What do you call this strange interregnum between Christmas and New Year? It’s clearly a Thing, because we seek to name it, even if we can’t decide how to spend the time. The artist Amelia Clark has termed it #Merryneum, which I think is brilliant (as is her work; find her art, in memory of her mother and incorporating musical scores, here and her ‘naughty-but-niche’ cards and gifts here).
I’ve gone with ‘Betwixtmas’, which sounds like a festival that was quietly dropped from the ecclesiastical calendar because of an excess of carousing.
Talking of carousing and festivities, this year I’ve been very aware of the need for light and fire amid the darkness of winter, be it the meteorological winter through which we’re all plodding, or the personal winters through which some - perhaps more than we realise - of us are struggling. If that’s the situation in which you find yourself, can I recommend a book? It’s called Wintering, by Katherine May. I’m currently reading it for the second time, and let’s just say I’m finding it helpful. Why and how that’s the case I’ll go into in another episode of Hello You. There’s a lot to tell you. I’m glad I have you to share it with.
Anyway … This Betwixtmas may represent a few days’ peace, an opportunity not to do all of the things you’ve been doing so much of over the last couple of weeks: travelling, socialising and eating but also thinking, listening, planning and making it through the turmoil of Christmas, whether that’s joyful turmoil in your house, or otherwise. So today’s episode of Hello You has been created with a peaceful Betwixtmas in mind.
A couple of notes: I chose the recording location for historic reasons, as I explain at the beginning of the audio. It’s not busy - that was the whole point - but I did expect it to be quieter than it turned out. There’s more traffic noise than I hoped for, and it was also bloody windy! Windy enough at certain moments to defeat the windshield on the mics. But it’s about the place and the moment, so … I hope you enjoy it anyway.
If you do, hit this button and share it with others!
Hello You in the New Year
Over the last couple of months, I’ve recorded a clutch of interviews with fascinating, inspiring and lovely people from Shropshire. I can’t wait to share them with you, and I’d hate it if you missed any of them, so why not subscribe to Hello You if you haven’t already? That way you’ll get an email whenever I publish anything, be it a podcast episode or the Hello You Sunday Supplement.
You can subscribe for free, but if you’d like to unlock some bonus goodies (and help keep Hello You happening) you can take out a paid subscription.
The first episode of the New Year will be a proper blast, in several senses of the word. There’ll be evocative sounds welcoming in a very special year. There’ll be at least one person with a remarkable personal story to share. There’ll be random conversations recorded sitting on a bench in an iconic Shropshire location. And it’ll be a fast turnaround, with less than forty-eight hours between recording and fully-produced release.
That’s all part of what I’m trying to do with Hello You. There’s still a place, I believe, for public-service local journalism that cares about people. For audio that brings you the voices of people you might not hear from otherwise. For interviews conducted with compassion and empathy. For thoughtful, positive, good-humoured conversations, informed local storytelling, and commentary that’s not afraid to get righteously angry on occasion.
A little help here?
More than nine out of ten Hello You listeners have joined the family in the last twelve months. Would you say it’s your favourite new podcast of 2024?
If so, could you possibly tell the nice people at the Guardian about it? They want to hear about your favourite new podcasts of the last year, and although I don’t expect there’s a huge chance of making much of an impact compared to the juggernauts of the audio industry, I’d love to think someone thought enough of what I do to fill in the form and spread the word about Hello You.
Also, could you please tell people about Hello You? Mention it to your friends, or in your WhatsApp chat groups? Hit ‘Like’ wherever you find the buttons, including at the top or bottom of this email? Rate, review and follow the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts or anywhere else you find it? Word-of-mouth and personal recommendation are the most powerful ways, so please talk about Hello You and share it with your colleagues, contacts, friends and family?
Happy Betwixtmas
I hope you’re having the very best festive season you possible can, in whatever your circumstances might be. I’m thinking about you, and I’m glad you’re there.
Take care of yourself? Take care of the people around you, and I hope that they’re taking care of you, too.
Share this post