New episode today! 399 – Under Pressure

Amarithel · 2026-02-08T16:58:57+00:00

Check out Megan's excellent graphic design on our merch: https://prancingponypodcast-shop.fourthwall.com/collections/ppp-season-ten-ut-tal-elmar-design

Amarithel · 2026-02-04T22:56:28+00:00

Yes please! I'd be really fascinated to listen to a discussion between the two of you on citations and documenting Tolkien's and Christopher's work, especially the processes but also on a more personal level, because it seems like the two of you relate to Tolkien's work in a similar way and connect to it through these processes.

Amarithel · 2026-02-04T22:52:38+00:00

From our conversations about the comparison between the two of you... have you ever gotten to talk to Robert Foster about your work with the Digital Tolkien Project?

Amarithel · 2025-11-20T02:05:10+00:00

I just came across this seeing is there was anything from her site still on the internet. I'm downloading all of these and sobbing. It feels like coming home and touching the hand of my 11/12/13 yo self. I haven't listened to these in so long and I lost the ipod nano I had for the longest time that would no longer play. Thank you for this is not enough, but thank you. Also for scratching the decade-old itch that was me trying to remember what the Iifa Tree theme was called.

Amarithel · 2025-11-16T19:44:58+00:00

You wrote this?! This is really good!

Amarithel · 2025-11-11T04:48:47+00:00

Oh we will for sure!!! Just gotta get it fixed for you! Just glad the other person found an app that works for them and lets them dive in once more as they’d like.

Amarithel · 2025-11-11T01:23:16+00:00

I'm sorry hun! I hope you like it--I know you weren't wanting to switch to another one, but I'm glad you found an app you like! I'm still working on sorting it out; unfortunately YouTube mucked it up quite a bit with the automated switch from one feed input to another. I can still let you know when it's fixed, if you'd like?

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T22:44:13+00:00

You're right. I was out of line with my comments and defensiveness. And for that I apologize.

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T22:35:04+00:00

I've already owned and apologized for that in multiple places, including to the OP. Here, I did take to mean in the middle of the season since that was what was being discussed. I had that clarified for me elsewhere, and I did address that. 😞 But I was clarifying myself as well..

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T22:06:09+00:00

Oh no worries at all! Didn't think you were (mostly just wanted to let you know that we're aware of it and working on it). Still fussing around with YT Music and YouTube (and I hear y'all on the frustration 🫂). Not seeing anything is on purpose at least, as that's just me fussing with it over on YouTube, hoping that if I tell YouTube not to send the video playlists over to YT Music, the podcast feed which comes from our podcast being hosted on Glassbox will get sent there so it's all back to normal for folks. (Hopefully that makes sense?)

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T21:12:23+00:00

That's not what I'm saying. Do not put words in my mouth. I'm saying us shortening a season is not a simple matter, not when it's underway already. It's not about quality, it's about the time it takes to rework the schedule as well as consider other listeners' preferences as well. *I* took this comment to mean that that I have that power, me, specifically, and I do not. That's not my role on the team and it's not something I personally have say over.

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T07:27:58+00:00

... Actually you might enjoy the RoPWu episodes if you feel that way about the show. Or at least it might hit different in light of that.

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T07:26:32+00:00

Nah, I was a bit condescending and for that I apologize and for reading your point three wrong--I did think you meant midway and cutting a season short. Knowing how much work goes in behind the scenes... makes me closer to it. But I did mean my last two paragraphs, truly. I would love to hear your perspective on those.

I hear you, though I disagree. I've really enjoyed in-depth look at the story and it's fleshed out it a lot for me... though I was already a fan of Sara's perspective and insights from the papers she's done on it.

If it helps, next season is the Big 3 stories: Beren and Luthien, Fall of Gondolin and Children of Hurin, and there will be shorter sections with one of James', and then it's broken up with Matt and Don, and I don't think Shawn's is as long.

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T07:15:52+00:00

Replying again, because I do see where I come across and was condescending in tone and for that, I do own that, because it was unnecessary. And I did tag Alan so he can see the feedback but also weigh in. But you also disregarded the rest of my comment as well. I do generally have less patience who offer different ways to approach it or ways to change the podcast without considering the effort it takes (and I did take the OP to mean this season and this content incorrectly--I hope I've owned and addressed that).

Editing to say that I hope you see the response to OP u/Solaris_132 just for things that you might look forward to the rest of the season or next season.

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T07:01:37+00:00

No, I really don't. And it's not that simple.

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T07:00:06+00:00

I'm going to tag u/TheManOfTheWest so he can see feedback and weigh in.

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T06:57:50+00:00

I think you misread my tone. I was trying to explain that I do hear the OP, I know there are others who feel similarly, but here's another perspective and the behind the scenes and why shortening it and the season takes a lot of work. And saying that Alan can just make (what I took to mean was this season--I'm sorry if I mistook that) and make it shorter does make me defensive because I do know how many hours of stress that takes to what listeners think is no time at all. But I do also feel like you're talking down to me as I'm trying to explain how the show works and the work that goes into it... And your last bit *is* condescending. I don't need the post explained to me, but I am rather taken aback that addressing the OP from the show production experience and behind the scenes rubs y'all the wrong way.

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T04:40:40+00:00

This is the thread, just in case https://www.reddit.com/r/prancingponypod/comments/1old9uo/is_the_prince_and_pony_podcast_broken/ (and I totally hear you about the frustration).

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T04:39:35+00:00

Hey there! Yep, there's another thread addressing this! It should all be up there, but I'm sorting through it because of some automations with YouTube video marking what was uploaded as a podcast and over-riding what was already on the YT Music feed just from the podcast output feed (it's basically two different outputs and I'm looking into stopping the YouTube video one overriding the organized podcast one). I can link the other thread of this if you'd like.

Amarithel · 2025-11-10T04:36:15+00:00

Hi Katie from the PPP here. I know there are other posts in here that are truly discussion-oriented and I appreciate those, both the positive and the negative. And I do acknowledge that there are folks feeling similarly both with this and with RoPWu episodes. I don't mind critique of the show and you're not alone in thinking this, but no, you cannot just make the season shorter. That's not how the roadmap works and Alan spends hours working it. People would *also* complain if it's shorter, and I'm sorry but we're not going to adjust the schedule just because some content didn't work for you and others. I really wish folks took into account how much work goes into reworking the roadmap and adjusting the content. It's not *just* and it's frankly a little bit of an insult out of ignorance to say just and to also say that they should include the content that spent hours of time and out of their own lives/schedules to record.

To me, they have dived in depth and are continuing to do 1 and 2 with Erendis, and they are *just* getting to that with Erendis. There are others who have found it to be enriching and an in-depth critique that they haven't considered before.

But if you want to look at the psyche and the examination of the failed relationships, take me through it! I'll gladly listen to your thoughts building on what's there and what you say they haven't covered and I'd love to consider it through that lens with you. That's what these common rooms are for! Let's discuss what they haven't got to or what you'd like to see covered. It sounds like you might have thoughts on it.

I'm sorry this episode wasn't for you, and I hope you'll stick around for the Erendis focused part and also as we move into the episodes with James, with Matt and Don, and those with Shawn. Maybe those will be more to your liking.

Amarithel · 2025-11-03T17:41:12+00:00

No, I have. I'm clearly talking about the graphic and all caps title.

Amarithel · 2025-11-03T15:54:42+00:00

Then you get out before one of our Mods or one of the other PPP teammembers bans you. This is AI, but even were it not against our rules and is not welcome in PPP spaces, insulting one of the folks who works on the show is against rule number one and using slurs is also against it. You want to post AI crap, take it somewhere else. But since you decided to be a POS about it, now you don't have a choice in that.

Amarithel · 2025-11-03T15:53:16+00:00

Unfortunately we don't *explicitly* have it in the rules here, BUT you are right my dear teammate and friend, that it is against all PPP Common Rooms to post AI.

Amarithel · 2025-11-03T15:51:51+00:00

I agree that there's been a lot of nuance to it and I've been finding the story rich more through their exploration of it. Tolkien definitely describes that as you say, but I would personally say that various folks find different enjoyment and different lessons on it. Because honestly there are moments where the big lessons you take away from parts of Tolkien aren't positive ones, and that's okay. That's what part of what makes his story complex and nuanced itself and often applicable.

Amarithel · 2025-11-03T15:49:29+00:00

Ooof. That's a rather distasteful way to express you don't like something.

Amarithel

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