When I was little I was obsessed with radio plays. As a writer I strive to find stories in any fashion, from books, from movies, from audio. I had my mom purchase Lightsout, Inner Sanctum, Suspense, and more on cassette tape. While some people feel asleep to Primus, I curled up with the Shadow and criminal masterminds. I was so intrigued I'd often recreate my own murder mystery hours by recording friends reading scripts I had written and experimenting with making things sound like elements of the show. I'd traipse around in heels on hardwood floors to recreate the effect of footsteps, or snap a leather belt together to make it sound like someone slapped another person in the face (that was a personal favorite and worked well with scary stories or detective adventures). I'd even write commercial breaks for objects I found around the house.
So it's no wonder to me that even though I got into podcasts way too late, they are something I throughly enjoy. When I used to drive every day I would spend the miles to and from places listening. As the world slowed down and my car journeys became next to nothing I've transitioned into checking in on my favorite shows while taking a coffee break on weekend mornings, before adventures begin, or on long walks during the week. On the nights friends are burned out from a full day of phone conferences and don't want to talk I stroll my neighborhoods (in a mask and keeping 6 feet of distance from other people) with stories, audio ted talks, or weird facts pouring into my ears. It's perfect complement to the hours of reading I'm doing, and helps me from going through all the kindle books I was gifted for my birthday too quickly.
In light of the current situation many have turned to the ramifications, or tragic losses happening during COVID19, and I've actually been impressed by how many of these tales have found ways to shed light on interesting facts instead of dwelling on the negative. A recent show spoke about the death of a famous architect due to the pandemic by celebrating the glory of his work and life. The show ended by talking about how he had made a list of things all architects should know. Though some of these things probably pertain to those truly wanting to build usable structures, I thought I would share a few general ones along with some I wrote and think everyone should know/ experience in their lifetime. Let me know what you think. Have you experienced these things, do you want to?
Here you go. Things you should know/ experience in your lifetime:
1. The feel of slick river stones under bare feet.
2. How to live in a small room with five strangers for six months.
3. With the same strangers in a lifeboat for one week.
4. How you handle crisis when it's happening to you.
5. The distance a shout carries in the city.
6. The distance of a whisper.
7. How you handle a crisis when it's not about you.
8. The thrill of accomplishing something you never thought you could do.
9. The thrill of helping someone else accomplish something they never thought they could do.
10. The flowering season for azaleas.
11. The smirk you get when wearing an outfit that makes you feel the most yourself.
12. The amount of space you really need to feel comfortable in a house.
13. The thrill of the ending of a really good book.
14. How to caulk and paint.
15. What vegetables grow best together in a garden.
16. The rate at which the seas are rising.
17. The heartbeat of a crowd in a stadium at a concert.
18. The feeling of being small under a blanket of stars.
19. What your favorite type of art is.
20. A non-judgmental attempt at trying art you aren't good at just to feel what it's like to create it.
21. A three legged race.
22. Inside jokes that you still find funny 10 years after they happen.
23. 20 years after they happen.
24. How to live in a city.
25. How to sit in a corner.
26. How to live in a small town.
27. Or alone.
28. The feel of a perfect fitting pair of pants.
29. The wind through mountain trees.
30. The tickle of sand through your toes as ocean waves retreat.
31. The quality of light passing through ice.
32. The truth that accidents must happen.
33. Learning from a big mistake.
34. The smell of the Earth after it rains.
35. Something about feng shui.
36. How to make an overeasy egg.
37. Aristotle’s Politics.
38. His Poetry.
39. Good alcohol.
40. How to escape a maze.
41. What you are truly afraid of.
42. Strategies in which to combat those fears.
43. What the planet can afford.
44. Finding you way around a foreign city.
45. The kindness of a stranger.
46. Another language.
47. What to refuse to do even for money.
48. How to get lost.
49. How a patch leaks.
50. What makes you happy.
51. The snacks you need on a road trip.
52. How to listen closely.
53. Safety when working with tools.
54. The importance of Vitamin D.
55. How to balance on a bicycle.
56. The art of giving.
57. That a lot of friends doesn't equal good friends.
58. The value of those friends that are good.
59. The feeling of being on something really high.
60. Which way the wind blows.
61. People's personalities that don't match up with yours.
62. What tires you out.
63. What energizes you.
64. The beauty of another culture.
65. Or another person's beliefs.
66. How to give directions, efficiently and courteously.
67. What it’s like to walk amongst a wonder of the world.
68. Or at the top of a mountain you didn't drive up.
69. The proper proportions of a gin martini.
70. The golden ratio.
71. Shakespeare, et cetera.
72. How the crow flies.
73. The pleasure of a sunset.
74. And a sunrise.
75. Whether you are a morning person or not.
76. What traits are strongest in you.
77. What exercise you love.
78. and hate.
79. The meaninglessness of borders.
80. The reasons for their tenacity.
81. A song that makes you cry.
82. That makes you dance.
83. That you never get sick of.
84. It is possible to begin again.
85. The connection of two people who have been through something tough together.
86. The angle of the sun at the equinox.
87. Basic car needs and functions.
88. Whether or not you like the opera.
89. Cooking a meal for a group of people.
90. Having a meal cooked for you.
91. Receiving a letter in the mail.
92. Sentence structure.
93. What your vices are and how to combat them.
94. The thrill of the ride on a rollercoaster.
95. Where materials come from.
96. What to do without toilet paper.
97. The pattern of artificial light at night, seen from space.
98. Camping for more than just a night, in more than just your backyard.
99. How to take care of houseplants and keep them alive.
100. The ability to receive a gift graciously.
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