Well, since summer is coming to the Falls one day at a time this year, I wanted to take a moment in the middle of a truly wonderful day (80 degrees, light wind, puffy-puffy clouds in the sky) it sit back and pen a post about my plans for the warm season.

If you are a podcast listener, you probably already know we are taking our usual summer hiatus from new productions to feature different (read: non-IBRT) content on the podcast. Last summer it was ‘Stuff Jeff did Before’ This summer it’s: ‘Old Time Radio’. I can only hope I come up with something before next summer because right now, I have no idea.

There are plenty of OTR (GeekSpeak for Old Time Radio) podcasts out there, but this one is different. I’m endeavoring to come on at some point in each ‘cast and give a few comments about the show we’re running that week, and how it had an influence. My hope is I won’t yammer too much, and ya’ll will find it at least partially interesting. Week one was, ‘The Haunted Mansion’ a Disney recording I’ve owned since I was eight and have loved all the time. In fact, that episode’s feature recording is a digital copy of my actual record album, scratches and all!

Week Two was the first of two episodes featuring Mike McDonough’s Peabody Award winning series, Bradbury-13. I discovered this series on cassette at the public library in Monmouth, Oregon about nine years ago, and it had a lot to do with my decision to concentrate on audio theater. The stories are classic pulp SF, all from the master Ray Bradbury. Last episode was ‘Night Call, Collect’ simply because that was the first B13 I’d ever heard. The NEXT episode I’m really excited about. It’s called ‘The Ravine’ and it’s taken from Bradbury’s classic story collection ‘Dandelion Wine’. This show is what did it for me. This show is what showed me you could engage people with audio as fully as you could with film or print. Podcast date is June 22, so be sure to be listening.

It’s been a wonderful day to be out and about today. I took the long walk to church and back, iPod whispering The Sonic Society in my ears the whole way. They interviewed their #1 Matt Leon (sic?) of the Double Dorkmeter podcast, who mentioned yours truly as an influence in his own productions. I love those little boosts you get in the audio world. I’m starting to feel like an elder statesman.

Looking ahead, I can’t wait for CONvergence at the beginning of July. My whole family will be there again along with the Erwin family of Fort Frances, all of whom (spare mother Marilyn) have appeared in our shows. Just before that, it’s a jet trip to the great Pacific Northwest and my parent’s Golden Wedding Anniversary. All is great at this end, and summer (for today, at least) is finally here. This is Jeff saying thanks for the read, and Keep Listening!