Hall of Imagination Promo

Welcome, my friends, to episode 625, and to a special preview of a brand-new series called The Hall of Imagination, part of Celebrate Creativity.

In this series, the figures of history—and even some figures who never existed at all—come to life in an imaginary wax museum. Some of these characters changed the world through science, literature, music, politics, and invention. Others changed our world through stories and imagination. And every episode begins after the museum closes and the lights grow dim.
But before I go any further, I want to thank all of you who listened to my recent episodes about voice control. Those episodes came out of a necessity. As many of you know, I've been dealing with some hand problems, and learning voice control has become not only fascinating but very practical. In fact, I am using voice control to help write the transcript for this very episode. Like learning a musical instrument or any new skill, it becomes easier the more you practice. Little by little, things that once seemed impossible become almost second nature.

Transcript

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Episode 625, a preview or promo to the Hall of Imagination. Welcome, my friends, to episode 625, and this is a special preview of a brand new series called The Hall of Imagination, part of Celebrate Creativity. In this series, the figures of history, and even some figures who never existed at all, come to life in an imaginary wax museum. Some of these characters changed the world through science, literature, music, politics, and invention. Others changed our world through stories and imagination. And every episode begins after the museum closes and the lights grow dim. But before I go any further, I want to thank all of you who listened to my recent episodes about voice control. Those episodes, you know, came out of a necessity. As many of you know, I've been dealing with some hand problems, and learning voice control has become not only fascinating, but very practical. In fact, I'm using voice control right now to help me write the transcript for this very episode. Like learning a musical instrument or any new skill, it becomes easier the more you practice it. Little by little, things that once seemed impossible become almost second nature. Now, my plan for The Hall of Imagination is to first release three episodes each week. And if my hands cooperate, perhaps even more. The possibilities for subjects are practically endless. This is definitely what you call an evergreen podcast. After all, history itself is endless, and so is the world of imagination. Those of you who listen to my December episodes may remember the fictional night watchman who worked in a toy museum where the toys mysteriously came to life after midnight. Well, I enjoyed that character so much that I've invited him back again, except this time he works uh in a wax museum. You see, in this new series, the Night Watchman has moved on during the day he works. I'm giving you a few details here. He works with a theatrical uh company in Chicago, pursuing his dream of acting. And at night he's accepted another unusual job, watching over a wax museum. And just as happened with the toys, strange things begin to occur after dark. The figures begin to move, to speak, and to tell their stories. And again, this premise opens up all kinds of delightful possibilities. Imagine Thomas Jefferson discussing freedom with Abraham Lincoln. Imagine Albert Einstein chatting with Maria Carey. Imagine Sherlock Holmes exchanging observations with Edgar Allan Poe. Or perhaps, just for fun, a Barbie doll holding a conversation with a Betsy Wetsy doll. Although I don't know if that would be in a wax museum. But this is a hall of imagination where anything is possible. You get the idea. Now, one of the things uh that I enjoy most about this format is that it allows history and imagination to meet. Historical figures who never lived in the same century can suddenly become neighbors. Literary characters can step down from their shelves. Heroes, villains, dreamers, inventors, scientists, musicians, and even fictional characters can all find themselves sharing the same hallway. Now originally I planned to set the museum in Washington, D.C. But while doing my research, I discovered there is already a wax museum there, and I wanted to avoid confusion. So then Chicago seemed perfect because not only could I find uh I couldn't find uh an existing wax museum there, but Chicago is a great theatrical city. And so it made sense that our night watchman who dreams of life on the stage might join a touring company and eventually find himself working nights in a wax museum in the Windy City. And speaking of research, I have to confess something. I'm one of those strange people who actually enjoys research. I love opening a book and discovering some fascinating little detail that suddenly brings a historical figure to life. Sometimes I might find myself wondering, what would Thomas Jefferson think about artificial intelligence? Or what would Jane Adams say about modern society? Or what would Charles Dickens think if he saw Christmas Today? And you can imagine my reaction when I ran across information regarding Sailun. Siloon, a Chinese uh eunuch who lived thousands of years ago and is credited with inventing paper. Yes, he actually invented paper. What would it be like if he or his descendants somehow got residuals? Questions like these are irresistible to me. And perhaps that is what excites me most about this series. Every episode gives me an excuse to learn something new. Every character invites me to explore another life, another book, another time, and another place. I can honestly say that this is some of the most enjoyable research I have ever done. Now, I admit that when I first started podcasting several years ago, I thought I'll never be able to do this. Everything seems so new and confusing. But six years later, after more than 34,000 downloads in 124 countries and territories, I've discovered something wonderful. Very often, what I personally find fascinating turns out to be what listeners find fascinating as well. Apparently, curiosity is contagious. And if my enthusiasm comes through these episodes, then I'll consider them a success. So I invite you to join me in the hall of imagination. We'll meet famous men and women from history, we'll encounter beloved characters from literature, we'll laugh, wonder, speculate, and occasionally be surprised. And perhaps after the museum closes and midnight arrives, we'll discover that the past is never quite as silent as it seems. I'm George Bartley, and I hope you'll join me for the Hall of Imagination, a new series and a new adventure here on Celebrate Creativity. Until next time, keep imagining.