To help me cope with my work from home solitude and to keep the days from running into each other, I had to establish a morning routine. One of the elements of my morning routine includes listening to podcasts. None of these are heavy listens because I prefer banter to deep dives into serial killers.
I currently use Spotify Premium to manage my podcast list and listen to them through a bluetooth speaker that I keep on a shelf.
The Favorites
NPR Up First
Released: Daily
Listened to: Daily
Back in the heaviest part of Covid, I drove myself into a deep depression by focusing too much on news. Up First is a 15 minute listen which I supplement with reading NJ Pen for local news and Defector for sports/culture news. Thirty minutes of news a day is perfect for me.
Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Released: The main episodes are released on Wednesdays, but there are smaller episodes scattered through the week.
Listened to: Mondays
Gretchen Rubin writes self-helpish/memoirish books that a lot of people really like and I merely enjoy. But I really love the main episodes of her podcast because she talks with her sister Elizabeth Craft about ways to make life … happier. They are both quite privileged (Gretchen especially) and some days the podcast seems like it’s a giant ad for their paid content so if that bothers you, skip this one.
Bad on Paper
Released: Wednesdays
Listened to: Thursdays
This is sometimes a book podcast and sometimes a chatty life podcast. Both of the hosts, Olivia Muenter and Becca Friedman, are published authors and even though they are younger than me I enjoy their conversations. They also have a Facebook group that I joined for a while but then left because I was way too old for the group. I unironically wear a “how about a nice Hawaiian Punch?” tee, so I’m beyond being injured because a side part was deemed ‘out’ by younger people.
Everything Is Fine
Released: Mondays
Listened to: Fridays
This podcast is my last day of the work week reward. Kim France and Jennifer Romolini host this podcast for women over 40. They are both over 50, their guests are women over 40. They are irreverently funny about getting older and so very GenX. Kim worked for Sassy magazine AND was the editor of Lucky magazine and is the big sister I wish I had. I often laugh aloud.
Last week I ventured into Philadelphia to watch a live recording of Everything Is Fine in Fergie’s Pub and had a fantastic time! If you listen to the Philly episode, (and if the question wasn’t cut) I was the person asking Jennifer and Kim if they could see a resurgence of magazines in the near future.
The Fill-ins
House Calls with Vivek Murthy
Released: Every other Tuesday-ish
Listened to: Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons when I feel sad about the world
Dr. Murthy is our Surgeon General and is very invested in emotional and mental health. His conversations about well-being are lovely and calm and affirming.
Pop Culture Happy Hour
Released: Weekdays-ish
Listened to: Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons when I like the topic
This one used to be my ride or die podcast, but they switched up the format from an hour-long episode once a week with a mostly-set slate of hosts to sub-20 minute episodes four times a week with rotating contributors.
On Being with Krista Tippett
Released: Thursdays, when in production
Listened to: Occasionally when it’s not about parenting.
I can’t find the words to describe On Being so here it is in its own words: “Wisdom to replenish and orient in a tender, tumultuous time to be alive. Spiritual inquiry, science, social healing, and poetry. Conversations to live by.” It’s pretty woo
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Thanks for this.
You’re welcome!