Infinite Prattle Podcast!

6.09 /// Free. Your. Mind. (How Imagination Becomes A Daily Lifeline)

Send us a textEver feel like your brain won’t sit still? That restless energy might be the best tool you’re not using. I, Stephen, open the door to a lifetime of imagination! From bedroom-wide toy battles and homemade radio shows to adult rituals that make real life feel more manageable, kinder, and surprisingly fun.I trace how mental rehearsal helps before tough meetings and delicate conversations, not as a trick but as a practice for clarity and warmth. I also share the structure that I learnt as a kid who staged elaborate scenes and how that same instinct now underpins serious work: writing better, speaking straighter, and deciding faster. You’ll hear about pacing the house while answering imaginary interview questions, a simple way to stretch thinking and find words when they matter most.Sleep, too, gets a creative twist. Listen to my  walk through of a sensory beach visualisation that quiets the nervous system, then confess a well‑worn Die Hard fantasy that sends me to sleep before the third act. The point isn’t spectacle; it’s familiarity. Returning to a known story signals safety and lets the mind ease off the accelerator. I also talks about loosening self‑censorship in writing, catching ideas on the phone at 2 a.m., and leaning on a partner who welcomes humming, odd laughs and noises, and the all important free‑form thinking.If you’re looking to turn imagination into a daily habit, this is may be your map too: rehearse before it’s risky, practise where it’s safe, capture ideas when they arrive, and build an environment that applauds your quirks. Subscribe, share with a friend who overthinks, and leave a review with your best tip for calming a racing mind—we’ll feature our favourites next time.Support the showPlease remember to check out my website /social media, and support me if you feel you can.Subscribewww.infinite-prattle.comInstagram, Twitter, TikTok & Facebook Thanks!

6.08 /// Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Send us a textThe monitor blinks, the gratitude flows, and then I says the quiet worry out loud: my hair is thinning, and it’s starting to change how I see myself. What follows is a candid, funny, and surprisingly tender journey through style, identity, and the choices we make when time and genetics nudge us into a new chapter.I revisit the wild history: bleached school days inspired by footballers, loud reds and deepest blacks, split colours and blue streaks, even a beard to match. There’s the legendary Download Festival handprint cut that turned heads and sparked countless photos, and the Royal British Legion poppy design that raised awareness for veterans while landing me in the paper. Hair wasn’t just decoration—it was story, confidence and a way to do some good. That’s why the recent shift feels so personal: less about vanity, more about the loss of a favourite way to express who I am.I open up about family genetics and the odds, small efforts with natural oils and scalp care, and the realistic path ahead. I also weigh the tough questions with humour: shave early and own the look, try to preserve what’s left, or embrace wigs as a new palette for creativity. I talk practicality, and explores the social side—how stigma is fading and why transparency can feel freeing. Most of all, I invites you into the decision-making: where confidence comes from, how to keep your style playful, and what it means to stay yourself even as the mirror changes.If hair has ever been part of your identity, this conversation will meet you where you are. Stream now, share your take—shave, save, or switch—and help us keep this community thoughtful, kind and curious. If you enjoyed the show, subscribe, leave a review and pass it on to a friend who needs a nudge of courage today.Support the showPlease remember to check out my website /social media, and support me if you feel you can.Subscribewww.infinite-prattle.comInstagram, Twitter, TikTok & Facebook Thanks!

6.07 /// The Day ROBIN WILLIAMS May Have Dodged Me...

Send us a textThe platform has a way of turning ordinary minutes into stories you tell for years. Join me on a whistle-stop tour of celebrity encounters from the UK railways: a voice that sounded exactly like Patrick Stewart’s in the crush of a busy platform, a Sunday scheme to get “overcarried” just to speak to Louise Redknapp, and a fleeting café moment that felt unmistakably like Robin Williams—eyes bright, quick smile, and gone before I could be sure. Each scene sits at the edge of work and wonder, where duty pulls one way and curiosity tugs the other.We talk about the unglamorous reality of public travel for famous people and the rules that protect their privacy. I share how customer service on the concourse shaped my view of celebrity: people first, travellers second, names last. The Manchester Commonwealth Games brought athletes and teams through the station in waves, while a brief chat with Helen Baxendale reset how screen personas distort our expectations. The memory that still glows, though, is a quiet meeting with Pete Postlethwaite, who remembered my brother by name and signed an autograph under the stairs to avoid a crowd. It was a masterclass in kindness without spectacle.If you love behind-the-scenes stories, British rail nostalgia, and the delicate dance between admiration and respect, this one’s for you. You’ll hear how I approach a famous face with grace, when best to hold back, and why the best memories sometimes stay a maybe. Subscribe for more unscripted tales from the tracks, share with a friend who loves a good near-miss, and leave a review to tell me your best unexpected celebrity moment.Support the showPlease remember to check out my website /social media, and support me if you feel you can.Subscribewww.infinite-prattle.comInstagram, Twitter, TikTok & Facebook Thanks!

6.06 /// A male perspective on IVF, Heartbreak & Renewed Hope...

Send us a textThe room went quiet before anyone spoke, and that silence said everything. After nearly eight years of IVF—postcode lotteries, NHS backlogs, COVID cancellations, and a thousand tiny appointments—our long‑awaited positive test gave way to a 12‑week scan without a heartbeat. I talk through the whole arc: the science and scheduling that govern every dose and scan, the tender shock of seeing a flicker at eight weeks, and the brutal task of phoning parents who were waiting for photos. Along the way I open up about the odd invisibility of the non‑carrying partner, how it feels to be the chauffeur and signature while someone you love carries the injections and the hope, and why “It’ll happen” often hurts more than it helps.I also find a thread of light. This protocol worked in a way none had before; Sarah was pregnant, and bodies sometimes remember. That matters as we plan our next transfer, shaped around a long‑booked Caribbean cruise and Zika rules that force careful timing. I share what we learned about telling people early, managing expectations when clinics speak in millimetres and days, and setting boundaries when curiosity outpaces care. Most of all, I explore what real support sounds like: asking permission to talk about it, offering child care without hesitation, and choosing “I’m here” over easy fixes.If you’re navigating infertility, miscarriage, or the long administrative shadow of treatment, you’re not alone. Our story won’t hand you platitudes; it offers a clear picture of grief that coexists with practical hope, and a path forward that values small joys, honest language, and patience with yourself. If this resonates, follow the show, share this with someone who needs comfort on a hard day, and leave a review so others can find it too.Linksmiscarriage associationnhssamaritansmind ukBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showPlease remember to check out my website /social media, and support me if you feel you can.Subscribewww.infinite-prattle.comInstagram, Twitter, TikTok & Facebook Thanks!

6.05 /// I Love Books, So Why Can’t I Finish One?

Send us a textA new year deserves a gentler start, so we swap a heavy story for a book‑soaked ramble about attention, joy and the strange guilt that creeps in when we sit down to read. I open the door to my shelves—Alien art books, Douglas Adams box sets, a beloved H. G. Wells collection—and admit what many of us feel but rarely say out loud: loving books doesn’t guarantee we can finish them, especially when burnout, screens and chores fight for the same slice of energy.We explore why film novelisations can be the perfect bridge back into reading, with draft‑era scenes and character details you won’t find on screen. I share how childhood habits of racing through library stacks hardened into adult expectations, why juggling three to five books used to work, and how that same habit now multiplies friction. There’s practical talk, too: setting a “too small to fail” reading unit, placing the book where doomscrolling usually wins, choosing one anchor title, and rotating formats between print, Kindle and audiobooks to suit your day. Memoirs read by the author on audio get a special nod—they carry a warmth the page can’t replicate.We also dip into cognitive tools that actually help. Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats gets a shout because separating modes of thought quiets the noise that makes leisure feel like work. If your job already demands constant reading, it’s no wonder the page feels heavy at night. The fix isn’t force; it’s design. Change the default, reduce switching, and let small starts stack into momentum. Along the way I ask for your wisdom: which book broke your slump, and how do you balance paper, Kindle and audio without losing the thread?If this resonates, tap follow, share it with a friend who misses reading, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Then tell me: what’s the one habit that brought you back to books?Support the showPlease remember to check out my website /social media, and support me if you feel you can.Subscribewww.infinite-prattle.comInstagram, Twitter, TikTok & Facebook Thanks!