Nothing much happens: bedtime stories to help you sleep - Five Year Anniversary Special!

Episode Date: April 17, 2023

Let's celebrate five years of bedtime stories and sweet dreams together with this special Q & A episode with Kathryn and Bob! While still relaxing and calm, this episode is best saved for a time other than bedtime.Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-HappensSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the fifth anniversary special of Bedtime Stories for Everyone, in which nothing much happens. You feel good, and then you fall asleep. I'm Katherine Nicolai. I write and read all the stories you hear on Nothing Much Happens, with audio engineering by Bob Wittersheim. This week's episode is a departure from our usual story-based style, and it's the first time in our history where you'll hear another voice besides mine.

Bob and I are both going to answer your questions about the world of nothing much. So if what you really need right now is some sleep, please, save this episode for another time. I've put one of my personal favorite episodes in your feed to fall asleep to. It's there now, if you need it. If instead, you're up for some Q&A, listen on.

And I suspect that, for regular listeners with well-trained brains, I'm going to get you anyway. Now, just because it feels good, get comfortable. Know that you are among friends and safe and that you've done enough for the day. Take a deep breath in through your nose

and sigh through your mouth. Again, all the way in and out. Good. Now it's Bob's turn first. Hi, everybody. It's great to be on the show, and I'm really looking forward to answering your questions. I can't promise I'll be able to match Catherine's relaxing tone, but I'll do my best.

So, let's get to the questions. Aaron and Debbie both want to know, what exactly is audio engineering? When we recorded the first season at my work studio, I was responsible for all of the audio equipment, studio setup, recording, editing, and mastering. So I think Catherine came up with the title audio engineering to cover all of that. But since the second season, Catherine has recorded in her home studio with her own gear and uploads the raw episodes when they're ready for editing. So even though I'm no longer involved with the actual recording process, the title just kind of stuck. So engineer really just means editor or producer at this point. Terry asked what you use if you have trouble sleeping. Do you listen to the podcast? Thankfully, I do not have trouble sleeping, but I do occasionally use music or fan noise to help me drift off. I have to listen to each episode in a more critical and editorial way.

And because of that, listening to the final version of the show is usually not terribly relaxing for me. I tend to listen for things that I still need to fix. I get much more benefit from the First This meditation podcast, which you should really check out if you haven't already. I edit that too. This one is for both of us, Bob. Tiffany asks how long it takes to record and edit one episode. And do I read the story all in one go, or is it stitched together? I'll talk more about my writing process in a bit, but I can say that nearly always the episodes are recorded in one go, though there can be very lengthy pauses while I wait for my dogs to stop barking at the mail lady. And when that happens, I

stay put behind the mic and work on being patient. How long does editing take, Bob? After I download the raw file, first I run some automated processes on it that remove most of the background noise and some other unwanted sounds. Then I do some manual adjusting to even out the volume. That part usually takes around 20 to 30 minutes. Next then are the editing passes where I remove unwanted takes, silence the pauses, and also ensure that the pauses don't go on for too long and affect the pace of the storytelling. My main goal here is to smooth out the read

and ensure there are no distracting sounds that might prevent you from falling asleep. I usually can't edit more than one telling in a single session for the reason you may have guessed. Sometimes I get sleepy. And the intro takes about 15 to 20 minutes to edit and each telling can take up to an hour. So around two to three hours total start to finish. Amanda noticed that our sound quality has improved since our earliest episodes. What do you put that down to, Bob? Aside from the evolution of Catherine's reading style and tone, the biggest factor that has affected the sound quality over the years is the recording location

and Catherine's soundproofing treatments. But we've managed to get that more consistent over the past three years or so. Some of my processing methods have changed to adapt to the recording conditions, but I've applied the same editing standards throughout to try and maintain consistency in pace and volume. Lisa asked what the funniest or strangest sound is that you've had to edit out.

And I want to remind you, Bob, as you answer that, I'm not only your friend, I am your boss. Okay, go ahead. I do love a good dog barking interruption, but mostly for the hilarious frustration that Catherine expresses when it happens. Her sneezes are also legendary. And you'll hear more of that kind of quality content very soon. Hashtag going back. Brandy and Cassie asked, Bob, what is your favorite episode?

Season 3, Episode 12, Someplace Only We Know. Peggy and Mary asked if you slow down the recording for me on the second telling. I don't slow it down, but I allow for longer pauses compared to the first telling. And if you'd like proof that Catherine really does read it twice, check out the first season videos on YouTube

where you can see Catherine scrolling back to the beginning of the story on her iPad after the first telling. The noble home wants to know how you got into audio engineering. And Morgz asked if it's a college-only track or if there are other ways into the field. I got started doing self-taught sound design for local theater groups in around 2005 as an after-work activity. But then when I was laid

off from my job at Borders Books in 2010, I enrolled in what was then known as the Spex Howard School of Media Arts just outside Detroit. I got a certificate in radio production from there in 2011 and followed that up with an Avid Pro Tools certification in 2016. I've been working at a voiceover production company and recording studio since 2012. There are various other audio and music production programs around the country that are run mostly out of recording studios and don't involve enrolling in a four-year college. I don't have one in particular to recommend, though. Riot Fae wants to know, who is your favorite resident of the village of Nothing Much?

I want to know that, too. I'll admit I did not have an answer ready for this one. But after browsing back through the episodes, and for the sake of mystery and intrigue, I will pick The Other Innkeeper. And before I hand it back to Catherine, I really want to thank her for her creativity, generosity, her trust, and her spirit of collaboration on this little podcast that we weren't sure anyone would ever listen to. It's also been very gratifying reading listener feedback and learning how the show has helped so many all over the world. And I'm looking forward to working

on many more episodes and some new projects still to come. Thanks, everybody. Thanks, Bob. Our listeners have always asked about Bob. I think they can feel his gentle caretaking and kindness through the show. We are lucky to have him watching over us. Okay, let's see what questions you have for me. Lots of folks, Sarah, Rochelle, Carmen, Siren Song, and others, asked how Bob and I met and started working together. We met through a mutual friend, who is actually Megan, our social media manager, a.k.a. your fairy pod mother. And we didn't know each other that well,

but when I had the idea for the show, I sent Bob a message, and he got right back to me and said, hey, let's give it a go. Come on into the studio, which shows the kind of generous person he is. We work on this show as well as my meditation show, First This, and other projects together that should be available to you in a few months. Bob knows the show as well as I do, and frequently listens to me when I need to talk something through or I need his opinion. Our conversations are made up almost entirely of memes we send each other, but in the modern world, that can still be very meaningful. Or memingful.

Sorry, Bob. Fiona noticed that I often use the word autumn, which she thought Americans didn't use, and wondered if we make regional versions of the show. Fiona, I've gotten this question before, and I think there is some misinformation about this. In my experience, Americans use the words autumn and fall with equal regularity. So, no, we don't have different versions of the show, though I did try to sneak a British pronunciation past Bob a few episodes back. He took it out and said he was saving me from myself, which was probably true, and I appreciate that, Bob. Liz asks if I have pets of my own, and if that's where my animal inspiration comes from.

We do have pets, Liz. My wife and I have a long-haired blonde dachshund named Portia. She is 13, and her favorite thing is to not go on a walk. She lays beside me snoring as I write. Then we have Ladybug, who is about six, and a black and tan chihuahua. She has lots of energy, loves walking, and has those little tan dots for eyebrows. She's great. And finally, we just adopted another old lady chihuahua a few months ago named Cricket. She's at least eight, but could be as old as 12, and is the sweetest soul I have met in a while. I am head over heels for her, and we are attached at the hip all day long.

And all animals inspire me. I have loved animals all my life, and have been lucky enough to have been friends with many dogs and cats, so I can write lots of stories about them. Ashley wrote that she notices that the stories are told from the perspective of 15 different community members, but that they all feel like the same character. So are they really just me imagining what it would be like to be a baker or a bookseller? Well, Ashley, first I'd say that, in my opinion, there are a lot more than 15 narrators in these stories. Almost all of the people we hear from, we only hear from once. At least that is how I experience them as I write. As to them feeling like they are all the same character? Well, I think because I am first and foremost hoping to put you to sleep. I want the narrators to feel fairly universal, as if whoever you are, you could step into their shoes. Imagine yourself behind the counter at the bookshop, or out on a walk with Crum.

Also, the villagers have a lot in common. There is a thread of compassion and kindness and appreciation for small things that runs through every member of the community. It is their shared ethos, so I can understand why they feel similar. Amanda and several others asked about the timeline of the inn, and I have to tell you that I keep that deliberately a bit mysterious. We know that the inn was open for many years when the current innkeeper was a child, and that it then sat empty for a long time. Now it's been renovated and reopened for how long exactly what pulled this innkeeper to her current calling are there harmonies between the first staff and the current staff Oh, I love a mystery, and I hope you do too. The thing is that I feel like there is something

magical about the innkeeper and the inn itself, and I want to leave the door open to explore more about it so I don't pin it down too tightly. Kind of feels like she needs her own book, huh? Evelyn and Margot and others asked how long I plan on continuing the podcast. How many more stories do I have up my sleeve? Friends, I have so many stories to tell you. I see possibilities everywhere. I have a long list of ideas I haven't even started to work on. So I promise to be here speaking you to sleep for as long as I am able. I think I'll be able for a good long time.

Elizabeth, Cheryl, and Akayla very kindly asked about another book, and I have good news there. My second book has already been written, and right now we are just looking at the best way to bring it to you. But I think before the year is out, in one form or another, you'll be able to enjoy it. I tell bigger stories in it, dig a bit deeper into some familiar characters and new ones as well. It's based on the story called Old Houses, which I think is a hidden gem. If you've ever walked down a street in a neighborhood and wondered who lives in each house and what their story is. Well, I wrote it for you.

Denise asked if international editions of my book needed to be changed to account for cultural differences. Good question, Denise. Yes, the book published in 34 territories, so some things didn't translate, and I largely relied on my publishers to find equivalents that made sense. But lots did resonate all around the world. We, all of us, enjoy a walk, a hot drink, fresh sheets, times of companionship and solitude,

and baked goods. There is an Italian saying, che tutto il mondo è un paese, which means that the whole world is one country, one land. I agree. Sarah was curious about my favorite season to write about. And I had to think about this one for a minute because I find a lot to appreciate in every season. But I think it's

autumn. I love the cool air, the leaves changing, the scents and the sights. And there is a coziness that is stitched into the very days of that season. So, fall. That's when I shine the brightest. Tina noticed how effective those two deep breaths that we take are and wondered why that was. Tina, the yoga teacher in me, is so glad you asked

Breathing is a way to speak directly to your parasympathetic nervous system And when we have that extended exhale, like we do in a sigh Your system gets the message that all is well We don't need to fight or flee. In fact, we can rebuild. A simple way to think about your breathing is to equate it to a pendulum. When we're inhaling, the pendulum swings over to the sympathetic nervous system, which can give us energy or, when we're too revved up, make us anxious. When we're exhaling, the pendulum swings toward the parasympathetic nervous system for rest and digest. So just by shifting to a longer inhale or a longer exhale, holding the pendulum in one zone or the other, you can bring your energy up or down.

I find that really empowering. It's easy and discreet to use. You can do it when you're in line at the grocery store or doing whatever. Let's do it now. It just sounds so good. Breathe in and sigh. Again, breathe in. Let it out. Good. Ricky says, I'm a little confused. Have you ever been a librarian and a baker and an innkeeper? My dear, I am a writer. Now listen, some people really enjoy thinking that these stories are about me, that this is my life, and I'm reading you journal entries. And if that is true for you, go right ahead. All that matters is that you feel good,

and then you fall asleep. But if you're a stickler for the truth, then remember that they are bedtime stories. My own life is ridiculously charmed, but I'm not writing about me. Lots of others, including Catherine, Laura, Elma, and Cindy, also asked about this, and if my own life ever creeps into the story, or if any of the locations are based on my life. Probably the place my life shows up the most is the small details and in the locations. Yes, I did push the burglary alarm at the dentist office when I was five.

And yes, I have always known that the tooth fairy's name is Maxine. But a lot of it simply comes from my imagination. As to locations, there are a few places I've gotten to spend time that influence me as I write. One is a magical little place called Harsin's Island. It's just under the base of the Thumb in Michigan, in the St. Clair River. And cottage stories, as well as the turnaround, are inspired by that little island. I lived in Salerno, Italy for a year when I was a teenager, and a good bit of my heart still lives there.

You'll see it in In the Kitchen During a Storm and All Day at Home and others. I also get to spend a lot of each summer in Saugatuck, Michigan, right on the shore of Lake Michigan. And that little town has a village very much like ours, including the walk-up dog-friendly window at the cafe that Crum and his mom use. So many of you asked for the exact location of the village of Nothing Much and whether we could just build one.

I think we can, and this will probably sound a little cheesy, but what if we all started making our own towns and communities a bit more like the village, modeling kindness and consideration, appreciation for each other and small things. I think we can build a lot of villages to live in. Judith wondered if I started off with the idea of the village in mind, or if it came together as the stories began to overlap. You know, I honestly don't remember. I think it probably happened organically

after a few stories were written, that I just naturally put this in its own world, and I'm so glad I did. As a writer, it's so fun to explore those overlaps, and it gives me a lot to write about. Petra says, do you realize what an incredibly important thing you have created, and how much we appreciate you for it. You've been such an important part of my life, even though we've never met. Oh, Petra, you are so kind and shucks. I feel like I've got the better end of the bargain in this deal, though deal though truly I got to write my own fantasy community into existence and you and so many others came and filled in the blanks

I know we are just strangers on the internet but I feel very connected to all of you. And when I say sweet dreams at the end of each episode, I pause and close my eyes and send it out to you like a magic spell or a secret blessing to seal gentleness and safety over you as you rest. Terry and Rochelle and Harper and Cucumber and Kassa and others asked what I listen to to fall asleep, and if I listen to the podcast myself. I do not listen to to fall asleep, and if I listen to the podcast myself. I do not listen to me.

It's a bit too meta for me, and I tend to get in my head when I listen. But I have a couple of books that I've heard so many times that I can drop off within a few seconds. There's an excellent series called The Rivers of London by Ben Aronovich, read by Cabana Holdbrook Smith, that I really love. I probably wouldn't be able to sleep to them right away, but as a repeat listener to books I love, Cabana's dulcet tones send me right under. I also still tell myself stories in my head pretty regularly. I think of it as research and development. I've also heard from some close friends that they can't listen because they know me and they find it distracting. But for others, it works just fine. Hi, Mom. Amanda wants me to please explain what kind of kettle the villagers have that let them put it on and fall asleep. She is worried that the village

might need an expanded fire department. Amanda, I am about to open your world up to a new level of tea drinking. Electric kettles, Amanda, They turn off after they boil. You fill them up, push the button, they boil, and click, they're off. Treat yourself. Taisha, Riot Fae, and Leah all asked about my favorite character. I think it's the innkeeper. I have a feeling that the villagers are kind of drawn to her. They show up even when they aren't staying at the inn,

so that she can pour them a cup of coffee. And she knows more than she's telling about the history of that place. Maybe we'll learn more about it someday. Judy, like so many of you, has asked for Chef's Coffee Cake Recipe. Y'all, if such a thing existed, if I was talented at recipe development, I would do this for you. I get asked for recipes for the food in the show all the time. And I think it's a compliment that you feel that the world of NMH is real and that there must be real recipes for these meals. But babies, I'm just daydreaming. I wrote a few recipes for my book and I found out how challenging that is. For example, I tried to create a unique and delicious chai recipe to go along with the spice shop episode.

Book only. You should get it. And 12 attempts later, I had to break it to my editors that it would not be included in the book. Maybe one day I'll collaborate with someone who has those talents. Judy, Michelle, Carolina, and Laura asked how I keep the storyline straight, and if I have a string board or chart beside my writing desk. No, I don't, but I should. Good idea. I'm holding it all in my little beanie right now. And I usually, as I write, am opening past stories and checking details to make sure I'm sticking to what is canon. But sometimes I miss stuff. A few people asked about inconsistencies and very generously thought it must have a storytelling reason behind it rather than me just making a mistake, which after 200 plus episodes, it's going to happen. Lauren says, I'm wondering, for nights when one wakes up full of fear, for whatever reason, an unsettling nightmare, dreading a test result or other unknown,

what rituals, thoughts, stories, or images bring you back to center and help you to sleep in those moments? Thank you, Lauren. First, let me say that I know that feeling, that you aren't alone in that moment, even if it feels like you are. I'm wishing you comfort and ease. When I experience what you're describing, I start by acknowledging it. That might seem small, but it actually will let you move on a bit. And if you don't, you'll be stuck for a while. And this is true in general of intrusive thoughts. I think of it like when you're meeting a friend at a restaurant, and they're there before you, they're already at the table. And when you come in, they stick their arms straight up in the air and wave like crazy.

As soon as you make eye contact, they put their arm down. Those thoughts and feelings will keep waving at you. So just make eye contact, and they'll start to put their arms down. Sometimes I say to myself, I feel afraid. I feel unsettled. Then use that pendulum of breathing. Take a few sighing breaths. And if you can, try to double the length of your exhale. The thing is, when the alarm bell has rung in your nervous system, our higher thinking skills go offline, so you can't reason with it.

Instead, speak the language of the body to get back to feeling safe. This would be a great time to do progressive muscle relaxation, where you move through your body, tensing and relaxing muscles. Or if you're not going to wake anyone up, you could hum, which stimulates your vagus nerve and can help you walk back from that alarm. For me, once I've started to bring my breath and heart rate back down, I count back from 10 to 1. It's a way to focus my mind. And then I turn on a book or find a familiar thought to settle into. I sometimes walk myself through an apartment I had in my 20s, which was all mine and felt really safe and happy. Or, and I am letting you in on a very personal secret here, I report for duty on the USS Enterprise under Captain

Jean-Luc Picard. Seriously, can't explain it. That just feels really safe and good to me. Elizabeth, Gail, Karen, Amy, and many others asked me about my writing process. How long it takes from idea to finished recording, and how I develop ideas for the show. Well, I think being a yoga teacher for 20 years really prepared me to write these stories. Because it trained me to look for and appreciate small, enjoyable moments. All day, I'm spotting these small bits of ordinary magic and pausing and saying to myself, that's nice. And those can become a story.

Like yesterday, I was walking Ladybug and Cricket, and because we walk almost every day, I noticed that a vine had just budded out on a fence that I'd passed the day before. I got to see the change there. That feels quite special to me. So I stopped. The dogs were pulling, but they waited. I looked at the color of the buds and breathed in the spring air

and was so grateful that I got to see this incremental shift of the season. That could lead me into a story. Or the other day, I was working from a cafe, and at the table next to me was a family eating breakfast. And the older sister was cutting up her little brother's pancakes for him. The way she just reached over and took his plate and fixed them up. And he sat in his chair, swinging his legs and waiting patiently for them. It felt so kind and lovely. So that could be a story. Once I have an idea like that and I get it down,

I start to move from there. I lean heavily on sensory experiences. How did the cafe smell? What was the light like through the windows? Where could this little family go from there? It is organic and not very planned, which is the joy of writing about nothing. Nothing has to happen. I can linger as a writer in details that don't have to lead you anywhere. It's a joy to write these stories. Usually I'll write a story in an afternoon and then set it aside and come back to it a few times, reading it out loud and listening for anything that doesn't feel right.

Rewriting is needed. Then I record all in one go and send it to Bob. Depending on his schedule, he gets it back to me within a few days. Riley, Nancy, Izzy, and Joe asked how I started writing, and specifically started writing this kind of work. Well, here is where I give you a little creative pep talk, if you're interested in writing or doing something artistic. I never wrote before I started Nothing Much Happens. I didn't even consider myself a creative person.

I wanted to write. I just had that overwhelming doubt that I had anything to say that someone would want to hear. And then I had what I call my reckoning of mediocrity, where I said to myself, why does it have to be perfect? Why should that stop me from doing something I want to do? So what if it's not the best? Can't it just be something I do? So I started, and I fulfilled the wildest dreams of my life. To write a book and publish it all over the world, to write for you every week.

So stop waiting to feel ready. There is nothing that can happen to you that is scarier than spending your life being afraid that something will happen to you. As to writing this style of fiction, I wanted to write it for myself first. I'd read books before bed and often find myself so emotionally wound up by what was happening with the characters that I couldn't find a place to put my brain in order to sleep. I kept thinking, there needs to be something for this exact moment.

And then I realized I should just make it. And I'm so glad that I did. Leah asked how I keep up with this level of creative output. And I think it's partly because of all of you. You are counting on me. And I want to be there for you. And also because writing in this style is therapeutic to me.

Honestly, it's a lovely kind of meditation. And now that I have learned to flex the muscle of creativity, it's a wheel that just keeps turning. I need to write. So it's a wheel that just keeps turning. I need to write. So it's very helpful that you have a need to listen. Essie says, There have been a few episodes with references to same-sex partnerships, chosen families, and being an aunt rather than a parent.

First, thank you for putting these out. They make me and my partner feel seen. Given our current culture, do you ever think twice about sharing these queer nods? Thanks for that question, Essie. I don't think twice about it we do hear the tiniest bit of pushback but I want you to know it's.00001% of the comments and messages we get we hear from so many other people who appreciate it

so many queer people who appreciate it. So many queer people, and especially queer young people, who feel included for the first time. And as a queer person myself, I will weather any amount of nonsense that comes our way over it. You and I exist in the world. So you and I exist in the world, so you and I exist in the village. Cassie, Emily, Brandy, and others want to know which episode is my favorite and which is the most listened My favorite story is probably Fireflies on a Summer Night, because it was the first time I indulged an impulse to write more magic into the village.

It felt like I'd been holding it in for a while, and when I wrote that, it felt like I was coming into my own voice a bit more. The most downloaded app is a little hard to pin down just because we've changed hosts a few times and lost some data along the way but a sleeper hit, pun intended, from last year, was Rain and Shine. It got a lot of downloads, as did Friendsgiving again. Maybe go re-listen. Mooney, Jade, and Aaron asked similar questions about how I think the characters look. And if I see them in my mind with particular characteristics. And I actually have a condition called aphantasia, so I don't see them at all.

Aphants lack the ability to visualize, so I can't picture anything. I can't create mental images. Honestly, when I met our illustrator, Leah, I was so excited because it was the first time I would get to see how anything in the village looks. I get asked about this a lot and how I can write such visual passages

without the ability to visualize myself. And since this is the only way I've ever known my brain to be, all I can suppose is that visualizing is not necessary for what I do. My brain has adapted to provide me an understanding of these details without having access to the view screen, so to speak. Having this condition has its pluses and minuses. While I can't imagine my loved one's faces and my spatial reasoning is pretty crummy.

I'm saved from reliving certain things, at least visually. I often hear people say, I can't unsee that, and I think, I can, and I already did. Well, there were so many more great questions that you sent in. Thank you for sending them. But we are running out of time tonight. Maybe I'll hop on Instagram to give you some more answers in a bit. For now, I'll leave you with this soft poem called Invitation by the great Mary Oliver, who asks us to pay attention, be amazed, and tell about it. do you have time to linger for just a little while out of your busy and very important day for the goldfinches that have gathered in a field of thistles

for a musical battle to see who can sing the highest note or the lowest or the most expressive of mirth or the most expressive of mirth, or the most tender. Their strong, blunt beaks drink the air, as they strive melodiously, not for your sake and not for mine, and not for the sake of winning, but for the sheer delight and gratitude. Believe us, they say, it is a serious thing,

just to be alive on this fresh morning in the broken world. I beg of you, do not walk by without pausing to attend to this rather ridiculous performance. It could mean something. It could mean everything. It could be what Rilke meant when he wrote, You must change your life. Sweet dreams.