for the love of pod

Just in case you're wondering, here are the podcasts I download regularly onto my ipod:
*60 Second Science, a daily one that really does last 60 seconds, is fascinating, and starts with a bitchen comet-sound that seems like it's orbiting your head.
*A Prairie Home Companion's News from Lake Wobegone- just his news monologue, without all the silly music they play on the show. Okay, sometimes I like the music, but really I'm in it for the plays and the News.
*Weekend America- good one! It's two hours long so I never do get to hear all of it on the radio.
*Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing- this is a new one for me, brief and to the point, and always grammatically correct.
*Car Talk's Call of the Week- One good call. I like that! I don't download Cartalk because it is ubiquitous, playing constantly on the 3-5 PR stations that I have access to, so that by the end of any given weekend I've heard pretty much the whole show.
*NPR's Driveway Moments- they're the stories that you sit in your driveway to hear the end of, they're so good. I once sat in my car before work listening to one about how octopus (...pi?) can learn to open the screw tops on jars. Can you believe that??
*NPR Playback- brand new, I haven't even listened to one yet- they're stories from the archives, and the first 6 I downloaded are from the early 80's. Should be interesting, no?
*NPR Story of the Day- "the one story NPR's editors think you won't want to miss!" So far, they've been right!
*This I believe- quick little essays written by everybodies, about what they believe, or believe in.
*Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! NPR's news quiz and my absolute favorite NPR show.
*Slate Explainer Podcasts- explaining interesting things like "How do clothes wrinkle?" and "was Britney's hair full of drugs?"
*This American Life- my other absolute favorite NPR show.
* WNYC's Radio Lab- best science show EVER!!!! Very, VERY cool. New season coming up soon, and I can't wait!
Happy listening!

I get my ipod!

So, I got a free ipod nano back in the Summer with my laptop. In some kind of stockroom-clearing plan from apple, they were giving away the ipods, along with copier/printer/scanners for free when one bought a computer. I didn't necessarily want an ipod. I couldn't see myself sitting around with earphones in my ears, listening to music. And, I don't jog.
But I get it now!! I LOVE my ipod! I found PODCASTS....
Okay, I'm not completely oblivious, I knew about podcasts. But here's the thing: all my favorite NPR shows are available via podcast. That means I can download all the ones I don't get to listen to over the weekend (when all the good shows are) and listen to them Saturday, while I'm doing yardwork and/or laundry (I used to carry around a little transistor radio so I could hear my shows) and Sundays at work (I used to have to listen to New Hampshire Public Radio, including cartalk for the 4th time each weekend, and the Splendid Table)and my ipod sits in a very cool case with a carabeener that hooks it onto my beltloop.
Tonight I listened to Radiolab, a VERY fascinating show about the language of music. You can hear it too, at http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/ Very cool on an ipod.

jet lag and new beginnings

We landed exactly on time yesterday, at around 7:48 am. Traffic held up our ride just long enough so we could get a Starbucks and our bags, and then we hit the road homeward. The cats gave us a little stand-off routine at first, but then came out to greet us when we fell into bed, which was about 8 minutes after we walked in the door. We slept until 2, and then got up for bagels and then spent the evening in the living room catching up on all the tv shows we'd missed while we were gone. (Office- soooo funny).
I tried to stay awake as long as I could, and finally gave up the fight at around 11:00. I got 9 hours of sleep last night and expected to wake up refreshed and back in the swing of things, but I still feel sort of drunk and dumb, like I should not be operating heavy machinery. Yes, that's it! I feel like I've taken Benadryl.
But today is a new day, my first day back at work after the conference, and changes are in store. Today I go back on normal food, today I dig through all the stuff I bought and got and try to assemble a new game plan. Today my attitude at work changes from that of doom and frustration to hope and acceptance. Today I go back to focusing on the Caller, and that should help me deal with the Call.
I started by not turning on the tv this morning. Instead I listened to a podcast of today's readings and read a short sermon on them too. I read up on all my Catholic blogs, and let Ellen Degeneres take a back seat. I kept thinking of doing this all weekend, at the conference: giving my mornings to God. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep it up but hey, one day! Go God!