Dear Readers,
There is a town far away from where you are that is unlike anything you’ve ever known. Most people who grow up in small towns know what it’s like. You know the guy who bags your groceries, you’ve had the same 10 friends since infancy, and since there are no big cities around, there are plenty of community events to keep the small population occupied. In Night Vale, it’s much like this… but a little different. It’s like a dream and a nightmare had a baby that is some crazy cousin of reality. The abnormal and fantastic come together in ironic harmony, and you as the listener, get immersed in the community happenings of Night Vale.
Cecil, the narrator, grows on you faster than a dog with smiling eyes.
“Close your eyes. Let my words wash over you. You are safe now. Welcome to Night Vale.”
In satirical monologues, you can always find that golden nugget of truth about life. And who says living fantastically isn’t the way to go?
1. Pay attention to community news. The more you pay attention, the more you can get the most out of your day.
“Saturday has been merged with Sunday to create Super-day!
Monday will not harm you, but you should stack up on latex gloves nonetheless.”
2. Be cautious when purposely doing something stupid.
“Bananas are hardly that slippery. But watch your step anyway.”
3. Never go to PTA meetings. They are useless and dangerous.
“Our top story. Last night, our PTA meeting ended in bloodshed.”
4. Keep exotic carnivores away from small children and Australian nature enthusiasts.
“And now a brief public service announcement. Alligators: can they kill your children? Yes.”
5. Be an active citizen and keep up with politics so city policy doesn't creep up and surprise you.
“Of course the sandstorm was created by the government! The City Council announced that this morning. The government makes no secret that they can control the weather and earthquakes and monitor thoughts and activities. That's the stuff a big government is supposed to do.”
6. Remember to be safe because horrible things can happen in the least likely of places.
“Remember, if confronted by a librarian while looking for a book to check out, do not attempt to escape by climbing a tree. There are no trees in the library. And the precious moments it will take you to look around and realize this, will allow the librarian to strike.”
7. Question everything, and do your research before you take a stance on anything
"The police remind us that scientists are comedians and that they should stick to comedy."
8. Appreciate the small things -- like existing.
"Your existence is not impossible. But it's also not very likely."
9. You have to move on from traumatic events because it's usually the only option.
"The glow cloud does not need to converse with us. It does not feel as we tiny humans feel. It has no need for thoughts or feelings of love. The glow cloud simply is.
All hail the mighty glow cloud.
The glow cloud, meanwhile, has moved on. It is now just a glowing spot in the distance, humming east to destinations unknown. We may never fully understand or understand at all what it was and why it dumped a lot of dead animals on our community. But, and I'm going to get a little personal here, that's the essence of life, isn't it? Sometimes you go through things that seem huge at the time, like a mysterious glowing cloud devouring your entire community. While they're happening, they feel like the only thing that matters and you can hardly imagine that there's a world out there that might have anything else going on. And then the glow cloud moves on. And you move on. And the event is behind you. And you may find, as time passes, that you remember it less and less. Or absolutely not at all, in my case."
10. Be kind to the beautiful people around you.
"Today you will meet a beautiful stranger. Actually hundreds of beautiful strangers. Everyone is beautiful and you know almost none of them."
If you haven't caught on already, Welcome to Night Vale is one of the best podcasts out there to make you laugh, question your reality and morals, and strive to be an active member of your own community.
Listen to The Podcasts here and Follow them on Twitter @NightValeRadio.
