologes. The rise of evil kings, good kings, battles and prophecies. A savior riding in on a white horse. And in between the exciting parts, lots and lots of waiting.Is this the Bible? The spiritual life? Or The Lord of the Rings and Middle Earth legendarium? Yes. And it's chock-full of good stuff for Advent.So is JRR Tolkein's own life. Today we'll talk with one of Tolkein's biographers, Dr. Holly Ordway. Holly is the Cardinal Francis George Professor of Faith and Culture at the Word on Fire Institute, visiting professor of apologetics at Houston Christian University, and a subject editor for the Journal of Inklings Studies. She has two books you should know about: the award-winning Tolkien's Modern Reading: Middle-earth Beyond the Middle Ages (Word on Fire Academic, 2021) and her newest book, Tolkien's Faith: A Spiritual Biography (Word on Fire Academic, 2023). Advent is a thick time. Within that tapestry we find suffering and grief, waiting and faithfulness, the mysterious timing of providence -- and much to learn from Middle Earth.But we also get glimpses of what it means to live good life. Good food, a sense of humor, and divine grace are hidden inside Advent, too, if we have humble enough eyes to find them.Whether Advent is for you like a cozy Hobbit hole full of goodies, or Denethor's grim tower looking out on an uncertain future, or some trippy place in between that I cannot imagine, we hope you enjoy the conversation.Make an Advent donation to the Living Church.Get 84% off a gift subscription to The Living Church

With sleeper hit and absolute runaway debut sensation Shelby Van Pelt, discussing her hopeful, poignant, friendship-with-an-octopus book club novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures. We discussed finding the voice for her “gentleman philosopher” octopus, how all good book ideas are probably a little bit bananas, and how it's never too late to change, no matter how old you are. With an intro that discusses Tolkein's famous essay, "On Fairy Stories," about the necessity of fairy tales told to grown ups. Pre-order Mark Cecil's upcoming novel Bunyan & Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful Bro is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm.

Tolkein, Pratchett, Gaiman ... there have been many great writers who use folklore to underpin their narratives.In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, author, musician and poet Ceallaigh MacCath-Moran joins us to discuss the creative application of folklore in writing. Ceallaigh is the creator of the newsletter, dispatch and podcast 'Folklore and Fiction' which examines folklore scholarship aimed at storytellers and writers. Learn more on Ceallaigh's website at https://csmaccath.com/folkloreandfictionTo support The Folklore Podcast and our portfolio of folklore work and content, please visit our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast where you can also access extra content.

Episode Summary This week on Live Like the World is Dying, Inmn is joined by Blix, a river guide. They talk about the utility of packrafting, the joys and travails of river travel, the state of waterways in the western United States, and how river guides might have the best names for the worst things. Host Info Inmn can be found on Instagram @shadowtail.artificery. Publisher Info This show is published by Strangers in A Tangled Wilderness. We can be found at www.tangledwilderness.org, or on Twitter @TangledWild and Instagram @Tangled_Wilderness. You can support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/strangersinatangledwilderness. Transcript Live Like the World is Dying: Blix on Packrafting **Inmn ** 00:16 Hello, and welcome to Live Like The World is Dying, your podcast for what feels like the end times. I'm Inmn, and I'm your host for today. Today I'm being joined by my friend Blix, who is a river guide, and we're going to talk about something that I've been really entranced by but know nothing about and I'm a little terrified by. And that is, traveling on rivers with boats and why it might be a good or bad idea during different emergent disasters. But first, we are a proud member of the Channel Zero Net of anarchist podcasts and here's a jingle from another show on that network. Doo doo doo doo doo doo [Singing the words like an upbeat melody] **Dissident Island Radio ** 01:08 Listen in to Dissident Island Radio live every first and third Friday of the month at 9pm GMT. Check out www.dissidentireland.org for downloads and more. **Inmn ** 01:58 And we're back. Thank you so much for coming on the show today. Could you introduce yourself with your name, pronouns, and what you do in the world? You know, not in an existential sort of way, but what is your connection to packrafting. **Blix ** 02:19 My name is Blix. I use she/they pronouns. I am a river guide in Dinosaur National Monument on the Green River. I like to do more things than just river stuff. I'm really into cycling, and gaming, and anything that gets me outside, but river stuff recently has been my main hobby and passion at the moment. Yeah, what was the last one? What is my "what?" **Inmn ** 02:49 What do you...What is your existential purpose in the world [laughing/joking] **Blix ** 03:02 [Stammers while laughing] I'd like to survive. Yeah. The last one was my connection to packrafting. So initially, I got into river...I mean, I've been doing river stuff since I was a kid. I grew up in northeast Iowa, which is not known for anything river related. Or I mean, there are rivers there, but not in the sense that...not the big water and rapid stuff that you typically hear about with river travel or river hobbies, but I grew up kayaking and canoeing. And then I got a packraft four years ago and I've done a couple pack rafting trips since then. Overnighters. And yeah, I think that was kind of the gateway craft that led me to wanting to be a guide. **Inmn ** 04:02 Yeah, it's funny. I can tell if you were being sarcastic about Idaho rivers **Blix ** 04:08 No, Iowa, Iowa.  **Inmn ** 04:10 Ohhh.  **Blix ** 04:11 Yeah, no. Idaho is very well known for rivers. Yeah, no, Iowa is not...You don't think, "Whoa the rivers in Iowa are amazing." But Idaho, definitely. **Inmn ** 04:25 Yeah, there is--maybe it's not Iowa that I'm thinking of--that it's bordered on each side by rivers. Is that true? **Blix ** 04:35 There's the Mississippi on the east and then on the west I think there is a river but I can't remember... Maybe the Sioux River. **Inmn ** 04:45 Yeah or something. Because there's the...I only know this because of going on bike tour and encountering this bike bro who let us sleep at his house. He just saw us on bikes and was like, "Come over, fellow bike tourists." And we're like, "You know, we need showers." And he told us about something called like, Ragbra... **Blix ** 05:05 Ragbrai. I like Ragbra better. Yeah, yeah. RagBrai is riding from the west side of Iowa to the east, and it changes...the route changes every year. But, I've actually never done it.  **Inmn ** 05:23 It did not really sound fun. Very drunken. **Blix ** 05:25 No, I think it...Yeah. As someone who does not drink, it sounds like my worst nightmare. So, **Inmn ** 05:32 Yeah. But anyways, what...So what is packrafting? **Blix ** 05:38 Yeah, packrafting...So, it's a very specific type of craft where you can deflate it and it's pretty much...the way that I've used it, I've strapped it to the front of my bike. You can shove it in backpacks. It can be made very small, and then when you inflate it, some models of pack rafts, you can take your gear and shove them inside the tubes of the craft so you don't have like a pile of gear on your boat.  **Inmn ** 05:51 Like inside the inflatable part of it?  **Blix ** 06:15 Yes, yep. So I've had friends who've done the Grand Canyon in packrafts--which is nuts and also very impressive to me--but yeah, you can put stuff in the tubes. When you want to get it out, you have to deflate it, obviously. But, you put it all in there, inflate it, you can take it downriver. I know people who've carried a ton of gear, like 50 pounds. I know people who've gone hunting with them. You can obviously, I'm sure you've seen, you can strap your bikes to the front of them as well. **Inmn ** 06:50 This was actually my first question is if you can strap it to your bike, can you also somehow take your bike down river? **Blix ** 06:58 Yeah, yeah, it's...I have a lot of opinions about taking bikes--I think it depends on the river and also your bike. The thing with attaching a bike to a water vessel and then floating down a river is it's really exposed to all the elements. And, bikes and water don't...Like, you don't want to submerge your bike in water. There's a lot of issues that can arise from that. So, it's really hard on your bike. And also it makes the packraft hard to maneuver--obviously because you have this big heavy weight in the front--but you can take the front wheel off your bike, put it on top of the frame, and then you can use straps, and they have strap loops, and--trying to think the word of it--they have places where you can take straps and like loop your bike around so it is fully attached to your packraft. **Inmn ** 07:51 Cool. My first impression from hearing about packrafting is, one, that is exactly what I was hoping it would be. But, I guess some questions within that are that it seems highly versatile or mobile. Which, the the thing about boats that I've always thought is boats are really cool and they're really big and you're kind of tied to a boat, and you're stuck on that body of water where the boat is. But, with this, it seems like you can pretty easily be on the river and then decide to leave the river and take the boat with you? **Blix ** 08:35 Yes, yep. And I think that's why they're so popular. I think they're also more affordable. But, it's a multimodal way to navigate places. And yeah, they've exploded in popularity. And it's kind of funny because packrafts themselves--like there's always been smaller crafts like kayaks and inflatable kayaks--but the packraft is kind of this new concept that's come about where you can pack your gear in the tubes and it packs up super small. Whereas kayaks are this big hard thing of plastic that you have to lug around. You know, same with canoes or even inflatable kayaks. Like, those don't deflate to a point where you'd want to carry them in anything. They're so heavy. So packrafts are kind of this ultralight thing that's come on to the river scene and a lot of parks and monuments--at least the monument I work in, they're not sure what to do with them. They're very particular about...like if you go pack rafting down the river, you have to have a bigger support boat. Like you can't just take your pack raft down the river because it's a single chamber. So, it's just like one...When you inflate it, the whole thing inflates. Whereas, normal rafts...I have another bigger raft. It has four different...or excuse me, mine has two chambers. Giant rafts, like 18 foot rafts, have four chambers and then the floor that inflates. So, the thing with packrafts is if you like pop it or tear it, it's going to be a bad day. And that's, I guess, my only issue with them. But, everything else is great, like how light they are. The trips I've done with packrafts and bikes and anything else, it's really nice to not be lugging around a gigantic raft and all this gear. And, it keeps you from overpacking. **Inmn ** 10:26 Yeah, how small is, "small?" and how light is, "light?" Like, does this fit in your hiking pack? **Blix ** 10:34 Yes, yeah, it could fit in a backpack. Like my handlebars on my bike, it fits in between the grips. Like that's how small it is. I think it packs down to like 8-10 pounds. Like it's, it's still a heavy piece of gear but nothing like a huge 2000 pound raft. You know, to me, I'm like, "Wow, this is very light and small." And then as far as like when you're sitting in it, they make different lengths. But, when I'm sitting in my packraft my feet go all the way to the front of it. And I can't think of how...They would probably be like four feet? Three feet? I don't know. I guess I've never measured mine. I just know that I fit in it. I'm not really a dimensions person. I just know that it's light and it's small. So like really specific stuff--I guess I do know how long my big raft is...But, yeah, with packrafts it's just you in the...Like, there's no room really to put other gear. You can shove stuff up by your feet and behind you, but the main idea is you're putting all of it in the tubes. **Inmn ** 11:40 Yeah, okay. Yeah, I guess hearing that their downfall, I guess, or thing that makes them maybe not a great idea is that they can get punctured. Is that something that's likely to happen. Like, can they get punctured easily? Like, how durable are they? **Blix ** 12:00 I guess the story that comes up is that I went on the Salt River this past spring. That's a river in northeast Arizona. There's like a--It's not the tubing section that everyone thinks about. It's like--whenever I tell people that, they're like, "What? You went whitewater on..." And I'm like, "No." There's an upper section that's a solid class 4 river--which, I suppose I should explain classes maybe after...If you're curious. But yeah, okay. But, basically, the story is we were portaging around this big rapid because I didn't feel comfortable running it. It was the end of the day. And portaging is just finding a route that we're able to walk and carry all our gear. Which, wasn't easy because we were in a very steep narrow canyon. But yeah. Someone dropped their packraft on a cactus, which, you know, you'd think--they popped bike tubes--but, their packraft had multiple holes that needed to be patched. Whereas my...I think the rafts are made of different materials...Like, my raft compared to a packraft...Because the packraft is so light, I don't think they can use as heavy duty material. I know people--and from my own experience--one of our packrafts has like gotten rubbed from paddling. Like the paddle rubbed the side and the side could get rubbed raw and then start to leak air. And I do know a lot of folks with packrafts that have a lot of patches. But, I also know...like this is where it comes into play that you need to be good at not just knowing how to paddle a raft but how to like read a river and know how to navigate water and know what hazards are, because, especially in a packraft, it's such...Like you don't want to tear it. Like even in my raft, I don't want to have a tear, but if you puncture your packraft in a significant way it's gonna sink or just be in a really bad spot. And you're going to be...because it is a single chamber and all your gear is in it...Like, that's a huge risk.  **Inmn ** 14:11 So you might just lose every...  **Blix ** 14:13 You might lose everything. And, I think you would have to mess up significantly for that to happen. But, just knowing certain hazards that I've encountered on rivers and things I've heard from other people...The material my boat's made of is this hypalon. It's really thick. Like. I've rammed it into rocks and like, it's been fine, but I also know if you hit things a certain way the like...like it's almost like a knife has cut through your boat. And I just think yeah, it would just be really...I would be really nervous and a packraft because of the single chamber aspect where if it pops, the whole thing is deflating. Whereas with my boat, if one of my tubes pops, I still have another tube that will stay inflated and I could maybe keep getting down the river...and not lose all my gear. **Inmn ** 15:03 Yeah, yeah. And so I guess with inflatable kayaks, are those usually more durable? Or like have more chambers? **Blix ** 15:13 They have...Each side is a chamber and then the floor is a chamber. The packraft floor is also...Wow, sorry, I usually take my big boat out, so I'm trying...I haven't taken my packraft out in a minute, but, yeah, it's just a big single chamber. But, I know that they're making very sturdy packrafts that can go down class five, like really intense whitewater, that are super durable and capable boats. And I think the technology is getting better because it's becoming so popular. **Inmn ** 15:16 That makes sense. Yeah, I imagine in most things, there's the really dinky one that for maybe nothing more than casual water. **Blix ** 16:02 Yep. No. And it definitely depends. Like, even different companies within the packrafting world use different material. And you can tell just by quality, what's going to be more durable than others. But, inflatable kayaks they are...like you can...We call them duckies. I'm not actually sure why we call them duckies. I've never actually thought about that. Inflatable kayak duckies. But they're very--you can't pack anything in them. So it would just all be shoved at the front of this massive pile. So I think--and also duckies, I don't...They just don't navigate the water as well because they're so long. They just are very awkward to sit on. **Inmn ** 16:46 So, what is involved in planning a river trip, whether that's--I guess specifically in a packraft--but in any kind of river transit with camping situation? **Blix ** 17:01 Yeah, I think it's very similar to backpacking and bike packing in the gear you would take. You can't bring anything super bulky. You have to think about what you can fit in your tubes. A big thing that I look at when I'm planning a river trip are rapids, if there are any, what classes they are. I look at predicted flows of the river, and at what point is it flood stage, and at what point is it too low for me to run it. And this is, I think, more specific for rivers out in the West that are very susceptible to flooding and flash flooding and drying up. And then, I mean, I'm looking at the weather too. Like, do I need to bring rain jackets or food. I don't know. It's really similar to backpacking is the only way I can think about it, where I'm bringing sleeping bags and normal things that I would bring on a trip like that. I think the only difference is water. Like, you're on it so you can just bring some type of treatment to treat it. And then, figuring out where to camp along the river can be complex and complicated as well if there's like private land or, I think again,  this is river dependent, if you're in a canyon there's only certain spots you can stop. So, you have to be aware of like, "I have to go this many miles today. I have to," because there are no other places to stop. And, also paying attention to water temperature and how that'll dictate if I'm wearing normal just active clothes or if I'm wearing a dry suit or a wet suit. And then, if it's a multimodal trip, which is if I'm bringing my bike or if it's just solely a river trip to be a river trip. I think also, I mean, you have to bring poop tubes. Like, you're not really allowed to... **Inmn ** 17:10 Poop tubes? [Confused] **Blix ** 19:00 Poop tubes. Like a PVC...You can do it yourself, but you can make one out of PVC pipe. Have one enclosed so you can pack out your poop.  **Inmn ** 19:15 Okay. [Realizing what a poop tube is] **Blix ** 19:16 Yeah, sorry. You have to poop through a tube. [Joking] No, that's not what's going on. But, with bigger rafts and bigger trips we bring something called a Groover, which is this big, basically, toilet so you're packing all that out. Because, if you're all going to the bathroom on like the same beaches and campgrounds and there's not many of them, it turns into a litter box and it's really gross.  **Inmn ** 19:41 I see. I've heard of this on--and maybe it seems like more...Curious on your perspective. So, I've heard of this on especially popular hiking trails and especially multi-day hiking trails that there are spaces where they've literally just become large toilets. And there's so much human shit around buried. It's a big problem ecologically.  **Blix ** 20:12 No, I think I've read a study where I feel like in a lot of national forest and parks the ground is just...they test soil and it always includes human feces, which is deeply disturbing to me. But, I honestly think--and maybe this is a hot take--I think river folks and people who are on the river are really good at packing out feces. And with...Only because--especially in canyons--and maybe this is different out east--but again, there are only these small little spaces that can be used for camping. So again, if somebody shits everywhere, for some reason, people are going to know. And also the National Monument, at least where I work, keeps track of who's camping--because they assigned campsites to people where they can go--so they would probably know the party that like pooped everywhere. And also, they won't let you on the river unless you have a Groover or a way to pack out your feces. Like, they won't let you. They check your gear list. So, it's a highly regulated and permitted activity. For now. That could change. But even then...I...Yeah, you just have to pack out your poop. And then we all pee in the river. That's just what you do. But yeah, I think typically river folks are better than hiking and yeah...There's emergencies, but we're always carrying Wag Bags too.  **Inmn ** 21:49 Wag Bags?  **Blix ** 21:50 It's basically like a dog bag for your own poop, right? Yeah. Yep. **Inmn ** 22:00 Wow. The river community is certainly, I feel like, better than a lot of other niche sub groups at naming things. **Blix ** 22:09 Oh, yeah. I think it...Even like rapids where I'm like, "Really? This is...this is what this rapid is called?" Like...  **Inmn ** 22:19 Like what?  **Blix ** 22:22 I think a lot of them are just intense names. But, like one of them's called Schoolboy or like Fluffy Bunny Rapid or whatever the hell. And, it's like this is...Yeah, I don't know. We have, I feel like, nicknames for a lot of stuff, but...I guess it separates us from the other people? [Said unconvincingly] But, I think guides and river folk also get a bad rap for being adrenaline junkie, like really intense, obnoxious people. So, I won't say that it's a perfect community by any means because it's not, but it's definitely creative. **Inmn ** 23:03 What are some of the dangers of river travel in general, but I guess, you know, specifically we're talking about packrafting or camping as you raft. **Blix ** 23:13 Oh, man. Yeah, there's a lot. I'm trying to think of what I talk about in my safety talk of things we need to be aware of as people on rivers. I think, in general, with any outdoor activity there's the risks of cuts and bruises and broken bones and infections and just things that can happen day to day even if you're not on a river. So, like camp dangers. Which, I think a big thing with rivers that I see are like injured feet with people taking their shoes off on beaches and then running around and running into the water and getting a stick up their foot. [Inmn makes a horrified reaction noise] Yeah, or cutting their foot on a rock. But, river specific dangers, my own standard is I never want to be in the water. Like, out of my boat in the water. I don't enjoy swimming whitewater. It's a personal project I've tried to work on this past summer by forcing myself to swim in rapids. But, hazards that I think of for packrafting is the same with any other--like even if I was in a big raft I'd be thinking about the same thing--but, Keeper Holes, which is a funny...So think about a huge boulder or rock in a river and there's water pouring over it. There's certain...We call them holes because it creates this like giant space behind the rock where the water is kind of...it can recirculate. And if you fall in, or not fall, but float or are getting carried downstream into one of these, there is a risk that you will not be able to swim out of it where you're just getting recirculated underwater.   **Inmn ** 24:59 I see, yeah.  **Blix ** 25:00 Eternally.  **Inmn ** 25:01 Eternally.  **Blix ** 25:02 Yeah. And, I know you said you have fears about rivers. I don't want to freak you out, but... **Inmn ** 25:11 No, please.  **Blix ** 25:13 Okay.  **Inmn ** 25:14 Yeah, I have an utter fascination with water and water travel and also a, you know, horrifying fear of water, which is weird because I'm a triple water sign, but moderately terrified. **Blix ** 25:28 I think it's okay to be afraid of rivers, because when things go wrong, they go wrong very quickly. And you also are on a timeline if someone is in the water, if that makes sense. But, another thing that I think about for hazards is something called a Strainer. So that's when... **Inmn ** 25:29 Y'all are really good at naming things. **Blix ** 25:29 I know, I know. It's terrifying. So, it's when a tree or log falls into the river. And, the way I describe it in my safety talk is when you use strainers at home and you dump the water through, the water goes through, but the noodles get stuck, right?  **Inmn ** 26:10 Yeah.  **Blix ** 26:10 We are human noodles.  **Inmn ** 26:12 Oh God.  **Blix ** 26:12 So, when there's logs or sticks, they tend to pile up in the river and create this huge entrapment hazard. So, if you get flushed into one of those, it's pretty difficult to get out. Like, you will probably get trapped. Another thing is something called foot entrapment, which happens when rivers are shallower. And this is when you're in the water and you can feel the bottom of the river and you're thinking, "Oh, I'm gonna stand up to stop myself." So, you stand up. There's tons of rocks and sticks under the water. Your foot can get stuck under them and push you underwater because you're still...like the pressure of the water is still coming on to you. Does that makes sense? [Inmn makes an affirmative sound] So, you don't ever want to stop yourself with your feet. **Inmn ** 27:01 Okay, that would be my first instinct. **Blix ** 27:04 Yeah, don't do that. Yeah, that's a huge hazard. It's super easy to avoid. For me, that would be the scariest thing that could happen hazard-wise on a river, as my own person. And...because your instinct is "I'm gonna put my feet down to stand up." Yeah, but I've had close calls with foot entrapment. And, if you have even one of them, you will never do it again, just because of how quick the water will push you under. Super scary. Another hazard...[Laughing. Overwhelmed] I'll just keep going? **Inmn ** 27:41 Please tell me all of the ways that I can perish on the river. Which will definitely mean that I will try packrafting. [Dry and sarcastic] **Blix ** 27:49 Yeah. I think you should. It's super fun. I think, again, being aware of these hazards and knowing what to do in situations or read the river. Reading rivers is going to empower you. And I think fear is just a lot of what we don't understand or know, right? And on rivers like--I mean, there's also very legitimate fears of like, "This is fucked."--but, rivers, usually if I can see a log in the river, I know to not go near it. If I'm in the water, I know not to stand up and put my feet down to stop myself. But... **Inmn ** 28:31 No, that makes sense. That is the line that we keep saying on this podcast is preparedness is all about preparing for things that you're afraid of so that you don't have to think about them anymore because you have a plan. And this seems to just be that.  **Blix ** 28:48 Yeah. No, and I'm terrified of all these things, but I should know what to do if that happens. Yeah, there's... I'm trying to think. Other hazards are like Sieves where it's like rock fall and it funnels you through a really tight space and you can get jammed in there. Undercut walls or rocks is when the water erodes away the space underneath it and creates a pocket for you to get sucked under and into. [Inmn makes noises of terror] I'm so sorry. **Inmn ** 29:24 You all can't see me obviously. But, I assume I have this look of just visceral terror.  **Blix ** 29:31 Yeah, that's all right. That's...Usually when I give a safety talk, everyone's faces turn from excitement to complete terror. Or, sometimes kids start crying and I'm like, "Okay, let's go have fun on the river today!" Those are kind of the big ones that I can think of off the top of my head besides drowning. Drowning is...You know, cold water is a huge one where if you're In the water and it's freezing, your body is gonna start shutting down. I think you have 10 minutes to like figure it out.  **Inmn ** 30:07 Ten minutes!?   **Blix ** 30:07 Yeah. I think sometimes even less time. **Inmn ** 30:10 In like what temperature water? **Blix ** 30:14 Um. Oh geez. I feel like 50 degrees, maybe 60? I think it also is body dependent and how well your body is insulated or able to keep warm. Yeah, there's definitely...Like, the start of my season, I'm wearing a dry suit. Which is...Are you? I guess I could explain?  **Inmn ** 30:38 Yeah, a dry suit keeps you dry. Wetsuit keeps you a little bit wet but in a way that is insulative and warm? **Blix ** 30:45 Yeah, so like wetsuits work by, you get wet, but the water close to your body, that's contained in the wetsuit, warms up to your body temperature. So, it's keeping you--at least that's how I understand it--so, it's keeping you somewhat warm. Dry suit is a suit you wear that has gaskets over your wrists and neck and your feet. You're completely enclosed in this goretex super suit. You look super cool. But nothing...You could wear street clothes underneath and they would stay perfectly dry. **Inmn ** 31:17 So you can go LARP [Live Action Role Play] in your like "Dune" LARP?  **Blix ** 31:22 Yeah,basically, it's like a...What is it, still suit? But the opposite. It's not keeping moisture in. Just keeping you dry and warm, hopefully. But yeah. Those are like the hazards I can think of off the top of my head. **Inmn ** 31:39 And then there's the obvious ones, like anything related to camping or being outdoors? **Blix ** 31:43 Yeah. And, you know, you probably want to wear a helmet when you're rafting because of impacts with rocks or...You know, like, there's a lot of things that can go wrong once you're in the water, depending on what kind of rapid you're in or anything like that. **Inmn ** 32:03 Yeah. And there's a thing called swiftwater rescue? **Blix ** 32:11 Yep, um, I am swiftwater rescue certified. And I think if anyone is doing any type of river activity that you should definitely take the class. I don't know. It's expensive, but the knowledge you gained from it, I think, just keeps not only yourself safe as you can be on the river but everybody else around you. And it teaches you things like wading correctly, you know, throw bag techniques, if you wrap a boat, or how to unpin a raft that's wrapped around a rock potentially, techniques for helping people who are like in a foot entrapment situation, which isn't great, swimming out to people, how to swim in whitewater, or try to swim in Whitewater, how to, if you can't get away from a strainer, what to do if you are coming upon logs and sticks in the water. I will say my swiftwater class kind of terrified me because it just made me hyper aware of everything that could go wrong and then what I would possibly have to do to help somebody. But yeah, super intense class physically and mentally. And, yeah, it taught me a lot. But I do feel like I would be able to help in a rescue situation instead of just being some random person who's like just panicking and being like, "I don't know what to do!" So, that feels good. But I would probably still panic to a certain degree. **Inmn ** 33:52 That makes sense, because the principle of any kind of first aid or rescue is, "Don't become another patient."  **Blix ** 34:02 Right?  **Inmn ** 34:03 And so, if you're not trained to rescue someone from one of those situations,  it might be just more dangerous to try to rescue them. **Blix ** 34:13 Yeah. And it's frustrating. It makes me think, like, I take a lot of families down the river and there's, you know, small kids. And, parents always make the comment, "Well, if my kid goes in, I'm gonna jump in after them," which is, you know, then me as a guide, I have to figure out in that scenario, possibly, "Am I saving the parent or the kid?"  **Inmn ** 34:14 Yeah.  **Blix ** 34:14 If I can. Obviously, I want to try to save both but...and I always tell parents, "Hey, if you're not trained in swiftwater rescue, I would not recommend jumping out of my raft to help your kid. You're more help to me in this raft than you are in the water trying to help your child." **Inmn ** 35:02 Yeah. Do you ever just tell them bluntly, "If you do that, then I will be in a situation where I have to choose between which one of you to save." **Blix ** 35:11 Yeah, no. Yeah, I do tell them that if they're being very serious about it and I also try to remind folks that untrained first responders have a very high mortality rate. Which, it's like, you know, I don't understand because I don't have children, but I've seen people I care about swimming in rapids and of course I want to help them but jumping into whitewater is never a good solution. But yeah, I do tell them, "You're gonna make me have a really hard decision to save you or your child, possibly." So. Yeah, it just makes it more complicated. **Inmn ** 36:02 To switch gears a little bit, you know, away from all the grim horror...  **Blix ** 36:07 Yeah.  **Inmn ** 36:08 ...And into some more but differently contextualized grim horror. So, one of the big reasons I wanted to have someone on to talk about packrafting is that we have a lot of...I think knowing different ways to travel is incredibly important and, you know, coupled with my fear of water but also my fascination with water and boat travel, is when I saw "Fellowship of the Ring" when I was ten all I could think about was boat travel, boat travel, boat travel. **Blix ** 36:49 As one does when they watch that movie, more so than anything else in that movie. [Laughing] **Inmn ** 36:53 Yeah, they really...They really made a fun choice...or Tolkein when writing that and they're like, "And then they got on boats," and it's like holy crap. Incredible. How do I get a boat? **Blix ** 37:05 How do I get a boat that looks that cool?  **Inmn ** 37:09 How do I get a boat that looks that cool? And, you know, I feel like the boats that they have in that book are, they're made by elves, and so they're kind of packraftish in that they're abnormally light.  **Blix ** 37:24 Yes.  **Inmn ** 37:25 And so they like do--I'm going to use a fun word that I just learned, I think--portage.  **Blix ** 37:30 Yes.  **Inmn ** 37:31 They get the points where they're like, "Yeah, that's a waterfall. I guess we're gonna pick up the boat and carry it around." **Blix ** 37:37 Yeah. And it's a super light elf boat, so it weighs nothing. I'm sure that one person could carry it, knowing the elves. **Inmn ** 37:43 Yeah. But, the part that was really interesting to me, too, is the reasons why they took to the river and why I'm interested in learning about packrafting, which is, you know, the big reason that they did that was to sneak past the orcs ,which...or the enemy who had all the roads watched, they had the woods patrolled, and they were suddenly in the situation where they were like, "Well, we got to get there somehow."  And so, they took to the river. And so, the thing that I...The piece that I want to bring into the context now is from a situation of preparedness, whether that's preparing for road closures due to the malicious setting of checkpoints or the road is destroyed due to some other kind of disaster...You know, these disasters could be that a right-wing militia has taken over your state, and you're trying to leave that state right, to a more environmentally related disaster has destroyed some kind of key infrastructure, and you are looking for an alternative means to get somewhere. And yeah, I'm curious...I'm wondering if you have ever thought about this and if you have any opinions if...would packrafting help you? Could packrafting be a useful thing in your preparedness kit? **Blix ** 39:18 Yeah, I've definitely thought about this. I think it...Well, it depends. I think in Arizona, we don't have a ton of rivers that we could--and they all for the most part are like...you know, there is an endpoint. And they are going literally...Like, once you're on the river, you are stuck going that way. I do think because of...Getting to the entry point--I'm just thinking of the Salt river because it's the river that we have here. Also, you could do the Grand Canyon, but that's really intense... **Inmn ** 39:59 And like maybe our context out here in the west in Arizona is like...It's not specifically what I'm thinking of. **Blix ** 40:06 Yeah, just in general. **Inmn ** 40:07 Where, there's obviously other places with much more dense and spread out waterways.  **Blix ** 40:13 Yeah. I think it would be a very quick and efficient way to travel if you had a specific place you're going to along that route because you're not encumbered by like...Like, if people are backpacking or biking, you can't just start cutting...Like, backpacking you could cut right into a forest. But, if I was on a bike, I couldn't just turn my bike off the road and just start riding through a forest. Like, that would be super slow. I'd probably be walking my bike a lot. Whereas with river travel, you can go--I think it's, again, river dependent on the speed of the water and a lot of that stuff...But, I don't imagine that people would be patrolling waterways the way they would do with roads. The only thing I think about is if you're on a river anywhere, you'd have to think about when I need to exit before I get to go past a town or go under a bridge, because I think bridges would be huge points where people would post up at, or entry points into a certain area. So, you'd have to think about when I would need to get off to avoid those places. And then how would I get back onto the river? Can I get back onto it? Is there an access point? I'd be thinking about, you know, are their dams on the way? But yeah, honestly, if I could find a way to get onto the Salt River, I would try to post up in there for a while. Especially during the initial fallout. Because I think, if I can anticipate that and get to the river, I could stay in there with enough food in my packraft to be there for maybe two or three weeks because I have unlimited water for the most part, if the Salt's flowing, but it's a very steep narrow canyon that people can't access very well. But, I do wonder if other people would have the same idea with like, "There's water there. And it's hard to get to." **Inmn ** 40:14 Yeah, like, that's the interesting thing about it is it provides these weird little--not like short cuts--but these fairly easy routes through a lot of places that could otherwise be hard to access, but you're also then stuck on it. So yeah, it seems like a double-edge sword. **Blix ** 42:16 It is. And I think, especially with really remote rivers, like even the rivers that I guide on, there's pretty much one way to get in, and then you're in a canyon for a really long time, and there's one way to get out. And like there's a few evacuation points here and there that we've used--they're not great to hike out of--but, I would worry that those sites would also be...Like, would people think to have guards there or set up there to catch people coming down the river? You know? Like, possibly. You know, who knows? I also just...I don't think like...Like, when I think right-wing militia, I feel like they all have jet boats. So, they're not going to be thinking about these little streams and stuff that you can take a packraft on. **Inmn ** 43:37 Yeah, and there's so many weird small water arrays. You know, not here in Arizona, but... **Blix ** 43:41 Right. Well, I'm just thinking like Minnesota, there's tons of creeks and rivers and lakes and there's islands in the lakes that are...Like, think places you can get to that you could like...If it's only accessible via water, you could have stashes there that other people couldn't get to. **Inmn ** 44:02 Yeah. So, a weird dream that I had as a 20 year old oogle.  **Blix ** 44:10 Yes. Perfect. [Laughing] **Inmn ** 44:15 Was to set up funny little like--I didn't realize that I was thinking about this like being a prepper--I was like, "I want to set up all these like little caches. Like, I want to build these weird sheds with bikes and little like inflatable rafts and food stores underneath them. And so you could just, you know, ride trains or whatever and just end up at the weird little safe house, bunker ,like whatever, cache. I got weirdly obsessed with it. I wish that I had been cool enough to have actually done it, but I absolutely did not. Only fantasized about it.  **Blix ** 44:54 No, I think...I do think it's a great option. I don't think it's the end-all thing that you should completely stick to. I think it should be like a multimodal thing. I think, honestly, backpacking and packrafting is like the best combination. Because, I think about with just backpacking, like what if there is a river you need to cross? Or, a body of water that you have to cross and you don't want to swim with a huge backpack? I don't know. I just...And I don't think people...Like, they're gonna be traveling by road, bikes, cars, like I don't think packrafts are well known enough, currently, that people would be looking for crafts in water, especially in smaller waterways. **Inmn ** 44:54 Yeah, yeah. And I feel like that is exactly what the Fellowship of the Ring thought. **Blix ** 45:50 Yes. Yes. I also think...One thing is like, what if the orcs just went to the river edge? They could just pick them off. Like they're moving fast, but I also think you could shoot arrows at them? **Inmn ** 46:09 So, they did at some point. They only traveled at night to make it harder for them to shoot at them. **Blix ** 46:14 Yeah, Right. Right. No, it's okay. **Inmn ** 46:17 But, you know, we do have this dissimilar...We're not on an equal playing field with like bows and arrows in the dark vs the kind of technology that people have access to now with guns and things like that. That would be my first thing is like, if I was going down a major waterway in a canyon, like I would probably not choose this as a way to escape a militia. Like, you're on a canyon wall with a long range gun... **Blix ** 46:47 Yeah, for sure. **Inmn ** 46:48 ...And I'm a tiny slow moving object out in the open... **Blix ** 46:51 Right. No, It's something that I also think about where it would be so easy to just put yourself in a really bad spot if you chose the wrong waterway to go on. Like, I would never be like, "I would use a packraft to travel the Mississippi in those types of times," because I think people would just be near them. I do think though, like, hard to access canyons are still...Like, if you needed to just lay low for a while, would be the place to go. Because, I think the amount of effort it would take to post up on a canyon edge in some of those places is astronomical. Like, no one, I feel like, is going to go--unless you're someone who was really important for people to get to or--like, no one's going to put in that effort, especially in the desert with water being so scarce and like...Yeah. **Inmn ** 46:52 Yeah, Always fun to think about these, you know...Like, "fun." ["Fun," said in a dry sarcastic and questioning way] These terror fantasies that we might be encountered with in the next decade or...currently of far-right violence and having to figure out creative ways to escape it. But, also always want to think about more environmentally related disasters. Like I think...It's like there's things that I...I get really scared here in the desert. Like, one of the big things that I am scared of is getting physically trapped here if there's like gas and energy crisis. **Blix ** 48:33 Oh, right. Yes. Yeah. **Inmn ** 48:34 Figuring out alternative ways to leave--which like, packrafting is not the solution to do that--but thinking about in other places, like, you know, if we're not expecting...like, if our main threat model isn't far-right violence, could packrafting or river travel in general--and maybe we're graduating to the larger raft at this point--could river travel be a helpful thing during other kinds of disasters? **Blix ** 49:06 I think, well, I think of forest fires, like escaping to a body of water or a canyon is a great way to try to mitigate being trapped in a forest that's literally on fire. Because a lot...hopefully nothing's going to catch on fire in the water. That'd be wild.  **Inmn ** 49:06 Stranger things have happened. **Blix ** 49:06 Yeah, I know. So yeah, I think as a means to escape forest fires is great. I think the one thing I think about, especially here in the West, is where our water is going to go. And as someone who guides on a tributary to the Grand Canyon, and the Grand Canyon obviously feeding into Lake Powell and Glenn Canyon and all that stuff, people are constantly talking about water and water rights. And, you know, my fear is that we're...People are going to start hoarding. And by people, I mean, companies and government, they're going to hoard water in these giant reservoirs. And, they're not going to release any to fill up canyons and river beds because it's just going to be such a critical resource. And my thought is that when it gets to that point, they are going to shut off the reservoirs from releasing water and they are just going to keep all of it.  **Inmn ** 49:44 Oh no. **Blix ** 50:18 And, I don't know that river travel will be feasible in the West, except if it's on an undammed river, which there's only...I think the Yampa River, which is a river I guide on, is the last undammed tributary to the Grand Canyon. It is like one of the last wild rivers, which is super susceptible to floods. So, that's another disaster. Whereas with climate change, we're getting these more extreme...Like, they had almost record breaking snowfall in Colorado in the area that feeds into this river. So, the river was flowing at this...It was fine at like 22,000 CFS, which is cubic feet per second. And the way I describe this to people, it's like if I threw a rope from one riverbank to the other, and every second 22,000 basketball sized amounts of water is flowing by.  **Inmn ** 51:35 Wow.   **Blix ** 51:35 Or you could say baby-sized. 22,000 babies are floating by every second. So, it's a ton of water, which being on a river that has that...And so it can be up to, you know, I think the highest flow the Yampa has ever been is like 30,000, which is...I can't even fathom how scary that river would be. But, it can go all the way down to no flow at all. So like, if you can't...if people take out river gauges there's no way of knowing what the flows are going to be for rivers. You would have to show up there with your watercraft and be like, "Well, I hope there's water for me to escape," which I think river travel in the east or a place where there's more water is a better solution than river travel out here in the West. But, as far as natural disasters go and things that could happen, like, if you're trying to escape somewhere due to that, I think we're in a pretty not great place here. Like, the only river I can think of would be going down the Grand. Which is really big water. It ends in...you know, like...You know, like, it's so dependent on...and especially like what if they blow up dams? What if they blow up the reservoirs? Which, what if you're camped along that canyon and someone upstream blows up the reservoir? This is again, all things I've thought about, where it's like, you're gonna get washed away. **Inmn ** 53:11 Yeah, very true. They did just do that in Ukraine. Russia blew up the largest reservoir in Europe. **Blix ** 53:20 Oh, wait. Yes. Yeah, I did see that. Yep. So that's something...I mean, it's something I think about where I think people would blow that up, especially if people downstream needed water. **Inmn ** 53:34 Yeah. Yeah. **Blix ** 53:38 Sorry this is...[Both making sounds about how grim this all is] But...I know...But, I also think the river lends itself to...You know, like, there's fish. You can eat fish, you can...There's lots of food and really fertile soil that can grow along rivers. So, if you had to post up and figure it out, like, I would want to be close to a body of water. **Inmn ** 54:03 Thank you for bringing it back to hope and why this could be helpful. **Blix ** 54:05 Yeah, right. And I think a thing with river stuff as well, and why I love it so much, is it's not an activity that you necessarily want to do alone. In fact, I would like recommend that no one do any river activity alone. But like, you want to be with a community of people on the water, like setting up safety, and sending someone downstream to check that there's no river hazards, and then like having people come through, and you're working as a team constantly. And, you can have people...Like, if someone is injured, someone else could take more gear and like it's...You can carry more things in a pack raft than you could on your back because like--I mean, eventually I think you'd have to carry them on your back--but the water is going to help you with that weight. Or, you can even pull another empty packraft behind you with more gear. Yeah, I think I would very much want to be close to a body or water or a river of some kind. **Inmn ** 54:07 Cool. Um, I think I...One of my last questions is--I'm expecting the answer to be grim again [Blix makes a disappointing groan]--but I'm curious as someone who like works on waterways in the West, how are they? What are they like with climate change? **Blix ** 55:26 Oh, yeah. River or the canyons or the water itself? **Inmn ** 55:33 Everything. Yeah, water and canyons in the West. Yeah, I'm terrified to hear the answer. **Blix ** 55:42 So, I think I notice...Like, when they had to fill up Glen Canyon, I think it was last year, they did a big dam release from the Flaming Gorge dam, which is up river where I guide. So, I'm kind of hyper aware of when shit is bad downstream because they have to do these big releases. But I know this year was a really good year for rivers, especially the ones I guide on, because of the large snowfall that they got in Colorado. Like, we had really high nice water forever. The rivers were all really healthy. But, I think I've...Two years ago I took a group of politicians from Utah down the river. They were like Congress people. Because my company did it. I wasn't like, "I want to take these people..." No, I would never be like, "I want to take these people down the river." But< the point of it was to show these--they were all men--to show these men that the rivers were worth saving, and not like damming up, not drilling for oil and everything in this area. And the moment we got back in the vans to shuttle back, they started talking about canyons they had seen to dam up along the route we had gone on.  **Inmn ** 57:04 Oh my god.  **Blix ** 57:07 But, I think it's because all the water that I guide on is already owned by somebody downstream. **Inmn ** 57:18 Okay, like, “owned by” because it gets used? **Blix ** 57:21 Yes. Like, the Green River gives water to 33 million people. But, it's bizarre to think about water as being something that's owned? **Inmn ** 57:40 I thought it was like that one thing that wasn't for a while. **Blix ** 57:43 Same. No, it's coming to light that it has been. Yeah. But, we mention that to a lot of people we take down the river that all this water belongs to somebody else. Like, this is not ours. This is not like our collective water. **Inmn ** 58:00 Yeah. It's not here for our collective survival. **Blix ** 58:03 Yeah, no, it's for somebody downstream. Which, I mean, they need water too. But I think it's...honestly the rivers I guide on--and maybe this is again is a hot take--but I am not hopeful that they will flow within the next 10 years. I think as water rights and like water wars become more prevalent, I think states are going to start withholding. Like, I think Flaming Gorge is mostly in Wyoming and they could decide to just not--I think it would have a chain reaction if they decided to not leave water let water out. Because all the farms downstream would die. Blah, blah, blah. People would be without that. But um, yeah. But, I'm also, with climate change, it was odd. Like, the first year I worked there, there was no water, there was hardly any water coming down the river. It was super low. Our boats were getting stuck. And I just became hyper aware of how fucked stuff was for some reason. But then this year was so good for water that I was like, "Oh, maybe it won't be so bad." But then I keep...You know, like I think it really...Who's to say? If they dam up more rivers, which I think they might start, then I think that's going to change the game a lot for river travel and it's going to be really dependent on how much water we have access to. **Inmn ** 58:03 Yeah, yeah. Which, that's one of the big key problems is not necessarily there being lack of water, but rather that water is being mismanaged or hoarded. **Blix ** 59:46 Yeah, I think it's a combination of all of that. And where I guide it's desert, but then the valley after the canyon is all alfalfa fields, which is a really water intensive crop.  So then and I...Like, they flood their fields. And it's just like this disconnect of this is not like an infinite resource. And, it's interesting to me that that is this...Yeah, there's a whole lot to unpack with water rights and water usage. And, I think that could even trickle to out East. You know, because who's to say that they won't suffer droughts and experience creeks and rivers drying up? But...I know that is kind of a grim answer. But... **Inmn ** 59:47 The name of the show is Live Like the World is Dying.  **Blix ** 1:00:46 True.  **Inmn ** 1:00:47 Okay. Well, that's about all the time that we have for today. Is there? Is there anything else? Is there anything that I didn't ask you that I should have asked you or that you would really love to bring into the conversation? Or have any last words of hope for the river? Or just like why...Is packrafting fun? Is it just fun? **Blix ** 1:01:13 It is fun. Yeah, I really want to encourage anyone who's curious about going on rivers or river travel, I love it. Because, I think I mentioned, it's such a community oriented activity versus backpacking and bike packing and other stuff I do that's very, "You're the individual out there fending for yourself," for river stuff I really love because you're always working as a team. You're always trying to keep everybody safe. You learn a lot about yourself. Learning to read rivers, I think, is like a superhero skill. Like, I feel like a tracker. Like, I feel like Aragorn, like, "Oh, I can read this like little miniscule thing that maybe other people missed. And I know..." Like, it's a really cool thing to look at a river and being able to tell what is causing certain waves or currents. Understanding that, I think is...Even if you're just someone who has to cross a river every now then, whether you're backpacking or bikepacking, like being able to figure out the safest place to cross is an important skill to have. But, river river travel and rafting and all that is super fun. Yeah, I would love to have more friends who do river stuff. So yeah. **Inmn ** 1:01:22 Cool. Well, thanks so much for coming on. And good luck on the river. **Blix ** 1:02:38 Thank you so much. **Inmn ** 1:02:43 Thanks so much for listening. If you enjoyed the show then go packrafting with your bike and then please tell me about it or invite me along to live out my "Lord of the Rings" fantasies. Or, you can just tell people about the show. You can support this podcast by telling people about it. You can support the show by talking about it on social media, by rating, and reviewing, and doing whatever the nameless algorithm calls for. And, you can support us on Patreon at patreon.com/strangersinatangledwilderness. Our Patreon helps pay for things like transcriptions or our lovely audio editor, Bursts, as well as going to support our publisher, Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness. Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness is the publisher of this podcast and a few other podcasts, including my other show Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness. I'm trying to see how many times I can say the name of the project at one time. But, that is a monthly podcast of anarchists literature. And then there's the Anarcho Geek Power Hour, which is a good podcast for people who love movies and hate cops. And, we would like to shout out some of our patrons in particular. Thank you so much. Perceval, Buck, Jacob, Catgut, Marm, Carson, Lord Harken, Trixter, Princess Miranda, BenBen, anonymous, Funder, Janice & Odell, Aly, paparouna, Milica, Boise Mutual Aid, theo, Hunter, S.J., Paige, Nicole, David, Dana, Chelsea, Staro, Jenipher, Kirk, Chris, Michaiah, and Hoss the Dog. Thank you so much. We could seriously not do any of this without y'all. And I hope that everyone is doing as well as they can with everything that's going on and we will talk to you soon. Find out more at https://live-like-the-world-is-dying.pinecast.co

We're celebrating Hobbit Day pre-emptively with a viewing of Rifftrax's take of The Fellowship of the Ring! Thrill as we discuss a film that we've all seen at minimum thirty times and STILL manage to clock in at nearly two hours of discussion. Go figure.Host segments: who doesn't love a Rugged Fellow (TM); updating Tolkein's perspectives; Joe clarifies wanting a "hard R"; Sam's gonna Sam; we love Viggo; Rifftrax vs. toxic masculinity; beyond improvement Joe Don Bombadillo.

Today we conclude our fascinating and informative converation with Gary Wayne. We talk secret societies and bloodlines, C.S. Lewis and Tolkein who were actually high freemasonic adepts, and how gnostic doctrines have seeped into the church via our seminaries, churning out priests and pastors who don't teach the whole counsel of scripture, leaving us ill-prepared for what's to come!  Check out Gary Wayne's work and his book at ⁠www.genesis6conspiracy.com⁠    Reach out to Gary at his email here: genesis6conspiracy@gmail.com   Please consider supporting our podcast with a monthly subscription as little as $0.99 (support link at the bottom). For Luke and I to create 4 episodes a month takes an average of 40 hours to research, record, and produce, sometimes more. If you find value in our work and would like to help support us, please click the DONATE link below. Thanks very much!! -Luke and Pete             Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments for the show!                      Email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thedaysofnoahpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠     ⁠⁠⁠We'd love to hear from you! Thanks for listening- we appreciate each and every one of you out there. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe, and tell your friends and family about the show, and leave us a five-star review, which helps to spread the show to others!                Original Music by BassManPete                       Cover art is of Mt. Hermon, site of the Watcher's descent, photo credit: By Almog - Own work, Public Domain, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2181987⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thedaysofnoah/support

John and Maria discuss the new relaxed prostitution laws in California. As Tolkien's appeal continues to grow, we discuss the biblical roots of his writings. And trying to reign in a culture that seems to be accepting and promoting suicide.   — Recommendations — Tactics by Gregory Koukl Street Smarts by Gregory Koukl Section 1 - California's Relaxed Prostitution Laws "Pimps and Traffickers Get a free pass under new California law protecting 'sex work'" "New California Law Decriminalizing Loitering Led to ‘Explosion' in Prostitution" "Empty Canadian Graves" Section 2 - Tolkein's Biblical Epic "Tolkein's Biblical Epic" "Remembering J.R.R. Tolkein" Section 3 - Stories of the Week "Rich Men North of Richmond"  "When is a Question Better than an Answer?"

As the strikes in Hollywood continue, so does our journey into various other forms of media that we think you should check out, especially as the slate of upcoming movies and shows will start to dry up due to the unwillingness of studio executives to care for their workers.Chance discusses his latest gaming obsession, Baldur's Gate 3. Cameron brings one of his most beloved and comfortable books, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein.Also discussed: Kamen Rider Wizard and Fourze, banana bread, chocolate croissants, Octopath Traveler 2, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, SuperPowereds, and Chance's new favorite lunch spot.

We rewind way back to before the band started and hear how some of the founding members first met one another. We learn how Sunburned's precursor band – Shit Spangled Banner – formed, released a tape, and broke up. Thurston Moore provides narrative exposition about the wider music scene that partially informed Sunburned's formation. We get a third-eye tour of the band's incubator – an illegal loft space in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston. Finally, we hear about several early band members and how all their eccentricities ultimately drove the band's jamming. Here's an amazing and extremely early glimpse of Sunburned playing live in late 1997. You can see many of the musicians described in this episode! You can check out Shit Spangled Banner's Ass Run release here, and this is the discogs entry for the “other” version. Click through the images to see the accompanying note from Byron Coley. Also, here's Byron's piece remembering Marc Orleans published in The Wire. And this is an album by Marc Orleans's band Juneau. We were wondering if Lothlorien – the Tolkein-themed space in southern Indiana was real. Here's a fascinating article about it.  Check out Sunburned Hand of the Man's Instagram profile for more pictures related to this episode! Sunburned's Bandcamp  Sunburned's Website Songs heard in this episode: Loveletter to Complicated Dreams - Mind of a Brother (excerpts heard throughout the episode) Birth of Dearth - Mind of a Brother Shit Spangled Banner - Smallplant Fields - No Dolby/No DBX SSB - Heaven Often Manifests as Silence The If With the Golden Qualm - Mind of a Brother The Brother of All Shakes - Mind of a Brother Or  Check out this Spotify playlist with all the songs heard in this and previous week's episodes! You can email or go here for Kelly. Allison Hussey is here and on Twitter. Go here for more Aquarium Drunkard or Talkhouse Podcast Network.

In which the M-Plate Saga continues; Jay gets into the spirit of the day; we briefly give up on our primary mission; the story is coordinated if not coherent; Miles is not allowed to continuity-shame about Tolkein; Gaia is extra chill; Dirt Nap discovers altruism; and Jubilee should absolutely not have eaten that.

As the very first sentence of Fr. Ripperger's book Dominion, states, "Since the very nature of the spiritual battle is to engage fallen angels, it is necessary to discuss the nature of angels, their attributes, etc., since the fallen angels are still angels."   Thank you to my newest Friends of the Show, Laura B; Dana G; Mandy W; Karen P; and Barbara C, for loving and lifting me! Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and monthly meet-ups with Sonja in our Bible study on the Book of Romans! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary's own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja's method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary.   L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.)  O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) How do you feel about discussions regarding demons, or fallen angels? How do you feel about spiritual warfare and deliverance? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!) Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Holy Archangels, pray for us. All you Holy Angels, pray for us. Angel of God, guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. + It's Time for You to Be Healed Connect Join me in the Sacred Healing community  for healing prayer live streams, Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you experience deeper healing.  What We Discussed | Show Notes John of Damascus, An Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book II Chapters 3-4 Catholic Encyclopedia, Angels St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, First Part Question 108 Dionysius the Areopagite, The Celestial Hierarchy Overview: Minutes 00:00-12:00 –  What it means that the fallen angels fell out of envy and pride (Wis 2:24, Job 41). Minutes 12:01-24:00 –  Evil is not a matter of dualism or yin and yang; the demons are inferior creatures and entirely subject to the will of God; the progression of a theology of evil in the Scriptures Minutes 24:01-36:00 – Scriptural names and characteristics of evil; Leviathan, Rahab, and Babylonian and extra-biblical mythologies Minutes 36:01-48:00 – Tolkein's view of mythology and Scripture; John of Damascus "Concerning the Devil and Demons" Transcript Click here for a transcript of the show. 

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: TBR evaluation and a great e-reader setup Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: an exploration and praise of the Quiet book The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . 1:44 - Bookish Moment of the Week 4:14 - Kindle Oasis 4:16 - Casebot Kindle Oasis Case  7:01 - Kindle Paperwhite 7:38 - Current Reads 7:53 - Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake (Kaytee) 12:29 - The Drift by C.J. Tudor 12:44 - The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor (Meredith) 17:52 - The Whisper Man by Alex North 17:53 - The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup 17:54 - The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard 18:42 - Chef's Kiss by TJ Alexander (Kaytee) 19:18 - Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl 23:35 - The Candymakers by Wendy Mass (Meredith) 25:46 - The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart 26:53 - Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh 27:25 - The Book Scavengers by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman  27:27 - Winterhouse by Ben Guterson 27:53 - The Einsteins of Vista Point by Ben Guterson 28:28 - Violeta by Isabel Allende (Kaytee) 28:34 - An Unlikely Story 32:11 - Never Lie by Freida McFadden (Meredith) 38:02 - The Housemaid by Freida McFadden 38:38 - Deep Dive: Quiet Books 43:00 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry 44:07 - The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry 45:42 - Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan 47:18 - Love and Saffron by Kim Fay 48:09 - Tara Road by Mauve Binchey 48:35 - We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates 48:37 - The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein 48:45 - The Dutch House by Anne Patchett 48:46 - Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell 50:45 - What Should I Read Next w/Anne Bogel 50:58 - From the Front Porch w/Annie B. Jones 51:30 - Meet Us At The Fountain I wish we all had readerly “What Should I Read Next” bubbles that popped up when talking with new readers. (Kaytee) I wish everyone would shake up their reading formats and do something outside their “norm”. (Meredith) Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading