“I mean I don't see a halo on you, even though I see a couple of horns. See that little angel and that little devil on the side? Yeah. You're you.”

-Serafin Jose Saavedra

This story, the Story of Me, probably won’t have a proper ending, like the kind that is comforting and reminds you that all is well in the world. It shouldn’t. Because that’s false and I’m not dead yet.  

More than a month ago, the first part of this prologue aired with the intent of framing up this larger podcast project: a show about stories and the foolish pursuit of life, clarity and context. Family members, peers, friends and foes, from high school days to those that I work with were all interviewed.

Rather, this prologue wraps up with the outside perspective. What do strangers think of me? If you’re six-years-old and reading this, don’t try this at home. You shouldn’t be talking to strangers.

And then, the context. Was this project, a selfie in podcast form (possible Upworthy headline?), insightful? Did it provide any context about who I am?

Granted, it’s just the prologue, but it’s Some Noise.

Show Notes: 

1. [00:35] “They Reminisce Over You” cover by Quantic
2. [03:05] On Frodo and the Giant Eagles [Periannath.com, 2009]
3. [03:10] America’s Most Expensive City [Zumper, 2015]
4. [11:45] “93 ‘til Infinity” cover by Zifhang
5. [17:55] “Google Google Apps Apps” by Persia
6. [21:50] “O Yana Donder Beni” by Selda Bagcan [MiddleEastEye.net, 2015]
7. [27:30] “This Too Shall Pass” by Andre Paola Juan
   1. Urban Tribes
8. [30:40] Ethan Watters (@ethanwatters1)

“That’s just part of your mask—we all have a mask...”

-Josh Quittner

About:

Your work experience ultimately comes down to one thing—how you sell yourself. Which, is a lie (or like a half-truth). Achievements and accomplishments are important, but what about everything else?

For part three of this prologue—the Story of Me—I’ve reached out to co-workers, old and new and asked them for a performance review.

Leave your feedback by endorsing me on LinkedIn, seriously, be creative.

Show Notes:

1. [00:37] “Thank You” by Nujabes feat. Apani B [The Japan Times, 2015]
2. [01:38] Flipboard
3. [01:52] Where I bussed tables for a few weeks. [The New Yorker, 2014]
4. [03:30] “Sound of Da Beast” by KRS-One
5. [04:50] “Ye Ishq Ishq Hai” by Roshanlal Nagrath
6. [11:11] Newsday
7. [13:15] Horses are measured in hands. [Cowboyway.com]
8. [13:40] “Goin’ Back to Indiana” by Jackson 5
9. [14:20] The Indianapolis Star
10. [15:10] “Can’t Get Indiana Off My Mind” performed by Kate Smith [The New York Times, 1986]
11. [16:55] “Deaf Protesters Fear For Future of Sign Language” [The Indianapolis Star, 2011]
12. [17:20] “Still No signs of Missing IU Student” [The Indianapolis Star, 2011]
13. [19:05] “Bear Mountain Picnic” by Bob Dylan
14. [20:20] Josh Quittner (@twittner). Read his earlier work on the Internet and buying Mcdonalds.com.
15. [20:30] “He’s my boss.” [Portlandia]
16. [36:00] “Gold” by Hugh Masekela
17. [37:10] Todd Lappin (@telstarlogistic)
18. [37:20] Bernalwood

Quote:

“I felt like there was a dark piece of you that was under there.”

-Rachel Crowe

About:

For Part II of this four-part podcast prologue, we return to the school years. It’s a life experience most people can relate to—good or bad—in large part because of the amount of time spent.  

If you’re in your mid-20s and graduated from a four-year college or university, there’s a fair chance that you’ve spent almost one-third of your life waiting for some sort of bell to ring.

(You can do the math—[(# of semesters attended *~70 days per college semester)+(# of years spent in primary education*~180 days per primary school year) / [(# of years on Earth * 365 days of the year)]])*

So for this episode, I went back to school. I’ve interviewed long-time friends and folks that I haven’t spoken to in a long-time. I reached out to professors, classmates and foes. And a high-school coach who once taught Ralph Macchio—the Karate Kid.

How much have I changed? What did people think of me? Do people even remember who I am?

*P.S. You should know I’m bad at math, so if the above formula is suspect, please tweet it out. And then share the episode with everyone you know.

Notes:

1. [00:05] “Talk in Circles” by Barone
2. [03:38] Dix Hills, Long Island [Wikipedia, 2015]
3. [04:32] Half Hollow Hills High School West [U.S. News, 2013]
4. [06:15] “Clint Eastwood” by the Vitamin String Quartet
5. [10:00] More on Mario
6. [11:22] “A Poor Man’s Memory” by Explosions in the Sky

6a. ^^^ This was the song I listened to before I broke my five-minute mile

7. [12:08] On Ralph Macchio [USA Today, 2014]

7a. Coach Finn was Mr. Macchio’s health teacher at one point

8. [13:00] “Chariots of Fire” by Vangelis
9. [13:05] Roger Bannister running the first ever four-minute mile
10. [14:20] On Kyle Merber (@therealmerb)
11. [16:45] Stony Brook Fight Song
12. [17:03] What’s a Seawolf? Still unclear.
13. [17:35] Stony Brook University [Wikipedia, 2015]
14. [18:16] U.S. News Review 1942, Issue No. 3
15. [19:00] A documentary worth watching on Heinrich Himmler [Salon, 2014]
16. [19:20] “SS Marschiert in Feindesland”
17. [21:00] More on the history of cakewalking. [NPR, 2013]
18. [21:55] “You’re Driving Me Crazy” by Charlie and His Orchestra

18a. ^^^FYI, this is a Nazi propaganda song

19. [22:55] Newspaper Production, An Educational Documentary 1937
20. [24:25] Harvey Aronson who co-edited “Naked Came The Stranger”
21. [24:55] Irene Virag and some of her writing
22. [26:20] Newspapers, Behind the Scenes, 1970
23. [26:50] The Stony Brook Press
24. [27:20] “A Tale of Two Cities”
25. [27:40] @vinbarone, who is also part of the band Barone
26. [29:00] The Story of The Press
27. [30:40] @RossBarkan
28. [32:45] “Ringer” by Barone
29. [36:50] @CarolinaHidalgo

About:

Who do you think you are? 

It’s not an easy question to answer. It shouldn’t be. But I’ve tried to get the bottom of it by starting at the top.

To introduce this podcast project—Some Noise—the foolish pursuit of life, clarity and context—I’ve decided to report on the story of me.  But why? If this is going to be a show about other people, their lives and purpose, then I think it’s only fair it start with, well, me.

Who am I? Where do I come from? What are my values? And where do they come from? 

I’ve interviewed family, friends, foes and strangers over the past year and asked them the very basic question—”Who am I?” It’s a four part series about me, according to others, broken up into family, the school years, work life and the outside perspective.

Show Notes:

1. [00:45] “This Too Shall Pass” by Andre Paola Juan

2. [01:35] Bryan Hasho (@bryanhasho)

3. [03:10] Plato’s Allegory of the Cave explained

4. [04:25] Ethan Watters (@ethanwatters1)

5. [04:40] Urban Tribes

6. [10:00] “Valley” performed by Quraishi 

7. More about Quraishi (The Wall Street Journal, 2014)

8. [13:00] More on Afghan Tribes (National Geographic, 2003)

9. Recommended reading on Afghanistan’s early history

10. [19:05] “Ai Ham Watan” by Ahmad Zahir (NPR, 2010)

11. [26:15] “Maida Maida” by Ehsan Aman (Los Angeles Times, 2001)

12. [37:45] “Saqi Na De” by Nashenas (The New York Times, 1992)