Honestly, I didn't really even understand what podcasts were until about two years ago. I know, sometimes I get very comfortable under my rock! Part of the reason I never really checked any out is because I felt completely overwhelmed by the selection. There are so many genres and within each one, a ridiculous amount of topics. It made my head spin.
One summer day, though, I took my son Ryker and his friend, Elijah to the beach. It was a little bit of a long drive and it felt like an eternity before we got there. Apparently, at some point during the afternoon Elijah and Ryker wagered on one thing or another that they were doing and Ryker lost. His "punishment" was that he had to listen to a podcast of Elijah's choice on the way home. The mom in me was a little curious as to the contents of this podcast so I offered to play it in the car for all of us to hear. It was called "Red Web" and the episode he chose was one about a creepy case of "someone" stalking a family who moved into a house in Westfield, NJ. IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!! Not only was it interesting, but it made the drive that had felt so long that morning, actually feel half the distance. From the moment on, I was a podcast junkie (thank you, Elijah).
Now I always listen to podcasts when I drive, during my lunch break and also when I walk and run!! Sure, I still love music, but there is nothing that makes an endurance style workout more enjoyable than a podcast that sucks you right in. And it makes the workout speed by! I actually get excited to plan what I'm going to listen to. So I figured I would share some of my favorites with you!!
SmartLess: This is my favorite podcast of all time! When I first discovered it, I binged every single episode and become a complete addict. Sean Hayes, Will Arnett and Jason Batemen are the perfect trio, balancing humorous banter with thoughtful questions to their diverse guests. The premise is one of the hosts invites the guest and surprises the others. I legitimately laugh out loud and sometimes feel like I'm going to pee my pants.
Short History Of...: If you like history, you will LOVE this podcast. Each week the host chooses one person or event in history and sums it up in less than an hour. As one of my former colleagues used to say when she wanted a summary of a book we were publicizing "just give me the guts". That's exactly what this podcast does. It gives you all the most interesting things you need to know and leaves the boring stuff out.
ESPN 30 for 30: I listened to every single episode of this podcast as I was training for a Half Ironman. I would actually look forward to the long rides on my bike trainer simply because I knew I could listen to this uninterrupted. There is nothing better than a sports story to inspire you to keep going in whatever it is you are doing. There were episodes about people and events I thought I had absolutely no interest in, but the way the podcast is presented makes every tale truly worth your time to listen to it!
Criminal: I'm a little bit of a wimp when it comes to true crime. I automatically think every horrible and gruesome thing is going to happen to me so listening to dark tales of horror does nothing for me except send my anxiety into overdrive. What I like about Criminal is that it takes "true crime" and tells the story from interesting angles. The episodes often times tell stories about the people who have been wronged or leave you wondering about the true meaning of "right and wrong". The host does a great job of presenting interesting angles to stories.
Fresh Air: Listening to NPR's Fresh Air makes me feel smart. Seriously, I end up listening to episodes about things I wouldn't generally be interested in! They cover EVERYTHING: politics, science, international affairs, the environment, music, actors, history, food...you name it, Fresh Air covers it. The episodes are always under an hour and I always feel like a more informed human after listening. It's kind of like my daily vitamin podcast.
What are some of your favorites???
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