In this episode of the podcast Dara has a good look at why the arrival of a new year makes us feel change is both possible and something to which we have all been conditioned. He argues that we shouldn’t have to wait a whole year before we try to effect change in our lives.
Restructuring Time and the Pursuit of Evolution – Episode 33 Read More »
In this episode Dara takes a very chilled look at the year that was, touching on some specific moments, but being more focused on the end-of-year energy that he considers to be contemplative and calming.
A Quiet Moment to End the Year, or The Wag of a Dog’s Tail – Episode 32 Read More »
This week’s episode brings you a brand new Christmas story written by Dara. What happens to the little girl who runs away from her mother in a posh department store? Will she be taken away by the in-house security team? Will her mother regain her Christmas spirit? Will she accept the help of a stranger? Find out when you listen to ‘Caramel’. The story can also be found in written form on theclearout.com, where Dara’s other Christmas stories can also be found in both written and audio formats.
The Christmas Special! – Episode 31 Read More »
Caramel Mia didn’t enter the kitchen immediately when she got to the end of the hallway. She hovered near the door in silence and watched her mother, who was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of tea. More accurately, a cup of tea sat on the table beside her mother, but it was
It’s an unmitigated movie-fest this week as Dara goes deep into his love of Christmas movies and of watching movies at this time of year. He revisits his childhood exposure to Hollywood classics and reflects on how the unlimited access to content and devices nowadays means that the home movie watching experience has lost its allure for modern children.
The High Stakes of Great Christmas Movies, or Why I Love George Bailey – Episode 30 Read More »
In this episode, Dara goes all in on the expression of the female voice and the assertion and reclamation of female identity. He explores his own views of and attitudes to women and speaks honestly about his upbringing and his marriage and how they have informed and enriched those attitudes and views.
Three Female Texts, or Art as a Response to Erasure – Episode 29 Read More »
In this episode Dara has a good look at his own feelings about Christmas and goes on to explore a brief history of Christmas, and why it is something not everybody feels thrilled to celebrate. He wonders if the forced observance of anything is ever a good thing. But ultimately, he can’t shake the feeling that a little Christmas magic stirs something very deep in our collective psyche.
The Hard Sell of Christmas and the Triumph of Diogenes – Episode 28 Read More »
In this episode Dara is prompted by the recent violent attack in Waukesha, as well as other car and truck attacks and shooting atrocities, to reflect on how we view the individuals who perpetrate such acts. His train of thought takes in cultural stereotyping, systemic social failure, and the expression of pain in both positive and negative ways. Newton’s Cradle – the metal ball office toy – is offered as a metaphor for profound pain and alienation finding its equal and opposite expression in extreme acts.
Acting Out in the Extreme, or When Private Pain becomes Public Tragedy – Episode 27 Read More »
In this episode, before getting to the main topic, Dara observes how disconcertingly warm it is for November, and argues that things being not quite right can be extremely disruptive. He commends teachers for persevering amidst the unending Covid disruptions. The first part of the episode concludes with why his daughter felt the need to say “I hate you” to him.
Love, Wellness, and Creativity, or Getting Violent with your Process – Episode 26 Read More »
In this episode Dara waxes lyrical about bridges of many kinds. He starts off with Lloyd, Jeff and Beau Bridges before turning his attention to the usefulness and aesthetic pleasure of actual bridges.
The Bridges of Wellness and Bounty – Episode 25 Read More »
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