Escape Artists
Escape Pod => Episode Comments => Topic started by: divs on August 05, 2018, 08:53:50 PM
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Escape Pod 639: Me, Meg, and The Thing
(http://escapepod.org/2018/08/02/escape-pod-639-me-meg-and-the-thing/)
AUTHOR : Gian-Paul Bergeron (http://escapepod.org/people/gian-paul-bergeron/)
NARRATOR : Trendane Sparks (http://escapepod.org/people/trendane-sparks/)
HOST: Mur Lafferty (http://escapepod.org/people/mur-lafferty/)
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I’m Inroom making honest credit, doing Daily, counting breaths, when Meg messages me with extreme urgent markation to say that she got a Thing and I’m like Meg, you loon, please, and then she stresses the urgency with absolute dire markation – i.e. there has never been a realer deal – and so I hyperthink and create some awful anxiety, such that Main recommends exercise, which I do superquick, after which Main allocates extra water and recommends drink, so I do and sit still until 10 minutes, watching my bladder markation rise slowly until it hits Basic Relief, at which point I turn thoughts to nearly zilch and relieve myself all over myself, and Main calls Sanitation to take me to Communal Care, where Meg will be waiting with pissed pants, a fat grin, and maybe even a Thing.
(http://escapepod.org/wp-images/podcast-mini4.gif) Listen to this week’s Escape Pod! (http://traffic.libsyn.com/escapepod/Escape_Pod_639_Me_Meg_and_The_Thing.mp3)
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Anticipating here...
I have a couple suggestions for anyone struggling with the unique syntax and lexicon of this story (trust me, the whole staff knows this one has a larger "ask" than usual from listeners).
First, if you have the time, give this one a second (or more) listen. When on audio production, I often listen to episodes multiple times, and found that this one sunk in more with each listen. It was sort of like immersion with a foreign language.
Second, I'd encourage you not to stress out too much about comprehending every word... Or even every sentence. That way lies madness.
Consider it like you would a Shakespeare play. When I see Shakespeare performed, I'm not picking up every word, but I still get what's happening because of the performance - the tone and the way certain bits are stressed (which, if I can brag, I think Tren nails. His reading really aids comprehension).
Let it wash over you like Shakespeare... Or an abstract or impressionist painting. I think it will take on more meaning if you take a step back and squint a little.
And if it's not your bag... Well, that's ok, too. :)
Adam
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While I didn't necessarily get this story, I thought the narration was fantastic. I'm sure there must have been some circular breathing or something going on there, in order to fit with the rhythms of the story itself :).
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This was cool! I didn't have too much trouble listening after the beginning. I got a Matrix vibe from it. I wonder who is really in control and what their motives for organizing the elaborate escape fantasy are. I guess after only breathing, you would be grateful for any boring job.
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Wow, this one was so exhilarating. The ending both knocked my socks off, and strummed a sad chord on my heart strings. Adam's right, don't sweat the grok at first. This ep equals solid gold, and rewards a luminous rev's perseverance to finality. Tarazmildo!
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This one was.... interesting lol
I'm not 100% sure I get it... but I will say that the story felt exciting and the narration was excellent
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Okay, the style of this one was not my cup of tea. The story was fine, but I found the stylistic gimmick was overdone and detracted from the story for me. It never really faded into the background, the way these stylistic quirks should, if they are done well. Near the end of the story, I was still catching myself counting how many verb forms of "to be" were replaced by "equals". That's not really how I want to be entertained by a story.
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I super appreciate Adam Pracht's note, and I wish I had read it before stressing myself out trying to comprehend it @_@ It's definitely wonderfully crafted! it takes a lot of skill to make something that reads so chaotic.
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I super appreciate Adam Pracht's note, and I wish I had read it before stressing myself out trying to comprehend it @_@ It's definitely wonderfully crafted! it takes a lot of skill to make something that reads so chaotic.
Welcome!
It's still interesting to me having this sort of play with language - but rather than sounding strange because it came from the past, it's because the language came from the future.
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This was cool! I didn't have too much trouble listening after the beginning. I got a Matrix vibe from it. I wonder who is really in control and what their motives for organizing the elaborate escape fantasy are. I guess after only breathing, you would be grateful for any boring job.
For me it was a little more like a Minions take on the Matrix. Weird and fun.
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I loved this story!