Winter wrap-up

Winter 2020 has pretty much come and gone. Like most of this year, it's been a novel one. Somehow the days seem long yet the months have raced by. I struggle to recall what I've been up to. I haven't ventured out much since the first round of lockdown ended in May, mostly just socialising with close friends and whānau. I appreciate having the ability (and flexibility) to work from home to protect vulnerable family members but long days online has made work seem all-encompassing, especially when much of my volunteering obligations also happens in an online environment. 

Beautiful views like this one just around the corner from my home have made winter seem less intense. I'm so lucky to have this almost on my doorstep.

A winter's day in Petone

What I'm listening to

Podcasts - lots of them. Here's a selection of non-work podcasts that I enjoy.

• This is Love from Radiotopia
  
• Conversations from ABC
  
• Eating Fried Chicken in the Shower from RNZ
• Voices, also from RNZ 
• Dolly Parton's America from WNYC

What I'm reading

Biographies and memoirs, two of my favourite genres.

• Rolling with the Punchlines by Urzila Carlson
• Untamed by Glennon Doyle
• Teacher by Gabby Stroud
• Māori Boy: A Memoir of Childhood by Witi Ihimaera 
• Working Class Man by Jimmy Barnes
• Educated by Tara Westover
• Becoming by Michelle Obama
  

What I'm baking

Bread, mostly. Sourdough and the occasional cake or treat for Good Bitches Baking.

What I'm watching

Not much, really. I'm reading more these days but am still prone to the occasional binge.

• Lucifer
• Wentworth

What I'm looking forward to

• Spring, my favourite season
• Daylight saving time. Bring on the longer, lighter evenings.
• Wellington on a Plate, postponed until October

Plum blossoms to welcome spring
and prepare us for another summer of plums

Brain Stuff podcast

I've listened to more podcasts during the past two years than ever before. They are a convenient way of accessing information and entertainment on the go and an easier way to multitask when you've got other things to do. They're also great if I'm too tired to read, which is challenging if I'm lying down with my eyes closed.

Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks is a short, snappy daily podcast that covers almost every topic you can think of as well as dozens you never thought to ask about. Each episode is 4-7 minutes long, which leaves just enough time to fold some washing, empty the dishwasher or get dressed. Find out why helium makes your voice squeaky, try and understand why we sleep, learn about London's train for the dead and explore thousands of other topics.

If you like Stuff You Should Know, the formula will be familiar and the style appealing. Grab one or binge on a few; they're easy to follow and a good way to learn something new every day.

June snapshot

It's the middle of winter. Matariki is here and we've passed the winter solstice. I like to imagine that it's a teeny tiny bit lighter each evening, but suspect it's more likely wishful thinking at this early stage. It's just six months til Christmas, if you're into that sort of countdown. Whichever way I look at it, the year is racing by.

Here's a snapshot of June 2018 in the Weka household.

June snapshot

• Working four days a week is the BEST THING EVER! Three day weekends mean I get ALL the things done at home and productivity during my working week is also supercharged. Why didn't I know about this years ago?? #worklifebalance
• I've adopted my annual mix and match wardrobe of merino clothing. Layers and layers of warmth.
• Commuting by train is vastly different to bus travel. I'm still getting used to it.
• My sourdough starter is hibernating during these cold days. I've revisited some favourite bread recipes instead and have 7 grain loaf whirring in the breadmaker for dinner with leftovers tonight.
• My Welly on a Plate events are locked and loaded. Roll on August!
• I love reading but am not managing to read many (any) books these days. I'm enjoying binging on podcasts instead. Here's what on my current playlist:
• No Filter by Mia Freedman
• Modern Love: The Podcast
• BrainStuff from How Stuff Works
• Desert Island Discs
• We're binge watching Suits. There are eight seasons and 109 episodes to keep us occupied during winter. At this rate, I might not leave the house until spring arrives.

Black Sheep

It's podcast binging season.

Black Sheep is a programme for history buffs. Written and presented by Radio New Zealand's William Ray, each episode delves into the history of an infamous kiwi.

The accents, both natural and imitated, are an acquired taste but the stories are gripping and I found myself racing through both series in true binge-listening fashion. Who knew New Zealand had so many murderers, outlaws and unsavoury characters dotted throughout our history? Were their stories covered up or simply forgotten over time?

I think the episode that stood out most for me was the very first one. Broken Blossom tells the story of Alice Parkinson, a supposed woman scorned who took drastic actions and paid a hefty price for them. I wonder how different things might be if she were alive today? Maybe she would have been diagnosed with postnatal depression. Hopefully she would have received some support.

Black Sheep is back again soon with a new series, so there's plenty of time to catch up with the first two series if you haven't already.

Two thumbs up

The winter lurgy has well and truly visited our home this past week and is yet to fully leave. It brought with it some nasty symptoms and a raft of questions about its status. Have you been to the doctor? Can you work from home? Is it flu or is it another virus? How come you can't walk 200m/get dressed/fold washing without puffing? Why don't you just relax and read a book? Can't you take something for that cough? Maybe you should rest and not worry about work? Do you have to cough so loud?? At least you're not [aching any more/losing a limb/facing real problems/dying].

But really, what does it matter? After a week that saw me cancel Every. Single. family and social event as well as work, it's easy to feel sorry for myself and feel like I've achieved nothing at all. But maybe all was not lost while I systematically forfeited all my plans and commitments? Stranger things have happened.

If I think about it in a cheesy two thumbs up, fake grin and get-over-myself kind of way, this last week actually looks pretty good! Well, maybe.

Two thumbs up moments

• I saved a small fortune in transport, takeaway coffee and food expenses by not leaving the house, making coffee at home and barely eating anything for a week. This went a teeny way towards paying for the expensive Wellington on a Plate event tickets that went to waste on a night I was too sick to go out.

• Our 8-year-old nephew loved his birthday present from us: a boxed set of all ten Diary of a Wimpy Kid books - so much so that he was still reading with a torch under his duvet at 10:40 pm! He eventually accepted his mother's pleas to go to sleep on the understanding that he could wake up early the next morning and read more. And Mr Weka thought he wouldn't want books for a present! #lovereading #lifelongreader

• I conquered my fear of baking with topsy turvy cake pans by successfully practice-baking one off-set layer. It worked perfectly. Now I need to repeat the feat three more times, decorate each cake and work out how they will stack without falling over.

• I binge watched season 2 of The Good Wife.
• And season 1 of Call the Midwife. As well as the first Christmas special.

• I discovered how far two big pots of soup and a loaf of homemade potato bread can go when you're just not hungry. Several days' worth of meals from pantry staples. WhatWho have I become?

• I also discovered the Ear Hustle podcast and had a bittersweet binge through the first few episodes. I couldn't wait to listen to the next but wanted to savour the series rather than being left with a long wait before the next episode drops.

Missing Richard Simmons

Missing Richard Simmons is a 6-part podcast series that hit the digital airwaves in February this year. Created by filmmaker Dan Taberski, it explores the so-called mysterious disappearance of 80s-style fitness and lifestyle guru Richard Simmons, whose departure from public life almost exactly three years ago has been the cause of much speculation.

If you don't know who Richard Simmons is, conjure up your most vivid memory of an over-hyped 1980s leotarded Jazzercise video and turn up the volume. Picture a harem of devoted followers of every age, shape and size. These are the people Simmons helped to lose weight and gain health. He had a personal connection with them all, and his many grand gestures show how much he cares. He would never leave his loyal followers without saying goodbye ... and yet he somehow did by not turning up to class three years ago and not being seen since.

So what's the big deal? The podcast is less about the fact that Simmons disappeared but more interested in the way he did it: quietly and totally out of character with his very public persona. Perhaps it wouldn't have been so extraordinary if he'd gone out with a characteristically energetic bang than this muted whimper? Nobody expected a quiet disappearance from this very public figure.

Maybe he is merely missed, rather than missing? Or perhaps it is a publicity stunt where the mystery of his disappearance is fuelling interest in his brand and leading to further sales? It's possible but doesn't seem likely given the circumstances outlined by his ever-faithful followers.

Dan Taberski tells a good story. He has his own personal connection, of course, and explores some theories about what may have happened to Simmons, none of which really reveal anything. However, it makes for great entertainment that has captured the minds and mouths of social media these past few weeks. And so Taberski's own grand gesture in the form of a one-man tribute ends in a manner that parallels the narrative: quietly.

Revisionist History

It's been a summer of podcasts for me as I gradually clear the backlog of series and episodes that I would listen to "when I had time". Revisionist History is one of them, having been downloaded months ago and sitting in iTunes ever since.

Revisionist History is a bit different to your everyday podcast series. Presented by Malcolm Gladwell, whose famous works include The Tipping Point (2000), Blink (2005) and Outliers (2008), Revisionist History examines concepts and events that first appear one way but, upon exploration, are not quite what they seem. I found it hard to get into the series at first as I was always wondering "what's the twist?" and "why this angle?" But from the third episode onwards, when Gladwell examined societal inequities in the education system, I was hooked and raced through all ten episodes of series 1.

I enjoy Gladwell's brand of storytelling. He has an accessible and engaging style of presenting social psychology that invites listeners and readers to think and think again. Check out Revisionist History on iTunes or wherever you subscribe to podcasts.

Someone Knows Something

I was a huge fan of series 1 of the Serial podcast. A true crime story told over several weeks, I marathoned one episode after another two summers ago and was left hanging out for more. The second series didn't grab me so much. I couldn't develop any empathy for the protagonist so have put it aside while hoping there may be a third series in development.

Someone Knows Something (SKS) is similar to Serial in that it is a true-crime podcast that develops over eleven episodes. Presented by Canadian writer and filmmaker David Rigden, SKS investigates the cold case of 5-year-old Adrien McNaughton, who disappeared without a trace while on a fishing trip in Eastern Ontario in 1972. It's a small town story re-examined decades later through fresh eyes.

SKS is not as sharp as Serial. Its pace is slower and generally less engaging. It's almost a journey back to a time to when things operated differently to how they do now. But it's still an interesting case and one that I enjoyed delving into.

Stories such as this cold case blur the lines between investigative journalism and what could (or should) have been part of a police investigation. I couldn't help asking myself why some potentially key witnesses were never interviewed at the time or aspects that we'd now consider standard practice in any investigation were seemingly overlooked. There may be valid reasons. Perhaps these techniques weren't available in 1972? Surely someone would (should) have sent out sniffer dogs before cadaver dogs were deployed to search for remains more than 40 years later?

I've already downloaded series 2, ready to listen to, perhaps in the form of another marathon session or during the next rainy weekend.

Shouldless days

I recently started listening to the Death, Sex & Money podcast by Anna Sale. The premise for the podcast is that it openly talks about the topics we think about a lot but usually leave unspoken.

One of the many episodes I enjoyed was Ellen Burstyn's lessons on survival. I have to confess to not knowing who Ellen Burstyn is before listening to it but I was taken by one particular piece of advice. Ellen is a fan of shouldless days, when you do what you want to do and not the things you think you should - the epitome of guilt-free.

This got me thinking. I'm very much a should person. I should do this and I should do that and I should get around to doing the things I haven't done yet and so on. I'm also a should have person, whereby I relive the guilt of not doing the things I should have done at the end of each day. Does this sound familiar?

In an ideal world, Sundays would be shouldless days for me. It's not just about being lazy and achieving nothing. Sometimes this describes my Sundays perfectly, but there is usually an element of guilt about the things I should have done. This is definitely something I need to work on.

As for what I'd do on my shouldless days, well, I imagine this would be different every week. It's likely to involve coffee, baking, brunch, music, home, new places, sunshine, a book, a walk, making plans, having no plans, good company, no company ... all of the above, some of it or none at all.

What would a shouldless day look like for you?

This American Life

2015 has been the year of the podcast for me. I'm very late to jump onto this bandwagon. I've always been more of a reader but commuting by bus armed with an iPhone has now made me a more captive audience for media I can consume via audio and video. Also, podcasts are a great option on days when my eyes are too tired to stay open and read my Kindle.

For quality and consistency, I can't really go past This American Life. I was introduced to this podcast via the first series of Serial and quickly became hooked. Described as "a story in [two/three/four] acts", This American Life is a one-hour radio programme that centres around a theme. The show's format is slick, well produced and features punchy writing. It doesn't ramble or go over time and you know that what you're going to get will be good, even if the subject matter is unfamiliar. Episodes are often told in first-person narrative and approach themes from personal viewpoints that you wouldn't necessarily expect.

This week, This American Life celebrates 20 years and fans are encouraged fans via Twitter to name their favourite episode. Being 19 years late to the party, I'm not in a position to nominate my favourite episode. There are a few episodes that stand out for me:

• Episode 555: The Incredible Rarity of Changing Your Mind. A fascinating look at the pop psychology of changing a long held belief.
• Episode 571: The Heart Wants What It Wants. A story of preying on the vulnerabilities of lonely men by master manipulators.
• Episode 547. Cops See It Differently. This is a two-part podcast about racism in the police force.

This morning, I listened to a back episode of Alec Baldwin's Here's The Thing featuring an interview with Ira Glass. (Wow, a podcast interview about podcasting - how meta!) It gave a glimpse into how Glass's personal life and background may influence the show and its topic and how he often deviates from the neutral default position expected of mainstream journalism. It's an interesting listen.



If you're new to This American Life, I'd suggest choosing a few episodes by diving into the archive then subscribing to future podcasts. You'll be hooked in no time.

Serial

We have been listening to Serial these holidays. Serial is a weekly podcast series that unpacks the 1999 murder of Baltimore student Hae Min Lee. Lee's ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, has been convicted of her murder and is serving a life sentence, despite pleading his innocence.

The series is presented by Sarah Koenig, an investigative journalist who has examined the case from various angles and presented them to listeners. The series builds each week and draws on audio footage from police interviews and other conversations Koenig has had, including weekly prison phone calls with Adnan Syed.

I only heard about Serial as the series was drawing to a close. I downloaded the first episode, started listening and was instantly hooked. The rest of the series followed soon after and listening to episodes has become part of our daily holidays ritual. We've listened to seven episodes so far and will likely finish the series in the next few days.

So, did he do it? I don't think so but you can judge for yourself. There are compelling arguments for and against Adnan's case and many questions about how it has been handled. Some of the evidence, or lack thereof, is subjective and can be construed towards either side. In the end, it's up to the listener to decide whether the jury got it right all those years ago.

I'm looking forward to series 2, which will follow a new case and is due out later in 2015.

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know is a series of podcasts that branches from HowStuffWorks.com. The podcasts are co-hosted by Chuck and Josh, two senior editors at HowStuffWorks. They are a great way to learn about new things or find out more about stuff you may have heard of but not known about in much detail.

There are podcasts about almost every topic you can imagine, from viruses and animal domestication to socialism and trickle-down economics. Their podcast about How Ebola works is so far the most informative piece I have seen or heard about the topic. The podcasts largely stick to facts from a range of sources that are presented in a conversational manner, making them accessible and enjoyable for listeners without getting too heavy.

Each podcast takes a fair while to warm up. There is lengthy banter at the start that is amiable but lasts the first few minutes as well as a couple of minute-long message breaks in the middle before a mailbag wrap-up at the end. But once they get going, the podcasts are really interesting and I have learned so much about ... well, check out the list of available podcasts to find out exactly what.

I subscribe to Stuff You Should Know podcasts via iTunes. There are a couple of new episodes each week. I usually listen to a few each weekend or on the bus when I'm too tired to read.

No Such Thing As A Fish

I really enjoy QI. We have a season pass set up to record all new episodes and reruns as there are dozens of shows we haven't seen during its phenomenally long run over the years. QI's timeless format is enduring; the only way we can date most episodes is by judging the length and state of Stephen Fry's (or Alan Davies') hair.

No Such Thing As A Fish is a weekly podcast produced by the QI elves (researchers). Each elf takes their turn to present their favourite fact from the previous week and this leads to some intense yet hilarious discussion and debate. For example, did you know that rats were once the size of hippos and that in 2003, three people in Mexico were officially listed as having died of acne? Neither did I, but I do now! Who knows when I'll be able to pull those random facts out at a party? ;-)

The sharp, snappy format of No Such Thing As A Fish keeps things moving along at a rapid pace. There is a list of episodes here, but I suggest you start at the beginning and keep going - you'll soon be hooked. Each one is full of the stuff that drives trivia quizzes and I'm hoping they will help me regain my ability to impress, all the while honing my former legendary ability to retrieve irrelevant minutiae at just the right place and time.