Radio Free Burrito

Radio Free Burrito: Episode Thirty-One

Holy Crap, it's time for a new episode of Radio Free Burrito! That's two new episodes in two weeks, for those of you keeping score at home.

On this RFB, I read the story I wrote last week, called 239 Sycamore St.

Show Notes:

• The logo was designed by WWdN:iX reader Marc, who asked that I not link to his "in progress" website. Thanks, Marc!
• Radio Free Burrito doesn't work as hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag as Memories of the Futurecast does, but it still manages to upset mom and get Twitter breakup messages from sensitive people. You have been warned.
• This week's theme music is Hey You, by Pink Floyd.
• I couldn't find the link I mentioned, but here's Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 3 from Dallas. Wow.
• You can get your very own How We Roll T-shirt from shirt.woot.com right here. Yay!
• This episode is 18MB.
• This episode is about 19 minutes long.
• I am aware that the tags are screwed up and the feed doesn't validate, so unless you're grabbing RFB from iTunes or getting it directly here, it's a giant hassle to get it. I am aware of this problem, but it's a gigantic pain in the ass for me to correct it, given the tools I have available to me. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, and I'm very annoyed by it, but I can make a podcast, or I can be a bug-squashing code monkey. I can't do both, and I quite frankly prefer making the podcast. Listener Dave K. built a workaround that you can learn all about here. Thanks, Dave!
• Again, no embedded artwork. This distresses me, but it's Apple's fault, not mine, and it's too much of a pain in the ass to get it done. Hopefully, they'll fix the bug REALLY SOON.
• Please note that I've been wishing for Apple to fix this bug for over a year. Yay.
• This is the end of the notes. 

Ready? Then tear down the wall and 

Download Radio Free Burrito Episode Thirty-One!

Radio Free Burrito: Episode Thirty

Holy Crap, it's time for a new episode of Radio Free Burrito!

On this RFB, I deliver a bunch of weird audio collected from the internets, a whole lot of thank yous, and a reading from the special edition of The Happiest Days of Our Lives.

Show Notes:

• The logo was designed by WWdN:iX reader Marc, who asked that I not link to his "in progress" website. Thanks, Marc!
• Radio Free Burrito doesn't work as hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag as Memories of the Futurecast does, but it still manages to upset mom and get Twitter breakup messages from sensitive people. You have been warned.
• This week's theme music is Ceremony, by New Order.
• You can check out Incredible, But True at the Internet Archive. 
• If you enjoy Old Time Radio, you'll definitely want to acquaint yourself with the Old Time Radio Researchers Group.
• In case you wanted to see one of Nolan's art things. (Not the thing mentioned in this episode, but a thing nonetheless.)
• Really, Amazon?
• When you build your time machine and visit Mountain Park, try to act surprised when Zoltan gives you advice.
• This episode is 35.6MB.
• This episode is about 37 minutes long.
• I am aware that the tags are screwed up and the feed doesn't validate, so unless you're grabbing RFB from iTunes or getting it directly here, it's a giant hassle to get it. I am aware of this problem, but it's a gigantic pain in the ass for me to correct it, given the tools I have available to me. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, and I'm very annoyed by it, but I can make a podcast, or I can be a bug-squashing code monkey. I can't do both, and I quite frankly prefer making the podcast. Listener Dave K. built a workaround that you can learn all about here. Thanks, Dave!
• Again, no embedded artwork. This distresses me, but it's Apple's fault, not mine, and it's too much of a pain in the ass to get it done. Hopefully, they'll fix the bug REALLY SOON.
• Please note that I've been wishing for Apple to fix this bug for over a year. Yay.
• This is the end of the notes. 

Ready? Then kick out the jams, mother effers, and 

Download Radio Free Burrito Episode 30!

 

Radio Free Burrito: Episode Twenty-Nine

Holy Crap, it's time for a new episode of Radio Free Burrito!

This episode was made possible by the generous contributions of listeners like you, as well as a grant from the We Didn't Really Give You A Grant, Wil, Foundation.

Show Notes:

• This show doesn't have the best audio in the world, because I used my MBP's internal mic to record it, after the mic I bought this afternoon ended up not working with my computer for some reason. I know it's not the best, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be.
• Radio Free Burrito doesn't work as hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag as Memories of the Futurecast does, but it still manages to upset mom and get Twitter breakup messages from sensitive people. You have been warned.
• This week's theme music comes from one of my favorite PC games of all time, Interstate 76.
• You can still make contributions to Team Wheaton. Here's our Wiggle Waggle Walk homepage.
• This show features a reading of my original story The Last Unicorn (Pegasus Kitten) from Clash of the Geeks.
• For context to the Unicorn Pegasus Kitten insanity, check out Scalzi's blog, my blog, and Scalzi's blog again.
• This is the original Unicorn Pegasus Kitten picture.
• This is Seamus. I know, right?
• This episode is about 15.5MB.
• This episode is about 32 minutes long.
• I am aware that the tags are screwed up and the feed doesn't validate, so unless you're grabbing RFB from iTunes or getting it directly here, it's a giant hassle to get it. I am aware of this problem, but it's a gigantic pain in the ass for me to correct it, given the tools I have available to me. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, and I'm very annoyed by it, but I can make a podcast, or I can be a bug-squashing code monkey. I can't do both, and I quite frankly prefer making the podcast. Listener Dave K. built a workaround that you can learn all about here. Thanks, Dave!
• Again, no embedded artwork. This distresses me, but it's Apple's fault, not mine, and it's too much of a pain in the ass to get it done. Hopefully, they'll fix the bug REALLY SOON.
• This is the end of the notes. 

Ready? Then place on ground, light fuse, get away, and

Download Radio Free Burrito Episode 29!

 

Radio Free Burrito: Episode Twenty-Seven

Holy Crap, it's time for a new episode of Radio Free Burrito!

Let's all celebrate the departure of the Goddamn Motherfucking Bulldozer with a reading from Just A Geek!

Show Notes:

• The logo was designed by WWdN:iX reader Marc, who asked that I not link to his "in progress" website. Thanks, Marc!
• Radio Free Burrito doesn't work as hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag as Memories of the Futurecast does, but it still manages to upset mom and get Twitter breakup messages from sensitive people. You have been warned.
• This week's theme music is Enjoy The Silence , by Depeche Mode, from their seminal album Violator .
• The Reddit post about DM, in case you wanted to see it.
• The volume of nostalgic commercials at YouTube is staggering and wonderful. Here's the Commodore 64 commercial I played today.
• Here's William Fucking Shatner beaming in from the future to tell us all about the wonder computer of the 1980s.
• The song I wanted to play but ended up having to cut is called Misery, by The Dynamics. It seems a little silly that I can link to a version of it and that's fine, but if I actually played it in the podcast, I could get into trouble.
• Last week, I said, "I just realized that I have friends who do awesome things, and I should make them the unofficial sponsors of RFB each week, so RFB listeners can discover nifty things. I hope I remember to do that next week." Oh shit. I forgot to do that this week.
• Today, I read a modified version of The Wesley Dialogs from Just A Geek.
• This episode is about 35MB.
• This episode is about 36 minutes long.
• I am aware that the tags are screwed up and the feed doesn't validate, so unless you're grabbing RFB from iTunes or getting it directly here, it's a giant hassle to get it. I am aware of this problem, but it's a gigantic pain in the ass for me to correct it, given the tools I have available to me. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, and I'm very annoyed by it, but I can make a podcast, or I can be a bug-squashing code monkey. I can't do both, and I quite frankly prefer making the podcast. Listener Dave K. built a workaround that you can learn all about here. Thanks, Dave!
• Again, no embedded artwork. This distresses me, but it's Apple's fault, not mine, and it's too much of a pain in the ass to get it done. Hopefully, they'll fix the bug REALLY SOON.
• This is the end of the notes. 

Ready? Then turn out the lights, relax, take a deep breath, and

Download Radio Free Burrito Episode 27!

Radio Free Burrito: Episode Twenty-Six

Holy Crap, it's time for a new episode of Radio Free Burrito!

At long last, the planets align, I have time and ideas, and the GDMF construction next door is quiet.

Show Notes:

• The logo was designed by WWdN:iX reader Marc, who asked that I not link to his "in progress" website. Thanks, Marc!
• Radio Free Burrito doesn't work as hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag as Memories of the Futurecast does, but it still manages to upset mom and get Twitter breakup messages from sensitive people. You have been warned.
• This week's theme music is from The Legend of Zelda, one of my favorite video games of all time.
• On today's show, I read two stories from The Happiest Days of Our Lives, currently available from Subterranean Press as a special edition.
• There is also an audio version of The Happiest Days of Our Lives, if you'd like to hear me read even more of it to you.
• Movin' Right Along was performed by 15-16 Puzzle. If you have some time to check out his musical archives, I believe you will find it worth your while.
• I decided that this episode was brought to you by coffee ... specifically the amazing cup of Sumatra that I made using beans that were roasted by my friend Aric. He's @WayOfCoffee on Twitter, and you can even order your own amazing beans from him at FremontCoffee.net. Did I mention that they're amazing? They totally are.
• I just realized that I have friends who do awesome things, and I should make them the unofficial "sponsors" of RFB each week, so RFB listeners can discover nifty things. I hope I remember to do that next week.
• When I read Close Your Eyes and Then It's Past, I played music from Robert Rich as a bed. He has a ton of albums at Magnatune.com; I used music from Calling Down The Sky today.
• Actually, well over 90% of listeners said the audio levels were messed up, and that the music, which I'd hoped would be a nice background bed, was actually way too loud and distracted from my reading. Since this podcast is all about me, I remastered the episode and removed the music. 
• Of course, if you didn't get this episode right when it was released yesterday, you probably won't notice the difference. Ahhhh ... BLISSS!
• This episode is about 69.5MB. Yikes.
• This episode is about 48 minutes long.
• I am aware that the tags are screwed up and the feed doesn't validate, so unless you're grabbing RFB from iTunes or getting it directly here, it's a giant hassle to get it. I am aware of this problem, but it's a gigantic pain in the ass for me to correct it, given the tools I have available to me. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, and I'm very annoyed by it, but I can make a podcast, or I can be a bug-squashing code monkey. I can't do both, and I quite frankly prefer making the podcast. Listener Dave K. built a workaround that you can learn all about here. Thanks, Dave!
• Again, no embedded artwork. This distresses me, but it's Apple's fault, not mine, and it's too much of a pain in the ass to get it done. Hopefully, they'll fix the bug REALLY SOON.
• This is the end of the notes. 

Ready? Then put down your kazoo, step away from the punch bowl, and

Download Radio Free Burrito Episode 26!

Radio Free Burrito: Episode Twenty-Five

Holy Crap, it's time for a new episode of Radio Free Burrito!

It's a relatively quick show this week, but it sure was amusing to me while I made it.

Show Notes:

• The logo was designed by WWdN:iX reader Marc, who asked that I not link to his "in progress" website. Thanks, Marc!
• Radio Free Burrito doesn't work as hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag as Memories of the Futurecast does, but it still manages to upset mom and get Twitter breakup messages from sensitive people. You have been warned.
• This week's theme music is Steppin' Out by Joe Jackson. It was originally released on his record Night And Day. Most of his catalog is really great, but Look Sharp! is probably his best. It's one of my desert island discs, for those of you keeping score at home.
• On today's show, I told two stupid jokes, and read something I cut out of an early draft of my PAX East keynote.
• Here's the first link I came across when I googled Personics System. Here's the second. I guess I just answered my "did I talk about this before" question.
• I played a song called Rock Awhile by Goree Carter and his Hepcats. I have no idea where it came from.
• This episode is about 10MB. Ahhh.
• This episode is about 22 minutes long.
• I am aware that the tags are screwed up and the feed doesn't validate, so unless you're grabbing RFB from iTunes or getting it directly here, it's a giant hassle to get it. I am aware of this problem, but it's a gigantic pain in the ass for me to correct it, given the tools I have available to me. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, and I'm very annoyed by it, but I can make a podcast, or I can be a bug-squashing code monkey. I can't do both, and I quite frankly prefer making the podcast. Listener Dave K. built a workaround that you can learn all about here. Thanks, Dave!
• Again, no embedded artwork. This distresses me, but it's Apple's fault, not mine, and it's too much of a pain in the ass to get it done. Hopefully, they'll fix the bug REALLY SOON.
• This is the end of the notes. 

Ready? Then wash your hands, comb your hair real nice, and

Download Radio Free Burrito Episode 25!

Radio Free Burrito: Episode Twenty-Two

Holy Crap, it's time for a new episode of Radio Free Burrito!

I had a ridiculously good time putting this show together, even though I didn't plan any of the stuff that ended up being so fun to create.

Show Notes:

• The logo was designed by WWdN:iX reader Marc, who asked that I not link to his "in progress" website. Thanks, Marc!
• Radio Free Burrito doesn't work as hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag as Memories of the Futurecast does, but it still manages to upset mom and get Twitter breakup messages from sensitive people. You have been warned.
• This week's theme music is Sweat, by Oingo Boingo, originally off the 1987's Good For Your Soul, but this version is from 1988's Boingo Alive .
• On today's show, I read an excerpt from the soon-to-be-shipping special edition of The Happiest Days of our Lives, called a portrait of the artist as a young geek.
• If you liked that story, you may want to check out the audio version of The Happiest Days of our Lives.
• BEHOLD! The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, from the Gong Show in 1976.
• That may have prepared you for the magnificence of Bim Bam Boom and Pico and Sepulveda, from 1980's Forbidden Zone.
• Did you know that Radio Free Burrito has a Mixtape? I've been working on volume two in my free time.
• Did you know that there was a Twilight Zone called Twenty-Two? Spooky!
• If you wanted to know more about the dark fantasy pen and paper Dragon Age RPG from Green Ronin, now you know where to look.
• I just discovered Dragon Age Journeys a few days ago. It's a hell of a lot of fun.
• MC Frontalot talked to Spin about his song Your Friend Wil. You can get an mp3 of the song there. I hear it makes a great ringtone, among other things.
• Mike Doughty put The Only Answer on LastFM, just for you. (Maybe not, but we can all pretend, can't we?) Mike doughty has a Twitter. Mike Doughty has a blog. Mike Doughty has records for you to buy. Mike Doughty is on tour.
• Everything you didn't want to know about backwards messages in rock music, but can't seem to stop laughing at, can be found at 2007's 365 Project from WFMU's Beware of the Blog.
• This episode is about 39MB.
• This episode is about 40 minutes long.
• I know I'm forgetting something I wanted to add to the links, but ... Dave ... my mind is going.
• So this is the end of the notes. 

Ready? Then stir up a Hendrick's martini with a twist and

Download Radio Free Burrito Episode 22!

Radio Free Burrito: Episode Twenty-one

Holy Crap, it's time for a new episode of Radio Free Burrito!

I must say, I'm pretty proud of my ability to get this one out on time. If I keep this up, I may have to remove the phrase "infrequently updated" from the show's description.

Show Notes:

• The logo was designed by WWdN:iX reader Marc, who asked that I not link to his "in progress" website. Thanks, Marc!
• Radio Free Burrito doesn't work as hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag as Memories of the Futurecast does, but it still manages to upset mom and get Twitter breakup messages from sensitive people. You have been warned.
• This week's theme music is excerpted from Moonage Daydream by David Bowie, from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, one of my favorite albums of all time.
• You know how every January, you do your best not to write the last year on your checks and letters and things, but you always end up doing it at least once? Yeah. When I said it was January 25, 2009, at the beginning of this show, that was my version of that.
• If you're not familiar with the works of of Kid Beyond, you should be.
• On today's show, I read a story from Dancing Barefoot called Houses in Motion. It's the very first time it's ever been recorded and performed in public for more than 25 people. Warning: it's a little emotional.
• You can get Dancing Barefoot at Amazon. I thought it was on the Kindle, but it looks like it isn't.
• I just realized that I forgot to thank the people who fed the burrito this week, because I was called away to dinner, so let me do that here:
• • Kelly W
  • Coral T
  • Sally M
  • James B
  • Dennis I
  • Gretchen AJ
  • Laure K
  • Brian T
  • Heather M

• Seriously, thank you for your support, guys.
• I talked about Cranium Pop 5, Power Grid, Give Me the Brain, and Shadows Over Camelot. I bet you can find all of them at your friendly local game shop.
• 14 year-old Wil Wheaton gets lucky ... sometimes.
• This episode is just over 30 minutes long.
• This episode is about 14MB.
• This episode should have artwork embedded, but we won't know until someone who is not me gets the show.
• This is the end of the notes. 

Ready? Then keep your electric eyes on me and 

Download Radio Free Burrito Episode 21!

Radio Free Burrito: Episode Twenty

Holy Crap, it's time for a new episode of Radio Free Burrito!

I must say, I'm pretty proud of my ability to get this one out on time. If I keep this up, I may have to remove the phrase "infrequently updated" from the show's description.

Show Notes:

• The logo was designed by WWdN:iX reader Marc, who asked that I not link to his "in progress" website. Thanks, Marc!
• Radio Free Burrito doesn't work as hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag as Memories of the Futurecast does, but it still manages to upset mom and get Twitter breakup messages from sensitive people. You have been warned.
• This week's theme music is Super Bon Bon by the legendary Soul Coughing, fronted by the equally-legendary Mike Doughty.
• On today's show, I read a story from the forthcoming special edition of The Happiest Days of our Lives, called Green Grass and High Tides Forever (and ever and ever and
• If you liked that story, you may want to check out the audio version of The Happiest Days of our Lives.
• Green Grass And High Tides can be yours for 99 cents at Amazon. That's, like, 10 cents a minute, which would have been a big deal in long distance pricing back when digital watches were a pretty neat idea.
• You know what's cheaper than building a time machine and going back to 1977 to watch Wizards ? Yep. Watching it on DVD right here in the future.
• I don't know why Thundarr The Barbarian isn't out in a deluxe Criterion edition, which it obviously deserves. We will just have to console ourselves with the Dungeons & Dragons animated series.
• The Dark Tower at Boardgame Geek.
• The Dark Tower online.
• The Dark Tower commercial featuring ORSON FUCKING WELLES.
• Flash version of The Dark Tower.
• This link that has nothing at all to do with The Dark Tower.
• This episode is just over 27 minutes long.
• This episode is about 26MB.
• This episode doesn't have artwork embedded, because I still can't figure out how to get it into the goddamn file without exporting as .m4a and converting to .mp3, doubling the filesize in the process. I mean, I could probably figure it out if I spent a lot of time working on it, but that's not nearly as fun as just producing the show.
• This is the end of the notes. 

Ready? Then put on your awesome dragon shirt and

Download Radio Free Burrito Episode 20

Radio Free Burrito: Episode Nineteen

Holy Crap, it's time for a new episode of Radio Free Burrito!

Yeah, it's two days late, but this time I have an actual note which excuses my tardiness ... but I can't show it to you, so you'll just have to trust me.

Show Notes:

• The logo was designed by WWdN:iX reader Marc, who asked that I not link to his "in progress" website. Thanks, Marc!
• Radio Free Burrito doesn't work as hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag as Memories of the Futurecast does, but it still manages to upset mom and get Twitter breakup messages from sensitive people. You have been warned.
• This week's theme music is a version of Surfin Bird by Pee Wee Herman. This is why.
• On today's show, I read the blog entry I wrote yesterday called there and back again. I'm not going to lie to you, Marge: I kind of dig the way it came to life. 
• If you like hearing me read my own work, you'll probably enjoy the audio version of Just A Geek, which is now available as an audiobook from Lulu, with the rest of my work. *ding!*
• I also played a song called Opium Head, which is the title track of the latest album from Solace. 
• You may want to find a way to sync Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite from 2001 with Pink Floyd's Echoes.
• This is what the Cinerama Dome looked like back in the day. (That picture comes from a wonderful blog post that Los Angeles history nerds will probably enjoy reading.)
• This page has everything you ever wanted to know about the Dome, including pictures of its construction, interior, and some famous 70MM engagements.
• I mentioned ambient music in my story. I love ambient, and here's an post I wrote a long time ago that's all about ambient music.
• The music I played underneath my story is called Red Shifted Harmonies, by DAC Crowell.
• This episode is just over 30 minutes long. 12 seconds over, actually. 
• This episode is about 28MB. 
• This episode doesn't have artwork embedded, because I still can't figure out how to get it into the goddamn file without exporting as .m4a and converting to .mp3, doubling the filesize in the process. I mean, I could probably figure it out if I spent a lot of time working on it, but that's not nearly as fun as just producing the show.
• This is the end of the notes. 

Ready? Then put on your headphones and

Download Radio Free Burrito Episode Nineteen. Nineteen. Nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-Nineteen.