Overthought, A Podcast

Everyone loves auditions. If you don’t, you’re probably the only one, and you should feel ashaaaamed. Regular living humans often enjoy being scrutinized in airless, fluorescent-lit rooms by overworked figures of authority who hold one’s career (along with scratchy notepads) in their hands. Isaiah devours the lion’s share of this week’s Overthought with the spine-chilling A Tale of Two Auditions. One day. Two auditions. A world apart. Hear all the grisly details, and shudder at those dreaded words: Would You Mind Going In Early.-=- Show notes -=-Book:  The Little Stranger, by Sarah Waters http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6065182-the-little-strangerTintinologist.org - The Tintin fan's resourcehttp://www.tintinologist.org/guides/books/YouTube - What Does “Netflix And Chill” Actually Mean? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1MXlS_sjtsYouTube- DO ELDERS KNOW MODERN SLANG? (REACT: Do They Know It?)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_P-RGz-s6AYouTube - G. Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle - Alberto Zedda - OSG - COSGhttps://youtu.be/-HxmlRrUlKo?t=16m8sFeatured Image:Library of Congress - Richard Rodgers, Irving Berlin and Oscar Hammerstein II, seated in back is Helen Tamiris, they are watching hopefuls who are being auditioned on stage of the St. James Theatre [...] / World Telegram photo by Al Aumuller. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3c26707/

This week, on a suggestion from a listener, Isaiah and Chris walk the tightrope of season planning and career strategy. Conflicting gig offers? Work-life balance? Try our handy formula! How to pronounce Anaïs Nin? We googled it so you don't have to! In the most digression-filled episode to date, the fellas unmask the Plague of Isaiah's Nesting Tangents (PINT), and Chris points out a blooper from last week that might make you question everything you thought you knew... (About the editing of Overthought Podcast, specifically.)-=- Show notes -=-Index of Articles on Work/Life Balancehttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/work-life-balance/'The Good, The Bad, The Ugly of a Man’s Ability to Compartmentalize', by The Mighty Mosthttp://www.singleblackmale.org/2011/12/05/the-good-the-bad-the-ugly-of-a-mans-ability-to-compartmentalize/Stop patronising young people, and start listening, by John Green | World Economic Forumhttp://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/stop-patronising-young-people-and-start-listeningYouTube - Why the Word "Millennial" Makes me Cringe, by Hank Green, via vlogbrothershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSGqz_SE1uMBook - 'Delta of Venus', by Anaïs Ninhttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11041.Delta_of_VenusLife shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.Alexenader Technique - Faulty Sensory Perceptionhttp://www.hilaryking.net/glossary/faulty-sensory-appreciation.htmlYouTube - CollegeHumor - The Guy Who Overpronounces Foreign Wordshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKGoVefhtMQWebsite - Schwalbe & Partners » Benjamin Butterfield, Tenorhttp://schwalbeandpartners.com/project/benjamin-butterfield/Fighting Cognitive Dissonance & The Lies We Tell Ourselves | World of Psychologyhttp://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/19/fighting-cognitive-dissonance-the-lies-we-tell-ourselves/You Say “Fulsome,” I Say “Shut Up”, by Ruth Pennebakerhttp://www.geezersisters.com/aesthetics/you-say-fulsome-i-say-shut-upYouTube - Air Canada, Musical Expertshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY-IkxbjdVAComic - Don't Let the Existential Dread Set Inhttp://www.overthoughtpodcast.com/images/existentialdread.jpgTheme Music: Slyvius Leopold Weiss's Preludio in E Major, played by Jeff Carter https://musopen.org/music/181/sylvius-leopold-weiss/ponce-preludio-in-e-major/

Geologically, a plateau is nothing to whine about - especially when it's silhouetted against a nice sunset. But what about when that setting sun is a metaphorical one that represents the diminishing of your worth and vitality? Not so pretty any more. Sometimes, what might seem like a relief - a break in the climb, a lull, the establishment of a routine - only serves to highlight pesky existential angst. Should we just be grateful for the constancy? Or is struggle what gives lives meaning? Chris discusses strategies for jolting out of those stultifying ruts, while Isaiah, ever the amateur scientist, tests whether oolong leaves taste as good as the tea they make. SPOILER: they don't. And it's a waste of good oolong.-=-Show notes-=-Article - 'Busy? Stressed? Do stop boasting about it. You're not the only one', by Nicole Mowbray - Telegraph:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11252918/Busy-Stressed-Do-stop-boasting-about-it.-Youre-not-the-only-one.htmlA Life of Productivity – How to ‘Flow’: Here’s the most magical chart you’ll come across today, by Chris Baileyhttp://alifeofproductivity.com/how-to-experience-flow-magical-chart/#Book - 'Flow', by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyihttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/66354.FlowThe Akrasia Effect: Why We Don’t Follow Through on What We Set Out to Do (And What to Do About It), by James Clearhttp://jamesclear.com/akrasiaWikipedia - Dreyfus model of skill acquisitionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreyfus_model_of_skill_acquisitionMewsy the Adulteress (@MewsyAdulteress) | Twitterhttps://twitter.com/mewsyadulteressTheme Music: Slyvius Leopold Weiss's Preludio in E Major, played by Jeff Carter https://musopen.org/music/181/sylvius-leopold-weiss/ponce-preludio-in-e-major/

In Episode 17 we discuss how the pressures and foibles of the singing life work to instill certain ubiquitous traits in many unsuspecting singers. Plus: Is the anti-diva the new diva? And where's the line between bitter and practical?Opera singers get a bad rap (this is distinct from being bad at rap [http://youtu.be/uIjauW5xSOg]) in the world library of stereotypes; "diva" is almost synonymous with "singer", for one thing, and there's also this pesky rumour that we are impossibly fragile.While the truth about any group of people is more slippery than can be conveyed with a single outdated pejorative, Chris and Isaiah believe** that, in general, the reputation is unwarranted. Neverthess, FEAR NOT! We've got a whole new set of stereotypes to erect in its place. **All findings anecdotal-=-Show notes-=-Britten - A Midsummer Night's Dream, Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsummer_Night's_Dream_%28opera%29Leah Alfred on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/leahsoprano'The Really Big One', by Kathryn Schulzhttp://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/07/20/the-really-big-oneUrban Dictionary - PFOhttp://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=PFOWikipedia - Butter Tarthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butter_tartYouTube - Veritasium - Learned Helplessnesshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMPzDiraNnAYouTube - Brian Johnson - Learned Optimism by Martin Seligmanhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me9TI9JhvZwArticle - 'Overcoming “Special Snowflake Syndrome” as a Millennial', by Leah Bentley (Loughran) | Medium.comhttps://medium.com/@leahbent/overcoming-special-snowflake-syndrome-as-a-millennial-2c3b83272e2b#.hx2y2vphwLise Lindstrom, Sopranohttp://liselindstrom.com/Book - Valley of the Dolls, by Jacqueline Susann http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/581811.Valley_of_the_Dolls

Chris and Isaiah don't have all the answers. In Episode 16, they don't have any. It's all about Fear, capital F, and it may have been created just to make our listeners feel better about their own capacities to cope with minor seismic events. As singers we might feel we've got some kind of handle on fear - thanks to overexposure to the nervous pressures of performing - but what about when real-life trauma threatens? Do the two kinds of fear have anything in common? What's the difference between an impending natural disaster and the unremunerated cancellation of a concert gig? IT'S NOT A JOKE PEOPLE GOOGLE CASCADIA SUBDUCTION ZONE.

The Earthquake That Will Devastate the Pacific Northwest, by Kathryn Schulz - The New Yorkerhttp://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/07/20/the-really-big-oneIMDb - 'The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake (1990)'http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099137/Wikipedia - Psychological traumahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_traumaTrauma can be caused by a wide variety of events, but there are a few common aspects. There is frequently a violation of the person's familiar ideas about the world and of their human rights, putting the person in a state of extreme confusion and insecurity. This is also seen when institutions that are depended upon for survival, violate or betray or disillusion the person in some unforeseen way.[3]Book - 'Feel the Fear and Do It Anyways', by Susan Jeffershttp://www.susanjeffers.com/home/detailtemplate.cfm?catID=2234Article - 'Glynis Leyshon, Canadian director, stabbed and robbed hours before Ryerson prof slain',  - Toronto - CBC News:http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/woman-stabbed-before-ryerson-professor-1.3406885YouTube - SciShow, Epigeneticshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp1bZEUgqVIWebpage - TV Guide - Transparenthttp://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/transparent/599334/Featured Image - 'At the Back', by Jeremy SegrottCopyright info: "At the Back" by Jeremy Segrott, used under CC BY 2.0 / Modified: Original cropped; Text and 'Overthought' logo added to original. See link for further details on original work.Theme Music: Slyvius Leopold Weiss's Preludio in E Major, played by Jeff Carter https://musopen.org/music/181/sylvius-leopold-weiss/ponce-preludio-in-e-major/

Being "in the zone" - that perfect balance of focus and relaxation that allows us to perform at our best - is not just a vague feeling. It's a powerful, concrete state of mind that many creative types recognize instantly. That said, it can still be incredibly elusive. Accessing this sweet spot means shifting focus to the active present, and being unfettered by impediments like judgement, anxiety, and analysis. This is particularly burdensome to the Overthinker, for whom banishing unwanted thoughts is already Sisyphean. For the singer, the challenges of the craft mutate daily along with our changing bodies. How to make The Zone one's home base? Is imagining the volume of one's big toe the answer? Or is it terror-driven tunnel vision the only reliable approach to achieving optimum creativity? FIND OUT HERE!*-=- Show notes-=-YouTube: Carcassonne: TableTop, with Wil Wheatonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6VpW4Vljr8with Jesse Cox, Nika Harper, Kimail NanjianiBook: The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists, by Neil Strausshttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/900.The_GameArticle: 10 Steps to Mastering the Art of NLP, by Joel Brown at Addicted2Successhttp://addicted2success.com/success-advice/10-steps-to-mastering-the-art-of-nlp-used-by-tony-robbins-derren-brown-paul-mckenna/Article: Change your Thinking with NLP, by Penny Tompkins and James Lawleyhttp://www.cleanlanguage.co.uk/nlpthink.htmlDon't think about Blue FrogsOpera NUOVA Training Program and Vocal Festivalhttp://www.operanuova.ca/opera-trainingBook: The Open-Focus Brain, by Les Fehmi & Jim Robbinshttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1066013.The_Open_Focus_BrainWebsite - Open Focushttp://openfocus.com/home/YouTube: Jerry Hadley - Lonely House - Street Scene, by Kurt Weillhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QJa1RrxlHgArticle: Want to Stop Anxious Thoughts? Thank Them, by Dina Overland | elephant journal:http://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/07/want-to-stop-anxious-thoughts-thank-them/Image: Phteven the Doghttp://www.overthoughtpodcast.com/images/phteventhedog.pngArticle: Metaphor, Simile and Analogy: What’s the Difference?, by Brian Clark - Copybloggerhttp://www.copyblogger.com/metaphor-simile-and-analogy-what%E2%80%99s-the-difference/Theme Music: Slyvius Leopold Weiss's Preludio in E Major, played by Jeff Carter https://musopen.org/music/181/sylvius-leopold-weiss/ponce-preludio-in-e-major/The Jazz Evangelist: how Ella Fitzgerald's mistake made her a Grammy winner on CBC Music, by Tim Tamashirohttp://music.cbc.ca/#!/blogs/2013/2/The-Jazz-Evangelist-how-Ella-Fitzgeralds-mistake-made-her-a-Grammy-winner

This week we're talking about a sort of reverse Golden Rule: "Would you ever treat other people the way you treat yourself?" To many of us self-critical, people-pleasing types, cutting ourselves some slack feels like a sign of weakness; if we learn to treat ourselves gently, won't we sacrifice productivity? Or could love and understanding make us better at what we do? Sounds like commie talk, but at this point we'll try anything. Brought to you by the Palomino Blackwing, ideal for those who prefer a soft, dark line.In keeping with the Overthought collaborative spirit, we've designated this space for your best "self-love" joke: [                                                         ].Thank you for your contribution!

We all know that colleague who has to turn every conversation into a promo for their upcoming show, or their side business, even though you're a friend and not a casting director.Where is the sweet spot between being "savvy self promotor" and an annoying blow-hard? As contractors and sole proprietors, we need to let people know that we are good, and that we are busy, and sought-after. And we have to be responsible for getting our own work (agents or no agents). But how do we do this in a genuine way? Perhaps the answer lies in effective networking. But what does that actually mean?How do you sing an audition, or have a conversation with a general director, in such a way that you seem "eager & energetic", but don't seem "desperate & irritating"?-=- Show notes -=-

Book - The Introvert Advantage: How To Thrive in an Extrovert Worldhttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49322.The_Introvert_AdvantageMailChimp - Mail Chimp; Send Better Emailhttp://mailchimp.com/Canada's Law on Spam and Other Electronic Threats http://fightspam.gc.caMailChimp Knowledge Base Article - About the Canada Anti-Spam Law (CASL)http://kb.mailchimp.com/accounts/compliance-tips/about-the-canada-anti-spam-law-caslThe Grammarphobia Blog: It’s NYOOZE to ushttp://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2011/07/nyooze-2.htmlHow To Network Without Being Fake, by Jenn Scaliahttp://elitedaily.com/money/how-to-network-without-being-fake/IMdb - It Should Happen to You (1954)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047123/YouTube - It Should Happen to You - Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAe8YXCKpzUYouTube - #AlexFromTarget Meets #EllenFromEllen, TheEllenShowhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4NwTJFOm8MPodcast - Get Facthttp://www.acast.com/getfactYouTube - Judy Garland: 'Meet Me In St. Louis'. 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yudgy30Dd68Theme Music: Slyvius Leopold Weiss's Preludio in E Major, played by Jeff Carter https://musopen.org/music/181/sylvius-leopold-weiss/ponce-preludio-in-e-major/

And now, for your amusement: Chris and Isaiah stare into the abyss of human mortality. We fill our days with music and with the business of being alive, but it's the human condition to wonder, "What's it all about?"How much of the creative life is fuelled by the idea of legacy? Will some piece of us live on when we've ceased to exist? When does a longing to be older turn into nostalgia for lost youth? Is the knowledge of death's inevitability present in our every action? Our desire for meaning in life may go eternally unfulfilled, but your desire to hear a man yelling like a goat that yells like a man will not, if you listen through to the end. #YOLO"

-=-Show Notes-=-Hooded nordic onesie | Simons:http://bit.ly/1NtwcB8These Are Not The Best Years of Your Life | A Silver Twig:http://www.asilvertwig.com/these-are-not-the-best-years-of-your-life/The Collaborative Piano Blog - Martin Katz Interviewhttp://collaborativepiano.blogspot.ca/2010/11/interview-with-martin-katz.html#.VmEDhsqSROAUrban Dictionary - Yolohttp://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=YoloGrief.com – Because LOVE Never Dies Five Stages of Grief by Elisabeth Kubler Ross & David Kesslerhttp://grief.com/the-five-stages-of-grief/10,000 Hours To Develop Talenthttp://personalexcellence.co/blog/10000-hours/5by5 | Back to Work #89: Burlap Sack Full of Orangeshttp://5by5.tv/b2w/89IMdb - Interstellarwww.imdb.com/title/tt0816692/YouTube - Henry Purcell: Dido's Lament, Anna Dennis, soprano, with Voices of Music 4K UHD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H--Z9UzQYEPanoramio - Photo of Lobby, Salle Wilfrid Pelletier, Place des Arts http://www.panoramio.com/photo/37689152Busts of Claude Champagne and BeethovenImage - Point of Originhttp://www.overthoughtpodcast.com/images/EquityAgreement-Point-of-Origin.pngHow to Tell a Raven from a Crowhttps://www.audubon.org/news/how-tell-raven-crowYouTube - Goats Yelling Like Humanshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpccpglnNf0

Are other people's opinions of us more important than literally any other thing? We were pretty sure the answer was "No, for sure no!" but, upon further discussion, we've arrived at "...maybe?" Why do put so much stock in what other people think? Caring too much can undoubtedly harm the integrity of our work (and our mental health) - but how can we learn to move past it? Featuring an unprecedented number of references to therapy.

-=- Show Notes -=-

Book - 'The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Insdustry', by Jon Ronsonhttp://www.amazon.com/The-Psychopath-Test-Journey-Industry/dp/1594485755YouTube - 'What's On Your Mind?'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxVZYiJKl1YWebsite - Filling the sequence gaps - Jurassic Park Wiki - Jurassic Park, Dinosaurs, Stephen Spielberghttp://jurassicpark.wikia.com/wiki/Filling_the_sequence_gapsWebsite - Urban Dictionary - Urban Dictionary: yp/mphttp://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=yp%2FmpWikipedia - Nancy Argenta, sopranohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_ArgentaWebsite - Definitely the Opera - A Day in the Life of Canadian mezzo: Vicki St. Pierrehttps://definitelytheopera.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/vsp/Website - Quotes by Eleanor Roosevelthttp://www.goodreads.com/quotes/26110-you-wouldn-t-worry-so-much-about-what-others-think-ofWikipedia - Marquis de Sadehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquis_de_SadeBook - 'Juliette', by Marquis de Sadehttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/314240.Juliette