Ep92: From PodTales to Lore and Disorder: A Free Bee Update

If you’ve ever uploaded the wrong file, you’ll know the panic that sets in the moment you realize. Now imagine that wrong file was a podcast episode filled with flat audio, unedited tangents, and me trying (and failing) to say the word skeletons… forty times. That’s exactly what happened when a ghostly episode of Pod Tales briefly appeared in your feeds before vanishing into the digital ether.

But here’s the twist: that “oops” moment gave birth to something better. Something sharper. Something with a little DUN DUN.

Welcome to my new project: Lore and Disorder.

Why Lore and Disorder?

I loved the idea behind Pod Tales—deep dives into spooky, strange, and slightly eerie bits of history—but I wanted something that better captured the tone I was chasing: dry humor, sarcasm, pop culture nods, and a focus on the truthbehind the legends.

“Lore and Disorder” fits like a glove (or maybe a gavel). It nods to Law & Order, but with a twist that works perfectly for the show’s mix of fact-checking folklore, exposing historical oddities, and asking: “What really happened?”

The new show officially launches January 1st, with ten freshly re-recorded episodes ready to roll out to members first. Expect stories that aren’t just spooky—they’re strange, misunderstood, and occasionally absurd.

And yes, I’ve already got loreanddisorder.com locked down, because what’s a podcast without a domain name you can dramatically point listeners to?

Behind the Scenes Chaos

Rebranding wasn’t the only bit of drama this week. Between the accidental Pod Tales upload and recording in less-than-ideal spaces (kids on school holidays = Dad relegated to the echo chamber known as the bedroom), it’s been a juggling act of wires, whistling hearing aids, and waiting for quieter days.

But the plan is set: record the first Lore and Disorder episode next week, add just the right touch of sound design (no gimmicky overuse, I promise), and start this thing properly.

Seraphina’s Big Test

On the family front, Seraphina had her first week at holiday club—a big deal given her school transition. Let’s just say it started rocky: wrong class, no friends, no backpack, no supplies, and a lunch eaten in tears. Brutal.

But then she rallied. She spoke up, got moved into a class with a kind friend, and by the end of the week she was not just surviving but thriving—getting up for school on her own, smiling at pick-up, and even making new friends. That kind of resilience deserves more applause than any podcast launch.

Nostalgia Corner: Shops of My Youth

And because I can’t resist a good tangent, I also went on a nostalgia trip through the shops of my childhood in Bury:

• Tandy/Radio Shack – where my love of audio gear and police scanners began.

• Victor Wright’s Electronics – a treasure trove of wires, connectors, and retro games.

• Stolen from Ivor – jeans and anti-logo fashion before it was cool.

• Julia’s Café – the sandwich shop where lunch tabs turned into life lessons.

• That One Stationery & Bookshop I Can’t Remember the Name Of – my personal heaven, and now my personal white whale.

It’s funny how places can stick in your memory almost as much as people.

A Weekend in Shropshire

To round things out, we spent a weekend in Shropshire—visiting old honeymoon haunts, staying in a Travelodge (because of course we did), and eating at the Doctor Who-famous OK Diner. Verdict: peanut butter milkshake = heaven. Guacamole on a burger = never again.

What’s Next

• Lore and Disorder launches January 1st, with exclusive early drafts coming to members.

• That’s a Free Bee will keep rolling with updates, tangents, and behind-the-scenes chaos.

• And yes, I’m still taking suggestions for Lore and Disorder topics—drop them at Bug Fixes and Improvements.

Until then, thank you for sticking with my ramblings, my rebrands, and my skeleton slip-ups. This is the fun of podcasting—you never quite know what you’ll get until you hit record.