the dot matrix

Episode 51 - "So it has started, his seed planted."

After a very long hiatus of six months, Sean and Justin return with a marathon podcast to play catch up before 2013 arrives.  Their 2012 recap included US politics, the passing of musical icons Dave Brubeck and Ravi Shankar, as well as stratospheric skydiver Felix Baumgartner.  The two share poems by Des Walsh and François Villon.  And they ended with a few predictions and resolutions.

Episode 50 - "Getting Through the Pain and Knowing there is Beauty after it"

Finally, Episode 50 of The Dot Matrix is here.  Yes, about six months later than originally planned, but it's worth the wait.  Justin and Sean effortlessly float from topic to topic this time out, like pros who have recorded 49 previous podcasts!  Justin interrogates Sean about his latest band tour - including shout outs to funky venues like Jackie & Judy in Montreal and the Lit Lounge in Manhattan.  The two also chat movies, including the recent passing of writer-director, humorist Nora Ephron.  The conversation flows to Sean's weekend at the amazing Black Rock Resort in Ucluelet, BC.  Of course the duo talk politics, this week the big story being the US Supreme Court upholding President Obama's health care reforms.  And in a surprise, last minute decision, the two both share poems.  Justin shared Nikki Giovanni's And I Have You while Sean ended with an excerpt from T.S. Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.

Episode 49 - "Sean Loves Dix"

Inching closer to Episode 50, Sean and Justin were back at it for another podcast.  This episode was far reaching from the personal to the global.  On the personal side, Sean talked about his band's upcoming East Coast tour (check out Mode Moderne), and both talked about sleeping on the other side of the bed (separate beds, of course).  Same-sex marriage and the hoopla in the US with President Obama "fully evolving" to support gay marriage.  Locally, topics turned to the protests in Quebec over tuition increases, as well as news of the legislation to bring back the PST and Sean's growing affection for NDP BC leader Adrian Dix.  All-in-all a full episode of The Dot Matrix.

Episode 48 - "They're Too Bloody Racist... Well that's My Big Complaint."

After their longest hiatus between podcasts, Justin and Sean came back in full force for another hour-long edition of The Dot Matrix.  The duo reflected on their 8km Harry Rosen run experience and reminisced about Sean's time rocking it down at SXSW.  Does Austin shape the festival or does the festival shape Austin?  Here's a promised link to the band Puffy Areolas.  Also, a Dot Matrix podcast wouldn't be a podcast without some political musings.  This time, the NDP leadership convention and BC Premier Christy Clark made the cut to round out the podcast.

Episode 47 - "I grew up living in a community and now I'm told I live in an economy."

The first podcast of 2012.  Sean and Justin jump right into things, including heralding the return of Bill Moyers on PBS, the surprisingly good David Gregory on Meet the Press, and the dumping of Christiane Amanpour from This Week on ABC.  Other than playing TV critics on US Sunday morning talk shows, the duo also talk leadership -like the Liberal Party of Canada's Bob Rae and his chances of being leader without "interim" attached to it, as well as Thomas Mulcair and his dual citizenship "scandal" as he seeks the federal NDP leadership.  Also on tap was US President Obama's decision to deny the XL oil pipeline through Nebraska as well as the starting debate about the similar Enbridge pipeline through British Columbia.  Some provocative words from Greenpeace founder Patrick Moore also rounded up the environmental discussion.

Episode 46 - "Pure Joy and Happiness"

After a bit of a delay, Justin and Sean sit down to talk shop.  Politics are at the top of the list of course, this time the local elections in Vancouver.  They recorded on election day, but you can find the results here.  They also discuss Sean's wine club Happy Sippers, as well as Mr. Holland's Opus (and other movie reviews), and the odd Herman Cain campaign ad that made the rounds a few weeks back.

Episode 45 - "Said That She Did"

Unlike the quote of a hypothetically horny Yoda that is the title of this podcast, Sean and Justin actually stick to rather serious topics for Episode 45 - the referendum results of the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax), the passing of Jack Layton, and the subsequent reaction to his death.  Sharp commentary was saved for Christie Blatchford's head scratching article.  Said that she did, indeed! To end more inspirationally, here is a link to Rev. Brent Hawkes' sermon from the funeral.

Episode 44 - "I Like the Way I Look with a Book in my Hand"

With the subtle sounds of rain falling outside the window, Sean and Justin recorded what can only be described as a random and free flowing podcast - a return to form since their poetry reading the previous episode.  Tennis, water meter bylaws, and Oso Negro coffee beans came up during their conversation.  But mostly focused on movie review: not of the final Harry Potter film, but of Midnight in Paris, and the 2005 film The Girl in the Cafe.

Episode 43 - "Choices After Drinking All Night with a Friend"

Not the usual quote for an episode title, but this isn't your typical Dot Matrix podcast episode either.  As promised, Justin and Sean read and discussed some of their favourite poems - from Robert Bly and Nikki Giovanni.  This episode is titled after two of the poems they received recited- Choices and After Drinking All Night with a Friend (links are to two transcripts of Bill Moyers Journal episode, the poems are in the transcripts).  Of course topics like the latest Vancouver Stanley Cup riots, Stephen Colbert Super PAC, and Republican politics came before the poetry reading, but that's to be expected by these two.  Oh and a gripping listing of all the movies Sean (but mainly Justin) bought during the Blockbuster Canada fire sale!

Episode 42 - "Yeah, I love Kev hugs"

A spirited podcast this time from Sean and Justin as they popcorn their way through a varied list of topics, starting of course with the Canucks' Stanley Cup playoff run. A bit of politics, including the silent protest against Stephen Harper as well as the PM at the Bruins-Canucks game (see awesome Photoshopped picture here) was discussed of course.  But for the most part, it was a contemplative conversation about their own biographies, life lessons and poetry.  So much so they were inspired to commit to reading some poetry on their next podcast and to get to podcast 50 by the end of the year.  Let's see if they keep their promises!