The inevitable has arrived. I am officially bored with blogging, and it only took 8 years, 5 months, 8 days, and 854 blog posts to get here. I can still easily remember the thrill I used to experience when it came time to write a new post … but I just don’t feel it anymore.
Bob: Do you have a minute, we need to talk.
Life of an Architect: Sure, what’s up.
Bob: Well, you know that we’ve been together for a long time … like a really long time. You and I, we’ve had some great moments, right? Do you remember: “Top Ten Reasons Not to be an Architect“?
Life of an Architect: Yeah – that one’s a classic. I remember that you actually felt really guilty for writing it once it became popular. I still like the Men and Urinals post, that one is vintage, or maybe even the Master Bathroom Prison Toilet or Hatchet Bedroom posts. We have had some amazing times.
Bob: Yeah [looking down at shoes] … well, we’ve also had some bad moments. Do you remember “So Sorry, It’s a Disease” or even “Grammar Ain’t All That“? And remember how many crazy mean emails we received from hippies when we wrote: “How to Spot a Hippie“?
Life of an Architect: Of course – you know I do … turns out that hippies are mean! What are you getting at?
Bob: Well, let me just say that it’s not you, you’ve been great, but I’ve been feeling …
Life of an Architect: Wait. What?!? Are you breaking up with me??
Bob: Not exactly … erm, I’d like to explore a more open relationship, try out some new things, maybe get involved with, you know … PodCast?
Life of an Architect: I knew it! Podcast has been trying to come between us for years. Don’t think I haven’t seen the emails on your computer. I saw the images and links to XLR microphones and USB audio interfaces. Ugh … I thought you were going through a phase. I feel dirty.
Bob: You had to know this was coming. Our relationship has been difficult the past few years and you know it. The constant hacking – that’s your fault, by the way, you’re too nice to strangers – the stolen identities for romance scams … Let’s face it, our relationship lately hasn’t been much fun and it’s not because I haven’t put in the work, because you know I have.
Life of an Architect: So what happens now? Are you just going to pack up all your stuff and move on? I suppose almost 9 years together means nothing to you. I gave you my best years and now that things have become difficult, you’re just going to move on with Podcast. Is it because she’s younger than me? She has all that hardware and I’m just old software?
Bob: Come on, why do you have to be this way? You know that this has nothing to do with PodCast’s hardware, although it’s been kinda fun looking at all pictures and going online for research. Some of that old thrill has come back and just the idea of it has recharged my creative batteries.
Life of an Architect: Gross. This is literally the worst thing ever.
Bob: I’ll still be with you, just not as often. I’ll still write posts, and as it stands, I’m planning on posting all the show notes and relevant information pertaining to each podcast here on Life of an Architect.
Life of an Architect: Whatever.
Bob: Look, professionally you have been one of the best things that has ever happen to me, and that matters. You and I know a lot of people and I know that we’ve made a huge impact on so many … don’t you want that to continue? I’m not getting rid of you, just bringing in something new that will hopefully be good for both of us. Are you willing to give it a try?
Life of an Architect: I don’t see how I have a choice.
Bob: That’s the attitude!
[ … and scene.]
So there it is, soon I will be entering the world of podcasting. I am somewhat amused by the production I am putting into this considering that it’s entirely possible that nobody cares. There are already a handful of architectural podcasts out there, most of which are well entrenched and do a great job, but I’m not doing it because I think there is a void I need to fill. The reason I finally decided to do this was for similar reasons as to why I started Life of an Architect … to fill a creative void and learn something new along the way.
This has been in the works for a few years, but I didn’t start seriously working through what this means until the end of 2017. For years I have received requests to turn my blog posts into podcasts … which simply wouldn’t work, at least not for a lot of them. I have kept the blog focused on the imagery with my words simply describing what is being supported by the graphics. I have long maintained that I am not a writer, but a talker, and that I simply try to write down what I would say if I were talking to someone, which I’m pretty sure I’ve said about 100 times before over the last 8+ years. This is now my chance to talk.
Hallelujah!
There will be a few things different about the podcast that you’ll immediately notice … it won’t just be me. That’s right, I am going to have a partner in this venture. Originally I had been thinking about going it alone, just like I’ve done here on the blog, but the more I thought about it, the less appealing that started to sound – literally and figuratively. I wanted to have a co-host that would be able to bring a different perspective to the conversation, one that could make a connection to certain demographics that might not automatically gravitate towards me and what I have to offer. You’ll have to wait for the first episode to find out who this collaborator is – but you won’t know them … until you do.
So that’s my big news – or maybe it isn’t that big. There is a lot of work to do, like figuring out how to actually do a podcast. There are things to research like:
- Where to host a podcast?
- How to set up an RSS feed specific to a podcast?
- What sort of mics should I use?
- How to record two microphones into a single source?
- Which recording software should I use … and how do I use it?
- New website or piggyback on LoaA?
- New Logo?
- New email distribution or tie in on the existing distribution?
- Sponsorship?
- Where to register and promote?
… and all of those sorts of questions make my face hurt. I’ve already been working on the equipment – like I said earlier, I have a grip on the hardware, it’s the software side of things that is completely foreign to me. I think I’ll be alright on topics, just ask the people in my office – I always have something to say – and I have a lot of topics on the site here that would be completely different if presented audibly and with a co-host.
So what do you say – do you want to come along on this journey with me? Are you ready to hear what I actually sound like? [brace yourself] As it stands, I am planning on releasing the first episode one week from today on Monday, June 18th.
I hope to see you in a week! I’ll put a post up here with show notes on it and a link to not only listen but to subscribe to the podcast so that you never have to wonder when the next episode is going to be released. Wouldn’t you like to be able to say that you heard the first episode the day it came out?!? I know I will.
Cheers,
