1477 – Velvet and Day Glow Dancing | Checking Into Boredom Ep 6

Episode 1477 – Velvet and Day Glow Dancing | Checking Into Boredom Ep 6

 

SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the podcast that’s here to put you to sleep. It’s time to check into boredom, check in for meanders, check in with your bore-friend by just barely listening to me. Welcome to Sleep With Me, by the way. If you're new, this is a podcast that’s here to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff so you could fall asleep versus putting you to sleep directly. It’s a bit different of a show, so it does take some getting used to. Alls I can tell you is what a lot of listeners have said over the past thirteen years; give it a few tries, see how it goes. You got nothing to lose, 'cause I’m here to help. I’m here to hang out with you, to be your friend in the deep, dark night, maybe bring you some sleepy joy and delight, maybe put a smile on your face, maybe give you a little room to breathe or relax, to just know someone’s there to tell you a story and to take forever getting to the story, and then have the story have a ton of meanders, a ton of filler words, an imperfect friend.

 

I don't know if you have any imperfect friends. I’m Perfectly Imperfect; that was the musical I never wrote about this show, or a song for a musical about this show, Perfectly Imperfect. Imperfectly…not…definitely not imperfectly perfect, but I’m the perfect right of…well, no, I guess I have a touch more of imperfection than most, and I embrace it. That’s what allows me to make a sleep podcast. If I was out there quote, unquote in the world of N-O-R-M-A-L, I’d probably be what? I don't even know what I’d be doing. I’d say…I mean, what would happen for me is they’d say, are you sure your shoes are on the right feet? Then I’d look down. I’d say, oh boy, let me…let’s try that again, 'cause that probably happened to me multiple times, and that’s okay. That’s why I’m…that’s why…that’s what makes it such an honor to make a sleep podcast and maybe help other people out that have had trouble sleeping like I have and help people out that are going through stuff I haven't been through.

 

So, again I’m glad you're here. What we got coming up is support so that paying for the show is optional so anybody that needs it, it’ll be here for you. Then there’s a long, meandering intro after the support, totally separate from the support, and then later on will be our episodically modular stories, Checking Into Boredom. All told, I’ll be here for about an hour. I’m really glad you're here. I really love making the show. Myself and a team of people work really hard on it. So, whether you're new, you're coming back to the show because you need it right now, something’s going on or you're in the middle of something or something’s coming up or you're getting over something or you're one of those super-listeners that’s here night after night, year after year, month after month, I’m glad everybody’s here. If you are a super-listener, if you could consider supporting the show directly, it would be a huge help for us as we stay here on a regular basis. Thanks.

 

Intro: Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I’m gonna do the rest. What I’m going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake. It could be thoughts on your mind, thoughts about the past, the present, the future, thoughts you're thinking about, thoughts that just come up at bedtime, it could be feelings, anything coming up related to those thoughts or feelings that just make a bedtime appearance, as they love to do, physical sensations that are related to the thoughts or feelings, or you have thoughts and feelings related to physical sensations, or you just got those physical sensations. Right now they're either not sensational or they're too sensational.

 

You say, I could use…could I just get the right amount of sensation for bedtime? That can be tough to acquire, because as soon as your…you know what I’m saying. It could be you're going through something, you got something coming up, changes in time, temperature, routine, travel, work, maybe you work a different schedule, maybe your work schedule changed. Whatever it is, the only reason I mention some of that stuff is so you know you're in good company, you know you're in a place where at least we strive to understand and welcome you here, that you could check out and say, huh, I think other people that listen to the show might get it, that they don't dismiss whatever it is that’s keeping me awake, and that some people that are listening right now in this moment across the world…this is how…this is one of the coolest things I’ll ever say 'cause…and it’s true. So, I’ll repeat it.

 

Right now across the world from you there’s other people listening who get it really well, that have been through something really similar to what it is that brought you here or brings you here on a regular basis, and they are in bed or getting ready for bed or winding down, maybe even brushing their teeth. While they brush their teeth or do whatever it is they're doing, they are sending you welcoming kindness. They are sending you comfort. They are thinking of you fondly and in a understanding way embracing whatever it is that brought you here because they've been someplace very similar, and they're like, man, I hope this podcast can help you like it helped me, because I know what it was like for me before I found the show, and I had no idea…I know what it was like when I first listened to the show. It was very confusing. But eventually I realized I’ve been…I had no idea to look for a podcast like this.

 

I realize now I’ve been looking for something like this my whole life, but I wouldn't have thought it ever existed, and I hope it can help you like it helped me. Another thing we all agree on is that you deserve a bedtime where you could get the rest you need so your life is more manageable. You deserve the rest you need so you could be getting that sleep you need on a regular basis so you could be out there in the world flourishing. That means our world’s a better place to be in, with you flourishing and living your life. There’s no pressure to do that, either. We’ll just…I'll just be here to try to help if I can, in a indirect way. But yeah, I don't know if you could feel it right now or sense it or even be aware of it, but this is the part of the show where there’s kindness being exchanged, kindness and comfort, smiles and warmth, most of which I’ve gone most of my life saying, eh, no, I’m good. I don't need any…the kindness of strangers? I’ll pass.

 

I think that was…and luckily I never got that as a tattoo, but I really…I am that kind of person. I say, well, no, I’d…the kindness of strangers? No, I’d rather do it on my own. It had never worked out for me, and it was really the listeners of this show that opened my mind to this way that it can be comfortable and indirect. You can give and you can receive the kindness, and we're in this together and we're spread apart across the world. So, if you're new, though, just see how it goes. No pressure. Or if you're a regular listener, you say, no, I’d part…I'd prefer not to participate on it. I’m still good like that part of you, Scoots. Kindness? Eh. Don't worry, there’s no wrong way to listen. I just bring it up because you're important. That’s the reminder, and I strive to help you out. Usually these intros are a bit more silly, though, yeah, I’m in…I'm actually recording in a different location than normal.

 

So, I don't know, maybe this is one of these LSZs, Low-Silliness Zones, a low-silliness area, an area deplete…I don't know if it’s been depleted of silliness. It’s waiting for its silliness to…or nonsense…this area is experiencing a reduction in nonsense, a reduction…RAS. Is it a reduction in a area of nonsense? Probably needs some sort of Pythag…I can't even…there you go; there’s silly. I was gonna say it probably needs some sort of Pythag…I can't even say it; Pythagoream theory. If we get a couple co…I'm just doing…I don't even know what any of this math…if we get a cosine and a sine in here or a sign about cosines…can someone co-sign on my attempt to acquire a sign about cosines? Or somebody get Pythagoras…can somebody get Pythagoras on the phone? Oh, he didn't have a phone? Okay. Do you think he has a phone now? Oh, he doesn't…where he is now he doesn't need phones? Where Pythagoras is, he needs no phones. Thanks, Obi-Wan. Oh no, it was Doc Brown.

 

That was robes; where we're going, we need no robes. That was when Doc Brown and Obi-Wan went to a clothing-optional community, even though Obi-Wan did not…that’s a joke I try to share occasionally on the show. Or maybe Obi-Wan said, why? Well, we're…you say, in…we're going back to the future or to a long time ago in a galaxy far, far…I don't know, does that…does the time machine…how far can the flux capacitor go? It can't go any distance. So, I guess it was just something…maybe Doc Brown wanted to be best friend…how did Obi-Wan get into the…? Well, these are…I'm just trying to open a sleep podcast, not make any sense. Some part of my brain’s like, how did Obi-Wan get in the same area as Doc Brown? Some sort of machine that can go into the future and far, far away. Probably got…I don't even know. Maybe it’s got some…probably math. I would assume there’s…it was…Pythagoream theorem is involved in that.

 

Okay, but whatever it is that’s keeping you awake, I hope I can help. The way the show works is I send my voice across the deep, dark night. I use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and superfluous tangents. So, I go off topic, I get mixed up, then I forget what I was talking about, then I repeat myself, then…I'm like…tonight even, I was like, well, there can't be any…I don't think there’s gonna be any good meanders here. Then, yeah, we managed to get a few. So…could you get Pythagoreas on the…? Is it Pythagoras or Pythagoreas? You don't know? Okay. Nobody knows, even the part of my brain that claims knows everything. Pythagoreum…Pythagoras…do you think he ever went by Pythags? Yo, Pythags, do you have…? You don't need a phone now? Okay. Did everybody…anybody ever get you on the horn?

 

Like at a renaissance fair there’s always someone blowing…there’s people that sell horns both for drinking and for noise-making, and…but neither one’s to get…well, it would get you by the…like, it would get your attention through the horn-blowing, but there are also horns that people use to carry their voice a little bit better. I think that would be what I meant if I said get Pythagoreas on the horn, but maybe not. Maybe it’s just on a boat. That’s what they called those things. You're right; thanks, Pythags. I gotta move on with this. So, my voice is not traditionally soothing. I’m not actually very funny; I’m just barely amusing, and that’s what seems to work, or one of the few things that seems to work about the show. One of the small things that goes into making the show work is what I meant. But when you first get here, if you're new, if this is your first two, three, four times listening, you may be confused, skeptical, doubtful, frustrated, or grouchy.

 

Those are normal ways to get to this show and experience it, because, one, you've had trouble sleeping probably either when you wanted to get to sleep or for a long time, and then you've tried a bunch of stuff, then you found the show through a search or a recommendation, and you had a reasonable idea of what a sleep podcast would be, especially one that’s been around for over a decade. You say, well, this is not what I expected. I thought this was a sleep…it says it’s a sleep podcast. So, that’s a normal way to get to the show. Alls I can tell you is what people have said over those fourteen years, is give it a few tries, see how it goes, because you have nothing to lose. The show does take some getting used to. On the second or third try, for people the show works for, they say, oh, now I get it. It’s always going nowhere. This is a podcast that’s always never getting started. Okay. Now I see that it doesn't make any sense at all, but it’s kinda supposed to.

 

So, just see how it goes if you're new. Give it a few tries. Then if it doesn't work out or it already is not gonna work out — you're like, I already know I’m not gonna listen to this podcast ever again — that’s normal, too. I have a website set up, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou, so you could find other sleepy stuff so you don't have to struggle in the deep, dark night. There’s other sleep podcasts and things I’ve tested out on that website. So, try that. It’s okay if you don't like me or the show doesn't work. I still want to…I want you to get the rest you need. Otherwise, if you're still…if you're gonna give it a few tries, this is a podcast that you don't really listen to. It’s not totally background noise, though you could use it as background noise, and you can listen to it, but you don't need to listen to it.

 

So, it’s like a TV on in the other room or a show streaming under your pillow, sand passing through your hands, a out-of-focus picture, a really dull friend talking to you across the room or on a phone and just telling you, oh yeah, I was…I'll tell you the story, but I gotta…before I get there, I gotta tell you about my math class from eighteen years ago, the only things I remember about it. What was that one symbol? Do you remember that symbol? Then I remembered Pi radius…like, we have friends…Pi radius squared, right? Am I right? That’s what was my greeting when my best friend was Pythags. I said, Pi radius squared, my Pythags…said no one on planet Earth ever. That may be a record. No one’s said that yet except for today. What did I say? Sign my cosine, my Pythags. Anyway, I don't want to get on Pythags’ bad side, either. So…oh, you don't need to listen to me. Just like there are friends, and they say, oh, you're having a real tough time sleeping? Well, yeah, let me just try to soothe you.

 

It could also be a seminar that goes on and on and on or a movie or a show you can't stay awake to, or a audiobook or a seminar, a class, like wind in the trees or clouds in the sky, something you tune in and out of that’s kinda nice but not competing for your attention, either, like nice water passing through your toes. Just see what happens with the show. I’ll be here, but you don't have to pay attention to me if you don't need to. This is also a sleep podcast that’s not meant to put you to sleep. I’ve been making this show for a long time, and there’s no pressure to fall asleep with this show. I’m gonna be here over an hour so in twenty minutes you know, okay, this podcast is still gonna be here. There’s over 600 episodes ready to go in the ad-supported, listener-supported version of the podcast, so you could queue up whatever works for you for as long as you need it and…yeah. But I’m here to keep you company, not to put you to sleep.

 

The reason there’s no pressure to fall asleep is there’s people listening who can't sleep at all, either 'cause whatever they're dealing with right now or whatever they've got going with their sleeplessness, they need a break during the day, they need something to listen to while they're at work, they woke up in the middle of the night. I’m here to the very end whether you're awake or asleep, 'cause I’m here to be your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your bore-cuz, your bore-bruh, your Boris Borelaf, your chairman of the boreds, your Big Borebowski, maybe your Barbra Borestrand? I don't know. Is that one we could use? Who knows? Your best bore-friend f’eva, to just hang out with you and keep you company and be here for you as a mild distraction. That’s what a bore-friend does. So…but having a bore-friend does take some getting used to. It’s not a normal offering until now. So, yeah, see what happens. I’m here…but I’m here to be here to the very end for you.

 

The other thing I like to run through at the beginning of the show is the structure of the show just for the new listeners or the people that are coming back and they're like, wait a second, why is the show structured the way it is? Great question. It’s to benefit the maximum amount of people we possibly can, to be honest. The show starts off with a greeting; friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Ideally that makes people feel seen and welcomed, and they say, okay, I might check the show out, and I think I get the tone of it. Then there’s support from sponsors and requests for listener support, 'cause it does take a lot of work to make the show and resources. But the reality is that most people benefit from this free version of the podcast, and most people, they don't mind the ads or the support, 'cause they want the show to be here whenever they need it, and it allows anybody to discover the podcast and see if it works for them.

 

Then after the support, totally separate from the support, is the intro of the podcast. It’s a show within a show. It takes about fifteen to twenty to twenty-five minutes or so for me to introduce the podcast that I probably made fourteen…well, probably with the bonus shows, like 1,600 episodes or something. But the reason the intro goes on and on and on…not only is my ability to go on meanders a natural ability, it’s that every intro is familiar but every intro is new so whatever it is that’s keeping you awake, it feels reassured but also feels respected, that someone’s putting in the effort to take your mind off of stuff in a new way every time. ‘Cause in the past when I used audio over and over again, after two or three tries, that part of me that wants to stay awake would not…would feel…kept predicting what would happen and it stopped working. So, I think a essential part of this is the variety and the consistency, that the show is here on a regular basis with these intros.

 

But the reason the intro’s fifteen to twenty-five minutes long is also to ease you into bedtime. The intro is not designed to put you to sleep. It’s designed to ease you into bedtime, to give you a buffer or a wind down. So, if you do fall asleep fast, consider supporting the show, or you could check out Bedtime Stories from Sleep With Me. Also, if you don't like the intros, like you become a regular listener and you find, I don't like these intros, Bedtime Stories from Sleep With Me is just the stories of the show. Or on Sleep With Me+ you get ad-free versions of both the full episodes and the story episodes on the same day they come out. But yeah, for most listeners…and again, it’s…I'm just saying this for new listeners, right? You could discover your own journey with the show. This intro is where we hang out and everybody's getting ready for bed, winding down, getting comfortable, and getting eased into bedtime.

 

‘Cause for me, falling asleep fast never worked, and I need some time to wind down. I need…I guess, yeah, to have the mood set. This way it’s kinda like we're hanging out at a sleepover after the sleepover has crested but before we're closing our eyes and falling asleep, our last set of giggles. So, that’s why the intro goes on and on and on. Then after the intro will be some support, and then there will be our episodically modular series, Checking Into Boredom. I believe it’s our sixth episode, maybe our fifth episode. I think it’s our sixth. But you can listen to them in any order. Particularly, this series is very episodically modular, just meaning each one has a recurring character, but we explain everything at the beginning of the show. So, if this is your first one, the first five are prequels. Or you could listen to them during the day and do that. Just see how it goes with everything with Sleep With Me. Yeah, just see how it goes. It’s okay. I’m here to help. Let’s see how it goes.

 

I learned that from listening to all of you, like how to even talk to myself like that. I think you can hear it reflected in the beginning of these podcasts. I’ve really tried to embrace what I’ve learned from all the wonderful people listening to the show, and part of that is welcoming all the new or recent listeners of the show. So, it is my honor to make the show and be here for you whether you're new or you've been listening the whole time. I’m really glad you're here. I work really hard on the show. So do a bunch of other people. We really yearn and strive to help you fall asleep. So, thanks again for coming by, and if you are here night after night, year after year, if you could please consider spreading the word about the show, supporting one of these sponsors or supporting the show directly, it’ll really help make sure the show is here long into the future because of you. Thanks.

 

Alright, hey everybody, this is our episodically modular series, Checking Into Boredom. Episodically modular means you can listen to these episodes in any order. The narrator will catch you up on everything you need to know. It’s about a bedtime storyteller at a hotel. Yeah, I think this might be our most episodically modular series ever. But I say that…I think there’s a couple other ones that are pretty modular. Oh, episodically modular means you can listen to it in any order. Each episode has recurring…one recurring character and they try to figure something out by the end of the episode. We're getting towards the end of the season, so I’m thinking this episode should wrap every…be wrapped up nice with a bow, but you just never know. When I start meandering you never know what’ll…where it’ll go. When I think of oh, the places he’ll go and he’s willing to go to for sleep, for listeners, for compassion, for empathy, for kindness, I don't know if there’s anyone else really in the world who’s willing to do that for Sleep With Me listeners, at least.

 

He comes all the way from the Greater Los Angeles Area on stored, renewable energy. Oh, he liked that 'cause usually I get it…I say, stored this. He says, well, technically it’s…and he does it with a smile and not always…not always…I mean, as quiet as he can manage. I say, hey, buddy, it’s not…I didn't ask you to act quiet. I said, can you be quiet? He’s laughing now. Just 'cause my standard for quietness, for him, at least, is…it’s about progress, not perfection, Antonio. ‘Cause he said…I mean, I have been wrong multiple times before. He said, I wasn't even in the next room. I wasn't…I had left already. I say, really? I said, well, you know, your essence…you left your essence behind. So, he has noisy essence. Not noisy…I mean, just for a sleep podcast, 'cause I say, yeah, if this was more of what people would expect of a sleep podcast, tinkling…I mean, not that kind of tinkling. You know, ethereal…he moves in…he makes…when he moves he makes ethereal sounds. His essence is…he has an ethereal essence.

 

Maybe…are all essences ethereal, or is all…everything ethereal…does everything ethereal have an essence? But either way, his ethereal essence has effervescence. I got him with that one, too. It’s our Hollywood Area…our Hollywood announcer, Mr. Antonio Banderas. The friends beyond the binary, the ladies, the gentlemen, the boys, the girls, it’s time to check into boredom. Ba-ding. Just like Rob Has a Podcast. Also, Rob has a new book, so read Rob’s book. Read Stephen’s book, and leave…I don't have…I just wanted to honestly say ‘ding’ and read…check out those books. Checking Into Boredom. Yeah. Antonio, you're almost as bad at plugs as I am, impromptu plugs. Neither one of us is good at them, but yeah, Rob Cesternino from Rob Has A Podcast has a book out. Check it out. Stephen Fishbach has a book out, both friends of the show from Survivor know-it-alls, and this is Checking Into Boredom.

 

Well, hello, everyone. This is your narrator, and I’m here to catch you up on everything. This episode’s going…it’s…I mean, I’m only starting to fill you in, but it’s already unfolding different than it has in the past. So, I’ll tell you what’s norm…I guess I’ll tell you about the who, what, where, when, why, how of our series, and then I’ll get into tonight’s story. So, this is called Checking Into Boredom. It’s the tale of a bedtime storyteller based on a person you know well, Scooter, and he works for a chain of hotels called The Hotel, and these…The Hotels are scattered around the world, not always in the biggest city, but sometimes in the second-biggest or third-biggest or fourth-biggest city, or interesting places, nearby interesting places. They don't go…I don't know if they go for depth or width. There’s not a lot of The Hotels, but there are a number of them. The Hotel is…if you looked at the records, which we actually haven't done…but they're quite an old company.

 

The Hotels have been around for a long time, though the names have changed. They're…it’s a nice place to stay, a very, very nice place to stay. They're one of the only hotel chains, as we’ve heard recently, to have a bedtime storyteller on-call in a sense, not in the hotel, but who they bring in to help people fall asleep, though thus far…and maybe it’s just too boring that we hear regular hotel clients get to put…get put to sleep by the bedtime storyteller, or maybe there’s just no demand. But usually the hotel has a client in mind that they're working with that they need…who needs help with the bedtime storytellers. ‘Cause The Hotel is more than just a hotel. They are a part of something, something ancient, something with the care of our world in mind. These hotels happen to be situated near some sort of intersection between our world and another world or another phase or something like the transverse plane, but maybe not the exact same thing, but maybe — maybe that’s a metaphor — where our world intersects with other worlds, but not in…in a way…they say, huh, is there a connection to another world out there somewhere?

 

This person seems to be going in-between these two worlds or bringing something from that world. The hotel as a whole watches over those places where I guess the intersections are more likely to happen or occur. The hotel has an entire…they have people who look into it, hotel detectives and people named after the periodic table, agents, you'd say, important people. Then they have someone like Scooter, who, in addition to telling these bedtime stories, also helps them collect smaller clues from these clients who may or may not have working knowledge of these intersections between our world and another world. Normally Scooter would meet with the hotel Sundries Supervisor. Well, in the past the Sundries Supervisor would give Scooter the who, what, where, when, why. Scooter would do the ‘how’, though a lot of times they would have to help him with the ‘how’ of who they were working with and what the hotel was looking to learn.

 

But over time that became more and more opaque, because as in this genre of storytelling when it’s fictional, someone may always be listening in. But on tonight’s particular journey, Scooter was…this was the first time this has happened before. Quite exciting in a sense. Scooter was headed to a destination, and Scooter was at a international airport where there’s a lot of international travel that takes place. He was supposed to have a layover. If you've ever been with Scooter on a layover, depending on the length of the layover, he can get quite Scooterfied, if you will. So, as he was getting ready to say, okay…do where you’re kinda moving back and forth but you're looking at things, you're going places, maybe not headed in the…but not asking anyone. Scooter was kinda moving around. At this particular airport there was a couple people with signs as you see in films, maybe less so in other places, and if we were to see the sign, we would say it clearly said Noir Chardonnay.

 

But there’s a lot of time…Scooter does have learning differences, but he also has thinking differences. So, he may have seen the sign but he didn't actually read the sign. But he kept pacing around, and the person holding the sign, they knew…they had a picture, of course, but they thought he was…they thought it was some sort of dance or something. Then Scooter…then they followed Scooter as he went to the WC, then Scooter came back out, went left, went right, went right, went left, passed the sign a few more times. The person with the sign even kind of gently held the sign up. They even said Noir, Noir, Noir. Noir Chardonnay. But Scooter didn't quite hear that. But then on the fifteenth Noir, Scooter said, Drakkar…? Are you selling Drakkar Noir? They said, no, I’m look…you're Noir Chardonnay, right? Oh, sorry, sorry. You recognize…do you work at…? They said, I have something for you. They had a package, a sealed letter. Noir Chardon-eyes only, or Noir Chardonnay’s eyes only.

 

It was sealed, and they handed it to Scooter, and they said, that’s it. Scooter said, huh, never…wait a second, this is…am I getting called up to the big leagues here? Scooter looked around, wondered if anybody…went back and forth, then finally found a sitting area, then forgot his roller bag, went back and got that, and then sat down and opened this package. It said, Change in Assignment. Now, this had never happened to him before. It had a plane ticket, which was interesting, 'cause…Scooter said, huh, this is like a old-fashioned…not a old-fashioned plane ticket, but it was actual tickets. Then it had very detailed instructions, very simple detailed instructions that he didn't really look at of when the flight was, which was around the same time as the flight he was connecting, which was…his new flight was to Argentina, but originally he was going somewhere totally different. But he said, okay. Then…so, the flight was still the same. Then after some…this is even too much for a sleep podcast.

 

Eventually said, okay, board this flight. Then it had another envelope inside that said after the flight, after you're on the flight, open this package. Of course he didn't do that, and he opened the package. But it had information about his client and not the flight. So, then he put everything back in. Then he couldn't find where he put the…the whole thing. But eventually he made his way to his flight to Argentina, and he was headed to Cordoba, which just happened to be…it’s interesting for this tale that it is the second-largest city in Argentina, and right in the center of the country. So, Scooter took his flight there, and then he started to page through the information that he had got, which again was a little bit different. Once he’s on the flight and he looks over it, he kinda finds it interesting. It had him going directly to meet his client and not go to the hotel, and to leave his…check his bags at a bag storage at the airport, and to check his bags.

 

He would take a train from the airport to the train station, check his bags in at the train station to get later, and he also had…they anticipated…they know what they're doing. So, they had an entire thing of like, okay, don't worry, you can…this isn't our hotel, but there’s a hotel at the airport. So, you can go to the hotel, you can…they anticipated a lot of Scooter's personality things. But eventually he learned that his client…he was…got really, really excited. He was to meet his client near La Quinata. Not La Quinata in…La Quinata in Cordoba, which is…now, this is this gigantic…the city’s huge cultural and educational hub, and that also means that it’s a hub of…can be a hub of theatre. Scooter's client…Ferne was the name of his client. His client was an artist, and there’s a lot of avant-garde theatre there, and similar to some other international cities, there’s a big black-light theatre scene.

 

Or, not a huge black-light theatre scene, but other places where there’s…so, black-light puppetry, black-light performances, black-light installations, or maybe where…with neon or DayGlo, playing with the senses. So, Scooter was really excited to meet this client who was a specialist in not just…in the past they'd been involved in puppetry and stage performance, but was also supposedly working on a installation for The Hotel. This was similar that Scooter…this was a area Scooter had even fantasized about quite a bit. So, he was very excited to meet Ferne. So, eventually, after some of his normal interferences, he got everything settled, got his bags checked. They had anticipated a lot of Scooter's needs, and he met his client. At first the client’s like, okay, we’ll…we're gonna go get something to eat, and there’s a dinner show, and it’s like a progressive black-light dinner show.

 

Scooter said, oh man, I’ve dreamed about doing this as dessert…and then said, okay, let me just…they got along really good, but the client could also tell that Scooter could get carried away with things. They actually started to connect right away because they had this shared interest. The client was a bit of a extrovert, where Scooter was a introvert. So, Ferne was talking about Scooter and introducing Scooter and…while they had this progressive dinner, so…where you can't quite see what you're eating, but you're told what you're gonna be eating, or at least you get a preview and then you're watching this play with puppets and things getting played out on a stage…and musicians. Then Scooter got tired, but…'cause it was so dark. But he was also learning more and more about Ferne and Ferne’s inability to sleep. Now, also because of the time change, after Scooter got tired, then he got his second wind. So, they went out…they kept this going, this kinda themed night going.

 

They went out to kind of like a dance…like a black-light kinda style dance thing where you could even put paint on and…so you glow. Because Scooter already felt comfortable with Ferne and he…this was like a great person to lean on 'cause they were a extrovert and they were tri-quad-lingual, so they could have conversations and introduce people and they knew a lot of people. Scooter had also kind of…even though it’s not a mirror, these kind of things can be great for projection. So, Scooter had seen someone he thought that was working, and it ended up they were, that they were working at the dinner, one of the hostesses. She was in charge of the third plate of the dinner. She was a chef. Then she was also at the dance club. Even though it was…Scooter kinda developed a projection of who she was in his mind and that she and him would be perfect for each other.

 

They did dance together, but again, it was like, Scooter was covered in pink-and-green DayGlo paint and she was in some oranges and yellows. They did dance, but it was too loud to really talk. So, it was more of a moment or a vibe or something, 'cause then Ferne said, okay, we gotta head out. Scooter said, why? Ferne said, well, I have a very specific schedule. So, we're gonna head out. We gotta go a ways. So, they took this…they got in a car and drove, and they drove not too far, but to a area that was a little bit quieter, like a former industrial area that kinda…there wasn't really anything around. Then there was this huge cement building that’s a certain style of architecture. There was a movie about it. The Contemporary Resort is an example somewhat of that style. Brutalist is a way to say it, brutalist. It tends to be kind of more imposing cement buildings that are becoming more and more appreciated. But this one was…it was in the middle of nowhere and it was quite a big building.

 

It seemed like it had been there for some time, but there was nothing going on. Scooter's like, what’s…is this the hotel? The client said, well, this is the future. This is the hotel that’s gonna be here in the future, yeah. They don't normally open The Hotels in the second-largest city. Also, it connects to the hotel. You'll see, you'll see. This will be…it’s gonna be…there’s…yeah, it’s connected. I’m gonna…don't worry. Scooter said, okay. It was gonna be an amazing surprise. So, they're gonna…Scooter said, what…? Well, they're gonna have two hotel…The Hotels here. This one is a regular hotel. It’s not open yet. But then they have an all-inclusive one. Scooter said, where? They said, not far, not far at all. You'll be surprised. Scooter said, oh, okay. The client said, but I gotta do something. We're gonna sleep here tonight. Maybe you could help me sleep, like tell me a bedtime…Scooter said, yeah, it usually takes…well, okay.

 

The client went off, and they were like…they were very specific. They were like…at whatever time it was, 1:00 in the morning. They said, I gotta be…and Scooter said, well…and they said, I gotta go. I gotta do something. A couple other things I’m working on are time-sensitive. Scooter said, can I help? They said, no, no, no, it’s fine. Just…you get ready to tell me a bedtime story. But of course Scooter fell asleep 'cause he got comfortable. They had bunks set up in this huge…it seemed like a former office building or government building that had been closed down for some time. Then the next morning came, and the client said…the client was a little bit more tired. Luckily Scooter had been tired, so…they woke up together and the client made breakfast right in a little kitchen in a break room, 'cause it was a former office building. Then the client said, okay, now I’ll show you what I’ve been working on, 'cause it’s a entrance to this exclusive, all-inclusive resort they have. Scooter said, cool.

 

So, the client was like, okay, so, this is what I’ve been working on, and I’m just gonna tell you; it’s…there’s a lot of black velvet. You're just gonna kinda feel your way through this, and at some point there will be different things lighting up, and it’ll make sense, but you're gonna be fine. I’ll be watching the whole time. There is more than one…it’s not like a maze, but just take your time. If I feel like…I can hear you as well as see you, so just go through. Scooter said, is this kinda like this sensory thing? There used to be one at the Exploratorium that I remember. They said, yeah, it’s like that. Maybe it’s a little bit…this one you're mostly walking. There will be some sitting. There might even be something to get into. But you just go ahead, okay? Scooter said, okay, okay.

 

So, he started to go through, and it was quite a thing because it was like, at first, initially it was like you were just walking through pitch-dark curtains that you could either feel on either side, or…and then there would be a break, and you'd decide whether to go straight, left, or right, but there was always a black-velvet drapery or curtain you could reach out and touch. There was also a sound that was comforting but not music, but this humming-type sound, like a comforting groan or something in the background. But it had a natural sound to it. So, Scooter found that at some point his…he was…he does have that sensory thing, so he was trying to figure out…he’d stop a lot because he’d say, my…am I seeing anything or is it my imagination? But then as he progressed, which was some time…the person had told him it could take a long time; don't worry…and eventually he did notice…okay, there are some…I'm noticing some light, light things I’m seeing I can't quite make out.

 

I can't tell if that’s light coming in from a distant or little flecks of paint and black light. So, he just kept going. He did notice the flooring change, or it’d go up or it’d go down, but there was always plenty of clearance. Yeah, sometimes he could press on the velvet and he could feel a wall, or sometimes it felt like brick or stone or concrete. Yeah, sometimes there was a incline, sometimes there was a slight decline. Eventually he got to a thing where there was like…he started to see more and more, but it was still hard to make out. Again, his mind was constantly processing. Once he passed this giant mirror as it got slightly lighter and he saw kind of his own outline with black lights and stuff, and he smiled 'cause he knew his teeth would glow. Then he even kind of got…found this little car you could sit in, kinda like…almost like…what are those things called? Like the vacuum-tube vehicles thing. So, he looked at that and then he was like, I don't know about that.

 

So, he kept…he was…he thought he’d come back to that, and then he kept going. At some point he wasn't sure if the comforting groan had stopped 'cause it was so…or if he was just hearing…like if that groan was just…the lack of sound. Eventually he headed up, headed up, headed up, and then there was a couple…things got a little bit lighter and a little bit lighter, and then the options to change…there wasn't as many turns or things and it became more and more clear. Then he just exited. He came into this room that was kinda like a lounge or something, and there was a sign in the lounge on a easel that said, Welcome Noir Chardonnay. There was some food and stuff. It said, Please Wait Here. Then Scooter…of course he tried the door, and the door was locked. So, he’s like, huh, that’s weird. But they had delicious food waiting for him. Eventually the door opened and someone came in. They said, oh, hello. Welcome to The Hotel. Scooter said, thanks. This was great. They said, yeah.

 

Would you like to check into your room? Scooter said, sure. So, they went out of this room and down a hallway and into this spectacular lobby, also a…how did I say it? A brutalist lobby, but this one was towering. It was a little bit different but smooth. Huge windows, though, bringing in this diffused light, and really high up, so where the light was even misty and kinda mesmerizing. Scooter went to the…they led him to the check-in area and they said, are you checking in as Noir Chardonnay? Scooter said, no; Tangerine Tangent. They said, oh, okay, Tangerine Tangent. So, we have one of our upgraded rooms available for you, and it’s a…it’s got all…it’s for the guests like…your client has a similar room. Scooter said, okay. These are perfect for…these are like our…we're trying to do this whole sleep program, so…these are the sleepiest rooms we have. Really, really nice, recently refurbished, everything you would want. We have a welcome amenities kit, but we’ll have it sent to your room.

 

Then Scooter said, what about my bags from the train station? They said, I don't know, but the Sundries Supervisor could talk to you about that. But we have…we have a bunch of stuff in your room as well. So, why don't you go down the hall? The Sundries Supervisor is waiting for you. So, Scooter went down the hall to meet with the Sundries Supervisor, and the Sundries Supervisor said, oh, have a seat, Tangerine Tangent. They laughed. Scooter said, where…? Did you get my bag? Can I get…can I go get my bags? You got my bags? They said, there was a little mix-up with your bags. Do you have your ticket? Scooter checked his pockets, and of course he didn't have his…he said…Scooter said, I think I took a picture of it. The Sundries Supervisor said, okay, well, let me have your phone, and I’ll look into it. But yeah, there was a delay with your bags. Scooter said, what do you mean there’s a delay with my bags? They said, well, something…there was something going on outdoors.

 

Happened after you must have got…met with your first client. You met with the client in the morning; now it’s a little bit after lunchtime at the other location, right? Scooter said, yeah, yeah. Then you got…made your way here. It’s pretty cool, huh? Scooter said, yeah, really cool. They said, well, there was this official thing; we're supposed to stay…only stay in the hotel for now. Scooter said, huh. They said, yeah, it’s some sort of…just required by the authority figures to stay in the hotel…at the hotel for the time being until it gets cleared up. Scooter said, huh, okay. They said, but this is a all-inclusive resort. This is the first of The Hotel’s all-inclusive…so, you couldn't pick a better place. Scooter said, but my bag’s got my stuff in it. They said, yeah, yeah, but don't worry. As soon as we can get your bag, we will. He said, okay. They said, by the way, we’ve got something for you, though, in addition to the…and the Sundries Supervisor handed him this wooden case.

 

Scooter opened it and it was a sleep mask, a very nice sleep mask. The Sundries Supervisor said, try it on. Scooter said, okay. It was a little bit…it was still light, but Scooter could tell it was like…Scooter's like, is this like one of those electronic ones with sound effects and stuff? The Sundries Supervisor said, oh, yeah. Tap the right side. Scooter tapped the left side, and he could see an infrared. Then they said, well, tap that side again. Then he could see something else, which was some sort of enhanced vision. Then they said, now tap the other side. Then he could hear…he could kinda hear murmuring in the…like the plumbing and stuff. Scooter said, wow. They said, yeah, this is top-of-the-line. Scooter said, I’ve never seen…it’s not very good for sleep, though. He said, well, it looks exactly like a sleep mask. It might help you with your client. Scooter said, well, thank you. The Sundries Supervisor said, so, I want to go over things.

 

So, you met your client, and they’ll be here in the hotel, though I know they met you in Argentina, in Argentina proper, but we're just outside. Scooter said, yeah, that was a long walk. Yeah…well, you could have taken the tube if you wanted to, I guess. I’ve never taken it, but apparently there’s a tube. Scooter said, yeah, I wasn't so sure about that tube. The Sundries Supervisor said, okay, so, I want to go over everything we need from you. Scooter said, like a report or something? They said, well, if you prefer that. Scooter groaned like that…okay. Yeah, I guess I could do a report. Sure. So, the guy, Ferne, is having trouble…okay, I’ll report this; I fell asleep. Okay. Well, what we need to know from you is that they have this ability…we're trying to figure out how they can go back and forth. Scooter said, what do you mean? The Sundries Supervisor said, well, they're crossing over and then crossing back. Scooter said, cross…I'm sorry.

 

By the way, this is the narrator; Scooter was for the first time playing…following his instructions from earlier, which was that there was to be no obvious discussion of his mission. So, he was slightly confused when the Sundries Supervisor was being slightly more on the nose. Scooter assumed it was a test to make sure he was following instructions, kinda like…especially since he had fallen asleep on the job the night before. He was like, okay, this must be a test. Maybe I am in line for a promotion. I’ve never gotten a for-Scooter's-eyes-only, and I got a upgraded room. Maybe they're gonna make me into a…but he was like, just…he was trying not to be himself, in a sense, or a better version of himself. So, as the Sundries Supervisor…so, they're on…they're able to go to both sides. Scooter said, both sides of what? You mean the exhibit? They said, yeah, the exhibit. There’s another side to the exhibit. Scooter said, in the maze somewhere? ‘Cause I…did I get near it? The Sundries Supervisor said, obviously not.

 

You're here. So, you need to figure out how they're getting back and forth. Scooter said, but it’s in the exhibit. They said, we're pretty sure. We're pretty…we're nearly certain. It’s gotta be in the exhibit, yeah. Scooter said, well…but getting back and forth, isn't that their job? Aren't they working on it? It’s between the two…I don't see what the problem is. It’s between one hotel and the other one. Like, what do you mean back and…? Aren’t they supposed to go back and forth? They said, no, to the other side, not the two hotels. Scooter said, to the other side of the exhibit? They said, okay, can you just figure out how they're doing it? Scooter said, wait a second, so this is a bedtime story? Okay. Once upon a time…okay, I get it. So, this will be part of the bedtime story. The Sundries Supervisor…if that’s what you need to do, then yeah, just do that. But just get to the bottom of it. Scooter said, there’s only…is there more than one floor for the exhibit?

 

The Sundries Supervisor said, just figure out what they're doing. Scooter said, in order to help them fall asleep, right? I mean, that’s what I try to do. But yeah, I get it; I fell asleep last night, but I…you know, they're…this Ferne is a really good dancer. But maybe there’s something going on…I don't know, maybe your instructions are what’s…the Sundries Supervisor said, just please, please, just get it figured out, okay? Scooter said, sure. I’ll do my best. I will do my best to get them to fall asleep. Thank you for this sleep mask. I guess it’ll help me 'cause I won't bump into anything while I’m telling them a bedtime story. But I guess if I was walking around with a sleep mask, hopefully their eyes will be closed. So, where should I meet my client again? They said, in the…oh, well, this…we got great news. You're gonna be so happy to be here. But make sure you figure things out.

 

But yeah, this place has…this is a all-inclusive resort, and it is self-contained, so yeah, there’s…we know that you like saunas and steam rooms. There’s a indoor…we have this giant outdoor courtyard, so there’s a indoor/outdoor lazy river. But your client’s gonna meet you at the food…it’s like a food court. That’s what we call it for you. We call it the Marketplace here, but it has cinnamon soft serve, which we know you like, as well as some of your favorite foods. So, there’s a lot for you to like. But yeah, your client’s gonna meet you at the Marketplace. Scooter said, wow, I could definitely go for a cinnamon soft serve. So, he headed down to the Marketplace, and it was like 2:00 in the afternoon or 3:00 in the afternoon, so there wasn't a lot…there was someone working at the cinnamon soft-serve stand, which was made to look like a market in a marketplace. Scooter got a cone and then he saw his client. He said, hey, Ferne, what’s up? Ferne was a little bit more curt than in the past.

 

Scooter said, sorry about falling asleep, but that was such a cool thing. That whole experience was amazing. Ferne said, yeah, yeah, great. Scooter said, did you get any cinnamon soft-serve? They were like, yeah. They changed the flavors before we checked in. There was a pistachio one before you checked in, but…yeah, I had one. Scooter said, this…so, this is like a all-inclusive resort or something? They said, yeah, yeah, but it’s…I thought you were supposed to help me. Scooter said, yeah, I know. I was supposed to help you, but I fell asleep last night. I apologize. They said, well, you're gonna help me today and moving forward. Scooter said, of course, of course. Usually…I think we talked…I like to work side-by-side with my clients and, yeah, get to know them a little bit better. It was a great night out last night. By the way, did you…I think…so, the third course at dinner last…oh, and then the client said, listen, listen, we gotta get to work. We can talk more about ice cream and dinners later.

 

Yeah, I know we had fun last night, but now it’s time to get to work. Scooter said, oh, okay. What do we…what are we working on? I mean, normally most clients don't want me involved in their work directly, but I’m happy to be involved. I really am a big fan of your…they said, great. We're gonna go down, and yeah, we're working on expanding…we're expand…we're working on the expansion, and we’ll be working…and they started to walk…this whole time they were walking, and they went back down towards where Scooter exited. Then the client unlocked the door into this lounge. They said, yeah, we can't have people just wandering in here, right, because this is very sensitive stuff. Then they went backwards into the exhibit, and the client…then they passed the room with the mirror, and then the client said, okay, so, I just want to check with you, though, before we go any further. Scooter said, okay, sure. The client said, okay, so, you're my…this is kinda like a professional relationship.

 

Scooter said, yeah, I’m a professional bedtime storyteller despite what appearances may be. Then Scooter realized he put his…left his sleep mask in the…Scooter said, I got this wooden…did you see that wooden case I had? They were like, yeah, you left it on the table in the lounge. Scooter said, oh, okay. Yeah, bummer. It was like a sleep mask. They're like, well, you're not gonna need a sleep mask today. But I just want to check; is…so, everything we work…this is a confidential relationship between the two of us, right? Like this is…like, if I tell you something, I ask you to keep it between us, you could keep it between us. Scooter said, well, within reason, within reason. I can keep…I mean, most things, but I do have concern for wellbeing. They said, okay. So, we're gonna be working on an expansion of this, and so, we're gonna be…it’s not actual digging; it’s moving of old stuff out. Scooter said, okay. But the hotel doesn't know about this yet because I’m working on this exhibit, right?

 

Scooter said, okay, but I just want to be…I don't want anyone knowing this is gonna be a surprise. Scooter said, okay. So, we're gonna be moving mostly rocks and old stuff in a wheelbarrow. Well, you'll be doing that in a wheelbarrow. Scooter said, okay, okay. They said, so, can you keep that between us? Scooter said, well, okay, a couple questions; is it a place where wellbeing is gonna…your wellbeing is intact? They said, yeah, oh yeah, definitely. And my wellbeing will be intact? They said, oh, definitely. And the structure of the hotel or anybody that accidentally found their way in there would be…their wellbeing would be intact? The client, Ferne, said, oh, definitely, definitely. It’ll be perfectly fine. It’s just a lot of work. Like, you'll be doing the wheelbarrowing, and I’ll show you where to get started. There’s even this pit where you'll dump everything into, and I’ll show…and that’s all…I got everything figured out. Scooter said, I guess it’s okay then.

 

Yeah, it sound…I mean, can I reserve my judgment slightly? They said, oh man, he was right about you. Scooter said, oh yeah, I’m sure the Sundries Supervisor tried to prepare you for my method. So, then they went and they were like…it was interesting 'cause it was like…again, similar to the…where the black-light experience that Scooter had gone through, the black-velvet experience to get there, but there wasn't black velvet up. But it was these…kinda like hallways. But, you know, you could tell they were in a lower part of the hotel, but they did seem very structurally sound. It was just that the hallway or the tunnel, as you'd say, tunnel, that brutalist tunnel deep below, it even had those kinda smooth walls. But there had been all of these stones piled up, or…not pavers but like stones you would use in the walls, almost like they stored them there, but they also used them to…that you couldn't access that. We're talking a lot of them.

 

So, he was like, yeah, so, you're just gonna take…I'm gonna be working, too, on the art side. You'll be…you're the muscle, Scooter. They both laughed at that. He said, I’ll be working on…don't worry, I’ll be nearby, but I gotta do some work on some other stuff. We’ll have a dinner break. I’ll come get you. But you'll just take these stones and put them in this wheelbarrow. He had a wheelbarrow…a wheelbarrow, and you're gonna take them. Then he showed this other hallway where you could go down and there was actually this perfect incline where you could just dump the stones and they would slide down. Scooter was like, do you know where they go? He said, yeah, a stone storage area down there. I mean, you don't want to slide down there because I don't have the rope to pull you back up right now, but I went down there and looked. Scooter said, okay, alls I’m gonna be able to think about is either sliding down there…and they said, okay, well, I promise you later we’ll do that.

 

Then Scooter said, also, I have a huge crush on the woman that served the third course. So, those are the only two things I’m gonna be thinking about. They said, well, okay. So, like I said, I have a rope for you to slide down there, so you don't need to think…why don't you think…? Nothing better than running a wheelbarrow and thinking about all the dancing you're gonna be doing with your crush or whatever. So, why don't you just…? That…maybe it’ll make you whistle while you work. So, Scooter got to work moving stone after stone after stone, and he kinda actually got into it because he did have this fresh crush that was not…was totally a crush because it was based on something I guess, in a sense, ethereal. He had not even seen this woman, really. But there was something to him elemental about dance and movement and glowing paint on his body and her body. Clothed body, by the…I mean, come on. So, then he was doing that, and time actually flew by.

 

Then Ferne came and said, hey, let’s eat. They had dinner back in the lounge, and then Scooter got back to work. Then he kind of was thinking, how long am I gonna have to be doing this? What time is it, even? ‘Cause he didn't have his…he had left his phone with the Sundries Supervisor. So, he started to…he put the thing down and he started to wander back. Then he got back to the…he started to wind his way back to the…kinda the exhibit part where there was more black velvet. He was kinda feeling his way back, trying to work his way back to the mirror room. He did take a couple wrong turns, but eventually he found his…he started to find his way back to the mirror room and he realized asleep in the corner of the mirror room…he hadn't noticed there was this big poof, like a giant bean-bag-type thing…was Ferne, sound asleep on the poof. Scooter said, huh, that’s cute. Maybe…I guess maybe I did my job already.

 

I wish I had my phone to take a picture, 'cause that Sundries Supervisor…then he was thinking, I don't even know…I guess…Scooter's like, maybe this is another part of this test they're doing. But then he heard…he was standing on the edge in-between the black-velvet curtains, and then he heard the alarm on the watch of Ferne ring. Then he watched Ferne get up and look at his watch and then go to the mirror. Then there was like…it was all kind of like black light, DayGlo, but then there was a reflection of Ferne, but it was different, kinda like a projection or something. He was…it seemed he was doing some sort of sign language in the mirror and communicating or programming. I don't know, Scooter couldn't figure it out. Scooter was like, maybe he’s filming something. Scooter didn't know. But then Ferne stopped and then got back on the poof. Then Scooter kind of pretended he was just walking as Ferne was getting comfortable.

 

Scooter made a lot of noise like whistling so that…he walked far enough away and then was like, da-da-doo, while I work. So, Ferne just sat on the poof and then hopped back up, and then Scooter said, man, I’m really tired. Any idea what time it is? Ferne looked at his watch and said, yeah, it’s like 1:30. Scooter said, a.m.? That’s past my bedtime. Ferne said, well, go up…you can go up to…your room’s really nice…and get some sleep. I guess…and Scooter said, well, aren't I supposed to tell you a bedtime story? Ferne said, I’m not gonna sleep tonight. I got too much…I mean, I’ll go up with you 'cause my room’s up there, too, in a different part of the floor. So, they went up to the rooms, and Ferne went to their room and Scooter went to his room and got cleaned up from all his hard work. It wasn't long before Scooter fell deep, deep, deep asleep in this unbelievable room. The room was soundproof.

 

It had a noise machine and it was…didn’t…it had windows into a courtyard, an interior courtyard of the hotel, and because of that, it also had…could be…you get the room really dark and really cool like Scooter liked it. So, he fell deep, deep, deep asleep. So tired. Everything in his body felt weighty. He sunk deep, deep into his bed and fell deep, deep asleep. Goodnight, everybody.

 

[End of recording]

Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes

Checking Into Boredom / Episodically Modular Series

 

Pythagoras

https://www.superprof.com/blog/what-role-did-pythagoras-play-in-the-history-of-math/

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/pythagoras-math-reality-music-spheres

https://ieeephotonics.org/news/from-right-angles-to-real-world-tech-how-pythagoras-powers-photonics/

 

Córdoba, Argentina

https://cuppatocopatravels.com/south-america/argentina/cordoba-guide/

https://theblogofdimi.com/what-see-cordoba-argentina/

https://www.audleytravel.com/us/argentina/places-to-go/cordoba

 

Blacklight Theatre

https://www.hilt-theatre.com/history-of-black-light-theatre-genre

https://www.hilt-theatre.cz/history-of-black-light-theatre/

https://www.black-light-theatre.com/blacklighttheatrehistory

 

Brutalism

https://www.moma.org/collection/terms/brutalist-architecture

https://architizer.com/blog/inspiration/stories/change-my-mind-brutalism/

https://archeyes.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-brutalist-architecture-history-principles-and-iconic-buildings/

 

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Time to check into boredom

Check in for meanders

Maybe I’ll even bring you some sleepy joy and delight in the deep, dark night

Perfectly Imperfect

Out in the world of N-O-R-M-A-L

 

PLUGS

Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline

 

SPONSORS

Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; AquaTru; AirDoctor; Talkiatry; Quince; DripDrop; Cozy Earth

 

INTRO

Feelings that make a bedtime appearance

Not sensational or too sensational

Can I just get the right amount of sensation at bedtime?

Across the world, someone else does get what you’re going through really well

Kindnesses, comfort, and warmth

For most of my life, I passed on the kindness of strangers

Kindness? Eh…

No wrong way to listen

I’m recording in a different location than normal

Low Silliness Zone (LSZ)

Reduction in Area of Nonsense (RAN)

Pythagorean Theory

Can we get a cosine and sine in here?

A sign about cosines

Can we get Pythagoras on the phone?

Doc Brown and Obi Wan going to a clothing optional community

Robes? Where we’re going, we don’t need robes

I can’t go down this rabbit hole of Star Wars x Back to the Future

And I thought there wouldn’t be any good meanders in this intro

Is it Pythagoras or Pythagoreas?

Yo, Pythags!

Blowhorns sold at the Renaissance Faire

This may not meet your reasonable expectations of what a sleep podcast could be

Always Never Getting Started

sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou

Before I get to the story, let me tell you about my math class from 18 years ago

Pi Radius Squared, my Pythags!

I don’t wanna get on Pythags’s bad side

Like listening to wind in the trees

I’m just here to be your borefriend

Is Barbra Borestrand anything?

Running through the structure of the show

Every intro’s familiar but also new

I’m really glad you’re here

 

STORY

Checking Into Boredom

A bedtime storyteller at a hotel

This one is pretty modular

Oh the places that Antonio would go!

All the way from the greater LA area on stored solar energy

He’s as quiet as he can manage

My standard for his quietness is about progress, not perfection

He moves in ethereal sounds

Ethereal

Are all essences ethereal?

His ethereal essence has effervescence

Shout out to Rob Has A Podcast and Stephen Fishbach

Antonio, you’re almost as bad at plugs as I am

Your narrator fills you in

The 5 Ws of our series

The Hotel, scattered around the world

Interesting places in smaller cities

I don’t know if they go for depth or width

Resident storyteller

The Hotel is part of something ancient

Situated near intersection between our world and another world

Scooter gets instructions from the Sundries Supervisor

These instructions get more and more opaque

Someone may always be listening in

Scooter’s headed to an international destination

He gets quite Scooterfied on long layovers

Some people with signs for Noir Chardonnay

Scooter didn’t realize that the sign was for him

The sign person knew that it was for him

Noir Chardon-eyes Only

A package for Noir Chardonnay

Is this Scooter’s call up to the big leagues

Change In Assignment

A real-life plane ticket

A new flight to Argentina

The package had info about his client

Heading to Córdoba

Looking through his assignment

Directly meeting his client

Meeting near La Cañada (in Córdoba)

Cultural and education hub

A hub of theatre

Ferné, an artist

Lots of avant-garde theater

Blacklight Theatre Scene

Playing with the senses

Working on an installation for the Hotel

Progressive Blacklight Dinner Show

Scooter and Ferné get along well

Learning about Ferné’s inability to sleep

Scooter gets a second wind

Dancing in the blacklight

Ferné introduces Scooter to lots of people

Scooter develops a projection on one of the chefs

They dance together, but it’s too loud to talk

More of a moment or vibe

Ferné has to head out

Going to a former industrial area

BraTalist Style

This is where the Hotel will be

2 Hotels, in fact

They stay there overnight

But Scooter accidentally falls asleep

The next morning

Ferné makes breakfast then shows Scooter what they’re working on

The entrance to the all-inclusive resort

A lot of black velvet to feel your way through

Scooter will go through it and Ferné will watch

Some kind of sensory thing

A black velvet curtain to guide you

Comforting groans and hums

It took Scooter some time

Some very faint lights

He noticed the flooring change

A little car you can sit in

Did the comforting groans stop?

Fewer options to turn

Eventually he exits

Emerging into a lounge

Welcome, Noir Chardonnay

The door is locked, but there’s delicious food

Someone comes in to welcome him to the Hotel

Checking into a Spectacular Lobby

Huge windows bring in diffused light

Misty and Mesmerizing

He’ll check in as Tangerine Tangent this time

Giving him an upgraded room

The sleepiest rooms we have

They don’t have his bags from the train station

Meeting the Sundries Supervisor

A mixup with his bags

Scooter doesn’t have his luggage ticket

Something was going on outdoors

The first Hotel that’s all-inclusive

Scooter really wants his bag

They have something for him

Giving him a wooden case

A very nice sleep mask inside

One of those infrared sleep masks

With enhanced vision and supersonic hearing!

Top of the line, but not great for sleep

Going over the mission

I guess Scooter can do a progress report

Ferné has the ability to cross over and then cross back

No Obvious Discussion of the Mission

Scooter is confused why SS is being so on the nose

Is this a test?

Or a promotion?

Scooter tries to be the best version of himself

There’s another side to the exhibit

How is Ferné getting back and forth?

Scooter acts confused

Is this supposed to be a bedtime story?

Just figure out what they’re doing

What exactly is Scooter’s mission here?

The sleep mask can help Scooter not bump into things

Indoor Outdoor Lazy River

Your client will meet you in the food court

They have cinnamon soft serve

Heading down to the marketplace

Scooter gets a cone then sees Ferné

Ferné is surprisingly curt

Scooter apologizes for falling asleep last night

Ferné really wants his help

Working on the expansion

Entering a locked lounge

Going backwards into the exhibit

Despite all appearances, Scooter is a professional

Ferné wants Scooter to keep a secret

Moving old stuff out for a surprise

The Hotel doesn’t know about this

Moving rocks in a wheelbarrow to dump them in a pit

As long as our wellbeings will be intact

A BraTalist taNall

Pavers you’d put in the walls

Scooter’s the muscle, hardy har har

Ferné will be working on some art on the other side

Down to the Stone Storage Area

Scooter still wants to know more about the woman he danced with last night

Plenty of time to whistle while you work

Scooter really got into it!

Time flew by and then they had dinner

How long will this go on?

He wanders back to the exhibit part

More Black Velvet

Finding his way back to the mirror room

Ferné is asleep on a pouf in the mirror room

What even is this mission?

But then Scooter heard Ferné’s watch alarm ring

Ferné goes to the mirror

Doing sign language with his mirror reflection

Scooter plays ignorant

It’s 1:30am

Get to bed, Scooter

Ferné doesn’t need a bedtime story tonight

Scooter falls asleep in a truly luxurious room

 

SUMMARY:

Episode: 1477

Title: Velvet and Day Glow Dancing | Checking Into Boredom Ep 6

Plugs: Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline

Sponsors: Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; AquaTru; AirDoctor; Talkiatry; Quince; DripDrop; Cozy Earth

Notable Language:

• Low Silliness Zone (LSZ)
• Reduction in Area of Nonsense (RAN)
• Yo, Pythags!
• Always Never Getting Started
• Pi Radius Squared, my Pythags!
• Barbra Borestrand
• Ethereal Essence
• Noir Chardonnay
• Noir Chardon-eyes Only
• Blacklight Theatre Scene
• Progressive Blacklight Dinner Show
• BraTalist Style
• Misty and Mesmerizing
• Indoor Outdoor Lazy River
• Cinnamon Soft Serve
• BraTalist taNall
• Stone Storage Area

 

Notable Culture:

• • Pythagoras
  • Doc Brown / Back to the Future
  • Obi-Wan Kenobi / Star Wars
  • sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
  • Barbra Streisand

• Checking Into Boredom

• • Antonio Banderas

• Rob Has A Podcast

• Stephen Fishbach
• Drakar Noir
• Córdoba, Argentina
• Brutalist Architecture

 

Notable Talking Points:

• Feelings that make a bedtime appearance
• Not sensational or too sensational
• Can I just get the right amount of sensation at bedtime?
• Across the world, someone else does get what you’re going through really well
• Kindnesses, comfort, and warmth
• For most of my life, I passed on the kindness of strangers
• Kindness? Eh…
• No wrong way to listen
• I’m recording in a different location than normal
• Low Silliness Zone (LSZ)
• Reduction in Area of Nonsense (RAN)
• Pythagorean Theory
• Can we get a cosine and sine in here?
• A sign about cosines
• Can we get Pythagoras on the phone?
• Doc Brown and Obi Wan going to a clothing optional community
• Robes? Where we’re going, we don’t need robes
• I can’t go down this rabbit hole of Star Wars x Back to the Future
• And I thought there wouldn’t be any good meanders in this intro
• Is it Pythagoras or Pythagoreas?
• Yo, Pythags!
• Blowhorns sold at the Renaissance Faire
• This may not meet your reasonable expectations of what a sleep podcast could be
• Always Never Getting Started
• sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
• Before I get to the story, let me tell you about my math class from 18 years ago
• Pi Radius Squared, my Pythags!
• I don’t wanna get on Pythags’s bad side
• Like listening to wind in the trees
• I’m just here to be your borefriend
• Is Barbra Borestrand anything?
• Running through the structure of the show
• Every intro’s familiar but also new
• I’m really glad you’re here
• Checking Into Boredom
• A bedtime storyteller at a hotel
• This one is pretty modular
• Oh the places that Antonio would go!
• All the way from the greater LA area on stored solar energy
• He’s as quiet as he can manage
• My standard for his quietness is about progress, not perfection
• He moves in ethereal sounds
• Ethereal
• Are all essences ethereal?
• His ethereal essence has effervescence
• Shout out to Rob Has A Podcast and Stephen Fishbach
• Antonio, you’re almost as bad at plugs as I am
• Your narrator fills you in
• The 5 Ws of our series
• The Hotel, scattered around the world
• Interesting places in smaller cities
• I don’t know if they go for depth or width
• Resident storyteller
• The Hotel is part of something ancient
• Situated near intersection between our world and another world
• Scooter gets instructions from the Sundries Supervisor
• These instructions get more and more opaque
• Someone may always be listening in
• Scooter’s headed to an international destination
• He gets quite Scooterfied on long layovers
• Some people with signs for Noir Chardonnay
• Scooter didn’t realize that the sign was for him
• The sign person knew that it was for him
• Noir Chardon-eyes Only
• A package for Noir Chardonnay
• Is this Scooter’s call up to the big leagues
• Change In Assignment
• A real-life plane ticket
• A new flight to Argentina
• The package had info about his client
• Heading to Córdoba
• Looking through his assignment
• Directly meeting his client
• Meeting near La Cañada (in Córdoba)
• Cultural and education hub
• A hub of theatre
• Ferné, an artist
• Lots of avant-garde theater
• Blacklight Theatre Scene
• Playing with the senses
• Working on an installation for the Hotel
• Progressive Blacklight Dinner Show
• Scooter and Ferné get along well
• Learning about Ferné’s inability to sleep
• Scooter gets a second wind
• Dancing in the blacklight
• Ferné introduces Scooter to lots of people
• Scooter develops a projection on one of the chefs
• They dance together, but it’s too loud to talk
• More of a moment or vibe
• Ferné has to head out
• Going to a former industrial area
• BraTalist Style
• This is where the Hotel will be
• 2 Hotels, in fact
• They stay there overnight
• But Scooter accidentally falls asleep
• The next morning
• Ferné makes breakfast then shows Scooter what they’re working on
• The entrance to the all-inclusive resort
• A lot of black velvet to feel your way through
• Scooter will go through it and Ferné will watch
• Some kind of sensory thing
• A black velvet curtain to guide you
• Comforting groans and hums
• It took Scooter some time
• Some very faint lights
• He noticed the flooring change
• A little car you can sit in
• Did the comforting groans stop?
• Fewer options to turn
• Eventually he exits
• Emerging into a lounge
• Welcome, Noir Chardonnay
• The door is locked, but there’s delicious food
• Someone comes in to welcome him to the Hotel
• Checking into a Spectacular Lobby
• Huge windows bring in diffused light
• Misty and Mesmerizing
• He’ll check in as Tangerine Tangent this time
• Giving him an upgraded room
• The sleepiest rooms we have
• They don’t have his bags from the train station
• Meeting the Sundries Supervisor
• A mixup with his bags
• Scooter doesn’t have his luggage ticket
• Something was going on outdoors
• The first Hotel that’s all-inclusive
• Scooter really wants his bag
• They have something for him
• Giving him a wooden case
• A very nice sleep mask inside
• One of those infrared sleep masks
• With enhanced vision and supersonic hearing!
• Top of the line, but not great for sleep
• Going over the mission
• I guess Scooter can do a progress report
• Ferné has the ability to cross over and then cross back
• No Obvious Discussion of the Mission
• Scooter is confused why SS is being so on the nose
• Is this a test?
• Or a promotion?
• Scooter tries to be the best version of himself
• There’s another side to the exhibit
• How is Ferné getting back and forth?
• Scooter acts confused
• Is this supposed to be a bedtime story?
• Just figure out what they’re doing
• What exactly is Scooter’s mission here?
• The sleep mask can help Scooter not bump into things
• Indoor Outdoor Lazy River
• Your client will meet you in the food court
• They have cinnamon soft serve
• Heading down to the marketplace
• Scooter gets a cone then sees Ferné
• Ferné is surprisingly curt
• Scooter apologizes for falling asleep last night
• Ferné really wants his help
• Working on the expansion
• Entering a locked lounge
• Going backwards into the exhibit
• Despite all appearances, Scooter is a professional
• Ferné wants Scooter to keep a secret
• Moving old stuff out for a surprise
• The Hotel doesn’t know about this
• Moving rocks in a wheelbarrow to dump them in a pit
• As long as our wellbeings will be intact
• A BraTalist taNall
• Pavers you’d put in the walls
• Scooter’s the muscle, hardy har har
• Ferné will be working on some art on the other side
• Down to the Stone Storage Area
• Scooter still wants to know more about the woman he danced with last night
• Plenty of time to whistle while you work
• Scooter really got into it!
• Time flew by and then they had dinner
• How long will this go on?
• He wanders back to the exhibit part
• More Black Velvet
• Finding his way back to the mirror room
• Ferné is asleep on a pouf in the mirror room
• What even is this mission?
• But then Scooter heard Ferné’s watch alarm ring
• Ferné goes to the mirror
• Doing sign language with his mirror reflection
• Scooter plays ignorant
• It’s 1:30am
• Get to bed, Scooter
• Ferné doesn’t need a bedtime story tonight
• Scooter falls asleep in a truly luxurious room