Latest Pfr Podcast Episodes
Fungicide at R1 | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Beck's Hybrids - July 16, 2021 13:00 - 1 minuteFungicide at R1 | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update - Week 11
Reading 25: Ch 44 - Deja Vu
SleepFree Inc. - July 14, 2021 04:11 - 23 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsHave you ever thought you had experienced a dream many times, but had no true recollection of the prior dreams? In this chapter I explore the concept of deja vu and how our mind allows us to know the end before the beginning. John and Jane work together on how best to introduce the Cumulus dru...
Reading 24: Ch 43 - Equality
SleepFree Inc. - July 09, 2021 02:53 - 19 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsWhen you've finished the podcast, I'll be very interested to know what was the most important chapter to you. For some beta readers, this is that chapter -- the most important political chapter for driving home the metaphor of the sleeping world, as told through Jane. In this chapter, I explore ...
Corn Rootworm | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Beck's Hybrids - July 06, 2021 11:00 - 1 minuteCorn Rootworm | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update - Week 9
Reading 23: Ch 41 - Double Deceit, Ch 42 - The One
SleepFree Inc. - June 30, 2021 03:50 - 25 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsJohn has perfected his lucid dream masterpiece and moves to transmit it to Ray, the first real test to see if he can change a man with his dreams. There are hints throughout the story, but I enjoy thinking about this aspect of the SleepFree world. What it would be like if someone started cha...
Reading 22: Ch 39 - New Client, Ch 40 - Puppet Master
SleepFree Inc. - June 24, 2021 03:44 - 26 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsAs trust increases between John and Jane, he reveals more of the plan, including a new lucid dream designed to test Cumulus. Jane makes clear to the puppet master just how hard it is to love a man and lie to him.
Spraying Time of Day | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Beck's Hybrids - June 16, 2021 19:00 - 1 minuteWeek 7 - Spraying Time of Day | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Reading 21: Ch 37 - Flight, Ch 38 - Persuasion
SleepFree Inc. - June 16, 2021 04:12 - 28 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsJohn begins to transform under the influence of the Cumulus Drug. With Jane as a confidant in the plan, she expects more involvement, opening a door for us to learn about transferring dream content. I wrote Chapter 37 after years of trying to become a lucid dreamer and finally experiencing a...
Spray Solution pH | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Beck's Hybrids - June 11, 2021 17:00 - 1 minuteSpray Solution pH | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update - Week 6
Reading 20: Ch 36 - Secrets
SleepFree Inc. - June 09, 2021 01:49 - 25 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsShowing Jane the secret laboratory only wets her appetite for more. Whatever John does in his free time, Jane wants to know...and she wants to be included.
Ugly Corn | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Beck's Hybrids - June 07, 2021 12:00 - 1 minuteWeek 5 - Ugly Corn | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Reading 19: Ch 34 - Parental Visit, Ch 35 - Lab Rats
SleepFree Inc. - June 02, 2021 01:19 - 19 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsYou can only date someone so long before they will question what is behind the locked door in your two bedroom apartment. Jane is not afraid to challenge John and push him to reveal his secrets in this latest episode. And John must come clean with his parents on the existence of a new girlfr...
Tissue Sampling | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Beck's Hybrids - June 01, 2021 15:00 - 1 minuteWeek 4 - Tissue Sampling | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Reading 18: Ch 32 - Change, Ch 33 - Testing Protocols
SleepFree Inc. - May 26, 2021 02:28 - 17 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsMost of THE SLEEPERS is from John's perspective. He may be a sleeper, caught in the system of giving away 7 hours a day to another, but he is not the norm. He does not exactly represent the typical sleeper. Jane's students provide a real insight into true sleepers. Their parents survive by s...
Corn Planting Depth | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Beck's Hybrids - May 21, 2021 16:00 - 1 minuteWeek 3 - Corn Planting Depth | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
How Big Are Your Weeds? | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Beck's Hybrids - May 19, 2021 18:00 - 1 minuteWeek 2 - How Big Are Your Weeds? | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Reading 17: Ch 30 - Purchased, Ch 31 - Rebellion
SleepFree Inc. - May 19, 2021 01:24 - 24 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsAfter not dating anyone since Samantha, John meets Jane, a teacher of sleeper children. It is the night of the annual company gala. Something about her attitude to life will tempt him beyond his commitment to finding the Cumulus Drug. I enjoyed picturing how someone as well off as John, but ...
Reading 16: Ch 29 - The American Dream
SleepFree Inc. - May 12, 2021 02:08 - 19 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsThis is the start of Part 4, titled Jane. We've had parts about Karl, Lucius and Samantha, Ray, and now you meet Jane. For potentially obvious reasons, I particularly like this character! Jane is a school teacher for sleeper children. She provides an important perspective and balance to the ...
Corn Sidedress Timing | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Beck's Hybrids - May 07, 2021 20:00 - 1 minuteWeek 1 - Corn Sidedress Timing | Wisconsin Agronomy & PFR Update
Hold out Hope for Flooded Fields | With Mike Hannewald
Beck's Hybrids - May 07, 2021 12:00 - 4 minutesHold out Hope for Flooded Fields - With Mike Hannewald | Beck's Hybrids Field Agronomist
Reading 15: Ch 28 - Luck
SleepFree Inc. - May 05, 2021 02:42 - 16 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsAs a chemical engineer, I spent a lot of time in school thinking about what are conserved quantities. We have an entire class called "Mass and Energy Balances", where you rely on conservation of mass and energy to solve problems (some may find this very boring, I know). A friend and I used t...
Reading 14: Ch 27 - Hot Seat
SleepFree Inc. - April 28, 2021 00:06 - 30 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsBig surprise for this episode. Hope you enjoy the change for a week. This episode is from the perspective of Ray and Senator Lucy Esperanza. We really see the role of the Senate Sleep Committee (SSC) in preserving Pax SleepFree. Politicians would not dare upset a powerful voter bloc like th...
Reading 13: Ch 25 - Modus Discovery, Ch 26 - Perspective
SleepFree Inc. - April 21, 2021 02:34 - 34 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsWith John and Ray now employed by SleepFree Inc, Chapter 25 explores the scientific pursuits of this sleeper-client pair. Chapter 26 is a look back at John's childhood when he trials attending an all-sleeper school, realizing just what it's like to be a real sleeper. In my graduate research,...
Reading 12: Ch 22 - Pairing, Ch 23 - The Rain, Ch 24 - Chinese Food
SleepFree Inc. - April 14, 2021 02:32 - 20 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsIn these chapters, Ray and John transition from university life to work at SleepFree Inc. I love the imagery of a person with an umbrella in the rain and tried to tie that parable together in this story about rain. How do you react to the rain? My kids want to run and jump on the trampoline ...
Reading 11: Ch 21 - Spinning Record
SleepFree Inc. - April 07, 2021 03:05 - 23 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsThis is one of my truly focused political science chapters. The book used to be filled with these sidebars, but I removed most to improve pace. However, this chapter is so important, I could not pull it out. I hope you enjoy the metaphor and can learn something about our world as you ponder ...
Reading 10: Ch 19 - Double Homicide, Ch 20 - Course Correction
SleepFree Inc. - March 31, 2021 02:07 - 21 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsNo fictional biography would be complete without romance and failure. The last episode ended with John and Ray both dating Samantha, a love triangle guaranteed to bring drama. In this latest episode Samantha visits Cornell. I wanted this part of the story to highlight the relationship between c...
Reading 9: Ch 17 - Summer Love, Ch 18 - History Lessons
SleepFree Inc. - March 24, 2021 04:15 - 24 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsThe much anticipated love interest for John has finally arrived. Truly one of the more fun chapters to write. And always interesting to hear what my beta readers say about it. We need our characters to learn and grow, which includes dating when you are writing a more complete story of someon...
Reading 8: Ch 14 - Connections, Ch 15 - The Skipping Rock, Ch 16 - Fortune Cookies
SleepFree Inc. - March 18, 2021 04:40 - 27 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsChapter 14 was written second to last. After my best friend since 5th grade read the book, he wanted a real end to Karl, something to close out the story. I'm so grateful for his feedback as it forced me to face Karl's end...and I loved it. The next few chapters describe the reality of findi...
Reading 7: Ch 12 - The Other Side, Ch 13 - HREM
SleepFree Inc. - March 11, 2021 04:25 - 20 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsJohn experiences life as a client and learns the science of sleep. Before he can create the Cumulus drug, he has to learn how the whole process works - what is the chemical mixture given to sleepers, how does the hardware pick up your brainwaves and translate them back to a client, how do yo...
Reading 6: Ch 9 - Umbrellas, Ch 10 - The Wizard, Ch 11 - Job Offers
SleepFree Inc. - March 03, 2021 04:29 - 24 minutes ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsChapter 10 is the start of Part 2: Samantha. The story takes a change in pace and focus as John and Ray enter college and start sleep studies. They'll be challenged by their professor, by growing up, and by love entanglements. Enter into the world of the Wizard as we grow closer to lucidity ...