Category: Uncategorized (page 6 of 11)

podcasts worth lending an ear to

October 7, 2015 / / 0 Comments

I’m a firm believer that what you consume shapes how you think and view the world, and that if you surround yourself with excellence, you will desire excellence. When you desire excellence, you’ll soon find yourself losing patience for vacuous content. Even passive consumption of what then seems like garbage is nothing but a waste of time.

I like to be continually learning whenever and however possible. I’m very fortunate in that I am often able to listen to podcasts or audio books during part of my day job. It still amazes me that I can be enriched daily by these free resources. Seriously, how awesome are podcasts?

So without further ado, here are some of my favorite podcasts which I still deem worthy of my time.

Radiolab: an artfully curated take on the mysteries of science.  It’s a curiosity explored in the form of a story, wrapped in a soundscape. Robert Krulwich and Jad Abumrad do a beautiful job of presenting their latest musings from the science world.

99% Invisible: to call this a podcast about design hardly does it justice. Roman Mars presents stories behind anything you can imagine that was designed, with the understanding that great design is invisible. If something is designed well, users shouldn’t even notice it. From architecture to flags to sound, these peeks into the thought behind everything manmade that surrounds us every day is absolutely fascinating.

The seanwes podcast is an extremely value-rich resource for creatives, entrepreneurs, or anyone looking to step up their game. There are several great podcasts on the seanwes network, including one going behind the scenes on a larger than life goal, a branding podcast, a parenting podcast, and even a podcast about podcasting. I wasn’t even blogging weekly until I started listening to this podcast. It will light a fire under your butt and teach you how unprofessional you’ve been all your life. If you’re ready to challenge your comfort zone and learn how to get things done, listen to every single episode of the seanwes podcast. (Oh yeah, there’s a whole series of videos, too!)

The Allusionist is a short podcast about language. I dare you to listen to this and not want to be best friends with host Helen Zaltzman. She’s delightful and hilarious. It’s the most fun etymology lesson you’ll ever hear.

Lexicon Valley is another podcast about language, but longer format than The Allusionist. The two hosts Mike Vuolo and his spiky but likeable counterpart Bob Garfield take a word or phrase and dive deep into the meaning, cultural context, evolution, and often bastardization of the language. I’m admittedly an etymology nerd, but I don’t think you need to be one to get something out of this podcast. I especially enjoyed the one about trying to translate the show “Seinfeld” for a German audience.

Selected Shorts is, as the name suggests, a selection of short stories read live on stage by actors. It unfortunately hasn’t been quite the same since the original host Isaiah Sheffer passed away, but the content is always great. Guest hosts and live readers often include such actors as B.D. Wong, Stephen Colbert, Cynthia Nixon, Robert Sean Leonard, and Wyatt Cenac. I adore short stories, and this always makes the writer part of my brain very happy.

The Moth is recordings of people telling their own unscripted, true stories live on stage. The fact that anyone is brave enough to do this keeps me coming back to listen to their stories.

This American Life is probably one that anyone who has heard of podcasts is familiar with. It’s another story-driven podcast, this time in three acts. They deliver three, seemingly disparate true stories (journalism style) and weave them masterfully into one cohesive theme.

Freakonomics is about “the hidden side of everything.” You don’t realize how economics really does play into everything until you’ve listened to this podcast.

Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! is yet another great program from NPR. It’s a quiz show on current events with a special guest each week, and is honestly my preferred method of getting the news.

The Splendid Table is one I’m sometimes lucky enough to catch part of on the radio when I’m driving. It’s a long-form show, and I haven’t listened in a while, but is great for anyone remotely interested in food. Lynn Rosetto Casper is one of the warmest-sounding hosts I’ve ever heard, and knows her way around all things culinary. I particularly enjoy when she takes calls from listeners and answers whatever kitchen challenges they have. Sometimes she’ll have someone call in to challenge her as to what they can make with a few strange items they have on hand, and that segment is always fun.

WTF with Marc Maron: I’m a fan of Marc Maron as a person. I had the pleasure of seeing him at the Largo, and it couldn’t have been a more intimate performance. You can’t help but feel like you know him, which makes it all the more enjoyable to hear him interview his guests. I haven’t listened to a ton of this one yet, but he does a good interview, and as you may have heard in the news by now, he can draw some pretty big guests.

 

There are many more on writing that I will save for another post, but here are the ones that have survived many an iTunes purge. I’d love to hear what you are listening to. What are some of your favorites? What keeps you coming back to them?

building momentum

August 12, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Every act of creating is a stroke of the blade that sharpens the tool of your passion. You might not know what that is yet, but every creative action will bring that much more clarity to what fulfills you.

Lately I feel listless, frustrated, and directionless. I always want to make the most of the days that I don’t have to be at my day job, but without a clear-cut goal I have no idea where to start. What am I doing with my life? I still can’t get myself to write blog posts. I don’t know what to say, so this listlessness must be rooted in a fear that my voice is meaningless. I think I’ve also put too much pressure on myself to be successful at something outside of work so that I can quit my job as soon as possible. Every morning I dread going to work. I go in just hoping to have enough energy by the end of my shift to come home and work on something I want to do, even if only for a brief period of time before my husband comes home. This is no way to gain momentum. But I guess I have to start somewhere. Just do anything, I keep telling myself. I feel like I’m wasting time.

I know I shouldn’t be checking my email before I do my daily write, but I got an email from a writer whose newsletter I recently subscribed to. “Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t overthink it. Just do the next right thing.” —Michael Hyatt. It’s about his most recent podcast episode, which is super relevant to what I’m feeling right now. It’s about regaining momentum when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

In this episode, you’ll discover:
• Why the big picture is the last thing you should focus on when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
• One of the fastest ways to develop momentum when you’re stuck—it’s simpler than you think.
• The difference between your areas of concern and influence—and why the distinction is critical to keeping your momentum.
• Why comparison can be a momentum killer.
• How to avoid the pitfalls of overthinking and underacting.
This is exactly where I’m at. I’m thinking big picture instead of just doing, and it’s psyching me out. Also, I’m holding myself up to others’ standards and trying to live up, which makes me feel like a failure and keeps me from trying. That’s ironic, since my last blog post was about just getting it out there instead of being paralyzed by the desire to be perfect. I tend to look down on people who don’t give 100%, but isn’t that still better than giving 0% because you’re afraid your efforts will only amount to 75? JUST DO. Any action you feel like doing will be a step in the right direction. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just needs to get started. Do anything. Feel like doing a pastel on paper? Do it. Feel like making a Shrinky Dink? Do it. Feel like practicing your lettering? Do it. Feel like writing a haiku? DO. IT. Every act of creating is a stroke of the blade that sharpens the tool of your passion. You might not know what that is yet, but every creative action will bring that much more clarity to what fulfills you. The world’s shortest sentence gets the point across perfectly: Do.
When I’m at work wishing the day was over, I try to pay attention to what it is I’m itching to do as soon as I get home. It always seems to be something different, and I almost never end up doing it. Maybe I’ll start a habit of immediately writing down what it is I hope to do when I get home. This won’t be a “to-do” list, but rather a list from which I hope to discern a pattern over time. What is it that I consistently have a desire to do, even if I don’t make myself do it? If there’s a pattern, I need to follow through with action. No comparing myself to anyone else, no trying to fit it into the bigger picture, no overthinking. Just do it. Then do it again. Then keep doing it until you have so much momentum that you’re an unstoppable force, even if at first that thing seems mundane or meaningless in the moment. It doesn’t have to be meaningful now. If it’s something you enjoy and can keep doing consistently, that consistency is what’s going to prove worthwhile. Show up. Do. Ship it. Repeat.

Even the act of posting this, even though it’s very far from 100%, is building momentum. It may not be perfect; it may not even be good. But if it helps one person–even if that person is just me–then it’s a step in the right direction. Show up. Do. Ship it. Repeat.

back on the wagon & the big 3-0

July 19, 2013 / / 1 Comment

i’ve been hearing it a lot lately, but never thought all the hype could be true: being 30 rocks so much harder than your 20s ever did.

a month-and-a-half in, i’m realizing how true that actually may be. i not only feel like more of a woman than a girl, i feel like more of an artist than someone hoping to be an artist. i don’t know if cutting off all my hair made me feel more artistic looking, of if it just gave me a bit of a confidence boost because i just went ahead and did something i felt like doing. either way, i feel more secure than i have at any other point in my life. over the last year or two, i’ve found myself caring less and less what others think of me.

in a good way.

with that twenty-something angst finally banished from my psyche, i now feel more freed up to be myself and be happy in my own skin. comparison no longer steals my joy. the approval of others doesn’t dictate what i allow myself to attempt. i’m healthy, i’m happy, and while i could stand to lose a few pounds, i’m not obsessing over my figure. i’m becoming less uptight about things in general.

in the words of tyler durden, i have found the ability to let that which does not matter truly slide.

not to pile on the cliches, but this is my year. it’s my year to create without fear of failure or judgment. it’s my year to flourish in my relationships. it’s my year for the adventurer in me to stop being afraid. it’s my year to stop letting anything about my past, present, or body image hold me back. to quit being a wallflower for fear of scaring people with my real personality. it’s my year to slide.

 

 

in other news, you know what else turned 30 this year? reading rainbow, my little pony, cabbage patch kids, care bears, microsoft word, the camcorder, and the moonwalk. all awesome.

credo

January 27, 2013 / / 0 Comments

I sat down to sketch, but able to draw no more than a blank, I consulted the internet for a prompt. I came across a prompt to write out five of my core beliefs, then illustrate one of them. What resulted was more of a top ten ideas by which I live. Below–in no really particular order–are the first things that came to mind in a roughly 20-minute window.

  1.  I believe in a loving Creator who designed us beautifully to be His imitators.

  2. I believe that Christ is the Son of God, who gave His life to save a f***ed up and otherwise irredeemable world.

  3. I believe that people are more important than ideas. Ideas, while important, are useless in a vacuum. I believe in social justice because people are basically good and worth saving (otherwise, of what value is belief #2?).

  4. I believe in hard work and integrity–being excellent when no one is looking.

  5. I believe that we ought to be good stewards of our planet, living as simply and naturally as possible.

  6. I believe in a limited government, by the people and for the people.

  7. I believe that honesty is always the best policy. The truth wins out in the end, and it is better to err on the side of greater good.

  8. I believe there is tremendous power in beauty.

  9. (I am in the process of believing) many failed attempts are necessary steps toward excellence. The only true failure is inaction. If you show up to the task, rewards will follow, even if the initial outcome (or several hundred outcomes) are not what you had desired.

  10. I believe that all thought and action must be motivated by love (ultimately of God, and everything else for the sake of loving Him). I create because I love. I do the best I can at my job because I love. I seek justice because I love. I vote because I love. I enjoy the fruits of the earth because I love. I have arguments with my husband because I love. I believe in being unpopular and respectfully disagreeing with others out of love. I show up to the daily tasks of life and hope it will eventually result in goodness, truth and beauty because all that stirs me to move and breathe and be is love. As a citizen of this world longing for the next, I know no other stimulus to continue in the task of being human.

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