Life Experiences - The Moth

http://themoth.org/

Any description of The Moth podcast can be deceptively simple. What happens in each episode is that a person gets up on stage and tells a true story extemporaneously, right from the hip, no notes, no net. These stories run the entire gamut of human emotion and capabilities. Elements of fear, happiness, ennui, elation; moments of gullibility, over confidence, naiveté even outright stupidity are laid bare by the speakers

The stories we hear are as they were presented…live at a Story Slam in either Los Angeles or New York. A Story Slam is like an open mike night for storytellers. I don’t want to delve too deeply into the details since a lot of the background and support structure of how these events are conducted can be found at themoth.org. This excellent website gives the history of how the organization began, presents a calendar of upcoming events, and offers collections of older stories on CD, just to name a few of its features.

The podcasts themselves run about ten minutes each and the stories are anything if not extremely diverse, which reflects the human condition. If you can, I recommend you subscribe to The Moth because every episode is like getting a little short story for free. And if afterwards you feel inspired to support the organization, there are various levels of membership available.

The storytellers themselves can be well known (ex. Garrison Keillor), but they are usually just plain folks. For me, I prefer the amateur deliveries because they seem less polished and more natural. Some of the episodes feature stories from people who are entertainers in their own right, and while these podcasts are usually very funny, they can sometimes come across a little too much like a standup routine.

To date, my favorite stories are: Michael Rips and his plagiarism problem, Matthew McGough’s tale of being a batboy for the Yankees, A. J Jacobs outsourced life and Joe Lockhart’s recounting of his first days as President Clinton’s press secretary.

I am planning on attending one of the slams and telling my story “Golf and Hemorrhoids” which can be read at michaelohea.com. I will report back about my experience and, whether it goes good or bad, I will continue to look forward to new episodes of this podcast.

Music - The Turntable

The Turntable

I like The Turntable’s approach. They take on a tough subject, trying to explain music in words, in a way that is intelligent and entertaining. Each episode of this podcast takes a look at aspects of “Black Music including Soul, Jazz, Hip Hop, House, World and Rock”. The format is usually that of an interview with the artist or artists who created the music that is being spotlighted on the show. Sometimes the musicians speak with a panel of interviewers; sometimes just with the smooth voiced host, Charles White. For me, it is an interesting peek into genres and performers that I know a little about, like say Motown, as well as an exposure to contemporary sounds I am not familiar with, say the Brand New Heavies.

As an example in the category of the already familiar, I would chose a podcast I found to be very memorable; one which featured an illuminating discussion on the music of Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions. In this broadcast Mr. White did some particularly effective moderating and he was able to extract some great stories from several members of the group. Listeners such as me learned that the music of The Impressions was frequently derived from spiritual songs. Not from a specific song, mind you, just from the essence of the genre. And they were very young when they started in the business, either getting their parents’ permission or sneaking out to play gigs.

One of my favorite shows featured a contemporary artist and I came across it accidentally. I was reading the episode list and saw they had a podcast called “Coultrain”. I thought it would be about the legendary saxophone player. Instead it was an entirely different artist, a singer songwriter from St. Louis. So instead of a history lesson, I got to listen to some music I had never heard of before. And it was good, good, good. I would especially recommend a tune of his called “Green”.

Actually, the interview with Coultrain showcases a strength of the program and a weakness as well. On the plus side, the musicians are almost always asked who their influences are and the answers they give are usually thoughtful and cover a broad spectrum. On the other hand, the conversations tend to bog down whenever the artists are asked to categorize their own music. Either they completely resist or they give multiple choice responses which do not clarify anything. To me, the efforts to classify an artist’s sound as this or that constitute a slippery slope. The panelists themselves often acknowledge the inherent flaws with trying to squeeze into labels. They often mention how the meaning of “R and B” has morphed over the years. Fortunately though, when The Turntable goes down this route and stalls, Charles White gets everyone back on track by delivering a universal truth: Soul music is music from the soul.

During every podcast, The Turntable also presents samples of the music being talked about. These cuts are very generous in length which helps create a good feel for the subject under consideration. Interspersed with the regular interview shows, there is the occasional special episode to enjoy. I particularly liked one change of pace they had where the panel swapped examples of their favorite Christmas songs (to my ears Donny Hathaway’s version of “This Christmas” wins hands down).

On a final note, the website rocks.   http://stage.ebonyjet.com/multimedia/podcast/coultrain.aspx  It may be the most podcast friendly site I have seen. There are extra features like suggested play lists, bios, episode descriptions. Just fantastic. You will definitely be broadening your horizons when you take a spin on The Turntable.

Craftsmanship - The Wood Whisperer

The Wood Whisperer           http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/

I am not what you would call a handy person. I can hold my own on most basic things, but for anything advanced, I get outside help. Those who know me would therefore probably be surprised to find out I am a fan of The Wood Whisperer’s video podcast. But if they gave the show a look, I am sure they would also see its appeal to craft challenged individuals like myself.

That does not mean to suggest that this show is for beginners only. Far from it. Marc Spanuolo is The Wood Whisperer, a master craftsman who, in each episode, gives us techniques and tips about a variety of topics in the world of woodworking. The podcast is shot in his spacious but unadorned workshop. And, against this backdrop, the t-shirt clad lumber maestro regales us with his knowledge, abilities and slightly folksy sense of humor. He is aided in his quest to raise our wood IQs by his wife, NICOLE Spagnuolo, who is just as masterful wearing the many hats of cameraperson, website designer and sometimes co-host. (See comments for my idiotic boo boo.)

What I find most appealing about The Wood Whisperer is the quality of the demonstrations. Everything he discusses, from routing techniques, types of cuts, materials storage or safety procedures, is very concisely captured by the camera. And the podcast does not try to cram too much into a show, sometimes breaking subjects up into three or four separate episodes. I have found myself engrossed in many diverse topics such as proper wood selection, specialty tool usage, tips on gluing and varnishing, things it is highly unlikely I would have explored on my own.

A second strong point is Marc himself. He is personable, seems like your average guy and he does not talk down to his audience although he is obviously very knowledgeable. Unlike some other experts, he has the ability to Communicate what he knows. It come across like talking shop with your buddy. Which makes me comfortable because of my vast ignorance concerning the subject matter.

There is also a good mix of episode types within this series. It is not just a static how-to program. Along with the straight project work there may be a road trip to a convention (Yes, The Wood Whisperer has sponsors. Hello Festool) or an episode on potential holiday presents (Yes, the Wood Whisperer has a store link. You can find those gift ideas or maybe some TWW goodies).

Finally, go check out the website. It is chock full of links, information, blogs, forums and the occasional Demo Night!. Very impressive. So good luck to Marc and Nicole. And keep on whispering.

Languages - Coffee Break Spanish

UPDATE ! (See Below.)

Coffee Break Spanish           http://radiolingua.com/shows/spanish/coffee-break-spanish/

For a while now I have been attempting to learn some functional Spanish. I have tried lessons on CD, tapes in the car, even primers, all to differing degrees of success. So when I began exploring the podcast jungle, it seemed logical to check out some of the options available for download.

Well, with the first one I picked, I got very lucky and found a winner. Coffee Break Spanish, a production of Radio Lingua, has really helped me make some progress. The program’s design is simple, just enough language so you can listen to an episode on your coffee break. The podcasts I have heard usually run over twenty minutes, which is longer than any break I get during my work day, so I just pick up where I left off the time before.




Coffee Break Spanish is hosted by Mark, who adopts the role of the professor, and Cara, who is the student. In the earlier sections of the lessons, they cover the natural groundwork of some basic phrases and vocabulary. But they quickly get you up to speed in an engaging, interactive manner.

As the lessons with your latte (they love to say latte) continue, the focus shifts to breaking down actual conversations with native speakers. These conversations are then reviewed for what is being said. Any points of grammar are discussed and the conversations are then replayed for reinforcement. Para mi, esto trabaja muy bien.

Interestingly, the topics they cover are not your standard “Where is the hotel” formats other programs slavishly follow. This departure from the norm gives a practical, value added benefit to the podcast.

Some other points of note…..Mark and Cara are Scottish and I find it refreshing to hear their conversational accents with each other. Mark is quite a linguist and Cara, while endearing, is either a very quick study or a ringer because she doesn’t struggle too much after the first ten or so episodes. If she had a couple of stumbles here and there it would be more encouraging to plodders like me.

If you are so inclined you can participate in Radio Lingua’s Premium program, which promises more in depth, extended opportunities to learn the language of your choice. It’s not free so I have not tried it (limited budget here). In addition, the award winning worldwide success of Coffee Break Spanish has created a lot of spin-off programming. Each episode usually concludes with some cross promotional material for these additional Radio Lingua endeavors. There is so much going on that there is also a “newscast” which brings the listener up to date on all things Coffee Break.

I am glad to see that they are doing well. The show delivers its information with some zip and I can attest that it works. Hasta luego mi amigos.

UPDATE: Well, I have now listened to all eighty episodes of this podcast several times and I must say that it did not disappoint. Things really picked up in the later episodes where verb tenses were explored. There was also an emphasis on expanding one's ability to follow conversations. I still highly recommend it.

I have moved on to the next Radio Lingua production - Show Time Spanish. So far it is a little daunting and I will report back on this podcast at a later date. I would also like to revise my comments about Cara. She put in a lot of hard work on Coffee Break Spanish. Cara has not been in the episodes of Show Time Spanish I have listened to and I miss her contributions and perspective.

Comics - I Read Comics

UPDATE ! (See Below.)

I Read Comics         http://ireadcomics.blogspot.com/


I recently had a conversation at a party about a topic I had not thought about in a while….comics. That got me thinking that I ought to see what was out there in podcast land about the subject. And sure enough there was an embarrassment of riches as far as what to choose from. I picked out a few and unfortunately some of them were not so good. More on those at a later date.

One I did find and like very much is called Ireadcomics, and it starts out with the hook “Yes, it’s another comics podcast. And the big difference is that I’m doing it. And I’m a girl. That’s right, a girl that reads comics”. I believe that, for me as a listener, there is something about Lene Taylor’s unique woman’s perspective that really brings fresh air onto her show. The “I Read Comics” podcast usually runs at least thirty minutes long and has several segments divided by some soothing interstitial music. While I liked the music, and it does provide a transition point, I would rather hear more from Taylor. She adroitly covers all sorts of subjects and displays a depth of knowledge that does not limit her to discussing only narrow segments of the comics world. She speaks clearly, extemporaneously and has a nice voice. She also is not afraid to let it rip if some saltier language is called for.

For me, coming back after a long time away from comics, I am hearing about so many new things that I had to start writing down the names of the titles and websites Taylor discusses during her podcasts so I can surf for them later. It seems like for every discussion of things I am familiar with (like a funny take on the Legion of Substitute Heroes) there are new treats she exposes me to (like “alienlovespredator” or "Dave's Long Box", which unfortunately has closed).

“I Read Comics” is usually a monologue, often with a cogent rant if Taylor has a bone to pick (watch out Fanboys). But sometimes there are friends and colleagues on the podcast who add their voices and opinions while talking about conventions or reviewing movies. The Hulk, Iron Man, Speed Racer! (FYI, the movie reviews are as in depth as the comics discussions but they are chock full of spoilers). One extra feature I definitely appreciate is that every episode is accurately titled on iTunes. Even though I would recommend listening to every episode, this topic information can help subscribers or casual listeners focus in on areas they would like to sample.

Finally, "I Read Comics" is the reason "Podcast Review Blog" is on Blogger. I figured if someone as smart and cool as Lene Taylor uses their forum, that's good enough for me

This one is definitely a keeper, folks. It’s an adult look at a subject we first came to love as kids.

UPDATE: Lene is back. After taking a breather (which I am now in complete understanding of), she has returned with several new podcasts full of the content and context I love. Whether she is talking about Silver Age classics, new movies or the sexist drawing of super heroines, it's all here. I continue to sample other podcasts which purport to cover all aspects of comics, but this one is still the best. And I have resisted the temptation to end all these sentences in exclamation points !!

Linguistics - Hot For Words

Hot For Words          http://hotforwords.com/ 


I was looking for something in the video/educational genre when I stumbled across this breezy gem. On each of these short videos, the blond philologist Marina Orlova, aka Hot For Words, tackles the origin of an English word or phrase in a way that is informative and fun. As her slogan proclaims, “Intelligence Is Sexy”. And, Hot For Words sure is.

The show’s production is simple. Hot For Words sits on a couch in front of what appears to be a webcam in some cute cleavage baring outfit and addresses the viewers whom she likes to refer to as her “students”. Her topic usually comes from a question that has been submitted to her website about our crazy language. Marina speaks with what sounds like a Russian accent, but her website says she is from the “Capital of the Republic of Lexicon”. Recent podcasts that I viewed covered words like Butterfly, Naked and Nuclear (President Bush’s pronunciation turned out to not be that far off the mark) and the phrase Drink the Koolaid (which I learned was actually not the brand of fruit drink that was used at the Jonestown tragedy).

The shows use some visual additives such as cute little animated animals and sometimes we get a glimpse of Marina’s Evil Twin in negative image. The episodes are usually peppered with scantily clad still shots of the gorgeous Hot For Words. And they all end with her blowing us a kiss and asking us to rate the episode via her website (which is very popular. People of all walks are posting video questions). Afterwards there is often some extra material with bloopers featuring Hot For Words making funny self deprecating faces when she mispronounces a word or just screws up.

Yes, the podcast has enormous eye candy value and yes it is somewhat of a guilty pleasure but when our “trusty Hot For Words investigates” it can lead to anywhere. She definitely has charisma and a natural rapport with the audience. I, for one, am happy to be included in her student body. Give her show a try and see why more and more people are getting Hot For Words.

Travel - Frommers.com

UPDATE ! (See Below.)

Frommer's                  http://www.frommers.com/


I certainly have not traveled as much as I would like to. I’ve been around parts of the U.S. but not much internationally. Sometimes I find myself thinking about where I would like to go if money and time were no object. When I am in the library I occasionally gravitate to the travel guides. So when I discovered a podcast put out by Frommer's, whose guidebooks I have often thumbed through, I thought let’s see how they translate all that very specific knowledge into a podcast form.

What they do is pretty clever and it does impart some useful information in a way that whets your appetite for visiting the country or region that the episode is focusing on. A host, who is sometimes an editor as well, sits down with the author for that specific travel guide, say for example, Morocco. They then have a relaxed conversation about what it is really like to travel in that particular area. And since you are hearing these details right from an experienced visitor to that region, there is a love and appreciation which comes out through the discussion that can’t help but subconsciously encourage you to try and go there someday.



Along with sights to see, other topics were covered in the podcasts I listened to. There was usually some descriptions of the quirks of the local methods of transportation, the ins and outs of eating, bartering in the local marketplaces or what types of clothing are the most comfortable (Long pants and shirt sleeves in Vietnam). In every episode I sampled there was a discussion of how to behave in a way that was most respectful of the local culture. Information like that is probably the most useful of all.

Interestingly, they do not avoid talking about crime or potential political unrest. For instance, during a completely enthralling discussion of the beauties of Ecuador, the author strongly urged tourists to take taxis at night no matter how nearby your destination was. I guess I would add the caveat that these podcasts are taped at particular moments in time and that anyone traveling should try and get the most updated information about any local situations.

On the whole, I enjoyed these podcasts. They each run around twenty minutes and while Frommer's is hopeful that if you do travel, you’ll take one of their travel guides along, there is no heavy handed pitch.
UPDATE: I recently had the opportunity to use one of the Frommer's guides in a real life, hands on situation. I made a visit to New Orleans and prepped for my sightseeing, etc. by using Frommer's Guide to New Orleans. And I must report it was very useful. Using it's listings and reviews I was able to focus in on a restaurant where myself and my companions had an excellent meal (Dante's Kitchen). One criticism, I could have used one overall map. While the area maps (French Quarter, Garden District) were helpful, I found it a little diffcult to connect them as I crossed from one section to another. Other than that, which is more on me than them, thank you Frommer's.

Sports - Pardon The Interruption

ESPN:PTI               http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/archive?id=2406595

First, a disclaimer. I must confess that the televised version of ESPN’s Pardon The Interruption (PTI) is one of my favorite shows. I’ve been enjoying it for years. I value the hosts’ opinions and, for me, it is Must Watch TV whenever there are big doings in the world of sports. So when I gave the podcast a try, I was already leaning towards a positive result. I can now report that I was not disappointed

The podcast for PTI is basically the audio track ripped right from that day’s half hour episode. The show is generally broadcast each weekday and its premise is two people talking about what’s making headlines in the world of sports. The regular hosts are Tony Kornheiser (The Washington Post, Monday Night Football) and Michael Wilbon (also The Washington Post, NBA on ABC). They are two very knowledgeable people who argue their points in good fun. They bicker with tongue in cheek and their routine fits like an old sweater.

The gimmick which propels the show is a clock ticking off the time limit on each topic. There is also a sidebar listing what ground is going to be covered during that episode. Obviously with no video neither of these translates over into the podcast, except for the occasional bell ring announcing that time is up. But, since it is a talk show, the listener is not missing much.

There are, however, some subtle differences between the televised and the podcast versions. On TV, the show concludes with a rapid fire two minutes or so which usually includes a birthday salute, a few brief items and then Tony and Mike divulge what they are going to watch on TV that evening (Tony is an American Idol fan. Mike usually lists some of the games that will be underway later that night.). Then they say goodnight and the show ends. But it doesn’t really end. About fifteen minutes later they come back on during Sportscenter. This time they expand a little on one of the topics they discussed during the day’s show. Then they go to the “Big Finish” which is a rapid fire one minute potpourri of topics. Now the show is really over.

The podcast differs in that the last two minutes of the show are chopped out and the Sportscenter section is included instead. I think that’s a shame because I like the birthdays and the TV talk. Maybe they will start including those in the future. You should also be aware that there are some opening and closing commercials. They have been very brief and you can always fast forward through them.

So, in a nutshell, the podcast version of PTI is a useful way of catching up on a show I don’t get to see unless I get home early or set the DVR. Now I can enjoy the banter while I am at the gym or commuting. And it is always a good listen, even on a slow sports day.