Okay, I've been spending lots of time with myself and AI and getting to some copy I like. Here's what I have so far. I don't dislike it. I guess the podcast is actually more about "noticing patterns and questioning stories." I would love feedback and questions. Mainly does this make any sense to other people? Does it fit enough in "the formula" of how this "should" go? Does it make you wanna learn more about me and subscribe? Does it make you wanna give me lots of money? Thank you! Title and subtitle: Healing Octopus Radio A pattern-based podcast about health, freedom, technology, and being human. Description: You’ve stepped outside the usual stories about health, politics, technology, maybe even yourself. Now you’re noticing that a lot of what you were told doesn’t actually add up. You don’t want a new ideology or someone else’s answers. You want a way to think and live that feels grounded in reality, even when things are uncertain. Healing Octopus Radio is a pattern-based podcast about health, freedom, technology, and being human in a world built on fragmentation, coercion, and noise. I’m David Barbarisi, a former depressed software engineer turned terrain nerd, voluntaryist, and reluctant human-in-progress. This show is where I look underneath the stories we’ve inherited and see what still makes sense. If you’ve felt confused by conflicting explanations, burned by both mainstream and alternative narratives, or tired of outsourcing your judgment to experts, institutions, or algorithms, you’re not alone. This isn’t a show that tells you what to believe. It’s a place to slow down, notice assumptions, and build discernment so you can think more clearly and make practical choices without needing certainty first. Across episodes, I explore recurring patterns through terrain-based health, voluntaryism and self-governance, deliberate use of technology, relationships, and how we think and know. These aren’t separate topics. They’re the same pattern showing up in different parts of life.

My original plan was I didn't really want my headshot on the cover art and other stuff. I was gonna leave it as an octopus. And then some people showed up (totally "unrelated") and said people are going to fall in love with my face. So I guess I'm making a headshot now... And I actually need a headshot for three things. 1. I'm doing a workshop at Confluence. 2. This podcast cover art. 3. The Youtube thumbnails since I'm doing a lot of solo episodes anyway. I have my main "profile photo" one which I use for everything right now. I really like that one. And I even used it for my temporary cover art that I threw together. I'm attaching both of those. Then I've been taking a few more, both inside and outside. I have about 200 of those (in case you can't get enough of me). Here are a few. For outside, I live on the beach so I can go back out there and take more if needed. For inside, I have the softbox so I can mess with the lighting a lot. Let me know if you have more direction for either. My questions: 1. Is the profile photo good? I'm concerned that since the original is taken at a distance the cropped version is lower quality and may not work in some cases. 2. Are the windy hair ones gonna make the background removal wonky? Guessing for the headshots we don't need to remove the background but I know y'all do for the YT thumbnails. 3. Eyes are more closed when outside. An issue? And more generally, which one is the best??? Thanks!

I got the mic and mic arm ordered! Woo hoo! Beware that the links for recommended equipment here are for Amazon Canada. When I looked in the US availability is different.

@Veronica Tilden hope this helps! I also added them to the course <3

January 7 at 10 am PT and 14th at 1 pm PT! Get em on your calendar right here: https://www.skool.com/the-top-1-podcasters-7030/calendar?calDate=1768949820 We can't wait to hang with you and hope you are having a some lovely longest days of the year <3 <3 <3 Happy holidays!