Spring is coming!
But it’s definitely not here yet. Which means I’m drinking lots of tea and doing a lot of workouts indoors. And I can get bored, both of the monotony of indoor workouts and of the drudgery of being inside most of the day just in general.
One thing that lifts me up is having a great podcast to listen to, whether I’m on the bike trainer, treadmill, folding laundry, or stuck in carline picking up the kids at school because it’s 22 degrees and icy and no one’s interested in walking.
Here are my current favorites, in no order.
LeVar Burton Reads – Remember reading rainbow? Well, host LeVar Burton is now reading short stories for adults on this podcast and it’s incredible. I love his curated selection and have discovered new authors and enjoyed genres outside my typical reading routine. Stories are often around 45 minutes, and I get even more out of them because of LeVar’s brief and thoughtful commentary before and after the story.
Happier with Gretchen Rubin- Gretchen is the author of The Happiness Project and Better than Before and is known for researching and writing about happiness and habit formation. She and her sister Elisabeth discuss happiness hacks and pitfalls, take reader questions, and engage thoughtfully and without judgment in discussions about how to make your life… well, a little happier.
Reply All – This podcast about the internet ends up being about so much more. I love Alex and PJ’s lighthearted banter and full out laughing fits on the show, as well as the interesting rabbit holes of the internet and social media they explore. I’ve learned about spammers, the dark web, what it’s like to be a youtube sensation, who’s behind phishing scams, and even the background story on an online conspiracy network. It’s fascinating and they explore it all with a humor that keeps me coming back to the show.
By the Book – A comedian and her skeptic friend read self-help books, live the instructions to the letter for two weeks, and then recap their experience with unfiltered humor and a bit of bad language. But while they’re uncensored in their opinions of the books and in the language describing their experiences, they’re also incredibly positive and kind and uplifting of one another. It’s helped me skip some self-help books that were on my list and find others I want to read. I can’t help but smile at their irreverent humor and deeply supportive relationship with each other.
If you have one you love, drop me a line or respond in comments – I’m always looking for new things to add into my rotation!