45: The one we recorded live at Jessamyn's house

This was our first in-room recording of all three of us, sitting in jessamyn's house in Vermont. It was recorded on September 14th right before this meetup and runs about 25 minutes.

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cortex made the theme song about an hour ago, in the Portland, Oregon airport and the song at the end is Meanest Words by chococat.

There's a bit of echo from the room and a couple cellphone syncing noises but otherwise it turned out great. Hopefully we'll get to record like this again sometime.

posted by mathowie (staff) to MeFi Podcast at 2:00 PM (49 comments total)

I saw that almighty cheesus on food network last night. I'd hit it.
posted by vronsky at 2:07 PM on September 25, 2009

Next time -- video podcast!
posted by graventy at 2:21 PM on September 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Transcript (TBD)
posted by smackfu at 2:24 PM on September 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Let me amend that. I'd hit it if there was a cardiac crash kit standing by.
posted by vronsky at 3:00 PM on September 25, 2009

And the rare chance for a decapitating strike is missed again. Dammit Osama!

nah I love you guys
Osama sez hi
posted by grobstein at 3:16 PM on September 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Well I hope at least one Cabinet Member was at an undisclosed location.
posted by 2bucksplus at 3:43 PM on September 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Matt used a surrogate that looked like Bruce Willis.
posted by qvantamon at 4:22 PM on September 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Perhaps vacapinta stays in Old Blighty and pb in his Oregon hidey hole when the other 3 are gathered in one place. All in the interest of saving the MetaFilter ship of state without rescue by General Haig.
posted by Cranberry at 4:24 PM on September 25, 2009

Next time -- video podcast!

I actually have video for this one, but I haven't watched it yet to verify that it is (and it probably is) unutterably dull to watch.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:03 PM on September 25, 2009

Well I hope at least one Cabinet Member was at an undisclosed location.

Don't you mean Cabal Member?

[not cabalist]
posted by amyms at 5:06 PM on September 25, 2009

I knew it.

thatisall
posted by fourcheesemac at 5:15 PM on September 25, 2009

smackfu are you using that transcription app I've seen mentioned on various blogs? (here's one). I haven't used it, but I heard it lets you slow down audio, etc.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 5:36 PM on September 25, 2009

I played with a bunch of various apps last time, but I didn't really like slowing it down, even though it sounded great in theory. It makes it easier to take down every "um" and "like", but it kind of makes it harder to leave those out and get the gist of the sentence. For me it works better if I just play the whole sentence, then hit pause it and type until I catch up. Also, you all sounded drunk at half speed.

The software I'm using right now is for Windows called Express Scribe and it just has Play/Pause/Rewind controls mapped to system-wide function keys.
posted by smackfu at 5:48 PM on September 25, 2009

Transcripts rule, you are a hero for doing that!
posted by LobsterMitten at 6:07 PM on September 25, 2009

Oh hai!

Anyone can help with the transcript, there's a HOWTO on the wiki. I just put Express Scribe on a handy Windows machine, & being able to rewind a bit - rather than back to the start of a segment, like in Transcriber, which I last used - makes me lean toward recommending ES.

And seconding the "half-speed = drunk" thing. It could be easier to transcribe, but it really irritated me.
posted by Pronoiac at 6:11 PM on September 25, 2009

Whoa, actually that opening, at half-speed sounds like a cartoonish hell.
posted by Pronoiac at 6:28 PM on September 25, 2009

Also, you all sounded drunk at half speed.

I play music at half-speed sometimes just to enjoy this general phenomenon.

I like grabbing all the stutters and filled pauses in transcription, for some reason, maybe a brain disease or something, but it does eat up a lot of time for little practical benefit, yeah.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:36 PM on September 25, 2009

I went in and spelled Moxie correctly.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:40 PM on September 25, 2009

That was a hysterical description of it, BTW.
posted by smackfu at 6:50 PM on September 25, 2009

I kept in cortex's stuttered sentence fragments re: missing his wife, just because.
posted by Pronoiac at 7:47 PM on September 25, 2009

I swear they have changed Moxie. It used to be good, like root beer mixed with cough syrup, but it does indeed now taste like ass.
posted by vronsky at 8:00 PM on September 25, 2009

Also - yay Fresca!
posted by vronsky at 8:16 PM on September 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

So, booyah, the transcript's complete, though it could use some cleanup.

I like having sections to break it up, so I'm leaving the minute headers in.
posted by Pronoiac at 8:30 PM on September 25, 2009

I grew up in Montana drinking Fresca!

In the early 1970's, the pull-tab tops had yet to be replaced by the integral openers. For some reason, Fresca's opening was unique, in that it seemed to have some sort of additional polymeric barrier seal between the tab and the can. I discovered that this enabled one to shake the sealed can and crack the pull-tab just so, which resulted in a fountain which had an exceedingly fine stream, and which could go on for what seemed like a minute. Repeated shakings would keep the effect going a little bit longer.

My brother, who was seven years older than me, decided that this was an exceeding wasteful activity. At least that's what he said; I suspect it offended his sense of decorum, as he was an exceedingly anal-retentive individual.

To impress upon me the wastefulness of my Fresca fun, he noted how much liquid the can held, 12 ounces, then had me do my thing. Then he poured out the soda that remained in the can into a measuring cup and figured that I had wasted something like a quarter or a third of it. I suppose this was to shame me into feeling guilty that I had "wasted food" or some such, but it just never dawned on him that it was simply more fun for me to watch that teeny high-pressure fountain than it was to drink those 3 or 4 ounces.

I think that being so unbelievably "uptight" was a real hell for my brother, as he ended up becoming an alcoholic and dying of cirrhosis of the liver several years ago.

Fresca...
posted by Tube at 8:49 PM on September 25, 2009 [7 favorites]

Are there any plans to make these sorts of podcasts illegal in future? It was just three guys hanging around in a house, talking about where they had been recently, griping about their ailments, about missing their families...

Don't official MetaFilter podcasts require at least some cursory review of the website? Is "random bullshitting session" really the standard that we are now setting for ourselves?

I put forward the resolution that the mods are totally dogging it and should all be docked pay and put on probation.
posted by Meatbomb at 8:57 PM on September 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Well I hope at least one Cabinet Member was at an undisclosed location.

Resolved: from now on I will pronounce it as, "an underclothesed location."
posted by grobstein at 9:02 PM on September 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

See, I have only lived in New England for twenty years, which is obviously not long enough to fully accept something that is, after all, served ON A HOT DOG BUN as an integral part of my culinary experience.
posted by yhbc at 9:50 PM on September 25, 2009

The site was mellow and calm.
posted by vrakatar at 11:45 PM on September 25, 2009

Don't official MetaFilter podcasts require at least some cursory review of the website? Is "random bullshitting session" really the standard that we are now setting for ourselves?

Man, you used to be cool. Astral mod status revoked.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:01 AM on September 26, 2009

Please tell me your post title wasn't a 'Friends' reference.
posted by iamkimiam at 12:33 AM on September 26, 2009

New status: quality control officer.
posted by jouke at 2:16 AM on September 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

Metafilter: tight as hell if you like lobster and you like mayo

and lightly stained lederhosen
posted by qvantamon at 2:36 AM on September 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

I drink Fresca all the time, I had no idea it was unusual.
posted by octothorpe at 6:09 AM on September 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

I love Moxie! And lobster rolls. I must never venture too far from New England.
posted by pemberkins at 7:06 AM on September 26, 2009

the mods are totally dogging it and should all be docked pay and put on probation.

wait wait, cortex gets paid?!!?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:25 AM on September 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

Neiman Marcus gift certificates. So many you could swim in 'em.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:43 AM on September 26, 2009

Lobster rolls rule! Some New England McDonald's have lobster rolls on the menu during the summer months. Papa Gino's has them. And for one of the best I suggest the roll at B&G Oysters (Boston).

Because of a supply glut the price of retail lobsters has plummeted. My local supermarket is offering them for $4.00/pound. Here's a recipe to make 'em at home.
posted by ericb at 9:49 AM on September 26, 2009

not long enough to fully accept something that is, after all, served ON A HOT DOG BUN as an integral part of my culinary experience.

You must have noticed that it a New England style hot dog roll that is employed. The rolls are baked as a group and then magically sliced in the top and sides to they pull away from eachother leaving no side crust. This allows for toasting or grilling of the sides of the roll. (not "bun." sheesh.) That is what alows for the sublime delight of the lobster roll experience, and also makes serving and eating hot dogs more sensibly accomplished.
posted by longsleeves at 10:29 AM on September 26, 2009

The rolls are baked as a group...

As such!
posted by ericb at 10:35 AM on September 26, 2009

Moxie is foxy but birch beer is, uh, yummy.
posted by dirtdirt at 11:44 AM on September 26, 2009

Now I want malört.
posted by enn at 1:17 PM on September 26, 2009

Some New England McDonald's have lobster rolls on the menu during the summer months.

I've seen them advertised, but I've never been brave enough to actually consume the fast food lobster roll. Are they edible?
posted by pemberkins at 2:09 PM on September 26, 2009

A mcdonalds lobster roll is surprisingly good. The meat does not appear to be previously frozen.
posted by longsleeves at 8:31 PM on September 26, 2009

Thanks for the podcast shout out. I will, of course, send you your customary kickback.
posted by ColdChef at 6:00 AM on September 27, 2009

Sorry you didn't get to come to see the sheep & llamas, matt. Next time, for sure.
posted by terrapin at 3:50 AM on September 28, 2009

The only thing better than Fresca is Fresca and gin. Just FYI.
posted by juliplease at 6:51 PM on September 28, 2009

It pains me to say this, but Meatbomb's right.

WHERE'S.
THE.
GOODS.
MATT?
posted by kittyprecious at 1:51 PM on September 29, 2009

It was kind of funny to hear a lobster roll getting run down. A lot of people consider the lobster roll the superior way to eat lobster. Lobster rolls have a big following, with fans on Roadfood and Chowhound and the like.

I would say that most people consider the advantages these:

1. A lobster roll requires no messing around with the lobster's shell. It's all pre-picked lobster, meaning you can enjoy the sweet succulent lobster meat without hassling with a badly designed, cheap nutcracker or wearing a stupid bib.

2. The thing is doused in melted butter. (There is a mayo version, but that's considered somewhat suspect in many circles). It is almost impossible for a plain protein doused in melted butter to be bad.

3. The hot dog roll, ideally, isn't some grocery store lame-o roll that's boring and dry. It's a nice, soft, fresh roll that is somewhat sweet. Think of the texture of Arnold's potato rolls, if you have those where you live. Also, see above: roll soaks up butter and lobster brine. offering a complete NOM experience even after most of the roll contents are gone.

4. Lobster roll is cheaper and more casual than lobster. Even though lobster is actually a fairly cheap form of seafood when in its raw state, somehow in New England the act of tossing it into a pot of water and serving it whole immediately adds $20 to its value - even though it is unprocessed and you, the diner, have to do all the work of cleaning this large oceanic bug. Why does the restaurant do the least and yet make the most money on this incredibly simple dish? Boggling. So rather than pay $25 for some shore dinner which consists of a lobster that cost a wholesaler $3.50 and pennies' worth of potatoes and corn, why not enjoy a really good, satisfying sandwich which probably also comes with a side dish for at least $10 less, and still get the quintessential experience of lobster meat.

No, the lobster roll is the greater, not the lesser, way to eat lobster.

Except for softshell lobster, which I never even heard of until this year. Oh my god. Come back for that.
posted by Miko at 8:03 PM on October 16, 2009

Moxie, on the other hand, is total ass. But it has some pretty awesome graphic design, so we keep it around.
posted by Miko at 8:04 PM on October 16, 2009