Love in a Hopeless Place

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The podcast is one of the more difficult projects I've worked on. I've had to wrestle with a lot of demons, both imagined and real, to keep it going. I question its existence most of the time, even though I enjoy it and the whole process - from the guest-hunting, the scheduling, the content-producing, the sound editing, the recording itself, the constant explaining I have to do, down to the publishing of it. 

Under normal circumstances, I shouldn't even have to think about these things. Having a podcast is probably the lowest-maintenance side-project anyone can have. IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. 

Here in Jeddah, I walk on eggshells. There are any number of knives and all kinds of sharp objects hanging right above my head; I want to reach a lot of people, but I don't want to be popular. I want to talk about REAL things, but I don't want people to hear them. I'd love to have sponsors to cover the costs, but I don't want the censorship (because I am already restricted to begin with). I want me and my guests to be ourselves when we record, but I don't want the listeners to get the impression that we are crass or uneducated, or cuss-happy all the time. Most of all, I just don't want to get in trouble, and that's not very easy to (not) do, because anyone can get in trouble for just about anything here. 

So why do the podcast at all? 

Precisely because of all of that. I love pushing that stupid envelope. I love entertainment, I love meeting people, I love having conversations, I love asking stupid questions and learning about what other people are doing, and I love posting stuff on the internet. The reason the podcast works at all in such a hopeless place like our Jeddah is because I'm not alone. Other people love these things, too. And it is from them that I draw the strength to keep going.

We found love in a hopeless place.



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You know who else found love in a hopeless place?

Glenn from The Walking Dead. Haha. (Also, spoiler alert!)


Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 25, 2012 at 1:17 PM

    glenn = wuss

    ReplyDelete
  2. AliaFebruary 26, 2012 at 10:17 AM

    Can we do one together? Something light and real and we both know very well.

    Something that started in Sharifa's bathroom. Something that you and I share and fear and hold on to each other to keep believing in.

    How bad could it be if I had your light guiding my darkness?

    ReplyDelete
  3. nessreenFebruary 27, 2012 at 8:34 PM

    MR Y, Glenn kicks so much ass!

    Alia, I remember that day, Sharifa's bathroom. Some smokes, some conversation, and something you said to me: "We've got something good going on here. Do we want THEM to take it away from us?" about the things we can and cannot say on the podcast. I kept that with me. <3

    ReplyDelete
  4. Saad Al DosariFebruary 27, 2012 at 9:14 PM

    Keep them coming Diana ... we love your podcast (we refers to myself and some of friends I recommended your podcast to, so yeah, I have done some marketing for you, let's discuss the expenses later!)

    And please have Alia in an upcoming episode, I have two reasons to make such a request:

    1- I love her blog! She is a talented writer.
    2- I keep wondering how her voice might sound 0_o

    ReplyDelete
  5. nessreenFebruary 27, 2012 at 9:31 PM

    Haha!! Saad, you're a STAR. Thank you kindly, sir. I'll write you a blank check. :P

    Alia has been signed up for an episode since Day One. It took her almost 2 years to warm up to the idea. <3

    ReplyDelete

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