Meaningless Problems

When Alvin Rikard says he’s writing a play about hairdressing, his best friend’s wife Natalia invites him to visit her salon. Alvin is delighted to accept. But are his motives entirely professional? 

About Hairdressing is an original short story by Doe Wilmann

Comedy - Theatre - Sexual Tension 

If you’d like to read the script of this episode go to meaninglessproblems.com and sign up to my monthly newsletter. You can also email me via the contact form. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. 

You might enjoy this episode if you like:

Noel Coward

PG Wodehouse 

Tom Sharpe 

Silly short stories 

Haircuts 

Salons 

Hairdressers from Poland 

Things to consider when listening: 

Is Alvin doing anything wrong? Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? (I’ll be honest, it’s not the deepest of episodes so there’s not too much to think about here) Do you know any decent hairdressers? What’s the highest number of people you can share this podcast with? 

Credits:

Thanks to Katie Empett and Ross Hindle for reading early versions of this episode and providing notes. 

Artwork by Katie Empett

Music by Claude Debussy with permission from Pond5. 

A license to use the media ((Debussy Suite Bergamasque, Clair De Lune (Piano Cover) 229744340 Music ahawke99110 2023-03-02 Individual) was purchased under Pond5's Content License Agreement, a copy of which is available for review at https://www.pond5.com/legal/license. The Pond5 license authorizes the licensee to use the media in the licensee's own commercial or non-commercial production and to copy, broadcast, distribute, display, perform and monetize the production or work in any medium - including posting and monetization on YouTube - on the terms and conditions outlined therein. 

Meaningless Problems with Doe Wilmann

(C) 2023 

When a writer tells a plumber about his theory of the world, he is surprised by the plumber’s response. 

The End Product is an original short story by Doe Wilmann

Comedy - Philosophy - Plumbing 

If you’d like to read the script of this episode go to meaninglessproblems.com and sign up to my monthly newsletter. You can also email me via the contact form. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. 

You might enjoy this episode if you like:

The ‘Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal’ podcast

Sam Harris’ ‘Making Sense’ podcast 

‘The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast’

Alan Watts

Why I Write by George Orwell 

Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman 

Tales of the Unexpected by Roald Dahl

Contemplating the meaning of life 

Any form of philosophical enquiry 

Speaking/listening to plumbers

Things to consider when listening: 

What is the meaning of life? If the whole world is a factory, what are we creating? Is it necessary to have a purpose in life? Do you know any good plumbers? What’s the highest number of people you can share this podcast with? 

Credits:

Thanks to Katie Empett and Ross Hindle for reading early versions of this episode and providing notes. 

Artwork by Katie Empett

Music by Claude Debussy with permission from Pond5. 

A license to use the media ((Debussy Suite Bergamasque, Clair De Lune (Piano Cover) 229744340 Music ahawke99110 2023-03-02 Individual) was purchased under Pond5's Content License Agreement, a copy of which is available for review at https://www.pond5.com/legal/license. The Pond5 license authorizes the licensee to use the media in the licensee's own commercial or non-commercial production and to copy, broadcast, distribute, display, perform and monetize the production or work in any medium - including posting and monetization on YouTube - on the terms and conditions outlined therein. 

Meaningless Problems with Doe Wilmann

(C) 2023

www.meaninglessproblems.com  

Jake has just seen his dad for the last time. Or has he? Their relationship has strained over the last ten years but the one thing the father and son have left is their love for the iconic Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day. So when Jake flies back home to see his dad one last time, he wonders if he’ll end up reliving this day over and over again. 

Groundhog Day is an original short story by Doe Wilmann

Drama - Family - Philosophy 

If you’d like to read the script of this episode go to piecesofdoe.com  and sign up to my monthly newsletter. You can also email me via the contact form. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. 

You might enjoy this episode if you like:

Groundhog Day

Bill Murray 

The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli 

Albert Einstein

Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman 

Fiction with philosophical undertones 

Contemplating the nature of the self

Complaining about long flights 

Oasis

Carmen Electra 

Things to consider when listening: 

What would you do differently if you could live an important day of your life over again? Do you believe there is anything special about ‘now’ or might all times exist simultaneously? What is your favourite Bill Murray movie? What’s the highest number of people you can share this podcast with? 

Credits:

Thanks to Katie Empett and Ross Hindle for reading early versions of this episode and providing notes. 

Artwork by Katie Empett

Music by Claude Debussy with permission from Pond5. 

A license to use the media ((Debussy Suite Bergamasque, Clair De Lune (Piano Cover) 229744340 Music ahawke99110 2023-03-02 Individual) was purchased under Pond5's Content License Agreement, a copy of which is available for review at https://www.pond5.com/legal/license. The Pond5 license authorizes the licensee to use the media in the licensee's own commercial or non-commercial production and to copy, broadcast, distribute, display, perform and monetize the production or work in any medium - including posting and monetization on YouTube - on the terms and conditions outlined therein. 

Meaningless Problems with Doe Wilmann

(C) 2023 

After thirty four years of marriage, Kevin feels like a prisoner in his own home. His religious faith means he is unable to divorce his wife. So is there another way he could bring their relationship to an end? 

My Home is a Prison is an original short story by Doe Wilmann 

True Crime - Comedy - Relationships

(Yes, I’m doing that annoying Netflix thing where it gives you three buzzwords for each show. But it should help you if you’re scrolling through episodes) 

If you’d like to read the script of this episode go to piecesofdoe.com and sign up to my monthly newsletter. You can also email me via the contact form. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. 

You might enjoy this episode if you like:

Tom Sharpe 

PG Wodehouse 

Fawlty Towers 

Fiction inspired by true events 

Contemplating the nature of the self

‘I Got You Babe’ by Sonny and Cher 

Complaining about your partner 

Robbing banks 

Sitting in a shed

Ignoring the voice in your head 

Things to consider when listening: 

Should we be confined by the commitments made by our past selves? Who is the voice in your head? Is freedom a place or a state of mind? What’s the highest number of people you can share this podcast with? 

And the true story that inspired ‘My Home is a Prison’:

It’s not quite as frivolous as the tale of Kevin and Barbara, but…

(contains spoilers)…

https://shortest.link/iG0F

Acknowledgements:

Thanks to Katie Empett and Ross Hindle for reading early versions of this episode and providing notes. 

Artwork by Katie Empett

Music by Claude Debussy with permission from Pond5. 

A license to use the media ((Debussy Suite Bergamasque, Clair De Lune (Piano Cover) 229744340 Music ahawke99110 2023-03-02 Individual) was purchased under Pond5's Content License Agreement, a copy of which is available for review at https://www.pond5.com/legal/license. The Pond5 license authorizes the licensee to use the media in the licensee's own commercial or non-commercial production and to copy, broadcast, distribute, display, perform and monetize the production or work in any medium - including posting and monetization on YouTube - on the terms and conditions outlined therein. 

Meaningless Problems with Doe Wilmann

(C) 2023 

Launching on 5th March 2023. Subscribe now to get a Meaningless Problem in your life every single week. 

I wanted a platform where I could communicate directly with all the people who like my writing. And yes, I could have invited both of them out for a coffee but they don’t get on. So I’m doing a podcast instead. 

Will I keep it up? Will anyone listen? Does it matter either way? 

A mix of styles, genre and quality. Some will be comedies, some will be dramas, some will be sci-fi, and some will be rubbish. 

Common topics/ themes:

The absurd

Consciousness 

Free will

Artificial intelligence 

God

The Afterlife

Non Duality 

Eternalism 

Haircuts

Benches 

Sheds

You’ll like this if you like…. 

Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror 

Sum: Tales of the Afterlife by David Eagleman 

Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads 

Julian Barnes

Kazuo Ishiguro (I realise I’m now just listing writers I like…) 

Margaret Atwood 

Oscar Wilde 

Anton Chekhov

George Orwell 

This is my challenge to write, record and produce a short story every single week for a year. If you’re looking for quality, suspense and intrigue, I’m not making any promises. But if you do like one of these stories please share it with your friends. 

And if you’re a writer, maybe this will inspire you to take on a similar challenge yourself. In which case, let me know about it via email. doewilmann @ outlook.com

For writing tips and advice, follow me on TikTok.

I also have an Instagram and Twitter account but I can’t promise I’ll use them. 

@piecesofdoe for all three. 

Website:

Piecesofdoe.com 

Thanks for listening