In my previous office environment, I was interrupted constantly by students wandering in to my office. Some days, I felt like I was on Candid Camera or someone were playing a giant trick on me because of the sea of people that flowed in and out the door. Now that I work in a quieter work environment, I find my mind wandering if it becomes too quiet.
I have developed an affinity for podcasts–and discovering new ones– and thought it worth documenting some of my new (and old) faves.
Which of these have you listened to?
- Missing Richard Simmons — My newest listen, Missing Richard Simmons, is a wonderfully
produced podcast by a filmmaker named Dan Taberski. Growing up, Richard Simmons was the one man who encouraged some of my relatives to make lifestyle changes that led to weight loss. I watched his workout shows, loved seeing him on talk shows, and found his Sweatin’ to the Oldies video series to be engaging and ahead of its time. While his persona was larger than life, it always seemed like he soaked up the pain and sadness of those he worked with and could never wring it out. Now, Richard has not been seen publicly for three years. This podcast investigates his past and his present in an unexpectedly engaging way. - Undisclosed— This podcast has been in my bookmark folder for awhile. It began as a meta-podcast focused on the original season of Serial. (Serial, in its own right, is a great listen from start to finish and it re-ignited my interest in podcasts in general. If you haven’t listened to it, start there!) The episodes themselves are majorly interesting, but with the addition of the supplemental “Addendum” episodes, you have the opportunity to hear others fill in blanks, update and engage in different levels of information. It’s a terrific listen.
- Untold: The Daniel Morgan Murder— I binge listened to the entire first season of Untold within days. This podcast focuses on a murder that occurred in South London in the 1980’s. It’s like watching an intricate police/private detective drama unfold before your eyes, but with the constant reminder that this is a real person, with a real family. Hearing from Mr. Morgan’s mother and siblings was especially touching. You can imagine the dogged determination that would develop within you if your own relative met the untimely and brutal end that Daniel did.
- Sorta Awesome– The Sorta Awesome podcast is a wonderful example of how I find podcasts I love. I discovered it when the show’s host was a guest on another podcast I regularly listen to, What Should I Read Next? While listening to an episode of Sorta Awesome, I learned about Missing Richard Simmons. I also found tons of great websites to check out and new ideas to try. This podcast deals with all sorts of interesting topics and features some interesting guests you might not otherwise find. The host, Megan, has a sweet disposition that pulls you in and makes you want to listen to what she wants to share. You can also check out Megan’s incredible internet “past life”, Sorta Crunchy.
- Freakonomics— For variety and thought provoking podcasts, look no further than the Freakonomics Radio Archive. The title of the show may be familiar to you in one of its other forms (book, film, radio show), but if you missed the Freakonomics train or even an episode of the radio program here or there, you can become lost in the hundreds of episodes available in the archives.
What podcasts have your attention right now? Toss them in comments so we can listen too! Be sure to tweet your faves using #trypod and mention @MelindainDayton so I’m sure to see.
