Welcome to the Pod Party

I did something alone in bed last night that I haven't done since I was about 15 years old....


Still there...? Then read on if you dare, don't worry - this is only the conclusion of "One Ear on the World."


Actually what I did in bed was listen to a British game show that I have not heard since 1966 when it used to be on every Sunday night. It is called My Word and it was on the air from 1957 to 1990 with at least two of the original cast members. The general idea is that the panelists identify the meaning of obscure words and then make up a witty story about a famous quotation at the end of the show - funniest story wins. Much more entertaining than it sounds, I assure you. But such is the wealth of content available in the age of the podcast.

I have come quite late to the Pod Party but I am making up for lost time and I will admit I have become addicted to downloading and listening to podcasts. My first fix was A Prairie Home Companion (the inspiration for this blog) which I have been listening to for several years but mostly streamed from their website. Now I download it and several others automatically using Itunes, sync it to my Zen (no Ipod yet) and folks there ain't no turning back.

My other current favorite podcasts are Stuff You Should Know, This American Life and Freakonomics and these are enough to keep me tuned in - at least for now. Here are some of the wide ranging topics that keep me coming back for more:

How Scabies Works

Noodling

10 Odd Town Festivals

NUMMI - how Toyota tried to teach GM how to make reliable cars

Pen Pals - a 10 year old girl's correspondence with Manuel Noriega

Barn rage in Lake Wobegon

and on and on and on...

Oh I still listen to music now and then when I have time - but that is what stereos are made for. When I am out walking around give me a documentary on the Salem witch trials or the Large Hadron Collider any day!

The experience of listening to podcasts on a portable device is a world away from the tinny sound of my old transistor radio that served me so well back in the day. Technology does not always make things better but in this case they got it right. Lots of fascinating, intelligent content, ease of use, affordable (free) and best of all - nice shiny black and silver earbuds, two of them - one for each ear.