STAY CALM COMIC PODCAST: Recent Episodes
LusRC
I made an audio corpse segment in a day. The first 10 seconds came from the previous maker, along with the requirement to use at least one of the provided sound effects. The last 10 seconds were sent to the next person in the chain.
Spoke's anthology broadcast Sounds of America: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hub-spoke-radio-hour-sounds-like-america-vol-1/id1861902640?i=1000772026537
In the middle of breakfast, the ladies wonder what it's like outside the coop, across the road, on... THE OTHER SIDE A two-minute version won the Judges Award for the Columbia School of Journalism's 2026 Radio Race.REQUIREMENTS:56 hours to make- 2 minutes long- On the theme of beginnings- Includes field recording you made at a market- Mention a landmark
The night solstice nears, and the highest high tide of the year breathes life into a slumbering giant of the dark: Riftia, the giant cave worm of Sutro Baths.You enter its dark maw, and see waves crashing against rocks at the distant opening on the other end. As you walk through the darkness of the worm’s insides, you look left and see a treacherous, dimly lit corridor leading down to wet sand. Leaning into the abyss, you peer beyond the twists and turns, and see a large crack letting in sunlight and salt air. Suddenly, a wave fills the opening entirely, plunging you back into darkness. You see nothing, hear nothing. It is only the deep rumbling and cold breath of air – WHOO! WHOO! WHOO! – that prepares you for the sudden crash of water splashing into you. WHOO! WHOO! WHOO! The giant worm awakes!Recorded, composed, and engineered by Casey Hudson as part of a KFOG broadcast.Featuring performances by Sarah Wesley, Tasya Abbott, Andrew Saintsing
Two women decide to take their breasts into their own hands and tell similar opposing stories.Interview is with Alyssa W.Audio of opening question made by audio pal, Efim Shapiro.This piece was originally produced for Audio Flux.
An exiled Persian singer weaves an audio carpet to take herself home.Interview is with Mahsa VahdatMusic is a recording of Mahsa Vahdat and Marjan Vahdat's Woven Voices performance, in collaboration with Naseem Alatrash, David Balakrishnan, Deidre Charlene, Ara Dinkjian, Greg Ellis, Atabak Elyasi, and Tamer Pinarbasi.This piece was originally produced for Audio Flux.
Aired on KALW Crosscurrents and Morning Edition on 24 April, 2025 https://www.kalw.org/2025-04-24/a-musicians-thousand-mile-journey-to-help-the-monarch-butterflyPhoto credit: Alex Wand
Airing on KQED's The California Report Magazine on May 9th, 2025 as part of a series on resilience.Photo credit: Suzy Degazon
Sonic Dash on January 4th by The Baby Goat Healers: Lusen Mendel, Katherine Monahan, Sonia Paul, Alex Wand, Brendan Willard
A feature I made for the Composer Series on KQED's The California Report Magazine: https://www.kqed.org/news/12026067/how-experimental-composer-and-performer-kishi-bashi-brings-new-ideas-to-life
Non-narrated piece on how Kishi Bashi liberated himself from imperfection, and found connection with other humans.
Produced this audio rich 2-way for KQED's The California Report Magazine.PS - It's a radio show, not a magazinePPS - Ok, it's also a digital post. I couldn't embed audio clips of the opera and documentary in the post, but I did find cool photos of the letters and illustrations that the opera is based on: https://www.kqed.org/news/12011929/new-land-of-gold-film-digs-deep-into-californias-troubled-gold-rush-origins
I reported this story for KQED's The California Report Magazine radio show. Audio and digital piece publish here: https://www.kqed.org/news/12001437/meet-the-pesky-but-lovable-bishop-pine-native-to-the-northern-california-coast
My aural album from SoundScene 2024 https://soundscenefest.org/0:00 - Clear Channel performance of their song "Talk"0:25 - Unsuspecting visitors make music with theremin-inspired pipe organ in "close| distant"1:00 - Desire to contribute amid shushhh's in "Pulses" (the music came from visitors' brainwaves and heart rates)1:40 - Playing with a microphone in the middle of a ring of speakers in "What Goes Around, Comes Around"1:55 - Luminous Being solo violin performance and actualities3:35 - radiance & resonance performance with positive mic feedback jussssst right
Work sample: field interviewMIC: Rode VideoMic Pro+ (supercardioid condenser)LOCATION: Large, untreated officeSOURCE: InterviewCAPTURE: ~3 feet, mounted on tripod between us
Work sampleMIC: Zoom H4e stereo XY micsLOCATION: Giant, untreated indoor space (museum)SOURCE: ~20-person orchestra, four indigenous performers on either side, two speakers in front of stageCAPTURE: Center of audience
I created this short aural explainer as a scene in a larger longform piece on padel: the fastest growing international sport that most of us in the US have never heard of. While reporting the history of padel, and the 2032 Olympic-sport ambitions of the piece's primary character, everyone I spoke with explained padel in terms of "it's in the middle between tennis and pickleball." I decided to make a fun and informative explainer that _showed_ us the differences in game speed and court size by how it sounds to actually be a player.
While reporting on bishop pines and wildfires in Tomales Bay, I was given a handful of bishop pine cones. These cones are held shut with pitch so that the seeds won't spread until a wildfire clears the way. Nonetheless, there are some who say that on a very hot day, when the fog is gone and the sun presses down heavy and creepy, you can still hear the bishop pine cones cracking open....This is a recording of the bishop pine cones unfurling in the heat of a not-so-wild-fire. The petals scritching open is most noticeable around :30, followed shortly by me dumping out the newly freed seeds (the seeds look like black lentils attached to a helicopter wing, ready to twirl away in the lovingly blown kiss of a raging inferno).For best experience, listen with headphones.
I wrote this script for Katrina Schwartz (KQED Bay Curious) based on a 15 minute interview that she’d done with Stephanie Scott. After I received the raw tape, I visited the shop to meet Steph and take photos _of the photos_ of people Katrina and Steph had talked about, as well as photos I found interesting. Then I wrote the script, and recorded and edited a full audio draft with myself doing Katrina’s voice over and the host’s lede and outro in order to give an idea of voicing and length.You can find my script and photos, as well as the raw interview mp3 and transcript, in this Google folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1_kz2yPLftKV8tKHsyerehWMw5R55qujO
Lusen reads a letter from a neighbor.
Check out the station website at https://kfoglp.com
An investigation into how and why "singular they" went from fringe to forefront in less than a decade.
This piece was reported and produced by Lusen Mendel.
Special thanks to Dr. Lal Zimman, Eric Jansen, Anna Walters and Berkeley AMI.
QUOTE CREDITS:
Former President George H. W. Bush, 1991 State of the Union
Former President Donald Trump, 2021 Farewell Address
NBC Announcer at 2022 Winter Olympics Free Skate for Cain-Gribble/LeDuc
MUSIC CREDITS:
“Congratulations!” by Austin Archer
“Happy Mistake” by RKVC
“Cinematic violin from another galaxy Lost civilisations on lost worlds” by Joshua Hudes
“Cinematic Chillhop Main” by Zakhar Valaha
“Knight’s Tale” by Alex Cottrell
“Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” by Bardstreets Bard / Stantough
“Lone Wolf” by Guilherme Bernardes
“Broken” by Defekt Maschine
A small curiosity turns into a big theory.
Thank you to Nancy Botkin for sharing her theory and research with us, including these historic photographs:
1948 Panhandle Aerial https://opensfhistory.org/Download/wnp31.1948.113.jpg
1969 Panhandle Aerial https://opensfhistory.org/Download/wnp31.1969.133.jpg
Cars in the Panhandle https://opensfhistory.org/Download/wnp70.1208.jpg https://opensfhistory.org/Download/wnp26.2015.jpg https://opensfhistory.org/Display/wnp28.3501.jpg https://opensfhistory.org/Download/wnp15.559.jpg
https://opensfhistory.org/moreNeighborhoodPhotos.php?n=Panhandle
Music credits:
"English Country Garden" by Aaron Kenny
"The Easy Winners" by E's Jammy Jams
"Members Only" by TrackTribe
"King Porter Stomp" by Joel Cummins
"Potato Deal" by Craig MacArthur
"Rolling Heads" by Unicorn Heads
3 minute edit from a twenty minute interview with @Derekkellerbrand about his improv experiences in high school. No soundscaping; just playing with the choice and ordering of selects.
Check out the 30 second edit here: https://soundcloud.com/lus-257620186/30-second-improv-story?in=lus-257620186/sets/sf-podcaster-playground-challenge-entries
Behind the scenes:
Initial interview was 22 minutes, which I transcribed and cut roughly in FCPX, and then made a 5 minute edit in a new project. I chose to focus largely on the speaker's journey to belong, from the moment they wanted to be part of the improv group, to the outcome by graduation.
After some iterations I reworked the piece down to 4 minutes and then 3 minutes -- mostly by removing dialogue, though I brought in some new phrases from full the interview to help with context and transitions.
I also reordered the piece into an e-structure, with the initial hook as the end goal: achieving acceptance in the last day tradition; including imagined doubts from his short tenure. We then go back to when and why the speaker wanted to join the group, his admiration for the members' skills and camaraderie, and finally return to the climax of how his particular last day tradition goes, and end with his bitter sweet reflection.
This 3 minute piece currently has a single track: dialogue, which includes 69 clips, and a denoiser, channel EQ, compressor, limiter and de-esser.
30 second soundscaped interview with @Derekkellerbrand about his improv experience.
Check out the 3 minute edit here: https://soundcloud.com/lus-257620186/5-minute-interview-cut-about-finding-acceptance-in-high-school?in=lus-257620186/sets/sf-podcaster-playground-challenge-entries
Behind the scenes:
Dialogue track with 14 clips, compressor and limiter Effects track with 12 clips Music track with 3 clips
If your post-covid hobby is extroversion, you've had to do a ton of introductions. Have you noticed anything unusual about them? In this piece I explore the repercussions from a BBQ where someone finally asked the question we've all been wondering.
Credits:
This piece was reported and produced by Lusen Mendel.
Special thanks to Dr. Lal Zimman, Keri F., Jean-François, Louisa, True, Chana Wilson and Eric Jansen.
Theme music by Austin Archer.
Listen to the finished version here: https://soundcloud.com/lus-257620186/why-do-we-introduce-ourselves-with-so-many-pronouns?in=lus-257620186/sets/sf-podcaster-playground-challenge-entries
My entry into the SF Podcaster Playground' November challenge, which was inspired by KCRW's radio race: https://www.kcrw.com/radio-race
The theme was "won't you be my neighbor."
This is the first piece I made. See "Neighbor v2" for the updates I made after receiving feedback from playground peers:
Main suggestions were around giving more information about Metro sooner, giving more details of the relationship and decision making question, and pausing longer at the end during the phone rings to keep listeners on the edge of their seat.
This is the story of an unlikely neighborhood friend who once asked me for an unusual favor. Later she moved away and we fell out of touch. This is her story, and my own quest to reconnect.
My updated entry into the SF Podcaster Playground's November challenge, which was inspired by KCRW's radio race: www.kcrw.com/radio-race
The theme was "won't you be my neighbor."
This is the SECOND piece I made after receiving feedback from Podcaster Playground peers. Main suggestions were around giving more information about Metro sooner, giving more details of the relationship and decision making question, and pausing longer at the end during the phone rings to keep listeners on the edge of their seat.
PS - I kept the full song at the end for SF Podcaster Playground friends who liked the song. The live piece would fade out or cut much sooner!
My entry into the SF Podcaster Playground's December challenge: Fiction Soundscapes.
You can watch the "making of Ishmael" video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqC_sMxhmM0
This piece imagines a moment from the short epilogue of Moby Dick right before Ishmael is found by another boat. Ishmael survives by climbing onto Queequeg's empty coffin, which Queequeg had copied his tattoos onto so that his people would still know his story even if could not return alive. Ishmael uses the coffin as a lifeboat and goes onto to write the book.
I decided to depict this moment because the ideas of writing and ritual were part of the challenge requirements (see below), and they inspired me to this particular soundscape and the storytelling theme.
Challenge requirements: - Less than 4 minutes - Includes 15 seconds (contiguous) of no dialogue or narration - Uses a specific scribbling sound (Mark made it by writing on paper, and I tried to edit it to sound like etching wood with a knife) - Includes elements of a ritual (storytelling as part of the sailing/wandering ritual, whether it's tattooing or carving or writing)
This episode is about the joys and dangers of binding.
Subscribe to the STAY CALM PODCAST on iTunes and Stitcher: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stay-calm-podcast/id1178475345 https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/staycalmcomic/stay-calm-podcast
email: lus@staycalmcomic.com twitter and instagram: @staycalmcomic web: http://staycalmcomic.com
This episode is an interview with New Zealand YouTube celeb Britta about not fitting into cis-woman or cis-man spaces.
Britta's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnAN9A6vkkv2CruxnV8hAXg
Britta's videos mentioned in this episode: - "My Gender Discovery" Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDHyfb7zFpE - "DIY STP || Make your own Stand to Pee device": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neX7Bgj9yfE - "Best DIY Stand-to-Pee (STP) Device \ US Version": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_zq53Mn6Hk - "Britta Saurus top surgery" Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5WOXPPaSZ0&list=PLOF812mnt_OHKKnQW6YrQoYB0hgQjoYW4
ContraPoints's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/ContraPoints
Queero Ellen Page's coming out speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brC7wUItMLg
Subscribe to the STAY CALM PODCAST on iTunes and Stitcher: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stay-calm-podcast/id1178475345 https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/staycalmcomic/stay-calm-podcast
email: lus@staycalmcomic.com twitter: @staycalmcomic web: http://staycalmcomic.com
Sometimes you gotta get something off your chest. This episode is an interview with my buddy Alex. Alex talks about his surgery, shares tips for making friends, and rates his family's response to his coming out.
The book we both recommended is Leslie Feinberg's "Stone Butch Blues". Check it out from your library, or download a free pdf here: http://www.lesliefeinberg.net/
Subscribe to the STAY CALM PODCAST on iTunes and Stitcher: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stay-calm-podcast/id1178475345 https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/staycalmcomic/stay-calm-podcast
email: lus@staycalmcomic.com twitter: @staycalmcomic web: http://staycalmcomic.com
Like and subscribe to the STAY CALM PODCAST on iTunes and Stitcher
email: lus@staycalmcomic.com twitter: @staycalmcomic web: http://staycalmcomic.com
Created and posted while traveling. Happy Holidays everyone!
Like and subscribe to the STAY CALM PODCAST on iTunes and Stitcher
email: lus@staycalmcomic.com twitter: @staycalmcomic web: http://staycalmcomic.com
Created and posted while traveling. Happy Holidays everyone!
Like and subscribe to the STAY CALM PODCAST on iTunes and Stitcher
email: lus@staycalmcomic.com twitter: @staycalmcomic web: http://staycalmcomic.com
Created and posted while traveling. Happy Holidays everyone!
Like and subscribe to the STAY CALM PODCAST on iTunes and Stitcher
email: lus@staycalmcomic.com twitter: @staycalmcomic web: http://staycalmcomic.com
Like and subscribe to the STAY CALM PODCAST on iTunes and Stitcher
email: lus@staycalmcomic.com twitter: @staycalmcomic web: http://staycalmcomic.com
Like and subscribe to the STAY CALM PODCAST on iTunes and Stitcher
email: lus@staycalmcomic.com twitter: @staycalmcomic web: http://staycalmcomic.com
Like and subscribe to the STAY CALM PODCAST on iTunes and Stitcher
email: lus@staycalmcomic.com twitter: @staycalmcomic web: http://staycalmcomic.com
Subscribe to the STAY CALM PODCAST on iTunes and Stitcher
email: lus@staycalmcomic.com twitter: @staycalmcomic web: http://staycalmcomic.com
Brian and Lus talk about second chances in the work place.
What would you do if a coworker had a DWI or restraining order on their record? Or was accused of sexual harassment? Or had stolen from a previous employer?
Let us know what you'd do, or ask us for advice on whatever workplace problem you're facing, by emailing me at lus@staycalmcomic.com or asking anonymously using http://ask.fm/dramaatwork
Subscribe to us on SoundCloud or using your favorite podcast app: * iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stay-calm-podcast/id1178475345 * Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/staycalmcomic/stay-calm-podcast
Ask us the questions you can't ask at work: http://ask.fm/dramaatwork
Music by Brian and Julian.
Brian and Lus answer listener mail about working with friends.
Questions Answered: 1. "I asked a friend to design a logo for me. It's terrible. What do I do now?" 2. “My friend recently left my team to go to a competitor. They then recruited another member of my team to go work with them. I feel betrayed. Should I salvage this relationship or just say goodbye?”
Subscribe to us on SoundCloud or look for STAY CALM by LusRC on your favorite podcast app (until we get a real name and a real logo). Ask us the questions you can't ask at work at ask.fm/staycalmcomic
Credits: * Music by Brian and Julian. * Question One used without permission from Jenn and Trin's Friendshipping podcast.
Today's For Millennial Managers episode answers the question "What do I do when someone different than me joins the team?"
Today's episode covers TWO comics: * http://staycalmcomic.com/fifth * http://staycalmcomic.com/sixth
Links to podcasts mentioned in the show: * Friendshipping! https://friendshipping.simplecast.fm/ * Code Switch: http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/ * Latino USA: http://latinousa.org/ * For Colored Nerds: http://www.forcolorednerds.com/
Episodes are released every Monday, and include a podcast, webcomic and printable 1-page zine.
I love hearing from listeners. Send me your reactions and questions through social media, or anonymously through ask.fm: * ask.fm/staycalmcomic * twitter.com/staycalmcomic * facebook.com/staycalmcomic
Subscribe to "STAY CALM PODCAST" on iTunes and Google Play: * itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stay-calm-podcast/id1178475345 * play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I5z64p67kw7xt3iijqhdp7yaukm
Today's For Millennial Managers episode focusses on how to use role playing to mentor would-be managers.
Today's episode doesn't cover a specific comic, but rather Garnet's oft used tactic of having Jude practice conversations with fictional reports.
http://staycalmcomic.com
Episodes are released every Monday, and include a podcast, webcomic and printable 1-page zine.
I love hearing from listeners. Send me your reactions and questions through social media, or anonymously through ask.fm: * ask.fm/staycalmcomic * twitter.com/staycalmcomic * facebook.com/staycalmcomic
Subscribe to this podcast on * iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stay-…ast/id1178475345 * Google Play: play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#…7xt3iijqhdp7yaukm
This For Millennial Managers episode focusses on how to facilitate decision making, especially when you have discussions that go around in circles with seemingly arbitrary results. We look at gradients of support, how to pick a decision making rule based on the support you need, and what to do when you don't have buy-in.
Today's episode covers TWO comics: * staycalmcomic.com/third * staycalmcomic.com/fourth
Shout outs to: * Paul Querna's code review best practices: http://paul.querna.org/slides/code-reviews/#1 * Sam Kaner's Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision Making: http://www.ideal.forestry.ubc.ca/cons481/Facilitators%20Guide%20to%20Participation_Unknown.pdf (also available at your local library or favorite book store)
Episodes are released every Monday, and include a podcast, webcomic and printable 1-page zine.
I love hearing from listeners. Send me your reactions and questions through social media, or anonymously through ask.fm: * ask.fm/staycalmcomic * twitter.com/staycalmcomic * facebook.com/staycalmcomic
Subscribe to this podcast on * iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stay-calm-podcast/id1178475345 * Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I5z64p67kw7xt3iijqhdp7yaukm
The second episode in the For Millennial Managers series focusses on how people work together, and what role the manager has in synchronizing individual efforts.
Today's episode covers TWO comics:
- http://staycalmcomic.com/first
- http://staycalmcomic.com/second
Episodes are released every Monday, and include a podcast, webcomic and printable 1-page zine.
I love hearing from listeners. Send me your reactions and questions through social media, or anonymously through ask.fm: * http://ask.fm/staycalmcomic * http://twitter.com/staycalmcomic * http://facebook.com/staycalmcomic
Friends, I'm starting a new series called For Millennial Managers. It mixes my love of middle management with my love of Steven Universe.
Episodes are released every Monday, and include a podcast, webcomic and printable 1-page zine.
Today's episode can be found at * http://staycalmcomic.com/culture *
I love hearing from listeners. Send me your reactions and questions through social media, or anonymously through ask.fm: * http://ask.fm/staycalmcomic * http://twitter.com/staycalmcomic * http://facebook.com/staycalmcomic
Please enjoy this prequel while I get the series up and running!
PS - This episode was also a 10 minute talk at Tech Inclusion SF 2016. Here are the slides with presenter notes: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1dGdB_UsZJrT6BWyU2pk2o2D8mDkWfrG3i_6qNyII5gI/edit