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listening
Traffic was lovely (NOT) this morning, but I managed to get the most recent podcast from Smart Bitches started amongst all the stop-and-go (with the variable speed limit sign taunting us with the doomed 35 (which is code for yeah, nobody's really moving but we'll pretend like it might clear up sometime before lunch)) and lost myself in an hour of squee over Outlander (books & TV). So fun, I almost didn't mind the traffic horror. (Almost. But still, much better than trying to remain calm w/o diversions.)
I'm still working out my omg-how-am-i-going-to-cope strategy for my now doubled/tripled commute, but so far, what seems to be working is podcasts in the morning and audiobooks in the evening. It can't be just any podcast, though—I can't deal with think pieces, mostly because then I'm yelling my opinions of HOW CAN YOU BE SO WRONG?11 at my phone, which defeats the Zennnnnn requirement. I'm diverted from the traffic, but I still want to throttle someone, which does nothing for my blood pressure. This eliminates several highly recommended shows, including NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour (this was actually the ah-hah moment, when I was snarling back to their thesis that they took that extra scene of disaster out of The Martian movie because they wanted to present a relentlessly optimistic story and that scene (in the rover, no spoilers) didn't fit. Or, you know, it was just ONE MORE THING amid ALL THE OTHER THINGS that could have killed Watley and Ridley got effing BORED. I'm hissing this as I'm weaving in and out of bumper-to-bumper traffic going 70 mph (I'd reached the portion of the commute where we move, but there's still a stupid number of cars on the road) and decided it probably wasn't such a good idea to listen to such things.)
On the other hand, I really do need diversion, and wow, there are a lot of also highly recommended podcasts that are as dull as dirt/presented by egomaniacs that love to hear their own voices. (I realize this isn't precisely news, as it is the definition of teh internets, but yeah, yawn.) So this eliminated 90% of the tech podcasts (Merlin Mann, dear lord, what are you doing with the idiot you're paired with? And, StartUp came highly recommended, but brought on flashbacks to actually working at one, so yay for verisimilitude, but boooooo for the rest.) And most of the chit-chat podcasts went down, too. (Call Your Girlfriend had potential, but they lost me with HRC's email server – thanks, but I don't need to hear MORE about the news from people I don't know. I can actually, y'know, call my girlfriends for that.)
Serial is out—true crime is so not my thing; my brain has classified WTNV as more audiobook than podcast, so that's on the afternoon drive list.
So, in rotation right now:
Dear Bitches, Smart Authors -- the actual name of the aforementioned SBTB podcast, which is generally an hour-or-so interview with someone from the romance novel field (usually an author, but sometimes an editor or a blogger, or in this morning's case, Barrie Hardymon from NPR's Weekend Edition who looooves her some Outlander.) Bonus! Sarah always has a list on the blog post of the (many) books that get mentioned during the rambling discussions. My TBR pile overfloweth.
Disney Dish – For my money, the least entitled/whiny of the ten gazillion Disney parks podcast, with the best access to not-yet-confirmed-by-Disney news. Not a super-hi-tech broadcast by any means, but the two guys who do it know what they're talking about. I'll also go listen to any other podcasts they may be guesting on, because you never know what little tidbit you're going to hear.
Radio Cherry Bombe – Short (15 min) but sweet/sharp. Smart ladies and foooood, yum.
Bon Appetit Foodcast – yes, more food.
Reading Lives – from bookriot.com… I've only listened to 2 episodes so far, but I might be in loooove. An hour of talking about reading (as opposed to 'discussing books', which see above, re: potential for OMG, YOU ARE WRONG) with authors. It's so soothing. It would be totally awesome if they listed the books mentioned in the episodes, but I suppose my book budget is better off not having that super-easy access.
On deck for a full-scale tryout (which means they've come highly recommended and did not make me hiss and snap in a 5-min audition listen) are:
Backstory – Historical topics in American history traced through the 18th/19th/20th Centuries by three professors of same.
You Must Remember This – Hollywood history, though I might have to give the Manson sub-series a skip.
Rachel and Miles X-plain the X-Men – I just committed to another year of Marvel Unlimited (I still think it's too pricey, but all the boys and half their friends read on my account so at least there's that) so now is probably the time to dive into this and sort out all those storylines.
I'm still working out my omg-how-am-i-going-to-cope strategy for my now doubled/tripled commute, but so far, what seems to be working is podcasts in the morning and audiobooks in the evening. It can't be just any podcast, though—I can't deal with think pieces, mostly because then I'm yelling my opinions of HOW CAN YOU BE SO WRONG?11 at my phone, which defeats the Zennnnnn requirement. I'm diverted from the traffic, but I still want to throttle someone, which does nothing for my blood pressure. This eliminates several highly recommended shows, including NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour (this was actually the ah-hah moment, when I was snarling back to their thesis that they took that extra scene of disaster out of The Martian movie because they wanted to present a relentlessly optimistic story and that scene (in the rover, no spoilers) didn't fit. Or, you know, it was just ONE MORE THING amid ALL THE OTHER THINGS that could have killed Watley and Ridley got effing BORED. I'm hissing this as I'm weaving in and out of bumper-to-bumper traffic going 70 mph (I'd reached the portion of the commute where we move, but there's still a stupid number of cars on the road) and decided it probably wasn't such a good idea to listen to such things.)
On the other hand, I really do need diversion, and wow, there are a lot of also highly recommended podcasts that are as dull as dirt/presented by egomaniacs that love to hear their own voices. (I realize this isn't precisely news, as it is the definition of teh internets, but yeah, yawn.) So this eliminated 90% of the tech podcasts (Merlin Mann, dear lord, what are you doing with the idiot you're paired with? And, StartUp came highly recommended, but brought on flashbacks to actually working at one, so yay for verisimilitude, but boooooo for the rest.) And most of the chit-chat podcasts went down, too. (Call Your Girlfriend had potential, but they lost me with HRC's email server – thanks, but I don't need to hear MORE about the news from people I don't know. I can actually, y'know, call my girlfriends for that.)
Serial is out—true crime is so not my thing; my brain has classified WTNV as more audiobook than podcast, so that's on the afternoon drive list.
So, in rotation right now:
On deck for a full-scale tryout (which means they've come highly recommended and did not make me hiss and snap in a 5-min audition listen) are:
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I will try to keep up with the 'casts I enjoy and post about any new ones I find.
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I have been on a podcast binge this fall--my attention span often too short for audiobooks. I also find that sometimes highly recommended ones bore me and/or irritate me. But there are a lot I love.
I think my favorite one right now is You Must Remember This -- Karina Longworth has a great way of making everything interesting. I really loved the Manson family series--it was long on culture, short on gore--but all the others are great, too.
I'm sure people have also recommended Hard Core History. I really like that, as well.
Others I've enjoyed recently:
Another Round --especially the Hilary Clinton interview. But this is one of the ones with two people chatting, so it depends what you think about their personalities.
Gravy, from the Southern Food Alliance.
Switched on Pop--but it depends how you feel about close analysis of pop songs.
Lit Up -- Very New York, the interviewers have the potential to be incredibly annoying, but somehow they get good interviews out their guests (all authors, mostly women).
The New York Times Book Review podcast usually has a good mix of author interviews, book news and reviews. I also like Books on the Nightstand.
"Fiction" podcasts are even more hit or miss, but my kids and I adore Decoder Ring Theatre (The Red Panda Adventures and Black Jack Justice)
I also have been liking Limetown ("Serial" meets "The X-Files"--pretty spooky). I listened to one episode of Tanis, and enjoyed that.
and more...but that's enough for now, probably! (the A/V Club does a "Podmass" wrap up that's useful, too)
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What's Call Your Girlfriend about?
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Call Your Girlfriend is two long-time friends who now live on opposite coasts chatting about stuff going on in the news and in pop culture. They're fairly cool, but they just made me miss my real girlfriends.
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I really enjoy 'stuff you missed in history class' and I will definitely check out Backstory.
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Everybody in my normal life loves Pop Culture Happy Hour, but I feel like I get that sort of analysis in my fandom social media and thus am not looking for more, which sets my OMGYOUAREWRONG bar really low.
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