Podcast obsession

Hullo friends and stalkers,

The thing on my mind today? Podcasts. 

Do you listen to podcasts? Yes, Serial is a podcast. No, Making a Murderer is not a podcast. Neither is that audio book that you just downloaded through Audible. 

A podcast is like a radio show, you know, the kind that used to be on this thing:📻 Legend has it that people used to sit around their radios at a certain time on a certain night to listen together as a family to a story told with NO PICTURES! 

The thing is, these days people still do this semiregularly, but it's a little more convenient now! Podcasts are on the Internet, can be downloaded to a phone or computer, or streamed through an app that will automatically tell you when the next episode is released, and will keep track of the episodes that you have listened to...BONUS for us list makers!

Here are some podcasts that help me not to make angry decisions while driving 45 minutes to and from work everyday:

1. This American Life- It is very well known in the podcast world, and has the dreamy voice of Ira Glass. These episodes typically center around a theme of some sort and include first and second hand stories, poems, and snippits of interview with people who are experiencing the theme of the episode. Each episode is also about 45 minutes long. (Snaps to Katy for introducing me to my most favorite podcast!)

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2. Serial- "One story told week by week" in the words of Sarah Koenig herself: the creator/producer of the show. (Who also has a dreamy voice btw) Each episode advances the main storyline, which is a non-fiction account of one specific topic that is very complex. There is one previous season, and not only are we waist deep into the second season right now, we also are getting updates about the first season's main character: Adnan Syed. He is currently serving a life sentence for a murder that he may or may not have committed (but we don't think he did it...? Maybe?) We are getting updates on him because they are looking into his case again with a key witness that, for some reason, was never called to trial the first time around. The defense feels that Adnan's previous lawyer's declining health was to blame for this misstep. TBD on if Adnan will get a new trial or will go back to jail with forever and ever amen.
The current season centers on Bowe Bergdahl, who was in Afghanistan as part of the U.S. military. One day, he walked off of his post into to desert. In the current season that is unfolding, we are learning the many layers of why he did this, and what he hoped to achieve.

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3. Criminal- This is the most perfect description for this podcast, as taken from it's own website: "Criminal is a podcast about crime. Stories of people who've done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle." It is not just stories are murder, but of all different kinds of crime. I think that's my favorite part about it! They are quick episodes, and they are interesting to listen to!

4. Stuff You Missed in History Class- which is exactly as it sounds. Narrated by two women who do a lot of research into the topic of the episode. Real talk right now: these episodes are gross, depressing, and mostly about murder with an occasional random show on the history of butter vs. margarine (for example). Sometimes, which I find the most interesting, they tell you about some random person from history! Yay!

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5. Women of the Hour- short one time podcast with extras with everyone's favorite twenty something year old to hate: Lena Dunham! This is just meh, but I see where she was going with this. It's worth a listen when you've become obsessed with podcasts (like me) and have listened to every episode of your favorite shows and have nothing left to hear!

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6. The Longest Shortest Time- all about life with children, children things, preggos, and the culture of having children. It's interesting. Things to know about this one: the baby/child laughter at the beginning of each episode is annoying AF, but the commercials are creatively done through a phone call the host makes to a friend/relative to tell said friend/relative about some baby/mama product. This makes the commercials waaaaay more listenable until you remember that there is a button that lets you fast forward like 15 seconds that you can use on the commercials!! (And the annoying baby in the beginning😄) Listener beware though- they just did an episode on pilling the placenta and it was HARD to listen to. I'm a firm believer of finishing podcasts (and books) that I start though so I just rode the listener train on that and tried not to lose it on the way to Target😝

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7. Guys We F****d: The Anti-Slut Shaming Podcast- I really tried to listen and like this one because of the title. I was all, "Yea! Women power! Anti-Slut Shaming is a thing!" And then I listened to this show....well, like, 10 episodes and I just couldn't do it. It's terrible, and annoying. They're comedians, and they spend the first five-six minutes of the episode just plugging their upcoming tour dates and saying a lot of "Uh, yea" to each other. Just don't on this one. (I'm not even going to provide you with a link to this one. It's that bad. NO)

This link will not take you there but just click it.

So there you go! 6 podcasts that I think are listen-worthy! If you're looking for something more stimulating than tv and less work than a book.....PODCASTS! Open that purple app on your iPhone (that came with the phone and that you can't delete) called Podcasts, click the "search" button at the bottom, or check out the "featured" button :) Happy podcasting!

And if you're looking for more...these also rock: Presidential, Stuff You Should Know, Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me or any of the TED talks!