I know lots of folks who don’t even know what a podcast is. Don’t know, don’t care, would rather listen to some talking head on the radio or some music while driving, doing household chores, jogging, whatever. It wasn’t uncommon to see folks going about their daily routine with a Sony Walkman strapped to their arm. For a while that was me. Then came the Apple iPod, and that changed the way many of us listened to music. I guess that invention spawned the podcast.
I think the first podcast I listened to was something produced by The Motley Fool, an investing advisement service we’ve subscribed to for years. TMF is the reason we’re out here rather than back there, still turning the money crank. We started out receiving their monthly newsletter, then there was access to pretty decent website, then they began producing daily and weekly podcasts addressing investment philosophy or reviewing specific companies and industries.
After leaving my iPod on an airplane after a long flight to Paris (never got that back) I spent six bucks on an app called DogCatcher for my smart phone. It allowed me to download podcasts of interest to listen to on my own schedule, and it opened up a world of content beyond what Apple was offering at that time.
JollyDogs has a stereo that can rock the anchorage (if you’re close), plenty of MP3 music on hard disks, and a Spotify premium subscription. Music is a big deal to us, and we have eclectic tastes. But give me a mundane chore to do or tell me it’s my turn to stand watch from now until 0100, and I’m going for the podcasts. Podcasts keep me alert and allow me to keep my attention on the task at hand, whether trimming sails or watching for marine traffic to washing dishes or taking a long walk.
The podcasts I listen to these days have evolved from simple financial talk shows to true art forms. Imagine a topic of interest, there’s probably a podcast to listen to. Highly produced historical series? Podcast. How stuff works? Podcast. Best part? I’ve never had to pay for one yet. Maybe there are some with subscription fees, but I haven’t found them.
BBC recently produced an amazing series entitled “Thirteen Minutes to the Moon” to commemorate the Apollo 11 mission. Perhaps because it was met with such enthusiasm they’re doing a follow-up, Apollo 13, the very bad luck flight. I binge listened to the Apollo 11 series, and can’t wait to download the next in the Apollo 13 series. Wonderfully researched historical content that produces strong emotional responses. NPR creates some amazing content as well.
Trevor Noah, one of the most brilliant comedians and late-night talk show hosts on planet Earth does one that keeps me laughing. Bill Maher’s show makes me want to wring someone’s neck, occasionally his neck. Planet Money turns the field of economics from a horrible, dry topic to something completely fascinating. One of their series followed the creation of a designer T-shirt, from the cotton that came from Mississippi was shipped via container to various locations all over the world where the raw cotton became thread, then fabric, then dyed fabric, then pattern cut, then sewn, then printed, then shipped back to the US. Part of the story was the impact the standard shipping container has had on world commerce, and the fact that only a few cents of cost per shirt accounted for all that shipping. Freakonomics is a podcast that examines the hidden side of all kinds of common ideas, turning things upside down. Hidden Brain examines what drives human behavior, how we are unknowingly exploited by advertisers and politicians, mob psychology, etc.
Isabel especially enjoys listening to life hackers, usually brilliant physicians looking beyond today’s conventional medicine to improve health, longevity and quality of life.
Podcasts educate and inform while leaving our hands and body free to do other things. They help us remain alert during monotonous watches and make mundane tasks enjoyable. We win!
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