What People Do

72: Michael Strumsky conquered TV addiction

It started before college. But when he showed up and could organize his life and calendar the way he wanted, well, there was so much TV to watch. All the time. And Michael Strumsky hit college during not “destination television,” but during the era of DVDs and online show sharing. He could watch and re-watch shows all the time, at all hours, any time of day. 
What did he do? What did he do? 
He eased up. He got busy. Let’s see how it went …  
Want more Michael? He interviews people more than interesting than him on the appropriately named People More Interesting Than Me. Subscibe and listen now! 

71: David Patterson translated Leo Tolstoy’s Confession

I read books all the time, but very, very rarely do I read a book more than once. 
That was Leo Tolstoy’s Confession. I had seen references to the Russian great’s short work of religion, morality and personal experience.  
Basically, Tolstoy hit middle age, wildly successful as an author with a happy family, and he wanted to die by suicide. For years, he struggled, and the short work is the story of his despair, his reasonable questioning, and the way out he found (it wasn’t suicide).  
Today, David Patterson is a literature and history professor at the University of Texas, Dallas. And, years ago, he translated the version of Confession that I read. I was delightfully shocked when he agreed to be interviewed about the work. (I reference this conversation in a dream here.) 
Here, David talks Tolstoy, religion, and the meaning of life with me. 
Want to learn more? 
David Patterson’s translation is available used and in a newer edition (Barnes & Noble). 
If you read Tolstoy's Confession and are equally blown away, you can join me in reading other works infused with themes of religion and the meaning of life here. 
Patterson is currently working on his 41st book. Eighteen Words to Sustain a Life: A Jewish Father's Ethical Will (available wherever fine books are sold, like Barnes & Noble) is David’s living ethical will of advice and thought in the Jewish tradition and by Cascade Books. 

70: Ganesh loves cricket. Like, really loves it.

There are some dudes who play cricket in a big grassy field out here between a walking trail and some suburban homes. There’s a long stretch of concrete in this Kansas suburban field, and a port-a-potty nearby. Some Saturdays I would walk by and see these guys out there, but I felt weird about stopping and asking about their game of cricket. 
So, I found Ganesh online. And he answered all my dumb questions. And I think … I THINK … I understand the mechanics of the game and its appeal. 
Among me asking questions over and over to try to figure out the rules of cricket, Ganesh shares why the sport has a such a powerful appeal for Indians: It’s as if it was made by England for India … “a true Desi sport,” he says. 
Take it away, Ganesh. 
P.S. Here are some links if you want to learn more about the 1983 Cricket World Cup, the second One Day World Cup in 2011, and that movie about the fascinating national hero and cricket champion, M.S. Dhoni (watch it on Hulu). 

69: Who edits those internet videos? Nathan does

Some content creators get so busy that they can't find time to plan, film, edit, post and promote their own stuff online. They turn to a growing international corps of creatives to do it. 
This guy’s one. His favorite claim to fame right now? Editing a Minecraft video from Mr. Beast that now has 1.7 million views. Holy crap snacks. 
Now, he might be off to his next greatest adventure, leaving rural northwestern America for … urban Florida! 
Find him at tssvideoediting.com. 
Let’s dig into the calm but cool world of this video editor …  

68: New to Neoclassical music? Dive in with Hipster Pug

In recent years, I have fallen back in love with New Age, space music, and the droning, atmospheric, accessible Neoclassical genre. Imagine music to TV shows, movies and moods that don’t exist … or only exist in the composers’ and performers’ own heads. 
Works like Max Richter’s Sleep and Johann Johannson’s Virðulegu Forsetar have played and replayed in my head as I lie on my bed dozens of times now. Their droning but moving parts, atmospheric sound and noise, and accessible melody and harmony, slow and calming and transporting … I can’t get enough.  
That’s why a chance to interview Hipster Pug, a maker of Neoclassical, ambient and experimental music, was exciting.  
Forgive some of my excited, stumbling questions. Settle in and discover why we both love these genres and how this new musician fell in love with, not just listening, but making the work himself …  
Want a flavor before we start? I mention his “journey of dreams.” Listen right here on Bandcamp. If you like it, throw him a few bucks and buy the whole thing! 
Want to dive into Neoclassical, to see what’s what? Here are some artists and selections discussed during (or after we finished recording) this episode: 
“Infra 5” from Max Richter’s Infra (one of our guest’s favorites), here on YouTube 
Orphée from Johann Johannson 
“Particles” from Ólafur Arnauld’s Island Songs, here on YouTube 
nouveau chapitre EP and Neon Noir album from Hipster Pug himself 
artists from the label that carries Hipster Pug, Monochrome Motif, focusing on “Post Classical,” “Cinematic” and “Electronica” music 
Want my favorite work these days? This is it: spoken word, machine noise, manipulated vocals, beautiful drones and music. 

67: Spiraling metal and wood: James Payne’s public sculptures

I stumbled onto James Payne on Reddit.com, where he asked folks in my town if they’d go check on, and take measurements of, a big piece of public art he’d loaned to the city a few years ago. 
I know that art! I’ve gotta talk to this guy! 
And he agreed. 
I got to ask Payne about his art sensibilities, how he got entranced by big sculptures, and the moment spirals grabbed his attention. 
If all went as planned, I went out at the end of May to spend an hour or two meeting Payne in person and watching a team slowly dismantle his sculpture for relocation to Colorado. And if all went as planned, Payne has continued to garner new opportunities to make and showcase more big, big art. 
You can find the most up-to-date online gallery of Payne’s art at bxiie.com. You can see the installation before it was taken down in Olathe, Kan., at that website titled “Isolation/Wood, Steel/2021.” 
He’s in IT today, but some day Payne would like to be a full-time artist. I’d like to see that too. In the meantime, we’ll all take what we can get from him …  

66: Escaping abuse and processing trauma: Pamela Topjian writes her personal story

Pamela Topjian published a book last year about her experience escaping an abusive partner and figuring out how she’d wound up there in the first place: I Didn't Come This Far to Only Come THIS Far. 
She was once trapped in a terrible marriage. Now, she lives a life she says she never expected to live. How did she get from there … to here? 
She tells us. 
You can, of course, run off and read Topjian’s book on Kindle. Or you can check out her evolving channel of thinking, hypnotherapy and meditation here on YouTube. 
As I say at the end of this episode, I am most excited to read her upcoming book about her experience as a nurse. YAY! Something to look forward to this year!!!

65: One man’s military life: Anonymous talks about before and in the French military

I can’t share his name, but he calls in from France. He wanted to join the military, and he’s serving a five-year stint. He’s gotten promotions, and after basic training, he got into exactly the unit he yearned for. He doesn’t regret his choice to join the military. He wanted a unique, powerful experience. He wanted to join that brotherhood of men and women that develops only when you’re pushed your limit, under fire, in danger, and exhausted. He found what he wanted. 
He also found Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and he sought help at the urging of his girlfriend (now his fiancee). It helped.  
The good, the bad … his life in the military. Let’s get started …  

BONUS! Gabi Dyck makes hand-made dice … and more

The folks at the gaming convention Kantcon let me interview Gabi Dyck of Gamer Girl Jewelry recently to help me help them promote my favorite gaming convention in the country. (Full disclosure: It's them. They're my favorite. But I’ve only ever been to Kantcon over and over again for years, so I’m biased.) 
You’d think with tabletop RPGs roughly 50 years old that hand-made dice would have totally been a thing by now. But Gabi Dyck, founder of Gamer Girl Jewelry, told me that hand-made dice are relatively new. Turns out, there’s a lot of equipment that makes it a more complicated hobby and business than, say, crochet (which, yes, Gabi has also enjoyed).  
It all started when Gabi saw her first set of handmade dice (bought for her by her partner—a keeper!). She was captivated and knew she had to make dice-making her business. That’s why, today, it’s her full-time job to make shiny dice, colorful dice, dice that sparkle, and dice with sparkles inside that move—like functional snow globes that double as a gamer’s best friend. 
You can find Gabi most active online on TikTok @gamergirljewelry, which includes a link to all her socials, storefronts and favorite ways to reach her. 
Listen in if you’re into arts, crafts, hobbies, gaming, or just really excited entrepreneurs …  
P.S. The pic here showcases one of the cool dice dragon guardians that Gabi makes and talks about in the episode. One of her hand-made d20s is nestled in the crook of its tail. If you like the dragon or the dice, well, you'll like Gabi's work.

64: What do we do with this life? Georgios asks, with Socrates, Aristotle and me, but in a very roundabout way

Ultimately, I think the fundamental question we tumble into, like rolling down a mountain of sharp, rocky points, bloodied and bruised at the bottom of the Mountain of Life time and time again, is, “What are we supposed to do with this life?” The philosophers phrase this question in many ways: What is good? What is God? What is truth? What is kindness? Why do we gather together? What are the best ways to gather together? Why do we rule and consent to be ruled, and what are the ways to do that? 
On and on and on. 
But, really, isn’t the question also about work, action, energy, initiative, direction, drive, desire, purpose? “What do I do next?” 
My thinking about activity and work as paramount might be because I’ve got it on the brain because I’m reading Work by James Suzman. But, if not work, then play? And if not play, then charitable helping? And if not charitable helping, then family or friends? 
We are alive. We are doing things. 
In that vein, this rambling (and, yes, I’m the one who gets lost during the conversation and is always trying to get found) chat between me and my favorite Greek mirrors the wandering ways of our first conversation. We’ve talked before—last time about Thucydides. 
We were going to talk about Plato’s Protagoras. But we hint at another dialogue that focuses, like Protagoras, on sophists, guys who get paid to teach other people how to sway people in conversation or debate. That’s Gorgias. But then we were going to talk about Aristotle. 
My favorite part, by far, of this conversation is the end: Georgios’ analogy of “Society as a Board Game.” Don’t miss it. And Socrates’ answer? Well … that’s the last few seconds of the podcast …  
So, all that to say, if you get lost, go read a translation of either of those dialogues. Here are two: 
I read Jowett’s translation of Protagoras, and I suspect Georgios did, too. Here ya go. 
And Jowett’s Gorgias? Tada. 
The picture? That's supposed to be Protagoras. But my buddy told me last time I stuck in a bust of an ancient, I got it wrong. So ... I think this is Protagoras.