Radio Free Burrito Episode 47 – time is weird, man.
wil, · Categories: Current Affairs, Music
Who has kept to a weekly schedule for one whole week in a row? THIS GUY!
- Radio Free Burrito doesn’t work as hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag as Memories of the Futurecast did, 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 The Detectives from 1975’s Punk Rock.
- Jewel Staite’s amazing tea subscription service is Tea Runners. Tell her I sent you!
- Roller skating is In the News.
- Lucien, you should know.
- In 2011, Beauty and The Beat got a 30th anniversary remaster, and even though I still prefer my (now vintage) vinyl copy, it’s really great.
- You can support the ADL here.
- I was in Variety.
- Oh hey look! The Burbank Leader wrote about my Storytime With Wil at the library!
- Stop Making Sense is worth your time.
- Remain In Light is underappreciated.
- Gang of Four was formed in 1977.
- I can’t find the specific link to the phreaking audio files I grabbed a million years ago, but Jason Scott’s textfiles.com has a great section on BBSes if you wanted to know more about that whole scene.
- This episode is 1h6m long and weighs in at 95.1MB.
- This is the end of the notes.
Okay, here’s your embed:
And here’s a plain old link: 047-RFB
Where can I get that slurm again?
The Never Let Me Down by Depeche Mode intro from the previous episode (46) MADE MY F**ING DAY!!
Hi, Wil.
Is there something wrong with the plain old link? I can’t download your podcast.
Whoops! I messed it up when I published. I just fixed it. Try again?
Thank you, Wil. Now I have you running with me on the trails later today!
All the best,
Brian
Hey Wil,
We’re listening in Topeka. We miss you. The city has never been the same since you left.
Hey Wil!
Congrats on keeping your schedule for a week! Glad to hear that you’ve seemed to remember how to do the thing just like getting back on a bike after falling off. We love to hear your internet ramblings. Depression brain is weird to deal with. So, it’s nice to hear other people get back on the horse when some of your listeners go through the same ups and downs. And getting some inspiration for making something that didn’t exist in the world yesterday.
Can’t wait for next week!
Hey so I paused so I could respond to ur kindness piece. Luv the analogy & challenge. I try to run errands in the same mindset-just be kind-gotta tell u it works tremendously. first errands suck, so having a kind mindset tricks my brain into thinking I’m having fun, second I get through them faster. When ur kind the whole world around u responds so differently. it is also cool to see the smile & surprised look on others faces, especially when it’s obvious that person is having a bad day. I always tell my kids it’s like a ripple, the potential to go on forever.
Not sure what it is, it listening to this gave me the nicest feeling of calm and contentment. Maybe my migraine meds kicked in at the same time as the monkey story.
Thank you for the 80’s music and the stories.
I have been trying to be kind toward others without carrying other feelings home with me. So far, I’ve had a 75% ish success rate. I’m continuing to experiment cause it gives me the warm fuzzies. Thanks Wil. 🙂
Really enjoyed the podcast today. I am a public librarian and those bits of kindness given and received throughout the day make such a difference. Thank you for sharing your reflections this week.
Next Storytime with Wil we need to make #lovedbyamonkey a thing… LOL
On a more serious note, my wife called me shortly after the monkey story, and so I retold it to her. We were both almost crying from how cool and beautiful it was. Thanks for sharing that!
I really loved that you decided to tell the monkey story over writing it, because it just is a great story that needs to be said out loud. Good call. I’m proud of my people – that everyone was kind to you here.
C is sitting over here eating lunch and reading “my grandparents are spies” CYOA. I didn’t know there was a kids version. She says the book is crazy. I LOVED them as a kid and I want her to like them. Ahhhhh it makes me happy!
Bill Prady should know there’s a road nearby called Sheldon Center (of course it would be Center, right?) and it crosses Amy Lane.
There might have been a chocolate bunny in with all that Cadbury dairy milk, but I eated it. Not sorry.
D would not let me meet Sean at the con. I think he was afraid I was going to tell my LOTR story. It’s not my bag. I didn’t know that. I went to the first movie with husband anyway. At the end, when Sean almost drowns and then he gets in the little boat and he’s okay and everyone is like ahhh he’s ok… I lean over to husband and whisper “Goonies never say die.” I was banned from all further LOTR movies. Not sorry.
Our kindness painting in the kids playroom:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mbecker70/34522028780/in/datetaken-friend/
Later Babe (thought you forgot calling Sean Astin that, didn’t you.)
Gotta go buy that Talking Heads song now. So good.
The one were Wil learns that kindness is a feedback loop but is completely oblivious to the fact that he learned it.
Full disclosure: I haven’t listen to this episode yet. I just saw it as I scrolled past to comment on the previous episode. That said: “Stop Making Sense” is worth everyone’s time. Good call.
The monkey story nearly brought me to tears.
This episode made me feel so good. It’s so nice to hear you feeling better and more chipper. I missed that.
Hey Wil, I’m here to sign up for the kindness! I would hope and assume* that most people listening subscribe to your “don’t be a dick” philosophy in general, but it’s always good to be reminded. Anyway, that’s how I try and live, whether it’s letting cars into traffic or holding the door for folks, which I did extra today. And let me tell you, in heavy traffic on the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend heading northbound in southern New Hampshire, that takes some doing. And the door holding extended to a parade of shopping carts at Goodwill. Loved the monkey story, though I was upset at the way you were treated beforehand, but like you were saying, without the jerks, there would have been no monkey. Anyhoo, thrilled to find another burrito in the podcast this morning – thanks so much for that!!
There’s a song I grew up listening to on country radio (I wanna say it’s called “Chain of Love” by Clay Walker) and it has much that same message of taking the kindness someone gave you and turning into kindness for another person you meet. I saw that sort of thing this past weekend at Long Beach Pride.
So my asexual group marched in the parade on Sunday. As always there’s the little free speech corner where the hatemongers hold up their signs and yell at us through megaphones. There was a group of people holding “God LOVES you” and “Gay AND Christian” signs, trying to visually block them from the mostly family crowd. But megaphones were still going strong, so I got my whole group screaming “HAPPY PRIDE” at the top of our lungs, which several other people noticed and picked up and it drowned out even the megaphones. Then a small child (you have an adorable monkey, I got a four year old in a rainbow dress) ran up and hugged me TWICE! All that day I saw people sharing their rainbow flags and spraying sunscreen on strangers to keep them from burning in the sun and in general being super welcoming and kind and my heart grew three sizes and didn’t stop glowing until my brain decided Monday morning to be non-awesome, the way it does sometimes.
And because Depression/Anxiety brain is a dick it tries to make me a dick (and succeeds sometimes, unfortunately), but I am making a concentrated effort to spread kindness even if no one’s been kind to me that day, because people have been kind when I didn’t deserve it and I’m in the red in the kindness ledger and I have said a version of kind too often in this sentence which is really long and CALM DOWN WITH THE COMMAS BETH JEEZY CHRIZZY.
It feels weird to say “I totally know what you mean” about being famous at conventions – I obviously don’t – but FOR REAL, THO: people do not recognise emotional labour as labour.
Smiling, waving, putting out “I like you” vibes to total strangers, is all part of the job for some of us. That’s fine. But the customers / convention goers forget that sometimes, and expect too much without understanding the limits of our roles. Like it’s bad enough for me as a Customer Service manager in the UK – I shudder to think what it must be like working for tips. Knowing that how accessible and warm you are will translate directly into whether you can afford your cat’s medication, or whatever.
My point, Wil, is this: your job is hard sometimes. We see that, even if the people in front of you don’t always. I’m glad you talk about this. More people should know that emotional labour is a thing.
Yes! I used to escort group tours in Europe and the US and it was extremely difficult mentally to be “on” all day and by the end of the day I would be just DONE.
Hi Wil! I loved the monkey love story 🙂 Thanks for the Burrito. Also, I miss the lovely sound of the bell. Keep being awesome!
I would totally buy KDBD stickers that would be amazing also great podcast as always.
I’m still listening 🙂 Listening from the itunes podcast app. Thanks for another Radio Free Burrito! Your story about your anxiety hits home. I am so glad you met the monkey! Animal cuddles are the best! My husband and I nerded out last week when we saw you on MST3K. We loved it!
Just catching up on the last few episodes, and I gotta say I’ve missed this. I could listen to you talk for hours…
Listening on beyond pod, bought the book on Kindle, was watching tabletop before listening
Thank you Mr Wheaton. I’m a near shut in with my out of control migraines. Your story of the Monkey service animal melted my heart. My wife gets jealous at times of our cat when she comforts me during those hard times. You did convey your terror very well, so well that I had a panic attack. But all is forgiven cause your tabletop and titansgrave have kept me company for the last three weeks. keep it all up.
I’m listening to the podcast and enjoying it immensely (which I always, always do) and I think I know what the difference is between nice and kind. Being kind makes you vulnerable. It’s very easy to fake nice to people, but it’s almost impossible to fake being kind. To be truly kind you have to dial up your empathy and try to see what the other person is going through. And it absolutely does create a feeling of love. Thank you for the reminder. I’m constantly impressed by your thoughtfulness and the way your mind sees things. Thank you for sharing so much with us.
My wife, son, and I had the pleasure to meet you at the Motor City Comic Con. Thank you for visiting Michigan! We also enjoyed getting to hear your talk and QA session. The last point you made (and reiterated in this week’s podcast) about the importance of kindness can’t be overstated. I’ve been challenging myself to keep working on that life goal as well.
Loved your Dead Trees book! I had actually bought the Kindle version before the con but when I started to read it this week I just kept hearing it in your narrative voice so I decided to skip the middle man and picked up your audio version. Was happy with my choice.
Keep the kitchen open and those free burritos coming. Can’t wait to see what KDBD will have for us next week.
Wil,
I just wanted to stop by and say that all you do means so much to me. You are my depression role model, which I guess is a weird thing to say, buy days like today when I don’t even want to get out of bed, your voice makes a difference.
Anyway, I’ll also answer the end of episode question, while I’m here. I listen on Podcast Addict.
Just wanted to say thanks, and that I’m so glad you’re making these again. 🙂
Really digging the radio show format you started working with here. Commentary interspersed with music has a nice balance. Also appreciate the effort put into the detailed “liner notes” with links that you include with your episodes. Listening on Apple Podcasts btw. Thanks Wil!
Hey Will,
Great episode, it made my day better!
Sorry to hear about people dumping their stuff on you however I really enjoy hearing another voice talking about mental health, anxiety, etc. It sucks to carry this garbled software in my head but it sucks far less when I know I’m not alone.
I can totally wait for another episode and I’ll enjoy listening to more RFB when you fit that into your schedule!
-end
Hi Wil,
It is amazing how animals (Monkeys, cats, Dogs ect) know and sense emotions.
During finals week at the university I am with they have mini horses and “Furry Friends for Finals” to help cope with the stress of finals.
Pay it forward or just being being kind – For me a value that I find inportant in my life. 🙂
Also Thank you- I try to listen to podcasts while walking/excerising so thanks for being part of my week.
Looking forward to the next one!
PS – I love the stories when you and Chris H were younger.
Hi Wil
Bit late to the party but checking in from Burrito #46, we’re out here and we’re listening!
Love all the stuff you do and have done since Wesley was the spaceman older brother I never had. Show me an artist that doesn’t have a crisis of confidence once in a while! Keep on doing what your heart tells you. Personally I hope one day that your muse will bring us Mermories of the future vol 2.
Tabletop is great! Glad the Burritos are back long may it continue!
I think the line that determines if a radio station starts with K or We is the Mississippi River. I live in St Paul, MN and our local stations have a mixture of W’s and K’s.
Tasty Burrito two weeks in a row! Thank you, Wil. I particularly enjoyed the Go-Go’s. I haven’t heard that song since the 80’s! Thanks again and I look forward to more.
It’s a good episode, thank you. I generally don’t like podcasts about the life of the host, but you are a good raconteur and make it work.
Also, anything that starts with Lord Buckley has a leg up.
Dude, that Slurm advert was hilarious! You should let your creative flag fly and do a fake ad every once in a while from some universe you enjoy to keep us on our toes. 🙂
And the news backed with “Hooked on Classics?” I had a few of those albums. So many nerdy memories.
Touching monkey story was touching. Thanks for telling it instead of writing it.
So glad these are back and I’m loving all this retro fun. Have fun doing this!
Great episode of Radio Free Burrito. Thanks for sharing, Wil 🙂
Wil-
Thank you for the reminder about kindness. I really needed it today. In the last few days I’ve had a couple of unpleasant encounters with neighbors in which I was given shit about my dog- unnecessarily so, I believe- and it was really distressing. I felt like my efforts to be polite and responsible and helpful were being interpreted to be the exact opposite, and to be honest I’m still a little miffed about both encounters. My genetic predisposition toward passive-aggression unburied itself a little, and I frankly don’t fucking like it.
So, hearing you talk about the difference between being kind and being nice today helped.
Thank you.
DFTBA
Wil, thanks so much for this great episode, and just a week after the last one, hooray! I didn’t hear any audio or skipping problems either this week, so whatever you did, the problem seems to be fixed! 🙂 Thank you for everything you do, and man I wish I could have a therapy monkey at work whenever I get stressed about stuff. I’m really glad that lady was there and was able to help you in a difficult moment. Take care and have a wonderful week!
I just love RFB, thanks for telling stories, and especially for saving your writing mojo for creating new works to publish. Your writing is compelling, and you have a knack for storytelling, both biographical and fictional. So thanks for making stuff and for sometimes not making stuff so you can make other stuff. And stuff.
Wow that “In the News” music and newscaster’s voice brought memories back! Thanks Wil!
–DAVE
Hey Wil, I just got home from seeing the new Alien movie, and I was listening to more of this episode as I was driving home at nearly 1:00 am, empty city streets, feeling melancholy thinking about the movie and loneliness and kind of reveling in it. And I wished the drive was farther because your voice, the tone and rhythms and mood, matched the moment perfectly. It felt like late night radio, driving through deep country darkness, keeping me company. Thanks Wil!
–DAVE
I whole heartedly agree!
Reposted from blog section because apparently migraine fogs don’t just steal words from my brain, they also make me incapable of navigating websites… sorry about that.
Wil, this episode just made me so happy to hear. Not the anxiety parts, although your description of the beginning of an attack strangely didn’t trigger me and instead kind of validated me and I’ll try to keep it in mind when convincing myself to keep breathing and that I’m not dying and that I can and have and will get past it. “You know what this is” is my biggest tool in my panic attack belt. Not a multi-tool to fix it all, but at least to keep it somewhat in check more often than I used to be able to.
But I am 100% with you on the Be Kind plan. As I get older, I realized more and more that the only thing I can do from day to day is to be a better version of myself. Whether it’s taking classes, getting better at my job, becoming more open, learning about new experiences and lifestyles… there is always a way to improve myself, and that’s my goal, every day. “Don’t be a dick” covered it succinctly, but as someone who has enjoyed you as an actor and has really enjoyed the pieces of your friendship that you and Chris share (GIF pronunciation arguments will NEVER not make me laugh), I have to say that I mostly just enjoy you as a person, in the bits that you choose to share with us. I want as many people in my life that want to evolve and progress as possible, and the change from the passive “don’t be a dick” to the active “be kind” is exactly the kind of evolution into making the world a better place based on how you live your daily life that fills my heart to see.
Thank you for everything you choose to allow us to be a part of, and I’m sorry for the people that can’t respect the boundaries that you are not only completely justified in setting, but that we’re extremely lucky that you set so far into your personal life.
We listened to this episode while driving across the country of Georgia, and your comments about nice vs kind is evident here. Most everyone here is kind. They have treated us very well. We are cognizant of how Americans can be perceived overseas, so we always try to be on our best, kind behavior, it makes it very easy when the locals are kind as well. Thanks for the new episode. It was awesome.
Maybe I’ve just been extra emotional lately, but the monkey story made me cry in my car on the way to work this morning. Were my desk area a mini habitat for a capuchin monkey, life would be significantly improved. I’ll just have to settle for the company of my pet 3D-printed water bear, which I’ve named Ripley. Ripley’s awesome.
So good to see a “1” appear again on the Radio Free Burrito pic in my podcatcher. Thanks Wil for regularly creating them again, very much appreciated and enjoyed! The latest one will be enjoyed on my way up to Birmingham tonight for UK Games Expo, yay!
Hey Wil,
So glad you’re back on the burrito!
I really like hearing you yack about stuff.
I’m a LTL, so I found it here.
I really empathize with your situation.
I’ve been doing my jobs for about twenty five years, and because of reasons, my jobs are being eliminated and/or replaced. I don’t live in the USA, so my options are extremely limited. No, I cannot return. No, I cannot retrain. I can take lesser paying jobs for the same work, though…and I will. I also do voice work. And I thank you a lot, because RPO has been a goto for me to get myself in the groove. When I do the work, I always get good feedback, and happy customers. There just ain’t so much work around here.
Enough about me and my problems!
Once again, thanks for being there and speaking out.
A difference is being made…by you.
Be Well, Big Al
Hey Wil,
I figured I would leave a comment on the post titled ‘Time Is Weird’ since, as I was reading a blog post five days after you wrote it I was reminded that I wanted to leave a comment on you Radio Free Burrito episode something something that I listened to a while back, which was probably a week or so after you recorded it. So yeah, time is weird (this is how the Qeng Ho must feel). Insert witty comment on the need for new verb tenses (and perhaps a Hitchhikers Guide reference) to deal with wacky situations like this here.
Anywho, just wanted to say that you have and by all indications will continue to make my life better with the various things that you make and I appreciate it. I also identify with the feeling that you expressed and thank you for having the courage to own it out loud and in public. In short, thanks for being you, Wil!