Meaningless Problems

#4 About Hairdressing

When Alvin Rikard says he’s writing a play about hairdressing, his best friend’s wife Natalia invites him to visit her salon. Alvin is delighted to accept. But are his motives entirely professional? 
 
About Hairdressing is an original short story by Doe Wilmann
 
Comedy - Theatre - Sexual Tension 
 
If you’d like to read the script of this episode go to meaninglessproblems.com and sign up to my monthly newsletter. You can also email me via the contact form. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. 
 
You might enjoy this episode if you like:
 
Noel Coward
PG Wodehouse 
Tom Sharpe 
Silly short stories 
Haircuts 
Salons 
Hairdressers from Poland 
 
Things to consider when listening: 
 
Is Alvin doing anything wrong? Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? (I’ll be honest, it’s not the deepest of episodes so there’s not too much to think about here) Do you know any decent hairdressers? What’s the highest number of people you can share this podcast with? 
 
Credits:
 
Thanks to Katie Empett and Ross Hindle for reading early versions of this episode and providing notes. 
 
Artwork by Katie Empett
 
Music by Claude Debussy with permission from Pond5. 
 
A license to use the media ((Debussy Suite Bergamasque, Clair De Lune (Piano Cover) 229744340 Music ahawke99110 2023-03-02 Individual) was purchased under Pond5's Content License Agreement, a copy of which is available for review at https://www.pond5.com/legal/license. The Pond5 license authorizes the licensee to use the media in the licensee's own commercial or non-commercial production and to copy, broadcast, distribute, display, perform and monetize the production or work in any medium - including posting and monetization on YouTube - on the terms and conditions outlined therein. 
 
Meaningless Problems with Doe Wilmann
(C) 2023 

#3 The End Product

When a writer tells a plumber about his theory of the world, he is surprised by the plumber’s response. 
 
The End Product is an original short story by Doe Wilmann
 
Comedy - Philosophy - Plumbing 
 
If you’d like to read the script of this episode go to meaninglessproblems.com and sign up to my monthly newsletter. You can also email me via the contact form. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. 
 
You might enjoy this episode if you like:
 
The ‘Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal’ podcast
Sam Harris’ ‘Making Sense’ podcast 
‘The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast’
Alan Watts
Why I Write by George Orwell 
Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman 
Tales of the Unexpected by Roald Dahl
Contemplating the meaning of life 
Any form of philosophical enquiry 
Speaking/listening to plumbers
 
Things to consider when listening: 
 
What is the meaning of life? If the whole world is a factory, what are we creating? Is it necessary to have a purpose in life? Do you know any good plumbers? What’s the highest number of people you can share this podcast with? 
 
Credits:
 
Thanks to Katie Empett and Ross Hindle for reading early versions of this episode and providing notes. 
 
Artwork by Katie Empett
 
Music by Claude Debussy with permission from Pond5. 
 
A license to use the media ((Debussy Suite Bergamasque, Clair De Lune (Piano Cover) 229744340 Music ahawke99110 2023-03-02 Individual) was purchased under Pond5's Content License Agreement, a copy of which is available for review at https://www.pond5.com/legal/license. The Pond5 license authorizes the licensee to use the media in the licensee's own commercial or non-commercial production and to copy, broadcast, distribute, display, perform and monetize the production or work in any medium - including posting and monetization on YouTube - on the terms and conditions outlined therein. 
 
Meaningless Problems with Doe Wilmann
(C) 2023
www.meaninglessproblems.com  

#2 Groundhog Day

Jake has just seen his dad for the last time. Or has he? Their relationship has strained over the last ten years but the one thing the father and son have left is their love for the iconic Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day. So when Jake flies back home to see his dad one last time, he wonders if he’ll end up reliving this day over and over again. 
 
Groundhog Day is an original short story by Doe Wilmann
 
Drama - Family - Philosophy 
 
If you’d like to read the script of this episode go to piecesofdoe.com  and sign up to my monthly newsletter. You can also email me via the contact form. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. 
 
You might enjoy this episode if you like:
 
Groundhog Day
Bill Murray 
The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli 
Albert Einstein
Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman 
Fiction with philosophical undertones 
Contemplating the nature of the self
Complaining about long flights 
Oasis
Carmen Electra 
 
Things to consider when listening: 
 
What would you do differently if you could live an important day of your life over again? Do you believe there is anything special about ‘now’ or might all times exist simultaneously? What is your favourite Bill Murray movie? What’s the highest number of people you can share this podcast with? 
 
Credits:
 
Thanks to Katie Empett and Ross Hindle for reading early versions of this episode and providing notes. 
 
Artwork by Katie Empett
 
Music by Claude Debussy with permission from Pond5. 
 
A license to use the media ((Debussy Suite Bergamasque, Clair De Lune (Piano Cover) 229744340 Music ahawke99110 2023-03-02 Individual) was purchased under Pond5's Content License Agreement, a copy of which is available for review at https://www.pond5.com/legal/license. The Pond5 license authorizes the licensee to use the media in the licensee's own commercial or non-commercial production and to copy, broadcast, distribute, display, perform and monetize the production or work in any medium - including posting and monetization on YouTube - on the terms and conditions outlined therein. 
 
Meaningless Problems with Doe Wilmann
(C) 2023 

#1 My Home is a Prison

After thirty four years of marriage, Kevin feels like a prisoner in his own home. His religious faith means he is unable to divorce his wife. So is there another way he could bring their relationship to an end? 
 
My Home is a Prison is an original short story by Doe Wilmann 
 
True Crime - Comedy - Relationships
(Yes, I’m doing that annoying Netflix thing where it gives you three buzzwords for each show. But it should help you if you’re scrolling through episodes) 
 
If you’d like to read the script of this episode go to piecesofdoe.com and sign up to my monthly newsletter. You can also email me via the contact form. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. 
 
You might enjoy this episode if you like:
 
Tom Sharpe 
PG Wodehouse 
Fawlty Towers 
Fiction inspired by true events 
Contemplating the nature of the self
‘I Got You Babe’ by Sonny and Cher 
Complaining about your partner 
Robbing banks 
Sitting in a shed
Ignoring the voice in your head 
 
Things to consider when listening: 
 
Should we be confined by the commitments made by our past selves? Who is the voice in your head? Is freedom a place or a state of mind? What’s the highest number of people you can share this podcast with? 
 
And the true story that inspired ‘My Home is a Prison’:
 
It’s not quite as frivolous as the tale of Kevin and Barbara, but…
(contains spoilers)…
 
https://shortest.link/iG0F
 
Acknowledgements:
 
Thanks to Katie Empett and Ross Hindle for reading early versions of this episode and providing notes. 
 
Artwork by Katie Empett
 
Music by Claude Debussy with permission from Pond5. 
 
A license to use the media ((Debussy Suite Bergamasque, Clair De Lune (Piano Cover) 229744340 Music ahawke99110 2023-03-02 Individual) was purchased under Pond5's Content License Agreement, a copy of which is available for review at https://www.pond5.com/legal/license. The Pond5 license authorizes the licensee to use the media in the licensee's own commercial or non-commercial production and to copy, broadcast, distribute, display, perform and monetize the production or work in any medium - including posting and monetization on YouTube - on the terms and conditions outlined therein. 
 
Meaningless Problems with Doe Wilmann
(C) 2023 

TRAILER: Meaningless Problems with Doe Wilmann

Launching on 5th March 2023. Subscribe now to get a Meaningless Problem in your life every single week. 
I wanted a platform where I could communicate directly with all the people who like my writing. And yes, I could have invited both of them out for a coffee but they don’t get on. So I’m doing a podcast instead. 
Will I keep it up? Will anyone listen? Does it matter either way? 
A mix of styles, genre and quality. Some will be comedies, some will be dramas, some will be sci-fi, and some will be rubbish. 
 
Common topics/ themes:
The absurd
Consciousness 
Free will
Artificial intelligence 
God
The Afterlife
Non Duality 
Eternalism 
Haircuts
Benches 
Sheds
 
You’ll like this if you like…. 
Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror 
Sum: Tales of the Afterlife by David Eagleman 
Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads 
Julian Barnes
Kazuo Ishiguro (I realise I’m now just listing writers I like…) 
Margaret Atwood 
Oscar Wilde 
Anton Chekhov
George Orwell 
 
This is my challenge to write, record and produce a short story every single week for a year. If you’re looking for quality, suspense and intrigue, I’m not making any promises. But if you do like one of these stories please share it with your friends. 
And if you’re a writer, maybe this will inspire you to take on a similar challenge yourself. In which case, let me know about it via email. doewilmann @ outlook.com
 
For writing tips and advice, follow me on TikTok.
 
I also have an Instagram and Twitter account but I can’t promise I’ll use them. 
 
@piecesofdoe for all three. 
 
Website:
 
Piecesofdoe.com 
 
Thanks for listening