Nocturne is a compelling podcast by Vanessa Lowe that explores topics related to the night. The podcast combines elements of fiction, sound-art, and documentary. Nocturne investigates everything from owls to interviews with people who have gotten lost at night, graveyard shift jobs, haunted houses, and more. I love listening to Nocturne before I go to bed — the topic of the episode I listen to always has an effect on my dreams.
From the Nocturne Website:
Peering into the dusty corners of the night, Nocturne explores these often overlooked and undisclosed slices of life. Under cover of darkness, our thoughts and feelings can take on strange new shapes, sometimes barely recognizable as our own. And the pulse of the world seems to alter too, sort of creating a curtain of privacy around our behaviors and even our appearance. Do I truly know you if I only know the daytime you? Let's find out in Nocturne.
I recently listened to a Nocturne episode called Notes in The Trees, and learned about the Dutch tradition of "Dropping." Droppings are a normal part of Dutch childhood where pre-teens are left alone in the forest and have to find their way back to home base as a rite of passage. Children on a dropping are often scared and lost for many hours, as the experience is meant to be a challenge and a learning experience. I had never heard of this Dutch tradition before, and found it pretty interesting to hear interviews about the pros and cons of Droppings with various people who have been on these excursions as kids.
