‘funny,’ not funny

Lionel and Jim talk about the book "The Devil's Broker" by Frances Stonor Saunders and about mercenaries and what happens when peace breaks out and they don't get paid. We also discuss Laurie Anderson, the dawn and death of classical synthesizer music, Dune Prophecy, briefly - more on this later, the Prague Diaries TV series, Firefly, and books by Stanislaw Lem. A rollicking good time.

Encore episode from January 2023Jim Rosen, Catherine Pilfrey, Matthew Bellows, and Jim Infantino have been teaching meditation online for almost 3 years as part of a twice weekly session that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays called Mindful Aware. In this episode, Matt, Jim, Jim, and Catherine answer Lionel’s questions about meditating online and discuss the practice of teaching meditation from a western perspective.References: https://funnynotfunny.bigego.com/links/f/S3~dot~02-Mindful-Aware/

We discuss two novels in this episode, the first, The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein, was suggested to us by Sarah Elkins. The second, The City & The City by China Miéville was suggested by Jim to Lionel and then by Lionel to the group. This four person book series seems to be a thing with us. We enjoyed ourselves, I hope you do too.

Monty joins the pod and we talk about his experience playing music, going to folk conventions, his “no-case” showcase at NERFA, playing, and Monty’s songs. Montgomery Delaney is an unusual performer in the folk world. Later in the show the conversation takes a turn, as we talk about how Monty was banned from Cafe Lena one time because of his political beliefs. We discuss what it means to speak your truth when your audience doesn’t agree with you. We talk about no agreeing and yet continuing to talk. This episode gets a little hairy as we talk about the new situation facing the United States. Our opinions stray further and further as the episode goes on, and yet we remain friends at the end. I don’t know how this episode will hit you. Here it is anyway.Thank you to Julia Tenney for the references!

David decided after graduating NYU in the late 80's that he did not want a traditional desk job. He joined the Seafarers International Union as an unlicensed deckhand. Eventually he joined the Sailors' Union of the Pacific and finally got his officer's license in 2013. He has sailed all over the world on US flagged vessels. He worked as a licensed deck officer in the Masters, Mates & Pilots union from 2103 until the COVID pandemic, as a Third Mate, on vessels stationed in South Korea and Saipan. David is an inveterate reader and collects books portraying mariners.References: https://funnynotfunny.bigego.com/links/f/S1~dot~14-David-Partikian/

This conversation would qualify for ASMR in terms of the pacing and tone, except that we discuss the movie Vice with Christian Bale. Jim talks about his impressions of it and Lionel talks about a number of books and movies he's been watching, including 'Mordecai,' and Isaac Asimov's 'The Gods Themselves.' We talk about our viewings of The Americans, comparing the espionage in it to the behind the scenes machinations of Dick Cheney in the Bush Whitehouse. We end up getting ready for the election, which, by the time you hear this, has already happened.

Subject: A Night In The Lonesome October by Roger ZelaznyGuests: Julia Tenney, Sarah ElkinsThis curious summary was generated by AI:The conversation explores various themes including biking adventures, car troubles, and the legacy of Subaru. It transitions into a discussion about the book 'A Night in the Lonesome October', focusing on character dynamics, plot unfolding, and the role of animals in the story. The group delves into dream sequences and Lovecraftian references, discussing Lovecraft's influence and legacy, as well as the appeal of his mythos. The conversation concludes with reflections on writing style, literary techniques, and favorite moments from the book. In this engaging conversation, the participants delve into various themes surrounding a book that intertwines elements of Sherlock Holmes, vivisection, and Halloween traditions. They explore character motivations, favorite moments, and chilling themes, while also discussing the philosophical implications of destruction and the historical context of Thanksgiving. The dialogue flows seamlessly through these topics, providing insights into literary analysis and personal reflections on food and tradition.ReferencesVideo

This one has a big, red E on it. Take the kids to the bunker before hitting play. Eric Schwartz is possibly the only artist in the history of the world to get raves from Gloria Steinem and Hustler Magazine. His songs are alternately heart warming and ... something else. We sit down and talk about his work, his feelings about his craft, and what it all means. In addition to rude mentions of body parts and sexuality, this episode contains even more repulsive discussion of politics and the upcoming election, forcasting doom or salvation or neither. Enjoy.

Lionel and Jim talk about producing this podcast for video, which you can see in a separate post. The thumbnail did not show up but it's available from youtube - unlisted as of this posting. We also discuss transitions and productivity at work and our trip down the Empire Trail in New York State. We end up discussing two films which were first timers for Lionel and repeats for Jim: Mystery Men and In Bruges.

Lionel and I were talking about all our druthers in the literary and streaming world when I got a phone call from Chris Chandler, and I invited him on the pod to just talk about whatever was happening with him. We did discuss Hurricane Helene and our friends in the Asheville area as well as Chris' tour schedule and our upcoming visit to San Antonio to honor the late Monk Wilson.