Episode 66: Willpower by Jason Stoddard
Michael Delgado needs a job or he’ll be in contract breech. By chance he stumbles upon the perfect job, one that he can’t help but accept. However, the employers don’t want to give it to him, and just what exactly is his motivation for taking this job anyway? bloopers
Also, Big and Rish talk about positive Science Fiction, not keeping score, Star Trek and The Next Generation, the Pinewood Derby, Avatar (not in relation to Titanic), and, of course, My Little Pony. Outtake
Special thanks to Suzanne Earley, Josh Roseman, Julie Hoverson, and Abigail Hilton for lending their voices to today’s episode.
Right click HERE to download the episode, select Save Link As, and save the file to your hard drive.
http://media.libsyn.com/media/dunesteef/Dunesteef_66_Willpower_by_Jason_Stoddard.mp3%20
Related Links:
Jason Stoddard’s Site
Willpower on Futurismic.com
Cowry Catchers
19 Nocturne Boulevard
Josh Roseman’s Site
Some sound effects were provided by freesound.org.
Music in today’s episode was Under Water by Kämmerer, and Disabled Emotions suite – Part 3 by Zero-Project.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
The Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine 
March 4, 2010 at 7:47 am
I think, having been out of work for several months during the recession, this story hit a lot closer to home than I would necessarily have liked. Even with all the elitist exclusionist science-geek language that would have lost me as a reader, it wound up being a story I could follow and identify with. Great performances and music made it even better.
March 4, 2010 at 8:40 am
I love Sci-Fi, it allows for me to escape through these interesting, twisted and Talented stories, instead of drinking my usual bottle of wine. LOL No but really, Dunesteef comes thru again!
March 4, 2010 at 9:01 am
STORY: I liked this one more when I read it (to do the lines) than when I heard it. I think jargon-heavy stories are much easier to read because you can stop and think about a word or phrase, instead of having to pause your device, think, then go back a few seconds (which is a bitch to do on longer podcasts because there’s no fine control on many touchscreen devices) and re-listen.
All that said, the concept of willfare was cool, and overall I liked the story, though I think that with the video game thing there was almost TOO much going on.
PRODUCTION: I wasn’t a fan of the music choice, but that guy who played Bob… *grin* Actually, I was wondering if you were going to use the “effeminate weirdo” or “Harvey Fierstein” version. Apparently it was the former.
COMMENTARY: I’ve never seen Avatar or Titanic. A friend of mine who’s a movie reviewer for a very small newspaper told me he saw Titanic two dozen times in theaters. Insanity. The most I ever saw a movie in theaters was three times — the South Park film.
Jetse de Vries is doing an anthology of positive SF: http://shineanthology.wordpress.com/
March 4, 2010 at 4:48 pm
Heads up, guys. I’m nominating the dunesteef for the Phattest Podcast of the Year Award.
March 4, 2010 at 7:05 pm
I Second that notion!
March 5, 2010 at 9:25 am
You had me at “You have claim?”.
March 5, 2010 at 10:22 am
Where does the game end and the person begin? Isn’t that the question we all ask ourselves sometimes? I liked the story, and I was left with the impression that maybe a little brain implantation in all of us wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. It may be the thing that spurs us to greatness. Or not.
The voices were great. Especially the uptight ones!
As for prizes for all: I AM a parent, Rish, and I hate it. Not only does it make children think they get a prize for achieving absolutely nothing, but when a child actually does something exceptional, they do not get recognized for their efforts. So why bother? And how does this help them in the real world? I feel bad when my kid is sad because she gets “beat”, but it is something we’ve got to learn how to deal with.
My 8 year old daughter and I were watching speed skating on the Olympics. She says to me, “I don’t think it’s all about winning.” “Yes, it kinda is.” I then tried to explain that these people put a lot of time and money into their efforts, and yes, winning is the goal. “No, I think they need to just have fun.” Yay for non-competitive sports in School! What a great example they set for our children.
March 5, 2010 at 11:22 am
It is really messed up when your daughter can’t understand what speed skating is really all about.
Which is, of course, finding a place where it’s socially acceptable to where those skin tight spandex body suits.
March 5, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Someday I’m going to open a club where it’s not only acceptable to wear skin-tight spandex . . . it’ll be required.
Someday, Jennifer, someday.
March 7, 2010 at 12:38 am
I wear spandex body suits all the time. They highlight my sports cup.
. . . and, great job guys.
March 8, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Great story, and I liked the scifi details. EXCELLENT production, editing, bringing the voices together, pacing, etc.
March 11, 2010 at 8:06 pm
Oh, man. I was so stoked when I realized what story y’all were doing. I loved this story in print, and I really *really* loved your production of it.
You brought tears to my eyes. :D
November 3, 2011 at 9:59 pm
Amen, brother – the DS9 episode Rish mentioned (where Sisko struggles to rationalise luring the Romulans into the Dominion war) is the example I hold up as an emotional and story-telling pinnacle of that franchise.