Have you ever encountered a circumstance where you think, "That's a great point, but I'm not sure that's what that word means." Or, "I'm not sure that's what that says." Wondering how to untangle that? Here's your show. Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode! Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page! Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment! Why write my own summary when I can have AI do it for me. What does ChatGPT think I talked about? Why write my own summary when I can have AI do it for me. What does ChatGPT think I talked about? In this podcast episode, I discuss listener feedback about the show's intro song and delve into the theme of hope. Reflecting on advice received at a recent conference, I explore the concept of avoiding negativity in one's brand and how "hope" can be a solution. I share a definition of hope I found on a card that reads, "Hope believes boldly, decides daringly, speaks firmly, and perseveres passionately. See Romans 15:13." Curious about the origin, I discover that it's a quote from Joyce Meyer Ministries and explore the biblical context in Romans 15:13. I discuss the layers of engagement and the tension between focusing on positive aspects while acknowledging and addressing problematic issues. The episode concludes with a teaser for more thoughts on hope from an unlikely source.

As we close out 2023, one caller has me wondering just what the Ericast is all about. Wondering what I'm wondering? Here's your show. Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode! Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page! Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment! This entire episode and a miniature existential crisis is courtesy of Listener Abby. I'm not including Abby's call itself because she was on a walk at the time she called 701-645-3742 so she seems a lot more enthused or invigorated by the topic than most people should, but let me summarize: "Your intro and outro music does not reflect the whimsy that is you." Abby is a coworker of mine and has known me for six months... and, she's absolutely right.  So, today is the world-premiere of the new Ericast intro music. Ready? "From Ericast.com! Ready for your Weekly Whimsy? It's Eric Larson's Wacky Wonderings! Welcome... to the Ericast!"  (Featuring "If I Had A Chicken" by Kevin MacLeod) No? Really? That doesn't work for you? (It would've been even more exciting had I used something from the old Dimension music library!) 19 years ago when I was trying to get my mind around this "podcasting" concept of subscription audio... I was wrapping up my master's degree, I had a one-year-old at home, and I had just made a career pivot that ended up being a great opportunity but one that I wasn't always in the driver's seat for. So, "whimsy" wasn't something I would embrace as an identity. It's not that it's new. It's not that I've changed. I think I'm just comfortable enough with that side of myself to let it show, or maybe even lead with it rather than hide it... but all the other aspects of my personality -- the geek-tech driving industrial side -- are still in here. Plus, I love history and having audio branding that's now 20 years out of date is kinda cool. I could be convinced... but I don't think the Ericast is going to change its sound. At least not anytime soon. Let me know what you think!

You knew I wouldn't be able to just leave a "missing song" sitting somewhere in my brain, right?. Wondering if I found it? Here's your show. Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode! Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page! Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment! As you might imagine, I'm not recording this on Christmas Eve, but I'm approaching the concept of teasing the notion of going back to an old Ericast plan of "batching" episodes -- something I never really did, particularly because I like these to be "timely," but in this case I want to capture my enthusiasm because... wait for it... I found the song! I still love AI more than any healthy human should and I'm still playing with it. You might have noticed that last week's show notes included a summary of what the show was about. That was AI generated and edited in tiny ways by me. This week, I got to wondering what the ElevenLabs default voices are like. I put in the show notes and it said, "This is a lot - you might want to do it as a 'Project' instead!" ...and when I clicked on that, of course it costs money. So I figured, "how confused can it get?"  You have to realize that, when it went viral that the default TikTok voice "Jessie" (based on Kat Callaghan, a Canadian radio host) decided to pronounce "Beyoncé" as "Bee-YONK," it brought me a deep hysterical joy... so this rendition of last week's show notes is just perfect. I love every second of it, including my "enthushiazm" for "aqueering" books that remain "untowch-ed".  I have to admit I absolutely love that voice. There's a hint of "Boston Brahmin" combined with "bored valleygirl" - "Recently, Eric attended a conference in Las Vegas..." I love it. That reminds me that I need to get around to watching the movie "Her," I guess? Anyway, that was last week, and I only spent a day or two spinning on that and trying to figure out the song before I hit on the magic phrase of searching the Ericast.com website for the phrase "closed with a song" because I knew I had mentioned it and I knew that was one of the things that was noteworthy. The podcast was "The Electrified Mind" from Philip Isaac. It disappeared in the middle of 2020, in peak pandemic, and I have no idea where he went. I think the podcaster I knew in Florida was a different one... so, maybe a goal for 2024 is to track him down? But we're not here for a former podcaster. We're here for his song, which was "Help You Out" by Leonell Cassio and sung by Jonothon Robins. Since the lyrics might be a bit hard for you to make out, and since you know I love a chance to use an AI voice, I include a reading of them courtesy of "Adam" from ElevenLabs. I can help you out I can help you out Here we go, here we go again Trying hard but you wanna be my friend In a place to hide and no one to run to Here we go, here we go again Call my bluff imma be until the end Im the one you ride, im the one you ride to If you don't wanna change In a place to hide and no one to run to If you don't wanna change I can help you out [repeats] Here we go, here we go again Time is up and im calling up my friends And no one to ride and no one to ride to Here we go, here we go again Call me up and you wanna be my friend Im the one you ride, im the one you ride to If you don't wanna change In a place to hide and no one to run to If you don't wanna change I can help you out [repeat] Song Credits: Help You Out (ft. Jonathon Robins) by Leonell Cassio / leonellcassio Creative Commons-Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported - CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download/Stream: http://bit.ly/2JiBzMv

I wonder how long I can go before we officially consider that I've "podfaded" but this is something I love to do and I'd like to get better at that. Wondering what I might be able to do to pursue that goal? Here's your show. Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode! Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page! Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment! I've got a bit of an excuse for not doing an episode last week, because I was in Las Vegas for a conference. Its new name was "AI Con," focusing on Artificial Intelligense, which is a topic I'm absolutely fascinateg by. But the actual name of the conference was the "Ultimate Wealth Camp" which has been around for a few years and is... well, it's a thing. And the same thing that gets me wound up in those is what keeps me from getting these podcasts out. It's not that I don't have enough ideas: It's that I have too many ideas, and I follow them to the point I get derailed. So, you get a 10-minute episode, and eventually you'll get Darcy's followup story of the muskrat that joins the Navy... sometime later. Speaking of, what does AI think I said in this episode? Here's its summary of the transcript:I love podcasting, and I've been wondering how long it'll be before I officially "pod-fade." I want to improve and pursue this passion further. In episode 336, titled "Shelf Help Advice," I discuss my inclination towards self-help interests, ranging from business ventures to personal development. Despite my enthusiasm for acquiring books and PDFs on these topics, they often end up untouched on my shelf or hard drive. I admit to having a cluttered physical space, exacerbated by dealing with my mom's belongings. The organizational challenges extend to my thoughts, and I speculate that I might have ADHD based on familiar symptoms. This mental tendency prevents me from structuring and organizing my podcast content, even though generating ideas isn't an issue. Recently, I attended a conference in Las Vegas, initially named AICon but known as the "Ultimate Wealth Camp." Despite its marketing allure, my experience there was more interesting in unexpected ways. While leaving the hospital tonight where my dad is recovering from RSV (not COVID or flu but a severe cold) I tried to download a PDF offering life advice for 2024, emphasizing organization, yet that didn't work. As I navigate through life's complexities, I express my struggle to find the right framework or mental model to declutter my mind. My penchant for diving deep into topics, illustrated by today's search for a previous royalty-free song, sometimes hinders my podcasting productivity. I share my inner struggle with finding the right balance between perfectionism and completion, acknowledging that "done is better than 'maybe slightly better'." Despite my recent lapses in podcasting, I express a commitment to improving not just for my audience but also for personal growth and discipline...

I've looked over the Ericast archives and wondered, "Why didn't I do any shows that one summer?" This summer explains it. Wondering what I've been up to? Here's your show. Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode! Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page! Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment It's been awhile but I've been enjoying summertime in Minnesota. I've got notes on episodes I'd like to do - one on proximity-based ethics, maybe leading into one on a theology of empathy, and a different but related episode on the book "Leadership and Self Deception" from the Arbinger Institute... but first I need to do a simple reset and explain that I'm here and alive and well and just haven't gotten around to doing an episode. The big "Stephen Covey Rock" that I was working around this summer was a quick trip to Denver for the first Canvas conference since the pandemic. After such a long delay I don't want to leave you feeling unsatisfied, so let's close with a special treat: another Storytime with Darcy!

I've been dabbling with new technology during the past couple weeks to the point where I got downright giddy... and a bit disturbed. Wondering what I've been working on? Here's your show. Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode! Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page! Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment In the last episode, a listener from California gave me a great tip to improve the stability of my voice recording tool from Eleven Labs. By turning down the "stability" slider, I was able to sound more like myself. This episode includes some fun throwbacks to when I used to include sweepers between segments. I also share a personal story about an accident I had while woodworking. I learned a hard lesson about the importance of safety equipment and basic practices. Luckily, my friend was there to help me and I'm grateful for his support. From that day forward, I always use push sticks and other safety equipment when working with my tools. If you're tired of hearing the same old stories, you're in luck! It's time for Storytime with Darcy! She shares a heartwarming tale about a curious squirrel named Nutmeg who witnessed Jesus performing miracles in the forest. Nutmeg was grateful for the experience and knew that the world was a better place because of Jesus.

I was a little surprised at how depressed I sounded in my first experimentation with AI-constructed voices. Think we can brighten its day? Here's your show. Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode! Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page! Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment This episode speaks for itself... kinda. In a way.

Wondering if our new robot overlords are going to provide a better future for us? Let's give it a spin. Here's your show.Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode!Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page! Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment As you probably figured out by now, this episode is artificially generated based off short voice sample from the last episode. I made sure to not include any of the parodies of the Marines content or else my presentation would sound a lot more dramatic than it usually does. However, what I'm finding is instead I sound incredibly depressed. I'm really not. My friend Eeyore says I sound fine to him. But, maybe I shouldn't be listening to a donkey. This also gives me the opportunity to try out some Steven Wright jokes: I spilled spot remover on my dog. Now he's gone.  I was sad because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet. So I said, "Got any shoes you're not using?" It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to have to paint it. I have no idea if those are really jokes from Steven Wright but a page on the Internet said they were. I also realized that a simple typo - did you catch the one a minute ago? - makes me say things that I'd never actually say. But, you'll also notice that there isn't a single "um" or "ah" or misspoken thing, which I think is a first for the Ericast in its 18 years. Happy Birthday to us, by the way. As I joked with Candela when she turned 18, "this means that now you can be tried as an adult". Otherwise, age is just a number... which is, like, literally, yeah, that's what it is. Like, by design.  That's how it works.  Anyway, we've been doing this show non-stop (except for extended delays) for 18 year and I never thought that this kind of technology would be a click or two away. Maybe 18 years from now I'll finally have my flying car. Oops. Another typo. Or maybe I meant to say "18 year". You'll never know. Except you do, because that makes no sense. I think this is my chance to experience my lifelong dream of being on National Public Radio.  "You’re listening to... The Delicious Dish, on National Public Radio. It’s Christmas season again, our favorite time of the year. I got real freaky this year. I’m asking Kris Kringle for a wooden bowl, some oversized index cards, and a funnel. I like to leave Santa some tap water and rice. If Santa’s anything like me, Christmas foods really reek havoc on the ol’ digestive system." As you've probably figured out, I'm running these paragraphs in chunks and playing them back as I go to make sure this hasn't gone totally off the rails. And I just realized that's a terrible cliche to use, considering some of the disasters the nation's rail system has experienced so far this year. Anyway, this is a tool from a company called "Eleven Labs" and I'm having fun with it but frankly it's really pretty disturbing how good it is. My cadence is off, sure, but if I threw a statement in here that I recorded myself, I don't think you'd spot the difference. Unless I was REALLY enthusiastic!!! That might do the trick. But, apparently, if I capitalize something it just becomes dramatic and breathy instead of enthusiastic. I wonder if that would help with my N P R career. "Sitting in for Terry Gross I'm Eric Larson and this is FRESH AIR." Hmmmmm. Anyway, longtime Ericast listeners will remember the "Ericast from the keyboard" episodes where I would bounce an email, probably one from my Blackberry - remember those? - through a couple blog and email services until it would do a text to MP3 service and then drop into the Ericast feed. This could basically do that, except it's my voice, except that it's not quite "normal". However, this is based on a single training file grabbed from last episode, so maybe I can make it better. I'm going to put this experiment to an end for now because frankly it's getting a little disturbing to listen to myself say things that I never actually said. I'd love to hear what you think - 701-645-3742 is the listener feedback line as always. Or, go out to Eleven Labs and sign up and generate a fake speech file with some of your feedback and email it to me... but calling is probably simpler.

I don't really want this to become a show about misheard lyrics, but I was really confident about this one. Want to find out how wrong I was? Here's your show.Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode!Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page! Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment We're learning that my confidence regarding what a particular lyric says has very little correlation to what the lyric actual is, like my understanding of "Gone" by Lasgo. Here's the video, where you can listen to the whole song (it's good!) and hear its lyrics in context:

This year has not started out the way I expected. Want some family updates and a couple calls? Here's your show.Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode!Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page! Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment I'm down to the last few minutes of January and would like to wrap up my day, so here's how things have gone. And if you've got things to share, 701-645-3742 still works (as this episode will prove!) We had "great expectations" kicking off on the very first day of January. Then my birthday came, when we got a bunch of snow and Dad went into the hospital with what turned out to be pneumonia. He bounced back pretty well but was left with some muscle weakness so he's in a rehab care center for that. But the person you don't want getting pneumonia is my mom, because she's had lung issues for years so that's the thing that's going to get her. Well, spoiler alert, she went into the hospital last week with "severe pneumonia" and is now on comfort care with hours -- maybe days, definitely not weeks -- left. So, wow, that was a wild swing of events and means that I don't know how we'll I'm going to be maintaining the Ericast schedule in the months ahead. Maybe I'll be a lot more regular as a place to reset and connect with all of you, and maybe I'll be juggling way too many other things. We'll see. I'll tell more stories about Mom another time, but for now I'm going to see if I can return to the tradition of the last week of the month being "listener feedback"... like the call from Chad that seems like it might be referencing our last episode. And we can always count on Matt in California. If you've got your own feedback to share, you know what to do! 701-645-3742 or email or catch me on the flipside socials. Bonus: Here's someone's compilation of the AT&T commercials that I mentioned at the end of this episode: