Episode 40: Lessons

The name "Lessons" makes this episode one that sounds mysterious, and I have to say, it was a pretty good one that I didn't expect it from.

There's four acts this time around, starting off with a monologue from Spalding Gray, about learning how to ski. It starts off kind of slow, but once he gets the momentum building, the story is pretty funny and entertaining. I mean, clearly, all the great people of the world can snow ski, so clearly that warrants what one could call an obsession.

Act two is a Scott Carrier story (yes, the same Scott Carrier I said was kind of strange in an earlier episode) and this one- surprise surprise- didn't seem so strange to me! This one was a real life account of his 3 year old learning how to swim from Mr. Switzer, a man I recalled hearing a story about this past summer on NPR, talking about running his swimming school and how he is such a legend (you can check out that story on NPR- I suggest it, it's a pretty interesting little tale). Knowing the background of Mr. Switzer and his school, this story was much more interesting, seeing it from another point of view than what a lot of the NPR story was- all from the parent's point of view this time, as opposed to the point of view of the teacher in summer 2010 (and, yes, Mr. Carrier is not creepy at all this time around. I like you doing non-fiction, sir!).

Act three is about a potato gun and how all the guys who saw it in the owner's neighborhood wanted to make one. Moving on...

Act four finishes out the show with some found tapes (well, vinyl actually) that tells how, in detail, for men to have an affair, the "proper" way. One notable idea of that being that you never try to make up an excuse if you're caught out in public with someone who is not your wife. Hopefully it didn't sell too many copies, but it was quite entertaining listening to it in 2010, as it was recorded in the 60's-70's.

40 down now...if we can just avoid further stories about potato guns, I would be thrilled.