You Only Guide Me by Surprise: Recent Episodes
Landry Ayres
A suite of sonic somnambulism for those interested in poetry, peripety, magic, or mystery. Created by Landry Ayres.
This place is a message…and part of a system of messages…pay attention to it!
Sending this message was important to us. We considered ourselves to be a powerful culture.
This place is not a place of honor…no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here…nothing valued is here.
What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us. This message is a warning about danger.
The danger is in a particular location…it increases towards a center…the center of danger is here…of a particular size and shape, and below us.
The danger is still present, in your time, as it was in ours.
The danger is to the body, and it can kill.
The form of the danger is an emanation of energy.
The danger is unleashed only if you substantially disturb this place physically. This place is best shunned and left uninhabited.
You Only Guide Me by Surprise is written, produced and edited by Landry Ayres.
Clips from the following pieces are included:
The Regulation of Atomic Radiation, courtesy of the U.S. National Archives
The nun who broke into a US nuclear-weapons facility, The Washington Post
The Doomsday Clock, explained, Vox
Nuclear Waste: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
The Nuclear Radiation Series, CENCO and Periscope Films
How an 85-Year Old Nun, Activists Infiltrated Top U.S. Nuclear Site, Exposing Dangers & Urging Peace, Democracy Now!
Atomic Energy Can Be A Blessing, The Christophers
Atomic Blast!, First Pictures (1946)
Atomic Alert, Elementary Version (1951), courtesy of the Prelinger Archives
Duck And Cover, a Civil Defense Film (1951)
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
The sacred texts included in this piece are:
שמות 26 1:5 (WLC)
שמות 27:21 (WLC)
Isaiah 2:4 (KJV)
שמות26:31-37 (WLC)
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 27 (TR 1550)
מלכים א 8:6-12 (WLC)
All Western Leningrad Codex texts were read by Abraham Shmuelof. Greek texts courtesy of Anton Tasos. Isaiah read by David Suchet.
FURTHER READING:
Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert MacFarland
99% Invisible - Ten Thousand Years
The Nuclear Priesthood by Paul Farley
Reducing the Likelihood of Future Human Activities That Could Affect Geologic High-level Waste Repositories: Technical Report, May 1984 by the Human Interference Task Force, prepared for the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation, U.S. Department of Energy
Communication Measures to Bridge Ten Millennia: Technical Report, May 1984 by Thomas Sebeok, prepared for the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation, U.S. Department of Energy
I Think I Am a Verb by Thomas Sebeok
Measures: Monastery for an Atomic Priesthood; Hanford, WA
Radioactive Waste Management and Constructing Memory for Future Generations: Proceedings of the International Conference and Debate, 15-17 September 2014, Verdun, France
The Atomic Priesthood Project by Bryan McGovern Wilson
Cumbrian Alchemy by Robert Williams and Bryan McGovern Wilson
Lessons From Chernobyl for Japan by Ellen Barry - The New York Times
A transcript of this episode can be found here.
Treasure hunters, adventurers, and artists; gather and hear tell of sacred rites and rituals, practices and preparations, for finding and founding fortunes and favor. Drama and discourse collide in a confounding conflux for creative catalysis.
You Only Guide Me by Surprise is written, produced, and edited by me, Landry Ayres.
Special thank you’s to Matthew Colville, MCDM Productions, Dan Hinderliter, Sam Abney, Ryan Aguirre, Sam Hood, and Alex Hetrick.
Further Reading/Watching:
Matt’s YouTube Channel
Running the Game 1 - The Delian Tomb
The Delian Tomb
Running the Game - The Dungeon
MCDM Productions
Mapping Laputa - a Castle in the Sky Essay by John Battle
A transcript of this episode can be found here.
A guided meditation by committee. Embrace your inner child, play with fo̵͉̘͛͊͑r̶̞̠̕͝ṁ̴̡͎,̷̣̓̇ and move through other p̷̫̻̙̤̣͗́̈́͂l̶̡͓̳̗̠̦͕̅̔a̵̛̱̱͇̅̕͝n̴͇͂̈́͌͆e̵͔̲̹͔̬͊̽́͗͠ŝ̴͇͚̩͌̊͐ ̶̛̲̂̿͌̐̀͝͠o̵̻̹̐̑f̸̛̯̜͋̎̈́̃ ̵̛͖̭͉̲͎̝̃̓̾͆́e̷͚͇͕̺̖̓̈́̌̈́x̸̢̛͕͖͙̝̱̿̀̎̑̕i̸͉̼͙̤̻͍̎͒̃͆͝s̴̨͈͉̙̹̠̔t̸̨̺̖̲̰͎̹̞͐̋͋e̶̡̡̛̦̥̿̾̅̅̌̆n̸̩̳̼̥̫̙̹̓͂̑̃̚ç̶͇̗͎̏̌ē̷̻̟̪͇ ̴̠͑̅͗̀with the aid of an i̴m̷a̷g̷i̷n̶a̷l̴ ̴b̸o̶d̸y̶,̵ ̶v̵i̴o̶l̴e̸t̶ ̶t̷r̶a̷n̴s̴m̶u̸t̵i̸n̴g̶ ̴f̴l̴a̵m̸e̷s̷ and the chorus of multidimensional experts with a scientifically grounded neurophysiological method for Ò̵̧̢͚͙̼͍̣̟̹̯̣̮͚̳͇͉͇̘͎͚̥͈̇̎́́̈́̋͛̇̚͜͜͠Ç̴̡̞̙̝̮̣̫̥̼̹̣͕͌̐͑ͅͅͅT̵̨̨͎̮͚̻͙͈̤͉̼͎̠̟̦̫̪̜́̽̈̀̀͊̋̍̃͊̅̀̽̓͗̈̉̎̓̂̓̐̌̐̉̀̍̿͘̕͝͠͠͝A̷̢̨̢̧̛̛̛̛̜̗̭̝̱͓̝͕͉̼̤̣̼̜͚̝͚̦͎̖̜̬͇̫̺͗̋͗̎̾̈́͂̓̍͂̒͗̔͋̎̿̊̏̂̍̓̾͌́͒͑̀̉̋͜͜͝ͅV̸̡̧̢̧̡̧̨̢̛̗̪̻̰̙͓̪̰̹͚̲̝͕̳̘̞̬̫̙̝͉̱̲̟͍̳̓͑̔͑̓́͌̈́̋̾̂̓̋̃̔̅̆̌̍̈́̀̈́̍̎̈́͘͘͜͝͠ͅͅͅͅĘ̴̧̭̱͉̼̠̺̻̺̲̠̥͈̲̣͙̰͗̋̄̄̉̂̂̈́̾͛͑̕ ̴̢̢̢̟͎̬̘͔̟͙̻̻̺̳͙͔͓̞̮̜̠̺̺͇͖̱̯̓̈́͋̐̈́͘͠T̴̨̢̨̢̡͉̯̠̝̭̳̥͈͙̲̦̻̞̝̳̦̙̠̙̠̙̦̺̹͇͙̣̣̗͈̻̙̺̱͗͆͑̔̈̒̓͆̃̏̅̅R̷̢̛̝͕͎̥̮̬̲̲͎̘̠͉̓̅̓̇̿̀̋̾̀̌͌̋͆̐̐̑̍́̈́̆̓̐͜Ǎ̶̢̨̢͚͉̖̮̟̝̺̰͉͉͎͇̞̝̼̰̖̓̿̽͒̿̈̎́̿̑̆͋͒̈́͌͊̉̐̈́̚̕͜Ṅ̶̨̡͍̻̰̜͇͕̪̰̭̝̮͚̙̼̺̭̤̯̰͙̗̮̠͚̗̙̯̝̾̍̅̌̔̎͋̅̇́̽͂̃̊̚͠ͅŞ̷̡̡̧̛̰͍͓̤͇̳̈́͛̋̍͗̆̒̈́͌͋͗̊͗C̷̡̩̤̼̠͚͇͎͉͖̫̐̉̋̿͑̒̎̌̋̑̓͛̃̕͜͠E̵̢̛͚̟̬͕̐̊̂̓̿͒̆̍̏́͋̿̍̏̾̆̈́̈́̽̅͋̂̀̄̾̉͌͘̕͠͝͠͝N̴̛͇͕̯̞͔̩͓̫̞̾̄̐́̒̏͌̾̎̒̏̽͂̔̋̐͊̂͒̅̓͌̀̀͂̉̌͑̀͝͠D̷̢̨̢̛̞̹͇̻̝͍̪̦̝͔͖̞͉̦͔̭̟͓̙̭̹̖̜̩̯͇͔̪̟̠̰̲̃̉̑̏́̓̌̑̾̐̑̎̄̚͘͠E̴̢̛̜̠̱̔̍͐̅́͛̊̉̿̓̍̊̂̈́̓̐̀͑̓̓̈́̾̇͠͝͝N̴̡̨̢̨̛̠̠̫̘͉̲̠̞̩̳̞̥̠͔̪͔͎͈͉̺̱̤̭̹̞̥̯͈̱͔̠̼̑̉̐̆̉̓̏̌̽̈̿̑̐͛͂̿͒̍̋̒͜͠͝͠Ç̶͉̲̙͚̺͖̜̯̥̰̖̥̭̫̪͓̦̟̠̲̙̫͔̫͖̀̑̔͒͑̈́̀̇̔̿̆͒̿̽̕͘Ȩ̴̢̰͖͉̰͕͓̯͙͙̫̩̰͔̥̟͎̳͎̝̩̫̗̲͚̬͓͎̘̹͎̝̜̐̿̎́̄͆̊͛̒̋̀̄̀̒͆͒͌̈́̑̃̌̊̉̉͑̕̕͘̚͘̕͜͠͠
Featuring:
Quest.. The Possible Human.. Imaginal Body, By Jean Houston - 1982
Stop Drinking Subliminal Series by Barrie Konicov - 1978
Dr Burke Hypnosis Tape (date unknown)
The Weight Reducing Tape and Standard Self Hypnosis Dick Sutphen, Hypnotist (1976)
The Creative Self By Chris Griscom (19XX)
Memory Power Tape 1 by Harry Lorayne (1988)
Freedom From Stress By Steven A. La Velle (1995)
Relieve Insomnia With The Aid Of Self Hypnosis (1984)
Learning To Say No! By Dr. Paul Tuthill (1984)
Anybody Can Write A Magic Journal by Jean Bryant (1986)
A transcript of this episode can be h̴̫̳͝ẽ̷͚͖ŕ̷͍̤̐e̴̘̘̋.̴̫̱̍͌
Two award winning performances speak to another across time. Special appearances by Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillat, Josh Groban, and Don Quixote.
Written, produced, and edited by Landry Ayres.
A transcript for this episode can be found here.
Two roads diverged in a digital wood.
Music courtesy of epidemic sound.
A transcript for this episode can be found here.
A charming gnome throws a birthday party for a brooding rogue, with epic and emotional results.
Special thanks to Critical Role, Critrolestats, and Matthew Colville of MCDM.
Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound.
A transcript for this episode can be found here.
A collection of emotionally echoic polaroids, an impressionist’s musical scrapbook, a folder of melodic memory tags. Listen along with this: The Playlist
Music includes:
Paving Stones and Mood Unit by Blue Dot Sessions
Sound effects courtesy of Zapsplat.com
Further reading and listening:
Echoic Memory - Reasonably Sound
The Abyss: Music and Amnesia by Oliver Sacks
A transcript for this episode can be found here.
A mysterious man appears in a photographer's picture.
Produced by Landry Ayres, with introduction by Caleb Brown.
Music:
Time Passes by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4530-time-passes
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Unease by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4562-unease
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Spy Glass by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4410-spy-glass
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Sound effects from zapsplat.com
The car is just a vehicle--but for two brothers, a contract entangles them in the tricky business of family.
Music by Blue Dot Sessions:
Hash Out
Pxl Htra
TwoPound
Our Only Lark
Chai Belltini
Highway 430
Calisson
Kallaloe
Cach PKL
Taoudella
Come As You Were
The Consulate
Smooth Move by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4380-smooth-move
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
A transcript of this episode can be found here.
The story of one of the last great american outlaws and his attempt to preserve his way of life.
CW: This piece discusses the topic of suicide. If you’re in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) (USA) or you can find a helpline at https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp.
Further Reading:
This is the Last Dam Run of Likker I’ll Ever Make
Buy “The Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton” by Neal Hutcheson
Daddy Moonshine: the Story of Marvin Popcorn Sutton
Popcorn Sutton The Making and Marketing of a Hillbilly Hero
Chasing the White Dog
Music by Blue Dot Sessions:
Coal Baron Blue
Feathersoft
Kallaloe
Down by the Bank
Waterbound by Shake That Little Foot
Good Ole Mountain Dew by Lulu Belle and Scotty Wiseman
Good Ole Mountain Dew by the Stanley Brothers
A transcript of this episode can be found here.
Just off of State Highway 77 in rural Georgia stands America’s very own Stonehenge. It’s the centerpiece of a decades-old mystery involving rogue millionaires, christian mystics, and doomsday cults. I want to know who built it and why.
The Georgia Guidestones
American Stonehenge: Monumental Instructions for the Post-Apocalypse by Randall Sullivan
Nobody Knows How to Interpret This Doomsday Stonehenge in Georgia
On Facebook in 2018, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene endorsed conspiracy theories that 9/11 was an inside job and that Sandy Hook was staged
Elbert County Chamber of Commerce
In Search of a Flat Earth
The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory by Jesse Walker
What Turns Conspiracy Theorists into Killers? | Truth Hurts
Conspiracy Theories, Explained
I’m an environmental journalist, but I never write about overpopulation. Here’s why.
Music by Blue Dot Sessions:
Allston Night Owl
In Passage
Jumbel
Apollo Diedre
Lowball
Drch
ZigZag Heart
Bivly
Alarm Cycle
An Unknown Visitor
Gilly Wash
Thule Racer
Ultima Thule
A transcript of this episode can be found here.
Unauthorized construction in my new neighborhood leads me to conduct an independent investigation into some of the world’s most mischievous zoning law offenders. The trouble? Only children have ever laid eyes on them.
Urban Fairies of Ann Arbor
Fairies of Delray
Music by Blue Dot Sessions:
The Crisper
Pitho Magnus
Eggs and Powder
TwoPound
Lick Stick
Copper Halls
Lo Margin
Crumbtown
The Records
Donnalee
Four Count
Music Box Theme by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4090-music-box-theme
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Comfortable Mystery 2 by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3528-comfortable-mystery-2
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
A transcript of this episode can be found here.
A hijacking.
A transformative veering.
A meditation on the totemic and poetic significance of the dolphin through the ages.
A welcome.
Further reading:
You Only Guide Me By Surprise: Poetry and the Dolphin’s Turn by Peter Sacks
The Dolphin by Robert Lowell
Homeric Hymn to Pythian Apollo
Delphine by Rainer Maria Rilke
Sailing to Byzantium by William Butler Yeats
The Riverman by Elizabeth Bishop
Music by Blue Dot Sessions:
Capilla
VK Mendl
A transcript of this episode is available here.