After nearly 7 years of weekly episodes, I need to make a change. For over a year, I have found it very difficult to keep up with a weekly release schedule.  As you know I have the original podcast and the archive podcast now. The original podcast has grown to the point of being a full time job and I just can’t find the time to continue at this pace.  To make matters more challenging, my schedule for  2020 will be much more busy than 2019. 

With the increased workload and the difficulties in raising funds this year, honestly, I got a little discouraged and I began to think it might be a good time to end the podcast. To go out on a high note so to speak. 

But, I couldn’t get used to that idea, I would miss the podcast and my wonderful listeners that I think of as friends.

So I began to consider alternatives. After months of thinking it through, I came up with another plan. I want to go to an every other week release of the podcast and make the episodes longer in duration.  

Beginning in January of 2020, I will do my best to produce at least 75% of the content you received in 2019 with new episodes released every other week.  I plan no more encore episodes in 2020 since over 325 episodes are available to listen to anytime.  

Therefore in 2020, I will have 26 new, longer episodes.  I would like to emphasize I am not cutting the podcast in half.  This is only a 25% reduction.  I plan on producing at least 75% of the content you received in 2019.

Here is how I determined the length of each episode so that you would receive 75% of 2019’s content.

The total new episodes in 2019 will be 45. Episode 328 will be the 45th and last new episode for 2019. Each episode is about 30 minutes long.  If you multiply 45 episodes by 30 minutes you will get 1350 minutes of content. In 2020, you should receive 75% of the content so I multiplied 1350 minutes by 0.75 which equals 1012.5 minutes.  That will be my target for 2020.  That content will be delivered in 26 episodes.  To determine the length of the episodes for 2020, I divided 1012.5 minutes by 26 episodes and got 38.94 minutes per episode. Then, I decided to round it up to 40 minutes. So instead of 30 minute episodes I will aim for  approximately 40 minutes per episode delivered every other week.  Of course, at times the episode may be longer.

So for 2020 I plan for 26 episodes of approximately 40 minutes which will give you 75% of the content you received last year.

I am making this announcement early in December to leave plenty of time for my donors to adjust or end their financial support if they wish.  I am very thankful for my financial supporters so I want them to always feel free to change or delete their support at any time.  If you are not happy with the podcast please do not support it.  I don’t want any support from someone who is not glad to do so.

I want to sincerely apologize for having to make this change but I think most of you will agree this is a better solution than ending the podcast altogether.  

Sincere thanks for your support over the years.

Mike