Let The Cat In

Over polenta chips and tepid threats of robotic erasure, a podcast welcomes its first guest – the eloquent, charming Daniel O'Malley. We learn about Aaron's lovely handwriting and Kaaron's teenage exploits in Delhi. Battle lines are drawn and fisticuffs waggled over which Avengers did it better (I think we all know the winner of that particular contest - hem hem, Diana Rigg). The lost art of letter writing is bemoaned, while the genius of writing oneself into a corner is extolled. Dan convinces one and all of the (obvious? tenuous?) link between flesh-manipulating alchemists and an adorable stuffed crocheted hippopotamus. Everyone has a cuddle and Joseph has a moment.

The acid-loving psychedelic wunderkind Joseph was struggling to remember was in fact Timothy Leary. Though the quote was quite wrong and never made by Leary in the first place. The correct quote is in fact "A strong smell of turpentine prevails throughout," and it was made by Oliver Wendell Holmes after taking ether.

Some other bits and pieces referenced in this week's show include: - Joe Lansdale's The Drive In series - Adrian Tchaikovsky's Tales of the Apt series - Plain Tales from the British Empire - Michael Crichton's Congo

Check out the episode page for pics and bits.

In which our hosts commit to a name for their podcast after debating the complicated genders of cats. We learn of Kaaron's passion for minor characters, and Aaron's bleak and bloody 'comfort' reads. While Joseph struggles to remember the word 'raconteur', everyone agrees on the dark cosiness of Daphne DuMaurier. Kaaron shares the story of a mirror, with a personal history that spans generations, leading to a discussion of ancestral ghosts, the burden of history, and walking on the ceiling. Aaron reveals his mirror pep-talk routine.

Some of the books, songs and tv shows discussed in this episode:

• Dear Me, Peter Ustinov
• Midnight Cowboy, James Leo Herlihy
• The Ruined City, Nevil Shute
• Survivor Song, Paul Tremblay
• Red Dragon, Thomas Harris
• American Tabloid, The Cold Six Thousand, Bloods A Rover (The Underworld Trilogy), James Ellroy
• Greatest Events of WWI In Colour
• "Gotta start somewhere," Jon Brion
• "Meaningless," Jon Brion

Check out the episode page for pics and bits.

In which—through a mishap with a closed door and a cat outside—a podcast gets a name. And an origin story. Kaaron is transported by smells and shows off her pot of Thar's Ointment. A discussion of the exoticism and inappropriate uses of tiger balm leads our humble presenters to conclude that their show is NOT for a PG audience. We learn of Aaron's passion for ugly jumpers and that the real Grief Hole is the petrol station at Pheasant's Nest. Joseph shares his grandma's passion for cryptic crosswords and other wordplay, and an object of her own invention that he covets to this very day.

Show notes:

• Orson Welles' unfinished last movie was called The Other Side of the Wind.
• The excellent documentary about it is called They'll Love Me When I'm Dead.
• The Steve Buscemi movie about an indie film-maker with, amongst other things, a fixation on dream sequences featuring dwarves is Living In Oblivion.

Check out the episode page for pics and bits.

In which Kaaron, Aaron and Joseph wax lyrical on the nature of ideas and their containment in divers objects. Aaron shares his unusual relationship with The Maxx. Joseph unveils the history of his family's cursed knife. And Kaaron tells the story of her trauma radio – an object of beauty for some, and horror for others.

Check out the episode page for pics and bits.