Network: Voice because Alex gotta Alex.

[11calls]

Who: Alex Reagan
Username: alexreagan
Warnings: None right now, will edit to include if things come up.


[Because Alex is most at home in the audio format, that's what she's set this up in, and will respond to everything in an audio format. Her voice is cool and radio ready, but with a Canadian accent that sometimes trips her up on center words.]

You know, it's so weird that this is like five years later than when I'm from. Like the tech and everything is so close but so different. Back home, my podcast was pretty well known, but now there's so many, it's shocking to me. I knew things would get bigger, but I never expected this!

[Alex has been poking around on the podcast apps, of course and trying to see if her show is there on it. It's not, which is both reassuring and not. But it's second nature for Alex to explain what a podcast is so she does:]

A podcast is like radio on demand on the internet, if you know what radio is. Back home, I worked for Pacific Northwest Stories, and I started my podcast with the idea of doing various stories on interesting people with interesting jobs.

[And all that ended up f i n e. Really. Totally fine. Which is one of the reason Alex gets to the heart of the matter:]

One thing I love is people's stories. I'd been working as a producer telling people's stories for three years before I ended up on my own show, and honestly I kind of miss it. More than kind of. Honestly, it's just something that would make me feel more normal. So if anyone's interested, I've got a meal on me if you're willing to talk at my record and answer questions. Oh! I'm Alex, by the way. Alex Reagan.

[A soft and self deprecating laugh follows before Alex adds:]

Which of course you already know from my username. Sorry.

Comments

audio; un: freakscene

[cacophonish]

Oh, hey, Alex. It's Jeff. Thanks for the nachos, um, the other day...

[ Thank god she explained what podcasts are, because Jeff was about to be totally lost on what she's talking about. ]

So you're like... Howard Stern, but, like, on the internet?

Shit...

Am I on the air right now?

[ HELP HE DOESN'T KNOW IF THIS IS A PRIVATE PHONE CALL OR HE'S ON THE INTERNET RADIO fuck this is why he never pays attention to the message board... app (????) on this stupid phone. ]

voice; un: clay

[thatsreallygreat]

I don't know what any of this means.

[And he sounds genuinely okay with that. He's definitely smiling in a kind of bemused way.]

But I get the collecting stories part.

[audio] un: cupkate

[bossyboiler]

What kind of questions?

[11calls]

Sure, it was my pleasure, Jeff! And no, you're not on the air right now. I wouldn't record anyone without getting permission.

[Won't record again anyway. Alex has probably learned that lesson.]

And no, not really like Howard Stern. Um, have you heard of NPR? That's more in the vein of things that I do.

[abrightboy]

I don’t know how comfortable I am with people knowing my story. Are names required?

[11calls]

Yeah? Are you a storyteller too, back home?

[11calls]

Just about your life and what you do. That kinda thing.

[11calls]

Not if you don't want to give them. I mean it's not like I'd be able to authenticate anything here if I wanted to just given the nature of how many different worlds we're all from.

[abrightboy]

I’d be willing to have coffee. Talk about it.

[thatsreallygreat]

Oh no, not really. I just understand the desire to collect stories. They're important.

[cacophonish]

Oh yeah, my dad listens to that. And, um... [ What's his name. ] Michael Jackson-- the British Michael Jackson, I mean, not the Michael Jackson.

God, that stuff used to put me to sleep.

[ A beat. Oh shit, that could've been insulting. ]

I mean-- not that I think you're boring or your job is or anything! I bet you do great interviews!

[11calls]

Okay, that sounds like a good idea. After work this evening?

[11calls]

They really are, honestly. Stories tell us about ourselves and our world. And here it might even be useful if we can use them to try and figure out what all of us have in common here. Maybe, depends on the sample size and if why we like...ended up here actually has a reasoning.

[11calls]

It's okay! And I mean it's not for everyone. The studio I work with: PNWS they end up telling a lot of stories around just like feel good stories about love, or helping people reunite with their lost tapes or pictures, or injustices in the legal system. It's kind of like This American Life. At least for the main show, my producer Nic and I are telling different kinds of stories though.

[bossyboiler]

Okay. I can do that.

Audio | un: elias_bouchard

[eyeknowyou]

[Stories? Recordings? Well, she caught someone's attention, didn't she?]

I could be able to help you, Ms. Reagan; I had a bit of an archival institute back home that did very much the same thing.

[The silent "but" hung for a moment.]

However, would you be willing to trade one? A story from me in exchange for one about you?

[abrightboy]

I can do that. There's one just down the block. Meet you there?

audio | un: 941.

[heavenchained]

Sounds interesting. I'm in.

[11calls]

Awesome!

[One can hear the smile in her voice.]

When would work for you?

[11calls]

Definitely sounds like a plan. And oh!

[Alex just attaches an intentionally dorky picture. ]

So you know what I look like when you show up.

[11calls]

[An Institute definitely perks up her interest, because she's just so familiar with those. But the question about the story almost gives her pause. Almost. But then Alex realizes that she's basically been telling people her story for the last two years, what's one more.]

Sure, I don't mind trading stories, Mr. Bouchard. But please, call me Alex.

What did your Institute study?

[11calls]

Awesome! When would work for you?

[eyeknowyou]

Of course, Alex.

[There was a soft emphasis on her name, as if he was tasting it, judging it as it rolled across his tongue. He would not promise not to call her Ms. Reagan, but for now he would play along.

For now.]

It has a long history of studying the esoteric and paranormal. Although, if I am being completely honest, it was less about "studying" them and more about archiving them. I imagine it is much in the same way you conduct your podcast.

What was it called?

[heavenchained]

I'm not as busy as I'd like, so sometime in the afternoon on whatever day. Probably.

[11calls]

The Black Tapes Podcast.

[It's a reflex for her to answer that first. And there's just something straight up interesting about someone else from a different world doing the same sort of stuff that Strand and Tannis Braun did.]

Where you working at archiving them from a skeptical standpoint or more of a these are real things that really happened kind of one?