In this episode, Severance Radio host Heidi Kyser interviews Professor Shelley Kelley and Natalie Pennington on the effects of a solitary life amid a pandemic. 

Shelley Kelly is aprofessor, reader, music lover, motorcyclist. She is one of the little people who makes things happen. She has a true belief in the notion that every problem can be solved with a long ride on a motorcycle. Her motto is “You live more in 5 minutes on a motorcycle than most people live in a lifetime”.

Natalie Pennington is an expert in interpersonal communication within the context of communication technology. An assistant professor of communication studies, she examines how private topics become public on social networking platforms and the resulting impact on relationships. Her research looks at how users of social media build and maintain relationships, the potential benefits and harms associated with technology use, and social support and grieving online. Pennington’s work has been published in several academic publications, including New Media & Society, Social Media + Society, Computers in Human Behavior, and the Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media.

DISCUSSED

Solitude, a motorcycle trip, technology, the broken iPhone, comfort in routine, contracts, money, family, the mother, the unknown, disconnecting for survival, loneliness within a group, the ex-boyfriend.