When you’re tracking down interesting expats you get to stay in some awesome homes. Case in point, my old friend and colleague John Jackson’s photography and book-filled home in a farming village outside Gwangju, South Korea.
How to become an expat hit maker in Korea – a sneak preview of my interview with BA Wheeler
Our “interview” was more of beer-fueled reminiscence of how we left our home countries and what’s going on with mutual friends but did eventually get around to how Brad’s passion for music turned into an award-winning career producing hit songs in Korea
I wasn’t in Korea more than half a day when the window opened for an interview with old music-circle buddy BA Wheeler – a big-hearted Newfie with an amazing and inspiring expat success story. (Brad will hate this because he doesn’t seem to have any trace of an ego or much like being in the spotlight). Our “interview” was more of beer-fueled reminiscence of how we left our home countries and what’s going on with mutual friends but did eventually get around to how Brad’s passion for music turned into an award-winning career producing hit songs in Korea and what it’s like playing drums and working with his wife’s world-touring doo-wop trio the Barbarettes.
I promise this will be a fun episode when it drops. Check out a little of the interview here:
Hotel room recording…
Greetings from Saigon… Trying to record some bits in a big boomy hotel room can be a challenge. 😂 Blankets and pillows to the rescue. New logo and teaser coming very soon.. no, really..
Coming up with a logo is tough work
We’re trying to choose a logo for Rootabaga. It’s tough. But at least the office is comfy.
再見 Hong Kong, ជំរាបសួរ Cambodia
No podcast episodes planned from Cambodia but it is a stop along the way – and I did run into an old colleague who, like myself and a couple of upcoming Rootabaga guests, hails from Alabama. He’s a long-term expat – a small-town Alabama lawyer who ended up teaching in Asia and eastern Europe and resides part of the year in Cambodia with his wife. Had a few too many Angkor beers and forgot to take a photo together but did manage to take a few shots of Phnom Penh the last few days.
Hitting the road..
Only one way to do a podcast with face-to-face interviews in a bunch of different countries – pack up and go. 🛶
In this case it means putting everything in storage, giving up the comfy apartment, and calling it quits in Hong Kong. Off we go Feb. 20.
Good bye cozy rooftop..
Stay tuned for updates on the road if you are following…
Podcasting with a view (almost)
Thought I’d try a new environment to record some voice overs for the teaser episode (coming soon!). Hope the company doesn’t mind my using a board room.. results: The usually stunning view of Hong Kong Harbour was drearily hazy and the hum of the city and carnival below may be hard to work with. Live and learn!
Recording at Knowmium
Recording our teaser episode at a friend’s cool Hong Kong office.
My good friends at Knowmium allowed me to record in their funky office space in the hip Sheung Wan hood of Hong Kong. Many thanks guys!
Was a little challenging to stay out of their bottle of Buffalo Trace, however.
Mui Wo to Central Blues
Inspired by my decision to quit my job last week (Jan 8 2018) to work on the Rootabaga podcast full time, I made this little video of my commute from my little village in the Outer Islands of Hong Kong to my office in the city. Figured I’d want to remember it on down the line. Enjoy…
More videos soon sharing the making of the podcast.
Music – Mui Wo to Central Blues by me made on Garageband
Equipment – Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Smooth Q gimbal stick
A digital nomad legend (teaser)
SWEEET…
Just a couple of hours after our post yesterday kind of semi-officially announcing the no-turning-back point for the Rootabaga podcast, fate would have it that an absolute internet legend (in at least one very wide international circle) gave an enthusiastic “yes” to my invitation to be a guest. Can’t tell you how stoked I am. He’s a great guy and his “idea” has helped thousands, probably tens of thousands of people, since the very very early days of the internet. As probably one of the very first and most successful digital nomads ever, he’s been a huge inspiration to me and even this podcast. I’m not going to give away more just yet but at least half of you will know who it is and I find it amazing that he has not been the subject of a podcast if not documentary. If you guess who it is, don’t say. If you recognize that this is about you, thanks again and can’t wait to meet you in person in Los Angeles this spring! (and don’t accept any other invites before that!) 
😎
