I've never been that much of an audiophile when it came to non-music entertainment. Sure, I used to listen to unabridged books on tape {yeah, I'm really dating myself here} back in the day, but I've always found it hard to actually sit still and listen to an audio book.
I've always been of the mindset that in order to listen to something {e.g. music or sports event} I have to be doing something that is just interesting enough so that I can pay attention to what I'm listening to, but not so interesting that I tune out what I'm listening to {which is why I don't listen to music while I'm writing}.
As you probably know, I do a lot of walking in my spare time. When I'd first got my smartie-phone, I naturally started listening to music while I did my walks. That quickly changed when I decided that, even though I had an unlimited data plan, I didn't really want to burn up my data willy-nilly {yes, I know that doesn't make sense, but this is how I roll}. So I quickly became enamored with podcasts, since I could download a crap ton at a clip, thus saving my data. Plus, podcasts were the perfect audio item to listen to while I do my walking {among other things}.
The purpose of this brief info dump is that I want to share with you the different types of podcasts that I listen to throughout the weeks, which in turn expands my horizons as a person and to a lesser degree, as a writer. Plus, aren't you just a little bit curious on what makes me me?
So without further ado, here are the 26 podcasts that currently makes me tick.
1} Aria Codes: I'm currently preparing for season two of this interesting podcast. Hosted by folk musician Rhiannon Giddens, this podcasts focuses on a particular aria from a well known opera and dissects it down to its various parts before it plays the entire aria. Yes, I don't like opera much, but this podcast has actually made me look at it in a different light.
2} Mobituaries with Mo Rocca: Season two is underway, and this podcasts covers people who you may remember from long ago or never heard about. Season one featured stories about Vaughan Meader, Audrey Hepburn and Eng & Chang, the Siamese Twins.
3} Business Wars: This podcast covers various wars/fueds between different companies in different industries. Previous subjects featured Facebook vs Snapchat, Harley and the Biker Wars, and Pepsi vs. Coke.
4} Which Game First: If you're into board games of all types, including RPGs (role playing games), then this podcast is for you. They do game reviews, interviews with game designers and so much more. I'm not that heavily into board games, but I find it a very interesting podcast to listen to.
5} Survival: This podcast covers different well known events featuring people who actually survived the events, like The Donner Party, Great White Shark Attack, and Hurricane Camile.
6} Tides of History: If you're into early medieval, late medieval , as well as history up to the late 16th/early 17th century and everything connected with those time periods, then this podcast is for you.
7} American History Tellers: This podcast covers different events in American History. Previous topics included Tulsa Race Massacre, Civil Rights and Prohibition.
8} Unexplained Mysteries: The title says it all. Previous topics included Bog Bodies, ESP and the Bermuda Triangle.
9) Stuff You Missed in History Class: The title says it all. This one has been the toughest for me stay on top of {other podcasts I listen to two episodes at a clip} as it publishes about 4 times a week.
10) American Elections-Wicked Game: This is a long term limited run podcast series that will end with the 2020 election. It will cover every election, starting with George Washington and will finish with Trump v. Clinton. Pretty interesting so far and a must listen if you're into American Presidential History.
11) Digging Deep, The Robert Plant Podcast: This is basically Robert Plant going through his back catalog and discussing some of the various songs in it. Additionally, he is running a special on his website that ties in with season two.
12) Sports Criminals: The title explains it all. Previous subjects included Pete Rose and Lawrence Taylor.
13) Natural Disasters. The title explains it all. Previous topics include the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami and Mt. Everest Blizzard of 1996.
14) Bizarre Albums: This podcasts covers those odd one-off albums that were released unto an unsuspecting public. Previous subjects included Joe Pesci, Bruce Willis and Terry Bradshaw.
15) Kingpins: This podcast covers all sorts of true crime. Previous topics included Pablo Escobar, Bobby Tuna and the Cali Cartel.
16) Tales: Think the darker version of Grimm's Fairy Tales and this is what this podcast is all about.
17) Serial Killers: The title explains it all. Very dark and somewhat disturbing look at the underbelly of life around the world.
18) Mythology: The title explains it all. Covers myths from around the world.
19) Tyrus and Timpf: A humorous current events podcast hosting by two Fox News personalities (Kat Timpf also does stand-up and writes for the National Review). If your politics swing left, you probably aren't going to like it.
20) Shea Anything: A weekly podcast covering the New York Mets.
21) Parklandia: A podcast about a young married couple living the RV life and traveling/visiting all of the national parks. Currently in between seasons.
22) American Scandal: A podcast that covers all types of well known scandals. Previous topics included BALCO, Enron and Wounded Knee. Currently on hiatus as the host is doing a few other side projects (of which one is a limited run series about Jeffrey Epstein).
23 Spectacular Failures: A podcast that covers all types of well known business failures. Previous topics include U-Haul, Jim and Tammy Faye, and The Donald. In between seasons.
24) The Wild: One of the best nature podcasts I've come across. Currently in between seasons.
25) Dolly Parton's America: A nine part podcast series that covers the larger than life person that is Dolly Parton. I highly recommend this.
26) Finding Fred: If you guess Mr. Rogers, you get a gold star. A ten part series about Fred Rogers, his life and how he has influenced untold gerenaions of kids and adults. Highly recommend as well.
So my friends, I apologize for the length, but this is what makes me tick when comes to the audio word. While some of them may be bit odd, they all have one thing in common: they let me do me.
{c} 2019 by G.B. Miller. All Rights Reserved
I'd heard the Terry Bradshaw one! And the Bruce Willis one.
ReplyDeleteA couple of those history podcasts sound interesting, especially the one on medieval history.
I've long been a sucker for history of any kind, so those two more than fulfill a need. The gentleman that does the Bizarre Albums podcast also does a "Bizarre Singles" podcast on Patreon and that one seems to be quirky as well.
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