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...

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, thi...

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://sou...

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 medi...

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...

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/gettingbetter...

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...

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....

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, B...

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 epi...

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 o...

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 ne...

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...

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 ab...

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: h...

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 bein...

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 re...

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 direc...

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 plu...

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 re...

In GBA 138 we get better acquainted with Scott. He talks about living with cluster headaches, primary stabbing headaches and other forms of neurological disability, watching and playing football, growing up in South London, working in electrical distribution trade, going to music festivals and more. We sit back and relax in the park on the South Bank during the sunshine of last summer and get plea...

In GBA 137 we get better acquainted with Liz. She talks about her years as a Traffic Warden, writing, making music, being a Claims Adviser and more. Liz plugs: Her music - http://lizwyatt.com/ https://www.facebook.com/LizWyattMusic We mention: Paul Farley: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Farley Requiem for a Dream: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Requiem_for_a_Dream Paolo Nutini: http://en.wikipedi...

In GBA 136 we get better acquainted with Tony. He talks knife throwing accidents, impersonating Elvis on Channel 5, being a paparazzi photographer, transgressive art, travelling with the Circus, the World Gurning Championships, making serial killer puppet shows and more. Tony plugs: Meat Plough - https://www.facebook.com/groups/265143463593665/ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Magazine-journal-transgressiv...

In this GBA Special we get better acquainted with The Osmaston Family. This episode is in a more documentary style and explores the posh part of my family history as I travel to the Osmaston family reunion to capture their memories of a quarter of my genetic heritage. A personal journey into the unknown territories of family history featuring rediscovered wartime diaries, the legacy of the British...

In GBA 134 we get better acquainted with Caroline. She talks about changing her own perspectives and challenging other people's perceptions, travelling to Honduras and her plans to cycle from the UK to Africa, and we swap teenage stories from the POV of ex "Mean Girl" and ex "severely bullied geek". Caroline plugs: Her future travel journalism idea: Livingstone to Livingstone! And the episode was...