Encouraging diverse conversation above and beyond the bubble of Grand Prix racing. A refuge and a retreat away from the intensities of the real world.
What's it all about?
A Sidepodcast Hangout is your virtual home away from home. A place for discussion, a place to share stories, to tell jokes, and make it anything you want it to be.
Every group conversation needs an ice-breaking question and these hangouts are no exception. With predefined start and end times you can be sure there's always much to be deliberated and considered when the community comes together.
At some point recently Christine raised the idea of a discussion thread for the final day of pre-season testing. Today's track time essentially brings the off-season to a close, leaving just a single weekend between teams and the start of a whole new season of Formula One. With that in mind it seems like an ideal opportunity to catch up with what people have been up to since the last season ended and what everyone is looking forward to in the coming nine months.
Our new breed of all-day Hangouts have arrived, with the first - the Off-season support group. Obviously, you're aware that the 2013 season has been and gone, and we're all in the midst of winding down, wrapping up, and trawling over the pieces over what was a rollercoaster of a year, if albeit a disappointing one.The support group is here, with one two-part question in mind: What are your plans for the off-season, and can we help each other be more awesome?And more than just "eating, sleeping, resting", I'm thinking more specifically about goals. The goal could be to get well-rested, but I wonder if people have plans they could use a kick-start for, or a helping hand with. Maybe it's picking up the camera more, or reading that book you've had lying around all year. Perhaps it's getting in the kitchen occasionally, or going for a walk more regularly. Goals large and small, we want to know about them, and we want to help! Motivation, support, technical assistance, that's what this Hangout is all about.
Last week's extended Hangout asked what you were doing to fill the time between F1 races, but this week we're looking ahead to the rest of the year. What is going to make the second half of 2013 great for you? It can be things you are looking forward to in Formula One, or sport, or it can be things happening in your own life or in the world in general. There's so much to look forward to over the next couple of months, life is great!
Time for an extended Hangout, one that will be open all day for anyone in any timezone to come and pay a visit. Today the question is simple - what are you doing to fill your time in between F1 races. The Hungarian GP was a couple of weeks ago, and the Belgian race is about the same distance from us - so what hobbies are taking up your Sunday afternoons? Do let us know, and share what you are loving in life at the moment.
We're in the midst of what can only be described as a heatwave in the UK, and yes it is pityingly low temperatures compared to other parts of the world, but we don't know how to deal with this kind of weather! I, in particular, am struggling to do anything at all as the warmth saps my energy and motivation, but that just means it's time for more films, ice cream and enjoying lovely conversation with you lovely lot. So, there's no specific topic, talk about whatever you're up to and what you're enjoying about the world around you.
It's my birthday today, which means I get a present of chatting with you lovely Sidepodcast visitors. We don't go in for the birthday presents so much here at Sidepodcast HQ, but it's always fun to hear stories of wonderful treats that were given, or horror stories of presents that probably should have stayed on the internal side of "the thought that counts." Slice a bit of cake, crack open the lemonade and celebrate another year on Earth with me today.
The Sidepodcast Hangout is back, and with it comes a great question - what are you reading at the moment? Book recommendations are ten a-penny on the internet, from dedicated sites like Goodreads, to top ten lists from national newspaper sites, and "You might also like" lists in Amazon. But you can never quite beat the recommendations that come from your fellow like-minded friends, so this is the place to share.
It's an age old question, but one that always provokes some interesting thoughts - and I'm also finding my answer changes over the years. If you could pick one superpower - invisibility, superstrength, flight, etc - which would it be? Is there a superpower that is vastly underused in the whole comic-book genre? As an extension of the question, is there a superhero you wouldn't mind being or do you think that the great power and great responsibility would be a bit much?
When Sidepodcast used to have a wiki, there was a page to keep track of inventions. Some of them were brilliant ideas, some a rather more crazy take on potential gadgets for making life easier. I specifically remember the tweeting kettle, so you would know when it was time to make tea. So, do you have any burning ideas that need to be invented? What crazy gadget would make your day a bit easier?
It's a long weekend for most in the UK, as Easter brings us chocolate and bunnies and images of springtime daffodils. Unfortunately, it's also still pretty cold, so long lie-ins are also very appealing of a morning. The question is, if you could have a magic button by your bed that did one thing, what would that one thing be? Bring you tea? Turn your pillow over to the cold side? Or maybe change the channel on TV? (Although I think they call that a remote.)
The return of Formula One for 2013 is now just days away, and here at Sidepodcast towers we are looking forward to it. For the first time in a long time, it feels like the off-season was the perfect length to get everything done (almost) and so we're raring for the racing to begin. How was the off-season for you? And how high are the anticipation levels for F1's big comeback? Are you ready to spend every other weekend in front of the TV again?
It's that time of year when all the industry bigwigs pat themselves on the back for a job well done. We've seen the Brits this week and the Oscars are later today, so music and film are fully covered! Who would you give an award to if you could, either in music, film or something entirely different? Has anyone missed out at a recent award ceremony, robbed of their rightful statue and speech?
Microsoft have a rather good advert doing the rounds at the moment, and whilst it is for IE so we can discard it, it's also celebrating everything that was great about the 1990s. What with that, and my discovery of the ITV2 series The Big Reunion, in which six pop bands from that era get back together, I'm on a bit of a 90s kick at the moment. There was so much good stuff about in that decade, what would you bring back if you could?
It's been snowing over the past couple of days in the UK, and as usual the country has come to a standstill because of it. Unusually, the weather forecasts were correct when they predicted a big wall of snow blasting across the country - this almost never happens. Do you like the snow, or would you prefer the hotter days of summer? Also, do you pay any attention to the weather forecasts, or trust your own view out the window more than the MET office?
It's that time of year, the one where some of us sit around and make resolutions about how fantastic the year ahead is going to be. They don't often last long, but in all honesty, if they get you through these early months of the year, I'm all for a resolution or two. I have some of my own, although the bigger things are in my Life List anyway. How about you? Do you bother making any? What sort of things are you going for to make 2013 bigger and better than what has gone before?
We're starting to welcome in the new year at 10am UK time on New Year's Eve, because that's when Christmas Island will be hearing the midnight chimes and singing Auld Lang's Syne (maybe). Do stick around as we settle in with, no doubt, some wine, some snacks, and some Jules Holland as the time gets closer for us. 2013 is just moments away, and you can welcome the new year in with an all day Sidepodcast Hangout. Happy New Year!
It's Christmas! And to celebrate, here's a happy hangout that will stay open all day, so that we can discuss presents, Christmas dinner, that oh-so-terrible-but-brilliant festive television and anything else that you have in mind. There will be a special event for the fabulous Doctor Who episode, but apart from that, feel free to share whatever part of your day you want to with us. We'll be around, so stop in and say hello. A Merry Christmas to all!
During the last hangout, we unofficially decided it was about time we could start talking about Christmas. Now, with just over a week left, it's almost unavoidable. What are you doing for the holidays - staying at home, visiting friends and family, or something more exciting? What have you done in the past that was a good time? And finally, if you could do anything over the festive season, what would you do? Disappear to a deserted island to escape it all? Or host the biggest Christmas dinner for your family at a stately home? Let us know!
The off-season is here, and already it's the early days of December. I'm not one for planning ahead, but now that we are at least into the month itself, is it okay to start thinking about Christmas yet? Do you care about the festive season at all? When are you going to put your tree up? How's that Christmas shopping treating ya? Also today, I'd like to talk about your plans for the off-season and what you would like in terms of hanging out opportunities. All suggestions welcomed and heard.
Welcome to the thirteenth hangout, and with it comes a natural topic. Although it is not Friday, some still find the number 13 unlucky, but is that a silly idea or something not to be messed with? I don't think I'm crazy superstitious but I don't walk under ladders. That's mostly because I don't want anything dropping on my head though. Are you superstitious in either big or small ways? Or do you let all that stuff pass you by?
