Secret Phone Notes

Secret Phone Notes

by Barry Taylor
ComedyPersonal Journals
Season 1
Ep 12: Maureen's Secret Phone Notes / Death is inevitable, slam poetry, ambassador of Milton Keynes
Ready to roulette a stranger's notes app? Today I'm joined by Maureen Onwunali, a Dublin-born Nigerian poet who is a lot of fun. And national slam poetry champion twice! We scroll, we stop, and we reveal what's hidden away in the swamp that is our notes app. Let's listen! Secret Phone Notes Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secretphonenotes/ Maureen Onwunali's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/monwunali_poetry/ You'll find the chapter list below but tl;dr - Maureen was dscovered on stage (ish) at 14 by poet Joelle Taylor, Maureen talks growing up between Dublin, London and Milton Keynes, performing at the Irish Embassy for Bloomsday, and what her name actually means. Plus: a viral puffer jacket poem, 1,776 phone notes, and the ongoing campaign to dethrone Maureen O'Hara on Google. Stay tuned. Chapter list: 00:25 Introduction to Secret Phone Notes 04:01 Exploring the Roulette of Notes 05:22 RANDOM HOST NOTE 06:19 Diving into Maureen's Oldest Note 07:46 OLDEST GUEST NOTE 08:58 The Impact of Lockdown on Creativity 10:26 Maureen's poetry beginnings, aged 12 17:42 GUEST'S NEWEST NOTE 22:15 An Ambassador to Milton Keynes 25:10 Which city has shaped Maureen's writing the most? 28:10 The mandem don't cry enough poem 32:10 What is slam poetry? 35:00 Building a university poetry team from scratch 43:30 Nigerian heritage, language & oral storytelling 49:24 Maureen performs a poem 55:50 Closing notes
S1 · E13
Jun 23, 2026
56:17
Ep 11: Oisín's Secret Phone Notes / Cycling around the world, 4297 notes, where's home?
Ready to roulette a stranger's notes app? Today I'm joined by Oisín for the 11th (official) episode of Secret Phone Notes. We scroll, we stop, and we reveal what's hidden away in the swamp that is our notes app. Let's listen! Secret Phone Notes Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secretphonenotes/ Oisín's amazing videos and prose - https://www.instagram.com/prendio2/ 00:00 Introduction to the Secret Phone Notes Podcast 04:08 RANDOM HOST NOTE 05:08 Oisín's ludicrous way of keeping notes 08:13 Creative Processes and Cycling Adventures 08:34 GUEST RANDOM NOTE 09:56 Life Lessons from Cycling around the World 14:47 SECOND RANDOM GUEST NOTE 22:06 The Journey Begins: Starting at Granny's House 25:15 Facing Challenges: The Reality of Long-Distance Cycling 28:59 WhatsApp group of Irish cyclists around the world 29:06 Dervla Murphy, cycling solo from Ireland to India in 1965 31:12 When do you feel most alive? 33:57 Cycling around the world: What has surprised you the most 34:16 Biggest surprises along the Way:? 39:58 RANDOM GUEST NOTE 44:44 Bikepacking accommodation: Where do you stay? 46:13 The Cycling Community and Female Bikepackers 47:40 RANDOM GUEST NOTE 47:47 Reflections on Home and Belonging 55:21 Final Thoughts and Reflections If you liked this, please send it to a friend/enemy or rate it or follow on Instagram or anything really that'll help push it to one more individual haha. Am I desperate? Yes. Additional notes: Bikepacking around the world, cycling trips
S1 · E12
Jun 17, 2026
56:13
Ep 10: Adrien's Secret Phone Notes / Making a Mandalorian x Burger King menu, Kevin Spacey crisis, trolling Nigeria
Ready to roulette a stranger's notes app? Today I'm joined by Adrien for the 10th (official) episode of Secret Phone Notes. We scroll, we stop, and we reveal what's hidden away in the swamp that is our notes app. Let's listen! Secret Phone Notes Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secretphonenotes/ 00:00 Introduction to Adrien 01:37 How we met, Barry's winning final goal 03:58 How the format works 05:23 RANDOM HOST NOTE 07:46 Experiences in Business Class and Celebrity Encounters 08:00 Barry's sole premium airline experience 08:33 Jameson First Shot and Barry in LA 10:20 The Kevin Spacey crisis 13:20 Superstitions and Personal Rituals 20:48 RANDOM GUEST NOTE 21:55 Adrien's Random thoughts: Bad whistlers 22:57 Adrien's Random thoughts: Americans and Their Cars 24:37 Designing Burger King menus 28:29 American vs. Italian Pizza 30:49 Warm shower thougths 33:56 Swiss Lifestyle and Swimming Culture 37:16 RANDOM GUEST NOTE 37:34 The Burger Boy and Culinary memories 40:08 Nostalgic Fast Food Memories 45:07 Cultural Roots and Family Background 51:23 Trolling England fans in a bar 53:35 Exploring Ivory Coast: A Cultural Perspective Links and stufff! The Burger Boy - https://www.instagram.com/the_burgerboy_/ The Burger Boy hiking the Alps for the ultimate burger - https://youtu.be/Y6KmqoU5jdE?si=ydH8DcS4ndDRr5GC Secret Phone Notes Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secretphonenotes/ Barry's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/barrison_ford/ Barry's Website - https://barrytaylor.co/ Barry's email - barrytaylor1993@gmail.com Thanks so much!
S1 · E11
Jun 10, 2026
58:00
Ep 9: Lara's Secret Phone Notes / Marking a monk, Lebanese humour, personal growth goals
Ready to roulette a stranger's notes app? Today I'm joined by Lara for the 9th (official) episode of Secret Phone Notes. We scroll, we stop, and we reveal what's hidden away in the swamp that is our notes app. Let's listen! Secret Phone Notes Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secretphonenotes/ 00:00 Introduction to Lara 03:29 HOST NOTE - SECOND OLDEST 03:30 Barry's Personal Growth Goals 09:10 Language and Cultural Identity 11:29 The Beauty of Arabic Dialects 19:03 FIRST GUEST NOTE 21:49 Letterboxd Favourite Four 22:33 Top Four Films Discussion 24:20 The Impact of 'The Tree of Life' 25:41 Terrence Malick's 'The Thin Red Line' Lore 31:00 Christopher Nolan's 'Dunkirk' 34:14 Reflections on Personal Growth and Experiences 38:04 Cultural Insights and Humor 39:25 Exploring Lebanon: A Journey Beyond the Cities 40:03 Beirut's Vibrant Nightlife 41:41 The Perfect Night Out in Beirut 42:25 GUEST NOTE - RANDOM 43:11 The Transition to Berlin: Parks and Public Spaces 45:35 Navigating Visa Challenges and Opportunities 45:35 Visa issues for non-EU citizens 47:20 Reflections on Privilege and Opportunity 48:10 Playing football with an angry monk 52:47 Final Thoughts Links and stufff! Secret Phone Notes Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secretphonenotes/ Barry's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/barrison_ford/ Barry's Website - https://barrytaylor.co/ Barry's email - barrytaylor1993@gmail.com Thanks so much!
S1 · E10
Jun 2, 2026
53:46
Special Episode - Secret Phone Notes / Anonymous listener notes
Ready to roulette a stranger's notes app? Today is a special (and very brief) episode. Join me in the jazz corner where I read aloud the secret notes sent in by listeners. 00:00 Introduction 00:40 First listener phone note 01:20 Second listener phone note 02:40 Third listener phone note 03:40 Fourth listener phone note 05:10 Fifth listener phone note 06:10 Sixth listener phone note Want to get something off your chest? Send it in. We can keep it anonymous, both between you and I, too! Links and stufff! Secret Phone Notes Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secretphonenotes/ Barry's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/barrison_ford/ Barry's Website - https://barrytaylor.co/ Barry's email - barrytaylor1993@gmail.com Thanks so much!
S1 · E9
May 26, 2026
7:29
Ep 8: Phil's Secret Phone Notes / Living in Senegal, scooter trips in Mauritania, Mali's jihadist situation
Ready to roulette a stranger's notes app? Today I'm joined by Phil Paoletta for the 8th episode of Secret Phone Notes. We scroll, we stop, and we reveal what's hidden away in the swamp that is our notes app. Phil leads a fascinating life and I'd urge you to get past my note and listen to our conversation. 00:00 Introduction 02:37 How did Phil end up in West Africa? 05:07 RANDOM HOST NOTE 07:07 OLDEST GUEST NOTE 08:49 Mali: A Creative Hub? 09:26 Why move to Mali? The music 11:30 Highlife vs. Malian Music 12:17 Highlife music (Afrobeat) 16:57 RANDOM GUEST NOTE 18:16 Exploring Unique Travel Experiences 18:36 What is Scoot West Africa? 21:32 How Reddit led Barry to scooting 2,000km in West Africa 22:29 A very small world story 26:57 Barry's scooter trip to Senegal / Mauritania 31:48 The world becomes even smaller (!!) 35:14 RANDOM GUEST NOTE 39:52 RANDOM GUEST NOTE 40:31 An unexpected odyssey in Cabo Verde 46:53 Phil's hotel bar in Mali. It's current situation. 47:56 Mali's current situation 55:39 Postcards from Timbuktu: A Unique Project 59:20 Closing notes and links Links and stufff! Scoot West Africa's Instagram - https://scootwestafrica.com/ Phil's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/philinthe_/ Phil's Website - https://philintheblank.net/ Barry's write-up and film photos of his African scooter trip': https://barrytaylor.co/travel-writing--- Secret Phone Notes Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secretphonenotes/ Barry's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/barrison_ford/ Barry's Website - https://barrytaylor.co/ Barry's email - barrytaylor1993@gmail.com Thanks so much!
S1 · E8
May 19, 2026
1:01:03
Ep 7: Katie's Secret Phone Notes / Train windows, a terrorist-turned-kindergarten teacher, our tattoo stories
Ready to roulette a stranger's notes app? Today I'm joined by Katie Edwards for the 7th episode of Secret Phone Notes. We scroll, we stop, and we reveal what's hidden away in the swamp that is our notes app. Katie Edwards captures the world through train windows and she's one of the most unique creatives who constantly leaves me floored. Listen and then check her out! 00:00 Introduction and Personal Reflections 03:04 Creative Decisions and Life Choices 06:47 Exploring the Notes App 06:58 RANDOM PHONE NOTE (HOST) 07:05 Music and Artistic Inspirations 09:09 OLDEST PHONE NOTE (GUEST) 09:50 Theatre and Creative Background 11:52 Katie's time in Uni 12:23 Influences and Creative Growth 15:00 Street Photography and Storytelling 20:09 Exploring Juxtapositions in Photography 23:34 Katie Edward's Train Window Project 24:19 RANDOM PHONE NOTE (GUEST) 24:43 The Journey Across America 26:44 The Art of Train Photography 28:41 Production Techniques in Photography 29:36 Editing: The Heart of the Work 31:54 Crafting a Deeper Narrative 33:15 RANDOM PHONE NOTE (GUEST) 34:42 Pitching projects to go Guardian 36:24 The Third Gender of Fiji 38:07 Terrorist to Kindergarten Owner in Indonesia 41:14 The Challenges of Journalism 42:04 Personal Reflections on Creative Expression 43:20 Katie's tattoo: its reason 45:25 Barry's tattoo: its reason Links and stufff! Katie Edward's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/katiedwards/ Katie Edward's TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@katie3dwards Katie Edward's Website - https://katie-edwards.com/ 'I was a terrorist, now I run a kindegarten': https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2023/jul/25/i-was-a-terrorist-now-i-run-a-kindergarten-video 'The trans ‘queen mother’ reclaiming Fiji’s third gender' https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/20/the-trans-queen-mother-reclaiming-fijis-third-gender-photo-essay --- Secret Phone Notes Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secretphonenotes/ Barry's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/barrison_ford/ Barry's Website - https://barrytaylor.co/ Barry's email - barrytaylor1993@gmail.com Thanks so much!
S1 · E7
May 12, 2026
49:34
Ep 6: Mathieu's Secret Phone Notes / Fake gay jobs, Spanish insults, wine and whiskey lore
Ready to roulette a stranger's notes app? Today I'm joined by Mathieu Couret for the 6th episode of Secret Phone Notes. We scroll, we stop, and we reveal what's hidden away in the swamp that is our notes app. Or his. 00:00 Introduction and Background 04:30 RANDOM HOST NOTE 07:20 RANDOM GUEST NOTE 10:26 The Nature of Celebrity Collaborations 13:00 GUEST'S OLDEST NOTE 15:05 Language Learning Journey 19:10 Personality change in different languages? 20:32 Insults across different languages 25:00 Catholic church, the gayest institution? 27:30 GUEST'S NEWEST NOTE 28:00 A Japanese wine masterclass 32:58 Understanding Orange Wine 34:48 Connections between Japanese wine and whisky? 38:40 The worldly whiskey barrel sharing 41:54 The inventions of wine - Georgia / Moldova 44:00 How Mat's partner influences him 47:27 Closing remarks and appreciation Links and stufff! Mathieu's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mathieucouret/ Mathieu's TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mathieucrt --- Secret Phone Notes Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secretphonenotes/ Barry's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/barrison_ford/ Barry's Website/email - https://barrytaylor.co/ Thanks so much!
S1 · E6
May 5, 2026
48:00
Ep 5: KK Lewis's Secret Phone Notes / How to write songs, Reddit explained, WWII pigeons
EDIT: Notes are now timestamped below. Ready to roulette your notes app? Today I'm joined by singer-songwriter KK Lewis. Together we scroll and then reveal whatever we land on. Welcome to the 5th episode of Secret Phone Notes! Rough timestamps can be found below: 00:00 Introduction 04:21 RANDOM HOST NOTE 05:41 Language Learning and Cultural Insights 08:30 KK'S FIRST NOTE (OLDEST) 10:49 Leaving cert -> Music 14:13 Living in Spain for a year as a teen 14:14 Breaking ankles in Spain as a teen 15:16 Barry's embarrassing bone break 16:53 Personal Stories of Injury and Resilience 19:59 Karaoke song choice 23:04 Moving to Berlin for romance (kinda) 24:07 Nomadland and Barry in therapy in Berlin 26:23 KK'S SECOND NOTE (NEWEST) 26:43 The Creative Process of Songwriting? 28:01 How to write a song 29:42 The Evolution of Lyricism 32:42 KK's biggest influence 35:18 The Journey of an Artist 38:07 KK's Listener Engagement and random Global Reach 41:11 RANDOM HOST NOTE 46:31 Snakes and badgers in Poland 49:00 Reddit: What is it? (Me pushing Reddit) 50:31 Reddit Secret Santa: Host's Experience 54:03 The Impact of Social Media on Personal Life 54:06 KK'S THIRD NOTE (RANDOM) 55:42 The Unique Experience of Live Music Events 56:46 Playing gigs in Dublin 58:00 The Pigeon Man: A Story of Connection 59:14 Why does Barry love pigeons? 01:00:00 A riveting pigeon WWII story 01:04:11 The Pigeon Man Song: Inspiration and Meaning 01:06:00 Outro Links and stufff! KK Lewis's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kkloowis/ KK Lewis's Linktree (including music) - linktr.ee/kklewis Sunflower Sessions - https://www.instagram.com/sunflowersessions_/ Secret Phone Notes Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/secretphonenotes/ Barry's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/barrison_ford/ Barry's Website/email - https://barrytaylor.co/ Thanks so much!
S1 · E5
Apr 29, 2026
1:09:34
Ep 4: Paula's Secret Phone Notes / Sea monkeys, Soviet spies, and the life of a 5 euro note
This is Russian roulette with our notes app. Today I'm joined by Paula MacSweeney. Together we scroll and then reveal whatever we land on. Welcome to the 4th episode of Secret Phone Notes! Rough timestamps can be found below. 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 01:16 Phone Note Roulette Explained 03:45 First host note: What do I do for work 06:20 Voiceover Work and Client Interactions 09:26 Whiskey Marketing and Personal Anecdotes 12:24 First guest note: The Life of a Five Euro Note 15:22 The Role of a Librarian 18:38 AI's Impact on Research and Creativity 21:16 Parenting Challenges and Food Preferences 29:01 Fun Facts and Color Perception Second guest note 31:51 Haircut Anxiety and Language Barriers 35:24 Family Traditions and Takeaway Choices Third guest note 39:11 Simple Cooking and Marathon Training 39:29 Charity Marathons and Personal Goals 44:38 Nutrition Lessons from Marathon Running 44:38 Podcasting Insights and Future Plans
S1 · E4
Apr 21, 2026
46:24
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