As I write this, on 22 June 2023, it’s the first anniversary of my podcast, Beyond Barbarossa—the first English-language podcast in the world that focuses on the Eastern Front of World War II.
To mark the occasion, I changed the podcast date from every second Monday to coincide with other anniversaries: the 82nd anniversary of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion in 1941 that started the war with the USSR, and the 79th anniversary of Operation Bagration, the Soviet Union’s major push of the Germans finally and completely out of their territory (and others they would claim) in 1944.
And there’s something more to make it special, too: my guest, Kristaps Andrejsons, host of the Eastern Border podcast. Give it a listen!
What have a learned in a year of podcasting?
I expected it to be a lot of work, and it’s work I enjoy doing.
But I have to admit, I did not expect it would take as long as it does to record and edit an episode. Going back to repeat the phrases that I mumbled or stumbled or slurred, then cutting out all the pops and weird vocal clicks and “uuuummmmm”s—it’s amazing how long that takes.
And I learned a lot of other things, too, from listeners. Like “turn down the volume on the sound effects.” Thank goodness for Garageband’s Help feature.
As I explained in the podcast episode, I plan to take a break now, for four weeks. That’ll give me a breather, and allow me some time to work up a few more episodes and some bonuses, too. So stay tuned! And till the next episode drops, keep your paddles in the water.