Wherever you are, I hope you’re finding moments of peace in the heart of winter. I’ve spent the past few days with the most precious parts of my heart, cooking, singing, playing, eating and laughing. The three wise men themselves could not have bestowed a better gift upon me; riches are mined in the heart alone.

Planet: Critical has gained quite a number of new subscribers over these shortened days, and I realised recently that it may be the time to sit on the other side of the microphone and give you, this wonderful community, the chance to become the interviewer. Long-time listeners will have been able to piece together parts of my story, but I notice that with increasing frequency the people I meet are very curious as to how Planet: Critical came about. I try and answer as honestly as possible: quite accidentally, having attempted many other things with great determination. Planet: Critical was born out of my running out of ideas, and I had no idea what it was, truly, for the first year of doing it.

But I happened to have done quite a few other things to prepare: reading, researching, teaching, journalism, sales work, moving abroad, breaking down, rebuilding. I have lived in six different countries, learned a second language, and, importantly, walked away from many careers. I was always looking for my thing. To find it, I had to make it. Luckily, I had no idea what I was making—otherwise I might have screwed it up.

My story has enough twists and turns to make your head spin, and perhaps it is of little interest to some of you. Yet, for the curious among you, I’d like to tell it. I’ll record a special episode of P:C for next week’s show, responding to the questions that you can submit in this Google Form.

You can also submit any interviewee ideas for the coming year.

With that, Happy New Year to you all.

Rachel