The Finale + RCMP Update

12/22/21 • 33 min

Hello everyone! Today marks our 20th episode of the show, and with that milestone, also the conclusion of our first season. And what a season it has been! Today we go over some pleasantries and I lay out my plan for this break, catching listeners up on what I have in store for season 2 and what can be expected. Lots of little tweaks and improvements to be made, and I couldn't be more excited!
I also reiterate some of the lessons I've learned during the process of becoming acquainted with podcasting, discussing some of the challenges I've had as well as all the ways this adventure has opened up my mind to a world of possibilities. Most importantly, I also thank my listeners for their endless support. Whether you've listened to one episode or listened every week, you're a part of the tree. Researching, recording, and editing is fun and all. But being able to share the finished product with you? Now that's something else.
Finally, if you want to skip to about 20 minutes into the episode, I also cover and discuss the very recent news which broke on December 20th updating the cost of RCMP enforcement at Fairy Creek to $6.8 million.
And that's a wrap! Happy happy holidays, take care, and enjoy your time with family, friends, and loved ones. While I won't be publishing new episodes for a little while, all my current episodes are all up and here to stay. I'll catch you in the New Year. Until then, stay frosty.

Cheers,
Alexia
Instagram

Cheers,
Alexia
Instagram

Previous Episode

The Future is Now

Good morning and happy Wednesday! I'm pleased to have my first episode out on time in a little while here and man, does it feel good. Today on Episode 19 of Cherry Picking we talk about the Metaverse. Or Meta? The Meta. Metaverse. Something vaguely reminiscent of Facebook but more ominous and somehow even less cool. This episode covers a brief history of a long slew of the legal entanglements of FB and Mark Zuckerberg, our favourite lizard barbeque, before getting into some more.. opinion-driven ideas of what this transition to 'augmented reality' means for us.
In all honesty, I am a nerdy granola girl at heart. I love reading and being outside, and technology has a way of keeping me from doing that sometimes. I despise the metaverse and everything it stands for, but each day that passes I am reminded of how thin a line we walk as our lives become increasingly integrated digitally with technology. The social, economic, and political implications of the modern trajectory of social media are already profound, and what is sure to come next will be... more profound?
If any of this is interesting to you, hop on and join the ride. It is a weird world to exist in when the promise of an ideal, online, augmented, artificial reality genuinely appeals to ANYONE over the real thing. And if this world gives you the ick, you're not alone.

Cheers,
Alexia
Instagram

Next Episode

Interlude

Hello and welcome to Episode 21 of Cherry Picking with Alexia Benn. This Episode comes as an interlude, bridging the first and second seasons of the show together. This episode stands unique as it is probably the most scattered chronologically thus far.
How so?
This episode was recorded on February 2nd, 2022 and edited on July 5th 2022. In it, I share an old blog post I'd written on January 9th 2021 following the USA Capitol terrorist attacks that resulted in the loss of lives. This story comes to contrast the January 22nd 2022 Freedom convoy, which has since evolved and developed in character. Even editing this episode felt like peering back in time, now that the vaccine mandates are gone. What were we all so worked up about? Time changes our perspective maybe more than anything else.
I hope you enjoy this little bonus episode, a little bit shorter than the average but may suffice until more is to come. As the situation stands, there is a lot more to be worked up about, and a lot more to work on. Since season one, wars have started—refugee crises. International travel is booming amidst a recession. Roe v Wade has been overturned. NFT markets have crashed. On a more local level, John Horgan has announced he will be stepping down from his role as Premier before the next election. Saanich will have a municipal election on October 15th, which will leave lasting impacts on local response to issues such as climate change, the opioid crisis, and the housing crisis.
We have lots of catching up to do...

Cheers,
Alexia
Instagram