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S6 E24: Beyond Analytics Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. I’m Rebecca Budd, and I’m so glad you’ve joined me. In a world that celebrates numbers—views, clicks, followers, and subscribers—we can easily begin to believe that they tell the whole story. But do they? Today, I’d like to explore a different question. What if the true measure of our creative work isn’t found in analytics at all? What if its value is discovered years later, when someone stumbles across an old blog post and finds exactly the words they needed? I’ve found myself returning to the writings of bloggers who haven’t published anything new in more than a decade. Their voices still speak. Their stories still encourage. Their words continue to live quietly, long after the analytics have faded. So, pour yourself a cup of tea, settle into a comfortable chair, and join me as we look beyond analytics to discover what really counts. Rebecca 🎙️Rebecca’s Reading Room Podcast Music by Epidemic Sound “For All We Know” by More than Family https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/8082dacc-d3a1-3470-977b-970879a925bc/

S6 E23: Nike at Vigil Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. I’m Rebecca Budd, and I’m so glad you’ve joined me. Sometimes the most meaningful stories are not found only in books. They are waiting quietly in the world around us—in a painting, an old photograph, a weathered building, or even a statue standing watch over a busy city street. Today I’d like to invite you to pause with me beneath the wings of Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory. At first glance she seems to commemorate an Olympic celebration, but her story reaches back more than two thousand years to the sanctuary of Olympia, where athletes sought not wealth or fame, but honour earned through discipline, courage, and perseverance. As we explore her story together, we may discover that victory is not always found on a podium. More often, it is found in the quiet determination to begin again, to persevere through difficulty, and to continue becoming the people we are meant to be. So, wherever you may be, pour yourself a cup of tea, settle into a comfortable chair, and join me as we reflect on an ancient story that still has something to teach us today. Rebecca 🎙️Rebecca’s Reading Room Podcast Music by Epidemic Sound “For All We Know” by More than Family https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/8082dacc-d3a1-3470-977b-970879a925bc/

S6 E22: Dictionary of a Life: “Ubiquitous” Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. Thank you for listening in! Some words describe objects. Others describe ideas. But every so often we discover a word that helps us understand our own lives. Today’s word is ubiquitous. There was a time when ATM machines were a novelty. Many people wondered if they would ever catch on. Today, we hardly notice them at all. They’ve become part of the landscape of everyday life. That simple observation led me to reflect on a question: How do extraordinary ideas become ordinary? In this episode, we’ll explore the journey from skepticism to acceptance, and from acceptance to something so familiar that we almost forget it was ever new. Along the way, we’ll discover how one small word can change the way we think about technology, creativity, culture, and even ourselves. I’m Rebecca Budd, and I’m so glad you’ve joined me. Until the next word… 🎙️Rebecca’s Reading Room Podcast Music by Epidemic Sound “For All We Know” by More than Family https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/8082dacc-d3a1-3470-977b-970879a925bc/

S6 E21: Winged Victory: Storytelling Across Time Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. I’m your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you. A few months ago, while visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris, I found myself standing before one of the most unforgettable sculptures in the world: The Winged Victory of Samothrace. With her wings spread wide and her garments flowing as though touched by sea wind, she seemed at once ancient and astonishingly alive. But beyond the beauty of marble and artistry, I found myself thinking about something deeper: the stories we carry, the stories we inherit, and the stories that help us remember what it means to be human. Today, I invite you to join me as we reflect on Winged Victory not simply as a masterpiece of art, but as a story in stone, one that has travelled across centuries to speak to us still. Pour yourself a cup of tea, settle in, and let us step for a few moments into a story that has outlived empires. Rebecca 🎙️Rebecca’s Reading Room Podcast Location: The Lourvre Museum, Paris Photography & Voice: Rebecca Budd Music: Edgar Hopp “Eyes of Yours” Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/ef6c8b56-fdb6-44ca-80d8-0a94d43215a8/

S6 E 20: Desiderata by Max Ehrmann Some poems ask us to think. Others ask us to feel. A very few become lifelong companions. Desiderata, written by Max Ehrmann in 1927, is one of those enduring works. Its quiet wisdom has been shared across generations, offering gentle reminders about peace, kindness, humility, courage, and hope. In a world that often seems hurried and uncertain, these words continue to invite us to slow down and remember what truly matters. Today, I would like to share a simple recitation of this beloved poem. Rather than analysing its meaning, I invite you simply to listen. Perhaps a line will speak to you differently than it has before. Perhaps you will hear something you need today. The photographs accompanying this reading were taken during a walk through Beacon Hill Park in Victoria, British Columbia—a place whose quiet beauty seemed a fitting companion to Ehrmann’s timeless words. Thank you for spending these few moments in Rebecca’s Reading Room. Rebecca Desiderate by Max Ehrmann Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy. Photography by Rebecca Budd Location Beacon Hill Park, Victoria, British Columbia Music by Epidemic Sound Yonder Dale "We Carry On" https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/5ebe8dfb-5a21-307a-84e7-a8ed973dacee/

S6 E19: At the Lake: Reflections on Reading Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. During a recent retreat on Vancouver Island, I spent time walking beside a quiet lake. As I walked, I began reflecting on books, reading, and the increasingly rare experience of slowing down long enough to truly live with a book. This video combines those reflections with footage from the lake itself. At the Lake: A Book Meditation is not a book review or a reading list. It is a gentle meditation on reading as companionship, reflection, and lifelong discovery. I hope you’ll find a comfortable place to sit, perhaps with a cup of tea nearby, and spend a few moments beside the water with me. Thank you for visiting Rebecca’s Reading Room, Rebecca 🎙️ Rebecca’s Reading Room Podcast 📚 Rebecca’s Reading Room Music by Epidemic Sound “Kasuga Rain” by Candelion https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/8d672430-a97e-47c4-9b24-e7c736879945/ “Never a Goodbye” by Gavin Luke. https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/23d78dc4-1dce-48cd-a10a-9bded0529d84/

The Stories We Tell in Photographs Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. I’m Rebecca Budd, and I’m delighted you’ve joined me. I recently read an article by Thomas Germain for the BBC that explored how modern smartphones now edit photographs automatically using artificial intelligence, adjusting light, colour, and clarity before we ever see the image. The article asks whether this changes our sense of reality. As I reflected on that idea, I found myself asking a different question altogether. How has photography changed the way we tell the story of our lives? Previous generations filled boxes with letters and journals. Today, many of us fill hard drives and cloud storage with photographs. Yet both are expressions of the same deeply human desire: “I was here. This mattered. Let me share it with you.” So, pour yourself a cup of tea, settle into a comfortable chair, and join me as we explore The Story We Tell in Photographs. Rebecca 🎙️Rebecca‘s Reading Room podcast Music by Epidemic Sound “For All We Know” by More than Family https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/8082dacc-d3a1-3470-977b-970879a925bc/

S6 E17: Saturday Afternoon by Emily Dickinson Welcome. Today’s reading is Saturday Afternoon by Emily Dickinson. The images you will see were taken at Park & Tilford Gardens — a special place where my mother, my sister Sarah, and I shared many happy Saturday afternoons. Emily Dickinson’s poem celebrates youthful joy and freedom. For me, it is also a remembrance of love, family, and moments that continue to bloom in memory. I hope you enjoy this reading. Saturday Afternoon From all the jails the boys and girls Ecstatically leap,— Beloved, only afternoon That prison does n't keep. They storm the earth and stun the air, A mob of solid bliss. Alas! that frowns could lie in wait For such a foe as this! 📚Rebecca’s Reading Room 🎙️Rebecca’s Reading Room Podcast Photography by Rebecca Budd Music by Epidemic Sound “Sylarna” by Ström https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/69982e98-a358-3eb4-b6ea-a9faf617734e/

S6 E16: Lochinvar: A Ride Into Legend Today’s feature is Lochinvar by Sir Walter Scott, recited by writer and poet Paul Andruss. This beloved classic takes us back into the legends of the past, where courage, love, and risk move at full gallop. Great stories allow us to step into other times and live other lives for a while. Thank you for listening in! Until the next poem, Rebecca 📚Rebecca’s Reading Room Music by Epidemic Sound “Reunited We'll Prevail” by Kikoru https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/5824d377-b2bd-31e7-b8f5-f098dbe3b514/ “Never a Goodbye” by Gavin Luke https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/23d78dc4-1dce-48cd-a10a-9bded0529d84/ “The Bard's Tale” Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/443f9e43-c88a-4fb0-8728-5345837b643f/ “The Fellowship” Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/2b47cb34-005e-4186-8631-4c4841115e72/ “The Portal” Bonnie Grace https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/6adf42f0-177c-38cf-94db-26d212fedb9d/

S6 E15: The Moon is distant from the Sea # 387 by Emily Dickinson Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. Today I’m sharing a poem by Emily Dickinson titled “The Moon is distant from the Sea.” Dickinson had a remarkable ability to take something from the natural world and transform it into a meditation on human feeling. In this poem, the moon draws the sea toward the shore, not by force, but through a quiet and constant influence. Dickinson turns this simple movement of the tides into a reflection on devotion, distance, and the mysterious pull one soul can have upon another. Here is “The Moon is distant from the Sea.” The Moon is distant from the Sea –And yet, with Amber Hands –She leads Him – docile as a Boy –Along appointed Sands –He never misses a Degree –Obedient to Her eye –He comes just so far – toward the Town –Just so far – goes away –Oh, Signor, Thine, the Amber Hand –And mine – the distant Sea –Obedient to the least commandThine eye impose on me – Thank you for joining me in my Reading Room, Rebecca Music by Epidemic Sound "Mirror Of The Heart" by Bladverk Band https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/VOXd2j85h3/

S6 E14: The Drowsy World Dreams On by Walter Everette Hawkins Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. Today’s reflection began during a quiet walk through the campus of Simon Fraser University. I paused at the Trottier Observatory, surrounded by maps of the stars and the turning seasons, while students passed by on their way to class. In that moment, I was carried back to my own university days and reminded of how quickly time moves, and how easily life’s tender moments can pass unnoticed. From that experience came the memory of a beautiful poem by Walter Everette Hawkins, The Drowsy World Dreams On—a gentle meditation on beauty, passing time, and the importance of remaining awake to the gifts of the present moment. Thank you for joining me in the Reading Room. Rebecca 📚Rebecca’s Reading Room The Drowsy World Dreams On by Walter Everette Hawkins A flower bloomed out on a woodland hill, A song rose up from the woodland rill; But the floweret bloomed but to wither away, And no man heard what the stream had to say, For the drowsy world dreamed on. Thro the frills of a curtain a moonbeam crept, Till it fell on the crib where a nursling slept; And a whisper and smile lit a wee dimpled face, But none save the angels their beauty could trace, For the drowsy world dreamed on. A wee bird piped out mid the corn, A rose bloomed out beneath the thorn; But the scent of the rose and the birdling’s lay On the winds of the morning were wafted away While the drowsy world dreamed on. And the drowsy old world’s growing gloomy and gray, While the joys that are sweetest are passing away; And the charms that inspire like the picture of dawn Are but playthings of Time—they gleam and are gone, While the drowsy world dreams on. Photography and Recitation by Rebecca Budd Music by Epidemic Sound “One Voice” Johannes Bornlöf https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/c81da105-dd17-4aba-b43d-ca2a6df2f434/ Location: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby Campus Note: The last phrase “The Drowsy World Dreamed On” should be read “The Drowsy World Dreams On.”

S6 E13: Looking Up - A Garden Meditation at Park & Tilford Gardens, North Vancouver Welcome to Garden Meditations, a quiet series from Rebecca’s Reading Room. In this reflection, filmed at Park & Tilford Gardens in North Vancouver, I invite you to pause and look up. Beneath a canopy of spring blossoms, this moment becomes a gentle reminder that not all growth is visible at eye level. Sometimes, we need only lift our gaze to notice the quiet unfolding of life around us and within us. This meditation is an invitation to slow down, to step out of urgency, and to stand for a moment beneath something larger than ourselves. Thank you for joining me in the garden. Rebecca 🪴Garden Medition 📚Rebecca’s Reading Room Music by Epidemic Sound “Try Your Wings” Helmut Schenker https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/95c9c0a7-9e3a-4375-9f94-f859380b8254/

S6 E12: Walking Toward What Must Be | A Reflection on Rodin’s Burghers of Calais Filmed in the garden of the Musée Rodin in Paris, this short meditation reflects on The Burghers of Calais by Auguste Rodin. Rather than focusing on history alone, this piece explores a quiet but powerful moment — the walk toward what feels inevitable. There is no despair in these figures. Only acknowledgment. Each man carries his fate differently. And in doing so, they invite us to consider how we meet the difficult paths in our own lives. This is not a story of rescue. It is a reflection on dignity. Rebecca 📚Created for ChasingART Blog 🇫🇷Filmed in Paris Reflection by Rebecca Budd Music by Epidemic Sound “Some Chords” by Gavin Luke https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/cd5745c7-421a-4a34-ac8d-8ce1e22ca578/

S6 E11:: Up in the Air: A Poem, a Mother, a Memory The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson How do you like to go up in a swing, Up in the air so blue? Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing Ever a child can do! Up in the air and over the wall, Till I can see so wide, Rivers and trees and cattle and all Over the countryside— Till I look down on the garden green, Down on the roof so brown— Up in the air I go flying again, Up in the air and down! When I was a child, my mother Frances taught me “The Swing” by Robert Louis Stevenson. It was the first poem I ever memorized, the first one I spoke aloud to a listening room, the first time I learned that words could lift a child, quite literally, into the air. I recited it proudly, again and again. People clapped. I felt tall. What I didn’t yet understand was that something deeper was happening. My mother was not simply teaching me a poem. She was teaching me attention, rhythm, wonder. She was showing me that language could hold joy, that imagination could travel beyond walls, rooftops, and gardens — and that a child’s voice mattered. Now Frances lives in long-term care. Our conversations have changed, but our connection has not. She still speaks to me, sometimes in words, sometimes in presence, sometimes in memory. And poetry still stands between us, steady as ever. When I listen to this recording from a few years ago, I hear more than my own voice. I hear her encouragement. I hear the evenings when poetry was something shared, not explained. I hear the beginning of a lifelong love.  This reposting is for her. For the mothers who read poems aloud. For the children who learn them by heart. For the way poetry keeps swinging, back and forth, across time. Thank you, Frances. You were my first mentor. You still are. Rebecca Music by Epidemic Sound Eternally Yours by David Celeste https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/895d4ff8-cdd6-3141-95d1-791d8159b82c/

S6 E9:The Power of Reading Spaces A reading room is a designated space in a home or public area specifically designed for reading and quiet contemplation. It typically contains comfortable seating, good lighting, and shelves for books. My definition of a reading room, however, is more expansive. Whenever I have a book in hand, I am in reading room. Taking a few minutes, in a busy day, to read gives me something to hold in my mind and provide a boost to continue on my daily tasks. Moments of literary respite offer a tranquil refuge within the chaotic rhythms of life, nurturing mind and spirit. Whether it is within the confines of a designated reading room or simply by holding a book in hand, the act of reading has the profound ability to rejuvenate and inspire us as we navigate through our daily responsibilities. Creating a personal reading room can provide a peaceful retreat for reading, studying, and relaxing. It can offer a quiet space away from the distractions of everyday life, allowing individuals to focus on reading without interruptions. Reading rooms can serve as a sanctuary for personal reflection, intellectual growth, and the enjoyment of literature. Several years ago, I created a virtual reading room to document my thoughts and discoveries from reading books and poetry. I find that virtual reading rooms can serve as personalized spaces for contemplation and creativity. Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room, my space for literary exploration and creative discourse. beloved books, acclaimed authors, revered poets, and other visionaries of the written word. Welcome!! Location: Victoria British Columbia Music by Johannes Bornlöf "Our Deepest Secrets" Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/QKwU2sehdL/