Ericast.com Podcast - DWEEB THOUGHTS

Who am I? Why am I here? Who hasn't asked those questions, right? Well... there's a good chance that a lot of folks haven't. I have. A lot. And this episode touches on my latest self-examination project through the "LifeKeys" program/seminar/thing. I then go on a huge tangent about the MBTI; read about my INTP-ness (just don't read that phrase out-loud) at the Wikipedia entry on INTPs. What's your type? What do you think of the iPhone 4s? Any opinions somewhere in-between? Call 206-339-3742 (a.k.a. 206-339-ERIC) and add your voice to the Ericast community!

Every so often an episode arrives with so much heart-felt passion that, in my exuberance, I totally forget to mention the episode number at the beginning. This might be one of those... or maybe I just forgot. It's episode 184. It includes a clip from David Allen's "Getting Things Done," which I mention in these show notes not because it's terribly vital but because it gives me a chance of finding the reference when I search for it later so I don't have to depend on dedicated listeners like Chad to do that work for me. (As promised in the podcast, the quote is from Page 8 in the section titled "The 'Big Picture' vs. the Nitty Gritty"; you can find it with an Amazon text search of the Getting Things Done book itself) Speaking of dedicated listeners, keep those calls coming to 206-339-3742 (a.k.a. 206-339-ERIC), email me (eric) at ericast.com, or get in touch through Facebook and Twitter and all the other places you can find me. Oh! Drones? Didn't I have a Dweeb Thought related to drones? Here's a link to the Parrot AR Drone on Amazon -- I ought to set up affiliate links on all this traffic I'm sending to Amazon, shouldn't I? -- so you know what I was talking about in that segment... One last tease: Can you identify the audio clip at the very end of the podcast?

Yes, indeed, I'm launching a new podcast! Head on over to DweebThoughts.com for my off-the-cuff technology-related observations... or stay right here and listen to this podcast because the same thoughts are polished and rolled in here. So, don't worry -- this one isn't going anywhere. It's like adding a new member to the family; there's more to love, right? How's that workin' for you? Let me know -- 206-339-ERIC a.k.a. 206-339-3742 or send an email to me (eric) at ericast.com and give me some feedback on the format.

Wrapping up the "cars of Eric's past" conversation... though I only get a few Mercury Sable comments in before I ran out of time, so I could do a "Cars, Part 3" episode... but I bet nobody would be interested in that. Would you? Call 206-339-3742 (a.k.a. 206-339-ERIC) and let me know if you want more car conversation (I dare say "car talk"... no, I won't say that) or if you'd like me to switch to a different topic. (If there are any other '86 Merc Sable fans out there, let me know! Let's bond over cool cars that were ahead of their time!)

Down to the wire in getting the last Ericast of 2011 out-the-door and the rate of speech in this episode betrays that... but, nonetheless, it's an interesting podcast about my new belated Christmas gift to myself in light of the cars I grew up with. Having run up to the 20 minute mark without any exciting details of the Mercury Sable, you need to call me and encourage me to finish the story: 206-339-ERIC a.k.a. 206-339-3742, or send an email to me (eric) at ericast.com. See you in 2012! Oh... and, to whet your appetite about those photos I mention in the podcast... here's a sample:

This episode features and discusses a clip from James MacDonald's message "The Power of Biblical Friendship" at Harvest Bible Chapel in suburban Chicago. (full video) If you're not Bible-oriented, don't let the title scare you... though, I'll admit, the topic might push you (and me!) out of our comfort zones a little bit as to what a "friend" really is. Hint: A"friend" isn't just who you connect to on Facebook. Thoughts? Objections? Refinements to the topic? General holiday wishes and greetings for an upcoming new Ericast year? Call 206-339-3742 (206-339-ERIC if that's easier for you to remember) and leave a message with your comments!

An awkward episode this week, simply because we're spending a bunch of time talking about something that we all agree we shouldn't be talking about. Intrigued? Take a listen, then call 206-339-3742 (a.k.a. 206-339-ERIC) and share your thoughts!

For a variety of reasons I've had the topic of "charitable giving" on my mind lately. In what might be a short series (or, who knows -- maybe a one-shot episode if nobody responds?), this week we feature an interview with Tom Oscanyan (long-time occassional Ericast interview subject) as we discuss the "business" of giving to charities. What do you think? Are we spot-on? Off-base? Other-hyphenated-things? Let us know with a message on the Listener Feedback Line: 206-339-3742 a.k.a. 206-339-ERIC. Or, if you must approach this in a textual form, send an email to me (eric) at ericast.com.

A special episode for Chad which, I realized after recording, doesn't exactly capture the whole experience of watching a huge trebuchet firing in someone's backyard. It was cool. Really, really cool. Does that help? Links: Olympus WS-320M (which I'm using to record this episode) Minnov8.com (where I got inspiration for car-recording from Phil Wilson) Obituary for Tom Keith (sound effects man from A Prairie Home Companion) Trebuchet information Vintage (circa 2000) site of NOVA's Trebuchet project Video (not mine) of the Trebuchet event I attended Questions? Want more details? Give a call to the Listener Feedback Line -- 206-339-ERIC (a.k.a. 206-339-3742) and leave a message!

Don't worry -- the rest of you are welcome to listen as well! But, holding to my promise last week that I'd steer the show in whatever direction you, the listener, would like to steer it... and Matt's call to the Listener Feedback Line (206-339-3742) kicks us off! So, in a way, this is "Matt's show" per his requested topics. Discussion this week: my standards on Facebook posts, antidisestablishmentarianism, my new domain purchase, and my photo scanning technologies. Questions? Ideas? Call 206-339-ERIC (a.k.a. 206-339-3742) and share!