Fast Podcast Blast 7-8-18

Jul 8

In a recent conversation someone asked me what shows I was watching. Honestly, I drew a blank. I mean, I do watch TV, but it's mostly food shows or sports (NBA Playoffs and World Cup fo sho!). Admittedly, I did just watch Wild, Wild Country on Netflix last weekend and it was a major WOW (as in, don't miss it).

But I don't claim any shows as mine... I don't have the stomach for Game of Thrones, I could care less about The Bachelor, I'm sure I'd like The Crown but people, how do you have time?? I'm not being judgey here. But between work, exercise, groceries, cooking, bills, friends, feeding my brain and soul with some reading, and still trying to get plenty of sleep, I just can't manage it.

But PODCASTS. Now you're talking!! I listen to podcasts when I'm cooking, exercising, brushing my teeth, cleaning my house, heck even when I'm doing my back exercises! (When did I become my parents?) Even though the options can be overwhelming, I am also stoked by the variety. And if I try one out and it stinks, I hit the ol' garbage can button and cruise on to another one.

Here are my latest favorites, though if you ask me at any point during the year, I could list an entirely different selection. FEEL FREE to share your faves with me!

Here goes:

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me. This one will often cause me to audibly laugh out loud, which has been a tiny bit embarrassing if I'm in public. NPR calls it its "weekly current events quiz." It's just FUNNY. And when Paula Poundstone rants about how ridiculous scientific research can be.... HILARIOUS.
The Axe Files with David Axelrod. I love love LOVE good interviewers and this one is often so fascinating. He interviews folks from both sides of the aisle (recent guests include Marco Rubio and Rachel Maddow). Axelrod often gets his guests to talk about how they grew up and that mesmerizes me. (Favorite episode so far was his interview with Steve Kerr. I think I have a crush...) Equally good at this (and perhaps the gold standard) is Terry Gross and Fresh Air.
How It Is. This one is new for me. I like it. It's produced by Reese Witherspoon. It's got some major girl-power energy and a few episodes have pumped me up.
Left, Right and Center. If you only have time for a one-hour summary of the week's news and want to hear all the main viewpoints, this one checks all the boxes. Sometimes I argue out loud with certain perspectives, but it is all done in an interesting and civil way. An even shorter summary of the week's news from both sides is also PBS NewsHour with Shields and Brooks.
All Songs Considered. If you want to keep up with what the kids are listening to, I especially check out their New Music Fridays episodes. And they have a new series called American Anthems that sounds promising.
WorkLife with Adam Grant. I will probably post another time soon about all the podcasts I listen to related to my consulting work, but this one is at the top. I've written about it before, but I do find it consistently interesting and enlightening.
Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air. My brother told me about this one. Larry covers all kinds of topics and the dude is smart AND funny!
OnBeing with Krista Tippett. I get all kinds o' feels when I listen to this one. I definitely save this for long walks; it's not something to listen to when you're multi-tasking. As her website says, it deals with questions like "What does it mean to be human? How do we want to live? And who will we be to each other?" SO GOOD! If you're having some existential angst about the church, another good one is the Nomad Podcast. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for British accents...