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.

The Christmas Where Everyone Shouts, and some news

Balloon and Bridge, originally uploaded by the_dharma_bum.

This year's festivities in my family's home were probably the most entertaining that I can remember. Easily the most raucous. (Blame that on the aquavit.) Our family was expanded by the addition of our dear family friend (and surrogate sibling) Mo and the two baby boys a-brewin' in my wife's belly.

That's right. Two baby BOYS.

We found out that news clandestinely on the 23rd and surprised both sets of parents with the news over Christmas. It was received with a mix of exclamations of joy and sharp inhaling of breath through clenched teeth. The next few decades should be fun.

I'm now camped out at the in-laws' bunker in West Michigan, enjoying DVR'd episodes of Top Gear (the American version, surprisingly entertaining) and sporting events. We saw True Grit (it was ok). I got a few books to read (Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years and The Girl Who Played With Fire) and new socks to wear (argyle patterns in cashmere and lambswool). It was a good Christmas.

Also, our home is now officially for sale. Someone please buy it soon.

Paint fumes = progress

Golden on the ground, originally uploaded by A-Wix.

I want to take a moment to publicly declare that my in-laws are amazing. They have spent the last three days ambitiously ticking off item after item from the daunting to-do list for our house. Here's a summary (almost certainly leaving something out):

- Both bedrooms painted
- Living room painted
- Dining room painted
- Accent wall in the kitchen painted
- Kitchen cleaned to within an inch of its life (Our range looks brand new! And it's from the early 80s!)
- Bathroom tub scoured clean and shamed for being so dirty
- Many heavy things brought up from the basement

I would be remiss if I failed to mention that we have wonderful friends who also chipped in to turn our house inside out, clean the gross insides, then turn it right side out again. Mark, Devin, Jon, and Andrew, you are the wind beneath our wings. Thank you.

Boxes, brush, and blizzards

A car full of boxes from Matt and Brooke!, originally uploaded by A-Wix.

We were recently gifted with this treasure trove of moving boxes, courtesy of our favorite friends in Highland Park. Winning the lottery would have made me only slightly happier than I was to receive this wonderful gift.

This weekend involves several possibly conflicting plans: I need to clear a two-year accumulation of brush from a corner of the garage to make room for boxes that are coming out of the basement. We live close to a county yard waste drop-off site, so no problems there. EXCEPT that we are supposed to get the largest snowstorm in 19 years tomorrow. So I have the brilliant idea to instead burn the vast supply of brush in our fireplace (which I just cleaned) to provide a lovely backdrop of homey warmth to the nastiness outside. Mama Bear is (rightly) unconvinced. "You'll drag junk all through the house. It will take you forever. We have other stuff to do."

These things are all true, but I am unswayed. We'll see who wins out tomorrow morning. (Safe bet is on Mama Bear, not me.)

If you're in the Twin Cities area, stay safe tomorrow.

Lub dub lub dub lub dub

flickr with video!, originally uploaded by Thinklab.

Sixteen week check up today. Unfortunately there aren't any new pictures to share but it was still worthwhile because we heard HEARTBEATS. It was the latest heart-stopping moment in what will be a lifetime of them.

I am now a heart-stopping moment junkie. I need my next fix. Gimme gimme gimme.

Mama Bear just got through the State of Nausea to run smack-dab into the Territory of Flu-like Bugs and Other Unpleasantness. Being prego means you can't take most run-of-the-mill antibiotics and remedies. Instead, it's just your already overtaxed body fighting mano a mano against Generic Head Cold Syndrome. So far, GHCS has won the first few rounds but Mama Bear is rebounding nicely thanks to Tylenol Cold & Sinus, about the only arrow left in her quiver.

What's Papa Bear doing through all this? Just repeatedly asking if he can make her some tea to the point where she wants to poke me in the eye. I'm the best nurse ever.