Aliens or Distractions

Are we being visited, or are we being distracted?I did not tell a story this time. I gathered the voices that are already telling one. A president says the aliens are real. Astronauts read Genesis from orbit and call this planet a spaceship we all ride together. A family in Las Vegas swears something landed in their backyard, and the whole world leans in to watch. A whistleblower sits under oath and says the craft are real, the programs are hidden, and the race to copy them has run for decades.Then the pastors and teachers step in. They point to Ezekiel and his wheels, and they give one steady answer: nothing out there can shake the faith, because Christ made all things, and all things belong to Him. And underneath every clip, one small voice keeps giving quiet orders to everyone, the Almighty Algorithm. So I set the voices side by side and asked the question they raise together. Are these signs of visitors? Or is the visitor talk itself the distraction, pulling our attention away from each other and filling our days with endless guessing about the cosmos?Key takeaways:One claim runs through every clip: something is up there, and we are being taught to keep looking upThe Las Vegas backyard case shows how fast a sighting becomes a world story, and how hard the truth is to pin downWhistleblower testimony says UAP are real and hidden programs exist, and it still leaves the biggest questions unansweredLife elsewhere would not shake the faith: all things, here or out there, were made by Christ and belong to HimThe deeper danger may be distraction itself: a world kept busy guessing about the cosmos, and missing what is right in front of itFrequently asked questions:How long is it? About twenty-five minutes.Is this a made up story? No. It is a gathering of real news clips, interviews, and live recordings, woven together around one question.Do I need to believe in aliens to listen? No. The question is not only what is up there. It is also what all this talk is doing to us down here.Is it family friendly? It wrestles with big claims and a few frightening ones, and it stays thoughtful and clean.Where can I hear more stories like this? At welcometoearthstories.com, where every story is free to hear.If this story gave you something to think about, pass it on. A quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is the easiest way to help new listeners find us.Subscribe so you never miss a story, and visit my YouTube channel, The Writer's Compass, for writing craft and the stories behind the stories: https://www.youtube.com/@WritersCompassLeave me a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/WelcomeToEarthStories. Tell me: do you think we are being visited, or distracted?How to leave a 5 star rating and review:On iPhone or iPad: open Apple Podcasts, search Welcome to Earth Stories, open the show page, scroll down to Ratings and Reviews, tap five stars, and write a few words.On Android: open Spotify, search Welcome to Earth Stories, open the show page, tap the star under the show name, and choose five stars. On iPhone, Spotify works the same way.Created, written, and hosted by York Campbell.

What would you do with a whole day of silence?This is a behind the curtain look at Day in a Nutshell, the story I told with almost no words at all. A while back I challenged my wife to a full day of silence, just the two of us not speaking. It did not go over well, and in this talk I share why I wanted it, what the research really says about how much men and women talk, and the quiet place in Ontario that first put the idea in my heart.I also share how hard it was to build a story out of music and sound instead of words. What I thought would take a day took a week, and I would not trade that hard road for an easy one.Key takeaways:The claim that women speak 20,000 words a day and men only 7,000 is a myth, and the real numbers are much closerSilence can rest the part of the mind that spends all day weighing wordsA story with almost no dialogue can take far longer to build than a story full of talkChoosing the hard path on purpose can make a creator more creativeFrequently asked questions:How long is it? About eleven minutes.Do I need to hear Day in a Nutshell first? It helps, but this talk stands on its own, and it may send you back to listen.Is it family friendly? Yes. It is a warm, thoughtful talk.Where can I hear more stories like this? At welcometoearthstories.com, where every story is free to hear.If this story gave you something to think about, pass it on. A quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is the easiest way to help new listeners find us.Subscribe so you never miss a story, and visit my YouTube channel, The Writer's Compass, for writing craft and the stories behind the stories: https://www.youtube.com/@WritersCompassLeave me a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/WelcomeToEarthStories. Tell me what you would do with a day of silence.How to leave a 5 star rating and review:On iPhone or iPad: open Apple Podcasts, search Welcome to Earth Stories, open the show page, scroll down to Ratings and Reviews, tap five stars, and write a few words.On Android: open Spotify, search Welcome to Earth Stories, open the show page, tap the star under the show name, and choose five stars. On iPhone, Spotify works the same way.Created, written, and hosted by York Campbell.

What if the worst day of your life could fit inside twelve minutes?My name is York Campbell, and this is one of those days. A man oversleeps, rushes out the door, and from that moment the day refuses to behave. Every step toward the office takes him somewhere stranger, and every attempt to get the day back on track only makes it worse.I built this story differently. There is very little dialogue. The music and the sound effects do the talking, and even the visitors from far away speak a language of their own. It is a comedy about how much misfortune one ordinary man can absorb in a single day, told almost entirely in sound.Key takeaways:- A full comedy told mainly through music and sound effects, with very little dialogue- A reminder that a day can fall apart in a hundred small ways and still be funny- Proof that a story does not need many words to say a lotFrequently asked questions:How long is it? About twelve minutes.Is there much dialogue? Very little. The music and sound effects carry the story, and the visitors speak their own language.Is it family friendly? Yes. It is a light, playful comedy.Where can I hear more stories like this? At welcometoearthstories.com, where every story is free to hear.If this story gave you something to think about, pass it on. A quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is the easiest way to help new listeners find us.Subscribe so you never miss a story, and visit my YouTube channel, The Writer's Compass, for writing craft and the stories behind the stories: https://www.youtube.com/@WritersCompassLeave me a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/WelcomeToEarthStories. I would love to hear how your worst day compares.How to leave a 5 star rating and review:On iPhone or iPad: open Apple Podcasts, search Welcome to Earth Stories, open the show page, scroll down to Ratings and Reviews, tap five stars, and write a few words.On Android: open Spotify, search Welcome to Earth Stories, open the show page, tap the star under the show name, and choose five stars. On iPhone, Spotify works the same way.Created, written, and performed by York Campbell.

What if the cult never ended, it just moved into your phone?In this Behind the Curtains, I tell you the true story behind New World, New Order. Years ago, I belonged to a church I later discovered was a cult. The leaders decided what we were allowed to know. We could not visit other churches. We had to marry from within. They watched how much sleep we got, set our schedules, and chose where we could go on vacation.I got out. The pattern stayed with me.Now I watch the same pattern run the whole world, through a screen. The algorithm studies your psychology, your politics, and your faith. Then it serves you only what keeps you inside your bubble. No locked doors. No leaders watching your bedtime. Just a feed that never lets you leave.In 2020, I saw it happen in the open. COVID-19, and the unrest after the death of George Floyd, split the world in two. One report played everywhere, and everyone had to repeat it. The other report, the one that asked questions, was shut out of the news. A majority report. A minority report. I had heard both before, every week, from a pulpit.This is the most personal story I have told on Welcome to Earth Stories. Hear it, then look at your own feed with new eyes.Key takeaways:The true story behind New World, New OrderHow a cult controls a life without chains: information, marriage, sleep, and timeHow the algorithm now does the same work, at world scaleWhy 2020 split into a majority report and a minority report, and why I recognized it at onceQuestions people ask:Why did you make New World, New Order?I had lived under control once. When I saw the same pattern take over the wider world, I had to say it out loud.Were you really in a cult?Yes. A church that decided what I could know, who I could marry, and how I spent my days. I tell the whole story in this Behind the Curtains.What are the majority report and the minority report?The majority report is the story everyone must repeat. The minority report is the side that gets shut out. One ruled that church. Both ruled 2020.How is the algorithm like a cult leader?It learns what you believe, then shows you only what confirms it. You stay inside, and you think you chose to.Where can I hear New World, New Order?Here on Welcome to Earth Stories. Subscribe, and every new story will find you.One more thing: check out Covenant City, my video game, right at the top of welcometoearthstories.com. It is still in beta, it is free to play, and you can start the moment you tap Covenant City. If you notice anything that needs tweaking, reach out to me and let me know. Your eyes help make it better.If this story gave you something to think about, pass it on. A quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is the easiest way to help new listeners find us.How to leave a 5-star review:On iPhone, in Apple Podcasts: open the Welcome to Earth Stories show page, scroll down to Ratings and Reviews, tap 5 stars, then tap Write a Review.On Android or iPhone, in Spotify: open the show page, tap the star under the show name, and tap 5 stars.Leave me a voice message here: https://www.speakpipe.com/WelcomeToEarthStoriesWatch The Writer's Compass on YouTube, where I talk about writing and how stories are built: https://www.youtube.com/@WritersCompassVisit the website: https://welcometoearthstories.comSupport the show here: https://buymeacoffee.com/earthstoriesCreated, written, and performed by York Campbell.

What if an algorithm, not an enemy, is the thing tearing this world apart?In the summer of 2020, the world split in two. The death of George Floyd set off protests, anger, and unrest. Then came the COVID-19 shot, and with it more fear and more division. Families stopped talking. Friends became enemies. Neighbours looked at each other with suspicion.I built this story from real audio clips of that season. You will hear presidents, and a Canadian prime minister, use the words "New World Order." You will hear the phrase "Build Back Better" said again and again, word for word, by leader after leader. Coincidence? You decide.Underneath it all sits the almighty algorithm. A powerful AI feeds us whatever keeps us angry, scared, and glued to our screens. It pits us against each other. It stirs up mass hysteria. And most of us never stop to ask who benefits.This one moves fast. It is raw, and it will make you think. It will make you look at social media in a new way. It will make you question the stories you were led to believe.Key takeaways:- How the events of 2020 divided families, friends, and whole nations- Why leaders around the world keep using the same phrases, like "New World Order" and "Build Back Better"- How the algorithm behind social media rewards anger and fear- Why questioning the story you were handed is the first step to thinking for yourselfQuestions people ask:What is this story about?It is a fast-moving montage of real audio clips about a divided world, the summer of 2020, and the phrases leaders used to point people toward a cause.Is the audio real?Yes. You will hear real voices from that time, including presidents and a Canadian prime minister saying "New World Order."What is the almighty algorithm?It is the powerful AI that decides what you see online. It grows stronger when we are divided, so it keeps feeding the division.Where can I hear more?Subscribe to Welcome to Earth Stories, and a new story will find you every week.Play my game, Covenant CityIt is a beta version, so it is still being polished, and it is free to play right now. Fly as the Masked Guardian and defend the city. Play it here: https://welcometoearthstories.com/covenant-city/If this story gave you something to think about, pass it on. A quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is the easiest way to help new listeners find us.How to leave a 5-star review:On iPhone, in Apple Podcasts: open the Welcome to Earth Stories show page, scroll down to Ratings and Reviews, tap 5 stars, then tap Write a Review.On Android or iPhone, in Spotify: open the show page, tap the star under the show name, and tap 5 stars.Leave me a voice message here: https://www.speakpipe.com/WelcomeToEarthStoriesWatch The Writer's Compass on YouTube, where I talk about writing and how stories are built: https://www.youtube.com/@WritersCompassVisit the website: https://welcometoearthstories.comSupport the show here: https://buymeacoffee.com/earthstories

Have you ever had a song move into your head and refuse to leave, no matter what you tried?A few days ago you heard Earworm, my story of a man haunted by a beautiful song that is not from this world, a melody that was quietly ruining his relationships. In this Behind the Curtains, I take you behind that story. I share my own run-in with an earworm, a song I could not shake, and I reveal how Earworm came to life. Here is the secret: there was no script. Not one line. The whole story was ad-libbed, built moment by moment through improvisation.I talk about why making things up on the spot is one of the best training grounds a creative person can have, and I encourage you to try it in your own work. I also go back to my roots in the 1980s, when freestyle meant creating from the top of your head with no page to hide behind, and I tell the story of a rap battle in a record store that taught me lessons I still use every time I create.Key takeaways:- My own earworm was an ordinary song that simply would not let go, and it taught me how powerful a stuck melody can be.- Improvisation builds creative courage. Earworm was created with no script at all, only instinct and trust in the moment.- Freestyle taught me to think fast, listen hard, and commit. Skills from those 1980s battles still shape my stories today.- Your creativity grows when you practice creating without a safety net.FAQsWas Earworm really made without a script?Yes. Every moment was improvised as I recorded, which is why this Behind the Curtains is all about ad-libbing and what it can unlock.How can improvisation help my own creative work?It trains you to trust your first ideas, recover fast when something fails, and find turns you would never plan on paper.Where can I find more of your stories and writing talk?At welcometoearthstories.com, and on my YouTube channel, The Writer's Compass, where I share writing craft and how stories are built: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWritersCompassOne more thing: check out Covenant City, my video game, right at the top of welcometoearthstories.com. It is still in beta, it is free to play, and you can start the moment you tap Covenant City. If you notice anything that needs tweaking, reach out to me and let me know. Your eyes help make it better.If this moved you, subscribe so you never miss a story, and leave me a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/WelcomeToEarthStoriesHow to leave a 5-star rating and review:Apple Podcasts, on iPhone or iPad: search Welcome to Earth Stories, open the show, scroll down to Ratings and Reviews, tap the fifth star, then tap Write a Review.Spotify, on Android or iPhone: search Welcome to Earth Stories, tap the star rating under the show name, and choose five stars.Created, written, and performed by York Campbell.

Can a song be so beautiful that it destroys your life?What if a melody followed you home from the far side of the world, moved into your head, and refused to leave?That is where Earworm begins.I wrote Earworm about a man who cannot stop hearing a song. Not a song from the radio. Not a song anyone else can hear. It plays while he works. It plays while he sleeps. And it plays while he sits across the table from women he is trying to build a life with, quietly paralysing every relationship before it has a chance to begin. How do you tell someone on a first date that there is already another presence living inside your head?On one of those dates, he finally tells the truth. Years earlier, he travelled deep into the Sahara Desert with a team of explorers and descended into mystery caves that appear on no map. Something was waiting down there in the dark. Not a creature. Not a machine. A melody.Where did it come from? Why did it choose him? And what does a song want, once it finds a mind it likes?Earworm is mesmerising, captivating, and disturbing. I will not tell you how it ends. I will only say this: after you listen, notice the next song that gets stuck in your head, and ask yourself where it really came from.Listen and subscribe at https://welcometoearthstories.comWelcome to Earth Stories is listener supported, and it stays alive because of people like you. If Earworm stays with you, and trust me, it will, please give back to the show at Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/earthstories. Every coffee helps me keep writing and producing the stories you love.Leave me a voice message and tell me what the song in your head is playing: https://www.speakpipe.com/WelcomeToEarthStoriesWatch my writing channel, The Writer's Compass, where I break down how stories like this are built: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWritersCompassEnjoying the show? A five star review helps new listeners find it.On iPhone: open the show in the Apple Podcasts app, scroll down to Ratings and Reviews, and tap five stars.On Android: open the show in Spotify, tap the star under the show name, and choose five stars.Questions listeners ask:What is Earworm about?A man haunted by a beautiful melody he discovered in hidden caves beneath the Sahara Desert, and what that melody does to every relationship he tries to build.Where can I listen to Earworm?At welcometoearthstories.com, and on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.How can I support Welcome to Earth Stories?Buy me a coffee at buymeacoffee.com/earthstories, leave a five star review, and share Earworm with one friend who loves a mystery.Written and produced by York Campbell.One more thing, and you will thank me for it. COVENANT CITY, the game I created, is live right now. You are the Masked Guardian, defending Jerusalem from the skies. Go to welcometoearthstories.com, hit the COVENANT CITY button, and play free in your browser, or install it on your phone like an app: https://welcometoearthstories.com/covenant-city/Want the story behind the game first? Read it here: https://welcometoearthstories.com/covenant-city-story/

What if the one who cannot speak is the best listener in the room?I wrote "Humpty" about a robot who arrives in pieces and a household that is not as put together as it looks. What happens when the quietest presence in the house starts to see everything? What would change in your own home if someone truly listened? Featuring Timothy Brien as the Man.This is a story about listening, love, and what it really means to be human. But how human can a machine become? And what does that say about us?Episode 5, October 9, 2026Key takeaways:Sometimes the deepest understanding comes without a single word.The people closest to us are often the hardest to truly hear.Love is less about fixing each other and more about paying attention.FAQs: What is "Humpty" about? A household robot arrives in pieces, and nothing in the house stays the same. Who performs in "Humpty"? Timothy Brien plays the Man. What is the main theme? Listening, love, and what it means to be human. Is "Humpty" science fiction? Yes, a sci-fi story with a very human heart.If this story pulls you in, subscribe to Welcome to Earth Stories so you never miss a new story.Watch my writing channel: The Writer's Compass on YouTube Visit the website: https://welcometoearthstories.com Leave me a voice message: Speakpipe.com/WelcometoearthstoriesEnjoyed this story? Here is how to leave a 5-star rating and review. On iPhone, open the Apple Podcasts app, search for Welcome to Earth Stories, scroll down to Ratings and Reviews, tap five stars, and write a few words. On Android, open Spotify, search for Welcome to Earth Stories, tap the star rating under the show name, and choose five stars.

If a glowing portal opened right in front of you today, would you dive in headfirst or run for cover?Season 9, Episode 4, October 7, 2026I am pulling back the curtain on The Westlow Anomaly this week. That story takes place in 1939, and I wanted every detail to be right, because details are what make you believe the world. The radio show playing in the car is a real 1939 broadcast, Fibber McGee and Molly, a comedy that actually aired in Ontario, Canada, where the story is set. The handgun Mrs. Fairweather fires near the end is a Smith and Wesson K-22, popular in Ontario in 1939. And the car is a Pontiac Arrow, a popular Ontario car that year. None of it was guesswork. I put on my research cap and dug until it was authentic.Then there is the big question at the heart of it all. Some people would jump through a portal without hesitation, explorers hungry for another world. Others have real stakes here: family, responsibilities, careers they do not want to lose on a one-way trip. It reminds me of those Mars mission interviews from a few years back, where candidates were told there was no return flight. Back when I was young and single with nobody depending on me, I would have signed up in a heartbeat. What about you? Would you step through?Key takeawaysWhy I research period details like 1939 radio broadcasts, handguns, and cars instead of making them upThe real 1939 details hidden inside The Westlow Anomaly: Fibber McGee and Molly, the Smith and Wesson K-22, and the Pontiac ArrowThe portal question: are you the kind of person who jumps in, or the kind who walks away?Why a one-way trip to Mars and a glowing portal ask the same question about what keeps us hereFAQsWho performed in The Westlow Anomaly? Amber Boetger as Mrs. Fairweather, Leo J. Allen as Colin, with a special thanks to Timothy Kimo Brien of the Create Art Podcast.Should I hear the original story first? Yes. If you have not heard The Westlow Anomaly yet, go listen to it first. None of this will make much sense otherwise.How can I support the show? Leave a thank you and a little loose change at https://buymeacoffee.com/earthstories. Every bit goes toward making more stories.LinksWelcome to Earth Stories: https://welcometoearthstories.comMy YouTube channel, The Writer's Compass: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWritersCompassLeave me a voice message: https://speakpipe.com/WelcometoearthstoriesHow to leave a 5 star rating and review On iPhone, open the Apple Podcasts app, search for Welcome to Earth Stories, tap the show, scroll down to Ratings and Reviews, tap five stars, then tap Write a Review. On Android, open Spotify, search for Welcome to Earth Stories, tap the show, tap the star rating, and select five stars. Spotify works the same way on iPhone too.If you enjoy these stories, hit subscribe so you never miss one. And remember: be kind to each other. Be a good earthling.

What if your missing person case walked you straight through a portal in time?In "The Westlow Anomaly," a brand new sci-fi noir audio drama from Welcome to Earth Stories, missing persons detective Cavallo takes the case that breaks every rule he knows.Westlow is the oasis of broken dreams, a city so far gone that its official motto is "no one in Westlow actually wants to be in Westlow." The liquor stores are the only businesses left standing, crime is the only growth industry, and Cavallo's office wall is decorated with six photographs of people who were never found. Then she walks in.Mrs. Fairweather. Red gown. Ruby lips. A mink coat, a pearl necklace, and a purse full of crisp hundred dollar bills. Her husband Philip Fairweather, the elderly banking magnate whose boot has been on this city's neck for decades, has been missing for three days. She will triple the detective's fee to find him. And she hands him a clue that does not belong in 1939: a smooth black rectangle engraved with a bitten apple, a device that lights up, tells the time, and connects him to a terrified young man named Colin, who talks like he is from another century. Because he is.One 10 p.m. meeting at a Victorian mansion. One oval, multicolored portal humming in the library. One femme fatale who might be the victim, the villain, or something stranger. Detective Cavallo came looking for a missing husband. He found a door between worlds.Put your headphones on. This one is pure noir science fiction, and the twist is one you will not see coming.CAST AND CREDITSWritten, produced, recorded, and narrated by York Campbell (Detective Cavallo) in the Poetic Earthling studio, Ottawa Valley. Featuring Amber Boetger as Mrs. Fairweather and Leo J. Allen as Colin, also featuring Timothy Kimo Brien from Create Art Podcast.LOVE THE SHOW? LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEWHow to rate and review on Apple Podcasts1. Open the Apple Podcasts app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.2. Tap Search and type "Welcome to Earth Stories." Tap the show to open its page.3. Scroll down until you see "Ratings & Reviews."4. Tap the stars to leave your rating.5. Tap "Write a Review" to add a few words about the show. You may be asked to sign in with your Apple ID.6. Tap Send. That's it. Thank you!How to rate on Spotify(Please note: Spotify allows star ratings but not written reviews.)1. Open the Spotify app and search for "Welcome to Earth Stories." Open the show page (not a single episode).2. Tap the three dots (...) under the show's name and choose "Rate show."3. Tap the number of stars you want to give, then tap Submit.Tip: Spotify asks you to listen to a few minutes of an episode before you can rate, so play a little first if the option doesn't show up right away.QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSQ: What is "The Westlow Anomaly" about?A: It is a sci-fi noir audio drama from Welcome to Earth Stories. In the broken city of Westlow, missing persons detective Cavallo is hired by the glamorous Mrs. Fairweather to find her missing husband, a wealthy elderly banker. The case pulls him toward a mysterious device from another time, a terrified caller named Colin, and a multicolored portal humming in a mansion library.Q: Who is Detective Cavallo?A: A hardboiled missing persons detective in Westlow, voiced and narrated by York Campbell. His office wall carries six photographs of people who were never found. Finding lost souls is more than his job. It is his calling.Q: Who stars in this episode?A: York Campbell as Detective Cavallo (also the writer, producer, and narrator), Amber Boetger as Mrs. Fairweather, and Leo J. Allen as Colin, with special thanks to Timothy Keemo-Bryan of the Create Art Podcast.Q: What is the strange rectangular device?A: A smooth black rectangle engraved with a bitten apple, found by Mrs. Fairweather. It lights up, displays the time, and connects the detective to Colin. It is a piece of technology that should not exist in 1939.Q: What is the Westlow anomaly?A: An oval, multicolored phenomenon suspended in mid-air in the Fairweather mansion library. Mrs. Fairweather believes it is a portal or vortex connecting Westlow to another place, or another time. Whatever is fed into it, a more sophisticated version comes out.Q: Where can I listen to Welcome to Earth Stories?A: Find the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or at welcometoearthstories.com.Q: How can I support the show?A: Two easy ways: leave a 5-star rating and review using the guides above, or make a donation at buymeacoffee.com/earthstories. Every bit keeps this independent show going.Website: welcometoearthstories.comSupport the show: buymeacoffee.com/earthstories