}

Saturday, July 21, 2007

AmeriNZ #27 – Nigel Too

Episode 27 is now available, and it's free no matter where you get it from. You can listen to it or download it through the player at the bottom of the post here, or subscribe for free through iTunes here (you must have the free iTunes player installed). You can also listen to it for free through the player on my MySpace page.
Nigel’s back!
Nigel joins me again today. He’s recovering from a cold, one he seems to have shared with me. Please pardon the coughs (I tried to edit some out).
We take listener questions as our starting point, then I ask Nigel’s perspective on other listener questions I’ve already answered. Both provide loads of new information, including especially Nigel’s perspective on my early days in New Zealand.
We end with an email from a listener with a question about New Zealand in the news, then a listener comment from Japan. There’s even a (very) brief appearance from one of Nigel’s sisters.


Get AmeriNZ Podcast for free on iTunes

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope by now you are both over your colds. It was fun hearing Nigel again. I love his accent and loved hearing all the answers to the questions. You should have him on the podcast more often.

Anonymous said...

Hi, Arthur! Thanks for you and Nigel answering all my questions. I was totally engrossed by the discussion.

You may not have similar personalities when one gets to know you both, but you both seem to have a gentleness - at least when you are talking with each other on the air. No grumpiness from Nigel comes across at all! :-)

Arthur, I'm still amazed at your reaching out and deciding to start a new life in a new land with a new partner. I'm sure Nigel is worth it, but I think many would not have been willing to make the jump.

As for me, I'm a retired educator living in the central United States who loves the gay podcasts.

d said...

Loved this podcast! Once again, you two are completely adorable together. :) And for some comments:

1) I knew I was straight around age 5 because I had a little boyfriend in my(Catholic) kindergarden class. We kissed every day when we went out for recess. The nuns didn't like that one bit! I also remember a strong urge to go over to his house for some private time...

2) Awesome to hear how accepting Nigel's family was when he came out. And as I write this, it's still so strange to me that gay people have to be "accepted" and that a family that does so is still a rarity. I hope for one day when it's not.

3) I want to hear more about Maori cultures and customs! The little bit Nigel mentioned was awesome. And I do find it very sad that Christianity (again) has infiltrated a culture and ruined some ideals that would theoretically be considered Christian (acceptance).

4) Oh, and I never felt a desire to have kids either. For a long time, I was convinced I would die early because I could never imagine being married or having kids. Now that I'm married, still can't imagine the kids bit. Mostly because I don't like children and never learned how to talk to them...but also we are quite selfish right now and want to spend our money traveling.

5) Darren misses the crispy bacon from the US as well. I don't- I like my bacon squishy and giant like they have here. I really miss a proper southern biscuit, though, and corn dogs!

6) As for the Parliament topic...just because it's banned in the US does not mean it's a good standard to live by! Our Freedom of Speech is long gone in the US, and that is just one shining example. If they don't want to look like asses on the camera, then they should hold their shit together while at work. It's not like Congress is in session all that often! We left the US because Freedoms were disappearing...would hate to see that happen here.

Arthur Schenck said...

Archerr and John, I responded to you in Episode 28. But D raises some points I'll also want to comment on:

First of all, thanks D! I like having Nigel on the podcast and, just quietly, I think he kind of likes being on it, too.

1) Sounds like a racy story! Actually, I think a lot of little gay boys had similar stories--and some not so very different from yours!

2) Yeah, it amazes me that people get all judgmental about their own family members. But they do, which is why I so often say that for gay people (and anyone else who's "different" from what families want), our Families of Choice--friends--are often more of a family in the real sense than our families by blood. Fortunately, in our case, our families by blood are awesome, too, so we're fortunate.

3) Maori Culture and Traditions will be explored, most likely with Nigel. I'll continue to talk a bit about general history, government structures and such, but the discussion of larger cultural issues should be left mostly to the tangata whenua, with me adding only my feelings and impressions.

4) I think having children is a personal choice, and I respect people's right to make the choice--even when I disagree with it (like 15 year old kids having kids). Interesting you'd raise the selfish thing--I think too often people HAVE kids for selfish reasons.

5) Kiwis at least have a vague idea what corn dogs are like because their version of a hot dog is a sausage on a stick dipped in flour batter and deep fried. Not for me, but it makes it easier for me to convey what a corn dog is. Southern biscuits--well, I suppose you can make your own, though that's a bit too much work for me...

6) I agree completely. However, I'm not sure that the members of Parliament meant it the way it eventually came out--I think they were sincere, but not thinking very clearly. You're quite right, though: The best way to avoid looking like an idiot is to avoid acting like one!