Ericast 346 - We're 21 Now!

It might have seemed we let our birthday slip by, but it's just a little bit belated. And this is a big one, so it's definitely worth an episode. Curious how old we are? Well... Here's your show. 

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Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment!

The Ericast returns with Episode 346, marking a quietly significant milestone: 21 years of podcasting. The anniversary may be a bit belated, but it feels like a good opportunity to pause and reflect—both on the show and on the life that surrounds it.

It’s been a while since the last episode in October, and in that time life has continued to move forward in both encouraging and difficult ways. On the positive side, Candela has started a new role as a paraplanner and is really thriving, and Chloe has been enjoying her first year away at university. At the same time, this has also been a season shaped by loss. My dad passed away last year, and more recently, Ruth’s mom passed away this winter. It’s a stage of life where you really feel the weight of being in that middle space—supporting the generation ahead while watching the next generation head out on their own.

One story that’s stayed with me is about a family friend’s son who fell along the Mississippi River bluffs. What initially looked like it might be a tragic outcome has turned into a remarkable recovery. It’s one of those moments that reminds you just how fragile things can be—and at the same time, how resilient people can be.

This episode leans heavily on listener feedback, starting with a message from Cory that actually came in about a year ago. His simple check-in got me thinking about the importance of having a few people in life you can truly trust—the kind of people you can “toss the keys” to and know things will be handled. That idea of steady, dependable relationships carries through the rest of the episode.

Tom and Chad both responded to the topic from the previous episode, diving into Star Trek: The Next Generation. Tom brought some great historical context around the episode “Future Imperfect,” while Chad explored the quirks of pronunciation in the Star Trek universe—everything from accent influence to the idea of the universal translator shaping what we hear. It’s a good reminder that even a pretty niche topic can spark thoughtful and entertaining discussion.

I also acknowledge in this episode that the podcast has settled into a pretty irregular rhythm. It’s not that there’s a lack of things to talk about—it’s more that not everything needs to be processed into a microphone right away. Still, after 21 years, the Ericast continues to be what it has always been for me: a kind of personal audio journal that evolves along with life itself.

Whether you’ve been listening for years or just stumbled across the show, there’s now more than two decades of conversations, reflections, and life moments sitting in the archive. And I’m grateful you’re here for it. Joint the conversation by calling 701-645-3742 (701-645-ERIC)!

Ericast 345 - Ending The Charade

Don't let the episode title frighten you off. This is just a reference to an obscure line from a TV show years ago, but it had bothered me for years, and I finally figured the answer out. Wondering what that is? Here's your show.

Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode!
Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page!
Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment!

For this episode, I hit record even though a plane was flying overhead, because that’s life when your “studio” sits under the final approach of an MSP runway. You might hear a jet or two, but honestly, it’s kind of peaceful, and it reminds me of how often podcasters apologize for background noise you can’t even hear.

From there, I wandered into a memory about an old Star Trek: The Next Generation episode. It's one that stuck with me for years because of a certain unforgettable line. I don’t go into the plot details, but let’s just say it involves Commander Riker, some very intense emotions, and a moment that became way funnier than it probably should’ve been.

What really got me was the way the episode ran in original airing versus how it sounded in later releases. For decades, I thought I was misremembering it, like one of those “Mandela Effect” moments where you swear reality shifted slightly while you weren’t looking. Turns out, there really was an earlier version floating around, and when I finally found proof of it online, it felt like solving a personal pop-culture mystery.

That little discovery sent me down a rabbit hole of word pronunciations and memories of old “word of the week” moments from the early days of the show. Should we bring that back? Share your thoughts - 701-645-3742! 

Ericast 344 - Well, Now What?

I'm still here, but a lot has changed over the past few months. Not a lot of substance in this episode, but a quick status update. Wondering what that is? Here's your show.

Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode!
Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page!
Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment!

In this episode, I reflect on the time since our last show in March 2025, which marked our 20th anniversary and was episode 343—making this one 344. I confirmed it! A lot has changed since then. My dad entered home hospice in February and passed away in May at age 90. It wasn’t a tragedy, but it was a major life transition for our world. As an only child I didn’t have to negotiate with siblings, but I did have to handle everything myself. Thankfully, my wife was incredibly supportive throughout.

Much of my summer and fall was consumed with managing the estate, dealing with decades of antiques, and addressing deferred maintenance on the house. Meanwhile, Chloe started her freshman year, and I’ve been teaching a couple sections of a “Welcome to College” class.

Before Dad passed, I learned that "the voice of the Ericast" in our intro and outro of the Ericast died in April. He had breathing issues, called 911, and didn’t regain consciousness. It’s strange hearing his voice now, but I’m keeping him in the show as a tribute to his love of radio.

On a lighter note, I posted on Facebook this week about finding my vintage 1970s light-up pumpkin in Dad's storage closet, which is the same one I had seen in an antique store years ago. It’s surreal seeing childhood items in antique shops; it really makes me feel the passage of time. I’m not feeling old, but I’m aware that I have more years behind me than ahead.

There’s joy in seeing the next generation grow. Candela, now 22, gave a presentation at Minnnebar (a Minnesota "BarCamp") in May, just before Dad passed. Her talk on “followership” was insightful and well-received. She used Star Trek as a metaphor and explored how being a great follower can be just as valuable as leadership. I was proud not just as her dad, but because it was genuinely a good presentation.

I mentioned last time that I was working on a machine learning class for my AI master’s program. I still haven’t taken it. I planned to this fall, but the professor sent out prep materials that reminded me I need to brush up on Python (fine) and linear algebra (not fine). As someone homeschooled by humanities-focused parents, that’s more than a bit daunting.

The Ericast is still the “weekly podcast that comes out once a month, a couple times a year.” I’d like to change that. But for now, I want to leave you with this: if you appreciate someone, tell them. Send a message, write a letter, just let them know.

I almost forgot to mention fireworks! Chloe and I went to two PGI (Pyrotechnics Guild International) shows in Iowa. After the first night, I had what I think was my first migraine—visual effects but no pain. Turns out sleep deprivation, dehydration, and staring at explosions can do that.

So, that’s where I’m at—grateful for the past few months, but wondering “now what?” 

One of the things about getting old is you only realize it when you look in the metaphorical rear-view mirror. That happens to people, and to podcasts. How many years has it been? Here's your show.

Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode!
Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page!
Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment!

No apologies for how long it's been. Welcome to the weekly podcast that comes out about once a month every quarter, I'm your host Eric Larson, 701-645-3742 may or may not still work as the Listener Feedback Line, and you deserve some updates.

To my right, on the floor of Studio A (my den) is the original Ericast computer, which still runs -- boots into Windows XP, or if I switch it in the bios, it boots into the new "Windows 7" operating system on a separate 160GB hard drive that I bought on a Black Friday sale at Best Buy and then needed an escort out of the store because I used the trick of getting rung up in a department rather than up front by picking up a little $7 mustache trimmer. I think I still have that in a box somewhere, because I'm the kind of person to keep a sentimental mustache trimmer.

Tangent on why calling it a "den" is okay but a "man cave" (which is literally the same thing) is tacky?

When the Ericast started 20 years ago, I was on a career path but fresh into a career pivot, wrapping up a Master's degree, starting a family, and looking at pillars in the local tech community who were in their 50s and dialed in to the latest technology and this new "social media" thing. Now, my last career adjustment is about 8 years behind me, I'm in the middle of a second Master's degree, the family we had started is starting to leave the nest, and I'm wondering what's next. The one consistent anchor in my life and yours has been this podcast and its original vintage Blogger website template.

Updates on it having been two years since Mom passed, and helping Dad with his home-hospice stage.

Ericast 342 - Re-telling AI Stories

Last week's episode was something of a train-wreck of artificial voicing, but there was still a point to be made. Wondering what it was? Here's your show.

Website viewers: Click here to listen to this week's episode!
Podcast listeners: Click here for a link to the show notes page!
Everyone: Call 701-645-ERIC (701-645-3742) and comment!

I'm bringing back a couple traditions here in the Ericast - talking about the weather, because that's what we do here in Minnesota, and ending the month with listener feedback.  We've been having unusual highs in the mid 80s, the wind has picked up as a front moves through and it's going to be in the upper 60s tomorrow which is much more seasonal for October 1st, then back up into the 80s.  Listener Matt has some feedback on the last episode, including what the weather is like in California...

Paleofuturism is related to the term "retrofuturism" although the two seem to be slightly different, with retrofuturism focused on previous artistic expressions of the future (and recreating them) and paleofuturism focused on the study in a more academic sense. I wrote a series of blog articles on paleofuturism for work a few years back, and I think I'm going to cover those in October -- four articles, four weeks, I might be able to manage that.

The tool I mentioned that ended up really confusing is the new "NotebookLM" from Google. That's not quite as new -- it's been around a few months -- but they just released a podcast-creation tool.  Give it some links, click "Generate," and a few minutes later you have two hosts talking about your topic.  It's really stunning. I have a feeling that in a few months it's going to feel like the early AI artwork where everything had the same cartoonish look and all the people had six or seven fingers... but for starters, it sure is amazing.