6 Podcasts You Should Be Listening To

I recently conducted a reader survey to get a feel for what you guys (my readers) are all about and what you would like to see more of on Avoiding Atrophy. Many of you responded, and to you wonderful ladies (and one dude. What up, one dude!), I am eternally grateful. I learned a lot, and I'll be sure to do a more thorough evaluation of my findings from that survey later in the week. But for now, I want to focus on just one aspect that I found particularly interesting. Take a look at this chart:

I have my own reasons for asking this out-of-nowhere question (which, again, I'll get to at a later time), but I have to admit that I was a bit surprised by just how many people NEVER listen to podcasts. Podcasts are so much a part of my daily life that I guess I just naturally imagine that they are a part of everyone else's. Before I leave my apartment, I always make sure that I have one queued up and ready to play, but I suppose it was a bit ethnocentric for me to assume that everyone does this exact same thing.

Still, I believe there is so much value in listening to podcasts, especially because, for me, they make my commute about a thousand percent more bearable. They keep my mind sharp, they often invoke wonderful storytelling methods, and they certainly keep me distracted from that guy next to me on the B train who has decided that the subway is the optimal place to clip his toenails. 

So for those of you who are new to podcasts, or even for those of you who are seasoned veterans, I thought I'd share some of my all-time favorites. I promise these will be well worth your time. Or maybe they won't. I don't even know anymore.

1. This American Life

This American Life is basically the gateway podcast. It remains my first love of the podcast world, and I know I'm not alone in this since it's pretty much always listed as #1 on iTunes. The show is hosted by Ira Glass, whose delightful voice and mannerisms are reason enough to tune in. Each episode is centered on a theme and each act features a story based on that theme. They are usually interviews told with narration, but sometimes they feature short fictional stories, poetry, comedy -- anything that artistically portrays some human truth. You will laugh. You will cry. You will reexamine all of your life choices.

Typical episode length: One hour

Recommended episode: Episode 484 -- Doppelgängers

2. Serial

Even if you didn't listen to it over the last few months, you probably still heard all about the buzz surrounding Serial. It's a spinoff of This American Life hosted by one of the show's producers, Sarah Koenig. For twelve weeks straight, Serial bumped its parent podcast from the #1 spot and became the most-listened to podcast in the world. This last season, the show recounted and reinvestigated the details of a 1999 murder of a high school girl in Baltimore. The show was so gripping that it even spawned podcasts solely centered on discussing theories from Serial. As in, people were actually making podcasts ABOUT ANOTHER PODCAST. The next season is still some time away, and there is no word on what the story will be, but if it's anywhere near as compelling as this last one, then you should tune in. 

Typical episode length: 45 min.

Recommended episode: In order to do this thing right, you have to start at Episode 01: The Alibi. 

3. Comedy Bang Bang

Do you like funny? Well, here, have some funny. Comedy Bang Bang, hosted by Scott Aukerman, can best be described as podcast interview improv. Some of your favorite comedians (Jenny Slate, Nick Kroll, Paul F. Tompkins, Lauren Lapkus, and so so many others) come together on this show as either themselves or as ridiculous characters. It's a good time. Don't overthink it.

Typical episode length: An hour and a half

Recommended episode: I could not stop laughing during this episode with Jenny Slate and Nick Kroll.

4. Radiolab

Remember that one biology teacher you had who made science fun? Radiolab is like that. This podcast combines science and storytelling in a way that makes the two seem more related than we ordinarily might think. This show serves as a continual reminder to always be curious about the world around us. Plus, hosts Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich have such a seriously adorable banter.

Typical episode length: It varies. Usually 30 minutes to an hour.

Recommended episode: Season 13, Episode 3: Patient Zero

5. The Moth

I honestly can't imagine a person alive on this earth who would not like The Moth, but perhaps, as a storyteller, I'm a bit biased. The Moth podcast features true stories told by real people at live storytelling events. Originally based in New York, there are now Moth story slams happening all over the country, possibly the world, and the podcast showcases some of the very best. If you ever start to lose faith in humanity, please listen to The Moth. After all, storytelling is one of the greatest tools humans have in promoting peace and understanding in this world (if this is sounding at all familiar, it might be because I've written about storytelling a lot on this here blog).

Typical episode length: 20 min.

Recommended episode: Seriously, any of them. 

6. Professor Blastoff

Okay, this one is pretty special to me. Many of the aforementioned podcasts take me on adventures to worlds that I would otherwise not know, but Professor Blastoff just feels like coming home. The show stars comedians Tig Notaro, Kyle Dunnigan, and David Huntsberger. The premise of the show is pretty flimsy, honestly (they receive and interpret transmissions from a genius scientist in outer space). In truth, though, this gimmick is just a platform for everyone to be hilarious. The show usually features an expert in a given subject, and recently, the guests have mostly been other very funny comedians. This is one of those podcasts that makes me look crazy on the subway as I sit there laughing to myself, and I am honestly okay with that. Highly recommend.

Typical episode length: One hour

Recommended episode: I liked this episode on Voice (with guest, Lake Bell)

------

Friends, give podcasts a try. Shove those earbuds in your earholes, and join me in one of my favorite past times. I really think it will be a game-changer for you.

And for those of you already listening to podcasts:

Do you have a favorite? Share! Share!

Why We Tell Stories

Back when I lived in Texas, I hung around with a wonderful community of people who made leaving for New York City really hard. Here are just a few of them, but there are several others:

Jealous?

Over the years with these guys, I have shared many laughs, meals, and snot-filled cry sessions (with the women, at least). In several ways, this is one of those groups that seems to function a lot like a tribe. We have our own culture, our own songs, our own traditions.

Among our many traditions is that of storytelling. Group gatherings always include a hefty amount of reminiscing. Catching up on daily life is a thing that happens, sure, but what we really love is bringing to life the moments from our pasts that we've shared together. We'll tell these stories again and again, unafraid to create new ones, but always cherishing the ones which celebrate our history. When couples from within this group decide to get married, we all sit around them at an engagement party to listen to the tale of how they met and how they got engaged. Sure, we already know all of the details -- the way she didn't think much of him when they were first introduced or the part where he almost dropped the ring into a river -- but there is something about retelling the story that reminds us all of what an adventure love is. 

Daniel and I trying to keep our facts straight while telling our story at our engagement party

There was a time when storytelling was a cultural necessity. It was how traditions were passed along to future generations. It was how norms were set. It is the reason why some of the greatest works of literature were actually able to be written down. I mean, without a dedication to oral tradition, the world might have missed out on Homer's The Iliad or The Odyssey. These are stories that are said to have been sung throughout the generations until one day they were written down, elevating these epic poems to legend.

Today, I don't believe we feel that same pressure to pass things on, and why would we? We have the ability to capture moments digitally and we're in constant, immediate contact with each other through a whole host of media. The device of storytelling is no longer a survival need, and in many ways, it seems impractical, archaic even.

While stories are no longer told to categorize our history, they do serve a profound purpose in relationships. By bringing our pasts to life, storytelling promotes trust, honesty, and the desire to move forward. 

I experienced this recently when I went to an event to honor a friend who was celebrating years of sobriety and recovery. In the midst of this celebration, multiple people came forth to share their struggles with addiction, recounting days where they were at their lowest, pouring out thanks to the people who lifted them up. I realized in the midst of this beautiful scene that these are a people dedicated to the practice of storytelling. They shed light on undignified parts of their lives in order to take comfort in the fact that they are not alone. It's the greatest gift any story can give, really.

Our stories are what connect us. They remind us how ridiculous human existence is. Last night I went to dinner with a group of women, and we all ended up sharing the stories of our engagements, none of which were romcom-level perfect, but all of which were hilarious and sweet. It brought us together in a mutual understanding that life can be so beautiful while also being so completely unpolished.

A scene from my engagement. It's a great story. I'll have to tell it sometime.

"Anything is a story; you just have to tell it"

These are the semi-profound words of one of my best friends on the planet, Patrick. I say "semi-profound" because if I gave him the satisfaction of just saying "profound", he'd probably be pretty smug about it. Patrick is one of those people who is unknowingly popular. He gathers crowds at parties and people just seem to celebrate his existence. One of the things he does best in the world is tell stories. He's got one about getting a really crappy Transformer action figure for Christmas that has legitimately changed my life. 

Me and Patrick. This is a good story too.

His stories are usually self-deprecating -- moments from his life where he is not the hero, yet in recounting these tales he somehow becomes the hero. That being said, it's very fitting to conclude with his advice:

Tell your stories. Anything can be a story -- that crappy breakup, that day you left your keys in your other pants, that moment you realized you wanted to marry her -- anything. You just have to tell it. And when you do, do so genuinely. Don't make yourself the hero if you were kind of the villain. Don't give yourself a sword if all you had was a butter knife. Keep in all of the messy, awkward, true things because those are the things that really connect us all. 

At least, that's what I think.

Before I go, and while we're on the subject of stories, I wanted to shamelessly plug something that I'm going to be a part of that I think might genuinely interest you. It's an artists' showcase happening this Sunday at 7:00 PM here in NYC (Hell's Kitchen, to be precise) called Spring Forth.

Artwork by Tim Bauer

It will be a combo of music & storytelling celebrating the end of this horrific winter. I'll be telling a story along with other comedians on the theme of "a change of seasons". All proceeds for the event (suggested $5 donation) are going to City Harvest. I should also mention that there will be beer from Brooklyn Brewery (one free with your donation!) and fantastic musical acts, so it's kind of a perfect blend of all things awesome. Find more details on the Facebook event page, and if you're not in NYC right now, that's okay. Tell your cousin who lives in Queens to come on out, or if you know Jay Z, maybe drop him a line. 

Okay, that's a wrap. I'd love to hear your thoughts on all of this -- storytelling/friendship/honesty/whatever. Hit me up in the comments section!