Radio Free Burrito: Episode Nineteen
wil, · Categories: Books, MusicHoly 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.
I really dig the way RFB and your blog are interacting here, Wil. It’s great to see you synergizing like this. Synergizing!
I really wasn’t sure what was going on…..
I LOVED your story!!! It was like actually being there in it. Loved it last night, but LOVE it so much more hearing it read from you. You truly have a wonderful gift Wil. I am trying to get better at my writing, but will never match your creative, words brought to life style. Just awesome!
Pee Wee….now there is a trip down memory lane. It has been years since I last saw Big Adventure….that came out in like 1985 or something right? Good times for sure!! That guy made Saturday mornings.
As excited as it made you to receive the retweet from Paul, that is how excited I was the first time I got a response from you on some feedback I left on one of your post. You made that week for me!
Anyways, wonderful job as always. Can’t wait for next weeks RFB episode:) Stay safe on the LA highways. Take care Wil:)
Another day of work spent unproductive due to the much more interesting going ons on twitter and RFB…Damn you Wil Wheaton and your captivating personality and riviting writing…damn you *shakes fist*
hehe…Just actually started following you on twitter ( I still can’t get over the stalkerishness of that term) and I have to say I’m rarely dissapointed by your musings. Thanks for keeping me entertained 🙂
Wil,
I think you do a superb job of observing and interpreting Los Angeles, and finding the beauty that many miss living here. Thank you.
Thank you for the music recommendations! More fodder for work. 😀
Hello Mr. Wheaton. I started downloading your podcast a week ago and let me tell you it is amazing. You are very good at this. Keep doing it!
Kevin Seedorf
Mexico
I came over here to listen to this RFB, as I’ve fallen ridiculously behind on all things podcast, but you know what? I think I’ll stay behind for right now. I think I’ll call my dad. He was nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh nineteen in 1965.(Oh, I wonder how many readers didn’t get the reference…sigh…)
Thanks for the unintentional reminder that life’s short, and thus I should call now, Wil. Night!
I immediately got the 19 reference (Paul Hardcastle?) … such a child of the 80s.
Wil,
I loved this story yesterday, and enjoyed it even more listening to your read of it. For 3 years now, I’ve been a Los Angeles resident myself, (I’m just finishing up studying to be an animator at USC), and so many moments rang true for me.
Especially relevant to me was the passage where you pondered how Hollywood holds up for visitors, as I just stuck two East coasters on a Super Shuttle back to LAX only yesterday. Neither of them had ever been to Los Angeles (one of them had never even been on a plane before), and so for them the idea of visiting LA was synonymous with visiting some sort of star-studded playground full of celebrities and glamorous streets.
I knew it was a bad sign when, while waiting for a ride out of LAX, one of the visitors wondered aloud “I wonder if we’ll see any famous people…” As I’m sure you can imagine, my tiny apartment near the Staples Center, and its surrounding neighborhood, didn’t match her expectations.
On Monday, my enthusiastic guests decided to take a day to get on the bus and “explore Los Angeles.” They wanted to see the “touristy stuff”, the stuff on the postcards.These two were used to cities like Boston and New York city: cities where one can walk around and discover something interesting every few blocks, and they expected to do the same in LA. As you know however, Los Angeles is a city based on cars, and I knew immediately they would be disappointed. I tried to talk them out of it and tell them that my roommate and I could drive them around once we were done with morning errands but they “had a lot [they wanted] to see and want[ed] to start as early as possible.” With that, they slung their cameras over their shoulders and got on the Dash.
As expected, an hour later I got a call from them. They had made it to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and they did not like what they saw.
“There’s nothing else to see here!”
“…that’s what I told you!”
“And it’s so creepy!”
“…again, I told you…”
“It’s just so frustrating! And why are there so many homeless and crazy people here?”
“What did you expect?”
“I don’t know… it’s Hollywood! I thought we’d see some sets or celebrities or something… or at least some cool stores..”
Finally, I relented and agreed to go pick them up and bring to Santa Monica. They had a great time there, but the general consensus seemed to be that LA had not lived up to expectations.
My guests had come hoping to see the land promised to them in television and movies: a dazzling city full of excitement, wonder, famous people and things to buy. Instead, it had disappointed them with its true mundane reality and somehow, they seemed to imply, I was the culprit. Either I didn’t know the proper way to get around, or I didn’t know the ‘fun’ places to go, or I just didn’t care enough, their implications seemed to be. All I know is that putting up with them was just as frustrating as their dealing with the disappointment of Los Angeles.
In any case, imagine my shock when I came back into my apartment after getting rid of them to find you had just published a blogpost on EXACTLY what I was thinking. In every conversation I had with my guests as they were leaving, the underlying tone was “why do you live here?” It was a question I couldn’t quite put together an answer for at the time. I’m here because this is the heart of film and the birthplace of modern animation, and that’s what I want to spend my life doing. It was something I couldn’t explain to them in words but, amazingly, you managed to sum up my thoughts and my experiences with this city in your fantastic bit of writing.
So, all of this is just a long way of saying I greatly enjoyed your piece and telling you that it touched me on a good level and really got me thinking, so thank you for that! I always look forward to each burrito, and it never fails to disappoint!
so thanks!
@stirpicus
You’re probably missing it each time, but I’m going to keep trying to pass along this info until you see it:
You can embed artwork into an mp3 with mp3tag found here: http://www.mp3tag.de/en/
It allows you to bounce your podcast out directly to mono mp3, and then tag it (and add artwork) without a further conversion process. It’s what I use for my music.
As far as I know, youre the only one who got it (or at least the first to comment).
In any case: EXCELSIOR!
I think I looked at that, and got the impression that it only worked on Windows. Maybe Im insane, though, so Ill check it out again.
Thanks for the link, anyway. 🙂
Wil-
First time listening to RFB and I love it! Not surprising since I love your blog and twitter, but a nice new find for me anyway. You have a wonderful talent at writing and telling stories that are simultaneously funny and genuine. I could listen to you all day (that came out kind of creepy, but my point is that I’m going to buy your audiobooks, so I can literally listen to you all day. Still creepy, but profitable). Just wanted to say how much I enjoy your work! Also, good use of the word turgid.
Wil,
Brief fangirl rant: LOVED you in SBMe, love you in TNG, and was really interested when I discovered you again via Games of our Lives The Onion AV Club. Since then I’ve been following you around the interwebz (there’s the stalkerish lingo the PP mentioned), and it’s really been worth it. Okay, gushing…done.
RFB #19 came at the perfect time. I’m a computer nerd who does a lot of semi-creative work for my nerdsite – blog, podcast, reviews – and I’ve been uninspired this week. What you said, about feeling like the work you do just drops into oblivion…that hit home with me.
I loved the story, and the reading. (Also LOVED thet track you played…will have to go buy it…) I feel energized again about my next couple of projects. So, thanks. And keep it up. Viva la burrito!
(BTW, hubby and I spent our 5th anniversary in LA/Hollywood this year, and enjoyed it quite well. But then, we’re used to the fact that even the most glamorous places are just places, with a little something extra.)
And…nineteen. Nineteen. N-n-n-n-n-ninteen…
To be fair, there are a whole lot of areas of Los Angeles that are quite nice. I have a lot of family in the area, and have had really great trips. But Hollywood specifically is the city that people have the highest expectations of, and experience the biggest disappointments.
Hi Wil … just wanted to let you know that both your podcasts were highlighted on the latest episode of Forgotten Classics (my podcast). By the way, it is the books over there that are forgotten classics, NOT the podcasts that I highlight. 🙂
I really have been enjoying the Burrito and wanted to let you know!
Hello Mr. Wheaton. Long time listener, first-time commenter. I just wanted to let you know that your podcasts and blogs are extremely inspiring. I have been talking myself into writing a TV pilot and a spec script or two for some time, and you have provided the impetus for me to “get excited and make things”.
PS – I am a TV editor, and many years ago I worked on a show called “Twice In A Lifetime”, and had the pleasure of editing your performance in the final episode of that show. Don’t worry – I think it got canceled before your episode aired 🙂
Hmmm… wget is getting a
Read error at byte 8427027/29509090 (Connection reset by peer)
Any ideas?
Ive never tried downloading the show with wget, so I have no idea why thats happening.
Are you running a perl script or something? Maybe substitute curl for wget? Or just right-click if youre doing it manually.
Theres a feed, too, at feeds.feedburner.com/radiofreeburrito which is good for automation.
Right-click was what I tried first, but it would die half way through. I downloaded most of your other podcasts with wget and it always worked perfectly. Let met try one more time directly from the browser…
Thats really weird. I wonder if Typepad has some kind of throttling when it serves large files? Youre not the first person who has had a download fail before its completed.
After retrying for about 100 times, wget finally succeeded! Yay! 🙂 By the way, is this comment section the preferred way to give feedback? You’re doing so many great things, I wonder if your faithful followers have to keep track on where to comment on what… Greetings from Germany!
Wil, I just wanted to say that I really enjoy your podcast. If I had spare money at the moment, I would feed that burrito so hard in order to keep you producing these all the time. I was stuck in a blizzard last week, away from home, and had added your podcast to my zune before I left for something new to listen to. It was such a joy to listen to while being stuck in that house, watching the snow just whip around us. Listening to the way you retell your stories on here is really making me want to try to writing myself, even though I don’t feel I have a truly creative bone in my body.
You have also made me deeply conflicted. I want to buy your books, but now I don’t know if I want the audio book version so I can hear how you retell them, or if I want the print version that I can carry around with me into blizzards. Blizzards are a recurring theme in Wisconsin, so I’d have a lot of downtime to read them.
The puppets were just awesome 🙂
Thanks for the great story and the great music. Looking forward to more.
Did you know that Radio Free Burrito is listed under “New & Noteworthy” on iTunes? I thought that was particularly awesome.
You do a lot of wonderful things, but perhaps the best IS how you inspire your readers and listeners. You are inclusive, and we benefit from that 🙂
Wow! Thats awesome. I didnt know that, and am off to grab some screenshots now.
You know whats funny? I think Ive heard that song, like, once or twice. I just remember it because I did the math back when I did hear it and realized my dad was nineteen when he took a tour of the jungle. Since my brother was about nineteen at the time I realized this, it stuck with me how truly shitty that had to be. Thus, when I saw the song reference, I gave my dad a call. For no reason at all. And he said thanks. You know, I really should do that more often.
Oh, and thank you, sir. Ill take an EXCELSIOR! any day, True Believer.
Hi Wil! I really enjoyed this podcast. I’ve been listening to your podcastings ever since you did some a few years back about auditions and working as an actor in LA. As an actor in NY (originally from London), I really found solidarity in your struggles and frustrations, and having recently finished Just A Geek (REALLY want the audiobook version), I wanted to thank you for helping me feel that I’m not alone with my self-doubts and fears.
I recently decided to quit my day job that takes me away from acting and music, and will soon be doing anything I can to earn money (except *that*) while I try and establish myself in the NY film scene and grow the success of my band. Your book and podcasts have helped me so much to have courage to take this step, and I referenced you (also, I stole/borrowed a concept you used in Just A Geek) in my recent blog about this at http://rachelgrundy.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/in-which-i-start-my-life-anew/.
So again – thanks! This podcast was a fun story and very evocative of the picture you were describing. I really travelled back in time with you and could see the places you described, even though I’ve never been to LA. Keep up the awesome work! Rachel 🙂
This has been one of my favorites…keep them coming!
Excellent work as always, Mr Will.
On a selfish note, I need to ask you a quick and painless question before posting up a podcast episode tonight. Follow me on twitter just long enough for a direct message, or let me know another means.
Sorry for interrupting the awesomeness. ..I’ll get outta the way
thanks!
~nuurdygirl
I just started listening to Radio Free Burrito today and I don’t know if the Scotty and Sulu at the end is common on your podcast but I liked it. I also loved your post but loved it more hearing you read it.
I’ve been listening to your podcasts for the last four days straight. It’s been interesting because some of the cultural comments go over my head; and some are spot on- like gaming or the moving piece you did about Patrick Stewart.
I’m an original Trekker, or Trekkie (if you like and I’ve been that since the age of 8 when the series orignially came out) and all along it’s been like: I’ve had my nose pressed against the glass looking in. Yours has been the first voice, I can really respond to. I can touch some of the magic by talking to you (I once got to meet Walter Koenig at a Con but almost passed out and couldn’t get a word out of my mouth at all when he was looking quite quizzically at me!)
Grubby Fanboy, right? Or is that Fanperson these days? Oh well; since I’ve caught up with everything. I’ll try my hand at my blog. Hope you enjoyed the visit and more to follow! ‘Till then cheerio!
Absolutely fantastic episode, having you read your post makes it so much more … real! You have a very good “spoken word” voice and I hope to hear many more of these in the future 🙂
Keep it up!
Dave
Hi Wil, I love your podcast! Thank you for continuing to create new “episodes” (for lack of a better word). I listened to #19 last night (I am slightly behind) and your story from the LA highway lulled me to sleep! It also consequently jarred me awake later on, creating a semi-disaster in the bedroom involving an airborne iPod and a half empty can of pop.
I gave you a shout out on my blog… which I don’t think anyone reads, but it can’t hurt 🙂
Thanks again!
Thanks for a great show, loved the story….
and the Opium Head was fantastic too.
Thanks for the burrito!