Getting Better Acquainted

In GBA 35 we get better acquainted with Tony. I talk with my brother about... well brotherhood. Our shared history, tensions, love, influences on each other, our similarities and differences. It's a bit touching. We also talk about teaching, art, drama, and wasps. GBA is getting all warm and fuzzy just in time for Christmas. In fact next Wednesday will be a Christmas special! Then I'm taking a week off. Returning in the new year. Tony doesn't really plug anything. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 34 we get better acquainted with both Eric and my father. It's late at night after dinner and we’ve had a few drinks, so we also get better acquainted with me as I talk more than usual. We talk about their friendship (which is older than me), the effects and interactions of one generation on another, Eric and my Dad’s short but very interesting experiences in teaching and Eric’s big theory on how class is experienced in modern Britain. The plugging section is devoted to what Eric and Dad would like to say to younger generations, although ironically it is rather hijacked by me talking about how important it is to listen to other generations! Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 33 we get better acquainted with Eric. He talks about his extensive BBC career, film making, writing, how he met my father, the effect of national service and the physical and sensual process of typing. And a lot more. He also has a very interesting approach to the process of being recorded. Eric deconstructs the process and purpose of plugging. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 32 we get better acquainted with Joanna Yates. She talks true stories, psychology and Spark London. A great in depth conversation about the ethics, impact and art of telling true life stories. We recorded this conversation in the bar of the Cafe Canal Theatre where the monthly Spark London true story nights take place. December 5th: Spark London @ The Cafe Canal Theatre - New Beginnings: http://www.sparklondon.com/event/2011/12/05/42 December 19th: Spark London Open Mic @ Ritzy Cinema, Brixton - Christmas: http://www.sparklondon.com/event/2011/12/19/48 Joanna plugs sharing a story at Spark London: To do that see http://www.sparklondon.com/ for upcoming themes and email joanna@sparklondon.com with your story. Two stories I told at Spark, one at the Brixton Open Mic and one at The Cafe Canal Theatre can be heard in GBA1: http://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-1-dave Listen to Spark London weekly on it's podcast available from their website, on mixcloud or through iTunes: http://itunes.

In this GBA Extra I talk to Chris about how the March for Alternative (the demo against the cuts on the 26th March 2011) looked from the point of view of a legal observer. In GBC 31 Ged and me discussed our experiences of that March: http://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-31-ged Chris has a full conversation in GBA 25: http://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-25-chris UK Uncut: http://www.ukuncut.org.uk/ Fortnum 145: http://fortnum145.org/2011/11/08/have-we-opted-out-of-universal-human-rights/ Chris added this to the conversation: From the student protests last year, from March 26th and other challenges to the neoliberal austerity programme, people have been going to prison on absurd public order charges. Witnesses can make the difference between freedom and prison, and you may be a witness so here's a quick callout: if you saw any arrests during that protest or another, on the student demo just passed on November 9th, or if you see arrests during the upcoming strike next Wednesda

In GBA 31 we get better acquainted with Ged. He talks about Blackpool, class, George Orwell & protest amongst other things. We are on a train to Edinburgh and drinking beer. We also address some of our points of tension. Look out for a GBA extra ON FRIDAY where I get another POV on the march that me and Ged discuss. Ged plugs: His Indian Schools comic adaptation of Voyage of the Beagal by Charles Darwin Dogem Logic: http://www.dodgemlogic.com/ Ged's Comic Strip: Twixt the Steeple and the Ground http://www.flickr.com/photos/thoughtbubblefestival/5065122049/ If people want to get in touch with Ged about writing or theatre related matters drop me an email at GBApodcast@gmail.com and I'll pass on your messages. Additional: Movember: http://uk.movember.com/mospace/1560146/ Ged mentions Z Net: http://zcommunications.org/znet The TUC organised March for the Alernative: My blog on the day: http://goosefat101twitterspills.blogspot.com/2011/03/truth.html Jen's Blog on the day:http://www.jadamthwaite

In GBA 30 we get better acquainted with Rosemary. She talks about the transformative power of theatre in education, drumming, faith, same sex marriage, working with children and adults with special needs, music and more. And I tell my origin story that involves a school in a small Welsh town, a Native American and a moment when my understanding changed. Rosemary plugs: Her band Le Miro if you're interested in booking them email me at GBApodcast@gmail.com and I will put you in touch with them. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 29 we get better acquainted with Matt. Recorded in a snatched moment at (future GBA guest) Richard's wedding, Matt talks about being an evangelical Christian, love, homophobia in religions, the Bible as literature, spirituality and the nature of performance. We come at the conversation from different sides and we meet somewhere in the middle. Matt doesn't really plug anything, but the conversation is generally a plug for Christianity and specifically about having a relationship with God. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 28 we get better acquainted with my sister Rebecca. She talks about being an ex-pat in Germany, being a probation officer, social work, Oxford University, vegetarianism and her relationship to the idea of teaching. This episode was recorded in last April late at night in a reverb filled room in Bad Godesberg whilst drinking Horlicks. Rebecca doesn't plug anything. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 27 we get better acquainted with Joss. He talks about the effect of digital technology on television and film production, cultural background, health, therapy and meditation. We also compare notes about being writer/musicians whose parents are writers and artists. Joss plugs his music: http://www.stormboy.net/ http://soundcloud.com/jossarmitage If you're interested in the broadcast industry and its technology then google "Joss Armitage" for his essays and this is his company: http://www.jumppr.tv/ Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 26 we get better acquainted with Angela. She talks about programming computer simulations of Jaguars and Hedgehogs and being Welsh and proud amongst other things. We meet for the first time in 10 years, compare notes and talk how we have come to know ourselves better as we get older. It even has a cameo from a dog. Angela plugs: The University of Southampton: Complex System Simulations DTC: http://www.icss.soton.ac.uk/ Her blog: http://computationalecology-angelawatkins.blogspot.com/ Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 25 we walk road the streets of Brixton getting better acquainted with Chris. He talks conversation, statistical analysis, being a craftist, cycling round London and much more. We also have a big conversation about whether money is neutral a tool for organising society! Chris plugs: The Anarchist Bookfair 2011: http://anarchistbookfair.org.uk/ and also the idea of getting involved in things you care about. Want to cycle round London but your nervous of doing it? Chris recommends: http://www.cycletraining.co.uk/ He also offers to personally help people to be confident about riding bikes around London. If you're interested email: GBApodcast@gmail.com Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 24 we get better acquainted with my Mum in the first of three conversations. The other two will appear later in the series. Amongst lots of other things she talks about being a nurse in a different time, ghosts, death, social work, changes in the NHS, running an adventure playground in a Lewisham council estate in the 70's and lots more. Mum plugs: Saving the NHS! http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/Protect_our_NHS_Petition Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 23 we get better acquainted with Jessica. Most of the conversation takes place on a fruit and veg stall. She talks about how an allotment changed her life and the exciting project that is The People's Supermarket the work she is doing on their Hackney Consultation. We also talk about community, localism, gardening, London history, finding a job that fits who you are, art, environmental activism and yoga! Jessica mentions two documentaries that changed her life: Farm for the future: http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=2750012006939737230 The People's Supermarket: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-peoples-supermarket Jessica Plugs: The People's Supermarket Hackney Consultation: http://hackney.thepeoplessupermarket.org/ http://twitter.com/TPSHackney If you live in Hackney why not get involved? The People's Supermarket: http://www.thepeoplessupermarket.org/ http://www.facebook.com/thepeoplessupermarket http://twitter.com/TPSLondon Transition Leytonstone: http://www.transition

In GBA 22 we get better acquainted with Zoe. She talks about faith from the point of view of being the daughter of a Quaker and a Buddhist. She talks about Live Action Role Playing (LARP) and how they create and explore their collective stories. She talks about the relationship between poetry and emotions. And we discuss our parents mortality. Zoe plugs: LARPING - if you are interesting in Live Action Role Playing you can contact Zoe through me: GBApodcast@gmail.com Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

This is an introduction to Dave who is the host of GBA. It was Episode 1 of the series and had 130 plays at the time of it being ACCIDENTALLY DELETED. It has been re-posted out of sequence because there was no way of putting it back where it belonged. Dave tells stories from his past, some funny, some sad, some a mixture of both, featuring two live stories told at Spark London events: http://www.sparklondon.com/

In GBA 21 we get better acquainted with Navin. He talks about music, music, and more music: A defence of Queen, taking a shower in music, how music affects him, music history and the thorny problems of forming bands and making music in the Internet Age. Navin plugs: His old band with Simon Lennon: http://www.myspace.com/tivoliband His own accoustic solo music: http://www.myspace.com/energybox1980 He asks for people to try and make fan forums that are nice environments to talk in. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 20 we get better acquainted with Nathalie. She talks about writing, creative non fiction, self help, social anxiety, trouble with finance, truth, and lots more! Nathalie plugs her blog Panic Station: http://nathaliehourihan.wordpress.com/ You can follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NathalieLeonora Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 19 we get better acquainted with Louise. Amongst lots of other things she talks about laughing in scary situations, learning languages, cultural differences and devils advocacy. We compare childhoods and confidence levels. Also she tells the story of how she came to be threatened by a big man with a whip during in the middle of the Togolese military dictatorship. Louise plugs: Sitting on the fence. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

In GBA 18 we get better acquainted with Sam. She talks about having a premature baby, being a young mum, nearly marrying a man she met on holiday in the Dominican Republic when she was 16 and other stories of innocence and experience. It's a brave and frank discussion full of hope and warmth as well as sadness and her young baby provides a soundtrack and commentary for this intimate and moving conversation. Sam plugs: Nothing. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!