Getting Better Acquainted

In GBA 155 we get even better acquainted with my Dad. We talk about being a new father in different decades, mortality, how we are all time travelers through history, my childhood and if he has any regrets. This is the second episode of a 3 week "Personal Season". The first episode of the season came out last Wednesday: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-154-dad-4 Next week they'll be another conversation with my partner Jen that will be broken into 2 parts and come out on Wednesday (9th) and Friday (11), and then the week after that (16th) they'll be an episode that collects together true stories and personal songs that I've told and recorded over the last 2 years. Dad plugs Al Jazeera again: www.aljazeera.com/ We mention: Dad's previous episodes: http://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-dad-episodes Tony Blair: The episode that cover's my Mum's time working on theAdventure Playground: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-24-mum-1 The Partition: https://s

In GBA 154 we get even better acquainted with my Dad. We talk about his experiences of non-monogamy, try and get into an untold war time love story and explore general issues around sex and sexuality. WARNING: If you are related to us you may not want to listen to this episode. This is the first episode of a 3 week "Personal Season". On Friday (4th) they'll be another conversation with my dad, this time about parenting and mortality. Then next week they'll be another conversation with my partner Jen that will be broken into 2 parts and come out on Wednesday (9th) and Friday (11), and then the week after that (16th) they'll be an episode that collects together true stories and personal songs that I've told and recorded over the last 2 years. Dad plugs Al Jazeera: http://www.aljazeera.com/ I plug chocolate covered Hob Nobs. We mention: Dad's previous episodes: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-dad-episodes War Episode: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-3-dad-1 Fra

In GBA 153 we get better acquainted with Asia. She talks about collaboration, music, depression, singing, a complicated divorce, yoga, Poland, family, religion and more. This conversation touches on sensitive subjects, it also contains sensitive songs. Asia plugs: People collaborating with her on folk projects and Getting Better Acquainted as a language learning tool. Related episodes: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-live-2-a-room-full-of https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-100-pt-2 https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-141-a-room-full-of https://soundcloud.com/standuptragedy/stand-up-tragedy-spotlight-9-a https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-6-george https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-21-navin You can hear Getting Better Acquainted on Stitcher SmartRadio, Stitcher allows you to listen to your favourite shows directly from your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and beyond. On-demand and on the go! Don’t have Stitcher?

In GBA 152 we get better acquainted with Gary. He talks about the psychology, LARP, the statistical analysis of people's personalities, relationships, dyslexia, being bullied, living with siblings experiencing illness and more. Gary plugs: Plug: If you are interested in LARP listen to Zoe's episode: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-22-zoe If you are interested in alternative medicinelisten to a podcast that his sister April Blake did. I currently can't locate this podcast, and I will add it when I do track it down, assuming it still exists! We mention: Likert Scale: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Likert_scale Four Days in a Room: https://soundcloud.com/fourdaysinaroom/sets/highlights-from-four-days-in-a LARP: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_action_role-playing_game Tabletop: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabletop_role-playing_game Terry Pratchett: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabletop_role-playing_game Pope John Paul II: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_Paul_II Cognitive Be

In GBA 151 we get even better acquainted with Richard Tyrone Jones returns to talk about how he is a crap time lord, bereavement, sexuality, poetry, comedy and more. The conversation attempts to be about nuanced and emotional things despite the slightly surreal backdrop of a noisy pub in Deptford. Also included is a poem Richard told at Stand Up Tragedy about dementia. Here are Richard's previous GBA appearances: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-richard-tyrone-jones And here is the episode of Stand Up Tragedy we refer to: https://soundcloud.com/standuptragedy/stand-up-tragedy-spotlight-2 Richard plugs: 17th March: Alternative Comedy Memorial Society: http://noblefailure.org/shows/2014-03-17 6th April: UTTER!’ 10th BIRTHDAY – Mini-Edinburgh Fringe: https://www.facebook.com/events/1471587036401662/ August 1st-23rd: Crap Time Lord - details tbc & What the F*ck is this? 23.30 Banshee labyrinth at Edinburgh Free Fringe. . I additionally plug: Mon Apr 7th - Spark! Storytelling, Canal

In GBA 150 we get better acquainted with Becca. She talks about the art, culture and significance of calligraphy, football and rock concerts. And we get into her New Jersey upbringing, studying at Cornell University, how an introvert responds to London and the relationship between art and artists. Becca Plugs: Paying more attention to lettering We mention: Liz: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-4-liz Spark London: http://www.sparklondon.com/ 100th Episode: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/gba100-1 Book of Hours: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_hours Book of Kells: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Kells Irvine Welsh Malibou Stork Nightmares: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marabou_Stork_Nightmares Death of the Author: http://www.tbook.constantvzw.org/wp-content/death_authorbarthes.pdf Foucault: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Foucault Barthes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Barthes Oyster Card: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14836.aspx Real Madr

In GBA 149 we get better acquainted with Kathleen. She talks about being arrested for political activism, being nomadic, going to a Steiner School, podcasting, Bangladesh, Northern Ireland, community organising and more. Kathleen plugs: Her podcast Citizens Discs which will be launching on Friday 4th April. I will give it further shout outs on GBA nearer the time. Living in a Boat. The possibility of building more canals and having more house boats to address the housing shortage. Nomadism. We mention: Guest hosted by Alex episode: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-81-dave-guest-hosted-by In the Dark: http://www.inthedarkradio.org/ Wapping Project: http://www.thewappingproject.com/ Radcliffe Live Episode: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-live-4-radcliffe Desert Island Discs: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/desert-island-discs Steiner: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_education Steiner Centre London: http://www.waldorftraining.org.uk/ Hollywood: http://

In GBA 148 we get better acquainted with Musa Okwonga. We talk privilege, empathy, black history, climate change, progressive economics, TV/film, rape culture, inequality, journalism and so much more. Musa plugs: http://www.okwonga.com/ https://twitter.com/Okwonga I plug: Edit's of earlier GBA episodes are going out on Resonance 104.4 FM at 11am Fridays (repeated 2am Tuesdays): http://resonancefm.com/ Tragic Heroes: 21st March @ The Hackney Attic: https://www.facebook.com/events/502957866479816/ We mention: Musa's blog on feminism that I was reading while waiting to have a vasectomy: http://www.okwonga.com/?p=591 Fast and the Furious: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fast_and_the_Furious Spock: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spock Zachary Quinto: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spock Chris Pine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Pine Star Trek: Into Darkness: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_Into_Darkness New Statesman: http://www.newstatesman.com/ Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/ Guard

In GBA 147 we get better acquainted with Lisa. She talks about travelling round the world; including the experience of being hit by a car in Vietnam, the commercialization of atrocities, the practicalities and politics of travel and so much more. Lisa plugs: Her blog: http://lisafindley.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stowaway/152841568136841 I plug: Tragic Love: 13th February @ the Dogstar, Brixton: https://www.facebook.com/events/679186822103633/ We mention: Liz Episode: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-4-liz The Killing Fields: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_Fields Uluru: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uluru Carl Episode: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-131-carl You can hear Getting Better Acquainted on Stitcher SmartRadio, Stitcher allows you to listen to your favourite shows directly from your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and beyond. On-demand and on the go! Don’t have Stitcher? Download it for free today at www.stitcher.com or in the app store

In GBA 146 we get even better acquainted with Nick who is the brother of my old friend Richard: http://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-richard-episodes Nick talks candidly about trying to find is way in life, being bullied at school, being a younger brother comparing yourself to a successful older brother, fitting in, being a life guard, going to America on a whim and having an epiphany at the top of the Grand Canyon, deciding against a career in radio and more. This is the third and final conversation in the Kingdom season which started last week with Richard 2. Nick plugs: the idea of taking off your masks and seeing yourself for who you are. GBA has another season coming up on Resonance FM. Episodes from the back catalogue reedited to fit the hour slot will be going out at 11am on Fridays (repeated at 2am on Tuesdays) from the 31st of January. http://www.resonancefm.com/ Resonance FM could do with your support. Please consider helping fund what they do: http://resonancefm.com/supp

In GBA 145 we get even better acquainted with John Kingdom who is the father of my old friend Richard: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-richard-episodes John talks about his interest in pianolas, engineering, being a project manager, living in the Soviet Union during the time that it was stopping being the Soviet Union, father and grandfather-hood and so much more. He also outlines his "compassionate conservative" views and presents his view of recent political history. It has quite a strange start and features a cameos from Richard, a pianola and a baby. This is the second conversation in the Kingdom season which started last week with Richard #2. Next week I will air conversations with Nick who is John's son and Richard's brother. John Plugs: Compassion and love GBA has another season coming up on Resonance FM. Episodes from the back catalogue reedited to fit the hour slot will be going out at 11am on Fridays (repeated at 2am on Tuesdays) from the 31st of January. http://resonan

In GBA 144 we get even better acquainted with Richard. I interrogate him about his youthful mistakes and he pushes me to ask him all the questions on my list. We cover rat welfare, changes in approach, growing up, the relationships of artists and audiences, changes in political thinking and more. This is the second conversation that I have had with him and it starts the Kingdom season: over the next two weeks I will air conversations with Richard's father and brother. Richard #1: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-57-richard The plugs are peppered through the episode! GBA has another season coming up on Resonance FM. Episodes from the back catalogue reedited to fit the hour slot will be going out at 11am on Fridays (repeated at 2am on Tuesdays) from the 31st of January. http://resonancefm.com/ Resonance FM could do with your support. Please consider helping fund what they do: http://resonancefm.com/support We mention: Clive: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-11-clive

In GBA 143 we get better acquainted with Joe Murphy. He talks music, record labels, the History of the Popes, re-imagining Robin Hood, finding inspiration on the Holloway Road and more. Joe plugs: Go to the devil and shake yourself: http://www.blang.co.uk/shop?view=album&album=44 Segeant Buzfuz: http://www.sergeantbuzfuz.com/ Blang: http://www.blang.co.uk/ Next Sergeant Buzfux gig: Monday March 31 at 12 Bar Club with the fantastic Jinx Lennon from Dundalk I plug: Tragic Beginnings: 17th January @ Hackney Attic (upstairs at the Hackney Picturehouse): http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Hackney_Picturehouse/film/Stand_Up_Tragedy_Tragic_Beginnings/ This is Joe performing at SUT: https://soundcloud.com/standuptragedy/sut-episode-8-joe-murphy We mention: 2012 Edinburgh Special: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-71-edinburgh-festival Utter Spoken Word: http://www.utterspokenword.com/ Richard Tyrone Jones: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-richard-tyrone-jones Stand

In GBA 142 we get better acquainted with Nicole. She talks about storytelling, complicated families, jive dancing, the history of search engines and more. Nicole plugs: Her playwriting Spark London: http://www.sparklondon.com Don't dance holding beer This is the story she told at Spark London: http://www.mixcloud.com/sparklondon/the-cookie-monster-nicole-thomas/ And this is a blogpost she wrote about a very sad event that we didn't get to on mic, but covered off mic [content note: addiction, death]: http://treefroggirl.tumblr.com/post/33664383911/the-duke-of-earl-wont-go-to-rehab I plug: Tragic Beginnings: 17th January @ Hackney Attic (upstairs at the Hackney Picturehouse) We mention: Yahoo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo! GoTo.com: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goto.com Microsoft: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft Google: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google Bing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bing Search Alliance: http://yahoobingnetwork.com/en/home David Lee: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/b

In this GBA Extra I discuss the uncertain position I find myself in this New Year, have a brief round up of what's been going on with Getting Better Acquainted in 2013 and offer up various rants and explanations. Reflections, apologies, resolutions and possible solutions. I plug: Suggesting/offering me jobs, commissions and solutions! - GBApodcast@gmail.com Mentioned: The 2012 Christmas Special: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-91-getting-better?in=gettingbetteracquainted/sets/christmas-specials GBA 100: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/gba100-1 Live episodes: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/gba-live Edinburgh Season: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/stand-up-tragedy-at-edinburgh Resonance FM: http://resonancefm.com/ GBA Resonance Edits: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/resonance-fm-edits Helen Zaltzman: http://www.helenzaltzman.com/ Helen Zaltzman Live Episode: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracqu

In GBA 141 we get better acquainted with Christmas (again). It's the 2013 Christmas Special: A festive curiosity once again full of intimacy, doubt, shared history, music & cheer. This year we join the GBA house band and A Room Full of Friends to sing some Christmas songs and talk some Christmas talk. This year's Christmas special is designed to be: "Like an episode of Killroy where the issue being discussed is Christmas. With songs." As part of the house band I am joined by: Asia - (GBA not yet aired) Sam - https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-99-sam George - https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-6-george https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-106-jack-and-george With special guest Harv who shared a song and recorded the room: https://twitter.com/SteveHSoundtech The rest of the room full of friends are: Jen: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-jen-episodes/ Dad: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-dad-episodes/ Tony: https

In GBA 140 we get better acquainted with Ewa. She talks about Polish political and religious history and relates it the present & the personal. We also get into the experience of being a student, working as a waiter in the UK when you are perceived as an "Eastern European" immigrant, studying PR, friendship and lots more. This is the second time (and first that has aired) in GBA history where I recorded a conversation, lost the recording and then had to record a second one! Ewa plugs: The art of Liam Willday: http://cargocollective.com/LiamWillday Her boyfriends (ex)band: https://soundcloud.com/the-angry-lesbians https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nikita-The-Angry-Lesbians/125129054330569 I plug: Tragic Christmas: 12th December @ The Dogstar in Brixton: www.facebook.com/events/215735955261699/ We mention: Volunteer Centre Westminster: http://www.volunteer.co.uk/ Warsaw Uprising: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Uprising Women's Party in Poland: http://www.partiakobiet.org.pl/ Brave New World: http://en.

This Getting Better Acquainted extra brings together two true stories that are in some ways about time and space. They deal with memory, with family, with childhood and with relationship between different generations and cultures. Both stories in some way relate to each other and to this weeks main GBA episode: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-139-patricia The first is very directly related as it expands on some of the conversation that takes place in Episode 139. Patricia told this story live on stage at a Spark London night. http://www.sparklondon.com/ The second story was written and performed by me at my night Stand Up Tragedy. http://www.standuptragedy.co.uk It's about my gran who passed away less than 2 weeks ago. In some ways this extra episode is meant as a tribute to her, she is someone I will never be able to get better acquainted with. It's a different version of the story featured in this previous GBA episode: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-119-mum-

In GBA 139 we get better acquainted with Patricia. She talks about childhood, dead bodies, displacement, childhood, The European Union, storytelling, bereavement, Law School and more. On Friday a GBA extra will come out featuring a story Patricia told at Spark London which builds on many of the things she touches on in this conversation. Patricia plugs or perhaps negotiates with: her writing I plug: Tragic Christmas: 12th December @ The Dogstar in Brixton: www.facebook.com/events/215735955261699/ We mention: Spark London: http://www.sparklondon.com/ Radcliffe Royds: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-radcliffe-episodes/ Appellate Law: http://www.appellatelaw.net/g-appellatelaw.htm You can hear Getting Better Acquainted on Stitcher SmartRadio, Stitcher allows you to listen to your favourite shows directly from your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and beyond. On-demand and on the go! Don’t have Stitcher? Download it for free today at www.stitcher.com or in the app stores. He

In this special GBA Live recorded at the Idea Store Whitechapel as part of the Write Idea Festival Fringe I get better acquainted with Helen Zaltzman. http://www.helenzaltzman.com/ We talk adapting Answer Me This! into a book, badger taxidermy, old gods, Sound Women and books. Helen does a pretty excellent job of counter-interviewing me, getting a surprising amount out of as yet unrevealed Dave related info. In return I talk to her about her oddest editing jobs, how her artist father has influenced what she does, ghost writing and lots more. Helen plugs: Answer Me This!: http://www.answermethispodcast.com/ Sound Women Podcast: http://www.soundwomen.co.uk/podcast/ The Answer Me This! Christmas Album: http://answermethispodcast.com/albums I plug: Tragic Christmas: 12th December @ The Dogstar in Brixton: https://www.facebook.com/events/215735955261699/ We mention: Write Idea Festival: http://writeideafestival.org/ Unfortunatalie: https://twitter.com/unfortunatalie JJ Abrams: http://en.wikipedia.org/w