Thursday September 17, 2009
Invited back
Once off-air directly after my second guest appearance on Stirring the Cauldron with my friend Marla Brooks (the topic of discussion was along the lines of what paganism/witchcraft is and what it isn't, how it is perceived and misperceived), etc., Marla and her producer and I discussed the probability for a later show our returning to this topic.
At a slightly later date, Marla came up with the topic of discussing the distinctions between actual witchcraft and/or paganism and that of JK Rowling's Wizarding World of the Harry Potter book series, and asked if I'd be open to being a guest on that edition of her show. Predictably I agreed, set the date on my calendar, set up in advance my eventual email notification to my calling service at that time to let them know I would Not Be Available that date, etc.

Thursday October 29, 2009
Back on the air...
Previously on para-x.com, the program prior to Marla's show was hosted by the pleasant and erudite Gavin Cromwell. For reasons on which I'm still unclear, I think Gavin returned to the UK, but either way, his show went off. In its place (not to be confused with "replacing"), is a "show" designed either to be loved or loathed. Hosted by someone only calling himself the Boogeyman, he uses a Borat style accent (for which from me he immediately loses points, as well as respect), and typically disses those in the chat room. One week I went into the chat room around 5:40pm, and after a few inquiries as to what th'heck was going on (as some strange old radio show clip was being played), the host begins verbally to berate me, claiming I "came in late," and other inane comments.
Irritated, I typed, calmly pointing out accurately: I'm not late: I'm *early*, for Marla's show...
Well, wishing to avoid the unpleasant "show," I set my alarm to go in as close to 6pm as possible. I turned on my Skype and went into the chat room at about 5:55. Marla was in there and we PM'd each other (Private Chat); her producer having not yet even pulled her into the conference. We then each got his call, as did LeeAnne Ball (aka Lodema), and the game was on.
The show went okay; in keeping with the show's topic, Marla's producer kept playing various sound byte clips from the Harry Potter movies, unfortunately many of them came on somewhat haphazardly, often just as someone was about to make a comment (and/or in my case, joke-quips).
(Afterward he apologized for doing so much of that.)
Listening back to it, I realized with some embarrassment at one point that I attribute the Pern book series to Anne Rice instead of Anne McCaffrey...
About 0:45 minutes in, after a commercial break there seems to be a lost segment... it cuts into the middle of our discussing cats and animals as familiars and such. The podcast playback time coming in at 0:57:36 instead of 1:00:00 implies about two and a half minutes are missing, based on results, probably right at that point.
Listen to the show here for yourself... or Right-Click on this Link and download it for listening at a later time.
Enjoy!