The other day, Nance mentioned that she does not like podcasts. A couple people in the comments agreed with her and one person wondered how people have the time to squander on such things?
Well… I love podcasts! Here are some of my favorites, and my listening schedule.
Monday is an exciting day, because Best Laid Plans and Currently Reading both drop new episodes. I’ll listen to Currently Reading on my run, and BLP while I’m driving to and from work.
Tuesday- Best of Both Worlds is my to/from work podcast.
Wednesday is an exciting day. Happier and Girl Next Door episodes drop on this day. I’m usually in the car a little more than usual, because instead of going to work I’m driving around doing errands, and I’ll listen to both of these.
Every other Thursday there’s a Patreon episode of Currently reading- the Indie Press List and All Things Murderful (yes- they also do Love and Chili Peppers but I don’t listen to that one because I don’t like romance novels). Again, I usually save these for my runs.
Those are my regularly scheduled podcasts. Then there are some that drop episodes randomly. Everyday Ultra and Choose Strong are great for running. Rich Roll has an episode every Monday and Thursday, but I don’t listen to all of them. When I do, it’s usually in the car.
Recently I’ve started listening to Books Unbound, which comes out on Monday. Since it’s a new addition, I don’t have a specific time slot for it- I’ll listen either in the car or during a run.
Stephany also has a podcast! For some reason I don’t listen to this one a a regular schedule (as you can see, my schedule is pretty full) but every once in a while I’ll binge listen. I see that I’ve missed several fun episodes about morning and evening routines, and five year plans.
In the rare event I run out of things to listen to, I’ll listen to back episodes of Currently Reading. I’m working my way backwards and I’m now in season 4 (they’re currently in season 8).
I LOVE the fact that I always have things to listen to! I know I could spend this time listening to audiobooks, but I don’t want to- I really enjoy my podcasts.
Do you like podcasts? What are your favorites?
25 Responses
I am with Nance. I RARELY listen to podcasts, and definitely not on a schedule. I usually prefer reading over listening.
It’s funny how everyone is so different….I would be SO SAD without my podcasts!
I enjoyed the Serial podcast, the first season. I’ve listened to recap podcasts of TV shows that I used to watch in the 90s. I listen to shows that I call podcasts, but are produced on NPR and the New York Times. My husband has a music podcast, meaning he talks about podcasts. But that’s kind of it. I don’t listen to many podcasts, and like Nance, it’s all of the chatter that gets on my nerves.
LOL, my husband’s podcast doesn’t talk about podcasts, it talks about music. Duh.
I was wondering about that. So your husband actually has a podcast about music? I’m intrigued…
I don’t listen to podcasts. The only episode of anything I ever listened to was Elisabeth’s guest interview recently.
I have too many people talking to me during the day- I don’t need more words. Sometimes I don’t even listen to music on the way to work because I like the quiet.
I also hate wearing headphones, so I never used a walkman or mp3 player, and so the podcast revolution just swooped past me.
I think I know where you’re coming from- podcasts weren’t a thing when my kids were little, but if they were I might not have wanted to listen. There’s already TOO MUCH CHATTER with little kids around.
Team podcast! My go to listening times are: in the car, while cleaning, usually while hiking, and often during dog walking. All of that time adds up!
I always listen to BLP and ChooseFI (financial independence podcast) as soon as I can when they come out, and everything else gets listened to when it gets listened to. I don’t feel obligated to listen to every single episode of every podcast that I’m subscribed to. My rule is that if it’s fun/interesting then I listen, and if I start to feel bored, it’s time to move on to something else.
I agree, there are times where I’ll abandon a podcast mid-listen. Sometimes a couple of my favorites will be geared a little too much to people with little kids, or like I said a lot of times the Ruch Roll guests/topics don’t appeal to me. Oh and sometimes I’ll skip Currently Reading if Meredith isn’t on it!
I LOVE PODCASTS! As I said to Nance, the chattier the better! I don’t listen to audiobooks, I’m sure if I did I would double my annual book count. But I just don’t absorb in the same way. I like a podcast for my walks and for something to listen to while I do chores around the house.
My preference is light, fun podcasts, although I am a big fan of The Rest is History. I love chatty podcasts that give little life updates – feels like a blog, but in listening form. Sometimes I listen to book or movie recaps – I LOVE Double Love, which is a recap of every single Sweet Valley High book ever written, and it is JUST as fun as that sounds. I like Girl Next Door, I like Bad on Paper. I used to love Forever 35, but now I just like it, since they changed one of the hosts and I don’t love the new host. Hmm, what else. Oh! Food News, which Engie got me into. I also like Palace Confidential, which I would only recommend to those interested in the British Royal Family. I listen to SHU’s podcast because I like SHU, even though planning isn’t really an interest of mine. But I like listening to a friend, ditto to Stephany’s!
As for time to squander, well, I feel like I have a lot of time in which I’m doing stuff that doesn’t require much brain power, so it’s fun to have something to listen to! It’s not like I’m just sitting listening (although there’s nothing wrong with that!)
Yes, I agree- I like chatty ones, and it is just like a blog… but in listening form. Some of the running podcasts are a combination of educational/chatty, especially Choose Strong (Sally McRae). And I also went through a phase where I listened to The Rest is History! Like you, I could probably double my book count for the year if I switched to audiobooks, but I love my podcasts too much.
I love podcasts. I rarely listen to music since I always have a podcast going. I listen while driving, walking, cooking, tidying up, showering, etc. My faves are BLP, BOBW, currently reading, and Sarah’s bookshelves live. I support all those podcast’s patreons, too, except SHU because she doesn’t have patreon!
Sometimes I tune into Sarah’s Bookshelves live, but in general I don’t like it as much as Currently Reading. I wonder if you would like Girl Next Door? They talk about a lot of kid stuff, although their kids are older than yours. It is definitely a “chatty” podcast- Nance would not like it!
I also listen to GND! I really like it. It’s a nice peek into the next stage of parenting!!
Sarah from SBL is basically my reading twin! I don’t have much overlap with the currently reading gals since I don’t do mystery, horror, or fantasy. But I still love listening to them!
I do enjoy them – Another Mother Runner (their book review are great) and Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ are among my favorites.
I personally don’t like podcasts. There’s something about sound-only that makes me lose interest or focus after a while, unless it’s some really good music. I’ve tried listening to them in the past but rarely follow an entire episode. It may happen if I sit in the car for a longer trip. When I did listen to podcasts during the pandemic, it was a local whiskey podcast, one by a Swedish psychologist who was helping people with imposter syndrome, and I remember there was a photography podcast for a while. My husband and I used to listen to a Swedish podcast where they interviewed interesting people who had overcome some major obstacles in life, or simply just done something incredible, or were top business people or athletes or something like that. It was great for long trips!
I think much of today’s YouTube channels are mainly podcasts and I just can’t handle people who just sit there with a huge microphone in their face. Why don’t they just make a normal podcast? BUT for some reason I’m much better with podcasts on YouTube. I used to follow a British channel with interesting conversations about current politics, society, culture etc. It was more like a TV show, they sat in armchairs just talking and I loved it!
I understand why podcasts are appealing to so many people! It’s like listening to radio but a topic of your choice and you can do it while running, cleaning the house or whatever. But for that I’d prefer music!
i listen to podcasts mostly when I run. They are great for that because listening tends to make you run too fast when you’re just out doing the long run or base runs. If I’m driving by myself I will listen to a podcast but that is a rare occasion. I also sometimes put one on while I’m cleaning. I don’t listen to audiobooks so that might be why I lean towards podcasts.
I LOVE podcasts! I have a very short commute now and I miss my old commute because I could fit so much more in each week! 🙂 I listen to series a lot now – recently I listened to Love Trapped about the former Bachelor and that was wild. I don’t watch the Bachelor, but I grew up in the Bay Area listening to the woman’s dad on the radio and the story is just WILD! I also like Edit Your Life with Christine Koh, Lazy Genius and Ezra Klein. I listen to a few local ones – California Report and California Now. I love Planet Money. Freakanomics depending on the topic. And then a lot of higher ed focused podcasts. I really loved Sorta Awesome when it was on and I still miss it. 🙂
I don’t listen to a lot of podcasts but the ones I do, I love! Currently my favorite is Your Diet Sucks. It’s hosted by two women ultra runners, one who’s a registered dietitian and the other is a journalist, they’re both hilarious and I love how they’re not afraid to dive into the science behind nutrition myths in the running and exercise world!
I try to save it for when I’m doing a treadmill hill session to make the time go by faster but I haven’t done one in awhile so I have some episodes to catch up on. I prefer listening to music when I drive and on trail runs but I may try to listen to podcasts when I’m at work!
I do love the Bill Nighy podcast, Ill-Advised with Bill Nighy. I also enjoyed listening to If Books Could Kill back when I could still take my daily walks. IBCK was very well-organized and smart.
Like another commenter above, I think my aversion to random-esque chatter podcasts is because of my former career, high school teacher. My entire day was talking or listening to talking. The entire time I was teaching, I wouldn’t even turn on the radio on drives because I truly luxuriated in Silence. The enrollment where I taught was 2500 students, and every class change it felt like all of them were in the same hallway I was. I still enjoy quiet time, but I’ve reintroduced more music into my life, thanks to YouTube Music. I love hearing the songs of my life, my favourites all in one place!
I love podcasts. Lately I feel like I have listened to all the good ones I feel inspired by.
So I am looking for new creative ones. It is really hard to grin artsy ones that are not to artsy. Sigh.
I listen to Girl Next Door weekly and I do listen to Best Laid plans randomly.
Podcasts can have so many different formats — some are fully produced shows, while others have a more free-form style. No surprise that my fav weekly podcast is Peloton-related (The Clipout), but there’s another Peloton podcast I CAN’T STAND because one person’s voice grates on me and the format is more rambling.
I need to find others to add to my weekly line-up.
I listen to a ton of podcasts but usually only in between audio books, which means I get to binge all my faves. I heart Unf*ck Your Fitness, Wiser Than Me, and Empowered Radio plus all the Crooked Media shows and the ones you already listed 🙂
Lol, the comment about squandering time on podcasts is funny because… I only listen when I’m doing other things! How would I get through driving and my chores and cooking without podcasts?!?!
I listen to SO many that it’s hard to list them all. But my TRUE favorites are The Popcast, Shelf Respect, Sarah’s Book Shelves Live, and Diabolical Lies. I also listen to Pod Save America, but the news is so miserable these days that it’s more of a hate-listen. Not because of the podcast, but because I know I’m going to be frustrated/sad/upset. SIGH.
Thanks for the call-out on my podcast! <3
Yes! I LOVE podcasts! I listen to some in the faith/mothering space, but I also love listening to book podcasts! I love From the Front Porch and Thoughts From a Page, as well as Booktalk, Etc. I also listen to a lot of podcasts on my runs!