Transcript
Speaker: Hello and welcome to Raise a Glass, the podcast where we talk about the stories and storytellers that shape us. I am Hunter Danson. And my name is Eric Lentila.
Speaker: And we are very excited today to be doing a grab bag episode and where Eric and i have each made some papers, not necessarily in bags, but we're going to be picking them at random.
Speaker: And they're just short little things that not as, you know, they're things that we wouldn't do a whole episode on or not even a potluck episode. But they're things that we would like to talk about that have shaped us. And it's just fun for us um and hopefully for you, too.
Speaker: And ah we also have a special announcement. But before we get to that special announcement, what's in your glass, Eric? Well, Hunter, we started our conversation about an hour and a half ago. And at that point, there was something in my glass. I did just have a little bit extra, so I poured it in there. What I have in before me, I made a homemade milkshake. There milk, whole milk in here, a frozen banana, and... um the rest of the box of Girl Scout Samoas. ah So there's five of those. And so that's probably why I've gotten more and more hyped as we've talked longer.
Speaker: um And
Speaker: it's pretty good. I found that coconut is not a great addition to a milkshake or a smoothie because it retains like the stringiness of the texture ah and that's just not what you want in a milkshake yeah um yeah it's the first glass of it was much better than the sips are now an hour and a half into our conversation as was trying to drink a milkshake for our episode Hunter what is in your glass well uh I have is that Pepto-Bismol
Speaker: No, this is Vita Life Organic Kombucha. Oh. The ginger lemon flavor, you can find it at your local Aldi's. It's Aldi, no S, just so you know. No. ah Yeah, it's ah it's I like kombucha.
Speaker: That was satisfying. That was cool. Nice little audio there. But i honestly, I think the g or ginger lemon is probably my favorite.
Speaker: a little lemon, a little spice from the ginger. Um, honestly, it's a pretty good drink for a podcast because it, um, sort of keeps you hybrid, hydrated and alert.
Speaker: Um, and, uh, yeah. Um,
Speaker: anyway, we're known for our very smooth transitions. Um, But we our tradition here on Raise a Glass is to raise and pour our glass out each week for something. um I think we're going to try and keep it quick because we have a special announcement and we want to get to the grab bag if we can.
Speaker: But Eric, what are you raising and pouring for this week? They're deeply related. i am pouring one out for the springtime in upstate New York.
Speaker: um I was recently down south and I asked people what their favorite months of the year were and multiple people said March and April, which nobody in the Northeast is ever going to give that as an answer. um was like, that sounds wonderful. I was like, why? Like, oh, it's like 70s. It's sunny outside. You know, we can open our pool. was like, that sounds like June.
Speaker: I think you were three months off. It snowed last week, you know. It almost frosted last night here. And so pouring one out for that and then raising one for my garden. So I'm currently looking past you and we're talking to the screen, but behind you in on my in my room, obviously not behind you in your room, is my kind of as Hunter looks behind him, is my garden.
Speaker: You can see the beginning of it, and Hunter here. Yeah, oh yeah. I have never more effectively started plants indoors. So I've got about 40 tomato plants, about 40 basil plants, 25 or so cucumbers, and then 15 peppers, along with about 70 sunflowers started Um, and then I've got a few other things, but I've got some also Cal and Kohlrabi and collard greens and garlic started outdoors.
Speaker: Um, I'm excited to get these things in the ground to get my raised beds going again, but I'm not quite there yet. Hunter, what are you raising and pouring for?
Speaker: Well, I had them all planned out and I just totally forgot them. Um, I remember, remember my pour. my poor is, uh, I just finished the confessions of Samuel Pepys, which is a newly published book about, uh, Samuel Pepys, who is famous for the diary that he kept in shorthand during the 1600s. Um, which has been a source for like his, uh, historians and biographers and stuff. Um, but it catalogs his, uh,
Speaker: Is sexual abuses. Is the way that he goes through the biography. That sounds terrible. And I hate Samuel Pepys. What can I say?
Speaker: It's just... A lot of biographers have kind of washed over that in the past. In his diaries. ah But this guy went through it. and It's a good book. But I didn't really enjoy reading it that much.
Speaker: Because it was like reading about... The Epstein scandal or something. um There's nothing new under the sun. Wow.
Speaker: wow Okay. What are you raising for? I am raising a glass to the Chronicles of Narnia. um My six-year-old son has been going through them.
Speaker: My wife's been listening in the car, and then we read it at night. love that. And it's just... So nice. You know that scene in The Avengers where aye Captain America and Phil Coulson are in the Quinjet and Captain America is like, oh, you really the shield and the stars and stripes and everything. Isn't that kind of old fashioned? And Phil said, you know, I think people need some old fashioned right now.
Speaker: I think it's the kind of old fashioned that we need. And Chronicles of Narnia is really the kind of old fashioned that I need. Yeah. That we need right now.
Speaker: um Just some really, he's ah he's an excellent tellteller, but he also just puts so much heart into it. And
Speaker: it's been really enriching too, because Eric and I have just been reading so much C.S. Lewis lately. Accurate. um So yeah, Chronicles of Narnia.
Speaker: And now, a very special announcement.
Speaker: I don't know how to do this. Are you going to do the... oh sure. sure That is a drumroll, in case you didn't quite get it. We are officially launching... Two and a half years, or really three and a half years in the making, our Patreon page.
Speaker: oh ah So, if you've been following us for any length of time, you know that Hunter and I love having these conversations, and we started this podcast um because we've been having conversations like this for, don't know, going 14 years,
Speaker: and We wanted to keep it going, even as we were in different states and continuing our life stages are continuing to change. Um, and we found that we were having some of the same conversations time and time again about the same works and stories, storytellers.
Speaker: And so we, started this podcast, uh, challenge ourselves to have more conversations about more stories and storytellers that have shaped us to invite some people into them, uh, and, uh, you know, have some conversations that we hope are encouraging and, um, yeah, I define to you as well as listeners.
Speaker: And we've, we've always been in it for that. Um, for the love of the conversation for, know, uh, and it also takes a lot of work to make this podcast happen. Um, it takes hours of prep from both of us, um, whether it be the books or movies or TV shows or video games or board games, you know, things that probably don't sound like, you know, it should be that stressful. Right. And you often they're not, um, but
Speaker: Neither of us are professional podcasters, right? we are We are husbands. We are fathers. um right we are yeah We've got a lot of other hats that are really important to us.
Speaker: and so and And in addition to all of that, Hunter puts so many hours into the preparation, the the post-production process. the uploading of all of the audio for these pieces. And so we've created our Patreon page with two things in mind. The first is to give you some more ah fun stories and and resources and stories behind the stories, ah some bloopers um from from the various episodes we've done over the last three seasons, over the last three and a half years.
Speaker: um and The second piece is to offer this space where if if you want to buy us a cup of coffee or help us purchase a book for an episode, ah you can you can sign up by $5 a month. yeah You can buy a glass, yeah get a cup, get a cuppa, ah or or help us you know pay for a book or a subscription so we can keep the the podcast going.
Speaker: Um, and, and I guess there is a third and really very important third reason. Um, not third important in, in not third in importance.
Speaker: Um, it's to, to give us a space to talk with you as listeners. Um, we
Speaker: we know there are people that listen to the podcast and we've had some conversations with some friends and some other people around it, but We'd love to interact with you more. We'd love to hear your thoughts on an episode. We'd love to have you share something that's a story or storyteller that's shaped your life.
Speaker: um We'd love to hear your interpretation of a of a story or storyteller we've we've talked about and ah you know to to just invite you into the conversation and in a
Speaker: more direct way than we've been ah able to in the past. So the Patreon is, is live. It's, you can find it at, uh, patreon.com, um, raise a glass 2012. Um, so that's where you can find it. Um, we'll have links to it in the show notes.
Speaker: Um, we'll make sure to put it out different spaces and you, you may have ah also noticed, um, I'll make a note of it here as well. that we have updated recently our cover art for this podcast.
Speaker: Um, in our first, it was a first season. Um, first or second. i yeah First or second season. We had an artist by the name of Andrew Mosier on the podcast. Um, yeah. Incredible artists, incredible storyteller.
Speaker: Um, wonderful, wonderful man. And, uh, he created his art. Yes. We'll make sure to link that. Uh,
Speaker: and we'll bring It will bring you to tears, some of it. and it'll but You'll feel all the feels. um But he created a piece of art for for us in this podcast. so um Props to him. Thank you, Andrew.
Speaker: so maybe Maybe longer than planned, but this episode this podcast is not known for its efficiency. But hopefully for its...
Speaker: We try to mine the depths and, and bring it to you real, bring it you real, real. Andrew, do you have anything to add to that? Um, no, uh, yeah, I mean, um, it would be, it would be really, really nice, uh, and helpful and encouraging.
Speaker: Honestly, I think that's the main thing is, um, you know, doing the podcast and also, other stuff I do with writing, I feel like I am just publishing into a void a lot of the time, which I've gotten used to. That just comes with the nature of publishing something.
Speaker: Uh, but it, it would be great to have some feedback to, you know, cause we, we have a, we want it to be a good thing and we want it to be the best it can be. And, um, it would be lovely to hear from you.
Speaker: And, um, it is a lot of work. The the editing is a lot of work i've had to learn, learn how to, I've gotten better at it. You know, I had to learn everything as I was going along, but it's definitely, definitely been, been worth it.
Speaker: Yeah. And I would actually, I would also highly encourage, encourage, encourage you, And we'll put in the show notes, it'll be on the Patreon page as well, to check out Hunter's work. um Both Blades of Dawn, the publish book book he published, love it. Sequel forthcoming soon. and Yes, it is.
Speaker: Yeah, i'm ah it's currently unpublished because I was seeking a traditional publication. you can You can read it on tapas.io.com.
Speaker: and I do have the first part all on YouTube is an audio book that I recorded and produced that you can listen to if you want.
Speaker: um but I also i have a website. kind of It's kind of like a blog where I do monthly updates and I do essays. and We can buy him a cup of coffee there too. Yes, yes.
Speaker: Not only does he have to do like essays on that, but he also... um yeah You'll find poetry in there. um You'll find life updates. You'll find some um photos.
Speaker: ah
Speaker: So, highly encourage that.
Speaker: So, that is what we have to share with you. That's our big, big reveal. um And we are going launch into our grab bag now. And we are both going to share one aspect of our grab bag. And you can find the rest on our Patreon page.
Speaker: ah We hope you enjoy.
Speaker: So Hunter, what is your grab bag in today? i Mine is currently in a little plastic bin that has snowflakes from Frozen on it.
Speaker: I'm fairly certain at least one of my kids used this as their Halloween basket. How about you? ah Mine's in like a blue baking bowl.
Speaker: Is that one of those Tupperware that like you'd like has been around since the 60s, or is that a newer piece? It could very well have been around since the It's like a light blue. Okay.
Speaker: Hunter's currently in a very orange room, and so it does not look blue at all to me. was
Speaker: been I laughed at all the pieces of paper. Hunter, some of my... No, not some. Most of the pieces of paper in this grab bag have been around since our first episode when we did a grab bag. yeah I look back at them before the podcast and be like, okay, like what things do I need to get out so I can like try to remember what I was thinking about two years ago? Okay, what do you got?
Speaker: I'm going first. Okay.
Speaker: Oh, great. I have all All the King's Men, which is a book. okay Okay. It's not just a Humpty Dumpty conversation starter.
Speaker: No. All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren, written in 1946. It's about a charismatic governor...
Speaker: and his political machinations in the Depression era in the Deep South. um I guess apparently it was inspired by real life story of US Senator and Louisiana Governor Huey P. Long.
Speaker: He was assassinated in 1935. And the title is a reference to Humpty Dumpty. Oh, it is. Okay. Yeah. Um...
Speaker: I read it many years ago. ah
Speaker: And... I guess... ah
Speaker: It is a... It's a good novel. um and It's classic for a reason. I... And it's about politics.
Speaker: um But it tells politics, I think, more realistically... in terms of what it's actually like to be close to a politician and see their life and what what it actually is. you know um i In college, my my freshman summer after my freshman year, I interned for a few senators, New York State senators.
Speaker: And I didn't work... in like the legislative part. I worked, um, in the offices where the constituents were. So it was like constituent service stuff. And, um, to be honest, it was kind of boring.
Speaker: There wasn't a lot of stuff happening and, and that's kind of, I think what happened, what real politics, good politics is kind of boring. Yeah. You know, it takes time kind of boring work, you know?
Speaker: passing bills and trying to come up with stuff and listening to people's complaints and that kind of thing you know it's not glamorous but All the King's Men is I guess more of a glamorous story there's one scene that I remember where the governor is addressing a crowd um and it talks about like something um I'm heavily paraphrasing because I read it so long ago but I remember this scene vividly like something like grabbing the bottom of the governor's stomach as he talked like this spirit of something grabbing him as he kind of talked and his eyes opened and like he was able to rile up this crowd.
Speaker: Um, and, uh, I think it's something that I, I haven't forgotten about. Um, because, you know, you think about politics and the theater of it and, uh,
Speaker: Just how, you know, even in 1946 when he was writing this book, how kind of broken the system is yeah in that sense. Where the way that you, the skills that you need to get support and power in order to pass good bills are not the skills that you need to to actually make good legislation.
Speaker: ah And, you know...
Speaker: And All the Kingsmen is definitely, a it's not really a political expose so much. It just does what a good novel does, which is kind of expose life, real life.
Speaker: And I'm sure there's a lot of conversations about race because it's it's in in the deep south as well. so that's that's what I remember about it. Yeah.
Speaker: Thanks for sharing. Is it is it a raise or a pour that's happening here? It's a raise. um Yeah. it's um it's It's a novel with a capital N, you know. So it's a good it's a good read. I would recommend it, but, you know, just be prepared. there's It's in the Deep South. There's the N-word. It's, you know, realistic in that way. Yeah.
Speaker: All right, Eric. What do you got?
Speaker: Let's see. Okay. Is this a new one or is this going to be an old one? Oh, no. um I got, and and I think for many people this would be an entire an entire episode, but for me I'm to do this in a grab bag. is Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild. Okay. Okay.
Speaker: um And I also wrote in Tears of the Kingdom. Let's first name it.
Speaker: if I did not grow up on Legend Zelda. um In hindsight, I kind of wish I had. If I had, there's 100% chance that this would be an entire episode.
Speaker: um Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild was the first Legend of Zelda game I played. It wasn't the first one I ever saw. Like, I saw Friends play Legend of Zelda, but I never, like, played it.
Speaker: um And... Because the the Switch was the first new system I got. anyway Since, like, the PS2. Yeah. And... yeah and
Speaker: I poured so much time into Breath the Wild when I came out on the Switch. And Tears of the Kingdom. I've not completed Tears of the Kingdom because I'm kind of like a roam through the entire world. And when I get into anything on the Switch, I end up like... I've not figured out healthy boundaries with technology as ah as a human.
Speaker: I'm hoping I can get better at that to train my kids on it. But Breath of the Wild... Hunter, have you played Breath the Wild? Very briefly. I don't have a Switch. so It is absolutely stunning.
Speaker: the the The graphics in it, you know very traditional you know Legend of Zelda graphics. like with you know They're more highly detailed. um But the the world is so immense.
Speaker: um And by Tears of the Kingdom, the world's actually probably too big. That's actually one of my biggest frustrations with it, is it happens on three levels, and it's just... yeah The exploration takes to just... it's You can't explore everything. But it's just such a stunning game.
Speaker: um I'm not a person that will ever... and Unless they've got real trying circumstances, I'm not going to look up how to beat a game.
Speaker: Yeah. um Unsurprised, maybe a big shocker here, I'm not about efficiency when it comes to games. Kind of about experiencing the world, just like I am in most any other type of story or storytelling.
Speaker: um i remember it playing through this game, and I'm still not very good at it, but having fun. Yeah. And I got to... i stumbled onto the the big boss battle at the end of the the game.
Speaker: Unknowingly, was like, I haven't been in the castle. I guess I should go more in the castle. like Maybe I should walk in this room. And ended up in the big boss battle. um It was far enough in the game that I had some some strong things, so I ended up winning it.
Speaker: And then afterwards, I was talking with friends about kind of some of the challenges of it. end And they're like, wait, did you not know... And here's two things I didn't know. The first is that the the seeds that you pick up, like the, I can't remember what they're called, tet tut tut seeds. Carrot seeds. Carrot seeds.
Speaker: You can trade those in to increase the number of weapons and items you can have. um So by the time you fight your final battle, you can have more than five...
Speaker: swords and three bows would have been really helpful to know. Like that number could be, like 60 of these things or more, and I had never met the original character to trade them in. I had explored the whole thing, but I hadn't bumped into that particular, whatever. um Second thing is that there's a particular sword
Speaker: ah that is extra powerful and is, you know, the primary sword in this game that you want to get and it can't be broken. Like, it can become exhausted and or whatever. I never had that.
Speaker: And so after... one of my One of the things that happens to me when I play a game is if I complete the main objective, I then lose interest in playing the game. Yeah. um like after i And it was accidentally. i very accidentally completed the main objective. But then i was like, I'm not really that interested. So I did at that point look up, like, hey, what are the couple things?
Speaker: Just so i I could know. And I did go and do those couple things. And, you know, I traded in my and seeds and I got the sword. um Yeah.
Speaker: But Breath of Wild is probably is probably the, might be the very first first player player world exploration game that I've played.
Speaker: um a lot of the other games... in Open world RPG. yeah Yeah. A lot of the other ones I do are have been sports um or have been like civilization.
Speaker: you know or like Or, I mean, and Pokemon. Which is not the same. It's much more quest driven. That's Breath of the Wild for me.
Speaker: highly highly encourage you if you've got switch and you have not played breath of the wild you need to play it it is it is so much fun and it's as fun for a 12 year old as for a 30 year old as for a 50 year old probably Yeah.
Speaker: I've come very close to buying a Switch because of breast Breath of the Wild. That's like the number one reason I would buy a Switch. And Tears of the Kingdom is a very good game too. this is I don't want to hate on Tears of the Kingdom. It just it didn't add new things.
Speaker: Yeah. it was it's I think that's the the sequel syndrome. It's the sequel. It's always trying to build on the previous one. And I feel like a lot of times they end up just adding too much.
Speaker: Yeah. Yes.
Speaker: Okay, well, at this point, you can find the rest of our grab bag on the Patreon. So check it out.
