regularly scheduled programming.

[Note: This is probably the only post on my blog that I continually update. Though it was originally posted in 2010, I update it regularly since what I’m listening to changes over time, and some podcasts begin and some end. Enjoy.]

Lately I’ve been asked a couple of times for some internet recommendations, so I thought I’d post an update of the blogs I’m following and the podcasts I’m listening to.

Favorite Podcasts

Using podcasts and audiobooks is amazing, because it’s hands-free, which allows you to listen and learn while you’re doing some mindless task.  Instead of staring off into space, you can be getting stuff done and reading the Classics.  Life is short, people.  It may seem painfully un-sensational at first, but I promise that if you get into the habit of listening, it’ll be way more entertaining, educational, and stimulating than reality TV.  Trust me.  Here are just some of the times I’m usually listening:

• while working out (long runs seem like no time at all)
• while putting on makeup and doing hair
• while washing the dishes
• while walking to work
• while driving anywhere
• while gardening

And here are the podcast recommendations:

Books

Librivox (Free public domain books. LOTS of them. Which can be subscribed to individually as podcasts, if you want. Or they have a standalone app.)
Audible (Audiobooks to buy.)

Faith

The Robcast
Ask Science Mike

Folklore / Storytelling / Life

Welcome To Night Vale
The Moth
Storycorps
This American Life
Little Z’s Sleep Podcast
Serial
The Longest Shortest Time
Anything Ghost
Hometown Tales

History / Archaeology

History Replays Today
Archaeology Channel
Stuff You Missed in History Class
The Thomas Jefferson Hour
Virginia Historical Society
The Bowery Boys: New York City History

Science / Tech

Radiolab
Science Friday
Community Signal
Your Undivided Attention
The New Frontier

Etiquette and Grammar

A Way With Words
Awesome Etiquette (from the Post family)
Modern Manners Guy’s Quick and Dirty Tips for a More Polite Life
Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

So yeah…those are my favorite things to listen to. Of course you can always search your podcast app for more stuff that you’re interested in. I believe that in the post-iTunes world I tried apps like BeyondPod and Pocket Casts for my Android phone, and now I use the amazing Overcast on iOS.

Favorite Feeds

Using RSS feeds to consume stuff on the internet is amazing, as I’ve preached about before, because:

• It really lets you filter the web for your specific interests.  All of the stuff you want to hear about, none of the garbage you don’t.  Or very little of it anyway.
• Posts are delivered to you pretty much as soon as they’re published.  So instead of finding out about a fun event two weeks after it happened, when you finally got around to checking the web site, this way you find out as soon as it’s announced.
• It cuts down on just surfing around to waste time, as long as you keep it pared down to the most useful feeds — constantly removing ones that no longer interest you or aren’t worth reading, and adding new ones you want to try for a while.  Vigilance is key, because otherwise your feeds list can spiral out of control like your browser favorites did in 2001 (ha! remember those?), causing them to become a chore to sift through instead of something you want to do.  And we do not re-make the mistakes of the past, if we can help it at all.

I use Feedly for this, and they’re now allowing people to share their feed collections, so here some of mine if you need reading suggestions:

https://feedly.com/tess

I also read books! Paper ones. Books I’ve been reading lately can be found on Goodreads.

I’d like to see your recommendations, too.  ❤