WEBVTT

cd16a4a2-6e43-4b13-b3ba-4bc53b54c48d-0
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Not Quite Right features discussions that
are unfiltered and uncensored,

cd16a4a2-6e43-4b13-b3ba-4bc53b54c48d-1
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and may include themes that are
inappropriate for younger listeners.

f8818ae9-273a-4717-b8f2-f0810c05108a-0
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Also, I swear a lot.

eedbfa0d-21ad-44d2-8fed-41d5d474d739-0
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Something doesn't seem quite right.

4c251e72-26d1-4196-ae49-22af5c63e0b9-0
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Welcome to Not quite right.

682de6bb-4f1d-4454-8e61-8dd65d39a13d-0
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It's your boy Eduardo.

67fc87d0-7d42-44c9-be0e-e2a01a249d9c-0
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Coming at ya with my sidekick, Amanda.

0372baf9-86b2-462c-8bfc-44e18abf6447-0
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Excuse me.

105f6809-4608-45d7-aa23-4bd9c1ce6f1e-0
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I'm a front kick.

e987d518-a6ca-42ce-b100-846c491ad0c9-0
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We can both be hero and sidekick in this
situation.

dea44cd6-fa1c-49bc-b450-68e42d0e830c-0
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Do you wanna introduce yourself?

87b473d3-c206-4446-b5f0-bf371553b422-0
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Amanda, what the **** are you on,
is my question.

e648d7dc-9672-4da6-9ebd-b4058a31e3d9-0
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It's your girl.

0d115227-7b1b-4f6e-a594-38011910b936-0
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You might be girl.

1f35c367-2333-4b41-b3de-630316d1ae45-0
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Is that the right term or is that highly
offensive?

efc76b5d-e864-42a6-ae46-2f9d087e5a29-0
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I'm a massive BI.

887438c2-ae1c-46ab-bd62-e99a38f0b62f-0
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Think that's probably appropriate in the
circumstances.

2e2d91ed-f0dd-4691-acdb-bbb208aa16de-0
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Anyway, all that aside,
welcome to the shortlist episode for the

2e2d91ed-f0dd-4691-acdb-bbb208aa16de-1
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April 2026 Not Quite Right Prize for
Flash Fiction,

2e2d91ed-f0dd-4691-acdb-bbb208aa16de-2
00:01:07.240 --> 00:01:13.031
in which we will be revealing our six
shortlisters, reading out six stories,

2e2d91ed-f0dd-4691-acdb-bbb208aa16de-3
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and of course,
our winner for the April round of the

2e2d91ed-f0dd-4691-acdb-bbb208aa16de-4
00:01:17.018 --> 00:01:20.252
prize,
who'll be receiving 1500 Australian

2e2d91ed-f0dd-4691-acdb-bbb208aa16de-5
00:01:20.252 --> 00:01:22.960
dollars and all of our shortlisters.

8a85f210-9e19-45c0-a82a-d12dd5dfe6b7-0
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This episode will be receiving
publication in this year's Not Quite

8a85f210-9e19-45c0-a82a-d12dd5dfe6b7-1
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Right Prize anthology coming out at the
end of the year.

6cab013f-a53b-492b-82f2-5eae6e69e21d-0
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Don't forget,
there's one other special thing that the

6cab013f-a53b-492b-82f2-5eae6e69e21d-1
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winner will be taking away.

5d316ad2-acff-4075-8fb6-2c67f07347c9-0
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What could that be?

75a313cb-426f-40f0-9c7a-0403cf97351d-0
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I've actually got it here.

603a3a17-216d-4f04-9296-54d2370c0995-0
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And yes,
it's heavy and it's pointy and it's ready

603a3a17-216d-4f04-9296-54d2370c0995-1
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to just like to someone.

8dc3581d-2630-4266-95f6-b79f9b27b302-0
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Yeah,
it's ready to be involved in some sort of

8dc3581d-2630-4266-95f6-b79f9b27b302-1
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crime.

b3f9916c-92b5-45a2-b1f0-3f0ef93d1da2-0
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And I'm super excited to reveal the
winner at the end of this episode.

f96d4bfa-cb75-44af-8681-860dcdfae1f9-0
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I think they will be stoked to receive
this trophy.

99755ee8-771a-4827-97d4-42224a965acc-0
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I agree.

2e2b3f31-295f-46ea-a929-12bdfa358cc7-0
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But even before we get to the stories,
we have actually four wild cards to give

2e2b3f31-295f-46ea-a929-12bdfa358cc7-1
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away.

87e06e37-bc11-4343-8543-057cf8cb0592-0
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Mm Hmm.

b19ba331-20e8-40f8-bd25-9cff5d6e6849-0
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One for you and I, Amanda,
and also our two guest judges this round,

b19ba331-20e8-40f8-bd25-9cff5d6e6849-1
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Elise and Dean,
each have a wild card to give away.

088fa1f4-2ce8-4fb9-92a4-a2e6ab285fc4-0
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Those four people will will receive a
$100.

a5376905-b692-4ec5-a14a-513e9db0296b-0
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We'll be speaking to Dean and Elise very
soon to hear who they have nominated.

6d09d4ad-1e07-4f13-9b05-e95c635c5c67-0
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But also stick around after the stories
too,

6d09d4ad-1e07-4f13-9b05-e95c635c5c67-1
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because we've also got our bonus prize.

5966058a-18e2-475c-bc4b-45a9b298739b-0
00:02:17.720 --> 00:02:21.644
Now that's open at this stage to anyone
who entered the April round of the

5966058a-18e2-475c-bc4b-45a9b298739b-1
00:02:21.644 --> 00:02:24.365
competition,
whether you made the long list or not,

5966058a-18e2-475c-bc4b-45a9b298739b-2
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you have to be a member of the winning
team.

28e2f4ce-d485-4c4a-a575-302ea1331c2e-0
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And you then get drawn out of a hat.

caaa4955-0d30-4a99-8278-6da2bea79c41-0
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If you recall, we left things on, well,
almost a cliffhanger.

47e1580c-f14b-42ee-ba17-12f555b3e2d1-0
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Your team.

df4577f8-ee6f-4c65-b8d3-f8bc9a720039-0
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Team Amanda.

a1759a2d-1dcf-489b-8920-721187394858-0
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Mm Hmm.

0b3e60d5-cb55-4d6c-96dc-cff22abb8f33-0
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Being ahead by one single story,
one in the popular vote,

0b3e60d5-cb55-4d6c-96dc-cff22abb8f33-1
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but also the long list,
which was only like two Storey different.

31689ffe-6569-4f52-ba7d-18b57e1e4cc2-0
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So it could be anyone's at this point.

92150c64-6905-482e-9a6e-c8f120294513-0
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The shortlist will make all the
difference.

e75187a0-4175-4302-b1fb-19fa9dc92a5e-0
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So we'll find out at the end of the
episode not only whose team won,

e75187a0-4175-4302-b1fb-19fa9dc92a5e-1
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but who's gonna win that lucky door prize
as well.

53b3bdef-f7e4-4aa6-842e-fbebfd687d42-0
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And this round,
the bonus prize is a coaching session

53b3bdef-f7e4-4aa6-842e-fbebfd687d42-1
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with me and a copy of Flesh Fiction hot
off the press.

95e9c867-5685-41ea-b5c4-56d0b21d78b4-0
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And we actually have a box,
2 boxes over here ready to be signed and

95e9c867-5685-41ea-b5c4-56d0b21d78b4-1
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sent out.

b4a67713-4b32-408a-8e07-acdf15ee5396-0
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I've already accidentally started posting
some out.

a7ae41f7-0182-4380-a1d1-dee20564c15c-0
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Sorry about that.

e5a02b10-3a31-4658-a395-5034da853bc5-0
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But we have more to go.

9eac96ef-b433-4a67-8f2d-66746003235c-0
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So with all that being said,
let's get straight into it.

b9cff58c-23cf-49f0-96de-1c090445dec7-0
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We've got a lot to get through.

8d3b404e-7db1-44bb-ac7c-b1401b35e194-0
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So let's get Dean on the line.

da853739-7068-425d-b406-d46cd34be5d5-0
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Sounds good.

24f33d4e-7e0d-4690-9e89-e93f23fbb597-0
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Hello, Ed.

96076071-2b3c-4dd3-bea5-a3fea7e41e0b-0
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Hello, Amanda.

2fd50d6e-71a3-4364-a684-753aa6bfd22c-0
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Hi.

e0c412e2-8ded-40ac-a327-d6f977bbf730-0
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Now, Dean,
you helped to judge Team Amanda this

e0c412e2-8ded-40ac-a327-d6f977bbf730-1
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round.

121b0075-d644-4de1-8051-85bbde8ec7fd-0
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Hashtag team Amanda, the best team.

e2b52c38-7b22-4bd8-9015-9bb3b16ee66c-0
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So tell us about your experience.

4ec048e0-d1fb-4296-a377-b19cec21d985-0
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How'd you find the dance theme overall,
the dance.

6d616934-2fd6-4332-8799-7b2e4ccd76dc-0
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It was a lot of fun and I and I will have
to hand it to the writers because when I

6d616934-2fd6-4332-8799-7b2e4ccd76dc-1
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first I will be honest with you guys when
I first saw it because as we know,

6d616934-2fd6-4332-8799-7b2e4ccd76dc-2
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you guys don't tell me in advance.

e0821a83-09e8-4223-8a6a-dbfc2d6e1789-0
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I find out like anyone else.

e4cb5b31-46bf-42bf-a346-accaa96330a0-0
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What I mean like that I was thinking
people might paint themselves into a

e4cb5b31-46bf-42bf-a346-accaa96330a0-1
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storytelling corner with some of the
things you're asking them to do,

e4cb5b31-46bf-42bf-a346-accaa96330a0-2
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some of the yeah, contort themselves,
if you will get themselves in a in a

e4cb5b31-46bf-42bf-a346-accaa96330a0-3
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heads spin.

af42feec-199f-49fe-9d31-892e153bc0e5-0
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My point being,
I thought they they would end up if they

af42feec-199f-49fe-9d31-892e153bc0e5-1
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were going to write a good story.

c8a1f7d5-15a8-4298-b77e-c21ced489264-0
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It might be despite the dance,
the dance problem,

c8a1f7d5-15a8-4298-b77e-c21ced489264-1
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not necessarily because of it,
if you know what I mean.

3f9d9040-8b01-4eed-9d67-218282be75af-0
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Like almost like overcoming it.

709a95b0-1537-40e7-b385-416c2f618dd5-0
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But I was impressed because I,
I guess I expected hundreds of just wacky.

5d42a2e8-e134-4ffb-b8e0-82001ef8ec9b-0
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We got a lot of wacky stories for sure,
but we also, yeah,

5d42a2e8-e134-4ffb-b8e0-82001ef8ec9b-1
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nature finds a way and they found ways to
get that emotional resonance.

6ebf8ec7-0f33-4f7e-bb81-7ebccf2db176-0
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Oh my God,
are you talking about emotional resonance?

77cbe9cb-3a39-4dd8-a96a-0be3ebf9eaa5-0
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Have I,
have I brought you over to the the light

77cbe9cb-3a39-4dd8-a96a-0be3ebf9eaa5-1
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side?

57c066a6-946b-4b61-a491-ca3d5633bf3e-0
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Have I?

46d3511f-0e5d-4fff-b701-1f934ac8bc83-0
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Look, look,
emotions could be laughing out loud as

46d3511f-0e5d-4fff-b701-1f934ac8bc83-1
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well, you know?

a80bdade-9b45-4fad-b1a5-b9d1ef3f74c2-0
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No, I do know, Yeah.

f9945016-b174-4cae-a43a-8edd01f1a0df-0
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So it was interesting to see how
everybody approached the brief.

26bae8be-7343-4a6c-8929-454071099d12-0
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I thought there'd be a lot of comedy.

ca6d96ed-842e-4e87-8e33-86272fe7bdd0-0
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There was.

c59f901d-6dee-4c01-8802-47cf76818396-0
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But it was impressive the number of
people that bought that, bought the feels,

c59f901d-6dee-4c01-8802-47cf76818396-1
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as they say.

9da8725c-cfd1-497f-8d42-3e72ad1da0cb-0
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You wouldn't really think the feels and
break dancing work together.

0e58092b-abbc-4af1-8b72-bf0067d54cae-0
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We had breaking out was the action,
so that obviously doesn't have to have

0e58092b-abbc-4af1-8b72-bf0067d54cae-1
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anything to do with break dancing,
but it did.

1e2dc7bc-8502-47d1-b44e-0becbbd84fe7-0
00:05:00.280 --> 00:05:01.280
Something did though.

222e9134-9f8d-4238-8450-29ad41911684-0
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We actually had like full zombie
apocalypse and something just breaking

222e9134-9f8d-4238-8450-29ad41911684-1
00:05:04.634 --> 00:05:05.240
out and dance.

fe6e1462-d196-4f87-8498-664c29aaf208-0
00:05:05.640 --> 00:05:10.040
I know there were a couple of stories I
enjoyed Anthea Jones and Elder Roscoe.

8ddabcd0-8c01-485a-82bc-1123cd806a71-0
00:05:10.040 --> 00:05:13.305
So they they had these kind of,
it was like, yeah, like a zombie outbreak,

8ddabcd0-8c01-485a-82bc-1123cd806a71-1
00:05:13.305 --> 00:05:14.960
but people were break dancing instead.

8e54ccb8-5695-4b68-85ef-e5fac657dc6b-0
00:05:14.960 --> 00:05:17.240
So those ones stuck up to me.

d4cfb629-41a2-4a2f-87ce-6a999d616d1d-0
00:05:17.520 --> 00:05:21.960
We also had zits breaking out on people's
faces.

525d80e5-1779-43b1-810a-43aadbf14bc7-0
00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:26.720
We had prison breakouts,
potatoes breaking out of pantries.

e7273569-7ae6-4488-938c-aa270132e89b-0
00:05:28.320 --> 00:05:29.280
That was very punny.

ef1dc1a1-6598-4508-87c8-c6852c548c81-0
00:05:29.280 --> 00:05:29.960
Actually.

c837638c-cc56-4541-bb8c-4535d6c6da4d-0
00:05:30.360 --> 00:05:34.120
I think Sheridan Bell might have written
that story as we had the pantry.

eb8b3ddd-70ef-44d8-b701-e1dbdb6bd2dd-0
00:05:34.440 --> 00:05:36.800
We also had some more sort of serious
ones.

35ca41a0-bf0d-4bbe-a540-18e4844967f5-0
00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:41.073
I remember Avril Robertson wrote one
about an ex breaking out and kind of

35ca41a0-bf0d-4bbe-a540-18e4844967f5-1
00:05:41.073 --> 00:05:43.400
quite a traumatic event happens in her
one.

bc2cc4ee-d3f5-45a0-b7ed-7d4ab2e63816-0
00:05:43.760 --> 00:05:44.480
This is what I mean.

4b911a4f-bdd5-4669-aa21-5f99b6b67ed8-0
00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:47.825
There were a lot of other kind of serious
takes on, you know,

4b911a4f-bdd5-4669-aa21-5f99b6b67ed8-1
00:05:47.825 --> 00:05:50.200
grief or loss or abuse or perhaps
sickness.

17eeca7b-5777-4d24-b638-442fd72686ef-0
00:05:50.760 --> 00:05:51.800
Couples stood out to me.

7dc2c601-4e3b-4cd1-98a0-b65e93458193-0
00:05:51.800 --> 00:05:53.640
Penny A Nichols had one.

96a89ff1-15df-4f4b-9bc6-67049b4bf75b-0
00:05:53.880 --> 00:05:58.487
Louise Walton, Chris Doty Dunn,
That one was really powerful about a sort

96a89ff1-15df-4f4b-9bc6-67049b4bf75b-1
00:05:58.487 --> 00:05:59.920
of a crooked clergyman.

d91b7dcb-6ff4-4662-9443-ffe81adafab1-0
00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:01.240
So yeah, that was a bit dark.

973a282d-d07a-46db-95a7-f0c1de021dfe-0
00:06:01.960 --> 00:06:06.144
Harry Humber, Jennifer Anne,
Georgina Maxine That one had a reveal

973a282d-d07a-46db-95a7-f0c1de021dfe-1
00:06:06.144 --> 00:06:09.080
that I thought was really handled really
well.

edde47ab-cf59-4aad-8141-a625ca336b93-0
00:06:09.080 --> 00:06:12.550
So there there was some serious ones that
really did stand out to me and I thought

edde47ab-cf59-4aad-8141-a625ca336b93-1
00:06:12.550 --> 00:06:13.680
that was pretty impressive.

627cf9e1-10ce-49c4-8edd-45bfda7ca23b-0
00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:19.821
1 that didn't make the long list but was
on my favourite list of favourites was

627cf9e1-10ce-49c4-8edd-45bfda7ca23b-1
00:06:19.821 --> 00:06:23.440
called Beatbox Genesis and that was by
Dead Kakosar.

2400bf38-9f4c-4887-bde0-14b96da62f92-0
00:06:23.440 --> 00:06:26.550
It was very blasphemic,
but it retold the first book of the Bible

2400bf38-9f4c-4887-bde0-14b96da62f92-1
00:06:26.550 --> 00:06:28.200
and it's with a break dancing vibe.

a8cfe23b-ad3e-4dfe-81b5-7571f7b47c5b-0
00:06:28.200 --> 00:06:30.524
And I don't know,
I was just in the mood for it and I

a8cfe23b-ad3e-4dfe-81b5-7571f7b47c5b-1
00:06:30.524 --> 00:06:31.600
thought good, good, good.

5e3e995e-e847-4374-b1a7-552d46839972-0
00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:35.194
You know what's funny, Dean,
is that there was a story in my group,

5e3e995e-e847-4374-b1a7-552d46839972-1
00:06:35.194 --> 00:06:37.520
in the disco group that had the same
theme.

d2dfbcaf-dfc8-4878-bf80-a1cad77876ce-0
00:06:37.520 --> 00:06:38.760
It was the exact same thing.

859fc202-e9d9-4a4f-a211-77e6a78197fd-0
00:06:38.760 --> 00:06:42.960
It was the the Book of Genesis told from
disco standpoint.

77c0f484-3767-4484-8479-1dd50eedeff4-0
00:06:42.960 --> 00:06:44.000
Isn't that freaky?

6a064612-9f9f-40c6-a511-c767e1a21555-0
00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:44.360
Yeah.

193b5318-b076-40ec-aa3e-299090131ce2-0
00:06:44.360 --> 00:06:49.720
That story was the Book of Groovy Chapter
1 by Shawnee Alsop Pukahi.

f81edfb2-c19f-45e0-ac9d-0df6289df22a-0
00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:52.800
And I also found that very bizarre.

465d610d-7e3a-407d-9f52-4f63e051a83a-0
00:06:52.840 --> 00:06:53.080
Yeah.

ae22e322-33fd-4b36-a125-334a40c5a0d4-0
00:06:53.080 --> 00:06:56.560
That on each team there was someone who
went there with that.

01aad111-a609-49ff-9cc3-e09db249b6ad-0
00:06:56.560 --> 00:07:00.000
That is, that is about very, very funny,
I guess.

e2987e90-421e-4de3-b953-25048fe7d691-0
00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:00.160
Yeah.

f276aa4f-9c35-43bc-a80e-bb14b1e58966-0
00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:00.760
Both of them.

0d3eb9dc-7c36-4b7f-89b9-16f2dc9a7aaa-0
00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:01.160
Yeah.

6becc0bb-660f-4e67-8da4-26ab698001d9-0
00:07:01.160 --> 00:07:02.960
Went to that place because music.

8ec681d1-25df-432c-8368-08417c10384b-0
00:07:02.960 --> 00:07:04.920
Music like a religion to a lot of people,
I guess.

3ae57fc8-9e5e-4dc6-9726-8cb9551a9935-0
00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:05.960
So it's very true.

5fa27724-72e5-46bc-b568-faed8015bb29-0
00:07:05.960 --> 00:07:08.811
Couple of very,
very quick shout outs for sort of the

5fa27724-72e5-46bc-b568-faed8015bb29-1
00:07:08.811 --> 00:07:09.920
funny take on things.

aabdc847-ed32-4bad-bd9e-bf43eb663dec-0
00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:15.558
And Henry Hayden wrote a story called
Carpet Men, which was completely bonkers,

aabdc847-ed32-4bad-bd9e-bf43eb663dec-1
00:07:15.558 --> 00:07:17.920
but it fully committed to the idea.

687cffd5-a619-40c3-ba69-9848ec744313-0
00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:19.960
So very memorable story.

ebb68004-1c7c-430b-b5cd-a4178e937e50-0
00:07:20.520 --> 00:07:21.960
Slow claps all the way for that one.

0897c7c8-c3db-47cf-a6b9-726b754ea5f7-0
00:07:22.280 --> 00:07:24.960
And there was so many more other silly
takes.

c98d0a3d-0e65-4698-a9d1-808115017fe7-0
00:07:24.960 --> 00:07:26.520
There was some understated ones.

8517f501-31a1-4a4f-b1bc-557610c46a61-0
00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:30.160
One particular one I do want to call out
because it was on my list of really kind

8517f501-31a1-4a4f-b1bc-557610c46a61-1
00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:31.680
of top stories, was by Nicola Bell.

f980af5f-ca78-4796-96f6-0c7d082fbb24-0
00:07:32.040 --> 00:07:34.720
And that was an understated story,
just about two siblings.

fa6969d6-d2a6-4ecd-9d65-e71fd777ee23-0
00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:39.360
It took place between 2 lines of dialogue
and it was just really beautifully done.

0a43aada-0596-4327-8362-cffca7175d03-0
00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:41.160
So well done on that one.

d0aa9ccc-9670-4434-9b4d-fadcce1bd683-0
00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:44.520
But look,
there's lots of other ones and a couple

d0aa9ccc-9670-4434-9b4d-fadcce1bd683-1
00:07:44.520 --> 00:07:49.077
of them are actually going to be making
an appearance in this episode in this

d0aa9ccc-9670-4434-9b4d-fadcce1bd683-2
00:07:49.077 --> 00:07:49.720
pointy end.

914cdbad-ec3f-4df9-8b72-46a96f2c3eed-0
00:07:49.720 --> 00:07:52.755
So I won't call those ones out,
but just know that I was with you all the

914cdbad-ec3f-4df9-8b72-46a96f2c3eed-1
00:07:52.755 --> 00:07:52.920
way.

cbd1ac18-2506-40f0-a872-5ea312e43f27-0
00:07:53.640 --> 00:07:54.960
But it's wild card time.

c13eb40f-cf50-4033-8543-df65452080f7-0
00:07:55.080 --> 00:07:57.480
I get to have a pic,
which I'm very excited about.

5becd540-d135-4940-bd82-7ae41147fa03-0
00:07:57.880 --> 00:08:01.600
I enjoyed this one as the more I read it
up, the more I enjoyed it.

e940351e-3fa8-4e47-8511-fa0abe811289-0
00:08:01.640 --> 00:08:04.640
It was just a really authentic workplace
setting.

7fe010ad-befa-4ebb-90f9-c37493d00c5c-0
00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:09.080
It had comedic notes that were really
strong, lovely sense of realism.

bd1f594a-7543-4fc9-9cbb-c4504bd55a55-0
00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:11.863
And it's,
it's sort of an unusual situation and had

bd1f594a-7543-4fc9-9cbb-c4504bd55a55-1
00:08:11.863 --> 00:08:15.557
some very good scene changes,
kind of three scene changes been a nice

bd1f594a-7543-4fc9-9cbb-c4504bd55a55-2
00:08:15.557 --> 00:08:16.560
message at the end.

ccc020af-fa18-4704-a99b-bb267ab55a26-0
00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:18.160
So I'm, I'm teasing it up a little bit.

64fc9603-d102-47f8-9b45-ec7a56d6bb30-0
00:08:18.440 --> 00:08:21.480
The message is kind of a little bit about
you never really truly know.

77968728-bc17-4543-959f-f21dd16cb4e8-0
00:08:21.800 --> 00:08:25.120
Sometimes you don't really know who the
people you work with are outside of work.

8b4efd2e-fa7f-4ecb-8324-97941987d10c-0
00:08:25.520 --> 00:08:34.733
And the story is called How I Learned My
Desk Mate was a backup dancer for the

8b4efd2e-fa7f-4ecb-8324-97941987d10c-1
00:08:34.733 --> 00:08:36.600
Backstreet Boys.

fb565803-1fe6-4eb5-831d-3f0a70136eac-0
00:08:37.160 --> 00:08:39.000
And that's by Christy Hartman.

3f188bd1-5d3a-4c16-a0bc-fff9a4d79d72-0
00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:41.040
And that name is quite familiar to me.

48a3e421-f848-4687-96bb-60969d9e8c01-0
00:08:41.160 --> 00:08:42.800
She's very accomplished writer.

242a6ba6-9e19-46d7-a8a6-ae19945ce274-0
00:08:42.800 --> 00:08:45.320
But obviously we judge these things blind
and we award them blind.

00c12037-df1d-498a-aa15-511a0b3b39cc-0
00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:48.640
But congratulations, Christy,
you are my wild card winner.

4abdaa0c-3604-4790-b527-b18239553c99-0
00:08:48.640 --> 00:08:49.640
And it was a great story.

098951e9-0ace-4292-ace8-be5a8b4dbe39-0
00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:53.302
As I say,
it's always interesting the places people

098951e9-0ace-4292-ace8-be5a8b4dbe39-1
00:08:53.302 --> 00:08:55.080
go with these wacky prompts.

1df6a4ed-e3cc-4550-84f6-66a974be36c4-0
00:08:55.960 --> 00:08:59.062
Very ironically,
that's about 5 Christy Hartman stories

1df6a4ed-e3cc-4550-84f6-66a974be36c4-1
00:08:59.062 --> 00:09:02.720
together wrapped up as one,
which is like a Backstreet Boys band.

304f1aba-a398-4ae0-9a1b-4a5a53505b9d-0
00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:04.896
You know,
Christy likes to write in the much

304f1aba-a398-4ae0-9a1b-4a5a53505b9d-1
00:09:04.896 --> 00:09:05.960
shorter format, right?

fe45f89e-dac5-4a42-a60e-e3165777f3d6-0
00:09:05.960 --> 00:09:08.080
So she's the 100 word master.

3c3384b6-4d67-4dd9-89de-48e12dfde7a1-0
00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:08.560
That's it.

e46a0ef0-010d-4fa8-8fcb-c6e05bae654b-0
00:09:08.600 --> 00:09:09.760
Other in other format.

f8c50253-b3c5-4e69-a57a-0be98209b383-0
00:09:09.760 --> 00:09:10.400
So you're right.

7caf7579-52bc-4648-a6e9-81a5419a2586-0
00:09:10.400 --> 00:09:13.360
She's probably gone away and written five
stories and brought them all together.

fcaed2f5-54d5-44b7-ba4c-0557abb07074-0
00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:16.680
You've got a whole boy band's worth of
stories wrapped up together then.

432efaaf-38d7-4456-9c9c-ca0193d24456-0
00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:18.560
That's very true.

707f9a83-00ab-4332-98fb-cf39c7b41a85-0
00:09:18.560 --> 00:09:18.880
Yes.

f2caea21-ae57-4bf6-bf48-468d9caa2c4b-0
00:09:18.880 --> 00:09:20.080
Very, very nice visual.

c17b0d05-47ce-4515-abad-e0429e09099e-0
00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:20.360
Yeah.

057a9f4d-cc49-4191-8c29-1cf2dbdb3c73-0
00:09:20.800 --> 00:09:21.800
So Congrats, Christy.

5ebd89fb-0c23-4471-b40c-9f2fc43df2cd-0
00:09:21.800 --> 00:09:22.840
Congrats to everyone else.

258eec28-b182-4f3b-a811-ef8eca1e5a5e-0
00:09:22.840 --> 00:09:24.920
And yeah,
thanks for getting your groove on.

6f85a443-aad5-4e97-a699-eec8b48df4b2-0
00:09:25.240 --> 00:09:29.080
And if you wrote for the best team,
which was hashtag team Amanda, correct.

5a757b40-da27-4a41-a4b0-21ab786f68c8-0
00:09:29.080 --> 00:09:31.520
It was a pleasure reading your story.

cbfeb4a3-39c3-49a2-b416-c160b2932a42-0
00:09:32.160 --> 00:09:33.960
Thank you so much for all your help, Dean.

c3e14f45-61a0-470e-8b64-422990cc971b-0
00:09:33.960 --> 00:09:34.800
Really appreciate it.

a0e0a2a8-cde7-4435-a6fb-41906224954c-0
00:09:34.920 --> 00:09:35.440
Thanks, Dean.

d78e8c60-4a56-4086-8032-637eceb492fc-0
00:09:35.520 --> 00:09:40.400
Right on, right on.

cdb03d47-a61e-4ead-940e-bea9ca3e59ae-0
00:09:40.400 --> 00:09:44.840
So thank you, Dean, and congratulations,
Christy on your wild card.

4b8c32cf-dc42-437b-9330-20a1918cd1c9-0
00:09:44.880 --> 00:09:45.680
Well done.

c2037b5b-fdc0-4a24-b2a0-ae85e5c3dd65-0
00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:51.663
And now let's speak to Elise,
who was guest judge for Team Ed this

c2037b5b-fdc0-4a24-b2a0-ae85e5c3dd65-1
00:09:51.663 --> 00:09:52.160
round.

f9246cef-0681-487d-8ab6-83ccd4f463ae-0
00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:56.200
Hi, Elise.

8b82d69e-4eac-446d-8b2b-38848e6e7998-0
00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:57.920
Hi, it's good to be back.

cf40ece7-8366-4897-8539-eae10a7785bb-0
00:09:58.200 --> 00:09:59.080
Thanks for having me.

14e415c1-b821-4289-8f9e-eb3e4e83ef3a-0
00:09:59.080 --> 00:10:04.860
Now you helped judge Team Ed this round,
which is the best team 'cause I'm sure

14e415c1-b821-4289-8f9e-eb3e4e83ef3a-1
00:10:04.860 --> 00:10:05.800
you'll agree.

47874905-19b5-488e-a4e6-1c5c6fb7f746-0
00:10:06.520 --> 00:10:07.280
Yes, of course.

bd9b5dc4-be37-404a-9e26-27ac3bab9749-0
00:10:07.480 --> 00:10:08.640
Tell us about your experience.

56372bf8-7645-4a04-9337-83b49e4d6539-0
00:10:08.640 --> 00:10:11.240
How did you find this round set of
prompts?

3487f344-8e0d-4aa0-880e-26cd9442ea92-0
00:10:11.400 --> 00:10:15.316
Well,
so this is my first time judging

3487f344-8e0d-4aa0-880e-26cd9442ea92-1
00:10:15.316 --> 00:10:20.640
something not steamy, yes,
so it was very different.

7454bf69-72bf-46fe-86dc-0ee27fe7305a-0
00:10:20.640 --> 00:10:24.890
But I thought that the ways that people
responded to the prompts were absolutely

7454bf69-72bf-46fe-86dc-0ee27fe7305a-1
00:10:24.890 --> 00:10:25.520
fascinating.

dd60dfe2-7222-4653-8a56-cf4b9995110a-0
00:10:25.880 --> 00:10:28.240
It was an honour and a joy to read these
stories.

cb056447-2040-4e79-9bb5-fcd9bd5585a0-0
00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:32.739
And there were a lot of elements in
different stories that excited me or were

cb056447-2040-4e79-9bb5-fcd9bd5585a0-1
00:10:32.739 --> 00:10:33.720
different for me.

1b20da3d-0e8c-48c6-89c8-cf5f528bb90f-0
00:10:33.720 --> 00:10:36.880
So I,
I was overjoyed by the whole experience.

3a63cdf8-b140-4fc7-ba7d-20dd7dd7a8e2-0
00:10:36.880 --> 00:10:37.720
I just loved it.

2dcf34c5-e2a2-4672-bfc6-36d01bfda187-0
00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:38.800
So happy to hear that.

afea424c-816b-453b-92e2-9aabd0deafb7-0
00:10:38.800 --> 00:10:39.760
I'm so glad.

2ee1c3c6-9226-40b1-be32-6d3690dbd84c-0
00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:42.880
And as always, I loved your comments.

f7efcd68-748d-4c57-8a36-bf3ebf6ec211-0
00:10:42.880 --> 00:10:45.120
Like I came into the T Med stories later.

0a85a394-12ac-4dfd-a7ed-db90245fadfa-0
00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:48.080
I'm reading your top picks basically of
both of you.

526b71f4-5506-45c5-ac71-7b607d67a03a-0
00:10:48.640 --> 00:10:52.604
And I have to say that so many times you
came in with these comments that were

526b71f4-5506-45c5-ac71-7b607d67a03a-1
00:10:52.604 --> 00:10:53.960
just adding all this value.

46ebe98a-dda3-4684-9887-ec25298ed8c1-0
00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:57.517
It's like you'd gone off and done this
research to find, you know,

46ebe98a-dda3-4684-9887-ec25298ed8c1-1
00:10:57.517 --> 00:10:59.960
the essence of what these stories were
about.

8d9e708e-a86a-4694-a273-db110b7ada4c-0
00:10:59.960 --> 00:11:03.916
I remember one story where you were
saying like you'd done an hour's worth of

8d9e708e-a86a-4694-a273-db110b7ada4c-1
00:11:03.916 --> 00:11:06.350
research,
went down very rabbit holes and added

8d9e708e-a86a-4694-a273-db110b7ada4c-2
00:11:06.350 --> 00:11:09.800
like paragraphs worth of context to the
story, which really helped.

177ef286-3136-4162-aa74-7f14fbf9d661-0
00:11:09.880 --> 00:11:10.640
It does help.

faadcf3a-7688-40ad-9420-69d97b605bbf-0
00:11:10.640 --> 00:11:12.320
I think it helps too much sometimes.

0a71ff9f-256b-42d5-ae37-cc343ccd3a84-0
00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:16.741
I think maybe you you might be lending a
helping hand to these authors,

0a71ff9f-256b-42d5-ae37-cc343ccd3a84-1
00:11:16.741 --> 00:11:18.400
but I really appreciate it.

daa36be1-f73a-4cdd-ba1d-803cdba2e97b-0
00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:19.480
Well, thanks.

60ff2262-1934-499f-8ed2-899d5c2597d5-0
00:11:19.480 --> 00:11:20.920
Yeah, I loved that.

17176074-80af-40a7-84b2-60275e6749aa-0
00:11:20.920 --> 00:11:21.320
Actually.

e6bfae6f-aedc-4a16-ba44-cc4e9feb6ac8-0
00:11:21.320 --> 00:11:24.405
That was a fun experience for me doing
all that research and learning something

e6bfae6f-aedc-4a16-ba44-cc4e9feb6ac8-1
00:11:24.405 --> 00:11:24.560
new.

7daedd35-bb41-41a4-9a41-924cb554c332-0
00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:29.151
So tell us about some of the trends that
you found and some of your favourite

7daedd35-bb41-41a4-9a41-924cb554c332-1
00:11:29.151 --> 00:11:29.720
responses.

be64d68e-8ecd-4023-b726-a25fd2ea007a-0
00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:33.395
OK, so for the action prompt,
the Freak Out,

be64d68e-8ecd-4023-b726-a25fd2ea007a-1
00:11:33.395 --> 00:11:39.603
I was surprised that I didn't see any
stories that leaned into the Let Your

be64d68e-8ecd-4023-b726-a25fd2ea007a-2
00:11:39.603 --> 00:11:41.400
Freak flag fly energy.

5dc0c4b9-6371-4741-bd9b-c5c9fef3fbe0-0
00:11:41.520 --> 00:11:45.967
I thought that would be super fun to have,
like let the freak out be, speak out,

5dc0c4b9-6371-4741-bd9b-c5c9fef3fbe0-1
00:11:45.967 --> 00:11:47.120
you know what I mean?

ed8c0e5e-3cfe-41dc-9f2e-9acb88109254-0
00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:49.521
And I didn't see any stories that did
that,

ed8c0e5e-3cfe-41dc-9f2e-9acb88109254-1
00:11:49.521 --> 00:11:53.000
but there was a take that I loved and I
saw it in three different stories.

c83dc21b-4a4e-453d-91f0-4e27c4abec3e-0
00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:58.258
So three of our not quite writers wrote
stories where for their freak out they

c83dc21b-4a4e-453d-91f0-4e27c4abec3e-1
00:11:58.258 --> 00:12:01.320
wrote a neuro divergent or autistic
meltdown.

7b4e5488-aaea-42d9-98d3-8c424598d2b3-0
00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:08.211
And so those three stories were Rosetta
Stone by Chloe Page and Tourist Trapped

7b4e5488-aaea-42d9-98d3-8c424598d2b3-1
00:12:08.211 --> 00:12:12.560
by Nina Miller and Hot Chocolate by
Margaretta Toribio.

4b64af19-59da-4068-8b72-e26d5d5115f4-0
00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:17.307
And I thought that was a really
fascinating take because most of the

4b64af19-59da-4068-8b72-e26d5d5115f4-1
00:12:17.307 --> 00:12:19.680
freak outs were like people panicking.

19bf9a86-1ea2-416e-80f9-df036a59d57a-0
00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:23.765
And although a neuro divergent meltdown
is a little like that,

19bf9a86-1ea2-416e-80f9-df036a59d57a-1
00:12:23.765 --> 00:12:25.320
it's also quite different.

6c777600-a8ce-46d2-aaf6-5b7325a36ebe-0
00:12:25.320 --> 00:12:28.760
And each of these stories took a look at
that as part of what they were doing.

7293632d-4e2e-47d9-bf10-00b1c860028a-0
00:12:28.760 --> 00:12:29.840
So I really loved that.

68961d89-48da-4240-b7ce-34ffc05884b3-0
00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:34.600
I love seeing which prompts people choose
to centre in their story as well.

8e0b0022-a70c-4aec-b774-15713003b037-0
00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:38.349
Sometimes it's the word that people latch
onto and sometimes it's the the action or

8e0b0022-a70c-4aec-b774-15713003b037-1
00:12:38.349 --> 00:12:38.840
the kicker.

8e53b6ab-4b5b-4d19-8938-858a22b42c19-0
00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:42.003
And in this case, you know,
the freak out became the central theme

8e53b6ab-4b5b-4d19-8938-858a22b42c19-1
00:12:42.003 --> 00:12:44.599
for the story,
and there were quite a few stories that

8e53b6ab-4b5b-4d19-8938-858a22b42c19-2
00:12:44.599 --> 00:12:46.960
did centre and really focus in on that
freak out.

7dfb7f7f-6c48-4ea3-8749-bd21f56e5d5b-0
00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:47.960
Yeah, there were a lot.

28fa2826-040d-46fc-8d9a-c203eb903a1a-0
00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:48.360
Yeah.

9e066d72-455b-4b06-9ee6-b06cd35c3a1b-0
00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:49.400
And you're right.

eca241e1-e4bc-4d41-9041-16dcab3157e0-0
00:12:49.400 --> 00:12:52.040
It's really fascinating to see what
inspires people.

b1c771ec-0337-4cbb-a145-6dc03d33c7a7-0
00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:55.590
It's one of the things that I really
liked when I was writing for this

b1c771ec-0337-4cbb-a145-6dc03d33c7a7-1
00:12:55.590 --> 00:12:59.172
competition because there's much more
nuance and complexity in between the

b1c771ec-0337-4cbb-a145-6dc03d33c7a7-2
00:12:59.172 --> 00:13:00.080
different elements.

02a48068-c3cd-41e0-8cfc-43eba637d85b-0
00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:02.040
And I think the kicker really adds to
that, too.

c1c5e4fb-41eb-41cd-bad3-3cbb39a4743f-0
00:13:02.040 --> 00:13:03.280
So I loved that.

eadb2aab-5cf2-40a8-a8ed-ff9d48fce959-0
00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:03.880
Yes.

aeb13c2a-d60b-41d4-92cf-39cd0b62ae0f-0
00:13:03.920 --> 00:13:04.400
And we didn't.

6bb27ba7-0443-406d-a7e1-efe375362942-0
00:13:04.400 --> 00:13:07.200
We neglected to mention that you are the
reigning champion.

29d5eb61-8d73-427c-b4f4-2874456ab518-0
00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:12.240
Not quite right until the end of this
episode, the shortlist episode.

27d3b7c5-a3b2-4ddf-9aae-fdae60317eef-0
00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:13.800
Yes, will be superseded.

5b2cd87a-d9e8-427b-8fea-7f87e0cc5eba-0
00:13:13.800 --> 00:13:16.840
Someone will steal my crown and I can't
wait to see who.

e3886fd2-0467-4cec-8741-6de85917b654-0
00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:18.280
All right.

641a91d2-b720-4d28-bdf3-a477427ad020-0
00:13:18.280 --> 00:13:19.680
So do you have any other call outs?

93629961-272c-4fe9-af75-e67abe972707-0
00:13:19.680 --> 00:13:20.480
Any other shout outs?

455a76f8-7b16-4948-ae84-7775adcbcafb-0
00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:20.920
Oh, yeah.

00797be5-007b-48e6-b32d-e641afc69820-0
00:13:21.400 --> 00:13:25.732
There were a lot of beautiful approaches
to the writing and there were lots of

00797be5-007b-48e6-b32d-e641afc69820-1
00:13:25.732 --> 00:13:28.200
places where people's prose really moved
me.

de318afd-5866-4c03-a0b9-b70378c302f1-0
00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:31.406
But there were two in particular that I
wrote down,

de318afd-5866-4c03-a0b9-b70378c302f1-1
00:13:31.406 --> 00:13:34.120
and one was from the Point by Calum
Graves.

d706be95-a6ae-4553-b5cd-4dc55b9e8558-0
00:13:35.160 --> 00:13:39.960
And it says our official greeting
contained Bach prime numbers,

d706be95-a6ae-4553-b5cd-4dc55b9e8558-1
00:13:39.960 --> 00:13:44.160
a child laughing,
and a diagram explaining that we were

d706be95-a6ae-4553-b5cd-4dc55b9e8558-2
00:13:44.160 --> 00:13:45.960
mostly water but trying.

327eea82-9cb4-46d8-bf6f-d7b844e81867-0
00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:49.951
And this is, of course,
like a message going out into space for

327eea82-9cb4-46d8-bf6f-d7b844e81867-1
00:13:49.951 --> 00:13:53.160
any other lifeout there to say like what
the planet is all about.

29967c74-0032-40d1-b67b-d7fdcb216170-0
00:13:53.160 --> 00:13:54.840
And I was totally charmed by that.

e6159616-52e1-43dd-984d-0780c510fb47-0
00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:57.539
Do you know what's really interesting,
Elise,

e6159616-52e1-43dd-984d-0780c510fb47-1
00:13:57.539 --> 00:14:00.168
is that one of our not quite writers,
Chad Frame,

e6159616-52e1-43dd-984d-0780c510fb47-2
00:14:00.168 --> 00:14:03.797
who has won the Not Quite Right prize
before and shortlisted before,

e6159616-52e1-43dd-984d-0780c510fb47-3
00:14:03.797 --> 00:14:06.480
he's actually got writing on the moon,
apparently.

8efa513b-e885-4910-acfe-0c8184320c47-0
00:14:06.920 --> 00:14:10.009
So some of his poetry,
I assume he's a poet,

8efa513b-e885-4910-acfe-0c8184320c47-1
00:14:10.009 --> 00:14:12.000
has made its way to the moon.

48cc3887-7864-4e96-86d9-9666b643d57e-0
00:14:12.040 --> 00:14:12.720
What?

4f0db48e-beda-4db7-a493-b9c4db9ca4e9-0
00:14:12.920 --> 00:14:13.160
Yeah.

bfa227fe-f1d6-4833-a450-7caaf3bb1142-0
00:14:13.160 --> 00:14:15.200
I just want to change, like, actually.

9d2c37ca-25da-4e68-8e6c-cf6e3808c3ac-0
00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:19.641
So if we talk about sending humanity's
kind of art out into space and other

9d2c37ca-25da-4e68-8e6c-cf6e3808c3ac-1
00:14:19.641 --> 00:14:22.388
things,
like parts of humanity out into space,

9d2c37ca-25da-4e68-8e6c-cf6e3808c3ac-2
00:14:22.388 --> 00:14:24.199
Chad Frames stuff is out there.

90772776-c41d-4c74-bcd5-d486c5188346-0
00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:24.280
Wow.

edaeb041-3510-4e06-bb37-3c0ae3861022-0
00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:25.520
Oh, wow.

297218f1-7b12-487a-a073-0081d3356690-0
00:14:25.520 --> 00:14:26.160
Go, Chad.

4ebc291c-12b1-48bb-b6ab-32d6e11876c3-0
00:14:26.160 --> 00:14:26.880
That's amazing.

0ddd7aaf-d616-430b-bebc-e7d554dd6c02-0
00:14:26.880 --> 00:14:27.400
That's pretty cool.

13ae501d-06a5-4043-8c2f-e4d4d4f875aa-0
00:14:27.400 --> 00:14:28.040
I love that.

8d86b954-fba7-4a1b-8d1f-dc3aca5cdbd1-0
00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:32.175
Yeah,
and then I also had a submission that had

8d86b954-fba7-4a1b-8d1f-dc3aca5cdbd1-1
00:14:32.175 --> 00:14:36.548
a really non standard form that I was
really moved by,

8d86b954-fba7-4a1b-8d1f-dc3aca5cdbd1-2
00:14:36.548 --> 00:14:41.000
called after the cyclone Alice Springs by
John Schultz.

9e5ce2d1-2cbd-4280-a24c-938cd56f051d-0
00:14:41.400 --> 00:14:45.560
And the way it opened just caught my
attention immediately.

14cd98a4-204a-4f67-b43d-61717ae8e677-0
00:14:45.560 --> 00:14:51.650
And that was the earth vibrates under his
boots, music bucks across the Oval,

14cd98a4-204a-4f67-b43d-61717ae8e677-1
00:14:51.650 --> 00:14:56.960
bounces through miles and ghost gums to
the moon hatted escarpment.

12ead7d1-cc1f-4110-ab7d-ddd441f8fd5a-0
00:14:57.560 --> 00:15:02.099
And like the I just wanted to roll the
words around in my mouth over and over

12ead7d1-cc1f-4110-ab7d-ddd441f8fd5a-1
00:15:02.099 --> 00:15:06.639
again because of the ways that the sounds
bumped up against each other was so

12ead7d1-cc1f-4110-ab7d-ddd441f8fd5a-2
00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:07.279
satisfying.

2c538d02-eec9-4706-9620-07f9de15f49e-0
00:15:07.800 --> 00:15:12.835
That was one where I enjoyed reading it,
but I enjoyed it even more when I read it

2c538d02-eec9-4706-9620-07f9de15f49e-1
00:15:12.835 --> 00:15:13.200
aloud.

0916c415-d75e-46e6-aa03-703e8b7ead2b-0
00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:18.314
It's funny how they can differ sometimes,
even when we have our rankings right and

0916c415-d75e-46e6-aa03-703e8b7ead2b-1
00:15:18.314 --> 00:15:20.040
we choose our favourite stories.

bd3ac794-09b9-47ea-8149-009f15db6568-0
00:15:20.040 --> 00:15:22.764
And then sometimes when they come in the
audio format,

bd3ac794-09b9-47ea-8149-009f15db6568-1
00:15:22.764 --> 00:15:26.380
you might rank them completely
differently just based on how you receive

bd3ac794-09b9-47ea-8149-009f15db6568-2
00:15:26.380 --> 00:15:27.519
them as an audio story.

102709a3-d22c-4b77-857c-11361fae01dd-0
00:15:27.520 --> 00:15:27.800
Yeah.

2ee3f88b-9df5-476a-9ac3-73293417e322-0
00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:31.040
And I had a couple titles that I found
really enjoying.

2aec3531-7431-413d-bb39-ebc41cf5130d-0
00:15:31.040 --> 00:15:32.720
Again, like they ran the gamut.

a7ca9e57-ca6a-4c52-9c92-1f470fe3ae81-0
00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:36.016
So here are three,
just three that kind of like I loved for

a7ca9e57-ca6a-4c52-9c92-1f470fe3ae81-1
00:15:36.016 --> 00:15:37.280
very different reasons.

ee830b6e-c8f4-4733-961e-1f23a09a96b0-0
00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:44.000
The first was **** Farts and a Penis by
Tom Brodkin, which is great fun.

750445aa-0893-4f75-942d-5e692ab452c0-0
00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:46.175
Yeah, there are a couple like that,
that just,

750445aa-0893-4f75-942d-5e692ab452c0-1
00:15:46.175 --> 00:15:48.800
you see them and you just want to dive in,
but so to speak.

42f94a98-484e-492c-83c3-c5bc6026517e-0
00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:55.206
And just for a moment I thought maybe I
was back in the realm of flesh fiction

42f94a98-484e-492c-83c3-c5bc6026517e-1
00:15:55.206 --> 00:15:55.480
again.

111f109c-cbce-48f3-a1b5-430918dffdfa-0
00:15:56.920 --> 00:16:02.979
And then the second one was Elvis is
alive and living in Meemaw's Disco Ball

111f109c-cbce-48f3-a1b5-430918dffdfa-1
00:16:02.979 --> 00:16:04.160
by James Desik.

bd7acc1a-7361-49fe-88f2-e750528ad5f3-0
00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:05.960
Amazing.

eedfd09c-8535-4abb-a494-d8a7da3f648d-0
00:16:06.120 --> 00:16:10.496
And then the last one is just lovely and
poetic and immediately resonates for me

eedfd09c-8535-4abb-a494-d8a7da3f648d-1
00:16:10.496 --> 00:16:13.360
with the moment in which it's deployed in
the story.

4b5c4744-53de-4fc9-b4f3-6553f12ded24-0
00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:17.760
And that is the grammar does the rest by
Maria Solbecker.

e5eb011e-c523-4b99-a087-102ca4c19e57-0
00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:21.682
And in the story,
there's a female character getting

e5eb011e-c523-4b99-a087-102ca4c19e57-1
00:16:21.682 --> 00:16:26.440
dressed for what turns out to be her,
like, big opportunity to shine.

6a93a6af-0d56-42f3-b52c-75cee1091451-0
00:16:26.800 --> 00:16:31.920
And the male character who's helping her
get dressed says Linda, which is, like,

6a93a6af-0d56-42f3-b52c-75cee1091451-1
00:16:31.920 --> 00:16:33.880
lovely or beautiful in Spanish.

af896957-9dea-41cd-bf41-e01a1bda0a03-0
00:16:33.920 --> 00:16:35.840
And she turns and looks at him.

5747285e-7945-41b6-8033-a4fa4b2c2a1c-0
00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:37.880
And then the next line is the grammar
does the rest.

a12b5b49-311c-411f-9f20-72cfbd8e396d-0
00:16:37.880 --> 00:16:40.417
And I just, like,
I had to stop for a minute and just take

a12b5b49-311c-411f-9f20-72cfbd8e396d-1
00:16:40.417 --> 00:16:41.880
that in because that is so lovely.

e643fee4-f3bb-4ca3-b753-76a2fce1088e-0
00:16:41.880 --> 00:16:42.440
Very clever.

89e6a90f-0615-492e-8e16-51e0a85a93f2-0
00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:42.600
Yeah.

3e82f9cf-f5d7-4562-a8ac-dadfe8d3a16a-0
00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:46.800
So for the kicker prompt,
I had two stories.

2de9c030-45cc-4e1a-90e2-44e6d9257675-0
00:16:46.800 --> 00:16:48.320
So the kicker was the disco move.

193c3349-cf1f-4315-a997-d5e28a62cb3e-0
00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:52.344
By the way,
I never had a significant connection with

193c3349-cf1f-4315-a997-d5e28a62cb3e-1
00:16:52.344 --> 00:16:53.760
like disco culture.

66b02875-c631-401e-8e9b-51783d25713b-0
00:16:53.760 --> 00:16:57.040
I never danced in any disco themed
parties.

880c1aab-0e6f-4f12-a1fc-04ab6a33c25f-0
00:16:57.040 --> 00:17:00.240
I don't think I've ever even seen
Saturday Night Fever.

3baaa570-f7a2-4ef1-a8d4-0b82f9d5951a-0
00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:05.760
Like, I'm familiar with concept, but yeah,
so I had no idea.

a7a8b84b-e725-4e98-bccf-0f62e3faa8e1-0
00:17:05.760 --> 00:17:10.225
I was worried when I first started
reading that I wouldn't recognise the

a7a8b84b-e725-4e98-bccf-0f62e3faa8e1-1
00:17:10.225 --> 00:17:10.960
disco moves.

33592198-ed83-413e-8f1b-b3e836149b76-0
00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:13.855
But thankfully,
people explained to themselves in the

33592198-ed83-413e-8f1b-b3e836149b76-1
00:17:13.855 --> 00:17:15.840
little box, and that helped me a lot.

e3d19186-57e2-483f-b37a-96f3ace2e37e-0
00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:18.160
And I learned so much.

17a1baed-d0ce-4ed2-875c-a0addcfe14f3-0
00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:22.810
The names are wildly evocative,
and that's why I felt it was such a good

17a1baed-d0ce-4ed2-875c-a0addcfe14f3-1
00:17:22.810 --> 00:17:23.160
prompt.

1abb675f-0f10-4f43-b30c-5b66843d35b2-0
00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:24.840
You know, the hustle and the bus stop.

f5cd61a4-cefb-41d7-82ee-07a51f31606c-0
00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:26.280
Yes, so many options.

a24eced3-dd04-4db6-8327-c0a3afa9dcc2-0
00:17:26.280 --> 00:17:30.346
And that was the further I got into it,
the more excited I was because at first I

a24eced3-dd04-4db6-8327-c0a3afa9dcc2-1
00:17:30.346 --> 00:17:32.280
was kind of like, what was Ed thinking?

06335c85-c186-4663-a39f-792044297d71-0
00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:36.840
But then when I started reading,
I saw your brilliance shining through.

12a875ea-9840-44ae-bd13-07f9f354d6dc-0
00:17:36.840 --> 00:17:37.720
It was great.

714eefbf-5264-49a8-8b0b-eec7c6452366-0
00:17:38.440 --> 00:17:40.720
So were there any standouts in particular
for you?

254125e1-cb10-44b6-82cf-10fcf5130ed4-0
00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:41.400
Yeah.

a66ae648-2c43-4c46-a4e6-bc9f11229cd3-0
00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:48.342
There was a story called The Steel Slide
by Matthew P Davis and it's about a old

a66ae648-2c43-4c46-a4e6-bc9f11229cd3-1
00:17:48.342 --> 00:17:52.800
condemned steel slide and a person who is
suicidal.

a0ae3efc-a6f0-4144-97ed-9b964ca86d74-0
00:17:53.120 --> 00:17:58.828
And then at the very last moment,
the slide gets struck by lightning and it

a0ae3efc-a6f0-4144-97ed-9b964ca86d74-1
00:17:58.828 --> 00:18:03.560
melts the like plastic stay away tape
that he's trying to use.

43dc398b-9e9d-4c62-9cfb-3931073d24b7-0
00:18:03.560 --> 00:18:07.658
It's a dark take on it,
but it was a literal electric slide that

43dc398b-9e9d-4c62-9cfb-3931073d24b7-1
00:18:07.658 --> 00:18:08.920
saved the character.

aecb38b1-c728-4642-a450-700b5b36d31f-0
00:18:09.120 --> 00:18:10.640
Well, yes, some great call outs.

58d98715-d887-4af9-afcf-16b83b3af73b-0
00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:12.240
Let's get to your wild card.

0543ddb2-f607-4700-8501-07924a5680fd-0
00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:14.720
Who have you chosen as your wild card?

55ca4d6c-ac50-447d-b327-7553de2cb2c8-0
00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:25.640
So my wild card is Rosetta Stone by Chloe
Page, a familiar name.

eece07aa-ff04-433f-9cdd-7a2472a8b151-0
00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:27.000
Yeah.

ea9386db-a84f-42a2-a441-85aaa9399dd8-0
00:18:27.480 --> 00:18:31.560
So I myself am the people say
neurodivergent.

71276e70-4e7d-44d2-a4d2-a3f4794cc73d-0
00:18:31.560 --> 00:18:35.640
My daughter says neuro sparkly,
which I think is really cute.

f3c122a8-1c08-452d-b14c-128089dbdf30-0
00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:38.400
And so she and I both are neuro sparkly.

47d5e7b5-4943-4c35-9973-c8229943f03a-0
00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:42.097
And in the Rosetta Stone,
the main character has this moment of

47d5e7b5-4943-4c35-9973-c8229943f03a-1
00:18:42.097 --> 00:18:46.546
massive overstimulation in the market and
she has this meltdown and she goes

47d5e7b5-4943-4c35-9973-c8229943f03a-2
00:18:46.546 --> 00:18:49.840
nonverbal and she like,
and she's having all these vivid

47d5e7b5-4943-4c35-9973-c8229943f03a-3
00:18:49.840 --> 00:18:54.520
imaginings of like being hauled away and
her daughter not having anywhere to go.

fcc048e5-143e-4a1a-9170-eaf5cd664c6b-0
00:18:54.520 --> 00:18:56.842
And like when things are going horribly
wrong for me,

fcc048e5-143e-4a1a-9170-eaf5cd664c6b-1
00:18:56.842 --> 00:18:59.293
I'm really great at that catastrophizing,
thinking like,

fcc048e5-143e-4a1a-9170-eaf5cd664c6b-2
00:18:59.293 --> 00:19:02.690
I'm going to be hauled off to prison
forever and my daughter's going to end up

fcc048e5-143e-4a1a-9170-eaf5cd664c6b-3
00:19:02.690 --> 00:19:05.400
in social services and then she's going
to go to a bad foster.

db12e3c5-f0bc-4fa8-8165-7f81186c4aa7-0
00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:07.760
And your mind just goes to like every
dark place.

8598343c-395a-4341-8810-a906787fd480-0
00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:12.360
I was so deeply invested in the journey
of this character.

014685f0-7adf-4089-87fe-90ab653dc1e1-0
00:19:12.360 --> 00:19:17.228
And I found that experience so personally
relatable of like a solo neuroatypical,

014685f0-7adf-4089-87fe-90ab653dc1e1-1
00:19:17.228 --> 00:19:21.918
solo parent of a neuroatypical kid,
like forcing yourself through such a like,

014685f0-7adf-4089-87fe-90ab653dc1e1-2
00:19:21.918 --> 00:19:26.489
heightened situation and then like
everything falling apart and then somehow

014685f0-7adf-4089-87fe-90ab653dc1e1-3
00:19:26.489 --> 00:19:30.705
the world wrapping itself around you in a
way that allows you to like,

014685f0-7adf-4089-87fe-90ab653dc1e1-4
00:19:30.705 --> 00:19:33.080
rediscover your joy and your hope again.

da2cc941-dbc1-4610-9c5a-b20bdcc15d24-0
00:19:33.080 --> 00:19:36.680
It was,
I was bawling by the end of this story.

d814457d-2da2-4d73-b038-e281a63cdc89-0
00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:39.080
It was so beautiful.

8f8f80ef-1253-4b93-887a-2cb645a348aa-0
00:19:39.080 --> 00:19:41.640
So it's so nice to feel seen.

668ff251-3195-4e39-92e9-f527ab409d2c-0
00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:44.880
And I think that that's the beauty of
storytelling, right?

60b1a14a-43b9-46a8-90d2-fe1cf7c3935a-0
00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:47.500
When we can connect as an author and a
reader,

60b1a14a-43b9-46a8-90d2-fe1cf7c3935a-1
00:19:47.500 --> 00:19:50.400
and we can't ever really connect with
every reader.

58bafc80-76e6-4653-b1f5-9f8d901b0774-0
00:19:50.840 --> 00:19:54.262
But when you find the reader,
the one who matches your story,

58bafc80-76e6-4653-b1f5-9f8d901b0774-1
00:19:54.262 --> 00:19:56.360
that's such a special moment, I think.

bf49b2f1-402d-400c-b7f8-02e767c1765e-0
00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:57.040
Yeah, I do, too.

a827d67e-84ff-4bab-a20f-f6aca0560506-0
00:19:57.040 --> 00:20:01.173
It's great that you found a story that
you've connected with so strongly as your

a827d67e-84ff-4bab-a20f-f6aca0560506-1
00:20:01.173 --> 00:20:01.480
world.

e692ea30-f7c9-4380-8862-e5939429e34f-0
00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:01.600
Good.

4602b35b-8512-4530-b514-a042192837f9-0
00:20:01.600 --> 00:20:03.160
Well, very cool.

8a9ef4c7-813a-4f56-85e3-0bc6f2989afd-0
00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:06.280
Always good to see a familiar name on
these lists.

192366d2-b3ac-41b5-b613-48ce57e6ee15-0
00:20:06.280 --> 00:20:07.200
So well done, Chloe.

3e8e2723-92ba-4c06-8d07-1f7e3749c814-0
00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:09.400
And thank you so much, Elise,
for helping us.

1330bd31-6302-48a6-93e5-3be0b9c2fb11-0
00:20:09.400 --> 00:20:09.920
And.

b535141e-0a2d-48e2-8425-9dc589b9db54-0
00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:14.480
For relinquishing your crown as you will
at the end of this episode.

c8164ce5-4b3d-4f51-b1cd-c7a5bdaa373c-0
00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:15.560
It's been a good run.

f1a6302c-c8c4-40c5-b9eb-b2710024ab2e-0
00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:20.080
Hope you've enjoyed your reign as not
quite right prize winner.

4b508bc8-41d5-4777-8970-802453868dd2-0
00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:22.812
Yes,
the pointy trophy is sitting on my desk

4b508bc8-41d5-4777-8970-802453868dd2-1
00:20:22.812 --> 00:20:26.880
and I can't wait to find out who its
newest younger sibling will be.

3ff7d127-1e1b-4a46-a159-c7d11dba113f-0
00:20:27.040 --> 00:20:27.600
Amazing.

f5e8916a-06c4-4ce8-b474-7eb995c4d368-0
00:20:27.600 --> 00:20:30.363
Well,
thank you so much again for helping judge

f5e8916a-06c4-4ce8-b474-7eb995c4d368-1
00:20:30.363 --> 00:20:31.400
my team's stories.

34990c52-6d50-47a3-b3bd-ae05e2042805-0
00:20:31.400 --> 00:20:32.280
And we'll see you.

b26b15c5-884e-465c-8725-d03ca865c950-0
00:20:32.360 --> 00:20:34.400
I'm sure we'll speak to you again very
soon.

7ec9c2b1-3e65-4476-8360-cb102e07d176-0
00:20:34.600 --> 00:20:35.280
Absolutely.

863a3296-e517-449c-99c3-b80a61447082-0
00:20:35.280 --> 00:20:37.000
And thank you so much for letting me.

cd9c6e30-5dd6-4656-a2b3-090d9900132c-0
00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:38.360
It's been it's been wonderful.

4874384f-0743-4de4-a623-95d64e1ff734-0
00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:39.680
And go team Ed.

15307847-1d1e-4b04-9bcc-fd895d8d445a-0
00:20:39.960 --> 00:20:41.560
Yes, thanks, Elise.

67107460-7676-4b1f-b40c-f9eb3b46ca96-0
00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:46.896
So thank you for chatting with us, Elise,
and congratulations,

67107460-7676-4b1f-b40c-f9eb3b46ca96-1
00:20:46.896 --> 00:20:48.320
Chloe on your wild card.

354888ae-bb0b-4cc8-a4d5-9aa738173b4b-0
00:20:48.320 --> 00:20:51.309
And Chloe's actually a Daredevil as well
this round,

354888ae-bb0b-4cc8-a4d5-9aa738173b4b-1
00:20:51.309 --> 00:20:55.595
so we'll be reading out her story in a
little while and talking about it so

354888ae-bb0b-4cc8-a4d5-9aa738173b4b-2
00:20:55.595 --> 00:20:59.600
you'll have a chance to hear what Elise
loved so much about the story.

af0ad098-cf85-40b7-9487-3a1263c0dbf7-0
00:20:59.600 --> 00:20:59.920
That's right.

3373892a-026f-4030-a029-5074e421a7e8-0
00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:03.356
It must always be a little bit reassuring
when you make the long list with your

3373892a-026f-4030-a029-5074e421a7e8-1
00:21:03.356 --> 00:21:06.706
Daredevil story and you know one of the
judges calls it out as something that

3373892a-026f-4030-a029-5074e421a7e8-2
00:21:06.706 --> 00:21:07.479
they really loved.

7f2381d0-aa89-481e-a7dd-f78717bb0cef-0
00:21:08.040 --> 00:21:11.320
I think that may set Chloe up with a
sense of security.

d07415a1-8603-4e9b-9403-e94fada7595d-0
00:21:11.320 --> 00:21:11.920
Let's find out.

d0adee72-f1cf-4b15-a870-e64b0b945241-0
00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:14.080
That's right.

3504a1e1-57c8-4983-ad69-04d5e966f077-0
00:21:14.080 --> 00:21:16.649
All right,
so it's time for us to nominate our own

3504a1e1-57c8-4983-ad69-04d5e966f077-1
00:21:16.649 --> 00:21:17.960
wild cards for this round.

f0c026fe-fb99-4b7d-94e5-9de17d46e550-0
00:21:18.040 --> 00:21:19.440
Why don't you go first, Amanda?

0080b76a-3110-45f3-91a3-97193ef38434-0
00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:20.160
All right, Thank you.

d4e96b35-4687-4811-a268-a9802da7b7a8-0
00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:24.694
Well, from team Amanda,
this was a story that stood out to me on

d4e96b35-4687-4811-a268-a9802da7b7a8-1
00:21:24.694 --> 00:21:25.880
the initial read.

b3db535b-34c8-4c4c-bb32-50c0e2ec1c00-0
00:21:26.200 --> 00:21:29.500
And my comments are now usually my
comments are like full of critique and

b3db535b-34c8-4c4c-bb32-50c0e2ec1c00-1
00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:31.908
it's like, oh,
I wish they'd done this or the way the

b3db535b-34c8-4c4c-bb32-50c0e2ec1c00-2
00:21:31.908 --> 00:21:35.120
ending just didn't really like,
I've usually got a few points in there.

83e9d5b3-fc5c-4d87-9796-1ac4adf73078-0
00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:41.400
The comments for this story,
which I posted on social media was

83e9d5b3-fc5c-4d87-9796-1ac4adf73078-1
00:21:41.400 --> 00:21:46.800
literally just OMFGGGGG,
that's like 14 GS because I was so

83e9d5b3-fc5c-4d87-9796-1ac4adf73078-2
00:21:46.800 --> 00:21:47.520
shocked.

cb541609-55d0-4d7d-accc-38b4e4182459-0
00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:48.240
Shooketh.

5a42bec7-d5c1-4efc-b861-58316352343e-0
00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:53.080
Whatever you might want to say about this
story, I was very happy to read it.

15d31f4d-5967-43d6-b162-ecf5610172d6-0
00:21:53.360 --> 00:21:57.903
And I guess I was just really proud of
this author for just completely taking

15d31f4d-5967-43d6-b162-ecf5610172d6-1
00:21:57.903 --> 00:22:00.000
that risk and throwing it out there.

b4beb2a3-61e0-464d-b7b0-d187f1e8ed45-0
00:22:00.280 --> 00:22:08.320
And the story was Wash Your Mouth Out by
Malcolm McCabe.

735c3a7b-3c70-4447-a814-18858750ae81-0
00:22:08.920 --> 00:22:11.400
And this was a little bit of flesh
fiction overflow.

1892e739-c559-4915-a832-aa1e8d64c2d1-0
00:22:11.400 --> 00:22:17.363
I feel a bit of a kink about having one's
mouth washed out with soap and trying to

1892e739-c559-4915-a832-aa1e8d64c2d1-1
00:22:17.363 --> 00:22:22.680
find the local ***** basically to oblige
on that front by offending them.

85318bd8-7e0b-4d5a-a586-f881710d3a33-0
00:22:22.800 --> 00:22:25.962
And I just thought, A,
that's just the dumbest and most

85318bd8-7e0b-4d5a-a586-f881710d3a33-1
00:22:25.962 --> 00:22:28.560
wonderful premise I've ever heard in my
life.

49e8c0b3-72e0-4113-9e31-7b7149f46b8a-0
00:22:28.840 --> 00:22:31.280
And B,
it was just very well written as well.

456c93ac-984e-4395-9a7a-36f58ebfde3d-0
00:22:31.800 --> 00:22:35.280
And it absolutely shocked me,
absolutely made my jaw drop.

92e831a8-0af5-4267-914e-0505171a291f-0
00:22:35.320 --> 00:22:38.000
And for that reason,
I wanted to award it the wild card.

1a773aaa-a96d-40b8-a249-2056cf16aff8-0
00:22:38.040 --> 00:22:38.600
Fantastic.

6b0a3484-49ab-477f-9e4b-d7be37a8cbee-0
00:22:38.600 --> 00:22:41.553
And yes,
we are seeing a lot of Flesh Fiction

6b0a3484-49ab-477f-9e4b-d7be37a8cbee-1
00:22:41.553 --> 00:22:43.480
Overflow and I am here for it.

af1590e0-7a01-42c3-a723-3248736d53b6-0
00:22:43.560 --> 00:22:45.440
So thank you, Malcolm, appreciate you.

0f416be7-cc64-4c2c-919e-37cc092eb5ac-0
00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:48.640
And I really enjoyed picking up what you
put down.

9ce53b08-7839-4f28-9d8f-17a0efa6ea3c-0
00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:53.989
All right,
so my wild card is going to Amanda

9ce53b08-7839-4f28-9d8f-17a0efa6ea3c-1
00:22:53.989 --> 00:23:00.320
Tedisco with first of all acknowledging
the name Amanda.

ae75bc9f-3274-4760-9889-2cb855f78a1a-0
00:23:00.800 --> 00:23:03.360
You could have written for either team
with his name.

2bf8d53b-53a0-48c7-b9a5-23f8568f3e54-0
00:23:03.520 --> 00:23:06.000
So thank you very much for writing for my
team.

844054dd-f1e0-4493-b3e4-b8370fe8cdb0-0
00:23:06.040 --> 00:23:09.270
And Amanda,
your story was called 5 finger discount,

844054dd-f1e0-4493-b3e4-b8370fe8cdb0-1
00:23:09.270 --> 00:23:11.160
not you, Amanda, the other man.

b21627ec-0102-4b21-ab2b-4bac42f63b96-0
00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:12.680
Okay, thank you for clarifying.

affcd023-20c8-4d27-85b3-2eb729440353-0
00:23:12.760 --> 00:23:14.160
I was like, did I write that?

06da8c3e-f350-46fa-9a28-66638a8b98cc-0
00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:17.720
And yeah, I really like this story.

2fb88f0d-c39d-436c-9377-7376b2858df0-0
00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:20.880
It was a a character study of a character
called Uncle Gary.

b5c99b73-b5ce-4ada-8e20-3236952c2e6b-0
00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:24.619
And I thought that that character was
really brought to life in a in a very

b5c99b73-b5ce-4ada-8e20-3236952c2e6b-1
00:23:24.619 --> 00:23:25.800
rich and compelling way.

2705e91f-fd9c-4bfa-95fb-ffacee9a8089-0
00:23:25.800 --> 00:23:28.200
So I really enjoyed that story, Amanda.

bcb4c02d-fc5d-44a9-bbbb-38ec25833d2c-0
00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:33.440
So you get my wild card nomination this
round and $100 coming your way.

f33d99a8-b89e-4eef-a699-a6409b5699df-0
00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:34.400
So thank you very much.

d17bf83a-254e-4802-8825-5d3e8a9ad565-0
00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:36.960
All right,
so now it's time for the shortlist.

bc0592b6-a5f8-460e-8b19-3f6f181de847-0
00:23:37.280 --> 00:23:41.280
But we've just got one small order of
business before we get there.

84e2055d-a4a9-45af-9364-aa88c71508ea-0
00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:47.055
And that is unfortunately, very sadly,
to everyone's dismay and disappointment,

84e2055d-a4a9-45af-9364-aa88c71508ea-1
00:23:47.055 --> 00:23:48.680
A dishonourable mention.

d8b8fd5e-3a56-4835-97ad-7a5a5af4eaec-0
00:23:48.840 --> 00:23:50.520
We always seem to have one, don't we?

63bd6874-28b0-4176-bd74-65dbb59490ca-0
00:23:50.760 --> 00:23:53.120
One person who just can't help themselves.

45e2116a-0050-4114-a603-32ceffa38cdb-0
00:23:53.120 --> 00:23:54.840
They just cannot help themselves.

ed548dfa-02a8-4b40-aeb9-434a6726be2c-0
00:23:55.160 --> 00:24:04.466
And this particular round,
our dishonourable mention comes from Team

ed548dfa-02a8-4b40-aeb9-434a6726be2c-1
00:24:04.466 --> 00:24:11.480
Amanda with the story WWAD or What Would
Amanda Do?

9d6c0f1d-cb02-456a-9195-85a36faac91d-0
00:24:11.600 --> 00:24:13.400
By Laura J Rain.

21c560ef-efcd-4fc4-93c9-82895d452f68-0
00:24:13.720 --> 00:24:15.767
Now,
this was a story that I actually really

21c560ef-efcd-4fc4-93c9-82895d452f68-1
00:24:15.767 --> 00:24:16.040
loved.

df36fbdf-34ae-43ac-b97d-fc933ba4f297-0
00:24:16.040 --> 00:24:17.560
I don't know how you felt about it.

b1510d40-98c5-4d56-b81e-432965604f37-0
00:24:17.560 --> 00:24:19.920
I felt a little bit maligned,
a little bit story.

51ecc484-aec4-4dee-841a-c84dc0ef77ef-0
00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:22.160
I felt a little differently about this
story.

6c775f64-ef55-4747-9b9c-99c8dd6e4676-0
00:24:23.840 --> 00:24:28.754
This was a story in which a whole busload
of women is basically fangirling over me

6c775f64-ef55-4747-9b9c-99c8dd6e4676-1
00:24:28.754 --> 00:24:33.669
and just lamenting the fact that there's
some guy who's always trying to interrupt

6c775f64-ef55-4747-9b9c-99c8dd6e4676-2
00:24:33.669 --> 00:24:37.399
me when I try and say very wise,
insightful, wonderful things.

0640d9d7-cb6b-4e5a-9276-7c7b6f83c86c-0
00:24:37.840 --> 00:24:40.520
So thank you so much, Laura,
for the laughs.

fcae10f6-9c50-46f4-9f48-61ef817c468f-0
00:24:40.840 --> 00:24:45.925
I'm not sure that particular story is
going to do so well if you take it out on

fcae10f6-9c50-46f4-9f48-61ef817c468f-1
00:24:45.925 --> 00:24:50.565
sub to the lit mags, yes, I'm not,
I'm not sure where in particular that

fcae10f6-9c50-46f4-9f48-61ef817c468f-2
00:24:50.565 --> 00:24:52.600
story might find a forever home.

e9b84304-97de-4273-b2fe-4f2437a0dfbe-0
00:24:52.840 --> 00:24:55.280
But I will say it does have a forever
home in my heart.

20bd77a0-8db7-4bd1-86a2-0693490f837f-0
00:24:55.680 --> 00:24:57.760
So thank you so much, Laura,
for the laughs.

2d12d726-f74e-45c1-aa60-eae0afa75584-0
00:24:57.760 --> 00:25:01.950
I did laugh out loud, so congratulations,
there is a badge for you on the honour

2d12d726-f74e-45c1-aa60-eae0afa75584-1
00:25:01.950 --> 00:25:05.520
roll and I don't wish to encourage you
further, but it was good fun.

9341f0dd-43ab-42c4-bed9-5ee7465092ed-0
00:25:05.960 --> 00:25:09.720
All jokes aside,
I do love reading some fun fan fiction.

66a34cc3-6f01-4d57-a091-30a1a380b907-0
00:25:09.800 --> 00:25:14.072
I do love it when my name comes up and
your name comes up and there's a some

66a34cc3-6f01-4d57-a091-30a1a380b907-1
00:25:14.072 --> 00:25:14.960
antics going on.

54516890-a119-4a31-b21b-4dd4664e28dd-0
00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:15.720
It's a lot of fun.

b944ce1d-9cd5-4191-9110-5d5667ebaac4-0
00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:19.090
And you have to know that behind the
scenes we're immediately on the group

b944ce1d-9cd5-4191-9110-5d5667ebaac4-1
00:25:19.090 --> 00:25:20.760
chat, like you've got to read this one.

45087cd7-6687-4d5f-a352-58a32e1999fd-0
00:25:20.760 --> 00:25:20.920
Yeah.

e1ef495e-c8ee-4dd2-be3d-9f42db3e6766-0
00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:22.560
So it does make it fun.

6610c86a-a527-4ab8-a03a-455ce7049c4d-0
00:25:22.560 --> 00:25:24.680
We've got quite a lot of dishonourable
mentions at this stage.

8d8ce11f-8d1d-4ffc-baba-a0f4b18795b8-0
00:25:24.680 --> 00:25:27.440
I think we might need a separate trophy
cabinet to put them all in.

3727cacf-90d2-4864-9bba-02369d1a9ee3-0
00:25:27.520 --> 00:25:28.480
Maybe on the website.

07f364d5-c377-4bac-9944-533f43b3fc29-0
00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:30.320
That's a little lock and key maybe.

418606c5-0654-44e3-a92b-a3675a776d02-0
00:25:30.560 --> 00:25:31.680
Yeah, yeah.

aba46a59-39c8-4a51-97f4-d44c02c67a88-0
00:25:32.520 --> 00:25:32.800
All right.

b72842f3-14ff-4fe0-86fd-10df8136fa9e-0
00:25:32.800 --> 00:25:37.219
But all that being said,
let's move on to the shortlist proper and

b72842f3-14ff-4fe0-86fd-10df8136fa9e-1
00:25:37.219 --> 00:25:39.000
we'll start with 6th place.

a88c068f-b79a-4607-a691-650811aa335d-0
00:25:39.400 --> 00:25:44.350
In 6th place will win of course,
as all of our shortlisters do,

a88c068f-b79a-4607-a691-650811aa335d-1
00:25:44.350 --> 00:25:48.759
publication in the Not Quite Right Prize
Anthology 2026,

a88c068f-b79a-4607-a691-650811aa335d-2
00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:51.080
as well as cash prize of $200.

1ebd09df-07a2-473d-9120-03e337ab2f93-0
00:25:51.440 --> 00:26:01.198
And now in 6th place for the April 2026
Not Quite Right Prize for Flash Fiction

1ebd09df-07a2-473d-9120-03e337ab2f93-1
00:26:01.198 --> 00:26:06.200
for Team Amanda Almonds by Philip McGann.

70bcf571-f582-4961-8c4b-7295b940e9b1-0
00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:19.880
Ezzy and I got hitched in 1990 and we
split up in 1992.

b68f24d7-9288-43e7-a40e-32560496da87-0
00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:25.881
The funny part was,
we'd dated for four years before that,

b68f24d7-9288-43e7-a40e-32560496da87-1
00:26:25.881 --> 00:26:31.781
but there was something about being in
the same space where all the little

b68f24d7-9288-43e7-a40e-32560496da87-2
00:26:31.781 --> 00:26:35.400
invasive species kept creeping in between
us.

1fd3adc0-c5b3-451a-9b97-73b8aaf44b2e-0
00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:42.413
She didn't like that I showered with soap,
or that I liked having so many bottles of

1fd3adc0-c5b3-451a-9b97-73b8aaf44b2e-1
00:26:42.413 --> 00:26:43.560
different sources.

6b2e5451-c4c7-4335-a241-4e3448801b54-0
00:26:44.280 --> 00:26:46.080
It was always stuff like that.

25f7cce0-916e-4613-8ae6-a0eaac28daeb-0
00:26:47.600 --> 00:26:53.331
But this morning I was killing time
crossing the street outside my place,

25f7cce0-916e-4613-8ae6-a0eaac28daeb-1
00:26:53.331 --> 00:26:58.520
stepping up as the little guy was
blinking red, and there she was.

780147e6-f80f-45c6-aa68-dabd55a8ee2c-0
00:27:00.080 --> 00:27:03.382
I hadn't seen her since all the court
stuff,

780147e6-f80f-45c6-aa68-dabd55a8ee2c-1
00:27:03.382 --> 00:27:07.640
but I knew it was her even without really
looking at her.

85ce7e66-9207-4e7a-8754-d89e6294d22e-0
00:27:09.760 --> 00:27:13.637
Of course,
Ezzy wouldn't have known that I live here,

85ce7e66-9207-4e7a-8754-d89e6294d22e-1
00:27:13.637 --> 00:27:19.526
or that I took this crossing sometimes,
but she was reading this big book where I

85ce7e66-9207-4e7a-8754-d89e6294d22e-2
00:27:19.526 --> 00:27:23.404
am now or something,
by the front window of the cafe,

85ce7e66-9207-4e7a-8754-d89e6294d22e-3
00:27:23.404 --> 00:27:28.360
with her foot crossed over and tapping in
a circle the way she does.

a2c5e718-48f9-472b-9064-b25a566b414f-0
00:27:30.040 --> 00:27:34.400
But I was there, right in front of her,
and I knew that she'd see me.

cb10aa23-a699-4fb0-b877-63b57e178e6f-0
00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:40.160
I liked the way she looked,
the little peek into who she was becoming.

40feda4f-4d17-4b6a-8f62-3baef6f15099-0
00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:41.840
Even back then.

26ebedbd-a4cb-4099-9621-28918d553800-0
00:27:43.320 --> 00:27:48.920
Her features were darker now,
like she'd become part Italian.

6c2d38a6-7440-45e9-a894-498dbaa64d10-0
00:27:50.320 --> 00:27:56.590
And she didn't like long dresses,
even though this one was long and dark

6c2d38a6-7440-45e9-a894-498dbaa64d10-1
00:27:56.590 --> 00:27:58.480
blue and almost black.

582bcc31-4142-45a3-807c-b01e73e8392e-0
00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:01.920
I clopped up the steps.

7aff005b-7baf-4afd-b57a-a162649af663-0
00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:04.440
She might have been surprised to see me.

46cbfec2-5e97-4646-98c4-80f37fa46193-0
00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:07.800
Izzy, I said.

b3267632-cd65-4d5f-9fe8-d2e33218d06a-0
00:28:08.760 --> 00:28:15.080
You look fine, pundy, she said,
almost laughing the word out.

30753472-e7e3-48b5-9648-a3d2d78f9d98-0
00:28:16.840 --> 00:28:18.760
Izzy, I said again.

2c9b2925-7433-47a2-a8aa-aa39ec9a244f-0
00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:22.840
You ******* she said, smiling.

6f10a108-6dca-48b8-b1e7-118802f1cf0a-0
00:28:24.920 --> 00:28:26.880
You're still wearing our wedding ring.

dc1af1cf-9347-4014-95b8-8c646286c53a-0
00:28:28.840 --> 00:28:33.015
Not for you, she said,
raising her hand an inch and flopping it

dc1af1cf-9347-4014-95b8-8c646286c53a-1
00:28:33.015 --> 00:28:34.320
back onto the table.

80e9a8d1-4258-4e43-b78a-c008c945fdb6-0
00:28:36.600 --> 00:28:39.840
Well,
there weren't a whole lot of people there.

6482330a-e329-44e0-875a-7b50c6286260-0
00:28:41.400 --> 00:28:42.280
How have you been?

3789bc2e-f2d6-4eae-8bb7-f5efc4ae8f10-0
00:28:42.560 --> 00:28:43.320
I asked.

6aa0f8bb-7b52-4775-abf8-40e20c3cc144-0
00:28:44.320 --> 00:28:48.640
A panel of frosted bank teleglass seemed
to close over her eyes.

28cb2fdb-57ac-46c3-98bd-6e06e4736a83-0
00:28:50.560 --> 00:28:56.840
It's been 20 years, she said,
like that was all there was to it.

e4effc2f-0994-45f5-b6bc-75484a8022cf-0
00:28:58.600 --> 00:29:05.476
I was trying to think how to say it,
that seeing her here and now,

e4effc2f-0994-45f5-b6bc-75484a8022cf-1
00:29:05.476 --> 00:29:13.584
those two years and the four years before
that felt more real than the past 20

e4effc2f-0994-45f5-b6bc-75484a8022cf-2
00:29:13.584 --> 00:29:14.200
years.

1349910c-f105-44aa-a65b-4254cd274b6f-0
00:29:15.760 --> 00:29:19.640
But I noticed that the little girl was
leaning in and smiling at us.

45c6da2c-b932-4bef-90de-57cf2e1e642f-0
00:29:20.920 --> 00:29:26.440
Your oat piccolo and almond croissant,
she said, arranging them before Ezzy.

dceea9ed-366e-4f26-97d0-b996840b60b2-0
00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:28.760
Thanks, Ellen.

f7acb3ef-b13d-4c3c-a8f5-8b81f2ea97c5-0
00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:35.961
So it was something about the arrangement,
the way the plates were angled like a

f7acb3ef-b13d-4c3c-a8f5-8b81f2ea97c5-1
00:29:35.961 --> 00:29:37.320
barricade between us.

230f396f-8355-4639-a545-40605a1c44bd-0
00:29:39.400 --> 00:29:41.160
Almonds give you hives?

cae366ec-e598-4cdb-9c51-e7313d0b98d2-0
00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:42.320
I said.

ed9da6c1-6264-4e3f-bdc7-d97afee4c3e2-0
00:29:44.440 --> 00:29:48.280
Not anymore as he picked up her knife.

48d6748b-52c8-411f-8e4a-0a98b62eb0dc-0
00:29:49.760 --> 00:29:51.160
Thanks for stopping by, Bundy.

1a9d7391-2640-4c5a-97d9-df0eae8cf7f3-0
00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:59.907
I wanted to say that thing I've been
thinking about,

1a9d7391-2640-4c5a-97d9-df0eae8cf7f3-1
00:29:59.907 --> 00:30:05.682
but it didn't feel right anymore,
so I just said 20 years,

1a9d7391-2640-4c5a-97d9-df0eae8cf7f3-2
00:30:05.682 --> 00:30:11.360
just like she'd said over the buzz of the
coffee grinder.

47013cc9-2154-4aa2-b8cf-b5466cd03bb8-0
00:30:14.280 --> 00:30:16.000
How'd you find out about the almonds?

2439c05c-c576-4464-a7d8-f24317ef26a0-0
00:30:17.640 --> 00:30:20.680
They got my order wrong and made my
coffee on almond milk.

68a6910d-c8fe-40e0-860c-2be391e99dc8-0
00:30:21.080 --> 00:30:23.560
She smiled and I was fine.

b605cafb-5c1c-48f2-b687-e74b9005783b-0
00:30:26.640 --> 00:30:31.800
Just like that, I said,
standing and not believing it.

41681c6b-b16c-44cc-8e87-db4498bc9a80-0
00:30:34.560 --> 00:30:38.680
You can eat almonds and be fine.

16b10464-aa1a-40db-94a1-3c8f0efec879-0
00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:56.703
So thank you, Philip,
and congratulations on making the

16b10464-aa1a-40db-94a1-3c8f0efec879-1
00:30:56.703 --> 00:30:57.200
shortlist.

65bcc571-2849-4208-99dd-4dd445e1e3ea-0
00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:57.680
Well done.

956f10aa-bc05-4e12-8b30-5ddcd57b21a6-0
00:30:58.000 --> 00:31:01.853
So we've actually just been discussing
this story before we started reading it

956f10aa-bc05-4e12-8b30-5ddcd57b21a6-1
00:31:01.853 --> 00:31:05.707
and trying to agree on on what it all
meant because there's a couple of things

956f10aa-bc05-4e12-8b30-5ddcd57b21a6-2
00:31:05.707 --> 00:31:05.999
there.

1a0a0b2e-96fa-4229-94c7-9a005d9a2b16-0
00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:07.600
I think it's a very subtle story.

2c69a347-dc54-4265-be79-a26c31dc127c-0
00:31:07.800 --> 00:31:09.280
It's definitely got subtext right.

420e6b9a-63ce-489a-b7f6-f9271ef96860-0
00:31:09.280 --> 00:31:11.280
And I think we can both say this with
confidence.

7a95d2e3-8874-4473-a77b-b86a0cc8f405-0
00:31:11.280 --> 00:31:13.200
It's not really about almonds, is it?

4bf3d27f-d2e1-4e7a-8cbf-9aa1dbdbbd05-0
00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:13.560
No.

8b1de3bf-9517-4e9f-823f-cbec0f556116-0
00:31:13.720 --> 00:31:16.774
So you know,
it's not always satisfying to leave on

8b1de3bf-9517-4e9f-823f-cbec0f556116-1
00:31:16.774 --> 00:31:20.240
that kind of hanger like where nothing is
really resolved.

983a99f1-3bf0-427f-95ac-16898d5a86fe-0
00:31:20.560 --> 00:31:24.552
But in this case,
it worked really well because the idea is

983a99f1-3bf0-427f-95ac-16898d5a86fe-1
00:31:24.552 --> 00:31:27.280
just like, you're left with this feeling.

9d47292d-09f8-48b7-857a-23d9fa7b5c33-0
00:31:27.600 --> 00:31:31.147
And the feeling is kind of for me,
you know, we weren't talking about it,

9d47292d-09f8-48b7-857a-23d9fa7b5c33-1
00:31:31.147 --> 00:31:33.880
this frustration of like,
we went through all that ****.

df99ea86-a187-4b4a-bebc-e979178efa7b-0
00:31:33.880 --> 00:31:35.080
Obviously they've been to court.

8b9243a1-4851-4287-bf38-1847a2c4ae90-0
00:31:35.080 --> 00:31:36.640
So it was an acrimonious divorce.

cf430160-03b0-48d6-8a5b-3d7b098a05a1-0
00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:39.912
And there's a lot of pain that's gone
with that because of living together and

cf430160-03b0-48d6-8a5b-3d7b098a05a1-1
00:31:39.912 --> 00:31:42.936
because of all the little ******
arguments they had about how many sauce

cf430160-03b0-48d6-8a5b-3d7b098a05a1-2
00:31:42.936 --> 00:31:44.800
bottles they had and all that sort of
stuff.

94dadca2-405f-4404-8630-171eba6a29a4-0
00:31:45.400 --> 00:31:47.320
And now he's like, oh,
and now you're just fine.

893ec57e-d34e-4f77-a237-85c5f5bbb921-0
00:31:47.600 --> 00:31:49.995
Like,
after all that **** you put me through,

893ec57e-d34e-4f77-a237-85c5f5bbb921-1
00:31:49.995 --> 00:31:53.120
you've moved on with someone else and
you're just fine now.

47e3d527-afdd-4124-ac6b-ada28299cbfa-0
00:31:53.240 --> 00:31:56.080
You don't have those problems with sauce
bottles anymore, by the sounds of things.

3c1e91c2-1d42-43e3-b0d8-fdc64632ac2b-0
00:31:56.080 --> 00:31:57.320
You don't have problems with almonds.

0f33a76c-24ed-4d0f-b34d-4601fb7a9e1e-0
00:31:57.320 --> 00:31:58.640
You don't have problems with anything.

d692253c-dff6-47c6-b8b8-9c01eeea641d-0
00:31:58.640 --> 00:31:59.480
You're just fine.

b95b2961-659d-4aa0-aec4-0cd197b25a81-0
00:31:59.480 --> 00:32:01.160
And that's what I took from it.

d3b0c951-6740-466c-bdee-dc7b015dc634-0
00:32:01.160 --> 00:32:04.265
And at the end of the story,
we're just left with this frustration of

d3b0c951-6740-466c-bdee-dc7b015dc634-1
00:32:04.265 --> 00:32:06.440
like, well,
why did you treat me like **** then?

d401ce49-103f-4987-a1ec-77bcb471b203-0
00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:08.240
Like,
that's the kind of the vibe that I got.

26309ff8-c5ad-4eb8-9e1d-f6f03e6dd68f-0
00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:08.920
What about you?

1c9ca067-3f13-49e4-a675-64e1cc186091-0
00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:10.400
Yeah, No, I I agree with that.

c578d247-36df-43ea-8137-508017bbb8ba-0
00:32:10.400 --> 00:32:14.306
And I think what drew me to this story
was the fact that there is so much

c578d247-36df-43ea-8137-508017bbb8ba-1
00:32:14.306 --> 00:32:16.840
characterisation in there in between the
lines.

37ccd26e-1cad-41d7-b327-513b5845f39f-0
00:32:16.840 --> 00:32:19.600
And we talk about, like,
drama and stakes in a story.

87543b71-0c96-4736-9dd8-907f2299bc44-0
00:32:19.600 --> 00:32:20.640
This is very low drama.

0d36e656-5e39-4dc5-ad6c-1c086a98897b-0
00:32:20.680 --> 00:32:22.520
It's a very low stakes story.

d385fc01-4a22-4021-b604-1258558005f3-0
00:32:22.520 --> 00:32:23.800
I wouldn't call it low drama.

5b86c190-6732-4ee8-ac77-60f1ef831ad3-0
00:32:23.800 --> 00:32:25.120
I would definitely call it low stakes.

29394cfa-5921-4c14-ae8a-560e6b847b28-0
00:32:25.120 --> 00:32:27.426
This is the kind of **** I would unpack
for, like,

29394cfa-5921-4c14-ae8a-560e6b847b28-1
00:32:27.426 --> 00:32:29.280
months with my friends after it happened.

6da8f7e9-0024-4f9e-9eb5-69c1f51329a9-0
00:32:29.400 --> 00:32:29.640
Yeah.

21e235a1-bf31-45d8-b788-287ca0e34453-0
00:32:29.800 --> 00:32:30.120
Exactly.

9f7c25b9-6253-431b-b450-bd7384eceec5-0
00:32:30.320 --> 00:32:32.080
Like, And then she was like.

e23ea144-b315-4cf8-b932-3fa08f400016-0
00:32:32.080 --> 00:32:33.400
And then he was like, you know.

f19b6c65-97fb-42c0-b00d-cddf606d5e1f-0
00:32:33.480 --> 00:32:33.680
Yeah.

01d7c666-0b2e-4be9-a1a7-946d89547f38-0
00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:35.000
But nobody died, right.

8ea89f92-a76e-4676-8d98-79d07d27c7db-0
00:32:35.000 --> 00:32:36.920
No, like, it wasn't that low stakes.

1f7cd8aa-859c-4adf-92f6-b4e7473a7c16-0
00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:37.360
Definitely.

7a4c3ab6-0606-485b-9426-e6eca9f59405-0
00:32:37.360 --> 00:32:37.720
Yeah.

2b1d1c1d-96c4-40df-b389-ad33b8cc9b1c-0
00:32:38.120 --> 00:32:42.763
But I would also say in addition to all
of this history and didn't mean something

2b1d1c1d-96c4-40df-b389-ad33b8cc9b1c-1
00:32:42.763 --> 00:32:43.160
to you.

ad25e7b9-304b-4199-a9d0-f8a5d305697a-0
00:32:43.400 --> 00:32:46.200
And there's also from the protagonist
perspective,

ad25e7b9-304b-4199-a9d0-f8a5d305697a-1
00:32:46.200 --> 00:32:50.758
this idea that they haven't really moved
on from the person that they were and the

ad25e7b9-304b-4199-a9d0-f8a5d305697a-2
00:32:50.758 --> 00:32:52.680
person that as he was 20 years ago.

58e877e5-ffb0-4999-b8a2-68dc2702975c-0
00:32:52.680 --> 00:32:57.505
And the fact that as he has managed to
move on and they haven't is very apparent

58e877e5-ffb0-4999-b8a2-68dc2702975c-1
00:32:57.505 --> 00:32:58.280
here as well.

44e6c870-7db4-457b-a07e-70bab67d2588-0
00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:02.571
And I think we talk often about like a
vignette or stories that feel very

44e6c870-7db4-457b-a07e-70bab67d2588-1
00:33:02.571 --> 00:33:03.040
interior.

3a188b75-3223-43eb-8b54-bd7ab958a08f-0
00:33:03.040 --> 00:33:06.506
So these things that we challenge as
criticisms in a story where nothing sort

3a188b75-3223-43eb-8b54-bd7ab958a08f-1
00:33:06.506 --> 00:33:08.640
of really happening in the action of the
scene.

f0673a57-7f61-4b9b-8c14-1903273c1567-0
00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:12.231
Now, in this story,
all that happens is that he crosses the

f0673a57-7f61-4b9b-8c14-1903273c1567-1
00:33:12.231 --> 00:33:15.643
street, walks in,
she gets served a croissant, you know,

f0673a57-7f61-4b9b-8c14-1903273c1567-2
00:33:15.643 --> 00:33:17.200
and then that's it, right?

ecbafb1f-735e-4df9-b6db-5883ead23ee3-0
00:33:17.200 --> 00:33:19.360
Like literally there's just a croissant
being served.

6eb26b3c-ac74-4644-bb23-5bf39c4f365b-0
00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:22.721
However,
all of that action is used to such great

6eb26b3c-ac74-4644-bb23-5bf39c4f365b-1
00:33:22.721 --> 00:33:25.701
effect,
like even him pausing outside the window

6eb26b3c-ac74-4644-bb23-5bf39c4f365b-2
00:33:25.701 --> 00:33:30.567
and what that feels like to see her and
and know that she can possibly see him,

6eb26b3c-ac74-4644-bb23-5bf39c4f365b-3
00:33:30.567 --> 00:33:34.400
but not know if she did and whether she's
ignoring him or not.

05ab0123-5bd5-4429-9523-97a03fa6e16a-0
00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:39.114
And then to go in and the croissant to be
this whole like crux of the emotional

05ab0123-5bd5-4429-9523-97a03fa6e16a-1
00:33:39.114 --> 00:33:42.200
journey that happens in this story is
also very compelling.

2280dfa9-eec4-45e5-81bf-6dd0c836a040-0
00:33:42.200 --> 00:33:46.626
So I think this is a really good example
of a story that takes a very small moment

2280dfa9-eec4-45e5-81bf-6dd0c836a040-1
00:33:46.626 --> 00:33:50.466
and takes a very emotional and
potentially interior moment where you're

2280dfa9-eec4-45e5-81bf-6dd0c836a040-2
00:33:50.466 --> 00:33:52.813
reflecting on this whole past
relationship,

2280dfa9-eec4-45e5-81bf-6dd0c836a040-3
00:33:52.813 --> 00:33:55.640
but actually makes it an active scene in
the moment.

813eea4a-f0a9-4a56-a440-a175b6793e61-0
00:33:55.640 --> 00:33:59.904
There's all this powerful dialogue laced
with subtext actions that are simple,

813eea4a-f0a9-4a56-a440-a175b6793e61-1
00:33:59.904 --> 00:34:03.682
like she places her knife down,
the plates get placed in front of her

813eea4a-f0a9-4a56-a440-a175b6793e61-2
00:34:03.682 --> 00:34:04.600
like a barricade.

0fd246bd-a75a-4a24-b648-e48416e083d3-0
00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:08.760
All of these things contributing to that
emotional impact that the story has.

eec17109-e5ee-4b40-b949-3bbf75f66259-0
00:34:08.760 --> 00:34:10.880
And so I loved it for that reason.

b1b4a3cc-f9ea-41bd-b6a3-98bb792f5afa-0
00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:15.240
Just everything was sort of pointing
towards this emotional experience.

bfab1265-fac4-4b39-9e8f-14f36d0fbdec-0
00:34:15.360 --> 00:34:17.974
I,
I guess this has like a quite a complex

bfab1265-fac4-4b39-9e8f-14f36d0fbdec-1
00:34:17.974 --> 00:34:22.960
emotional payload that is delivered like
it kind of trauma dumps on you basically

bfab1265-fac4-4b39-9e8f-14f36d0fbdec-2
00:34:22.960 --> 00:34:27.641
this whole history between this couple
and gives you just enough detail that

bfab1265-fac4-4b39-9e8f-14f36d0fbdec-3
00:34:27.641 --> 00:34:30.560
you're left with, wow,
that was pretty intense.

a7d7138f-106b-4796-95b4-d99c23f02148-0
00:34:30.640 --> 00:34:32.040
That was subtle, but intense.

6abdfcbf-4693-4ecf-b103-3ab54056abef-0
00:34:32.120 --> 00:34:33.120
But I think you do also.

abb706fc-9a95-4bc5-9ac8-f02e5ccf6c5c-0
00:34:33.120 --> 00:34:36.240
And we were sort of disagreeing,
I think sort of talked you into agreeing.

cce9ec51-d6ed-49e7-868f-1c7f37aa08d5-0
00:34:36.240 --> 00:34:38.160
Now,
we might be on this story both in there.

65c0403d-acc6-4000-af32-12670791d2b1-0
00:34:38.160 --> 00:34:38.440
Yeah.

6aeae2d5-5441-4f01-bbd3-acdce56391ed-0
00:34:38.520 --> 00:34:41.181
But like,
we were having our own view of exactly

6aeae2d5-5441-4f01-bbd3-acdce56391ed-1
00:34:41.181 --> 00:34:43.680
what was happening here in this
relationship.

e9ed3318-93b5-4931-a3ee-891b9eef687a-0
00:34:43.680 --> 00:34:45.880
And I think that's because you do bring
yourself into it.

6f41eb8b-b299-4bf3-b298-8325659694d1-0
00:34:45.880 --> 00:34:49.117
And that's the beauty of storytelling as
well, when as a reader,

6f41eb8b-b299-4bf3-b298-8325659694d1-1
00:34:49.117 --> 00:34:52.951
you get to take away what you took away
and what that means for you and your

6f41eb8b-b299-4bf3-b298-8325659694d1-2
00:34:52.951 --> 00:34:55.840
relationships in your past and your
future relationships.

4fcd5922-57bc-4a39-83d0-120cbdc41795-0
00:34:55.840 --> 00:34:57.800
Like what impression did this leave me
with?

0d40515b-87b8-40cc-b699-f19cd02ec5fe-0
00:34:57.800 --> 00:35:00.840
And I think this story has the potential
to leave a different impression on

0d40515b-87b8-40cc-b699-f19cd02ec5fe-1
00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:01.520
different people.

ed501715-c50a-4609-a998-26f65e787d14-0
00:35:01.600 --> 00:35:02.920
And you sort of have to do that, right?

e34222f2-69d9-4911-9dea-3f3fb88414d4-0
00:35:02.920 --> 00:35:06.194
Like once you write a story,
you have to kind of let it go and then it

e34222f2-69d9-4911-9dea-3f3fb88414d4-1
00:35:06.194 --> 00:35:07.440
becomes the reader's story.

1b2c3a7a-2cbc-4ca2-80e7-1eb4bdf1597d-0
00:35:07.880 --> 00:35:09.360
So thank you, Philip, and congratulations.

681ab53b-4c84-41a8-9414-b3e9b942a34d-0
00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:11.240
Well done on your 6th place.

f436f5b2-2491-4608-8863-24e8b580f212-0
00:35:11.240 --> 00:35:14.040
And 200 Australian dollars will be coming
your way.

7eba8321-a3c0-4a3e-93a5-823f70389170-0
00:35:14.440 --> 00:35:16.400
And now we come to 5th place.

f6028574-8bfd-4ad9-84e8-478a3b860707-0
00:35:16.400 --> 00:35:22.072
And 5th place takes home 250 Australian
dollars as well as publication in our

f6028574-8bfd-4ad9-84e8-478a3b860707-1
00:35:22.072 --> 00:35:22.800
anthology.

bbfe9d07-f2fa-4145-b08c-5cadf2b6e7e6-0
00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:29.549
And in 5th place,
representing Team Amanda,

bbfe9d07-f2fa-4145-b08c-5cadf2b6e7e6-1
00:35:29.549 --> 00:35:35.000
we have The Pale Blue Dot by Ruth Lord.

b4739bf4-f522-4d7b-ac69-abdc6aede150-0
00:35:43.800 --> 00:35:47.613
I'm strapped on top of 2.
8 million litres of rocket fuel,

b4739bf4-f522-4d7b-ac69-abdc6aede150-1
00:35:47.613 --> 00:35:51.040
hoping I'm not about to join the
combustion process.

4d1aa390-d93e-4899-aa73-6d23ea0ec76a-0
00:35:51.880 --> 00:35:56.769
When my mind stills in the confines of my
suit,

4d1aa390-d93e-4899-aa73-6d23ea0ec76a-1
00:35:56.769 --> 00:36:01.760
I catch the familiar scent of sweat and
tobacco.

b5a18d18-1935-4b3e-b2b5-b40c3507ab32-0
00:36:03.640 --> 00:36:04.520
That you, Dad?

da1c5d12-3a81-43b9-879b-56a10db6ac5f-0
00:36:05.800 --> 00:36:10.400
I think it's either that or I'm having a
stroke.

938f9834-0196-4d7a-a02d-ba56c4eea817-0
00:36:14.880 --> 00:36:17.080
Josie, it's control.

9ceaf275-c8a9-4162-9872-7c4cb4c72289-0
00:36:17.640 --> 00:36:18.800
Your heart rate's elevated.

6f4fd73b-ac3a-4f22-a6fe-87173de4df4b-0
00:36:19.560 --> 00:36:20.320
Everything OK?

6319c4b9-bd54-4fd3-aa3e-f6c762ee39a7-0
00:36:21.760 --> 00:36:24.160
I'm fine, I respond.

04959a05-5c04-4a03-9b75-3f7c5cb59b3e-0
00:36:25.400 --> 00:36:30.120
The smell, your smell, lingers, I'm sure.

b82638d1-6fc4-4ebe-bb54-ca07f5e8090a-0
00:36:30.120 --> 00:36:36.155
Now you're with me,
A silent companion in these moments

b82638d1-6fc4-4ebe-bb54-ca07f5e8090a-1
00:36:36.155 --> 00:36:37.880
before ignition.

a144a8ec-081e-495a-b3ae-18a2330a6f4e-0
00:36:45.280 --> 00:36:48.360
The Force roars,
pressing me back into my seat.

b2824ef3-1121-4ada-afa8-8b775617ca34-0
00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:52.760
It's 1000 hands,
a heaviness I've been trained to bear.

6545c318-021c-47af-90ca-a64d749c7286-0
00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:56.320
The whole capsule vibrates.

771819e4-0cbf-46f7-92c0-809f74b3d3ef-0
00:36:57.440 --> 00:37:00.960
Hard to believe we're flying,
punching up through the sky.

9d8e5c0e-2923-4a50-9fd3-06d6c990cee1-0
00:37:03.240 --> 00:37:08.000
I think of when you spun me in circles
through the air in the backyard.

673fb423-05ea-4c48-ab27-146a90bf42d9-0
00:37:09.360 --> 00:37:10.280
Don't let go.

3f7d7bf7-ba10-4321-a2e5-341d052d3802-0
00:37:11.080 --> 00:37:12.160
I would scream, laugh.

13093f30-0617-4dd4-9cdc-19d968e578df-0
00:37:13.520 --> 00:37:16.320
You always answered, don't worry.

2b02be64-f489-4de2-98c3-603d8b9eb81d-0
00:37:18.040 --> 00:37:19.120
And I knew you had me.

66edc3a0-31b4-4338-88f9-3956c7de5f6a-0
00:37:20.760 --> 00:37:23.080
I wish I had the same faith in this
rocket.

dd7005c3-62ee-4084-94f2-a4d33d24c87f-0
00:37:24.320 --> 00:37:28.188
I know we're streets ahead of where
aeronautics once was, but Even so,

dd7005c3-62ee-4084-94f2-a4d33d24c87f-1
00:37:28.188 --> 00:37:31.240
we're still tool making mammals riding a
modified bomb.

7531006f-9fbf-4116-8307-d5f31d1078de-0
00:37:33.360 --> 00:37:34.880
You showed me all the old designs.

261dc95a-7879-4bc2-89ec-416deeeb1fc9-0
00:37:34.880 --> 00:37:37.960
Of course we debated our favourites.

5d61a648-87b9-41d3-afc8-bd7864dd8431-0
00:37:39.320 --> 00:37:42.840
You admired the ingenuity of Apollo 13's
repairs.

7958ecaf-d45b-4ad5-be2a-8781b3831b13-0
00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:47.000
I liked the wing shape of the
decommissioned shuttles.

f129a46a-3491-4ca2-a463-d4c179da212f-0
00:37:49.720 --> 00:37:53.388
One day, kiddo,
you said one day you'll leave us all in

f129a46a-3491-4ca2-a463-d4c179da212f-1
00:37:53.388 --> 00:37:58.629
your dust and you'd point straight up to
the stars and smile that eye crinkling

f129a46a-3491-4ca2-a463-d4c179da212f-2
00:37:58.629 --> 00:38:02.559
smile that made other people wonder if
you might be joking.

7f95d5d7-42e6-4231-893e-8338720919e0-0
00:38:04.080 --> 00:38:05.360
But I always knew you meant it.

93e745c5-eb7e-452d-aedc-fd1e66878fc9-0
00:38:08.960 --> 00:38:18.184
The shaking slows separation,
dull booms as we shed weight when it

93e745c5-eb7e-452d-aedc-fd1e66878fc9-1
00:38:18.184 --> 00:38:20.800
served its purpose.

9af7237d-9ad8-45c6-ba82-ca99c6b494f8-0
00:38:21.880 --> 00:38:27.560
One section after another, letting go.

976e1ad6-0f56-4998-a36e-7d112d827c1d-0
00:38:29.800 --> 00:38:31.120
I thought I'd done this.

eacbf4ba-e08e-4f3a-8707-d07a5a4f4f44-0
00:38:32.080 --> 00:38:34.440
The ache in my throat tells me otherwise.

db076b11-19a7-46cc-b520-89bdcc7f6eac-0
00:38:36.040 --> 00:38:37.640
There's chatter from control.

17fbf6f4-9e76-438b-a3ff-38861d4aac17-0
00:38:38.600 --> 00:38:41.240
Something's wrong with the sensor outside.

340deee1-e383-41fc-ae96-d640e6fce1b9-0
00:38:42.160 --> 00:38:44.880
There's nothing I can do.

e39b471b-a54f-4afb-9d83-aec02fd3d1ec-0
00:38:46.360 --> 00:38:47.760
I steady my breathing.

d346db74-0ba6-41de-a22c-5ed6a8cca9db-0
00:38:50.520 --> 00:38:53.120
I remember talking you through a similar
sequence at the end.

282b5349-1fe8-4086-ab8a-5a41ae7c6200-0
00:38:55.000 --> 00:38:56.600
The morphine in the drip helped.

4e3ba1b4-504a-4fff-97a2-852154fe9ccd-0
00:38:58.200 --> 00:38:59.560
I wish I could have done more.

4d0341b7-b8dc-493f-a3d2-fc355db42051-0
00:39:01.840 --> 00:39:06.560
The capsule jutters again,
another part jettisoned.

b4489595-506e-4c26-bcd7-66dec129160c-0
00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:09.080
We're getting close now.

7abbf6ca-0528-4a34-a694-f58b85c7ed7d-0
00:39:16.860 --> 00:39:17.420
Orbit.

bd374256-f17d-4371-9984-1bdbe976bf6a-0
00:39:18.980 --> 00:39:19.780
We level out.

8ea2e66c-6044-4ce4-a27d-2d59becce19c-0
00:39:20.900 --> 00:39:24.340
An upwards tug pulls my body against my
restraints.

aca63e6f-8398-48a5-84d1-ea403df53a77-0
00:39:26.200 --> 00:39:27.240
Weightlessness.

5f821b15-57a3-43e9-8248-d1cc03d8a1e7-0
00:39:28.920 --> 00:39:33.520
It's like being spun in the backyard,
only my hands aren't being held this time.

b6aa86b7-0d04-4696-bc27-e10ebb2b1b11-0
00:39:35.720 --> 00:39:39.480
Out the window, earth hangs below.

6fa9ca2a-7c49-492c-a452-b87f5e14dfe8-0
00:39:41.040 --> 00:39:44.320
It's marbled in blue and shrinking.

bf18037c-239c-4ea0-9ce7-b5312af1636d-0
00:39:45.400 --> 00:39:47.560
Vastness on all sides.

6569bfc3-fb28-41d0-b497-119818cd2d2e-0
00:39:50.280 --> 00:39:55.080
Everything, the entirety of humanity,
is there underneath me.

ed027c8e-d474-4727-a633-98283cfb1c49-0
00:39:58.040 --> 00:39:59.840
Almost everything.

8b60e186-37a5-40fe-ba46-e2bed2e1ab39-0
00:40:03.160 --> 00:40:05.840
My suit smells crisp again now.

14e3c9a4-2f4d-44b7-a269-f2f0c96897eb-0
00:40:07.160 --> 00:40:08.040
Mission ready.

4ba95419-e3ef-45d1-aa92-42f1b86a3fa8-0
00:40:09.760 --> 00:40:16.360
You might be gone, Dad,
but I carry you with me always.

e88e47a2-c6c8-4cc5-9d6d-6b60231070f8-0
00:40:29.880 --> 00:40:34.866
So congratulations Ruth on 5th place and
thank you so much for such a beautiful

e88e47a2-c6c8-4cc5-9d6d-6b60231070f8-1
00:40:34.866 --> 00:40:35.240
story.

7b283cd7-593f-4bd2-8758-c9f51fe64ffb-0
00:40:35.240 --> 00:40:39.082
I can say this one struck a real chord
for me and in fact gave me goosebumps

7b283cd7-593f-4bd2-8758-c9f51fe64ffb-1
00:40:39.082 --> 00:40:40.680
while I was reading it just now.

f0d882cc-6fdd-4f8d-ad71-af0fef6c31ee-0
00:40:40.680 --> 00:40:43.084
So you know,
it speaks to me on a really personal

f0d882cc-6fdd-4f8d-ad71-af0fef6c31ee-1
00:40:43.084 --> 00:40:45.440
level as someone who is a bit of a
daddy's girl.

8889e1ba-c2b8-45ed-8d0f-a185d44ad3f9-0
00:40:45.440 --> 00:40:50.360
Lost my dad over 10 years ago now and
it's always there on the surface.

a75a1174-1343-4d7e-878b-977035ea678c-0
00:40:50.400 --> 00:40:52.871
And I think if I was shooting off into
space,

a75a1174-1343-4d7e-878b-977035ea678c-1
00:40:52.871 --> 00:40:55.880
I'm sure it would be front of mind for me
then as well.

e44b6041-3c21-400d-bf63-25a63d15d616-0
00:40:56.120 --> 00:41:00.141
I love the parallels in this story
through like what's happening in the

e44b6041-3c21-400d-bf63-25a63d15d616-1
00:41:00.141 --> 00:41:02.599
current action as well as like the
history,

e44b6041-3c21-400d-bf63-25a63d15d616-2
00:41:02.599 --> 00:41:06.956
all of the the details that make the
protagonists think about their father as

e44b6041-3c21-400d-bf63-25a63d15d616-3
00:41:06.956 --> 00:41:10.587
they jet off into space,
and especially the detail of the father

e44b6041-3c21-400d-bf63-25a63d15d616-4
00:41:10.587 --> 00:41:15.000
being the one who inspired the love of
becoming an astronaut in the 1st place.

e2e03af6-19e1-404a-8014-7b54619a3674-0
00:41:15.000 --> 00:41:16.887
So I,
I felt that really closed that loop

e2e03af6-19e1-404a-8014-7b54619a3674-1
00:41:16.887 --> 00:41:20.572
nicely and kind of made the whole thing
more poignant because of course you would

e2e03af6-19e1-404a-8014-7b54619a3674-2
00:41:20.572 --> 00:41:22.640
be thinking about him in that moment as
well.

dacff21c-0faf-4d8e-84d2-ab3fd82a2770-0
00:41:22.720 --> 00:41:24.600
Yeah,
I think if you had that shared history.

f129f5e1-11b3-42e8-b1cf-838aefc536ad-0
00:41:24.600 --> 00:41:25.480
I'm getting emotional.

ca07235f-4ef3-4b67-8c13-5a0628fdf9ef-0
00:41:27.240 --> 00:41:28.800
This is the thing about grief.

ba18b9e1-4e97-4c9d-ac2e-0730e88546db-0
00:41:28.800 --> 00:41:32.120
I think that it can just hit you
sometimes many years later.

0a1d4fdd-d2f4-4e69-b8c8-2e7d5abd829b-0
00:41:32.160 --> 00:41:32.560
Sorry.

e14a481c-585c-4ed4-90f4-a64e8ffa1389-0
00:41:33.160 --> 00:41:35.872
But I think what's also really
interesting in this story is how we've

e14a481c-585c-4ed4-90f4-a64e8ffa1389-1
00:41:35.872 --> 00:41:36.880
got these headings, right?

55da3fcc-c6ce-4191-aa9a-75f61abb2811-0
00:41:36.880 --> 00:41:42.327
We have ignition, separation and orbit,
and of course those are elements of this

55da3fcc-c6ce-4191-aa9a-75f61abb2811-1
00:41:42.327 --> 00:41:44.480
space journey that we're taking.

33ee2b2a-4746-4c83-bdeb-95f18bf83b28-0
00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:49.747
But it's also reflective of that feeling
of separation from your parent and orbit,

33ee2b2a-4746-4c83-bdeb-95f18bf83b28-1
00:41:49.747 --> 00:41:52.920
like feeling like you're just out there
in space.

93aadd00-ff18-46ba-bc59-ae916ace63cc-0
00:41:52.920 --> 00:41:56.118
And I think, you know,
it's a pretty common meme these days of

93aadd00-ff18-46ba-bc59-ae916ace63cc-1
00:41:56.118 --> 00:41:58.200
people sort of saying, how am I an adult?

1c7f2153-c2e2-4961-ac5e-8141c82b50cb-0
00:41:58.200 --> 00:42:01.680
Like I'm supposed to do adult things and
I when did I become the adult?

e4539e4e-4216-4cc8-b03e-21ce124a93c1-0
00:42:02.160 --> 00:42:05.273
And that's what this story is sort of
like, you know,

e4539e4e-4216-4cc8-b03e-21ce124a93c1-1
00:42:05.273 --> 00:42:09.655
you've you've successfully got yourself
into a situation where you are like

e4539e4e-4216-4cc8-b03e-21ce124a93c1-2
00:42:09.655 --> 00:42:13.000
captaining a ship or whatever it might be
to outer space.

7ee3aaef-3b4a-440a-820f-946d4289ed7b-0
00:42:13.000 --> 00:42:15.640
And yet you're still like,
how am I the adult here?

3b2c9f9b-6234-4c9c-818f-30fae1d2800b-0
00:42:15.640 --> 00:42:16.640
Like, where's my dad?

ce9a2e65-eb39-4da8-a106-0de6cee481d9-0
00:42:16.640 --> 00:42:18.760
You know,
I need my dad to come and hold my hand.

1f795912-ea98-4c6a-adfb-f4819effc45b-0
00:42:18.760 --> 00:42:22.422
And I think that's a really universal
experience, you know,

1f795912-ea98-4c6a-adfb-f4819effc45b-1
00:42:22.422 --> 00:42:25.841
for a lot of people to feel like lost
without guidance,

1f795912-ea98-4c6a-adfb-f4819effc45b-2
00:42:25.841 --> 00:42:30.786
either from a parent or from a trusted
mentor in your life and and to sort of be

1f795912-ea98-4c6a-adfb-f4819effc45b-3
00:42:30.786 --> 00:42:35.425
facing something very difficult and
challenging and just wishing you were a

1f795912-ea98-4c6a-adfb-f4819effc45b-4
00:42:35.425 --> 00:42:38.600
baby again so someone else would handle
it for you.

dba5c399-22b9-4631-850f-ff1897009f55-0
00:42:38.600 --> 00:42:41.008
Like, I feel like this constantly,
to be honest,

dba5c399-22b9-4631-850f-ff1897009f55-1
00:42:41.008 --> 00:42:44.400
in much less challenging circumstances
than shooting off into space.

84104877-f645-49d9-b9f0-e4dec875ca69-0
00:42:44.400 --> 00:42:47.280
So yeah,
I think it was really beautifully handled.

3bbbac4a-090a-4f3e-b442-4ae252a57033-0
00:42:47.680 --> 00:42:53.997
I liked the subtlety of how those,
the ignition separation orbit was sort of

3bbbac4a-090a-4f3e-b442-4ae252a57033-1
00:42:53.997 --> 00:42:55.720
handled in both ways.

745b6cd2-59a6-44b5-b423-277ad18ea3c2-0
00:42:56.280 --> 00:42:59.520
But also it's kind of like nice little
happy ending too.

674f6f93-7da2-40cc-bdc4-7e38be1623e8-0
00:42:59.520 --> 00:43:01.560
It's like I carry you with me always.

3700fee5-8999-40bc-849e-0df1300d9142-0
00:43:02.080 --> 00:43:03.560
Really beautiful, very moving.

ead0e7f6-53c5-41b1-b3e8-43c7a12c9aa9-0
00:43:03.920 --> 00:43:05.760
So thank you and well done, Ruth.

9fea0fb0-f6f9-4211-a34f-d25d36434366-0
00:43:05.760 --> 00:43:07.760
Congratulations on your 5th place.

e1e7f651-cf2e-49a0-8493-69e914731077-0
00:43:08.000 --> 00:43:10.135
God,
imagine like making me cry and you only

e1e7f651-cf2e-49a0-8493-69e914731077-1
00:43:10.135 --> 00:43:10.800
get 5th place.

c852f143-49b8-4911-91eb-f38473c0db3f-0
00:43:13.560 --> 00:43:15.120
It's not all about me, obviously.

ca5e3121-3509-484d-bf60-3b90c344442c-0
00:43:15.760 --> 00:43:17.160
But yeah, thank you so much, Ruth.

36d23fd2-0fd5-47b5-8703-2f74067ad4aa-0
00:43:17.160 --> 00:43:18.720
That was very beautiful.

6897d1ca-2bdd-4c52-8f9e-2b4ffdb8375d-0
00:43:18.720 --> 00:43:21.280
And it's a story that will stick with me
for a while, I think.

434df095-a862-41a6-bc6b-2dfb12c7d228-0
00:43:21.760 --> 00:43:24.840
So we've had two Team Amanda stories in a
row.

8e5bd800-6540-4db5-9d40-e2477bb9797d-0
00:43:25.200 --> 00:43:27.440
It's time for some Team Ed stories.

852b520d-11ea-4b3f-a598-4b9a120d3a71-0
00:43:27.480 --> 00:43:28.360
All right, I think.

664a8bd1-9aed-45d2-9a34-9cab16c43d63-0
00:43:28.400 --> 00:43:32.121
OK, well,
so in fourth place and taking home 350

664a8bd1-9aed-45d2-9a34-9cab16c43d63-1
00:43:32.121 --> 00:43:36.677
Australian dollars along with publication
in our anthology,

664a8bd1-9aed-45d2-9a34-9cab16c43d63-2
00:43:36.677 --> 00:43:38.879
we have representing Team Ed.

e4d3b38b-9abd-431c-8fae-bafebafdb037-0
00:43:42.880 --> 00:43:45.400
Where do I See myself in Five Years?

6b5c5365-badf-4d69-9634-784090e5383a-0
00:43:45.880 --> 00:43:46.920
By Chad Frame?

a0d76db2-4046-4ec8-8862-825851a45e95-0
00:44:01.320 --> 00:44:05.547
Curled in an overstuffed chair by the
shade drawn window,

a0d76db2-4046-4ec8-8862-825851a45e95-1
00:44:05.547 --> 00:44:10.504
knees hugged to my chest,
I'm acutely aware of hurtling through the

a0d76db2-4046-4ec8-8862-825851a45e95-2
00:44:10.504 --> 00:44:16.189
void at thousands of miles an hour,
relentlessly spinning like a heel turning

a0d76db2-4046-4ec8-8862-825851a45e95-3
00:44:16.189 --> 00:44:20.344
roller skater,
and I can feel the full tilt lurch of the

a0d76db2-4046-4ec8-8862-825851a45e95-4
00:44:20.344 --> 00:44:22.240
earth in every atom of me.

ae19e579-640d-43b3-aacc-029771fc70a1-0
00:44:22.680 --> 00:44:24.760
Countless tiny particles.

d09d97df-6dd7-49fe-b7a4-77db34b7e138-0
00:44:24.760 --> 00:44:32.303
I read somewhere largely empty space,
meaning nothing technically ever touches

d09d97df-6dd7-49fe-b7a4-77db34b7e138-1
00:44:32.303 --> 00:44:33.640
anything else.

a60c0e20-760d-4ae5-b0d3-9dd4cbad295b-0
00:44:35.160 --> 00:44:39.788
Meaning the sensation we perceive as
contact is just a series of fields

a60c0e20-760d-4ae5-b0d3-9dd4cbad295b-1
00:44:39.788 --> 00:44:40.560
commingling.

601a193a-7552-42a3-921d-d20618c787c8-0
00:44:42.120 --> 00:44:47.394
Meaning I never really sipped the tea I
made from that ayahuasca I worked up the

601a193a-7552-42a3-921d-d20618c787c8-1
00:44:47.394 --> 00:44:51.431
nerve to buy, then brew,
then bring to my chapped lips so our

601a193a-7552-42a3-921d-d20618c787c8-2
00:44:51.431 --> 00:44:55.793
respective fields touched,
swallowing a sludge of muddy water or a

601a193a-7552-42a3-921d-d20618c787c8-3
00:44:55.793 --> 00:45:00.546
bark and twig soup that tasted like
tannic regret poured out of a floral

601a193a-7552-42a3-921d-d20618c787c8-4
00:45:00.546 --> 00:45:05.234
painted mug with the horrors persist,
but so do I print it on the side,

601a193a-7552-42a3-921d-d20618c787c8-5
00:45:05.234 --> 00:45:09.597
steam twisting out of it,
braiding with lavender candle smoke from

601a193a-7552-42a3-921d-d20618c787c8-6
00:45:09.597 --> 00:45:11.160
the bath and Body Works.

d7cf6d5c-681e-4ab5-b85a-c5a0caaee143-0
00:45:11.160 --> 00:45:15.400
Three Wick burning on the end table next
to my plate of untouched lunch.

2a16b4ea-4b44-42f3-ad02-97d1aff4919e-0
00:45:15.880 --> 00:45:20.933
With its funky chicken and its rank
Brussels sprouts and its hardening pile

2a16b4ea-4b44-42f3-ad02-97d1aff4919e-1
00:45:20.933 --> 00:45:23.858
of dried mash,
I fork sculpted into a rough

2a16b4ea-4b44-42f3-ad02-97d1aff4919e-2
00:45:23.858 --> 00:45:29.310
approximation of an Easter Island mower,
then promptly ignored coagulating gravy,

2a16b4ea-4b44-42f3-ad02-97d1aff4919e-3
00:45:29.310 --> 00:45:34.230
pouring like an untreated head wound
frozen mid ooze down the side of its

2a16b4ea-4b44-42f3-ad02-97d1aff4919e-4
00:45:34.230 --> 00:45:35.760
angular off white face.

665c752e-d82b-40e4-869a-32e450755a11-0
00:45:37.440 --> 00:45:40.570
Below me,
the tufted leather cups my *** like the

665c752e-d82b-40e4-869a-32e450755a11-1
00:45:40.570 --> 00:45:45.202
overeager hand of a 60s businessman,
and below that the hardwood with its

665c752e-d82b-40e4-869a-32e450755a11-2
00:45:45.202 --> 00:45:49.897
nailed down floorboards under foot,
where scattered crumbs from my morning

665c752e-d82b-40e4-869a-32e450755a11-3
00:45:49.897 --> 00:45:52.840
muffin have attracted a hustling line of
ants.

5c35e75a-fdc4-4e48-acbc-43df41d8d2cc-0
00:45:53.240 --> 00:45:58.737
Tap, tap, tapping their tiny feet,
vomiting chemical trails to excitedly

5c35e75a-fdc4-4e48-acbc-43df41d8d2cc-1
00:45:58.737 --> 00:46:03.255
announce to the hive mind the treasures
they've discovered,

5c35e75a-fdc4-4e48-acbc-43df41d8d2cc-2
00:46:03.255 --> 00:46:09.280
communicating something to the effect of
Luke, Anton, or over here, Antoinette.

24929dba-1188-4990-bcac-e29e7ae5b676-0
00:46:09.960 --> 00:46:14.640
Followed by Can you believe somebody
actually left this incredible banana nut

24929dba-1188-4990-bcac-e29e7ae5b676-1
00:46:14.640 --> 00:46:15.480
bounty behind?

c8419874-ac36-4a67-85f7-4cf5a02506dc-0
00:46:16.360 --> 00:46:19.735
And finally,
don't let that ************ Bryant Bogart

c8419874-ac36-4a67-85f7-4cf5a02506dc-1
00:46:19.735 --> 00:46:20.840
all the good bits.

e5dc45b9-80fa-4343-80e6-3e10557bc213-0
00:46:22.320 --> 00:46:27.786
And then below all the **** leather and
the banana crazed ants and creaky boards,

e5dc45b9-80fa-4343-80e6-3e10557bc213-1
00:46:27.786 --> 00:46:33.386
I can sense the moist dark sponge of the
earth, it's green seeds and loamy secrets,

e5dc45b9-80fa-4343-80e6-3e10557bc213-2
00:46:33.386 --> 00:46:35.720
wriggling worms and untold wonders.

b9245920-267e-4064-bc86-1dc42dbd1b1f-0
00:46:36.440 --> 00:46:42.671
And below even that it's deep chambered
magma and it's miracles crust and mantle

b9245920-267e-4064-bc86-1dc42dbd1b1f-1
00:46:42.671 --> 00:46:48.903
and worked out core and the root cellar
of its musty undercroft where maybe mole

b9245920-267e-4064-bc86-1dc42dbd1b1f-2
00:46:48.903 --> 00:46:54.596
men are sipping at their own mud drug
tease and dreaming of whatever they

b9245920-267e-4064-bc86-1dc42dbd1b1f-3
00:46:54.596 --> 00:46:56.519
imagine lives above them.

689b88a8-02bf-456a-b05b-e5fd975be5fe-0
00:47:05.790 --> 00:47:12.192
Miss Thompson, An annoyed voice says,
and I feel myself reeled back into my

689b88a8-02bf-456a-b05b-e5fd975be5fe-1
00:47:12.192 --> 00:47:16.910
body so violently I'm surprised the chair
doesn't rock.

6a5e6091-44cf-49ce-b5d0-1cae0bf3c374-0
00:47:18.310 --> 00:47:20.590
And all I can answer is sorry.

a9c0315b-cecb-4e31-a6d0-8dea7b909171-0
00:47:21.840 --> 00:47:27.968
And against the black background of a
Zoom window on my laptop screen floats

a9c0315b-cecb-4e31-a6d0-8dea7b909171-1
00:47:27.968 --> 00:47:33.777
the star pale face of a man who's not
really there, not really anywhere,

a9c0315b-cecb-4e31-a6d0-8dea7b909171-2
00:47:33.777 --> 00:47:39.030
just particles and fields,
judgmental eyes and questioning mouth,

a9c0315b-cecb-4e31-a6d0-8dea7b909171-3
00:47:39.030 --> 00:47:44.920
bald Pate and black rimmed glasses
repeating his last interview question.

ad17f49a-4ff7-47e0-b341-3f0e283def57-0
00:47:46.320 --> 00:47:52.240
What would you say is your greatest
weakness, if anything?

8ee1f10a-2ada-4db3-b07f-002748e45f18-0
00:47:53.160 --> 00:47:55.949
I mumble,
voice leaking through the seam of my

8ee1f10a-2ada-4db3-b07f-002748e45f18-1
00:47:55.949 --> 00:47:56.840
lopsided green.

99f33aba-2892-4aa9-8782-104785eed350-0
00:47:58.600 --> 00:48:01.360
Probably too reliable.

e3c5efc3-5f48-41f5-ba1c-7953a8ab5ac0-0
00:48:25.000 --> 00:48:29.480
So congratulations Chad and it's lovely
to see you back on the shortlist after a

e3c5efc3-5f48-41f5-ba1c-7953a8ab5ac0-1
00:48:29.480 --> 00:48:30.200
little break.

48e475ed-b64f-4aca-8d2d-e117761ea678-0
00:48:30.200 --> 00:48:34.802
We have seen you on our shortlist twice
before now and he's a winner,

48e475ed-b64f-4aca-8d2d-e117761ea678-1
00:48:34.802 --> 00:48:39.996
a winner indeed and back again with what
I have to say was a very difficult to

48e475ed-b64f-4aca-8d2d-e117761ea678-2
00:48:39.996 --> 00:48:40.720
read story.

2cb0c870-1725-4982-a72a-7288be933334-0
00:48:40.720 --> 00:48:41.440
So thank you.

5e9e5f47-1398-41eb-81cd-9a958232af32-0
00:48:41.440 --> 00:48:44.621
I mean,
what's not evident probably on the other

5e9e5f47-1398-41eb-81cd-9a958232af32-1
00:48:44.621 --> 00:48:49.751
side of listening to this story is that
basically this is a story comprised of

5e9e5f47-1398-41eb-81cd-9a958232af32-2
00:48:49.751 --> 00:48:50.919
about 5 sentences.

5157953b-0f50-4070-b683-34a7f5b58598-0
00:48:50.960 --> 00:48:55.120
The first two very long paragraphs are
just single sentences.

79695ccd-bf2d-4548-a786-1788feb9ebce-0
00:48:55.120 --> 00:48:55.640
That's it.

5f79d2a3-966f-4972-81f2-3c416b16e095-0
00:48:55.640 --> 00:49:00.353
This person's obviously on a drug trip,
so they're thinking at 1000 miles an hour,

5f79d2a3-966f-4972-81f2-3c416b16e095-1
00:49:00.353 --> 00:49:02.000
which is way too fast for me.

c7d489a0-a2ef-4030-bfa7-2240035aef1d-0
00:49:02.000 --> 00:49:02.440
So.

6292c41d-7d81-4a13-8d00-48a851079a22-0
00:49:02.440 --> 00:49:03.680
But thank you so much, Chad.

690a53f9-b7b4-4d37-8bff-17363d3811a8-0
00:49:03.680 --> 00:49:05.040
That was good fun to read.

37f88f6b-c22f-4758-8182-b9a68445ed0b-0
00:49:05.160 --> 00:49:06.600
And and Chad is a poet.

b5f3ac07-7f12-420e-8221-3b7d903d2a32-0
00:49:07.000 --> 00:49:08.040
He loves to play with form.

cb45138a-9dd0-4941-b532-1fbd7589d476-0
00:49:08.040 --> 00:49:11.571
So it's unsurprising that we find,
you know, an unusual form here,

cb45138a-9dd0-4941-b532-1fbd7589d476-1
00:49:11.571 --> 00:49:13.680
especially for a piece of flash fiction.

21878eaa-1cec-4dbc-9c8a-6a6e9c9e60c2-0
00:49:14.120 --> 00:49:19.425
What drew me into this story was, I guess,
how different it was as a submission this

21878eaa-1cec-4dbc-9c8a-6a6e9c9e60c2-1
00:49:19.425 --> 00:49:19.800
round.

c71f96be-02b3-414b-81e4-e36ca96a4b36-0
00:49:19.800 --> 00:49:22.840
I think that can get you very far,
get you noticed at least.

8355d7d5-7bba-43c6-8c76-505c51910758-0
00:49:23.600 --> 00:49:26.954
But really,
I just love this getting really deep into

8355d7d5-7bba-43c6-8c76-505c51910758-1
00:49:26.954 --> 00:49:30.432
the weeds of, like,
all of these details about what the

8355d7d5-7bba-43c6-8c76-505c51910758-2
00:49:30.432 --> 00:49:34.159
universe is comprised of in the first
couple of paragraphs.

a33c5be7-9e85-4f3d-aa4d-5e2b39857cf0-0
00:49:34.160 --> 00:49:35.680
And we don't really know where it's going.

192a8f0f-6534-48fa-a214-11dec3991924-0
00:49:36.200 --> 00:49:38.854
And in the end,
like in the last paragraph or so,

192a8f0f-6534-48fa-a214-11dec3991924-1
00:49:38.854 --> 00:49:42.200
we just snap back into reality just like
the protagonist does.

324e0ad0-e89f-45cd-b454-98f58aae5d11-0
00:49:42.400 --> 00:49:43.920
And we find out that we're in a job
interview.

f1402ee2-8429-403a-82a9-99ea8cafd035-0
00:49:43.920 --> 00:49:47.424
And it's it's as big a surprise to us as
it is to the protagonist,

f1402ee2-8429-403a-82a9-99ea8cafd035-1
00:49:47.424 --> 00:49:48.680
which is a funny effect.

bfd1f0c1-1367-4ee3-b3f4-14b1221656fa-0
00:49:49.480 --> 00:49:54.664
I know this person is on a a drug trip,
but it also speaks to just for me,

bfd1f0c1-1367-4ee3-b3f4-14b1221656fa-1
00:49:54.664 --> 00:49:57.360
rant about corporate work for a second.

3441519b-a139-4c2d-accb-9e417183cc31-0
00:49:57.440 --> 00:49:57.680
Yeah.

34692090-b8ce-4aaf-a38f-ae3958a0073f-0
00:49:57.760 --> 00:50:01.920
But just the fact that, like,
sometimes you do get into this stage

34692090-b8ce-4aaf-a38f-ae3958a0073f-1
00:50:01.920 --> 00:50:05.894
where like, Oh my God,
I'm so lost in the meaninglessness of of

34692090-b8ce-4aaf-a38f-ae3958a0073f-2
00:50:05.894 --> 00:50:06.639
all of this.

bfb53b23-5b41-4e6e-aa2f-2091f1a4a170-0
00:50:06.640 --> 00:50:10.523
And I am thinking about just anything and
then all of a sudden snapback and you're

bfb53b23-5b41-4e6e-aa2f-2091f1a4a170-1
00:50:10.523 --> 00:50:11.880
in the middle of a Zoom call.

8e20a3a4-c8b0-4227-ab60-8df67a5c41ba-0
00:50:12.400 --> 00:50:16.360
So that was relatable,
even if the ayahuasca was optional.

fb7c90cb-b616-46a7-af75-84e6540b5914-0
00:50:17.640 --> 00:50:19.280
But well written as always, Chad.

0a85eb72-48ce-4798-a199-6afe4280dcf2-0
00:50:19.400 --> 00:50:19.720
Yeah.

bf73fbd4-eb5f-4e73-aaf5-534d8328ec3f-0
00:50:19.720 --> 00:50:22.085
I mean,
it probably also mirrors the experience

bf73fbd4-eb5f-4e73-aaf5-534d8328ec3f-1
00:50:22.085 --> 00:50:23.120
of someone with ADHD.

418a9940-bf48-4e08-a68e-7f9ae6987716-0
00:50:23.160 --> 00:50:26.713
I feel like, you know,
you kind of just drifting up like we're

418a9940-bf48-4e08-a68e-7f9ae6987716-1
00:50:26.713 --> 00:50:28.800
all we're all just particles, really.

b615e4a4-b0b5-4a2b-8304-1e9bb3fac721-0
00:50:28.800 --> 00:50:31.600
And now I'm thinking about the ants and
what they're what they're doing.

cef597f7-0356-42f6-90cc-be4536152eb2-0
00:50:31.600 --> 00:50:35.772
And then I love this sort of Close
Encounters moment of the mash that's part

cef597f7-0356-42f6-90cc-be4536152eb2-1
00:50:35.772 --> 00:50:36.640
of High as well.

decc0447-b6e6-465e-9512-75972e763f87-0
00:50:36.640 --> 00:50:38.680
And it's all just good fun.

82218dce-e609-4c9c-b574-c6124269adb4-0
00:50:38.680 --> 00:50:40.760
And like, it is very internal as well.

28519e14-c1b1-401c-a43b-e5e600ab0aef-0
00:50:40.760 --> 00:50:43.623
And we do often criticise stories for
being too internal,

28519e14-c1b1-401c-a43b-e5e600ab0aef-1
00:50:43.623 --> 00:50:47.572
but there's stuff happening and we're
kind of getting so immersed in that voice

28519e14-c1b1-401c-a43b-e5e600ab0aef-2
00:50:47.572 --> 00:50:48.560
and we're on a ride.

bfac5c64-5912-40c9-917d-068f09046720-0
00:50:48.560 --> 00:50:50.680
We're on this ride with this protagonist.

1d0ca136-84ac-4459-9017-a8e3bf836875-0
00:50:50.680 --> 00:50:53.138
It's a funny kind of internality because
sometimes,

1d0ca136-84ac-4459-9017-a8e3bf836875-1
00:50:53.138 --> 00:50:56.589
usually when we say internality,
it's the protagonist being in their own

1d0ca136-84ac-4459-9017-a8e3bf836875-2
00:50:56.589 --> 00:51:00.560
thoughts and being in their own emotions
while this is all happening in their head.

b4c41c7f-f07d-4e05-9b76-f61e45c4fd40-0
00:51:00.640 --> 00:51:03.760
It is full of description and it's full
of action really.

09a8a1a8-f8ae-4514-a9fa-434ac2753a6a-0
00:51:03.760 --> 00:51:05.240
So it's internal, but it's not.

e589f9fe-b19c-4272-b57c-32b3caacd084-0
00:51:05.280 --> 00:51:08.937
So there's ants moving around that
they're talking about the feel of sitting

e589f9fe-b19c-4272-b57c-32b3caacd084-1
00:51:08.937 --> 00:51:11.360
in this chair,
hugging their knees to their chest.

e1b67aee-8928-4b6d-a510-25e52875e4ae-0
00:51:11.360 --> 00:51:14.713
All of this stuff is happening,
and it's what keeps us grounded in the

e1b67aee-8928-4b6d-a510-25e52875e4ae-1
00:51:14.713 --> 00:51:16.934
scene,
which I think is important because even

e1b67aee-8928-4b6d-a510-25e52875e4ae-2
00:51:16.934 --> 00:51:19.768
though all this is crazy,
we kind of still need to see that

e1b67aee-8928-4b6d-a510-25e52875e4ae-3
00:51:19.768 --> 00:51:23.641
character sitting in that chair so that
when we get the reveal later that they're

e1b67aee-8928-4b6d-a510-25e52875e4ae-4
00:51:23.641 --> 00:51:26.240
on a Zoom call job interview,
it all falls into place.

baf8e586-1717-4fd7-9cf6-b0f241ab0b98-0
00:51:26.640 --> 00:51:29.480
But yeah, I mean,
this was Team Ed and a freak out, right?

a9da2668-f419-4439-92c1-65dcb461a8e1-0
00:51:29.480 --> 00:51:31.440
And they were absolutely freaking out.

1241a8db-746d-4979-a53e-bf0885b6232f-0
00:51:31.440 --> 00:51:32.560
And I loved it.

269c9522-c5ec-4ee4-88ae-5ccd7354440b-0
00:51:32.560 --> 00:51:34.320
I mean,
it's the worst possible time to get

269c9522-c5ec-4ee4-88ae-5ccd7354440b-1
00:51:34.320 --> 00:51:35.120
really, really high.

2bc72882-e867-46b9-b894-c108390f42d7-0
00:51:35.120 --> 00:51:37.883
But listen,
I also can relate to that feeling of like,

2bc72882-e867-46b9-b894-c108390f42d7-1
00:51:37.883 --> 00:51:41.200
do I even want this ******* job that I'm
having an interview for?

32d9678b-7590-4d8d-bebe-2338811216e6-0
00:51:41.200 --> 00:51:42.000
Probably not.

4e73c73d-61e3-4666-b1da-ea6df013a72e-0
00:51:42.040 --> 00:51:43.360
Will I self sabotage?

38c96c33-b7b2-46ed-a0a2-624bdcc1bf7a-0
00:51:43.600 --> 00:51:44.320
Why not?

ecf72c18-dffe-42ce-84f6-9a937e8dd3a7-0
00:51:44.760 --> 00:51:45.520
Why not?

531b5148-f2b4-4a9f-ba85-56a8bd1f6306-0
00:51:45.600 --> 00:51:47.160
Because the horrors do persist.

f10cfd04-c194-44eb-a6fa-f6be8b8d615f-0
00:51:47.400 --> 00:51:47.720
They do.

8ba65066-b303-436f-ad9e-0ccfcc9a5f8a-0
00:51:47.920 --> 00:51:49.720
We're injecting ourselves a little bit.

dc6ff018-2913-4efb-a8e0-385005b639f3-0
00:51:50.240 --> 00:51:51.480
Just a little, a little.

86278e7a-2545-4ffd-92a8-7ed10bab715e-0
00:51:51.480 --> 00:51:53.200
But that's the sign of a good story,
right?

fd8e95ec-dca2-414c-90ff-da4cf9700d0d-0
00:51:53.200 --> 00:51:55.000
When it connects with you on an emotion
level.

09bace0b-28a5-4a3b-a95e-40706fee1c34-0
00:51:55.000 --> 00:51:59.169
So thank you so much Chad,
and congratulations on taking up 4th

09bace0b-28a5-4a3b-a95e-40706fee1c34-1
00:51:59.169 --> 00:51:59.560
place.

f806fd88-d43b-44ee-b6ba-7957eea0ad65-0
00:52:01.040 --> 00:52:06.520
And congratulations to our neighbour who
has decided to Was the ******* lawn not

f806fd88-d43b-44ee-b6ba-7957eea0ad65-1
00:52:06.520 --> 00:52:07.400
short enough?

77d70663-b56d-4011-a08f-e67590a94220-0
00:52:07.600 --> 00:52:09.280
Do you need another round?

98bf1db1-e376-4675-9640-5d7b9777c813-0
00:52:09.280 --> 00:52:13.280
Good time and now we're at the podium.

3606df89-f318-4c47-91a5-80939b6c0c41-0
00:52:13.880 --> 00:52:17.800
3rd place,
500 Australian dollars in publication.

fd661e12-6b06-484b-a97b-d1ef5ba27a81-0
00:52:18.000 --> 00:52:19.080
It's a nice place to be.

3faba353-e7d3-4f8b-ab55-5800e62421c4-0
00:52:19.280 --> 00:52:21.800
It is, and this one is also from Team Ed.

25c286fd-a2c1-487e-94fb-848ab8c52a8d-0
00:52:22.320 --> 00:52:23.480
We're evening the score.

6246720f-c5e7-4a5d-8ae0-6ada43f2eafb-0
00:52:23.920 --> 00:52:27.960
The score is dead even in shortness so
far, so we'll see what happens.

d161e5b9-ab27-484b-ad25-84abc7768b11-0
00:52:27.960 --> 00:52:40.840
But so now in 3rd place for Team Ed,
the point by Calum Graves.

2acf5472-440e-4c61-85f3-fb97c3b9f74e-0
00:52:47.600 --> 00:52:51.836
When the aliens asked humanity to explain
its purpose,

2acf5472-440e-4c61-85f3-fb97c3b9f74e-1
00:52:51.836 --> 00:52:56.920
we sent them 17 seconds of John Travolta
pointing at the ceiling.

b6db0e9b-882d-4e5a-b091-d0858895eed0-0
00:52:58.760 --> 00:53:02.040
This was not technically my fault.

b606bf18-8f56-44ab-82fc-0904f0e17eab-0
00:53:03.200 --> 00:53:09.467
I was junior cultural attache to the
United Nations Committee for Interstellar

b606bf18-8f56-44ab-82fc-0904f0e17eab-1
00:53:09.467 --> 00:53:12.798
Tone,
a department created because nobody

b606bf18-8f56-44ab-82fc-0904f0e17eab-2
00:53:12.798 --> 00:53:17.400
trusts the military, the poets,
or Sweden to speak first.

0a8f3a24-115d-4b24-b1c1-b5900dac16c5-0
00:53:17.400 --> 00:53:24.160
Our official greeting contained bark,
prime numbers, a child laughing,

0a8f3a24-115d-4b24-b1c1-b5900dac16c5-1
00:53:24.160 --> 00:53:30.160
and a diagram explaining that we were
mostly water but trying.

afeb8650-f8b3-44ce-8c4e-38f2d54fb733-0
00:53:31.680 --> 00:53:33.840
It was dignified.

ad2679d1-7a68-4e35-bbb3-0ff087751d7b-0
00:53:34.360 --> 00:53:35.320
It was moving.

f63651f8-4b0a-417d-be9c-e9ef2a3e14b0-0
00:53:36.320 --> 00:53:42.320
It had been approved by 6 governments,
4 religions and one billionaire who

f63651f8-4b0a-417d-be9c-e9ef2a3e14b0-1
00:53:42.320 --> 00:53:46.320
wanted his signature hidden in the
hydrogen line.

f503ece8-e608-45b0-b8cf-3fff24ae98b5-0
00:53:47.960 --> 00:53:55.360
Then Dave from Transmission leaned on the
wrong console while eating a falafel.

91b9006a-7231-4def-825b-bd8955031243-0
00:53:57.160 --> 00:54:02.677
The message that crossed 12 light years
was a corrupted disco archive from a 70s

91b9006a-7231-4def-825b-bd8955031243-1
00:54:02.677 --> 00:54:04.040
themed Morale night.

7a66f2c0-3d96-43ff-828d-9a0ace1f8529-0
00:54:04.840 --> 00:54:10.705
Travolta White suit, black shirt,
hips loaded with legal confidence,

7a66f2c0-3d96-43ff-828d-9a0ace1f8529-1
00:54:10.705 --> 00:54:13.000
one finger Spearing heaven.

76191689-7eba-44c4-8ab2-47165f7e01ac-0
00:54:14.240 --> 00:54:17.160
For nine months, nothing replied.

61be6333-da5a-4918-a24e-770bd9687c42-0
00:54:18.600 --> 00:54:21.040
Then the sky blinked.

ad46cdda-c82f-4e42-a78e-b80f4a451c90-0
00:54:21.600 --> 00:54:25.948
Every screen on earth filled with a
creature like a chandelier trying to

ad46cdda-c82f-4e42-a78e-b80f4a451c90-1
00:54:25.948 --> 00:54:27.200
remember a nightmare.

aa78a218-0201-481f-b91d-84fb23f99da9-0
00:54:27.840 --> 00:54:30.480
It spoke through every speaker at once.

b9d410ff-ffef-4b1e-8c03-4ef0b9d9eb4e-0
00:54:31.280 --> 00:54:34.000
We have received your declaration.

6e06dbee-90f9-4927-8ddf-f416e7718627-0
00:54:35.640 --> 00:54:39.640
The Secretary General made a noise
normally produced by kettles.

262b8227-65bd-40d6-a3e6-347a3b1e5f57-0
00:54:40.960 --> 00:54:49.500
You understand,
The alien continued the above in

262b8227-65bd-40d6-a3e6-347a3b1e5f57-1
00:54:49.500 --> 00:54:53.160
conference room 4B47.

2385669e-5c8f-443c-abdc-33de79f0a4c4-0
00:54:53.160 --> 00:54:55.960
Diplomats began quietly freaking out.

e372acb2-7f21-48fe-9829-e9180f6985f3-0
00:54:56.600 --> 00:54:58.600
The French ambassador crossed himself.

88a4431f-9111-4433-ae3a-38c652c6c0a5-0
00:54:58.880 --> 00:55:00.360
The American general whispered.

44e60841-b894-4254-bb0e-31de42274f8e-0
00:55:00.680 --> 00:55:02.560
Weaponized the trousers.

8636268e-6800-4696-9405-869e27a209ed-0
00:55:03.400 --> 00:55:06.320
Dave dropped another falafel.

cb4d3c4b-aaf7-47b9-b221-be3006774ab9-0
00:55:07.560 --> 00:55:13.308
I was pushed towards the microphone
because my dissertation had been on human

cb4d3c4b-aaf7-47b9-b221-be3006774ab9-1
00:55:13.308 --> 00:55:19.277
gesture in pre algorithmic dance forms
and because everyone senior had gone pale

cb4d3c4b-aaf7-47b9-b221-be3006774ab9-2
00:55:19.277 --> 00:55:23.920
enough to be legally classified as
stationary esteemed beings.

234b637d-995b-460c-b12a-99179e8211a6-0
00:55:24.280 --> 00:55:29.320
I said there may have been a small file
selection issue.

a11d56b5-5e8a-4875-aee1-d68a20e2aeea-0
00:55:30.640 --> 00:55:32.280
The chandelier shimmered.

14e460d9-e8f6-45a1-a5f1-c680bb567016-0
00:55:33.560 --> 00:55:38.801
Viewpoint upward,
you acknowledge that meaning resides

14e460d9-e8f6-45a1-a5f1-c680bb567016-1
00:55:38.801 --> 00:55:40.040
beyond reach.

114edbeb-1aa5-443a-a6fe-63449a0fb0b4-0
00:55:40.840 --> 00:55:46.120
Well,
you place the other hand upon the hip.

0a1660ce-fc4d-4808-ba23-eb59934b0fc0-0
00:55:46.800 --> 00:55:50.200
You confess the body as temporary
equipment.

8d32688b-9993-452d-815a-e50808e093aa-0
00:55:51.760 --> 00:55:53.080
That is 1.

a1005b49-b4de-430b-8080-2b6d0f9c3f63-0
00:55:53.080 --> 00:55:57.600
Interpretation, you rotate the pelvis.

f3d87076-c1c6-4fac-9931-34e9c83a1b43-0
00:55:58.960 --> 00:56:00.400
I closed my eyes.

adca3e3e-69ee-4127-a07a-f3aca1494cbc-0
00:56:01.360 --> 00:56:08.880
Attribute, it said, to gravity,
without which longing would drift away.

3f4c1ab9-745a-4fc8-9cda-03923f027e65-0
00:56:10.960 --> 00:56:12.960
Nobody breathed.

4ce36a0e-4fcb-44a3-a854-a9d8cf6ea955-0
00:56:13.960 --> 00:56:19.193
On the screen, a second alien appeared,
wearing what looked horribly like a

4ce36a0e-4fcb-44a3-a854-a9d8cf6ea955-1
00:56:19.193 --> 00:56:20.640
glittering waistcoat.

9b338598-2f93-4d3b-8281-82c287311614-0
00:56:22.040 --> 00:56:29.083
It performed the .1 arm up, one arm down,
the entire civilization,

9b338598-2f93-4d3b-8281-82c287311614-1
00:56:29.083 --> 00:56:33.920
evidently studying us with fatal
seriousness.

c8e8bf96-02e2-4308-8006-337bf974646e-0
00:56:35.440 --> 00:56:40.697
We have travelled the dark between Suns,
said the first alien,

c8e8bf96-02e2-4308-8006-337bf974646e-1
00:56:40.697 --> 00:56:47.458
and found empires singing of conquest
machines, reciting efficiency, dead words,

c8e8bf96-02e2-4308-8006-337bf974646e-2
00:56:47.458 --> 00:56:50.879
still broadcasting prayers for exemption.

3db6ddae-93e1-4348-95e2-cdb1c76fa51a-0
00:56:52.400 --> 00:56:58.944
You sent us this,
a creature trapped between dust and

3db6ddae-93e1-4348-95e2-cdb1c76fa51a-1
00:56:58.944 --> 00:57:04.520
distance,
indicating both ashamed of neither.

3eeb578c-bc10-43a7-b4aa-c236e4a32a59-0
00:57:06.680 --> 00:57:09.080
Behind me, someone sobbed.

e6177a50-7012-48ed-87ef-843b9240afe0-0
00:57:10.280 --> 00:57:11.560
It might have been Sweden.

783b03dc-f524-4ae0-9ccd-a1e6fa7e0803-0
00:57:13.200 --> 00:57:16.520
The alien inclined its thousand little
lights.

fd4b472e-44f4-4bcd-8137-98ed0fd980c2-0
00:57:17.760 --> 00:57:20.880
We accept your philosophy.

40378284-e462-4065-8619-f95b6883c31f-0
00:57:22.680 --> 00:57:27.183
At the peace ceremony,
I stood before delegates from 200 nations

40378284-e462-4065-8619-f95b6883c31f-1
00:57:27.183 --> 00:57:29.400
and seven impossible geometries.

ed589ce4-8d21-44bb-831d-758bb89da682-0
00:57:30.680 --> 00:57:33.360
The Bee Gees played softly.

84925cfa-4340-444a-81c2-9641f2ee60bd-0
00:57:34.640 --> 00:57:37.520
Because history has no mercy.

ee6b6407-f7de-4366-849c-2eb6e918c661-0
00:57:38.600 --> 00:57:43.051
When my turn came,
I raised one finger to the stars and 1

ee6b6407-f7de-4366-849c-2eb6e918c661-1
00:57:43.051 --> 00:57:46.965
towards Earth,
with terror and both ankles already

ee6b6407-f7de-4366-849c-2eb6e918c661-2
00:57:46.965 --> 00:57:48.039
regretting it.

c3deb2f7-96bf-4218-b638-b8d5827ce0d4-0
00:57:49.720 --> 00:57:54.360
For once,
humanity was not asking to be saved,

c3deb2f7-96bf-4218-b638-b8d5827ce0d4-1
00:57:54.360 --> 00:57:57.520
admired, forgiven or understood.

b5a6a0bd-4699-4bf5-ab3b-0335fdcd27c3-0
00:57:58.680 --> 00:58:08.887
We were only admitting where we stood,
between the impossible above and the

b5a6a0bd-4699-4bf5-ab3b-0335fdcd27c3-1
00:58:08.887 --> 00:58:13.320
ridiculous below, still pointing.

c2f6059f-e231-4943-a176-3f3b332a1f37-0
00:58:30.720 --> 00:58:33.866
Well, thank you,
Caleb for your story and congratulations

c2f6059f-e231-4943-a176-3f3b332a1f37-1
00:58:33.866 --> 00:58:34.680
on your podium.

7e1494f1-a5fd-4372-a04b-a881ba633b6c-0
00:58:34.720 --> 00:58:36.440
Finished third place.

e7fa10e9-f9c6-4696-aeaa-1c31dacc7872-0
00:58:36.600 --> 00:58:38.080
Excellent achievement.

3510693f-e32b-410b-9e7f-3f9368e7aa96-0
00:58:38.080 --> 00:58:43.448
And what I really loved about this story,
you know, I love some absurdist humour,

3510693f-e32b-410b-9e7f-3f9368e7aa96-1
00:58:43.448 --> 00:58:46.657
Amanda,
and I love how this one really leaned so

3510693f-e32b-410b-9e7f-3f9368e7aa96-2
00:58:46.657 --> 00:58:50.520
hard into the disco move there, the point,
the iconic one.

9d41ffc5-2111-47b0-83d6-a842cc1e4f0b-0
00:58:50.520 --> 00:58:52.922
In fact,
it was the move that I was making on our

9d41ffc5-2111-47b0-83d6-a842cc1e4f0b-1
00:58:52.922 --> 00:58:56.719
little artwork for this round and the one
you're making right now in real life

9d41ffc5-2111-47b0-83d6-a842cc1e4f0b-2
00:58:56.719 --> 00:58:57.200
right now.

a736760e-9d2f-4861-8b50-1d5b92bc4c72-0
00:58:57.800 --> 00:59:02.290
But I love how you came up with this
whole philosophical spin on this idea of,

a736760e-9d2f-4861-8b50-1d5b92bc4c72-1
00:59:02.290 --> 00:59:04.848
like,
being caught between 2 worlds and what

a736760e-9d2f-4861-8b50-1d5b92bc4c72-2
00:59:04.848 --> 00:59:06.439
that might mean to an alien.

9d81efa6-7de7-43a4-be4b-74c300cbfdb4-0
00:59:06.440 --> 00:59:10.943
And I think that's one of the things that
you can really do in flash fiction is

9d81efa6-7de7-43a4-be4b-74c300cbfdb4-1
00:59:10.943 --> 00:59:15.560
come up with an idea so crazy and absurd
and just go there and like, be unafraid.

b817b755-9fd7-4b53-98cc-9861c5349f28-0
00:59:15.560 --> 00:59:17.640
And you did it, and it paid off.

3a7dcae6-2c45-4fb8-8f66-1b3a715f8c99-0
00:59:17.640 --> 00:59:18.320
So well done.

b4b14fd9-a9a1-4403-bf73-296aab6f16ac-0
00:59:18.320 --> 00:59:18.720
Yeah.

21da895f-3103-4ea7-a409-c4dfd6dd796b-0
00:59:18.720 --> 00:59:20.400
I mean, when you do it confidently, Right.

df0e3210-3a2f-4abb-97df-7919910c2383-0
00:59:20.840 --> 00:59:25.159
And I think something that happens in
this absurdist humour and that needs to

df0e3210-3a2f-4abb-97df-7919910c2383-1
00:59:25.159 --> 00:59:29.311
happen and maybe is where some other
stories might have dropped the ball a

df0e3210-3a2f-4abb-97df-7919910c2383-2
00:59:29.311 --> 00:59:32.301
little bit,
is that you start with this really absurd

df0e3210-3a2f-4abb-97df-7919910c2383-3
00:59:32.301 --> 00:59:34.240
premise from a comedic perspective.

5a030f0a-8f6c-4e3b-b081-ed82315cc6b9-0
00:59:34.320 --> 00:59:39.040
Everything else in your story needs to be
really serious and really normal, right?

dadbacd1-4aa4-4eaf-9996-b73d80598700-0
00:59:39.040 --> 00:59:42.960
So we've got like someone in this room,
we can imagine it, we picture it.

e33de342-325d-425b-9375-c7e431b83273-0
00:59:42.960 --> 00:59:46.152
Everything that's going on in that room,
while dramatic,

e33de342-325d-425b-9375-c7e431b83273-1
00:59:46.152 --> 00:59:47.720
is realistic and believable.

a32c4b95-5574-4a5b-a46e-cf7aceb40e38-0
00:59:47.960 --> 00:59:51.169
Their reaction, they're like,
they've just accepted it and they just

a32c4b95-5574-4a5b-a46e-cf7aceb40e38-1
00:59:51.169 --> 00:59:51.960
have to run with.

13ddde6d-5967-4586-953d-aa6f95a0f2d5-0
00:59:52.800 --> 00:59:56.538
And in doing so,
that heightens the feeling and the comedy

13ddde6d-5967-4586-953d-aa6f95a0f2d5-1
00:59:56.538 --> 00:59:58.440
of that really absurd premise.

07eb6aa0-c299-49c3-ba03-ad76ff935e92-0
00:59:58.760 --> 01:00:03.050
So I think sometimes it's tempting to
kind of just throw everything at it and

07eb6aa0-c299-49c3-ba03-ad76ff935e92-1
01:00:03.050 --> 01:00:05.800
everything's absurd,
but then there's no balance.

38aab89f-6b0f-42c9-a6c6-161e156b739f-0
01:00:05.800 --> 01:00:08.960
There's nothing to kind of contrast the
absurdity with.

63d59143-52a9-4c8a-ba10-5c25ce3bdc4b-0
01:00:08.960 --> 01:00:11.683
And so it kind of ends up landing a bit
flat because as readers,

63d59143-52a9-4c8a-ba10-5c25ce3bdc4b-1
01:00:11.683 --> 01:00:14.533
we're just thinking, well,
that was just kind of mad and stupid and

63d59143-52a9-4c8a-ba10-5c25ce3bdc4b-2
01:00:14.533 --> 01:00:16.000
unrealistic or something like that.

4559652f-26ce-4d4c-898c-544a4ff8cd27-0
01:00:16.000 --> 01:00:18.784
Whereas this, you're like, I mean,
of course it's unreal,

4559652f-26ce-4d4c-898c-544a4ff8cd27-1
01:00:18.784 --> 01:00:19.840
but is it unrealistic?

5a44d1a7-36f1-4e8e-923c-c1294aa76a5e-0
01:00:19.840 --> 01:00:20.320
I don't know.

ede200d6-4e8d-45af-8603-d885eb8dfceb-0
01:00:20.320 --> 01:00:20.840
Who knows?

09825c77-4857-43fd-82e2-e28bb4a181d3-0
01:00:20.840 --> 01:00:21.960
Like you can sort of imagine.

786a81d1-73b7-4d3c-b718-54d6cd9ef400-0
01:00:22.040 --> 01:00:24.680
In a scenario, yeah,
where these things would happen.

12a293de-3cab-4c5a-bfac-a9a2650aaf38-0
01:00:24.680 --> 01:00:28.109
And So what you're saying is even if the
premise is ridiculous,

12a293de-3cab-4c5a-bfac-a9a2650aaf38-1
01:00:28.109 --> 01:00:30.200
like the way it plays out is realistic.

2a118636-571d-47b9-8013-ed701d5a6d18-0
01:00:30.200 --> 01:00:31.880
Yeah, it could happen that way.

1cb679f6-11a7-412c-a04f-3785e2539ab9-0
01:00:32.280 --> 01:00:34.449
But, you know,
we've got an absurd premise,

1cb679f6-11a7-412c-a04f-3785e2539ab9-1
01:00:34.449 --> 01:00:38.195
but we've also got some real heart here
and something that resonated really

1cb679f6-11a7-412c-a04f-3785e2539ab9-2
01:00:38.195 --> 01:00:41.251
strongly for me and,
and may do for many others because we're

1cb679f6-11a7-412c-a04f-3785e2539ab9-3
01:00:41.251 --> 01:00:44.899
all artists here is this idea of how we
can just take ourselves so, like,

1cb679f6-11a7-412c-a04f-3785e2539ab9-4
01:00:44.899 --> 01:00:46.280
way too seriously sometimes.

62cb14de-507e-4add-a3a8-dfe9191d5e90-0
01:00:46.280 --> 01:00:48.040
Like, yeah,
what are we sending out into space?

112ea0c5-7bdc-437c-ba88-107ae97f600c-0
01:00:48.040 --> 01:00:50.467
We're sending out our prime numbers and
what have you,

112ea0c5-7bdc-437c-ba88-107ae97f600c-1
01:00:50.467 --> 01:00:51.880
what is the essence of humanity?

92d5c32a-984f-48e7-9b36-b056d8eaf723-0
01:00:51.880 --> 01:00:52.960
Is it the prime numbers?

ba0b3e2d-1ce8-45bc-9be6-2c19ad56179c-0
01:00:53.000 --> 01:00:55.896
You know, is it,
is it what we've discovered or what

ba0b3e2d-1ce8-45bc-9be6-2c19ad56179c-1
01:00:55.896 --> 01:00:59.120
intellectually we have come to understand
about our world?

c5a90ae1-0c1d-4161-893d-885edf62b2e1-0
01:00:59.520 --> 01:01:03.510
Or is it the other stuff, the crazy stuff,
the dancing, the art, you know,

c5a90ae1-0c1d-4161-893d-885edf62b2e1-1
01:01:03.510 --> 01:01:04.840
that makes us who we are.

9e94d6c5-6f34-4469-8b0b-df78207cb3f7-0
01:01:05.200 --> 01:01:07.120
And I would suggest that it is that other
stuff.

54d7cb0f-9bfc-4025-bc7b-3a489d6a1f1e-0
01:01:07.120 --> 01:01:08.720
That's how we as humans connect.

3d411c86-2509-4d81-943b-2aaff88b54e2-0
01:01:09.280 --> 01:01:12.060
You know,
we connect over what makes us unique in

3d411c86-2509-4d81-943b-2aaff88b54e2-1
01:01:12.060 --> 01:01:15.120
our particular interests and how we
express ourselves.

eeb9d431-59b3-465f-8085-ed2f5bbb1aae-0
01:01:15.160 --> 01:01:16.920
And I think that that's what Calum did
here.

6397ff0c-0053-4079-926d-0693971b2668-0
01:01:16.920 --> 01:01:20.120
He expressed himself in this story,
and we got to receive that.

9930f008-6278-43fe-b9a7-5a0a5c6253c7-0
01:01:20.120 --> 01:01:21.280
And it wasn't logical.

ae8e975b-e2ce-47fd-8b79-ce0d842acefd-0
01:01:21.440 --> 01:01:22.280
It was wild.

3d72a116-4610-4328-87c1-efdac370c703-0
01:01:22.720 --> 01:01:24.480
And I enjoyed it on that basis.

ac168cba-deb7-4b8e-bea0-ebe4da4ef27a-0
01:01:24.480 --> 01:01:26.499
And I agree,
I think that's kind of what we should be

ac168cba-deb7-4b8e-bea0-ebe4da4ef27a-1
01:01:26.499 --> 01:01:27.360
sending out into space.

44043e02-f306-42ee-9c7a-39df4731c6e2-0
01:01:27.520 --> 01:01:31.012
So I wonder what Chad thinks about that,
having some of his own work up there on

44043e02-f306-42ee-9c7a-39df4731c6e2-1
01:01:31.012 --> 01:01:31.400
the moon.

885b125f-c281-4382-823b-b072dbc030c9-0
01:01:31.800 --> 01:01:32.880
Yeah, absolutely.

26fd5a7f-a266-4ac5-8f2a-6d085da9d952-0
01:01:33.120 --> 01:01:33.480
All right.

3d372f15-d4b9-49ed-9acd-5f3a82616551-0
01:01:33.480 --> 01:01:37.882
And so for anyone who's following along
on the points at this stage,

3d372f15-d4b9-49ed-9acd-5f3a82616551-1
01:01:37.882 --> 01:01:41.520
trying to work out which team is in front,
I am you are.

4ba6ba16-1dd3-4135-9b0f-048ffbb8c56a-0
01:01:41.760 --> 01:01:43.000
Yes, your team is in front.

c98fd4f2-0727-489c-a8e7-c996eae58ba3-0
01:01:43.000 --> 01:01:46.280
We've we've just had two shortlist
entries from Team Amanda and two from

c98fd4f2-0727-489c-a8e7-c996eae58ba3-1
01:01:46.280 --> 01:01:46.640
Team Ed.

566e81fc-f378-4058-804d-e94f6ec74884-0
01:01:46.640 --> 01:01:50.275
So shortlist is neck and neck,
but you were already 2 points ahead

566e81fc-f378-4058-804d-e94f6ec74884-1
01:01:50.275 --> 01:01:52.120
before we came into the shortlist.

c6a8fb04-5515-4b55-9202-67d578dd1959-0
01:01:52.120 --> 01:01:54.160
So it all comes down to these last two.

beb0705d-e838-471b-9715-2ea95aa25302-0
01:01:54.760 --> 01:01:58.013
Now, as we know,
it's two points for a shortlisting and

beb0705d-e838-471b-9715-2ea95aa25302-1
01:01:58.013 --> 01:01:59.640
three points for the winner.

997bb87e-a25c-4dd7-9b3e-8fe9085ffaa0-0
01:01:59.640 --> 01:02:03.677
So essentially because the authors who we
will be reading now in 1st and 2nd place

997bb87e-a25c-4dd7-9b3e-8fe9085ffaa0-1
01:02:03.677 --> 01:02:07.812
have already got their one longlist point,
we've actually just got three more points

997bb87e-a25c-4dd7-9b3e-8fe9085ffaa0-2
01:02:07.812 --> 01:02:08.639
left to dish out.

e139d6bc-88f7-4c56-8d32-7361450c7f07-0
01:02:08.640 --> 01:02:13.200
So an extra 1 for second place and an
extra 2 points for first place.

7b8af886-4052-448a-945d-2a917d9e170a-0
01:02:13.200 --> 01:02:18.360
So basically it all comes down to this
moment and these final three points.

32500ff1-ae37-400d-85b0-fea5911def40-0
01:02:18.440 --> 01:02:20.362
I'm ahead,
but you could still win it depending on

32500ff1-ae37-400d-85b0-fea5911def40-1
01:02:20.362 --> 01:02:21.720
how these last two stories play out.

e4492329-08c8-4bee-a075-ba0d83a3ebf6-0
01:02:21.720 --> 01:02:22.000
That's right.

e3e6f283-1823-4b8a-af05-8a5ab8087aa3-0
01:02:22.280 --> 01:02:24.506
Well,
we're about to find out because we're

e3e6f283-1823-4b8a-af05-8a5ab8087aa3-1
01:02:24.506 --> 01:02:26.480
about to reveal the second place story.

069c784a-9908-4321-8887-22cd7de379ef-0
01:02:26.920 --> 01:02:33.920
So now in second place and winning a
juicy 1000 Australian dollars.

549f242e-1dba-4175-abd4-b2f83865dfe6-0
01:02:34.200 --> 01:02:34.320
Wow.

08f174f5-701f-4760-9d90-1a82afe6d5ec-0
01:02:34.600 --> 01:02:37.640
You know I'm jealous of you because I
really love this story.

9df60dc0-0635-4195-90e9-e19dd8b38a80-0
01:02:37.640 --> 01:02:40.063
And in fact,
this was the story that I mentioned in

9df60dc0-0635-4195-90e9-e19dd8b38a80-1
01:02:40.063 --> 01:02:43.280
the long list episode that was chock full
of favourite lines for me.

21bbdf63-6e97-4800-9f13-3cd8866be8d6-0
01:02:43.680 --> 01:02:46.128
So I'm a little bit jealous that you're
going to read it,

21bbdf63-6e97-4800-9f13-3cd8866be8d6-1
01:02:46.128 --> 01:02:48.240
but I will sit here and enjoy listening
for sure.

1a367a5d-dc18-4366-ab48-eee3520315aa-0
01:02:48.600 --> 01:02:54.000
And in second place,
representing team Amanda is.

36957a42-d7ec-4d5f-b6d1-e2c2f1aac1e5-0
01:02:59.320 --> 01:03:12.007
The Bogan by Liv Stenhouse It was a yokel
kinda local where he orders rum and cokel

36957a42-d7ec-4d5f-b6d1-e2c2f1aac1e5-1
01:03:12.007 --> 01:03:18.200
receive a swift and very vocal La Dee da.

9c4c83a3-129e-4025-8117-c8e925adc6d1-0
01:03:20.480 --> 01:03:22.480
Where's the albino known as Dino?

6e939a6a-d72d-4e92-9afc-184d34416f21-0
01:03:23.040 --> 01:03:29.680
I asked the barman who said Kino while
pointing out a dim casino past the bar.

9e6f4232-1010-47f1-bbff-8b25f0679e6f-0
01:03:31.920 --> 01:03:36.960
And from that blotto punter's grotto
there came the blaring of the Lotto.

843264be-4390-42d1-be65-5027a753d0b8-0
01:03:37.560 --> 01:03:39.880
And in a vocce, not so sotto.

a9220557-f5ad-4fa4-92c8-8a69237b15ba-0
01:03:40.960 --> 01:03:41.760
Yeah, Nah.

1d964fdf-4623-448f-bb27-1db8c7fdccab-0
01:03:43.840 --> 01:03:48.642
Among square metres of wife beaters in
worn blue singlets,

1d964fdf-4623-448f-bb27-1db8c7fdccab-1
01:03:48.642 --> 01:03:53.200
all three sheeters was one who'd best
them by 5 litres.

623759fe-bb85-4c4f-8409-65a2c539df0f-0
01:03:53.480 --> 01:03:57.577
At the bar,
some furtive hustle and a bustle beset

623759fe-bb85-4c4f-8409-65a2c539df0f-1
01:03:57.577 --> 01:04:02.720
his stocky arm of muscle,
the type with which I'd never tussle.

44ca3399-b6a0-46e4-a5b0-bfaa997cb209-0
01:04:03.640 --> 01:04:04.320
Inshallah.

8c9eeb0e-e866-44b5-a9e6-8edb2de9a6aa-0
01:04:06.720 --> 01:04:11.314
His hand went hit her,
then went thither as though he'd plucked

8c9eeb0e-e866-44b5-a9e6-8edb2de9a6aa-1
01:04:11.314 --> 01:04:15.120
some redneck zither,
exclaiming loudly as he dither.

f8f492c6-6b52-41f4-a146-16dbc3e9cc90-0
01:04:15.720 --> 01:04:16.560
Yeah, Nah.

ed204d6d-1a8b-469e-8891-85a4581c2ff2-0
01:04:18.760 --> 01:04:25.302
Thus he'd selected and corrected his
numbers while my pluck collected,

ed204d6d-1a8b-469e-8891-85a4581c2ff2-1
01:04:25.302 --> 01:04:32.212
and soon I softly interjected with an So
I'm the quarter of your daughter,

ed204d6d-1a8b-469e-8891-85a4581c2ff2-2
01:04:32.212 --> 01:04:39.400
and I have a question that I thought a
man like me really ought to ask Kapaa.

e4b58270-c633-4e87-b353-0ab3b54544fd-0
01:04:41.200 --> 01:04:43.520
His hands abandoned their meander.

44133999-de4a-4718-b3e7-dc23b058766e-0
01:04:43.880 --> 01:04:46.400
His blue eyes gave an icy gander.

abea303b-468e-4a1c-bed9-e6128dcb666d-0
01:04:46.840 --> 01:04:49.120
Then came the unexpected candour.

de5db072-0b49-4baf-a24e-fe277ef1893b-0
01:04:50.480 --> 01:04:59.323
Yena that he was proving disapproving in
such a manner unbehaving had me aghast

de5db072-0b49-4baf-a24e-fe277ef1893b-1
01:04:59.323 --> 01:05:02.640
and barely moving, mouth ajar.

89b083d8-7d7c-495a-9f2b-9bca8e2f4f09-0
01:05:04.600 --> 01:05:05.760
The born persistor.

98624de5-08ee-4a3e-b476-b777c5908c5f-0
01:05:05.760 --> 01:05:09.880
I said, Mr,
you've blessed the bow of every sister.

397f5203-b43b-4843-93fd-d2f8263207ab-0
01:05:10.560 --> 01:05:14.640
Why tell me 9 I must insist upon a yar.

d8961fc5-b3a0-451a-a2af-70f3703cf2eb-0
01:05:16.200 --> 01:05:21.899
My failed impressing had me stressing as
he returned to number guessing with

d8961fc5-b3a0-451a-a2af-70f3703cf2eb-1
01:05:21.899 --> 01:05:24.120
nothing but a soul depressing.

77cd7726-2902-4047-92c6-d4bedc55af88-0
01:05:25.360 --> 01:05:29.972
Yeah Nah,
I know you've stricture in your picture

77cd7726-2902-4047-92c6-d4bedc55af88-1
01:05:29.972 --> 01:05:31.080
of maleness.

cf7e3d70-2c4a-46cc-bad3-315845c0782b-0
01:05:31.320 --> 01:05:32.800
I then croaked through richer.

73283bd6-6b49-447d-b4dd-2d7ad8ccbc46-0
01:05:33.200 --> 01:05:40.834
But your own daughters don't depicture as
a * as each new Missy and the ***** would

73283bd6-6b49-447d-b4dd-2d7ad8ccbc46-1
01:05:40.834 --> 01:05:45.560
drink until he'd Chuck a hissy is why
they see you.

cbc70f81-fc3b-4ab1-a326-d23563d9b7a2-0
01:05:45.560 --> 01:05:52.323
Just a Chrissy Nikva,
no more submissive and permissive of my

cbc70f81-fc3b-4ab1-a326-d23563d9b7a2-1
01:05:52.323 --> 01:05:55.160
belaboured verbal missive.

ed9c5111-d363-4fb8-a515-95ca4989bc4b-0
01:05:56.080 --> 01:05:58.680
He stood and spat me his dismissive.

9353cc02-f722-41e5-8e32-5a5cd3c2d1f3-0
01:05:59.440 --> 01:06:03.200
Yeah, Nah, I coaxed.

3fcc7f7d-21b9-45e0-a30f-9a68bbef5edd-0
01:06:03.360 --> 01:06:10.520
I'm puny and a ***** to study languages
at uni, but your idea of class is gooney.

f9ea3de9-e549-4ca3-9e23-a1a53ca68988-0
01:06:10.520 --> 01:06:11.240
Coolabah.

4b436ba5-fe14-4255-9656-46fb40086c44-0
01:06:14.080 --> 01:06:17.720
Then lentai ducking,
arms a tucking and leg all set for

4b436ba5-fe14-4255-9656-46fb40086c44-1
01:06:17.720 --> 01:06:18.760
frontal bucking.

61ff9624-4571-4ac4-847c-b3194fc21b2b-0
01:06:19.320 --> 01:06:22.440
I pose like ray gun for this *******
Benoit.

817ceb42-8a9a-46d1-b46e-5936a8151ab7-0
01:06:25.400 --> 01:06:27.160
Why don't you suckle on some knuckle?

86145c11-d1a3-4e74-9463-1233434eef56-0
01:06:27.640 --> 01:06:29.480
I'll get some hits in before I buckle.

9b86e8a1-ab7f-476e-b2a3-4b9c800a23e4-0
01:06:29.880 --> 01:06:30.680
I broke out.

b6861ecc-8730-4baa-bf0c-cecc2f49e4e5-0
01:06:32.160 --> 01:06:33.240
Then he gave a chuckle.

787d3e2f-c750-4ec1-8b6b-dc90749f483e-0
01:06:34.760 --> 01:06:38.899
Yeah, Nah,
my heart a thumping and a bumping with

787d3e2f-c750-4ec1-8b6b-dc90749f483e-1
01:06:38.899 --> 01:06:41.880
mongrel blood in our set of pumping.

3e078a6a-2854-4b18-872f-560b3cb5f6d8-0
01:06:42.160 --> 01:06:50.720
I said I'll take a backstreet jumping you
Galah and bring you Hurley ******* burly.

da5d073b-508a-4456-90f3-3d11c3839c6a-0
01:06:51.040 --> 01:06:56.960
I hope it's not too bloody early,
I said to give a runty girly man a spa.

80ddf6c4-9e97-4720-8b27-4f9161d0576b-0
01:06:56.960 --> 01:07:02.640
But instead of closing, he was frozen.

85e6aa32-73c7-4ef2-a468-11ccd2c150a7-0
01:07:03.400 --> 01:07:07.000
His eyes were wetted and unclosing as
gently.

1fd7fb6a-b2de-4166-bd13-2fa177c0a286-0
01:07:07.000 --> 01:07:08.800
Said he unimposing.

3a4d4ad7-95ab-4bff-8571-062e6c7abe94-0
01:07:10.160 --> 01:07:10.720
Yeah, Nah.

fae51760-a658-4f31-8366-f4ac15323e5d-0
01:07:12.280 --> 01:07:17.160
What seemed once really rather steely was
now more surely touchy feely.

c7e89efc-c10f-4c7b-8e29-318b0cb2c537-0
01:07:17.840 --> 01:07:21.640
I twigged he loved his daughter dearly
and would care.

7da4d2f6-4129-4007-9b88-0ce85862f7f2-0
01:07:23.120 --> 01:07:28.584
You act all nettle and gun metal because
you don't want your girls to settle the

7da4d2f6-4129-4007-9b88-0ce85862f7f2-1
01:07:28.584 --> 01:07:31.080
spineless blokes who've got no metal.

60f9c861-4933-41dc-9b85-49c6037716d8-0
01:07:31.840 --> 01:07:39.680
So, Claire, So I erated now,
elated about the OK I've awaited.

6b6804ce-e489-4698-8e10-455047addad3-0
01:07:40.760 --> 01:07:52.440
And with a hug, he simply stated, Nah,
yeah.

2767bf92-bbd0-4684-8ba9-cf3ef1875867-0
01:08:06.520 --> 01:08:08.840
Once again, a slow clap for you, Liv.

34f6df81-c351-48dc-a2f4-d730c44e50d3-0
01:08:08.840 --> 01:08:12.000
That was ******* amazing.

58a23a15-d95e-49ac-81d1-b867217a4826-0
01:08:12.400 --> 01:08:13.880
Yeah, this one was an early stand out.

7172dac4-3eb3-4589-95a3-0acb8581b533-0
01:08:13.880 --> 01:08:15.480
Obviously the word play is great.

6fc8afe2-b3b6-498f-8ac8-6a332e35c7f9-0
01:08:15.680 --> 01:08:16.840
It's so ******* great.

bfe23b5e-38b3-4c3f-8bbc-5e59a3304862-0
01:08:16.840 --> 01:08:20.360
It's not just great,
it's like absolutely amazing.

56acb2ef-99b5-486a-b0ad-85e7c9395dc8-0
01:08:20.960 --> 01:08:25.053
I'm not sure all the foreigners,
all those from elsewhere will get or even

56acb2ef-99b5-486a-b0ad-85e7c9395dc8-1
01:08:25.053 --> 01:08:26.800
understand all these references.

011e6e8d-77c3-46e8-9a2f-803d20e66b1f-0
01:08:26.800 --> 01:08:31.040
It's all easily Googleable,
but it's just so clever.

d850907e-492d-4673-837a-e389d4e0a6ef-0
01:08:31.080 --> 01:08:34.469
Yeah,
and obviously the rhyme scheme and and

d850907e-492d-4673-837a-e389d4e0a6ef-1
01:08:34.469 --> 01:08:38.160
the the yen reminiscent of a certain
Raven home.

4e1a69f5-9112-4963-8089-02346776199c-0
01:08:38.160 --> 01:08:38.960
Very PO.

cec27217-f47a-42b2-9fa3-b54228808440-0
01:08:39.280 --> 01:08:40.440
It's extremely PO.

9ef57305-43be-4d42-a691-d81fe02e8704-0
01:08:40.440 --> 01:08:43.480
So instead of the Raven, hmm,
quote the bogan.

bfed0612-2b3d-4b35-803b-1facbc95129a-0
01:08:43.920 --> 01:08:44.560
Nah, yeah.

0f522303-d2b4-4973-a22a-90be4a4c0fa8-0
01:08:44.720 --> 01:08:46.440
Oh yeah, absolutely.

fbeaee0c-f17d-43a2-be3c-14cbee28f8ae-0
01:08:46.440 --> 01:08:47.760
Don't think we didn't notice that.

d4b97e24-86da-4657-abed-d60afb25103d-0
01:08:47.800 --> 01:08:48.400
Amazing.

839fd8be-4f1e-43c9-919a-c2eba43b7cd4-0
01:08:48.640 --> 01:08:52.920
You managed to get ray gun in there,
like without it feeling weird.

3eeca5e2-abc3-485d-8211-2f44b7f9588e-0
01:08:53.280 --> 01:08:57.196
This whole thing of like he's doing the
other languages at uni,

3eeca5e2-abc3-485d-8211-2f44b7f9588e-1
01:08:57.196 --> 01:08:59.400
which is very convenient for a poem.

29707e33-a410-411a-8d9e-15a07197b25f-0
01:08:59.440 --> 01:09:03.063
I love that you're able to just bring in
other languages to fill those blanks for

29707e33-a410-411a-8d9e-15a07197b25f-1
01:09:03.063 --> 01:09:03.240
you.

fac2bda6-93ab-42f5-9fab-dad95ce6008e-0
01:09:03.240 --> 01:09:05.000
But but you paid that off.

a779a674-9ee3-4613-87ac-e175a7bf2cd8-0
01:09:05.000 --> 01:09:08.643
Like he's doing multiple different
languages and it fits into his characters,

a779a674-9ee3-4613-87ac-e175a7bf2cd8-1
01:09:08.643 --> 01:09:11.118
obviously,
like not the tough guy and he's trying to

a779a674-9ee3-4613-87ac-e175a7bf2cd8-2
01:09:11.118 --> 01:09:12.520
live up to these expectations.

d2304323-0021-4774-8234-1071ad8eae7c-0
01:09:12.560 --> 01:09:13.400
Absolutely.

19a05374-651e-459c-b042-c65a6006a2f2-0
01:09:13.400 --> 01:09:17.233
And I sort of wondered at whether as well,
there was a bit of a like a cultural

19a05374-651e-459c-b042-c65a6006a2f2-1
01:09:17.233 --> 01:09:18.000
difference here.

f147b0b0-9c25-4afe-b0d3-3e16d091e326-0
01:09:18.000 --> 01:09:21.824
We've got Inshallah mentioned at the
start of the poem and whether that was

f147b0b0-9c25-4afe-b0d3-3e16d091e326-1
01:09:21.824 --> 01:09:25.800
something that came between his father
and the potential bow for his daughter.

332b94a5-513b-4206-bb29-d2698b5cdd90-0
01:09:26.360 --> 01:09:30.059
But probably a lot of people do know this
now because it's out in memes or whatever

332b94a5-513b-4206-bb29-d2698b5cdd90-1
01:09:30.059 --> 01:09:30.280
that.

0ec2f79a-9fab-43e6-ad46-02898a5faaba-0
01:09:30.640 --> 01:09:30.960
Yeah.

9a726f07-5420-4782-81b4-d50192405bf3-0
01:09:30.960 --> 01:09:33.640
Nah means no.

b56b6d18-3274-48d4-a8f5-8a269a3d47f2-0
01:09:33.640 --> 01:09:34.360
We should clarify.

7f20b442-fcb5-4e6e-a22c-26f882f8aaf1-0
01:09:34.360 --> 01:09:36.800
We should clarify in, in, in Australian.

ee38eec0-2f14-468b-91df-15a721cca858-0
01:09:37.000 --> 01:09:37.600
Yeah.

b0ffca6e-b460-4770-9c60-63582b35e1de-0
01:09:37.600 --> 01:09:41.160
Nah means no, and Nah, yeah means yes.

8b62b1d7-79a5-4423-9fcb-12fefc4663c0-0
01:09:41.160 --> 01:09:42.720
And that is very clear to all of us.

c4a611e1-d2c2-40d5-ba98-20f15682ae98-0
01:09:43.800 --> 01:09:46.682
So he's basically saying yeah, Nah, IE no,
no, no,

c4a611e1-d2c2-40d5-ba98-20f15682ae98-1
01:09:46.682 --> 01:09:51.203
throughout this poem until right at the
end he flips it and he's finally saying

c4a611e1-d2c2-40d5-ba98-20f15682ae98-2
01:09:51.203 --> 01:09:52.560
yes, which is so clever.

b26dabb9-189a-4d8d-8fe3-56549402642d-0
01:09:52.560 --> 01:09:53.520
Just on its own.

778122d9-ce41-4b8d-a9c5-1c16f23e881c-0
01:09:53.520 --> 01:09:57.369
That one little moment,
I think on its own is very,

778122d9-ce41-4b8d-a9c5-1c16f23e881c-1
01:09:57.369 --> 01:09:58.480
very hilarious.

0b23117c-eace-4df7-84ec-a6dffccf5976-0
01:09:58.720 --> 01:10:02.431
But all these other things like lines
like in worn blue singlets,

0b23117c-eace-4df7-84ec-a6dffccf5976-1
01:10:02.431 --> 01:10:05.917
all three sheeters,
so 3 sheets to the wind and the other one

0b23117c-eace-4df7-84ec-a6dffccf5976-2
01:10:05.917 --> 01:10:08.560
I loved your idea of class is Goonie
Coolabah.

020b42d8-a0f6-4f7d-9cfb-e0f5f9d9f103-0
01:10:08.640 --> 01:10:08.840
Yeah.

3294c346-b91c-4c34-b555-2b5c7c146074-0
01:10:08.840 --> 01:10:14.301
So goon bag basically of wine,
like a big box of wine, a box of wine,

3294c346-b91c-4c34-b555-2b5c7c146074-1
01:10:14.301 --> 01:10:15.160
boxed wine.

fb9dfd46-b05a-45ab-a5d3-024711445b75-0
01:10:15.560 --> 01:10:17.080
And even just those first lines.

8614d659-192b-4535-8684-91ef9b6d0546-0
01:10:17.080 --> 01:10:19.800
It was a yokel kind of local where he who
orders rum and coke.

737c0318-a474-474f-9b63-509eb51f802b-0
01:10:19.800 --> 01:10:22.360
I think it's really great scene setting
in those early lines.

15d3d977-22e3-4436-8c6f-b8c1c21e5ad7-0
01:10:22.360 --> 01:10:26.252
We can picture exactly the kind of pub
that they're at and you know,

15d3d977-22e3-4436-8c6f-b8c1c21e5ad7-1
01:10:26.252 --> 01:10:28.960
the keno area of the pub,
it's all very visual.

84a9ce60-ad9e-453d-8144-e6499cef321b-0
01:10:29.080 --> 01:10:29.240
Yeah.

81e5f961-0953-41d7-8f36-21d5592cdbc8-0
01:10:29.240 --> 01:10:32.430
So that's the gambling area,
which is a huge thing in Australia,

81e5f961-0953-41d7-8f36-21d5592cdbc8-1
01:10:32.430 --> 01:10:34.738
where the world's biggest losers,
as they say,

81e5f961-0953-41d7-8f36-21d5592cdbc8-2
01:10:34.738 --> 01:10:36.800
gambling is a big issue here in Australia.

a171a4ca-b891-4a58-9e35-fc1542ac324b-0
01:10:36.800 --> 01:10:42.080
So all of it's just playing so well into
like an Australian version of the Raven.

70862e6f-73c3-46f7-8d9b-2f226eab6356-0
01:10:42.080 --> 01:10:45.778
And the more you read it,
the more impressed you become with how

70862e6f-73c3-46f7-8d9b-2f226eab6356-1
01:10:45.778 --> 01:10:49.874
Leave was able to just keep that tempo
and keep because it's very easy,

70862e6f-73c3-46f7-8d9b-2f226eab6356-2
01:10:49.874 --> 01:10:53.345
especially with such a short time frame
to write your story,

70862e6f-73c3-46f7-8d9b-2f226eab6356-3
01:10:53.345 --> 01:10:55.280
that poems often do miss the mark.

6194295d-b834-4a69-9b47-4eb0118bfd0a-0
01:10:55.280 --> 01:10:57.910
And we have this,
we have poems that come in and they're

6194295d-b834-4a69-9b47-4eb0118bfd0a-1
01:10:57.910 --> 01:10:58.880
just not quite right.

ded294a5-658b-449f-84e6-89a27156169e-0
01:10:58.880 --> 01:11:02.435
The syllables are just a little bit off
and it ruins the experience of reading

ded294a5-658b-449f-84e6-89a27156169e-1
01:11:02.435 --> 01:11:02.840
the poem.

5a09a91d-e311-470c-9c5a-4c4d58bf206b-0
01:11:02.840 --> 01:11:05.600
But in this case, it was all hits,
no misses.

d61372b3-3309-4df1-a387-8d24316341c3-0
01:11:05.800 --> 01:11:07.876
And I,
I really am very impressed by that

d61372b3-3309-4df1-a387-8d24316341c3-1
01:11:07.876 --> 01:11:11.040
because I know that the amount of
fiddling it would have taken.

4cd34b26-8550-4574-b9d5-d0e8bf8a50b2-0
01:11:11.080 --> 01:11:11.440
Absolutely.

c16ec2b5-e164-41eb-b1a3-b57ebb9f8b7f-0
01:11:11.440 --> 01:11:15.000
And also a poem that tells the story,
a complete story from start to finish.

6f553660-a1dd-4130-8d3d-df885d0de9c3-0
01:11:15.000 --> 01:11:19.480
We have a scene goal and a problem being
overcome and a satisfying conclusion.

99e4e5b9-700d-4b75-8f93-c9bae21b6002-0
01:11:19.480 --> 01:11:20.560
So all of that's in there.

ab474194-948b-432e-bf9e-0e53afa617a8-0
01:11:20.680 --> 01:11:22.440
So I guess this one, it is quite sweet.

1aa64833-72b0-438b-ab11-4ddd9a2a284e-0
01:11:22.440 --> 01:11:26.160
It's not super deep emotionally,
but it's extremely entertaining.

e537bd38-21c1-4312-ab94-ec21116e565d-0
01:11:26.160 --> 01:11:28.000
And I think that's what made it land.

e3c85d6b-aeba-45a1-ac7c-c24abc26ba99-0
01:11:28.120 --> 01:11:31.811
And one thing I mentioned on social media,
which is very interesting in this

e3c85d6b-aeba-45a1-ac7c-c24abc26ba99-1
01:11:31.811 --> 01:11:34.256
shortlist,
particularly in a shortlist where we're

e3c85d6b-aeba-45a1-ac7c-c24abc26ba99-2
01:11:34.256 --> 01:11:37.372
talking about dancing,
where you often have a dancing partner or

e3c85d6b-aeba-45a1-ac7c-c24abc26ba99-3
01:11:37.372 --> 01:11:40.680
perhaps a counterpart if you're having a
dance battle in the street.

96163dd3-8b8a-4a8f-a5b2-5dd139d4492c-0
01:11:40.920 --> 01:11:43.800
So it's often this interplay between two
people.

6c94e6b9-e41b-4901-bef2-6d6b9c7b5dc6-0
01:11:44.240 --> 01:11:46.880
And the shortlist had pairs, right?

e3366886-4742-4c04-ae75-08045839638b-0
01:11:46.880 --> 01:11:48.320
A couple of pairs in it.

ebee891d-d006-4c4a-9749-abc6a443a37c-0
01:11:48.320 --> 01:11:50.400
So we had two stories about space.

9ab3a171-d1f9-4c0d-b79d-a6e08cc63b38-0
01:11:50.400 --> 01:11:52.648
We had one from Team Ed,
which was the point,

9ab3a171-d1f9-4c0d-b79d-a6e08cc63b38-1
01:11:52.648 --> 01:11:55.680
and we had one from Team Amanda,
which was the pale blue Dot.

c9df88ef-b05f-4e66-80b7-f66e78d3fa52-0
01:11:56.000 --> 01:11:58.456
And now as we come to our first place
story,

c9df88ef-b05f-4e66-80b7-f66e78d3fa52-1
01:11:58.456 --> 01:12:02.715
this particular story is going to make a
couple of extra pairs with the other

c9df88ef-b05f-4e66-80b7-f66e78d3fa52-2
01:12:02.715 --> 01:12:04.080
stories in the shortlist.

a1219086-0bb7-4dc7-b260-5f19d928aac5-0
01:12:04.480 --> 01:12:07.440
So I don't know if that means anything to
anyone out there.

8d50f4f1-ba2a-4ff4-93c9-ea46980386d9-0
01:12:07.720 --> 01:12:10.680
If you're guessing,
second guessing yourself, perhaps.

993be19b-e7f2-416f-81aa-429bb4548cab-0
01:12:10.960 --> 01:12:14.604
But we are very,
very excited to announce the winner of

993be19b-e7f2-416f-81aa-429bb4548cab-1
01:12:14.604 --> 01:12:15.320
this round.

4f5f0f85-9493-40e2-8e99-e0e095f93867-0
01:12:15.400 --> 01:12:19.878
The very talented winner will win a juicy
thick wad of cash,

4f5f0f85-9493-40e2-8e99-e0e095f93867-1
01:12:19.878 --> 01:12:21.640
1500 Australian dollars.

cd89110b-5051-41e6-877a-cd77fa83f802-0
01:12:21.640 --> 01:12:23.720
Can you not with the juicy thick wad?

d9458dda-afd5-43fe-bc44-0bd6150f68bf-0
01:12:27.680 --> 01:12:29.440
I forgot where we were for a second
listen.

2718c02e-fae0-42f9-85ae-8252bd0cddfc-0
01:12:29.560 --> 01:12:30.560
Yeah, Nah to that.

de4b8fcf-686f-4277-ad55-de364e1f8121-0
01:12:33.880 --> 01:12:38.680
And the winner will of course receive
1500 Australian buckaroos.

be015d43-370d-4beb-adc5-e05119c81a51-0
01:12:39.560 --> 01:12:41.320
They can put that straight through Keno.

99eee3b1-76b8-4e31-8365-b9bb0703eb91-0
01:12:41.720 --> 01:12:44.560
They could,
you could double your money so quick.

089c955d-2559-4244-9e37-07f94dd5f9c5-0
01:12:46.680 --> 01:12:47.960
And also the pointy trophy.

204f26fc-e0bd-4795-9b60-c7f933ba2b89-0
01:12:47.960 --> 01:12:50.080
The pointy trophy on the planet.

0ee9dbea-7b22-41ff-a56e-0f5bce562605-0
01:12:50.080 --> 01:12:51.520
It will be coming your way.

870557c0-ee86-4dc9-92db-0c5b346c7c65-0
01:12:51.640 --> 01:12:53.240
And the accolades, Yeah.

bedf5ca5-126d-472b-a36f-dcbf56fe4c2f-0
01:12:53.240 --> 01:12:54.880
Most importantly, like you won.

8052c3cb-0a38-4290-827c-995cb72488cc-0
01:12:55.040 --> 01:12:56.680
You won the whole bloody thing.

109494a8-4228-4d8f-a76b-1aab075a3b09-0
01:12:56.760 --> 01:13:00.400
And the validation that comes with that,
I feel, is not to be sniffed at.

3dd438db-82da-43e8-840d-767712902090-0
01:13:00.400 --> 01:13:01.160
That is huge.

f0e135bf-6757-48f6-b359-a708769659b7-0
01:13:01.160 --> 01:13:04.120
The validation for someone like me,
that's sort of what I'm seeking.

87e5a0cd-e1f8-49ba-a30a-84fadb2760a8-0
01:13:04.120 --> 01:13:05.520
Yeah, well, you can't win, so too bad.

dd80895e-9d4f-48e7-92f2-86683564c3ec-0
01:13:05.520 --> 01:13:05.800
I know.

1615ec84-ba3f-43f4-b83f-27cbf3bdb6b5-0
01:13:05.880 --> 01:13:15.529
I'll just live vicariously so,
at the very tippy top of the podium in

1615ec84-ba3f-43f4-b83f-27cbf3bdb6b5-1
01:13:15.529 --> 01:13:25.317
first place for the April 2026 Not Quite
Right Prize for Flash Fiction

1615ec84-ba3f-43f4-b83f-27cbf3bdb6b5-2
01:13:25.317 --> 01:13:30.280
representing Team Amanda is Waiting.

bd58612e-f608-40f6-9d81-c90e6c14fe33-0
01:13:30.800 --> 01:13:44.040
By Athena Law, I'm waiting to feel happy.

fe3cf97f-80b4-4863-9400-54cafbe68c66-0
01:13:45.120 --> 01:13:49.796
You tell me,
swinging your chair violently in our

fe3cf97f-80b4-4863-9400-54cafbe68c66-1
01:13:49.796 --> 01:13:51.760
small shared cubicle.

1b5619af-2c4d-4ed2-ac55-85a67d002350-0
01:13:53.000 --> 01:13:56.480
Corporate prison, according to you.

db3c0d4a-4020-422f-8137-bdfef745e918-0
01:13:58.480 --> 01:14:04.456
Taking up all the space,
I press forward into my desk,

db3c0d4a-4020-422f-8137-bdfef745e918-1
01:14:04.456 --> 01:14:13.040
hard plastic meeting flesh softened by
office life, and keep typing my report.

9b5d86f1-7066-4e1a-873e-412fb11664d9-0
01:14:15.160 --> 01:14:21.720
I can't breathe here, you say,
and I know you'll be looking out the

9b5d86f1-7066-4e1a-873e-412fb11664d9-1
01:14:21.720 --> 01:14:26.930
window again,
staring at life in the streets below or

9b5d86f1-7066-4e1a-873e-412fb11664d9-2
01:14:26.930 --> 01:14:32.429
up into the sky,
watching for the planes that are headed

9b5d86f1-7066-4e1a-873e-412fb11664d9-3
01:14:32.429 --> 01:14:40.533
to the places you talk about, dream about,
have posters of them packed up in a Halo

9b5d86f1-7066-4e1a-873e-412fb11664d9-4
01:14:40.533 --> 01:14:42.560
around your computer.

ccebc9bb-a7d0-4484-8fa8-9297992cf781-0
01:14:44.520 --> 01:14:52.920
Once you're living elsewhere, you tell me,
I'll forget you were ever really here at

ccebc9bb-a7d0-4484-8fa8-9297992cf781-1
01:14:52.920 --> 01:14:53.320
all.

db53304a-410a-479e-a7ad-f10541056c35-0
01:14:55.720 --> 01:15:01.655
You aren't really here now,
not when your days are spent wishing for

db53304a-410a-479e-a7ad-f10541056c35-1
01:15:01.655 --> 01:15:05.869
otherness,
not when every hour you say that true

db53304a-410a-479e-a7ad-f10541056c35-2
01:15:05.869 --> 01:15:12.578
untethering from corporate prison would
be cutting your headphone cord with a

db53304a-410a-479e-a7ad-f10541056c35-3
01:15:12.578 --> 01:15:18.599
knife then hitting send on the email
waiting in your draughts folder.

b9b99b16-086d-4dd6-bfa8-9dcadc49d159-0
01:15:20.520 --> 01:15:24.742
You let me read it once,
but made me sit on my hands in case I

b9b99b16-086d-4dd6-bfa8-9dcadc49d159-1
01:15:24.742 --> 01:15:27.960
pressed send even though I promised I
wouldn't.

08bf170f-01f1-48b2-ad02-c04029563b1f-0
01:15:29.200 --> 01:15:35.707
It was the grenade throw resignation that
others joked about writing but never,

08bf170f-01f1-48b2-ad02-c04029563b1f-1
01:15:35.707 --> 01:15:40.099
ever would,
even though the Khalil Gibran quote about

08bf170f-01f1-48b2-ad02-c04029563b1f-2
01:15:40.099 --> 01:15:41.320
money was nice.

1090510b-3253-40b2-8e60-1bafa0c34cb8-0
01:15:42.120 --> 01:15:47.733
You've been saving up for years to get
out, but between orphans,

1090510b-3253-40b2-8e60-1bafa0c34cb8-1
01:15:47.733 --> 01:15:53.001
rhinos and water pumps,
you can't decide where you should go

1090510b-3253-40b2-8e60-1bafa0c34cb8-2
01:15:53.001 --> 01:15:53.520
first.

d4a225fc-0c98-4221-866f-bbfd6f9a88d3-0
01:15:55.840 --> 01:16:03.897
Choosing where to go keeps you tethered,
keeps you caught in the cords and calls

d4a225fc-0c98-4221-866f-bbfd6f9a88d3-1
01:16:03.897 --> 01:16:11.160
and computers up here behind glass,
above the life but below the planes.

2b41f0ee-86aa-4c70-8df0-5920d4e61e3c-0
01:16:12.600 --> 01:16:18.085
I've sent you deals for flights,
articles I've read on villagers that need

2b41f0ee-86aa-4c70-8df0-5920d4e61e3c-1
01:16:18.085 --> 01:16:20.280
hands, children who need help.

93b929fd-f6da-44fc-bf53-ec8e8d741ec6-0
01:16:21.800 --> 01:16:26.976
I stopped sending you things once your
posters broke their Halo and spread to my

93b929fd-f6da-44fc-bf53-ec8e8d741ec6-1
01:16:26.976 --> 01:16:27.360
walls.

5a9b875a-4493-48fb-920e-d09b4e785853-0
01:16:31.920 --> 01:16:37.480
Could I explain to you again I wasn't
dreaming your dream?

6055b70c-5af9-49ac-b9b8-08aa0536b296-0
01:16:39.120 --> 01:16:41.040
I was waiting to become a mother.

0a48276f-8cfd-401e-a879-5c433d03135c-0
01:16:42.280 --> 01:16:50.838
But every time I mentioned IVF,
you'd say #trad wife and welcome to

0a48276f-8cfd-401e-a879-5c433d03135c-1
01:16:50.838 --> 01:16:51.720
Gilead.

87190c2c-758c-4478-967e-1755037c328d-0
01:16:53.080 --> 01:16:59.720
So I stopped telling you stuff about my
life and just waited.

bbf11da5-0404-4282-a482-a52de95a775b-0
01:17:03.400 --> 01:17:09.813
I've been waiting for you to cut that
cord and break out of our two small

bbf11da5-0404-4282-a482-a52de95a775b-1
01:17:09.813 --> 01:17:13.280
cubicle so we can both begin to breathe.

df24fb25-e940-4b06-9ffd-733eeb9d413f-0
01:17:17.680 --> 01:17:23.416
This morning you weren't here,
and all day I've wondered if your email

df24fb25-e940-4b06-9ffd-733eeb9d413f-1
01:17:23.416 --> 01:17:25.760
was being read by our bosses.

4023833a-e5ff-4f25-9dfe-c6b5f8835714-0
01:17:26.640 --> 01:17:32.856
Capitalist overlords, he said,
and if you were sitting on every plane I

4023833a-e5ff-4f25-9dfe-c6b5f8835714-1
01:17:32.856 --> 01:17:37.000
saw,
managing to share a space in calm silence.

a5b04ef9-eb3c-4175-bedd-e29920af9bcb-0
01:17:40.560 --> 01:17:47.166
But they just told me you were found last
night on the train,

a5b04ef9-eb3c-4175-bedd-e29920af9bcb-1
01:17:47.166 --> 01:17:52.600
at the end of the line,
sleeping but not sleeping.

222d08c8-4643-42ef-9862-49defa575d11-0
01:17:55.640 --> 01:17:59.200
Someone from HR has been to take your
posters down.

b118efa7-ff42-43af-af8c-d178385e5b52-0
01:18:00.560 --> 01:18:14.600
I have so much room to swing my own chair
now I'm waiting to feel happy.

78158422-61c9-45e8-88da-339603b4bd55-0
01:18:29.400 --> 01:18:32.868
So congratulations Athena,
you are our very first,

78158422-61c9-45e8-88da-339603b4bd55-1
01:18:32.868 --> 01:18:36.200
second time winner of the Not Quite right
prize.

46e576a6-c44d-4ba0-8e0d-cb0ae05de516-0
01:18:36.600 --> 01:18:40.080
The first time was back in January 2024.

882b0081-ad15-4e8e-b1b9-826a63a2c162-0
01:18:40.080 --> 01:18:42.960
That's right, over two years ago.

d22b956a-da8a-4e54-b2fc-c80071cbdca7-0
01:18:43.200 --> 01:18:48.040
Very excited to see the queen reigning
once again back in her throne.

a7f5fb63-9907-4033-a8bc-7b87d8ef006a-0
01:18:48.360 --> 01:18:51.760
She has of course been topping the
leaderboard for some time as well.

b54e71cf-ae6b-4520-a80d-4e84969b7a24-0
01:18:51.760 --> 01:18:56.760
So it's really unsurprising to see her
back here, but very, very exciting.

47154447-be1b-4ec9-bc93-f2c9891bb629-0
01:18:56.760 --> 01:19:03.040
And I know Athena's probably careened off
the road squealing somewhere.

9c0f3868-30a3-4933-abf0-e879b5bddd3d-0
01:19:03.040 --> 01:19:03.440
I saw it.

c9d9e7b5-b880-4359-9842-97fb53075e68-0
01:19:05.400 --> 01:19:08.051
No,
I hope you pulled over or listening at

c9d9e7b5-b880-4359-9842-97fb53075e68-1
01:19:08.051 --> 01:19:08.360
home.

af8be6ff-2159-48c8-a184-af92162dbfd2-0
01:19:08.360 --> 01:19:11.080
But I'm so excited to see your name there.

a331677c-2159-4846-97f9-d2528ac063f4-0
01:19:11.080 --> 01:19:12.760
And it must be nice, too.

8e1efe9d-1f1b-4195-8a40-6507e7710974-0
01:19:12.760 --> 01:19:15.280
We talked about validation before we read
the story.

77355db5-bf1d-4a2f-82f5-da9957c7b4fb-0
01:19:15.280 --> 01:19:16.600
But you know, you win.

fc1d39f7-9307-4c9c-b0a3-269ac10e157b-0
01:19:16.600 --> 01:19:18.240
And you just think, oh, is that a fluke?

edb251ac-d608-4c69-890e-3df66a7d7540-0
01:19:18.320 --> 01:19:19.640
Like that's how my brain works.

f6edffda-adad-4b52-acd5-c8d0c47efa41-0
01:19:19.640 --> 01:19:20.400
Like, was that a fluke?

16e7123f-f4a2-466a-ac53-22d2ed06abf6-0
01:19:20.400 --> 01:19:21.280
Oh, I just got lucky.

4a7b1e73-f5ac-468a-8a23-3ecc48a82585-0
01:19:21.280 --> 01:19:23.609
And of course,
there's an element of luck and connection

4a7b1e73-f5ac-468a-8a23-3ecc48a82585-1
01:19:23.609 --> 01:19:25.040
in there as well, and subjectivity.

0d10f41a-d430-41a7-be16-87dcf69c8ad5-0
01:19:25.040 --> 01:19:28.560
But it doesn't get much more affirming
than winning twice, surely?

2ecee34b-6a78-43af-a194-626bb5daabd8-0
01:19:28.560 --> 01:19:30.960
So really, really happy to see that.

5a30f29f-9ba3-4a46-b039-bd73b7683436-0
01:19:30.960 --> 01:19:34.800
And I hope that you feel that in your
bones, very deserving of this win.

9e247a94-2774-4287-84c6-ebeec2d125e5-0
01:19:34.880 --> 01:19:38.218
And what a great story this is,
one that really grew on me the more I

9e247a94-2774-4287-84c6-ebeec2d125e5-1
01:19:38.218 --> 01:19:38.600
read it.

821850fd-acc7-4357-b094-e96e7c92da51-0
01:19:39.000 --> 01:19:43.240
If it's not apparent in the structure,
this is like a poem.

00bd6720-495a-4e55-be34-947436ca7b47-0
01:19:43.400 --> 01:19:46.018
In fact,
Athena notes in her general feedback that

00bd6720-495a-4e55-be34-947436ca7b47-1
01:19:46.018 --> 01:19:50.023
Amanda and I generally say that we hate
poems and tell people not to submit a

00bd6720-495a-4e55-be34-947436ca7b47-2
01:19:50.023 --> 01:19:50.280
poem.

a927c59b-9cc1-4ea5-8314-31013f4b005b-0
01:19:50.280 --> 01:19:51.240
But she has submitted a poem.

3b162273-c512-4f3e-9442-798fefcb892e-0
01:19:51.240 --> 01:19:54.905
But she wants to clarify that it's
technically an abbreviated form of a

3b162273-c512-4f3e-9442-798fefcb892e-1
01:19:54.905 --> 01:19:55.720
crown of sonnet.

39566f0e-f6c5-43f6-a5e7-d214757d3d6f-0
01:19:55.800 --> 01:19:57.520
It's a free verse poem.

b0735b18-0bab-4719-8a61-e6c780f73a6c-0
01:19:58.040 --> 01:20:00.720
So it's definitely written in a verse
form.

7f26fa84-3b18-4dda-a135-91d8457b5dc5-0
01:20:00.720 --> 01:20:03.000
But it's like, more like a prose poem,
I guess.

bb0f2c48-ce5e-41ce-aef1-7bcbcd871626-0
01:20:03.000 --> 01:20:05.960
Doesn't really read that way in audio
format.

4fa722b3-d496-483a-bff9-fecd0dd50769-0
01:20:06.080 --> 01:20:06.360
Yeah.

e6ce65b8-1238-4937-909d-316768023de1-0
01:20:06.440 --> 01:20:09.576
But, you know, regardless, I mean,
I sort of accepted a long time ago that I

e6ce65b8-1238-4937-909d-316768023de1-1
01:20:09.576 --> 01:20:10.920
was wrong about the poetry thing.

dcd071ca-266c-42fa-bacc-7b2262d3e178-0
01:20:11.240 --> 01:20:12.000
We do love it.

e3273f7e-bd95-4689-af27-2117257ac8ad-0
01:20:12.000 --> 01:20:14.760
And I was speaking before about this
Pears thing.

d12829f8-2eef-4e7b-a3ae-330625b2d32b-0
01:20:15.120 --> 01:20:19.080
So Pears being the two poems that made
our shortlist this round.

d04efed2-0345-41a8-9b8b-20c42391a39d-0
01:20:19.080 --> 01:20:22.053
We had the bogan, of course,
in second place and this one in first

d04efed2-0345-41a8-9b8b-20c42391a39d-1
01:20:22.053 --> 01:20:22.320
place.

ca8339ce-78bb-4af9-a88f-39b59841c9d7-0
01:20:22.320 --> 01:20:25.720
So I think that's a resounding yes for
poetry, excellent poetry.

7827e7dd-b61b-4578-aa84-f1369a8da09b-0
01:20:26.000 --> 01:20:29.813
But the other pair that this one creates
is another story about basically hating

7827e7dd-b61b-4578-aa84-f1369a8da09b-1
01:20:29.813 --> 01:20:30.520
corporate life.

d95fde01-3439-4a84-aeda-9102dc36f08b-0
01:20:30.600 --> 01:20:34.040
So we had Chad's story about the job
interview, and now we've got this one too.

17e919ec-9278-4f25-95a8-70a862707af0-0
01:20:34.360 --> 01:20:38.400
So I guess we're all in the same
wavelength here in this particular round.

0f1c7d08-1d92-44f9-b3eb-d60a91f82b85-0
01:20:38.400 --> 01:20:42.040
And I found that particularly interesting
that those stories should rise to the top.

267c4a44-a655-450d-b627-fad0bb4c2172-0
01:20:42.240 --> 01:20:45.523
And what I love about this one as well,
it's not merely about hating corporate

267c4a44-a655-450d-b627-fad0bb4c2172-1
01:20:45.523 --> 01:20:47.560
life because it's like,
it's about this duality.

693d268b-bfec-418b-b70b-3f6aaac7a8c1-0
01:20:47.560 --> 01:20:51.099
And this is really like fundamental to
the human experience,

693d268b-bfec-418b-b70b-3f6aaac7a8c1-1
01:20:51.099 --> 01:20:54.001
like this idea of living for the moment,
I guess,

693d268b-bfec-418b-b70b-3f6aaac7a8c1-2
01:20:54.001 --> 01:20:58.759
and just being who you are in the moment
versus building for the future or having

693d268b-bfec-418b-b70b-3f6aaac7a8c1-3
01:20:58.759 --> 01:20:59.920
ambitions and goals.

d8f0118a-1da5-41d7-b99b-c8a51bd82186-0
01:21:00.360 --> 01:21:02.320
And there's pros and cons.

dd9a4291-ee24-48d9-8af8-fc6fa664c11b-0
01:21:02.320 --> 01:21:05.640
And I think it's something that we kind
of gloss over or maybe don't realise.

b8bb85ce-d95f-471a-91b8-2615ed56a491-0
01:21:05.640 --> 01:21:08.237
Like absolutely you should build for the
future,

b8bb85ce-d95f-471a-91b8-2615ed56a491-1
01:21:08.237 --> 01:21:12.000
but at the same time realise that like it
could be over at any moment.

d8372c06-9b89-45d9-8028-c3985ac7694c-0
01:21:12.000 --> 01:21:13.920
And we have two characters here in this
story.

2cbf1b35-2937-45ee-a72f-ccde04a348bd-0
01:21:13.920 --> 01:21:16.958
One of them is like,
I want to get out of here, You know,

2cbf1b35-2937-45ee-a72f-ccde04a348bd-1
01:21:16.958 --> 01:21:19.840
I'm planning to live my life away from
this hell hole.

b45f6b11-c9db-4856-940f-c163bd977eb7-0
01:21:19.840 --> 01:21:20.600
You all suck.

1cb2d582-b41a-4966-9065-0a81832b641c-0
01:21:20.600 --> 01:21:22.680
You're a you're a trad wife.

94fdd331-2baa-42ef-99bd-eebfe0f0219f-0
01:21:22.680 --> 01:21:23.880
My corporate overlords suck.

82bd7f58-8a77-4a5d-95f5-0ed1ee36695e-0
01:21:23.880 --> 01:21:27.596
And I can definitely get behind some of
these opinions, but at the same time,

82bd7f58-8a77-4a5d-95f5-0ed1ee36695e-1
01:21:27.596 --> 01:21:29.360
he's not able to achieve those goals.

23003524-bbed-4b01-be4a-8347333b7cfd-0
01:21:29.360 --> 01:21:32.472
And meanwhile,
our protagonist is living in the moment,

23003524-bbed-4b01-be4a-8347333b7cfd-1
01:21:32.472 --> 01:21:33.640
like having a family.

9035a2b7-413b-40d9-a45c-9bb17a1c4881-0
01:21:33.960 --> 01:21:36.392
And it's obviously up to you,
but as people,

9035a2b7-413b-40d9-a45c-9bb17a1c4881-1
01:21:36.392 --> 01:21:39.960
we have to choose and we have to balance
those things constantly.

5d2a5704-fa7b-43bb-ac65-3e68a774d2de-0
01:21:39.960 --> 01:21:44.720
And I think this story really captures
that idea very evocatively.

edcacef0-aadf-41dc-a20e-cebed751e853-0
01:21:44.760 --> 01:21:47.000
Yeah, I agree really, very strongly.

2d9cdec3-0ac7-4ecc-b6f7-f1072a6c7c5d-0
01:21:47.000 --> 01:21:47.720
I think I've.

128ff1cb-f010-4203-af13-7ee02fdfa1d6-0
01:21:48.000 --> 01:21:51.807
I mentioned my dad passing away and just
other things that have happened in my

128ff1cb-f010-4203-af13-7ee02fdfa1d6-1
01:21:51.807 --> 01:21:53.928
life,
big significant traumatic events that

128ff1cb-f010-4203-af13-7ee02fdfa1d6-2
01:21:53.928 --> 01:21:57.640
have happened in my life that have made
me realise how short life really is.

1aab6248-9dd1-4a20-84c2-cc5e8bb322aa-0
01:21:57.800 --> 01:22:00.400
And something else that happened in my
extended family.

c75ff40c-3b4c-4e86-aaa3-ba8e4f89c3d7-0
01:22:00.400 --> 01:22:05.069
Very recently,
a very young member of my extended family

c75ff40c-3b4c-4e86-aaa3-ba8e4f89c3d7-1
01:22:05.069 --> 01:22:07.200
passed away very suddenly.

6f5729d3-1e87-4908-a7b5-7bf74b3f4b2e-0
01:22:07.280 --> 01:22:12.666
And this is a person who was living life
to the fullest and who absolutely left

6f5729d3-1e87-4908-a7b5-7bf74b3f4b2e-1
01:22:12.666 --> 01:22:14.080
nothing on the table.

24f86180-a182-47d3-ab5f-14c4630f1e52-0
01:22:14.080 --> 01:22:16.080
And that's something that I aspire to.

7d270509-95c2-47b8-9dd9-03d39a46f71b-0
01:22:16.080 --> 01:22:21.319
And I know from reading commentary in the
Not Quite Right community online that in

7d270509-95c2-47b8-9dd9-03d39a46f71b-1
01:22:21.319 --> 01:22:24.918
part this story was inspired by someone
who had said to,

7d270509-95c2-47b8-9dd9-03d39a46f71b-2
01:22:24.918 --> 01:22:28.074
I think someone quite old who had said to
Athena,

7d270509-95c2-47b8-9dd9-03d39a46f71b-3
01:22:28.074 --> 01:22:30.600
I'm waiting to feel happy kind of thing.

e9dd9955-7d64-422f-94c2-ac5fabcdf901-0
01:22:30.600 --> 01:22:31.600
Like I'm not happy yet.

ef081d1d-cdcc-4cc3-ad42-ac7550bb4044-0
01:22:31.600 --> 01:22:32.440
I'm not happy yet.

bd6494f1-98bd-4ed8-8c0e-7732b04c50a0-0
01:22:32.440 --> 01:22:34.840
And, and I just think that's so sad.

f128dbb3-624a-4d29-bf09-2c5590f87099-0
01:22:35.240 --> 01:22:38.639
And as you said,
it's kind of part of the human condition

f128dbb3-624a-4d29-bf09-2c5590f87099-1
01:22:38.639 --> 01:22:43.505
basically to always be seeking and always
be wanting more and never kind of having

f128dbb3-624a-4d29-bf09-2c5590f87099-2
01:22:43.505 --> 01:22:47.960
this satisfaction with where we're at now
or never taking what we have now.

2b45d1c4-24d9-4f19-a380-f6c0ac3ac163-0
01:22:47.960 --> 01:22:51.846
We just sort of feel like it's out of
reach and we just keep reaching for it

2b45d1c4-24d9-4f19-a380-f6c0ac3ac163-1
01:22:51.846 --> 01:22:54.320
without ever actually grabbing it for
ourselves.

493f8086-64aa-4367-a551-a4c73476cc0c-0
01:22:54.320 --> 01:22:56.880
And there's something incredibly resonant
in that.

a8db2bf4-809e-4dfa-9531-b749e10d3450-0
01:22:56.880 --> 01:22:59.920
And I don't know if I did the story
justice in audio.

f2bd0bb2-b678-4c86-aec6-7c6cc41cfe06-0
01:22:59.920 --> 01:23:02.700
I know the Bogan's very fun,
like in audio format,

f2bd0bb2-b678-4c86-aec6-7c6cc41cfe06-1
01:23:02.700 --> 01:23:07.171
and this one was probably one that might
be more satisfying to read and just sort

f2bd0bb2-b678-4c86-aec6-7c6cc41cfe06-2
01:23:07.171 --> 01:23:08.479
of absorb that yourself.

44962cc3-f734-4085-a6a1-277ab15f0efb-0
01:23:08.880 --> 01:23:11.920
And I certainly absorbed it and I found
it quite moving.

fb32b437-7f53-40ca-8220-5416b07d470e-0
01:23:12.200 --> 01:23:15.855
This was also the story that gave me
goosebumps this round and there's

fb32b437-7f53-40ca-8220-5416b07d470e-1
01:23:15.855 --> 01:23:17.400
something to be said for that.

5fc565cc-3a42-4411-a520-df6bde7e6ece-0
01:23:17.400 --> 01:23:18.560
It's funny, I get goosebumps.

c24bc64c-f782-4fd0-b1b1-e655351e2697-0
01:23:18.560 --> 01:23:22.315
I've mentioned it before,
like in live theatre, at musicals,

c24bc64c-f782-4fd0-b1b1-e655351e2697-1
01:23:22.315 --> 01:23:27.056
listening to music in the car sometimes
and sometimes when people, you know,

c24bc64c-f782-4fd0-b1b1-e655351e2697-2
01:23:27.056 --> 01:23:31.120
up on a stage just speaking or,
and in this case reading a story.

63dc2b43-cb7b-47e6-b2eb-f52f066c3eb3-0
01:23:31.520 --> 01:23:32.480
I don't know what it is.

6ddb7d22-72c8-4721-822b-178bb0d9e3bb-0
01:23:32.480 --> 01:23:36.437
Is it like a 6th sense that I'm just
getting this really fundamental truth and

6ddb7d22-72c8-4721-822b-178bb0d9e3bb-1
01:23:36.437 --> 01:23:37.640
it's resonating with me?

3caf2128-1014-490f-b009-ac0b46b188b8-0
01:23:37.640 --> 01:23:41.661
I think that's really fascinating how a
physical reaction can come from what's

3caf2128-1014-490f-b009-ac0b46b188b8-1
01:23:41.661 --> 01:23:43.800
happening in my mind as I read this story.

aa6d8385-3941-4b6d-b67e-f0dd175ec51d-0
01:23:43.800 --> 01:23:46.506
So deep,
deep emotional connection there and

aa6d8385-3941-4b6d-b67e-f0dd175ec51d-1
01:23:46.506 --> 01:23:51.378
something to be very proud of if you can
communicate that effectively in in your

aa6d8385-3941-4b6d-b67e-f0dd175ec51d-2
01:23:51.378 --> 01:23:52.160
storytelling.

3b9ff535-e420-4a93-a71a-ff56ea5ed90f-0
01:23:52.720 --> 01:23:56.568
I think it's also worth noting that
Athena has now won the competition with

3b9ff535-e420-4a93-a71a-ff56ea5ed90f-1
01:23:56.568 --> 01:23:58.240
two incredibly different stories.

168a8c38-966b-4677-a4ff-479b42d32902-0
01:23:58.240 --> 01:24:00.600
So very, very versatile author.

0c9eaaa3-d6a6-4af1-88c9-4e4cc6e52374-0
01:24:00.600 --> 01:24:04.032
And I think that speaks to like writing
what's in you at the time,

0c9eaaa3-d6a6-4af1-88c9-4e4cc6e52374-1
01:24:04.032 --> 01:24:07.414
like when the prompts drop,
just sort of letting go maybe of some

0c9eaaa3-d6a6-4af1-88c9-4e4cc6e52374-2
01:24:07.414 --> 01:24:09.720
expectations and just coming from the
heart.

3fd56e6f-0101-4151-889c-df355bcc7b96-0
01:24:09.720 --> 01:24:13.036
And that's really what I was challenging
Team Amanda to do this round,

3fd56e6f-0101-4151-889c-df355bcc7b96-1
01:24:13.036 --> 01:24:16.120
to just kind of put your ego aside and
just write from the heart.

95c7f65f-aa51-4fa6-9bc0-8ab952b1a847-0
01:24:16.160 --> 01:24:17.680
And I think that's what Athena did here.

adc4cb5c-ce21-42fc-8775-2babc12b04f9-0
01:24:17.680 --> 01:24:18.960
And I think that's what pays off.

3e8a2b2e-f3eb-4c76-a08e-77c5e88c4199-0
01:24:19.120 --> 01:24:21.760
You can feel that truth coming through.

8be57e8a-060e-4dd1-94f8-69cfd81e8443-0
01:24:22.080 --> 01:24:25.440
I really find that's satisfying in
stories that sort of speak the truth.

254f63dd-666f-42e7-b188-1be1e8aa8264-0
01:24:25.640 --> 01:24:26.960
So well done Athena.

e6a5403a-1ca9-424a-b142-6895ea437eac-0
01:24:26.960 --> 01:24:30.600
And a second pointy trophy is coming your
way.

4388d52a-e473-4e1d-8e70-b6c437343107-0
01:24:30.600 --> 01:24:36.680
So you'll be the only person in the
entire world to have two trophies.

8a0320f9-bb59-4d07-ba86-2d3e1901a769-0
01:24:36.680 --> 01:24:39.760
2 not quite right prize trophies on your
mantelpiece.

f2dfc522-ba58-48bd-8fe4-bd8ce229f99d-0
01:24:40.040 --> 01:24:41.080
And so well done on that.

f09af442-3d11-4638-b527-88dc2dd890da-0
01:24:41.280 --> 01:24:44.889
And of course, as Amanda mentioned,
you are already at the top of the

f09af442-3d11-4638-b527-88dc2dd890da-1
01:24:44.889 --> 01:24:47.520
leaderboard,
equal first place with Emily Rinkema.

455c6ace-dcc9-41f5-a120-497ec0b43a98-0
01:24:47.960 --> 01:24:53.220
But now you have cleared the top of the
leaderboard and you stand alone in the

455c6ace-dcc9-41f5-a120-497ec0b43a98-1
01:24:53.220 --> 01:24:57.283
number one position,
but Chad Frame will jump up a couple of

455c6ace-dcc9-41f5-a120-497ec0b43a98-2
01:24:57.283 --> 01:25:00.080
places and also being now in equal second.

f0734f6c-e375-44a1-9943-6e72386aa73e-0
01:25:00.080 --> 01:25:02.360
So a few changes there at the top of the
leaderboard.

5db3abef-5279-49e9-9940-49794ba1bdde-0
01:25:02.720 --> 01:25:06.436
Go and check it out in the community when
you get a chance and see a little bit of

5db3abef-5279-49e9-9940-49794ba1bdde-1
01:25:06.436 --> 01:25:08.675
shuffling up there,
but a little bit of hustling,

5db3abef-5279-49e9-9940-49794ba1bdde-2
01:25:08.675 --> 01:25:09.840
a little bit of shuffling.

669fc2be-d9ef-4d89-bc57-b2ff4aff1e1b-0
01:25:09.920 --> 01:25:12.840
That's right,
a little bit of pointing and so on.

c0e34ce0-b399-4105-9cac-fcd89737bef5-0
01:25:13.040 --> 01:25:15.040
But let's let's talk about teams.

77c404ff-42be-4b2d-80bc-f3b7b0305c49-0
01:25:15.120 --> 01:25:17.560
Only one team can win, as always.

fc36deb7-0a33-4068-827a-f0dd03f33dc2-0
01:25:18.320 --> 01:25:18.920
So who won?

cf1dd450-9ab5-4701-a90d-4c54237e2271-0
01:25:19.640 --> 01:25:23.530
Listen,
I won not only on the popular vote, OK,

cf1dd450-9ab5-4701-a90d-4c54237e2271-1
01:25:23.530 --> 01:25:28.313
also on the points,
but also the moral victory once again,

cf1dd450-9ab5-4701-a90d-4c54237e2271-2
01:25:28.313 --> 01:25:31.880
of having the winning story on Team
Amanda.

287f3e46-3ca2-46d7-81d8-d3b25dc2023e-0
01:25:31.880 --> 01:25:35.600
So not to rub it in or anything,
but I think it was a decisive victory.

56678d59-8b1f-4c2a-9b5b-6408a08fb784-0
01:25:35.600 --> 01:25:40.040
To see it was decisive in that you won
all of the categories.

ba4f4bd3-94ab-473b-9e83-b90d08613df9-0
01:25:40.080 --> 01:25:42.320
Yes, yes, OK, fine.

ce29e95f-0ba4-45d6-89aa-26c599d01965-0
01:25:42.720 --> 01:25:47.631
But but it was also very close because we
were within one story on the overall

ce29e95f-0ba4-45d6-89aa-26c599d01965-1
01:25:47.631 --> 01:25:48.440
popular vote.

f44ce415-0e6c-4b34-a660-eae4fb2ade22-0
01:25:48.760 --> 01:25:55.128
We were within 2 on the long list and in
the final points tally it is 26 points to

f44ce415-0e6c-4b34-a660-eae4fb2ade22-1
01:25:55.128 --> 01:25:57.200
Team Amanda, 21 to Team Ed.

66262280-085c-4d39-9c65-e92c9979fa9f-0
01:25:57.240 --> 01:25:58.360
So very close.

282db7e6-ec01-4aab-aaa8-f57476fedf3c-0
01:25:58.360 --> 01:25:59.440
So close, but look.

9315d05b-ed79-4314-9cdb-3c32e505d407-0
01:25:59.840 --> 01:26:00.640
But no cigar.

f51b519e-b890-4b17-b74c-bcd6b5e244fc-0
01:26:00.760 --> 01:26:03.240
I'm afraid of congratulations and well
done.

2e255e62-2abe-4ad4-9833-facefd30e5b4-0
01:26:03.240 --> 01:26:04.080
You do deserve it.

28845bb1-9e90-4f70-ace1-7db67e65e527-0
01:26:04.520 --> 01:26:09.129
And I'm just taking all the glory from
myself despite having as if you wrote all

28845bb1-9e90-4f70-ace1-7db67e65e527-1
01:26:09.129 --> 01:26:12.600
these stories yourself, but well done,
you've inspired them.

8a7c8499-787d-436e-8036-e36506c2cd66-0
01:26:12.600 --> 01:26:13.840
So that's the important thing.

69e21f69-a630-4a82-9322-291a01cd1a03-0
01:26:14.520 --> 01:26:18.160
So thank you so much to all the Team
Amanda contributors.

bdfccb11-1490-4cf5-ba1d-25e524c48150-0
01:26:18.160 --> 01:26:20.831
And as a little reward for joining my
team,

bdfccb11-1490-4cf5-ba1d-25e524c48150-1
01:26:20.831 --> 01:26:25.871
those of you who did not just win a cash
prize are now going into the draw for the

bdfccb11-1490-4cf5-ba1d-25e524c48150-2
01:26:25.871 --> 01:26:26.600
bonus prize.

40a7a226-9619-463a-bc4d-7ef9fcd89096-0
01:26:26.600 --> 01:26:28.600
So get excited if you're on Team Amanda.

3a2ad33d-32e1-4c60-a327-db3042a6f515-0
01:26:28.600 --> 01:26:32.320
We're about to do the very fancy bingo
ball pool.

2a859938-0775-470a-9f9f-99b73f87ed00-0
01:26:32.320 --> 01:26:34.120
Yeah, it's time to fire up that machine.

1d51a2a8-32d1-4fea-826a-48c0f4083e8b-0
01:26:34.680 --> 01:26:38.360
Crank it up as he clicks open on the
Excel spreadsheet.

22bf86f9-624b-485d-8874-5f29ba259476-0
01:26:40.560 --> 01:26:42.885
Well,
and the random number that's been

22bf86f9-624b-485d-8874-5f29ba259476-1
01:26:42.885 --> 01:26:45.560
generated here out of our ball machine is
86.

280163c4-6904-4559-8339-f348b4c37bf0-0
01:26:45.560 --> 01:26:47.600
Now let's look up our little spreadsheet.

fbcc0a04-1768-43e4-a658-1cbeedea0e57-0
01:26:47.600 --> 01:26:52.400
86 is The Yellow Door by Chrissy Driver.

e091144c-0379-40a3-a6f5-fb798d93188e-0
01:26:52.960 --> 01:26:54.240
Well done Chrissy.

067772b1-0e00-4e3a-aaf3-6d7bf9a65133-0
01:26:54.240 --> 01:26:54.640
Yay.

50ea7bd8-3ba4-4fb1-bfe8-c98eab6d5fcd-0
01:26:54.640 --> 01:27:00.471
You win a coaching session with me and a
copy of Flesh Fiction Volume 1 Hot off

50ea7bd8-3ba4-4fb1-bfe8-c98eab6d5fcd-1
01:27:00.471 --> 01:27:01.200
the press.

14ba81a0-ae97-41ce-b088-20aa09c4c1c0-0
01:27:01.200 --> 01:27:04.590
And we've got some copies here now,
so we'll sign one of those and send it

14ba81a0-ae97-41ce-b088-20aa09c4c1c0-1
01:27:04.590 --> 01:27:06.760
out to you just as soon as we get your
address.

201bc7cf-08c5-43fc-b9cb-2256b9e6523b-0
01:27:06.760 --> 01:27:09.893
So once you have learnt that you have won
the prize,

201bc7cf-08c5-43fc-b9cb-2256b9e6523b-1
01:27:09.893 --> 01:27:14.268
please reach out to us by email,
let us know that you know and then we'll

201bc7cf-08c5-43fc-b9cb-2256b9e6523b-2
01:27:14.268 --> 01:27:16.160
arrange to send you your prizes.

b4d4e9ad-57d0-4b4e-ab5c-449da5cdc637-0
01:27:16.240 --> 01:27:21.760
So congratulations Chrissy and
congratulations Amanda on your decisive,

b4d4e9ad-57d0-4b4e-ab5c-449da5cdc637-1
01:27:21.760 --> 01:27:23.600
thorough vlogging of me.

4dbc1930-c049-46f9-962f-687442e9f5a9-0
01:27:24.560 --> 01:27:27.000
So it's one a piece, one round, a piece.

63647d92-91ef-4785-a375-8727d82a180b-0
01:27:27.000 --> 01:27:29.280
So next round will be the decider.

29aa0d32-584f-47a5-9086-a89896b3ce87-0
01:27:29.680 --> 01:27:30.800
Well, I mean for now.

f47d52c1-0e0e-4a7e-b24c-7785596ccf6f-0
01:27:32.800 --> 01:27:36.765
So as with the bonus prize for all those
shortlisted authors and wild cards,

f47d52c1-0e0e-4a7e-b24c-7785596ccf6f-1
01:27:36.765 --> 01:27:40.886
do please get in contact via email and
let us know that you've listened or that

f47d52c1-0e0e-4a7e-b24c-7785596ccf6f-2
01:27:40.886 --> 01:27:45.058
you've sneakily checked the website or
the transcript to find your name and that

f47d52c1-0e0e-4a7e-b24c-7785596ccf6f-3
01:27:45.058 --> 01:27:48.200
way we'll be able to send that prize over
to you right away.

8ae71592-33d1-4b88-b35a-8b04e08b9f3b-0
01:27:48.560 --> 01:27:52.596
Also make sure you jump on the honour
roll section of the website and grab your

8ae71592-33d1-4b88-b35a-8b04e08b9f3b-1
01:27:52.596 --> 01:27:55.120
updated badges with your placings listed
on them.

aed21c6a-98ab-4dc2-b540-0984b23f7f92-0
01:27:55.120 --> 01:27:58.320
And do feel free to share those with your
friends and family.

52f4ed75-0dfe-496c-8ce6-8453c7f95f82-0
01:27:58.560 --> 01:28:00.840
And as always,
thanks everyone who entered this round.

2bd21c83-f7e7-48ab-8560-dfcb0709046c-0
01:28:00.840 --> 01:28:02.920
It was AI really enjoyed this shortlist.

8721cc12-43e1-425d-b9d9-a742f625e3c2-0
01:28:02.920 --> 01:28:05.360
It was actually quite a challenging
shortlist for us.

a1222602-ee50-43f4-b377-90d9ce31de10-0
01:28:05.360 --> 01:28:07.040
You know, we love to be challenged.

5260ac12-6215-4a5d-a5b1-069caef9e050-0
01:28:07.040 --> 01:28:11.301
We've said in the past that you're taking
a risk when you send us poetry,

5260ac12-6215-4a5d-a5b1-069caef9e050-1
01:28:11.301 --> 01:28:13.720
but like we reward risk sometimes as well.

be04da6f-f283-4883-b4d4-c38ad1c18707-0
01:28:13.720 --> 01:28:18.440
And we put two of them in the number one
and two spots basically this round.

6f6ae9e0-29b7-48dd-a150-5e7dadf49fb8-0
01:28:18.440 --> 01:28:22.515
And I'm really quite proud of the fact
that in the Not Quite right prize,

6f6ae9e0-29b7-48dd-a150-5e7dadf49fb8-1
01:28:22.515 --> 01:28:26.701
it really is any story and any author
that can rise to the top because it's

6f6ae9e0-29b7-48dd-a150-5e7dadf49fb8-2
01:28:26.701 --> 01:28:28.960
really about what you give us on the day.

a47750ee-126d-456f-a194-cd89a55322b8-0
01:28:29.000 --> 01:28:31.787
And, you know,
while we might have our own personal

a47750ee-126d-456f-a194-cd89a55322b8-1
01:28:31.787 --> 01:28:36.183
preferences about what we might read if
we were to go to a bookshop and pick up a

a47750ee-126d-456f-a194-cd89a55322b8-2
01:28:36.183 --> 01:28:38.703
book,
we also just really appreciate excellent

a47750ee-126d-456f-a194-cd89a55322b8-3
01:28:38.703 --> 01:28:39.400
storytelling.

9a36f6f4-3b08-4066-bbe2-c8c1abf5cbf9-0
01:28:39.440 --> 01:28:43.577
And so when a story comes through and
whether it's something that we would have

9a36f6f4-3b08-4066-bbe2-c8c1abf5cbf9-1
01:28:43.577 --> 01:28:47.198
thought we liked before we picked it up,
we're able to see, you know,

9a36f6f4-3b08-4066-bbe2-c8c1abf5cbf9-2
01:28:47.198 --> 01:28:48.440
the heart of that story.

8e0c4a7a-da4e-45ed-8247-ffb7f1c3c9bb-0
01:28:48.440 --> 01:28:53.910
And it really does make me so proud that
our shortlist represents such a range,

8e0c4a7a-da4e-45ed-8247-ffb7f1c3c9bb-1
01:28:53.910 --> 01:28:56.440
a diverse range of different stories.

e3970d20-2993-40e4-a5a9-0727d56c9c07-0
01:28:56.440 --> 01:28:59.417
And to me,
what that means is that anybody entering

e3970d20-2993-40e4-a5a9-0727d56c9c07-1
01:28:59.417 --> 01:29:04.170
the not quite right prize can do so with
the confidence that whatever they have in

e3970d20-2993-40e4-a5a9-0727d56c9c07-2
01:29:04.170 --> 01:29:07.320
them to deliver on that weekend will be
received well.

186235c7-86e9-47d9-b082-044a537d9e1b-0
01:29:07.320 --> 01:29:09.600
Yeah, It's not about genre or theme.

780a20f9-4acf-48a4-bcae-d36a9d11cb29-0
01:29:09.880 --> 01:29:11.760
We've had comedies win.

6fd40bc4-aaed-4d9c-ad9d-ec1386d3c35b-0
01:29:11.760 --> 01:29:13.640
We've had really serious stories win.

af0e2c30-b8cb-46d5-834e-dcc1f2a72289-0
01:29:13.640 --> 01:29:15.240
We've had dark stories.

e12a68e4-baf4-4982-9d88-590e456dfd74-0
01:29:15.240 --> 01:29:17.000
We've had like stories with twists.

5b616df7-95b5-4ff2-b09b-3f9e93d68bee-0
01:29:17.000 --> 01:29:19.000
We've had all manner of variety.

61e8116c-13e2-4c43-89dd-61cef41b80d1-0
01:29:19.000 --> 01:29:21.480
It's had erotica make the shortlist as
well, too.

ba826fa7-01f5-4f0f-8a1b-358a641c0c7b-0
01:29:22.160 --> 01:29:23.520
So yeah, absolutely.

4e57d6e0-0091-47e4-960a-e56eb1329693-0
01:29:23.520 --> 01:29:27.156
It is about all of those things that we
always talk about on our Daredevil and on

4e57d6e0-0091-47e4-960a-e56eb1329693-1
01:29:27.156 --> 01:29:29.640
our longest episodes of things that make
stories great.

60901425-a6fc-439a-bcf8-d160392e2f9a-0
01:29:29.920 --> 01:29:35.735
So thank you everyone who has entered and
especially thank you for everyone who has

60901425-a6fc-439a-bcf8-d160392e2f9a-1
01:29:35.735 --> 01:29:37.120
entered for Team Ed.

2c600f9e-c4cb-43ec-ac7e-2cf8c77ea1c4-0
01:29:37.440 --> 01:29:41.140
And so for those of you who are perhaps
feeling a little bit disappointed in your

2c600f9e-c4cb-43ec-ac7e-2cf8c77ea1c4-1
01:29:41.140 --> 01:29:43.441
own result,
either we're really hoping for a short

2c600f9e-c4cb-43ec-ac7e-2cf8c77ea1c4-2
01:29:43.441 --> 01:29:46.600
listing this round or hoping for a long
listing or a wild card prize.

ed4c7059-ab34-459d-b6a0-994621a4c125-0
01:29:47.160 --> 01:29:51.349
I hope that when you listen to these
stories, you can, like we did,

ed4c7059-ab34-459d-b6a0-994621a4c125-1
01:29:51.349 --> 01:29:56.401
appreciate why they rise to the top and
recognise in them the qualities that make

ed4c7059-ab34-459d-b6a0-994621a4c125-2
01:29:56.401 --> 01:29:57.880
those stories stand out.

035924c5-f15d-4f06-b2e0-35680df663e6-0
01:29:57.920 --> 01:30:01.724
And hopefully, you know, in some cases,
you might learn something from those

035924c5-f15d-4f06-b2e0-35680df663e6-1
01:30:01.724 --> 01:30:05.776
stories or you just continue and persist
with your own writing style and wait for

035924c5-f15d-4f06-b2e0-35680df663e6-2
01:30:05.776 --> 01:30:08.000
the day that your own story gets
recognised.

48c3037b-782f-49b4-bb07-bddcb7f70a05-0
01:30:08.480 --> 01:30:11.934
But thank you very,
very much to the shortlisted authors and

48c3037b-782f-49b4-bb07-bddcb7f70a05-1
01:30:11.934 --> 01:30:12.840
congratulations.

80496d62-6ff9-498c-a67e-71f9fbdd0b7d-0
01:30:13.120 --> 01:30:16.715
I really look forward to publishing your
stories in the anthology at the end of

80496d62-6ff9-498c-a67e-71f9fbdd0b7d-1
01:30:16.715 --> 01:30:17.120
the year.

be4e9cb0-601a-45b3-974b-6bfe54452cae-0
01:30:17.400 --> 01:30:21.640
And you know where else our listeners can
learn a little bit about story writing?

63a511c2-9416-4a18-9bf6-7c5551acf7be-0
01:30:21.640 --> 01:30:24.680
That's from our Daredevils,
and they'll be coming up next.

fb5f0458-9911-4450-90cc-f873f3ab0058-0
01:30:24.680 --> 01:30:29.561
We have 5 Daredevil stories this round,
one of which was actually a wild card

fb5f0458-9911-4450-90cc-f873f3ab0058-1
01:30:29.561 --> 01:30:32.440
winner as we heard earlier on in the
episode.

2f42f20c-9766-4376-b86a-ad471f69f7a3-0
01:30:32.440 --> 01:30:34.000
So looking forward to all of those.

0d461a09-08a1-4587-b51e-4e63aa50d1bf-0
01:30:34.000 --> 01:30:37.854
We'll be reading out those five stories
and talking in more depth about those

0d461a09-08a1-4587-b51e-4e63aa50d1bf-1
01:30:37.854 --> 01:30:39.040
stories as we always do.

44258440-cff7-4308-a397-66e3ec0584dc-0
01:30:39.040 --> 01:30:43.273
Breaking them down, saying what we liked,
what we didn't like about them and just

44258440-cff7-4308-a397-66e3ec0584dc-1
01:30:43.273 --> 01:30:46.062
generally making the authors feel very
uncomfortable,

44258440-cff7-4308-a397-66e3ec0584dc-2
01:30:46.062 --> 01:30:49.160
which is our main goal really when it all
comes down to it.

f53f6f8e-01fb-468b-97f8-ca569d31a8da-0
01:30:49.640 --> 01:30:53.200
I just also wanted to note the coaching
sessions that I have coming up.

34b66c28-1d12-46f0-8053-e0c85a21dd1e-0
01:30:53.200 --> 01:30:54.640
I'm really looking forward to those.

0f2b7c91-f171-4e55-9c26-354d5b5d5a0b-0
01:30:54.640 --> 01:30:58.884
So I'll be getting in contact with those
authors to just double check the timings

0f2b7c91-f171-4e55-9c26-354d5b5d5a0b-1
01:30:58.884 --> 01:31:01.680
are all good for you and to start
preparing my notes.

e8ab5ce7-7fbe-467a-9019-d487a22da6f6-0
01:31:01.720 --> 01:31:05.296
A little bit of a private daredevil
perhaps, and in some cases,

e8ab5ce7-7fbe-467a-9019-d487a22da6f6-1
01:31:05.296 --> 01:31:09.320
just a really lovely chance to talk about
writing goals more generally.

05ecb25a-4ca0-4b84-9681-7cdc2d624f64-0
01:31:09.880 --> 01:31:12.960
I always really enjoy my time talking to
those authors.

b3947427-8441-42de-95b7-c7162e55df47-0
01:31:12.960 --> 01:31:14.360
So I'm really looking forward to it.

39fae4eb-e606-4973-8b7e-902f786eb653-0
01:31:14.560 --> 01:31:17.426
And if you are interested in some
coaching with Amanda,

39fae4eb-e606-4973-8b7e-902f786eb653-1
01:31:17.426 --> 01:31:21.316
I believe as of time of recording,
there are still a few spots left for the

39fae4eb-e606-4973-8b7e-902f786eb653-2
01:31:21.316 --> 01:31:21.880
July round.

80df3f06-64b6-4c67-952b-799b8b5bc094-0
01:31:21.880 --> 01:31:23.560
They may be selling out quickly.

f4185775-9be4-4a4e-a248-81e9c7aa324b-0
01:31:23.640 --> 01:31:23.960
Yes.

227bb217-cce0-4d68-8f51-2a8883313eeb-0
01:31:23.960 --> 01:31:27.218
And Speaking of selling out,
it's actually shaping up to be our

227bb217-cce0-4d68-8f51-2a8883313eeb-1
01:31:27.218 --> 01:31:27.880
biggest comp.

6c51e5b3-cb33-4209-a626-e04c3271a10a-0
01:31:28.000 --> 01:31:28.600
Yes.

f6c1d8fe-c4bb-41da-a1a8-1d6d75dc8952-0
01:31:28.680 --> 01:31:31.588
So I don't, you know,
it's a bit early to make the call,

f6c1d8fe-c4bb-41da-a1a8-1d6d75dc8952-1
01:31:31.588 --> 01:31:34.394
but as of now,
it's looking like everyone's jumping on

f6c1d8fe-c4bb-41da-a1a8-1d6d75dc8952-2
01:31:34.394 --> 01:31:35.160
board for July.

1ce4f128-01a5-4190-a52a-3e9da61b6f6b-0
01:31:35.160 --> 01:31:36.520
So I'm really excited.

296b1b15-cf4b-4ad0-ae50-3b80a6cdc549-0
01:31:36.520 --> 01:31:39.800
I'm hoping that we get a bumper crop of
stories to read.

25698112-de12-45e4-a01f-fa6802a18a06-0
01:31:40.240 --> 01:31:43.800
And if you haven't already signed up for
the July prize, then please do so.

26522eb4-b8b5-4c89-8d33-8d33cfd3c8be-0
01:31:43.800 --> 01:31:46.128
Just jump on the website
notquiterightprize.

26522eb4-b8b5-4c89-8d33-8d33cfd3c8be-1
01:31:46.128 --> 01:31:47.680
com and keep your eyes peeled.

25a0bd0e-8534-42fd-b774-749a9290bc7e-0
01:31:47.680 --> 01:31:50.008
We'll be revealing the theme for this
round,

25a0bd0e-8534-42fd-b774-749a9290bc7e-1
01:31:50.008 --> 01:31:53.061
the theme image for the July round early
this time around,

25a0bd0e-8534-42fd-b774-749a9290bc7e-2
01:31:53.061 --> 01:31:57.252
so you have a chance to think about what
kind of prompts we might be hitting you

25a0bd0e-8534-42fd-b774-749a9290bc7e-3
01:31:57.252 --> 01:31:58.080
with on the day.

82fb7dca-c84e-4e00-94d3-fd7bc1aabf02-0
01:31:58.080 --> 01:32:00.680
Basically to think about absolutely all
the wrong stuff.

8602c1eb-bd4e-44f3-a09b-7409f1ae27c0-0
01:32:00.680 --> 01:32:02.160
Yeah, exactly.

3b9c3c09-b497-4686-99aa-491d40ded76c-0
01:32:03.480 --> 01:32:08.752
And the other thing to announce is that
Flesh Fiction is now officially out and

3b9c3c09-b497-4686-99aa-491d40ded76c-1
01:32:08.752 --> 01:32:10.400
available on our website.

e9601fe2-914b-4e7c-8bd1-c34e15a7f87a-0
01:32:10.400 --> 01:32:13.630
So head over to our website,
notquiteright.

e9601fe2-914b-4e7c-8bd1-c34e15a7f87a-1
01:32:13.630 --> 01:32:16.640
com and grab yourself a copy of the book.

c90c450e-57d8-4405-991e-0877bfb4a799-0
01:32:16.640 --> 01:32:18.960
Click the books link there in the menu.

f2a706d8-ec0c-4e42-8b38-ef9d7213b344-0
01:32:19.040 --> 01:32:20.560
It's a good time this book.

26daadb7-547c-4d83-9d64-e70eb189194b-0
01:32:20.720 --> 01:32:21.920
It is a very good time.

c908c47e-3d0c-475d-872a-f910090b4d4a-0
01:32:21.920 --> 01:32:25.048
We were just talking about the diversity
in the shortlist of the not quite right

c908c47e-3d0c-475d-872a-f910090b4d4a-1
01:32:25.048 --> 01:32:25.280
price.

db9d3160-421c-498f-a28c-a390144afbc9-0
01:32:25.560 --> 01:32:26.560
Talk about diversity.

e794ec83-b9ee-4ab8-9916-d2fa9956cd24-0
01:32:27.040 --> 01:32:31.529
Like, yes, volume one,
it's just got and intentionally so just

e794ec83-b9ee-4ab8-9916-d2fa9956cd24-1
01:32:31.529 --> 01:32:35.662
this amazing mix,
a random different takes on the idea of

e794ec83-b9ee-4ab8-9916-d2fa9956cd24-2
01:32:35.662 --> 01:32:39.440
what it means to be to make the unsexy
irresistible.

b8ff46d0-424c-4f9b-82fa-335aeab0e98d-0
01:32:39.760 --> 01:32:42.061
I'm very,
very excited to see what everyone thinks

b8ff46d0-424c-4f9b-82fa-335aeab0e98d-1
01:32:42.061 --> 01:32:44.724
because of course,
most of these stories haven't been read

b8ff46d0-424c-4f9b-82fa-335aeab0e98d-2
01:32:44.724 --> 01:32:45.040
before.

cf010cc9-a1ab-4707-b612-be0f18c04df7-0
01:32:45.280 --> 01:32:50.277
We've got a few of the winners in there,
like a few of the podium placing stories,

cf010cc9-a1ab-4707-b612-be0f18c04df7-1
01:32:50.277 --> 01:32:54.793
but we've got all these other juicy
stories that we've got to read so far,

cf010cc9-a1ab-4707-b612-be0f18c04df7-2
01:32:54.793 --> 01:32:56.480
But that will be new to you.

c28d8c2b-2374-4f10-ad08-ba72a74105fd-0
01:32:56.480 --> 01:32:57.480
So check it out.

630bb6b7-26d7-4230-86e7-fe0003e7488d-0
01:32:57.480 --> 01:32:59.720
And, and when you do,
please let us know what you think.

78a9a2d7-aa89-4548-a349-2d317a42f499-0
01:32:59.880 --> 01:33:03.122
Let us know your favourites,
whether there was anything surprising in

78a9a2d7-aa89-4548-a349-2d317a42f499-1
01:33:03.122 --> 01:33:03.400
there.

b8b43779-234f-45c2-80e3-2bdcca6d3a21-0
01:33:03.800 --> 01:33:04.440
Yeah, hit us up.

21b7b340-edd2-4db6-8b63-c167644c3839-0
01:33:04.440 --> 01:33:09.200
And so that's available in E book and
paperback format on our website.

de2b6dc0-510b-42b4-82ae-eb5db4a40598-0
01:33:09.280 --> 01:33:12.680
And thanks to Blanche del Puget,
who has blurbed that book for us.

ec1e822b-c0bf-4763-8754-4bde101e3127-0
01:33:12.680 --> 01:33:15.726
I'm,
I'm thrilled that there's a spite of your

ec1e822b-c0bf-4763-8754-4bde101e3127-1
01:33:15.726 --> 01:33:18.320
in spite, maybe because of my huge gaff.

63ac0dd5-ebce-42c3-83f6-d202161d6b6b-0
01:33:18.840 --> 01:33:22.920
And it's funny to think that she has a
copy of that book in her house right now.

5fa748ad-17dc-4eb4-9a7b-1655db39f209-0
01:33:23.080 --> 01:33:23.800
Yeah, that's right.

b854f8ea-a157-49eb-959f-ed0cfd7cdef1-0
01:33:23.800 --> 01:33:27.600
And she's read all of these stories and
enjoyed them, enjoyed them too.

e1290bcd-cc3a-4fed-8979-909aee58f396-0
01:33:28.320 --> 01:33:31.200
So if you want to enjoy them as well,
go grab yourself a copy.

b4927469-600e-4f51-81ad-f8ba0e510cb3-0
01:33:31.720 --> 01:33:33.200
But that's it for the shortlist episode.

df913066-7cba-4b51-b42f-e044332d591b-0
01:33:33.200 --> 01:33:33.520
Of course.

57973ab8-5d0d-40cb-82ff-7e2d595321f9-0
01:33:33.520 --> 01:33:37.742
As I mentioned,
we'll be back with our Daredevils very

57973ab8-5d0d-40cb-82ff-7e2d595321f9-1
01:33:37.742 --> 01:33:43.040
soon and stick around after the closing
theme song for vague tweets.

2a835783-25d2-49b2-b5e8-8d0d3bd70be5-0
01:33:43.200 --> 01:33:46.320
As always, mostly Amanda's vague tweets,
let's be honest.

4806e987-95c8-4f2d-abde-91e2ab7a1ad2-0
01:33:46.680 --> 01:33:50.080
But until then, right on, right on.

46d34be9-0d4a-4451-9912-cd9d7eed2898-0
01:33:52.800 --> 01:33:54.440
Thank you for listening to Not Quite
Right.

118c3797-76d5-432b-820a-abf8b8bba011-0
01:33:54.600 --> 01:33:58.982
If you'd like to reach us via email or
follow us on social media,

118c3797-76d5-432b-820a-abf8b8bba011-1
01:33:58.982 --> 01:34:04.360
you can find all the links on our website
notquiterightpodcast.com that's WRITE.

31e776a7-b109-43d9-a61f-8373334acf06-0
01:34:04.480 --> 01:34:07.320
And if you enjoyed the show,
we'd love it if you could leave us a five

31e776a7-b109-43d9-a61f-8373334acf06-1
01:34:07.320 --> 01:34:09.160
star review on your favourite podcasting
app.

91132241-ff90-43d7-a218-cb56c366bea7-0
01:34:12.720 --> 01:34:14.360
Something doesn't seem quite right.

86f7f9c4-8ba1-4e22-bd9d-a35df2d2bc9e-0
01:34:19.280 --> 01:34:24.120
So we're back and it's time to reveal the
stories that inspired our vague tweets.

8e5c97e7-5098-414e-bbe6-8d8257dcafcc-0
01:34:24.120 --> 01:34:26.400
And as always, I dropped the ball.

12def21d-617d-402c-8851-be58778c4fe0-0
01:34:27.760 --> 01:34:30.040
Put it simply, the disco ball.

a3899d7c-2316-4d92-98d4-2122ce751ba0-0
01:34:30.320 --> 01:34:31.240
The disco ball indeed.

7717080d-7e75-4a5f-b83c-41201679f574-0
01:34:31.240 --> 01:34:33.360
I'm not a big tweeter, and I try.

b0275e94-a110-4bbd-86ae-3ff9648c97d8-0
01:34:33.440 --> 01:34:34.200
I do try.

01b56273-ef28-4a52-8684-0239f487accb-0
01:34:34.840 --> 01:34:36.800
I'm working on bettering myself.

acf0da01-2867-45d3-9495-12e428e95f3d-0
01:34:36.800 --> 01:34:40.920
As I've said, I did tweet three times,
but one of them was more general.

ccc9026b-d426-4307-ba07-6dee269b1cba-0
01:34:40.920 --> 01:34:41.800
There are a couple of tweets.

79797770-7173-448e-8a8b-ea167eab2c4a-0
01:34:41.800 --> 01:34:46.236
They're related to specific stories,
so I'll just call mine out and let Amanda

79797770-7173-448e-8a8b-ea167eab2c4a-1
01:34:46.236 --> 01:34:47.360
fill in all of hers.

641d3c98-695c-47f3-931d-52a550c5b323-0
01:34:48.120 --> 01:34:52.788
My first tweet was some Ed and Amanda
fanfic has snuck its way into my team

641d3c98-695c-47f3-931d-52a550c5b323-1
01:34:52.788 --> 01:34:53.280
stories.

0ccd3c9d-1fbf-4977-891b-8b744e4e05e3-0
01:34:53.280 --> 01:34:56.040
Will it earn a dishonourable mention or
more?

14fc3c04-70a1-433c-86e0-90a1f6eeb1dd-0
01:34:56.640 --> 01:34:57.360
And it did.

251fdc61-e83e-4daf-ab17-b793ee1540fa-0
01:34:57.920 --> 01:35:00.760
And a dishonourable mention that was WWAD.

edd400cc-278f-4a17-b3c6-9eb5b36e66a1-0
01:35:00.960 --> 01:35:05.640
Or what would Amanda do by Laura Raine,
who has submitted.

7ee549d6-34ba-4883-a337-1a4f2e4cc988-0
01:35:05.640 --> 01:35:07.400
What would Amanda do to Team Ed?

0f7dbfd9-b250-4d85-aa25-36a1bb78f6ad-0
01:35:09.080 --> 01:35:11.520
Just to add like insult to injury,
I guess.

198f8544-9138-4135-8bc8-735aeaf678f7-0
01:35:11.760 --> 01:35:13.400
But thank you for doing that, Laura.

9bfa3b49-73c2-4de7-98eb-836df14d568e-0
01:35:13.440 --> 01:35:16.293
And by the way,
adding insult to injury is what Amanda

9bfa3b49-73c2-4de7-98eb-836df14d568e-1
01:35:16.293 --> 01:35:16.760
would do.

c21bcdb6-d0ee-4c11-b467-a94a2da61f04-0
01:35:20.040 --> 01:35:24.777
My other tweet was seem several of you
are hoping to stand out with some very

c21bcdb6-d0ee-4c11-b467-a94a2da61f04-1
01:35:24.777 --> 01:35:26.600
provocative titles this round.

6a914db6-8cef-4cfb-a89d-4c762173c8b7-0
01:35:27.240 --> 01:35:33.080
And the two stories referenced there were
**** Farts and a Penis by Tom Brodkin.

5ee6bbb6-441e-48eb-b71e-25ae0d6cae5e-0
01:35:33.080 --> 01:35:34.080
So thank you Tom.

9888c653-6b28-4d43-b6f6-a8082c252a66-0
01:35:34.080 --> 01:35:36.920
It definitely got my attention with that
story title.

fa734c0b-5853-4d88-a442-1b2e5cb2de0c-0
01:35:37.520 --> 01:35:43.240
And the other one by Louise Sutherland
was rode hard and put away wet.

fb8495c3-2db2-4e4b-8bb6-a09abe067b01-0
01:35:44.000 --> 01:35:47.680
Both are kind of echoes of flesh fiction
there a little bit.

b9a2ece5-6d6f-4442-becb-a4fe056e6551-0
01:35:47.920 --> 01:35:51.440
But Amanda,
tell us all about your many vague tweets.

e656e496-dead-44d8-9aad-6a99a41df4a9-0
01:35:51.840 --> 01:35:54.520
Well look,
I restrained myself a little bit this

e656e496-dead-44d8-9aad-6a99a41df4a9-1
01:35:54.520 --> 01:35:58.240
time but I will go through them kicking
off with Douglas Maccabees.

bd1353e9-f62a-4937-a080-23984219b3ac-0
01:35:58.240 --> 01:35:59.160
Poor Eddie.

0982638c-0242-4d21-9a8c-1ac70d121539-0
01:35:59.160 --> 01:36:01.160
I said thanks for the literal lols.

9f01573c-44ee-4a17-b4d4-473c68214e4d-0
01:36:01.160 --> 01:36:02.800
And it was about a dead goldfish.

f40ad33a-011d-46e2-a0d5-6f64ae8e4f29-0
01:36:02.800 --> 01:36:06.963
We mentioned it in the longest episode
and I also quoted A favourite line which

f40ad33a-011d-46e2-a0d5-6f64ae8e4f29-1
01:36:06.963 --> 01:36:10.971
was basically about driving to the
hospital but dancing while driving to the

f40ad33a-011d-46e2-a0d5-6f64ae8e4f29-2
01:36:10.971 --> 01:36:11.439
hospital.

7aeecc00-0547-43a1-814e-fe9cc72f02d2-0
01:36:11.440 --> 01:36:12.800
And I did laugh out loud at that.

12733eaa-3c73-49e9-a5c4-b89a9d7f6ba3-0
01:36:12.800 --> 01:36:14.160
So thank you so much Douglas.

b36d9b87-fdc2-4bbf-a5d3-760f7a782b97-0
01:36:14.280 --> 01:36:18.405
And then hello to the potty mouthed
author who delivered a stunning tale of

b36d9b87-fdc2-4bbf-a5d3-760f7a782b97-1
01:36:18.405 --> 01:36:18.840
revenge.

be826b41-d762-4f88-af61-2677e39ca518-0
01:36:19.200 --> 01:36:20.360
Hope you're doing OK.

8e3c4efd-d2fb-40d1-8619-b5496fe7fb60-0
01:36:20.480 --> 01:36:22.320
And I said don't reveal yourself yet.

91e15adb-9d09-4ea8-879f-05b46c8dc096-0
01:36:22.320 --> 01:36:26.427
Just go and read the Cask of Amontillado
and tell me if it doesn't make you feel a

91e15adb-9d09-4ea8-879f-05b46c8dc096-1
01:36:26.427 --> 01:36:27.120
little better.

08aac6d2-a578-45c9-8fb8-0e80800c4d20-0
01:36:27.360 --> 01:36:31.320
And that was Gin Leo with Philodendron
Pink Princess.

e1245835-8a9b-463b-8c8c-cc6db875c4d9-0
01:36:31.320 --> 01:36:36.000
And this was basically about a homicidal
plant, which was pretty fun.

5399bec4-81ce-407f-858f-d845758c4f69-0
01:36:36.000 --> 01:36:42.017
And I don't know how you're feeling, Jin,
but I'm feeling a lot of need to exact

5399bec4-81ce-407f-858f-d845758c4f69-1
01:36:42.017 --> 01:36:46.325
some revenge out IRL out in real life and,
and, you know,

5399bec4-81ce-407f-858f-d845758c4f69-2
01:36:46.325 --> 01:36:52.120
enjoying a little bit of fiction on that
front in various directions for you,

5399bec4-81ce-407f-858f-d845758c4f69-3
01:36:52.120 --> 01:36:52.640
Amanda.

584457a1-eb79-4bfb-920b-945cc16b8d49-0
01:36:53.640 --> 01:36:55.040
There's a there's a several recipients.

f0eea078-00c4-4a01-a829-353362178898-0
01:36:55.840 --> 01:36:57.920
There's always someone on my **** ****.

f660e681-5e57-47c5-b23c-61771d92c20c-0
01:36:57.920 --> 01:37:00.097
But you know,
there's there's a few names that have,

f660e681-5e57-47c5-b23c-61771d92c20c-1
01:37:00.097 --> 01:37:01.987
well,
one particular name that's risen to the

f660e681-5e57-47c5-b23c-61771d92c20c-2
01:37:01.987 --> 01:37:02.480
top of late.

cac2aaae-e7d7-4ac3-a5b8-d5dafc68c179-0
01:37:02.920 --> 01:37:06.966
And then I said, Oh, well,
little flesh fiction overflow has made

cac2aaae-e7d7-4ac3-a5b8-d5dafc68c179-1
01:37:06.966 --> 01:37:08.560
its way to the April comp.

1c8eec82-3101-4e7b-8800-f37b248b56bb-0
01:37:08.560 --> 01:37:10.440
You owe the jar a dollar.

4482a4ec-aba1-4b84-b345-1e042f388b2f-0
01:37:10.440 --> 01:37:14.120
And that was Adam Wolf with premature
Freeze.

d1b295c2-3441-4b96-96d7-d22e6efda7a5-0
01:37:14.400 --> 01:37:20.434
And that was a fun story about a guy who
like has the power to to freeze like time

d1b295c2-3441-4b96-96d7-d22e6efda7a5-1
01:37:20.434 --> 01:37:24.069
basically,
and prevent himself from prematurely a

d1b295c2-3441-4b96-96d7-d22e6efda7a5-2
01:37:24.069 --> 01:37:24.360
jar.

f987dfd3-460a-418d-b0fb-4d11c3c287f7-0
01:37:24.360 --> 01:37:26.800
That's a great premise.

067c792a-f903-4bef-a7ed-dab9a3ba7363-0
01:37:26.800 --> 01:37:30.720
I love that wonderful little fantasy
coming to life.

9e8715d4-c8e1-4ca1-8bca-f118140ab08d-0
01:37:30.720 --> 01:37:31.560
So that was great.

4c03d081-0dfe-4061-8b22-990eaf15904b-0
01:37:32.440 --> 01:37:37.192
And next I said my first Yes for the Long
List features a fun usage of the street

4c03d081-0dfe-4061-8b22-990eaf15904b-1
01:37:37.192 --> 01:37:40.960
word prompt that I was not so secretly
hoping to see this round.

aba76448-2b01-48ec-a28f-46410124b73b-0
01:37:40.960 --> 01:37:43.000
And of course that was a Backstreet Boys
reference.

e801865b-2ab4-4961-9b71-4bd6a810e8f7-0
01:37:43.000 --> 01:37:46.813
And the story I was referring to was JD
Hodley's When Your Dead Best Friend

e801865b-2ab4-4961-9b71-4bd6a810e8f7-1
01:37:46.813 --> 01:37:48.720
Communicates via the Spotify playlist.

1e8364a5-2a43-430f-b0e5-ca59c83209e0-0
01:37:48.720 --> 01:37:53.399
So Fresh greatest hits, 90s and 2000s,
which did mention the Backstreet Boys in

1e8364a5-2a43-430f-b0e5-ca59c83209e0-1
01:37:53.399 --> 01:37:54.920
there as one of the songs.

9073b3b4-e081-49b1-a40e-2844111b0b5f-0
01:37:54.920 --> 01:37:58.000
And there were five stories specifically
written for Amanda.

4e92d2bb-b624-4b0b-b3fa-62e56a377b9c-0
01:37:58.040 --> 01:38:00.400
I believe they always are.

dfb2828a-09d3-4482-8238-a8586d71e6c4-0
01:38:00.440 --> 01:38:01.560
Speak to my heart.

0735f25b-914d-4b05-a5e5-0a320a4e0416-0
01:38:01.560 --> 01:38:02.280
Absolutely.

d14f2efc-9414-4af5-be38-215fc1c02034-0
01:38:02.640 --> 01:38:05.246
And yeah,
there were I think 5 Backstreet Boys

d14f2efc-9414-4af5-be38-215fc1c02034-1
01:38:05.246 --> 01:38:07.520
stories from memory and I did enjoy them.

53d851ec-ff9b-4ffc-b315-bf78b7c88bfb-0
01:38:07.520 --> 01:38:09.360
So thank you so much to all of those
authors.

32c3b684-8e6a-4731-90a5-d1d4edc01b8d-0
01:38:09.520 --> 01:38:13.248
And then I posted swiftly followed by
another, yes,

32c3b684-8e6a-4731-90a5-d1d4edc01b8d-1
01:38:13.248 --> 01:38:15.400
Australiana vibes on this one.

8a5f74cc-8d0b-48f6-9127-2445a183fbf7-0
01:38:15.400 --> 01:38:18.464
And that was of course Liveston Houses
the Bogan,

8a5f74cc-8d0b-48f6-9127-2445a183fbf7-1
01:38:18.464 --> 01:38:23.000
which was our second place story and
about as Australian as you get next.

453981df-fece-4397-aaf7-a99be28a2a4e-0
01:38:23.000 --> 01:38:24.840
I said, and it's another yes from me.

403c6c68-777f-45a0-9d78-e6f8594d57d1-0
01:38:24.840 --> 01:38:27.480
And not just a yes,
but a shortlist contender.

1de846ec-f536-4b81-858a-83b5cc9c11b8-0
01:38:27.480 --> 01:38:32.381
It might be yours if your story took a
big picture approach and it did in fact

1de846ec-f536-4b81-858a-83b5cc9c11b8-1
01:38:32.381 --> 01:38:33.560
make the shortlist.

1282eb03-7b52-4c3e-85f5-43333888f467-0
01:38:33.560 --> 01:38:36.400
And that was the Pale Blue Dot by Ruth
Lord.

90355fd5-2d66-4f1a-bff7-06b4be53c9c7-0
01:38:36.680 --> 01:38:40.345
And then I said to Marissa Hanley with
Tombstone Windmills,

90355fd5-2d66-4f1a-bff7-06b4be53c9c7-1
01:38:40.345 --> 01:38:43.400
you're the type of crazy I can get on
board with.

8148bcb3-631c-4377-8c71-88d77491fe24-0
01:38:43.440 --> 01:38:45.880
I'd love to see your story on this
round's longlist.

cf36670d-8d20-450d-809f-dccd4936b637-0
01:38:46.080 --> 01:38:49.400
It may be you if you featured a break
dancing move in your title.

b62fc904-d2d5-46b5-8da6-78b28c30f684-0
01:38:49.640 --> 01:38:51.000
More than one break dancing move.

de98832f-0a92-43e6-8676-368366ea099b-0
01:38:51.000 --> 01:38:53.200
In fact,
both the tomb stone and the windmill.

d34a7e6b-218b-4e66-83a3-bedf13973189-0
01:38:53.560 --> 01:38:56.440
Next I said my first goosebumps of the
round.

16611b2e-7e1d-4b4e-b3a6-bce853258d73-0
01:38:56.440 --> 01:38:58.840
Always a sign of deep emotional resonance.

9181f58c-0191-4f0b-9aa8-a785fed282ce-0
01:38:59.160 --> 01:39:01.960
It's subjective always,
but it's a yes from me.

0e61fa04-6d77-4e6d-aede-c390a1b1c91c-0
01:39:02.280 --> 01:39:05.828
This could be your story if you centred
the idea of breaking out of both a

0e61fa04-6d77-4e6d-aede-c390a1b1c91c-1
01:39:05.828 --> 01:39:07.200
physical and emotional place.

6aba1ffd-0c4a-4397-9ef8-75feda3eef93-0
01:39:07.200 --> 01:39:10.880
And that was of course Athena Laws
winning story waiting.

932cf9cd-2c2f-464f-a1ff-3d6dc7821c12-0
01:39:11.200 --> 01:39:12.280
So just a few more.

f4763d3e-6d43-4fd2-9a6d-4a4568258e86-0
01:39:12.280 --> 01:39:16.505
I said sometimes my highly professional
and well considered judging comments look

f4763d3e-6d43-4fd2-9a6d-4a4568258e86-1
01:39:16.505 --> 01:39:18.000
a little something like this.

f372da9b-8d3a-4157-bf04-2ce974213507-0
01:39:18.000 --> 01:39:21.320
And that was of course the OMFG comments.

7caed3f5-3b19-4ef2-bd51-52b5c2f2778e-0
01:39:21.680 --> 01:39:25.076
I said I'm not even tagging this one
because if you wrote this story you

7caed3f5-3b19-4ef2-bd51-52b5c2f2778e-1
01:39:25.076 --> 01:39:26.240
already know who you are.

44441679-40ea-4608-9aeb-5504d89f55da-0
01:39:26.520 --> 01:39:30.468
And that was of course my wild card
winning story Wash Your Mouth Out by

44441679-40ea-4608-9aeb-5504d89f55da-1
01:39:30.468 --> 01:39:31.280
Malcolm McCabe.

91dc7ec9-7827-45ce-a134-18039594d0b3-0
01:39:31.600 --> 01:39:35.000
Next I said,
oh more flesh fiction overflow.

3de52861-6c79-4462-9ce4-72682bec651a-0
01:39:35.000 --> 01:39:36.880
Seems you guys just can't get enough.

305b3300-16de-43c3-a82a-a1df4d7a9b42-0
01:39:37.240 --> 01:39:40.640
And that was from Ryan Naume with one
play.

8e3a3c26-09c3-4e83-a588-fc24a192e1ec-0
01:39:40.640 --> 01:39:44.482
Now, I didn't mention Ryan before,
but I've just remembered Ryan's coming to

8e3a3c26-09c3-4e83-a588-fc24a192e1ec-1
01:39:44.482 --> 01:39:45.680
the book launch as well.

329d12ab-68df-431e-8fe5-8035d9060a5f-0
01:39:45.680 --> 01:39:47.560
So I look forward to seeing Ryan again.

0da6f266-3d02-4c16-b6d2-b7f7c423d238-0
01:39:47.560 --> 01:39:50.292
We have met in person for an in person
coaching session,

0da6f266-3d02-4c16-b6d2-b7f7c423d238-1
01:39:50.292 --> 01:39:53.600
which is a wonderful advantage of living
close on the Central Coast.

8e492318-ac5d-4fd7-b7cf-2445ab728aa8-0
01:39:53.960 --> 01:39:56.160
And I look forward to meeting Ryan's wife.

405321de-e172-4cb6-9c4f-def0c92c2b14-0
01:39:56.480 --> 01:40:00.400
I'm not sure if this is how much fact is
in the fiction here with one play.

7ceaf5fd-e39d-47cb-9303-c989fd5189f9-0
01:40:01.560 --> 01:40:02.640
We'll just have to ask.

0cf6e212-3551-4756-b7a9-0d8980d6bcf2-0
01:40:02.640 --> 01:40:05.000
Like right up front Guardian Leviosa.

ff4b24c7-1e22-4910-805b-bd64c98be69d-0
01:40:07.200 --> 01:40:08.520
Next I said, what?

d100ef40-316b-4a88-9287-c426df8c6b2a-0
01:40:08.520 --> 01:40:09.920
No cherry blossoms?

57f4658a-1e39-462a-9745-04e89679d0a9-0
01:40:10.160 --> 01:40:13.040
And there was a little nod to Robert
Fairhead with his story.

5d8d630c-be96-4077-b87b-47be11e18352-0
01:40:13.080 --> 01:40:13.880
A headspin.

4e1856e3-d679-4f9d-b8f9-a0b6564a9555-0
01:40:14.240 --> 01:40:16.360
A little haiku,
which I'll read for you now.

547a43ed-357d-4110-aece-9081ddebc76e-0
01:40:17.120 --> 01:40:21.318
Narrow streets,
strange sights breaking out in sweat,

547a43ed-357d-4110-aece-9081ddebc76e-1
01:40:21.318 --> 01:40:22.640
footsore travels.

8e8f7456-111b-4d32-843f-ffd8f2892712-0
01:40:22.640 --> 01:40:23.400
A headspin.

f0f23480-71c6-4fe3-a47c-3c8a2c5bde0a-0
01:40:24.120 --> 01:40:27.696
And Robert had already flagged with us
that he was going to be travelling in

f0f23480-71c6-4fe3-a47c-3c8a2c5bde0a-1
01:40:27.696 --> 01:40:31.411
Japan when the prompts dropped and that
he probably wouldn't have the headspace

f0f23480-71c6-4fe3-a47c-3c8a2c5bde0a-2
01:40:31.411 --> 01:40:32.480
to write a whole story.

0d6f447c-e298-4da2-b03b-37a420fcba3c-0
01:40:32.480 --> 01:40:35.760
But of course he had a an annual pass and
he didn't want to miss the chance.

36d97f96-eef0-431b-8300-d5653c808d6a-0
01:40:35.760 --> 01:40:36.000
And.

c14a3f04-47de-4312-a018-6f7c085f96d3-0
01:40:36.000 --> 01:40:40.120
And in submitting that did put himself up
for the bonus prize.

607f0b89-53b1-49ab-9f61-e6d154661ed2-0
01:40:40.120 --> 01:40:41.000
So, yeah.

ffc205bb-33e2-420c-b866-54f56d4fc09e-0
01:40:41.000 --> 01:40:41.760
So that was great.

dc40cfec-d6ba-4ce1-b15e-4d466604d41d-0
01:40:41.960 --> 01:40:42.720
Absolutely.

a714fd0a-6a4f-43b1-9539-afdaa9d2ea48-0
01:40:42.720 --> 01:40:44.480
And I hope you enjoyed your trip, Robert.

52a19431-a132-4c9a-848b-d2ba696f02e5-0
01:40:44.480 --> 01:40:45.600
I do love Japan.

d4512c2a-8099-4dfb-b634-87bb2e2da553-0
01:40:45.600 --> 01:40:46.800
I hope you had a lovely time.

390d7813-9a73-4f1d-adbc-857b2f5e3dee-0
01:40:47.520 --> 01:40:48.960
Just a couple more, I said.

0893bbb9-7b5e-4fc2-be71-ed845727f70e-0
01:40:49.160 --> 01:40:53.722
I've just encountered a very fun closing
line that fully stuck the landing of his

0893bbb9-7b5e-4fc2-be71-ed845727f70e-1
01:40:53.722 --> 01:40:56.560
story's premise and was both punny and
ridiculous.

5733f004-9484-4e44-8007-c05918b04ac4-0
01:40:56.760 --> 01:40:58.640
I appreciate you, mystery author.

f86918dc-d933-416c-b54c-abc6acc4d0cc-0
01:40:58.840 --> 01:40:59.920
Thanks for the lols.

1d92701b-c4d6-46fb-8a00-6995047c0121-0
01:41:00.200 --> 01:41:02.400
And this author is no longer a mystery to
me.

ab477a98-5109-4296-8787-19a0f9c99af6-0
01:41:02.400 --> 01:41:05.300
It was Sheridan Bell with Lord of the
Fries,

ab477a98-5109-4296-8787-19a0f9c99af6-1
01:41:05.300 --> 01:41:09.360
and this was a story about potatoes and
like, root vegetables.

63ddd888-d22f-49d1-a0fa-535489835764-0
01:41:09.640 --> 01:41:11.400
And the line I particularly noted was.

ba25b787-fad0-4c09-94c5-fb06f819cdf9-0
01:41:11.400 --> 01:41:14.280
She glanced back at Russ,
panting in the dust.

9fda1ae0-2f46-41f7-8ff6-9e9d889700e9-0
01:41:14.680 --> 01:41:15.480
Sorry, Spud.

0dd66e36-9efd-4776-afb9-4f12fb52f943-0
01:41:15.640 --> 01:41:16.880
I guess he's the better route.

2563fc15-4be8-4a98-bd56-f55e4245fc75-0
01:41:18.720 --> 01:41:22.800
So a lovely punny little story there
about a judgmental beetroot.

914ccbd7-2879-47dc-9636-71b986802877-0
01:41:25.640 --> 01:41:29.007
And finally,
I said this round I'm seeing so many

914ccbd7-2879-47dc-9636-71b986802877-1
01:41:29.007 --> 01:41:33.520
stories attempting some really bold and
frankly irrational things.

0ec88b71-df72-4160-ade6-2f0ec20ec00a-0
01:41:33.760 --> 01:41:36.520
Some succeed in delighting and some lose
the plot.

7417b5bf-a0b7-4b9b-8443-8c5030800803-0
01:41:36.520 --> 01:41:40.240
In more ways than one,
this one was a success in my books.

57641ee1-5b1b-44c9-ac77-8d6779cde4e8-0
01:41:40.240 --> 01:41:42.840
It could be yours if your story had a
happy ending.

84290d08-bc8b-41c7-93cc-fb6ba25dd748-0
01:41:43.320 --> 01:41:49.080
And that was Sam James's round trip,
which was actually quite a dark story.

4547c045-eb46-46c5-9973-46f2bab88d08-0
01:41:49.920 --> 01:41:53.781
It featured a character who logs every
car journey, writes every book,

4547c045-eb46-46c5-9973-46f2bab88d08-1
01:41:53.781 --> 01:41:54.760
writes every beer.

b90186cd-fbb4-41bf-8b51-1c249ef4e635-0
01:41:54.760 --> 01:41:58.217
He feels the need to document everything,
and he's sort of trying to make the

b90186cd-fbb4-41bf-8b51-1c249ef4e635-1
01:41:58.217 --> 01:42:01.896
decision whether he's on this round trip,
whether it's going to be a round trip or

b90186cd-fbb4-41bf-8b51-1c249ef4e635-2
01:42:01.896 --> 01:42:04.600
whether he's going to drive to the bridge
and not come back.

42088eff-63f2-4b04-b781-18098d801007-0
01:42:04.600 --> 01:42:08.280
So it was actually quite a sad story and
I just want to read a line from it.

2b8023a2-f03a-4030-bc52-b335e962ec7f-0
01:42:08.920 --> 01:42:12.120
There was a comfort in looking back and
seeing where he had been.

b61560d8-96cf-4e3f-9011-7a9cba8d8860-0
01:42:12.600 --> 01:42:13.360
On bad days.

fed49f69-6696-4658-9dcc-0cb1db6090d8-0
01:42:13.360 --> 01:42:16.000
He could look at the charts and remind
himself of the good ones.

b5db5651-194b-4e9a-931a-465df401577a-0
01:42:16.520 --> 01:42:18.920
Right now,
it felt like there were only bad days.

4edf19b3-6db8-497a-8a39-7de69bd6540f-0
01:42:19.360 --> 01:42:22.640
Good days were a figment,
or so his brain was telling him.

c396522f-b534-44cc-a937-8f525253ee56-0
01:42:23.200 --> 01:42:25.080
But his brain couldn't be trusted.

d34c1a2f-f995-4ab1-8b50-6b0a251ddb44-0
01:42:25.600 --> 01:42:28.539
And I think that's a really resonant
feeling as well,

d34c1a2f-f995-4ab1-8b50-6b0a251ddb44-1
01:42:28.539 --> 01:42:32.729
like when you are in a dark place,
not being able to see the positive things

d34c1a2f-f995-4ab1-8b50-6b0a251ddb44-2
01:42:32.729 --> 01:42:35.560
in the world,
in your past or even in your present.

33410611-96e2-4a60-ab6b-b47c771f2e93-0
01:42:35.960 --> 01:42:39.447
And I think that's a lovely idea,
logging things and being able to look

33410611-96e2-4a60-ab6b-b47c771f2e93-1
01:42:39.447 --> 01:42:42.498
back on it and actually bringing yourself
a little bit of joy,

33410611-96e2-4a60-ab6b-b47c771f2e93-2
01:42:42.498 --> 01:42:44.000
if indeed that's what you need.

25c3aafa-c3cb-4728-9d4e-b3ffd7b98a5f-0
01:42:44.400 --> 01:42:46.966
And in fact,
Sam has actually uploaded audio of his

25c3aafa-c3cb-4728-9d4e-b3ffd7b98a5f-1
01:42:46.966 --> 01:42:49.138
story,
and he's got such a beautiful voice,

25c3aafa-c3cb-4728-9d4e-b3ffd7b98a5f-2
01:42:49.138 --> 01:42:50.520
and it is a beautiful story.

3eba440e-2ae2-49d4-a185-25929343b0dd-0
01:42:50.520 --> 01:42:52.200
So why don't we play it now?

7894f176-08e3-40b6-a2d9-81c011e2bf47-0
01:42:52.200 --> 01:42:52.800
Why not?

32645931-2c64-4fd7-a1b4-09045ea44bdd-0
01:42:52.840 --> 01:42:53.160
Yeah.

74b8467b-86a1-4903-ae01-5bbfab05c544-0
01:42:53.160 --> 01:42:53.920
A little bonus.

efbef1fd-6b1e-4f2c-84f3-79a403c5dab6-0
01:42:54.120 --> 01:42:54.920
Take it away, Sam.

3d5ca0d7-0499-4637-867a-385e4ec012c2-0
01:43:03.400 --> 01:43:06.800
Round Trip by Sam James.

53d77b57-5df7-49d9-9a21-f81fa8866af7-0
01:43:10.440 --> 01:43:14.240
Eric kept track of things.

9aee21c3-227a-4c2d-9cd7-5b56cb952620-0
01:43:15.200 --> 01:43:19.400
Every book got a review,
every beer a rating.

877e7e9e-f2e3-4728-8309-cf4b9de09f5d-0
01:43:21.480 --> 01:43:25.996
He logged each car journey in a
spreadsheet, the miles, the fuel,

877e7e9e-f2e3-4728-8309-cf4b9de09f5d-1
01:43:25.996 --> 01:43:27.160
the destinations.

8669373c-77cd-4790-8989-2ed7d727066a-0
01:43:29.000 --> 01:43:31.280
24th of April 2026.

2760f2cc-ed0c-4245-b56a-7e035030adfd-0
01:43:31.600 --> 01:43:33.280
Home to supermarket.

d9febd77-c77b-4b4b-b33b-204d6ea7971a-0
01:43:33.760 --> 01:43:37.200
2 miles round trip equals yes.

b5079ce5-b576-4b9f-81a8-f5c17a0017c2-0
01:43:39.760 --> 01:43:48.280
There was a comfort in looking back and
seeing where he had been on bad days.

917eb4ae-79ba-4e96-9d3d-c17e69a02b7a-0
01:43:48.640 --> 01:43:53.200
He could look at the charts and remind
himself of the good ones.

4981f4aa-e42c-41eb-aabf-326cd2de4df9-0
01:43:54.680 --> 01:43:57.840
Today was a bad day.

e62d547b-44dd-4c37-886f-0c384730957a-0
01:43:59.320 --> 01:44:02.440
Right now it felt like there were only
bad days.

3ddaf228-56f6-4e51-b465-b89d8ab66b0d-0
01:44:03.240 --> 01:44:07.120
Good days were a figment,
or so his brain was telling him.

45049a14-824f-4e3e-ba65-d63a5a86e749-0
01:44:07.280 --> 01:44:10.080
But his brain couldn't be trusted.

3259daf9-cf67-4a6e-88e0-7bd3d2f18e7c-0
01:44:10.920 --> 01:44:11.400
Look.

d8b08365-8eeb-4a02-ad22-ab8bc1812998-0
01:44:13.000 --> 01:44:15.200
12th of April 2026.

773d7e45-f8dc-4a82-be58-56417f1e2961-0
01:44:15.520 --> 01:44:18.800
Home to sea houses, brackets,
Farne Islands.

b13e0315-bcad-40ca-8080-35acb72da831-0
01:44:19.200 --> 01:44:26.720
98 miles round trip equals yes,
refuel equals £63.51.

f28a2419-51f7-443c-9e48-1a0c0f1c3304-0
01:44:30.320 --> 01:44:35.000
The puffins were back for the season and
he'd gone on a boat tour.

134d3b6a-b485-458e-a7e3-ebeaddef4910-0
01:44:35.760 --> 01:44:40.160
Rapid fluttering wing beats,
sand deals wriggling in bright beaks.

f4997cb7-1cbf-46a9-bb98-cbccea86f3ac-0
01:44:40.360 --> 01:44:43.120
Sea salt in his eyes and on his chips.

f65bf864-ee3d-4557-b2fe-01fb069b92aa-0
01:44:43.720 --> 01:44:45.520
That was a good day.

f2d7e175-dcda-46e3-9ad0-a8f0a4081b06-0
01:44:47.640 --> 01:44:49.080
**** he was tired.

1ded2f6f-b6ab-410a-9106-d92c490a4f14-0
01:44:50.520 --> 01:44:55.585
Eric measured out his beans, 3 1/2 stars,
a little dark for his taste,

1ded2f6f-b6ab-410a-9106-d92c490a4f14-1
01:44:55.585 --> 01:44:58.440
and poured them into the coffee grinder.

818659ce-d330-45e7-9e62-082b301b7c40-0
01:44:59.800 --> 01:45:03.800
Routine was another way he coped with
these dips.

9d6de080-aab1-406c-ba48-bc19d6268cfe-0
01:45:04.960 --> 01:45:07.360
Days when there was no motivation to do
anything.

e224bb5f-3660-435d-9b87-518b2e19da96-0
01:45:08.200 --> 01:45:11.480
Only the rhythm of habit made him put on
pants.

6e9dc8c4-bcbd-4ae4-bd73-d679adf0daee-0
01:45:14.000 --> 01:45:16.400
24th of April 2026.

e9ea7c49-7706-4888-b90f-c2ffaafe351f-0
01:45:16.640 --> 01:45:17.920
Home to work.

2c8bcc9b-52af-4ef3-9896-07c65f68f1ff-0
01:45:18.240 --> 01:45:22.240
5 miles round trip equals no.

53f1ff43-7658-47b8-9489-6d44eaf3d96c-0
01:45:24.560 --> 01:45:29.040
He placed his travel mug on the desk and
opened his emails.

b836c44c-3229-43b5-86f1-a868fae02205-0
01:45:29.760 --> 01:45:33.720
One was read,
he didn't remember opening it.

6c760c6a-db84-4843-ae50-e086275be085-0
01:45:34.800 --> 01:45:35.560
Another sat.

a121fe41-cce9-4c98-beb2-921041a457c4-0
01:45:35.560 --> 01:45:38.840
Half replied,
a sentence trailing off mid thought.

411109ef-76ac-4280-8634-d31dc9a9207e-0
01:45:40.360 --> 01:45:44.320
His pocket buzzed with some unimportant
notification.

4ae564f1-021e-498a-9b64-c2f0ceec138a-0
01:45:45.280 --> 01:45:50.369
When he looked up from his phone,
the lights were dimmed and the cleaners

4ae564f1-021e-498a-9b64-c2f0ceec138a-1
01:45:50.369 --> 01:45:50.920
were in.

6b5c7912-673d-47a8-ac07-129636aa917b-0
01:45:53.040 --> 01:45:54.600
Where had the day gone?

2fda430d-6880-4366-af0e-c07ea3980a76-0
01:45:56.520 --> 01:46:00.560
That had been happening more and more
lately, losing time.

49fb62f2-241c-45c2-a79b-4599ab75bd11-0
01:46:01.760 --> 01:46:06.560
Sometimes it was lost to scrolling,
sometimes he had no idea where it went.

73e8c74e-4942-4ed1-8ab2-d981cc559b61-0
01:46:07.640 --> 01:46:12.415
He could only hope that the last time
wasn't having too detrimental an effect

73e8c74e-4942-4ed1-8ab2-d981cc559b61-1
01:46:12.415 --> 01:46:13.640
on his spreadsheets.

e0b03638-e4f1-4f89-8471-28856baa23fb-0
01:46:14.520 --> 01:46:17.840
How could he trust the data if it was
incomplete?

8280261b-5bca-4c8e-8774-3716f49cab59-0
01:46:20.680 --> 01:46:25.480
The first thing he did on arriving home
was update the trip log.

6f46dfe9-75af-44c8-b146-328517484366-0
01:46:26.400 --> 01:46:28.680
Round trip equals, Yes.

dbcda344-8ce9-4a67-96ee-8f1f359ee59d-0
01:46:31.280 --> 01:46:34.520
He didn't much feel like eating,
but it was Friday.

8c0541ec-46d8-4b12-a4a3-1b48105c9ce5-0
01:46:35.120 --> 01:46:35.640
Pasta.

5e76ce58-c37a-4fc8-83dd-4eba9d501f80-0
01:46:37.080 --> 01:46:42.006
He reheated A portion,
set it on the counter, blinked,

5e76ce58-c37a-4fc8-83dd-4eba9d501f80-1
01:46:42.006 --> 01:46:43.440
and it was cold.

832da35c-91be-4783-b101-922c24fddadf-0
01:46:44.800 --> 01:46:45.320
****.

58a8d8f1-49d4-4fad-80e2-15f1f7911d9e-0
01:46:47.080 --> 01:46:48.000
He blinked again.

9d22ac1c-ba72-4713-b147-2e8f0f4fe3c6-0
01:46:48.560 --> 01:46:50.080
His car keys were in his hand.

c6372d62-6da1-4c29-9c41-3475a67e2bd9-0
01:46:50.560 --> 01:46:53.920
Blink St lights, blink wind.

0a2228f3-08e8-4bf5-86cb-3fe34744014e-0
01:46:54.520 --> 01:47:00.160
Eric was standing atop A railing,
holding onto a cast iron lamppost.

368a7d68-ef0e-41e5-9482-8e41c73e81e3-0
01:47:00.760 --> 01:47:01.840
How had he gotten here?

1c0fc40e-7a80-4dd6-b793-cdaa391eda6a-0
01:47:03.240 --> 01:47:08.780
His car was parked haphazardly behind him,
and far below him the river was at low

1c0fc40e-7a80-4dd6-b793-cdaa391eda6a-1
01:47:08.780 --> 01:47:11.280
tide, exposing grey mud at the banks.

5c2a98c5-4704-4885-be29-1dc881aad37f-0
01:47:12.040 --> 01:47:14.080
This should have sparked something in him.

076b53cf-f779-4938-a610-8558c4097c40-0
01:47:14.960 --> 01:47:19.560
Fear, perhaps, or anticipation,
maybe relief.

b0fdbf94-76ca-4740-a5f3-a567e6305838-0
01:47:20.280 --> 01:47:27.360
But there was nothing in the face of
emptiness.

44465771-8e1f-43ee-9dbc-03454e7ddd12-0
01:47:27.520 --> 01:47:29.400
He fell back on rhythm.

38d31172-1969-4791-b6b1-8591b8714800-0
01:47:31.000 --> 01:47:36.040
24th of April 2026, home to Tyne Bridge.

0f56e6ef-0d31-4167-a0ea-9f7408bf31e4-0
01:47:36.360 --> 01:47:39.600
2 miles round trip equals.

7c2839f1-cb77-401d-8e62-0a21ed5a561b-0
01:47:42.400 --> 01:47:48.107
His thumb hovered over the keyboard,
the cursor blinking in the round trip

7c2839f1-cb77-401d-8e62-0a21ed5a561b-1
01:47:48.107 --> 01:47:48.640
column.

49bf80c7-8124-4104-8a9b-44ac71df6e57-0
01:47:49.880 --> 01:47:53.880
Wind whipped around him,
Waves surged below.

7b4e24e6-8828-4d8e-bb65-318ae1194d24-0
01:47:54.640 --> 01:48:02.800
And what was that shrieking Kitty wakes
roosting under the bridge?

5499b74b-39e7-43a7-af4a-923cc3ce63f2-0
01:48:02.920 --> 01:48:04.840
Were they back for the summer already?

335b15e9-f797-4870-801a-2bbb39704122-0
01:48:05.960 --> 01:48:07.760
Eric listened to the birds.

9f367bd5-f3d8-4aa4-98ec-1ef335be1740-0
01:48:09.760 --> 01:48:10.520
**** yeah.

3d8edfd7-cf7c-4142-8a5c-5eb8a3fc5d83-0
01:48:12.560 --> 01:48:17.560
Today was a good day, yes.

1ba1f509-3a2d-460d-abaa-98d331bfdfa8-0
01:48:53.280 --> 01:48:53.360
The.