Podcasts are Fun

Howdy. If you are a new reader to my blog, or if you weren't paying attention last time I wrote about podcasting, and if you are not technologically savvy, then I better give you a quick definition of podcasting before we start. Podcasts are a lot like radio shows, except that you download them from the internet and listen to them at your convenience. There are podcasts about pretty much any conceivable topic, so you're sure to find something you like. I use iTunes to find and download my podcasts, but you can also use a website like Podcast Alley to find podcasts. I'm just going to review two podcasts today that I have really been enjoying lately.

Just in case you haven't noticed, I am a word lover. I was in a state of ecstasy when I found this podcast. It is a podcast by three men, Dave, Howard and Howard. They are all teachers, and they are all very intelligent, and they too love words. So they sit around and talk about words and language and the way we use language. Sound boring? Well, it's not. These guys are really entertaining... they use relevant real-life examples when discussing language, and they incorporate music into their show that is relevant to the topic. Their one consistent, weekly segment is "the rude word of the week", which is sometimes very rude, but more often than not, it's pretty benign. They give the show a rating each week (eg. PG, PG-13, R, etc.) to let you know if they are going to discuss offensive or vulgar language. These guys really offer great insights into language; they make you think about the ways you use your words, and they teach you a lot without making you feel like you are in school! They just changed from podcasting every week to every couple weeks, but they are still going strong. Check them out at www.thewordnerds.org or on iTunes.

Maybe you listen to the Bored-Again Christian, and you wish you could hear Just Pete talk more. Maybe you like to listen to people talk about random things. Maybe you like to laugh. If any of these things are true for you, then you should listen to Illinoise!. It's basically just a couple (Just Pete and NASA Janet) from a small town in Illinois talking, but they are so insanely funny. They have some very funny bits, such as Robot Theater, Haiku Reviews, and Bad Science. And they play music. And did I mention that they're funny? They haven't put out a new show in a couple months, but you can find all the old shows on their website or on iTunes. I would recommend checking out the first few shows, anyways. I just crack up when I listen, and my family thinks I'm crazy, because they can't hear the funniness. Hahaha...

Ok, go check those out and be enriched and laugh a lot. Have fun.

J-dawg