From the independent producer project of KCRW, this is Here Be Monsters.

You know, back in 2012, back when the show started, everything was really chaotic.

Back then it was just me in my basement, stabbing around in the dark with my recorder and my audio software.

I would often just sit my friends down there for hours and hound them with questions until stories fell out of their mouths.

The stories weren't practiced so they were rarely

polished and they rarely tied up neatly at the ends. But the stories were always

heartfelt and I really liked that. But in the interim the show has evolved and

it's changed and that kind of story has mostly fallen by the wayside. So originally

for this episode the one that you're listening to right now, Bethany and I had this grand story planned for you.

It was a story about hidden identities and intrigue and mystery, etc.

But at the last second, our primary source had to pull out from that story

due to an unforeseen life circumstance. And that's just how life happens, I suppose, we're still

going to do the story, we're just pushing it off into our next season.

But anyways, this sudden shift in plans

made me think about those early days of the podcast.

Back when I felt that panic every time I hit publish, having no idea what the next episode was going to be.

And somehow in those early days it seemed to always serendipitously work out.

So last Saturday, I was sitting in a restaurant that I like in Seattle. I like it pretty much for one reason and that's just because the ceiling of the restaurant is made out of mirrors and you can snoop on the other patrons just by looking up.

I was sitting in this restaurant and I was feeling that almost nostalgic sense of

podcast panic and I looked up at that mirrored ceiling trying to find a story

just due to the nature of where I was up at that mirrored ceiling trying to find a story.

Just due to the nature of where I was sitting in the restaurant, I looked in the reflection

...