Lounge Ruminator

How can we be more considerate of the energy that we use when we’re online and who really has a say about the changing face of our cities?

I delve into Rushkoff’s (2016) concept of ‘digital distributism’ and ponder why people feel the need to assign gender to menu options. 

It’s one of the most controversial foods on the planet… but for those who love it (and other similar cultural icons), what does it mean when such a thing is changed or a new variant is thrown into the mix?

Prompted by the great TV show Curb Your Enthusiasm, I consider how technology of any given period contributes to the writing and portrayal of comedic situations, which may not be possible or credible at a later time. Also following the start of Microblogvember 2020, I contemplate the value of posting daily online.

Borat… some people love the character and others hate it—I’m with the former group. In this episode, I discuss the experience of watching the surprise sequel at home (rather than in a cinema) and tell the story of my own Borat fandom.

After reading an article about an author’s difficulty in finding time to skydive—then struggling to fit podcasting into my own weekend—I consider the challenge of maintaining serious leisure alongside work and family commitments.

I’ve long been fascinated by the German language—both for its precision and ridiculously long words—but I’ve never sat down to analyse how I came to enjoy it. Based on recent research into the qualitative approach of autoethnography, I decided to offer my own oral account of learning German and how it has become a part of my identity.

If you listen hard, you may hear some persistent bird noises in the background—my apologies! Although I can gently encourage our pets to be quiet, I am powerless against the enthusiastic, wild ones that frequent the trees outside our window.

Following a research rumination, I consider the power of visual media that—due to either technological limitations or intentional creative decisions—omit speech. With two specific examples, I discuss how this can enhance or hinder character development and accessibility.

To celebrate the first anniversary of my Lounge Ruminator podcast, I give a quick update on what I’ve learnt so far, the friends that I’ve made and how I’ve realised that you don’t have to be perfect all the time.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Natasha and I reflect on the opening ceremony and how the event was hyped during our respective childhoods.

Thank you for your patience with some echo in this episode, due to a fun technical issue. Enjoy it!