0:04

Hello and welcome to well and absence of

0:06

an episode of the History of the Germans.

0:08

This is just a short message to let

0:11

you know that unfortunately there will not be

0:13

an episode of the History of the Germans

0:15

this week. It's all the fault of a

0:17

guy called Refer Miranda who runs the world's

0:20

best wine tasting at kinda to Santiago over

0:22

in Reggie in the Duro Valley and Portugal.

0:25

But no worse. normal service berries you

0:27

next week. To.

0:29

Explain what happened. Let me briefly describe you how

0:32

the process to create a new episode of the

0:34

History of The Jones works. I

0:36

usually start again on the Thursday. that's the

0:39

day the latest episode has just dropped. I

0:42

stop by reading or rereading the key

0:44

sources. Usually that is the second, really

0:46

chef. And if that is an

0:48

actual chronicle, the chronicle. I. Don't

0:50

do that all the time, but whenever I can

0:52

spend hours so. But. Reading

0:54

the sources isn't the only thing that happens

0:57

during these Thursdays and Fridays, and then again

0:59

over the weekend. Because. Whenever

1:01

I have a moment to think when I'm walking to

1:03

the station, when I'm lying in bed before going to

1:05

sleep, When. I'm out running. I.

1:07

Think about which parts of the story

1:09

to exclude, which ones to focus on,

1:11

and how to structure the upset. And.

1:14

Structuring the episode is the really difficult

1:16

part. Because. This

1:18

is a podcast and not a history

1:20

seminar. Each episode must tell a story

1:23

that you hopefully find entertaining and satisfy.

1:26

That means I use some storytelling

1:28

techniques such as to good or

1:30

three act structure. This.

1:32

Tool that goes back to the ancient Greek tragedies.

1:35

Suggest. You start the story with

1:37

an opening section that introduces the key

1:39

protagonists but they care about and. What?

1:41

Their try to achieve and hence why

1:43

they might end up in conflict. In.

1:46

Act Two Then the stakes go up. And

1:49

the conflict escalates. Which.

1:51

Leads to act three where the story

1:53

finds it's resolution as success. Or.

1:56

In medieval Germany more normally,

1:58

failure. The

2:00

problem is that history does not adhere to

2:02

the three act structure. It

2:04

is as Alan Bennett wrote in The History Voice.

2:07

Just. One bloody thing after another.

2:10

And was I try to create entertaining up

2:12

so. It's even more important

2:14

that the content is historically accurate. Therefore,

2:18

This time, tossing and turning is

2:20

devoted to this question. How

2:22

do I turn the sequence of facts into story

2:24

that you want to listen to on your way

2:26

to work or when you're walking the dog? On.

2:29

That process is usually concluded by Sunday

2:32

or Monday. Not. As when I

2:34

know what will be in the episode and

2:36

whatever leave out and how that story will

2:38

unfold. On. Tuesday. or

2:40

than right the first draft of the script. That's my

2:42

up with the meat on the bone of the story.

2:45

That's. When I check on the dates and

2:47

the details when I look for the right

2:49

quotations to drop and their remove the sillier

2:51

the A sides. On.

2:54

Wednesday. Or start with a dry run

2:56

off reading the script that results in

2:58

a lot of correction of the grandma

3:00

sentences made sorta. yes, I am shortening

3:02

sentences. And the overall flow and

3:05

tone as improved. By

3:07

Wednesday lunchtime, I record the show. That.

3:10

Is the easiest and quickest path. After

3:12

three years of experience I produce a lot less

3:14

waste and in the beginning Miss says me a

3:16

lot of time in the added. That. Use

3:18

it takes another hour or two. Last.

3:22

Bits of the process or uploading

3:24

the Npc files writing so notes,

3:26

creating episode artwork, And setting

3:28

up the episode website. And

3:30

if I'm doing really well I was a

3:32

prepare the social media posts announcing the new

3:35

episodes for Don't. See.

3:38

What went wrong this week? Several.

3:41

Things some work, but mostly better.

3:44

As. You may know I do a couple of other things

3:46

beyond podcasting to keep me on the straight and now.

3:48

Usually. Consulting work, But more recently I've

3:50

picked up a gig as a lecturer in

3:52

business strategy and economics. Master.

3:55

Semester storm to his clothes last

3:57

Thursday. Was. Swamped with exam

3:59

preparation. Dividing the final act us.

4:03

The. Real spanner in the works though was

4:05

that I went out on a wine

4:07

tasting weekend with friends in the Duro

4:09

Valley and Portugal. The

4:11

problem with friends and beautiful landscape. Delicious food

4:13

and good as mine is. That

4:15

the wearing in the head stops. Too.

4:18

Much laughing, setting, eating and drinking.

4:20

I did not think about hundred the

4:23

seventh, turn it around once for four

4:25

decks. And said I

4:27

had a brilliant, brilliant time. I

4:29

know some of you are into wine so I will

4:32

leave a couple of addresses in the Sooners. Plus.

4:35

I have a real recommendation. If

4:37

you ever in the area. Book. A lunch

4:39

wine tasting at kinda to Santiago in

4:42

Reggie. I've. Done a few

4:44

hundred wine tastings in my life, but this is

4:46

in the top five. Vying even

4:48

for number one but two men to

4:50

Seuss engine also. The.

4:53

Set up is a modest farm house

4:55

next to the ground family palace. And

4:58

has tragedy burned down seven years ago. The

5:01

owner, Rafael and his see brothers. Are

5:03

now rebuilding the family estate, selling

5:05

their wine under the Mouse Your

5:07

Mouth brand. Which. Means something like

5:10

the brothers working hand in hand. The.

5:13

Launch takes place at assembly dining table

5:15

and it is an immersion in Portuguese

5:17

culture, food and his to. Refined.

5:21

Assembly A deeply rooted in the area.

5:23

The food is classic rustic. An incredibly

5:25

to this is Sam Old made from

5:27

the gradients, grown on the farm over

5:29

and opened fire and by the lovely

5:32

Aurora who's been in the family for

5:34

thirty eight years. The. Dishes

5:36

or expertly chosen to highlight the

5:38

exceptional winds the brothers up produce.

5:41

The. Highlight is however Ruff Owls

5:43

hospitality. Within. Minutes You feel

5:46

like talking to an old friend. He's. Full

5:48

of stories and anecdotes. Utterly

5:50

disregarding the three act structure, but he

5:52

also has a genuine interest in getting

5:54

to know his guests. We.

5:57

Talked about rugby, live family

5:59

politics, anything. Talk about at a

6:01

very good dinner party. Ah,

6:03

and the winds quite exceptional as

6:05

well. That

6:07

it's. I had fun which is

6:09

my I did not think about how to

6:12

structure the episode which is why on Tuesday

6:14

or wrote a script not I looked at

6:16

this morning and I decided. It

6:19

was simply not good enough.

6:22

That is why you don't have an episode.

6:24

I am sorry. But. I'm

6:26

also not sorry. A

6:29

new episode will drop next week and all

6:31

of back to normal except for me having

6:33

a smile on my face every time. I

6:36

think back to the we Can't See All

6:38

next time.