Member Skype Calls: Proposed Topic Schedule
Update 23-Aug-2018
The first season of the MSC series is now complete.
Every episode has been recorded, and only one episode remains to be released.
Stay tuned for more information about upcoming Member Skype Calls and a potential future season.
Below is the original Schedule post from 10-Apr-2018, including updated links to the respective episodes.
Background
Almost three weeks ago, I asked you to suggest some ideas for future Member Skype call topics.
Thanks to those of you who took the time to offer your input.
Here are the main things which I gleaned from the responses:
*Movies are popular, and there are many to choose from.
Therefore I plan to set aside roughly one quarter of the calls for films.
*Books generated some interest (although less than movies).
Thus I plan to set aside roughly one quarter of the calls for books.
*The other platforms/personalities of the ACT realm seem to be of interest.
So I plan to set aside a few calls to discuss (and maybe even chat with) the most pertinent names.
*Certain other topics seem to generate enthusiasm. In particular: Money/banking; Psychedelic drugs; Existentialism.
It makes sense to allocate roughly one third of the calls for ‘other’ topics.
Below is my proposed schedule for the next four months or so. Please forgive me if your preferred topic(s) does not appear in this list. I have tried to include a mixture of the ideas suggested in the relevant thread, and those discussed in pre/post call chats, as well as those which are most pertinent to the core concepts and ideas at the heart of the JLB operation.
Colour code
Magenta = Movie
Blue = Book
Purple = Platform/Personality in ACT realm
Orange = Other
Nominal Schedule
Already complete
Call #14 | 15-Apr-2018 | The Weird and Whacky | Warmup Thread | Podcast
Let’s cover some of the more ‘out there’ ideas right at the start. Come one, come all — but come armed with thick skin!
Call #15 | 22-Apr-2018 | Mulholland Drive (2001)| Warmup Thread | Podcast
It was Fuhng who recommended I watch The Prestige, which quickly became a personal favourite of mine and is perfect for what I am working on, so I am trusting Fuhng with this one, too. I’ve never seen it.
Call #16 | 29-Apr-2018 | Psychedelic Drugs | Warmup Thread | Podcast
Apparently this is a ‘hot topic’, based on feedback from previous calls. In a way, I’m surprised that I’m surprised…
Call #17 | 6-May-2018 | The Truman Show (1998) | Warmup Thread | Podcast
I for one can’t believe how little attention this film gets in the rest of the ACT realm. Time to do this masterpiece justice.
Call #18 | 13-May-2018 | Money & Banking | Warmup Thread | Podcast
Hando generated much enthusiasm with his suggestion, so I am hoping the extended notice will allow him to set aside some time for us.
Call #19 | 20-May-2018 | 1984 by George Orwell | Warmup Thread | Podcast
A classic. A prerequisite. A required reading. The film does not and cannot come close.
Call #20 | 27-May-2018 | The Prestige (2006) | Warmup Thread | Podcast
David Bowie as Nikola Tesla, technology as ‘magic’. Need I say more?
Call #21 | 3-Jun-2018 | Aleister Crowley & Magick | Warmup Thread | Podcast
totes scary and taboo and teh evilz and stuff
Call #22 | 10-Jun-2018 | Fakeologist | Warmup Thread | Podcast
I truly hope that Tim will join us for this one. He is into the numbers so I saved 22 just for him 🙂
Call #23 | 17-Jun-2018 | The Number 23 (2007) | Warmup Thread | Podcast
I know that some of you genuinely fear that you may be ‘losing your mind’. But what does it mean to be ‘sane’?
Call #24 | 24-Jun-2018 | The Sync Books | Warmup Thread | Podcast
If you have not purchased at least the first edition, the time is now. These are more than mere books.
Call #25 | 1-Jul-2018 | Jan Irvin of Gnostic Media | Warmup Thread | Podcast
None of us are perfect. Especially this guy. But his work got me into the ‘trivium’ back in the day and for that I remain thankful.
Call #26 | 8-Jul-2018 | Gematria & Language | Warmup Thread | Podcast
Perhaps I will extend an olive branch to my old buddy Zachary K Hubbard…
Call #27 | 15-Jul-2018 | Brave New World by Aldous Huxley | Warmup Thread | Podcast coming soon
See Call #19.
Call #28 | 22-Jul-2018 | Stories, Meaning & Purpose | Warmup Thread | Podcast
Excellent suggestion from Russell: An open session for discussing the way we view ourselves and the world around us.
Call #29 | 29-Jul-2018 | Jay Dyer of Jay’s Analysis | Warmup Thread | Podcast
Member Skype #10 was a fair primer, but this fellow deserves a full and proper analysis.
Call #30 | 5-Aug-2018 | The Library of Babel by Jorge Lois Borges | Warmup Thread | Podcast
Very short story, anybody could read and review it in a couple of hours.
Call #31 | 12-Aug-2018 | The Thirteenth Floor (1999) | Warmup Thread | Podcast
Let’s take a roadtrip out to Tucson.
Call #32 | 19-Aug-2018 | Existentialism & ‘Death’ | Warmup Thread | Podcast
Suggested by Dante from New York. Why did I put inverted commas around ‘death’? Good question.
I’m open to moving certain topics around, but a few of them are set in stone due to the numbers…
Summary:
Movies (5): Mulholland Drive; The Truman Show; The Prestige; The Number 23; The Thirteenth Floor
Books (4): 1984; The Sync Books; Brave New World; The Library of Babel
Platforms/Personalities (3): Fakeologist; Jan Irvin; Jay Dyer
I plan to invite all three (Tim, Jan, Jay) to join us for their respective calls. I don’t expect to hear back from Jay, and who knows what to expect with Jan?
Other (7): The Weird and Whacky; Psychedelic Drugs; Money & Banking; Aleister Crowley & Magick; Gematria & Language; Stories, Meaning & Purpose; Existentialism & ‘Death’.
Note 1 – Topic Leaders
Anybody may volunteer to lead any of the topics.
This entails preparing some introductory remarks, and a few questions for discussion.
Ideally, those who lead each call will also be happy to moderate the flow of conversation, which is actually very easy in these calls because the participants are the cream of the crop of the ACT realm (in my humble opinion) and actually want to be here (as opposed to certain other platforms, which seem to serve merely as pastimes for bored and lonely people).
I have already claimed weeks 17, 19, and 21 for myself. I will be leading those discussions. Every other week/topic is up for grabs.
The more people who volunteer to lead a call, the better. Both Russell and Fuhng have already stepped up to the plate and done outstanding jobs. You don’t need hundreds of podcasts worth of experience to lead a call 😉
Seriously, you will have fun, and it will give you something to look forward to and build upon. I hope that every member who has already participated in a previous call will volunteer to lead at least one of the calls in this block. Naturally I will be happy to lead any/all calls which are not claimed by others.
Note 2 – Call Times
Those who cannot make it to the usual call time can contact me to make other arrangements for that week. I will be more than happy to set aside my Sunday night (Sunday morning Europe time) so long as I am given advance notice. I can even make other arrangements midweek if necessary — especially for those of you in Europe. I can then add the second call to the first in the final mp3 release, or publish them separately (i.e. Part A and Part B), depending on which format works best for that particular call.
Production notes: Released to the public from the outset (i.e. 10-Apr-2018). Warmup and Podcast links updated progressively.