Shift Run Stop

Your hosts gather outside, once again, to take in the park's field sports and open-air cocktail artists. There's a field trip to the seaside, far too many sweets, an effervescent revival, and nothing short of a miracle as we carefully manage to avoid spoilers while chatting about recent geek movie releases. Here's one to try "at home" without looking at the IMDB: who played Grotbags?

Links: Roo's 'Beardy Dads' podcast | Hack Circus | Roo's newsletter | Leila's newsletter | The SRS forum | @ShiftRunStop | Buy a tape of this episode, or any other.

It's Shift Run Stop al fresco season again so your hosts meet in a park to come clean about their geeky hobbies. Chat covers public lock-picking, 8-bit graphics, DIY effects pedals, Hack Circus and the meditative power of geekiness. Our resident Charlie Bucket, Lee stops by with some Wonka bars and edible pebbles, while fresh from her second Hack Circus event in Sheffield, Leila brings a reality-themed quiz. Or does she?

Links: Roo's 'Beardy Dads' podcast | Hack Circus | Roo's newsletter | Leila's newsletter | The SRS forum | @ShiftRunStop | Buy a tape of this episode, or any other.

The first episode of Red Dwarf; the first episode of Shift Run Stop since Roo became a dad, and the first outdoor recording of the year. Your hosts have watched a bit too much Red Dwarf over the years: finally an opportunity to share our knowledge and opinions.

Stick on your H, pour yourself a lager and line up Red Dwarf episode 1.

Links: The Red Dwarf episode we're watching | The picture of Wittgenstein that was defaced with an 'H' in Leila's philosophy seminar | Roo's 'Beardy Dads' podcast | Hack Circus | Roo's newsletter| Leila's newsletter | The SRS forum | @ShiftRunStop | Buy a tape of this episode, or any other.

Christmas comes around quickly in "Shift Run Stop years", and here we are again, just five episodes later, with holiday snackfood and 45 minutes of talking about, around and over an early episode of The X Files. Crackers! You won't believe your mince pies! It's time for films, games, festive chain cafes, and partially melted snowmen to a backdrop of murderous – yet strangely sympathetic – monsters.

Have a great Christmas, whatever you're doing, and we'll be back in the New Year for your liver.

Links: The X Files episode we're watching | Chris Barrie's home page | Hack Circus | Roo's newsletter | Leila's newsletter | The SRS forum | @ShiftRunStop | Buy a tape of this episode, or any other.

With All Hallows' Eve nearly upon us, it's time for the yearly testing of seasonal spooky snacks. We learned that there are a lot of them.

We also talk about Hack Circus, Iceland, Tom Cruise, costumes, listener correspondence and lots more besides.

Links: Roo's newsletter | Leila's newsletter | The SRS forum | @ShiftRunStop | Hack Circus | Buy a tape of this episode, or any other.

It's back to school time, and as the summer draws to a close, chat turns to our memories of school days. How is it possible your hosts both know the same playground games and rhymes despite growing up in different parts of the country? Do you know them too? Did your school have a haunted tower?

Elsewhere, on a hot, noisy London roundabout, Roo and Leila are joined by snacklord Lee to try some of the most disappointing treats so far. Games, play, snacks, Bletchley Park, five finger fillet, deadly rollercoasters and more in this uncharacteristically on-message episode of Shift Run Stop.

Links: Roo's newsletter | Leila's newsletter | The SRS forum | @ShiftRunStop | Euthanasia Coaster | Buy a tape of this episode, or any other.

Your hosts Roo and Leila are joined by treat-spert Lee for unusual snacks in Parliament Square. Chocolate melts and and baked goods become uncomfortably sticky under our scrutiny and the hot British sunshine.

Big news: Roo finally prepares to grow up.

Hark: is that the sound of wedding bells in Leila's future?

Plus: Big Ben, bum bags, hairdressers, Spar vs spa, sci-fi deadlines, and lots more.

Plan ahead: our next episode will include a Shift Run Stop commentary of X Files s01e03 ('Squeeze'), so acquire a copy soon if you want to watch along with us.

Links: Roo's newsletter | Leila's newsletter | The SRS forum | @ShiftRunStop | Buy a tape of this episode, or any other.

The beards theme continues in #67, an acoustically-diverse episode mixing cafe atmos, Other Podcasts, and a section recorded in a stairwell on a telephone. We chat to professional hacker (it's even on their business card) Nat Buckley about everything from Happenstance to Alarum to their hair and amazing dad. Digital Willy Wonka Lee Maguire returns with the latest from the snackfood front line. And we were interviewed about the podcast for Resonance FM's 'Little Atoms' show recently, weren't we? If you didn't catch it, don't worry, we've pasted all the best bits into this episode. All this, and therapeutic sounds too. Stick with us, you know it makes sense.

Links: Nat Buckley (website) | Nat on Twitter | Amazeballs.be | Roo's newsletter | Leila's newsletter | The SRS forum | @ShiftRunStop | Buy a tape of this episode, or any other.

What does a beard sound like? How do you pronounce 'Gif'? Which is the worst episode of the X Files? What's the political significance of Tab Clear? Which major US interactive festival do none of your hosts want to go to, ever? Find out in this brand new, hairier than average episode of Shift Run Stop. Warning: contains traces of puppy.

Roo's newsletter | Leila's newsletter | The SRS forum | @ShiftRunStop | Buy a tape of this episode, or any other.

Ho ho ho! Were you good boys and girls this year? Hush your lips! Obviously you were, hence this wonderful present.

This year Lee Maguire joins us, and, like Magi of geek, the three of us bear anecdotes of obscure science fiction references and unexpected short-lived celebrity. The snacks don't disappoint, either. If you want to munch along at home for the 'full body experience', you will need: Haribo Jelicons, Walkers Sensations Szechuan Pepper peanuts, The Fantastic Fox's 'Magnificos' chilli & lime flavour, and Heston's spiced shortcrust mince pies from Waitrose. (If you get nothing else, get the mince pies. Trust us.)

Look out for listeners' jingles, some great geek stuff for you to WIN, a quiz that only works if you're over 30, and unique, specially-recorded sound samples from one of the world's oldest working computers, the WITCH, in action at The National Museum of Computing. You're welcome. Merry Christmas!

Linky Christmas: The National Museum of Computing | The WITCH | IBM tills map | Shift Run Stop Forum | Sarah Angliss (samples jingle) | Tom Stuart (BBC Micro "We Wish You A...") | PaulyG (jingle) | How to Fill a Black Hole by Benjamin Hendy (enter discount code 'shiftrunstop' at checkout for £1 off)