What I Listen To, Part 1

Several people One person recently asked me about the podcasts I listen to on my commutes, dog walks, while doing dishes, vacuuming, mowing the lawn, etc. I will use this space to list some of my favorites. Titles are in no particular order and I have almost certainly omitted something.

1. "The News From Lake Wobegon" from A Prairie Home Companion. Garrison Keillor spins yarns about stoic Norwegian Lutherans in small town Minnesota. Since I am a Norwegian Lutheran from Minnesota at my roots, this show is like listening in on a family reunion. Even though I've heard just about every one of the Lutheran jokes he uses, I still chuckle. And who doesn't think "Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility" is funny?

2. "The Dinner Party Download." Another American Public Media presentation, this one comes from 89.3 KPCC in Los Angeles. It is, by their own description, "a fast and funny 'booster shot' of news and culture designed to help you dazzle your friends and family at this weekend’s dinner party." A sort-of funny joke, a little news recap of the past week, an interview with the weekly guest of honor (usually some variant of artist or ne'er-do-well), a history lesson with booze, and some cuisine talk. Finally, they leave with a song to drive to or from your dinner party. It's a good commute-length show with wit. Me likey.

3. Mars Hill Bible Church sermon podcasts. Gotta get my weekly Jesus. Rob Bell is a well known Christian speaker and teacher and is also one of the founders or Mars Hill Bible Church outside of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He and fellow teaching pastor Shane Hipps are the preachers in this podcast. Candid and culturally relevant, they provide historical context to the passages and help bring them to life, at least for me. As this is a religious podcast, I expect everyone to have lots of opinions about this one, and I expect few of them to agree with me wholeheartedly. I'm totally cool with that.

4. The Moth. "True stories told live on stage without notes." This one gets me with its brutal and occasionally unbelievable honesty, frequent cringe-worthy moments, and more than a fair share of laughter. The folks that have the guts to get up on stage and spin this true yarns are really good storytellers.

5. Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me. NPR's weekly "news quiz" features the soothing baritone of former NPR news host Carl Kassell, the usually witty banter of host Peter Sagal, and a rotating trio of panelists with varying abilities to crack a joke (my favorites are Mo Rocca, Paula Poundstone, and Tom Bodette, though Roy Blount Jr is awfully good off the bench). A good way to get caught up on the headlines you probably missed, usually involving a naked pizza delivery man or a explosive pastries.

That's enough for round one. I've got lots more to share but you don't really care that much. We'll continue this later. Let me know what you listen to. Maybe I'm missing some good shows out there.