5 of My Favorite Podcasts

Who here listens to podcasts? I just love them. I'm definitely part auditory learner and part visual, so I love using time in the car, times when I'm doing simple tasks on the computer, or those minutes (hours) when I can't fall asleep at night to learn something new or to just simply clear my mind from my daily to-do lists.

(any of these can be found on iTunes, Stitcher, the podcast app on your iPhone/iPad, but I'll link to the sites for them)

1. My first favorite is definitely Serial. I'm sure lots of you have listened to this already. I just think the producers of Serial are SUCH great story tellers. I couldn't tear myself away from the first season, and started listening to episode after episode of the podcast "Undisclosed" just for more in-depth info on the case. I won't say anything in case you're new to it, but I want to! Now, on the second season, I am immediately sucked into a story I didn't think I'd be that into. I read a bit about Bowe Bergdahl on the news, but never was overly drawn in. I think because based on anything I read in the news, I couldn't really tell if only one side was being reported, etc, so I kind of just blocked it out because, what do I know about POWs and deserters? Nothing. That's what I love about Serial though. The way they explain foreign topics so seamlessly and make it insanely interesting at the same time. Like the way they interview people from all sides, involved in every which way. It's so cool.

2. This is kind of a random one (for me), but I really like The Art of Charm. It's definitely geared toward men, but I find a lot of the business focused podcasts to be full of useful information, and they get to the point quickly. They also interview some really interesting people and I love when I've listened to or watched a TED talk and then they interview the same person. Like Scott Dinsmore. I watched his Ted Talk on finding your passions and then, wouldn't you know, he showed up on The Art of Charm. Worlds colliding! Love it.

3. Primal Potential. I like Elizabeth's "no nonsense" attitude and her straight talk about healthy eating. I also love her focus on creating healthy habits and completely abandoning anything resembling a diet. It's been a go-to for me for a while (even especially on days when I eat Ben & Jerry's and don't feel bad about it).

4. "Stuff You Missed in History Class"--so I missed a lot in history class. The only reason I got good grades in history throughout high school were because I could whip out a 12 pager on Teddy Roosevelt like nobody's business. Did I pay attention in class? Nope. Did I think history was relevant? No way. Did I secretly paint my nails under my desk? You betcha. Luckily test grades were not all that mattered. Thank God for papers and homework assignments. Who ever thought I'd say that?

Anyway, in college I took a history class my freshman year and this was the turning point regarding my feelings toward history. I had the greatest professor who looked like he had just jumped out of a safari five minutes ago and he could tell a story about Alexander Great like it was the next blockbuster. See, my thing is storytelling. If you can't turn history into a good story, how am I supposed to find value in it? Names and dates are meaningless to me without a good tale to back it up. So in this class, I learned all the things (since in all years prior to my 19th year of life I had ignored all that was thrust upon me). So now I'm playing catch up and I just can't get enough of Holly and Tracy. They're my favorite. They're just so into it, all the time. And somehow they make shows about ax murders a little...giggle worthy? Is that okay? If you have ever uttered the phrase "history is in the past," this one's for you.

5. The Moth. This is another story-telling one, go figure. This one was a recommendation from my sister-in-law and I love it. It's like slam poetry, but it's slam stories. People memorize five minute stories and perform them at a story slam. These stories are all true and from their own experiences. It makes me nervous just to think about it. I really want to go to one! Not putting my name in the hat though. Sorry.

Which podcasts are your favorite?