Palm Slap Forehead

Daily writing prompt

What are your favorite emojis?

Ah, the emoji….the cute, whimsical picture form of wordplay to express an emotion without actually writing it. The perfect symbol of our time…..why write something when you can send a picture. The various forms of smiley faces, laughing faces, crying faces are just the tip of the iceberg. Emojis for people, places, objects, work occupations, animals and even food…..an emoji for literally everything.

For a long time I refused to use emojis…..I admit I felt they were beneath me….I used texting for quick communication. I didn’t need an emoji to express myself. I could do that on my own just fine without pictures thank you. I figured the emoji was for kids and I even felt it represented a decline in our overall society. Cavemen had drawn pictures on walls as a way of communicating and here we were millions of years later resorting to silly smiley faces and eggplants to communicate our feelings. We’ve developed hundreds if not thousands of languages to communicate and yet we seem to be devolving back to communicating with pictures. And so for a long time I refused to use emojis….yes I was being a bit old fashioned.

Looking back it was rather silly and even curmudgeonly of me to hate on emojis. I had a friend whom I texted with almost daily and she always included emojis in her texts. She had a few favorites, the laughing face and the peace sign were included in most every text but she used all kinds of emojis….she used emojis I never even knew existed. I started referring to her as the emoji queen and she was an adult so I figured what’s the harm in throwing in an emoji to complement or even accentuate my texts.

Like most people I have a couple of favorites….the shoulder shrug and the face palm my two most frequently used but I’ve certainly expanded my portfolio. So go ahead and include an emoji in a text…..they’re fun and they convey an emotion quickly and no they shouldn’t replace talking or writing and be careful as they can sometimes be taken the wrong way…..that eggplant emoji just doesn’t mean lets have eggplant tonight ( insert face palm emoji here )

Peace and Love….

John

The Great Re-Read

Daily writing prompt

What book could you read over and over again?

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I don’t typically re-read the same book over again. If you’re a reader who enjoys many different genres then you always have a list of books to read and never enough time to read them. I occasionally will pick up an old favorite off the bookshelf and just open it and read a few pages but I almost never think about starting it all over from the beginning. Of course this begs the question of why do we even keep books once we’re finished with them ? If they’re just sitting on bookshelves or in piles around the house wouldn’t it be better if we gave them to others to enjoy and it would certainly free up space on shelves and desks for other objects. Perhaps the question of why we keep books we have no intention of reading again should be addressed on a future blog post but for now I’ll reveal the one book I’ve read more than once and surprisingly it was a book I didn’t even enjoy the first two times I read it, this book is……The Great Gatsby

I can’t remember the first time I read Gatsby…..it was probably when I was in high school, not that it was assigned to me but I remember reading it because I had heard so much about it and it was considered such a classic. I remember being enthralled by the first chapter describing that first big party thrown by the dashing, wealthy Jay Gatsby…..oh to be like him, hosting huge parties that spared no expense, but as the book dragged on I continually felt disillusioned by the characters……Gatsby desperately trying to impress an old girlfriend….really that’s it ? And all the other characters besides the narrator were just the most awful collection of self-absorbed people. I didn’t get it, I know it’s considered a classic and the definitive novel of a certain time period but I was disappointed….perhaps I myself was too immature to fully comprehend it’s genius.

Years went by before I re-read it….I tried I really did try to find the magic and see the wonder of it….but like before I didn’t find, couldn’t hear it, didn’t feel it. So there it sat on my bookshelf growing dusty, taking up space, destined to sit and be admired but not loved……until just a few years ago when I had the opportunity to listen to it on an audio book.

It’s funny how you comprehend something differently when you hear it as opposed to reading it…..at least for me there’s a deeper level of comprehension, or perhaps the narrator was particularly enthralling but I thoroughly enjoyed the audio book version of Gatsby far more than I enjoyed reading it. The words sung to me, they were lyrical and deep in ways I never picked up when I was reading it. I listened intently to each chapter even re-winding certain passages to hear them again the magic of the words dancing through my head. Yes there’s still very little redeeming qualities to most of the characters and the lack of accountability in the end is appalling and Gatsby’s futile attempt to win back Daisy is tragic ( c’mon Jay just move on ) but that’s the point…..writers know this, writers understand this…..happy endings are for movies and kids books.

So I once again re-read Gatsby….and I enjoyed it….I read it and heard the words and could see and feel the magic and I got it…..the story, the time period, the hope, the desperation and despair, the longing and the love and yes the tragedy that is life. So once again Gatsby sits on my bookshelf growing dusty occasionally opened and glanced at a page or two at a time but appreciated now for the great work it is

Thanks for reading….like or comment if you feel inclined

Peace and Love…..

John

The Places You Will Go

Daily writing prompt

Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.

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At first when I saw this topic I dismissed it thinking there was no possible way I could write anything worthwhile about a pair of shoes. Perhaps it’s just my male DNA but I’ve never understood the obsession and amount of shoes some people have. Generally I think it’s a gender thing but not always as I know of many male acquaintances who have a closet full of shoes seemingly one for each outfit they wear and I know of many male sneaker-heads who collect the latest basketball shoe usually endorsed and worn by a popular player.

Don’t get me wrong, I know that a good looking pair of shoes completes an outfit and a well fitting pair of shoes is invaluable…..if your feet are bothering you no matter how good the rest of your outfit is it doesn’t matter cuz your miserable. I know this because I work on my feet most of the day in all types of weather conditions and my work boots are the most important and valuable piece of apparel I wear each day….but I don’t want to write about work boots…..egads, there’s no romanticizing about work boots and the place they take me to is work and who really wants to be reminded of work. I rarely wear my work boots anywhere else and they get kicked off at the end of the day in the garage and forgotten about until the next workday……invaluable yes, loved, also yes for their durability and comfort, worthy of being written about…..gosh no.

It’s funny the amount of shoes I actually own is I think surprisingly low. A couple of pair of dress shoes, one pair black another brown, for the rare occasions I do dress up and then I have 3 pair of sneakers, each with a distinctive function. My workout shoes are for working out and are rarely used for anything else, my old workout shoes are now my yard shoes and since they have just about used up their usefulness even as yard shoes, they will soon be tossed out or perhaps donated to be recycled and soon my current workout shoes will become my yard shoes this summer and I’ll get a new pair of workout shoes….the circle of life, sneaker style.

The pair of shoes I think about most fondly is a pair I don’t even wear on a weekly basis. They too have a specific function and it’s because of this that they are my most favorite. In the shoe rack in the garage sits a pair of hiking boots and each time I glance at them I’m reminded of the places they have taken me and the people I have journeyed with.

I purchased them before our spring break family vacation a few years ago. Since my son was a high school senior we let him pick out a destination for his senior trip. Not being one of those kids that wanted to go on the official school trip to some exotic beach locale, and to be truthful we were perfectly happy about that, he desired an adventure, an out west hiking trip and so it was decided we should travel to perhaps one of the most stunning natural wonders imaginable….the Grand Canyon.

It was a wonderful experience…..mere words cannot describe the visual beauty, awe and wonder that the Grand Canyon provides and I as a mere blogger can’t properly do it justice. We hired a guide and hiked down into the canyon. I began to realize the further we went the more difficult and arduous the hike out would be but we all wanted to go farther, as far as our guide could take us and still get back before sundown. The farther you go into the canyon the less people there are. The first hour is crowded with family’s…..a single file line fills the trail but you quickly notice that most people are wearing sneakers or some other type of flimsy shoe and most don’t have backpacks with food or water. They don’t last very long before they turn back and begin their hike out ill prepared for the terrain.

We stopped and ate lunch on a ledge, our feet dangling over the edge, the solitude and sheer vastness breathtaking. In the distance we could barely make out the river and we caught a glimpse of a couple of commercial rafts filled with people rafting down the river. Our guide spoke romantically of his hope of one day being a river guide shooting the rapids in an adrenaline fueled experience truly living life on the edge.

The hike back to the top was long, picture yourself slowly climbing stairs for hours and hours. We stopped for breaks many times and our water ran low and when we reached the rim we were exhausted, hungry but exhilarated for what we had accomplished, and although our hiking boots had performed admirably we couldn’t wait to be out of them. Later at dinner we scarfed tacos and burritos, exchanged pictures and relived the high points and low points of the day.

I occasionally put my hiking boots on and hike on some local trails but hiking in Michigan is not the same as the Grand Canyon. Each time I put them on I’m reminded of our family vacation, the adventure, the difficulty and exhilaration of a day spent in the Grand Canyon, a grand experience made better by being properly prepared right down to our hiking boots and although hiking boots may not be visually pleasing and perhaps they don’t complete an outfit they make up for it in the places they will take you.

Peace and Love….

John

Time

Daily writing prompt

How do significant life events or the passage of time influence your perspective on life?

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This question is obviously heavily influenced by whatever age the writer happens to be at this moment. My answer would be wildly different now than 20 years ago or even 10 years ago. As the experiences of life and events come and go the perspective changes as if one sees a view from a certain height but then the view changes from a different height…..it’s essentially the same view but seen differently.

As a kid I always had time and significant life events couldn’t come soon enough. I actually remember as a kid there were significant amounts of time when I was quite simply bored with nothing to do. But of course I didn’t want my parents to know I was bored because they would always find something for me to do and it usually ended up being some type of chore. I soon learned to regret those moments when I verbally expressed my boredom to one of my parents as I would shortly find myself on the end of a broom sweeping out the garage or with a sponge in my hand washing a car.

And life events couldn’t come soon enough as a kid…… I couldn’t wait to turn 10, that seemed like such a big number, and of course becoming a teenager was a milestone which was soon eclipsed by finally turning 16 and getting a drivers license. Oh the life events come quickly when your young…..graduating high school, going off to college, turning 21, starting jobs and adulthood. A whirlwind of events and milestones marks the passage of time at that age.

The life events of marriage and starting a family mean the somewhat carefree days of being young and single are over, but the milestones are just has significant when shared with loved ones. Watching a child grow up and experience those milestones brings a certain joy and pride that only a parent can relate to.

And speaking of parents, you soon notice that life becomes more difficult for them and plans must be made for their future comfort and the sad inevitability that someday both your parents will pass away.

As I sit here now in my late 50’s and look ahead to the future I’m acutely aware of the time I have left and all the things I want to do. There’s places I want to go, goals I want to accomplish and I constantly feel I don’t have the time. I ponder retirement not that it’s imminently close, it’s more like a daydream, but it feels closer now than ever before. I talk to friends around the same age and we ponder what retirement would be like, a world not ruled by an alarm clock, emails or deadlines. Is there time to do the things you’ve always wanted or are your days just as busy because now you have the time.

When I was younger each life event was like a warm embrace, a comforting milestone on life’s journey…..now the milestones are fewer, the days seem to run together but time passes more quickly…..my son is the one coming into adulthood checking off milestones and experiencing life and I wonder how I will find the time to accomplish all that I want.

Tennis Anyone ?

Daily writing prompt

Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a youth. What became of it?

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When I think back to childhood there really was no item I was especially attached to. I didn’t have a special stuffed animal or a small blanket I would drag around like Linus. At different times I had some favorite toys but I would outgrow them and move on. Most of my favorite items involved sports of some kind. I had a couple of different baseball mitts….I would lovingly rub oil on them to break them in and put them under my mattress with a baseball wedged in the center to develop a pocket. I would ride to a friends house my mitt dangling off the handlebars of my bike. I never liked other people using my mitt, they wouldn’t care for it the same as I would, and they’d just throw it on the ground and worse their sweaty hands would leave the inside feeling wet and clammy. I loved playing baseball with my friends, it was our favorite neighborhood game to play during the summers. But as we grew older the games became more infrequent as we started finding new hobbies and interest….for me my new passion became tennis.

I don’t remember where I got my first tennis racquet. I think it was from a garage sale, it was a wood racquet and I distinctly remember that it had a cover covering the head of it which was kinda unique as most of the wood racquets were still being put into a press when not in use. I’m dating myself I know by all these references to wood racquets and frame presses but back when I was a kid most of the racquets were wood….aluminum was just beginning to become popular but most casual and a lot of professionals still used wood. My dad played tennis and he would let me tag along with him to the courts as he hit with a friend. He’d give me an old ball or two and tell me to hit it against the backboard while he and his friend would play. After they were finished my dad would hit with me for awhile giving me some pointers about how to hold the racquet and how my swing should be.

Eventually I began taking lessons during the summers, not that my parents thought I had any prodigious talent but more to simply get me out of the house and away from the TV. My mom would drive me to the local courts while she ran errands…..there an instructor of some degree would teach a handful of us kids the basics and we’d run around hitting and chasing balls for the better part of an hour……and I soon began to love it……it became my thing.

There wasn’t much tennis on TV back then but if it was on I was watching it. I’d go to the library and check out books on tennis or read a tennis magazine. I absorbed as much of it as I could which back then was pretty limited. I soon began noticing what racquets the pros were using convinced that if I had the same racquet my game would improve or at least I’d beat my friends more consistently, and back then one of the premier racquets was the Wilson Jack Krammer Pro Staff.

I had a serious crush on this racquet even more so than any crush I would develop on a girl back then….yes I know I know….. but I told you I loved tennis. Anyhow my friends and I would hang out in the sporting goods store eyeing the racquets especially the Pro Staff. We’d look at it, talk about it in whispered tones almost afraid to touch it. Soon though we’d start to pass it around, remarking on it’s looks and feel……

“feel how lightweight it is, that’s unusual for a wood racquet”….one of us would remark

“look it’s endorsed by Jack Krammer for championship play”……another would exclaim….never mind that none of us had ever seen Krammer play as he played in the 50’s & 60’s and he probably didn’t play with this racquet.

“what do you think of this grip….I’d think I’d go with one size up”…..

“really ?….. I kinda like the feel of this”…..and on we’d go standing there talking racquets, grips and feel….what can I say we were tennis geeks. Eventually we’d tire of this talk and leave or perhaps we were asked to leave as it was obvious none of us were purchasing the racquet that day.

It was my parents, god bless them, who finally purchased the racquet for me for my birthday….although I had dropped enough hints it was only a slight surprise, and for a short time I was the envy of all my tennis playing friends. But racquets like a lot of things are a personal preference and soon one of my friends had a new oversize racquet and another got an aluminum racquet…..me I stuck with my wood Pro Staff for a long time, eventually I was one of the only people at the courts swinging a wood racquet.

Eventually I discovered other interests and even discovered girls and my buddies and I stopped playing. My wood racquet was shoved into the closet or ( the horror) the garage subjected to the cold. I kept it all these years as I realized it wasn’t some out of date relic from a bygone era but a unique item of my childhood. It’s been rescued from the garage and as I write this I’ve been cradling it across my lap and I’ve even jumped up a few times and taken some practice swings…..might have to hit the courts again this summer.

My old racquet brings back all those memories of times spent with friends doing something we loved. Tennis gave us something to do, something to discover during our awkward teenage years, a place to hang out and be ourselves, a place to have fun, compete and laugh with each other…….and I suppose that’s why I’ve kept this racquet all these years

Peace and Love,

John

Look Ahead

Daily writing prompt

If you had a freeway billboard, what would it say?

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Ah, freeway billboards….those wonderful, colorful sources of information that are placed along the freeways to grab your attention. Most of them dot the highways telling the weary traveler of food or gas options up ahead. Sometimes you’ll see a local lawyer, his face enlarged on the billboard with his phone number in giant numbers urging you to call him because he’ll get the best deal and the most money. In my area a local jewelry store always has a billboard reminding men about upcoming holidays, Christmas and Valentines being the two prominent ones where there seems to be a need to remind men to buy jewelry for that special someone. Billboards always tell you what’s coming up ahead never what you just passed or missed, and that seems appropriate for life in general. If I had a freeway billboard it would urge me to keep looking ahead.

Although my wife would disagree I actually have a pretty good memory…..well long-term memory, short-term memory not so much. I’m forever searching for my keys, my phone or my reading glasses. Thankfully most times I hang the keys up on the hook by the door, my phone is usually in my pocket or on the countertop but my reading glasses….well those could be anywhere which is why I have 2 pair. I always keep one of my reading glasses on the table next to the chair I usually read in, but the other pair, well they could be anywhere…..in the car, at work, in my pocket, in my coat pocket, usually they are right where my wife doesn’t want them, meaning they’re in her way. But long-term memory is different. My siblings usually consult me about memories from our childhood. I don’t remember everything but I do have this odd ability to remember times, places and even conversations.

This is both good and bad as I often remember points in my life that I wish never happened or I could do over. I’m forever replaying situations and scenarios over in my head wondering if I should have done something different. I often wonder why my brain works like this and what else it could be focusing on if it wasn’t dwelling so much in the past.

That’s why my freeway billboard would tell me to “Look Ahead”……. I can’t go back and re-do the past….nobody gets a do-over and quite frankly the events I think about are really inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, and let’s face it, I’m probably dwelling on events that nobody else thinks about and are long forgotten.

Sure I can use the past as a guide but I need to focus on the present and the future and leave the memories of long ago events in my rear view mirror like those freeway billboards trying to guilt me into buying expensive jewelry

As always…. Peace & Love

John

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Admiration

Daily writing prompt

What is something others do that sparks your admiration?

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There are many traits I admire in others. Perhaps it’s the creeping doubts in my own self-confidence or maybe the inability to let go of mistakes I’ve made in the past but I always seem to look at others and see their best qualities and wish I had those.

The ability to lead either by words or example is a wonderful trait that only a few truly possess. Some leaders are given titles and expect because of it that others will be inspired by them. They lead by edict or worse by slogans and their uninspired followers are dragged along with them. We seem to be living in an age sorely lacking of true leaders. Is it that so called leaders are too scared to make a mistake or are simply covering their own butts but truly inspiring leaders seem to be a relic of a by-gone day.

Another trait I admire is the ability to find humor in difficult situations or in the simple everyday fabric of life. Laughter is truly something that binds us all. People of different cultures, people of different countries, people who speak different languages can all find commonality in laughter. Laugh everyday, make someone laugh everyday….that’s a pretty great day.

Owning up to one’s mistakes and learning by them is an admirable trait that few people seem enabled to do. We seem to live in a time where plowing ahead with ideas that are clearly wrong is often celebrated as an individual living as they choose. But it’s the person who can make a mistake, admit it, change their mind on something, learn and grow that we should be encouraging.

But as I sit here tapping away on the keyboard I realize it’s once again been awhile since I’ve last written. Procrastination, lack of time, and just plain tiredness have conspired against my creativity. So the one trait I’ve been admiring in others is the ability to write everyday. I follow a handful of other bloggers who faithfully compose a thoughtful bit of writing each day. How they can do this must be some sort of wizardry as I often struggle to make a post once a week.

So here’s to you the keyboard warriors tapping away making words dance across the screen in a tango of harmony and symphony. Your creativity I salute, your determination is to be admired and your ability to focus and write is a trait I long for…..

As always….Peace and Love

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An Open Book

What book are you reading right now ?

I admit I have a book problem. If only there was some type of support group for people like me. I have this terrible habit of buying my next book before I’ve finished my current book, and since it takes me about a month to read a book….well they just keep piling up. I know what you’re thinking…just get a bookcase. Alas I do have a bookcase and it’s filled with books because my second problem is that I tend to keep the books I’ve already read. Occasionally I might lend a book out to a friend or family member and sometimes I even tell them to not give it back and pass it along to someone else but the majority of books I’ve read sit on the bookcases….yes bookcases, plural, more than one. I will peruse my bookcases periodically and think I need to thin out the herd but instead I’ll usually take a book out and read a few pages and realize why I enjoyed it in the first place and put it back on the shelf to sit there, grow dusty and take up space.

There’s a simple solution in today’s modern world of digital access……the world of Kindle and e-books. My wife who reads way more than I do has completed the transformation and is now a total e-book believer. Oh at first she resisted, she liked holding a book, liked the feel of the book and of course kept a majority of the books she read, but now she’s a total convert and thankfully so as I said she reads more books than I do and faster and we would be buried by her books if she actually had the physical version of each of the books she’s read. So it’s a good thing she’s converted….she’ll sometimes tell me all the books she has stored on her Kindle to be read in the future….it’s in the hundreds or maybe thousands as I really wasn’t paying attention, and a lot of her books are really inexpensive which is also a good thing. Yes she’s a total convert, but I still like a book to hold and keep.

The current book I’m reading is called The Disenchanted by Bud Schulberg. I heard about it on a podcast I was listening to and I was able to find a copy. It’s an old book written in 1950, the story takes place in Hollywood in the early 40’s. The main character is a young writer trying to get noticed, trying to get his screenplay made into a movie. He’s assigned to work with an older writer to help him polish the script so that maybe it gets green-lighted to be made. The older writer was once very famous, he wrote perhaps the seminal book of the roaring 20’s. He was wealthy, he partied, he traveled and everyone wanted to be seen with he and his wife….they were the epitome of the time period. But times changed and the famous writer grew old but didn’t change….when he’s assigned to work with the young writer he’s bitter, forgotten about, divorced, broke and in failing health. He still talks about the old days as if they were last week and of course he talks about writing one last, great novel.

The podcast I was listening to said that the author of this book, Bud Schulberg, worked in Hollywood as a young writer and he was assigned to work with F. Scott Fitzgerald and this book is a depiction of their collaboration. I googled Fitzgerald and it’s true that he did work in Hollywood at the end of his career. The entire time I’ve been reading this book I picture a bitter, washed up Fitzgerald, divorced from his crazy wife Zelda trying to earn a paycheck and be relevant again. It’s fascinating and I highly recommend it.

I purchased this book as I now purchase all my books off the internet on a used booksite. It’s called Better World Books and they get old books from libraries and donations and sell them at deep discounts. Most of the books I purchase are less than $10 and most are less than $5. It’s perfect for someone like me who still buys books.

One more thing….on one of the first pages before the copy right page is a page that states this book is a limited edition specially made for presentation to The Booksellers of America. I have no idea who this group is or if they still exist in some form but this book is numbered 463 and it’s written in a colored pencil. I have no clue how many of these limited edition books there are but I think this is a book I’ll keep and put on my bookcase to grow dusty and occasionally pull out to glance thru and remember why I liked it…..I’m going to need another bookcase.

Peace and Love….like, comment or subscribe….tell me about a book your reading

John

The Most Important Find

The writing prompt asks what’s the most important thing you’ve found ?

I sat and pondered this for a moment. I’ve never found a pile of money or even a gold nugget. An old valise never was uncovered in the attic with hidden treasures or at least old stock certificates. I think I found $5 lying on the ground once and I felt extremely joyful for that, but then it occurred to me that I was thinking about this all wrong, the most valuable things you find aren’t monetary. The most valuable finds elicit an emotional response or an awakening. I know it sounds cliche to say but the most valuable thing I ever found was myself.

I’ve always been fascinated with the concept of how people find their way both in life and into their chosen profession. Does the plumber grow up fantasizing about snaking a toilet the same way an athlete dreams of making the winning score. Likewise for the tree-trimmer, the truck driver and the painter just to name a few. Yet these are wonderful professions that provide a comfortable life-style. I speak from experience here as I never thought I’d be driving a truck but once I started doing it I found I rather enjoyed it. I think most people who find their way into a lot of professions never thought they would be there, and what comes first, finding your way in life or finding your way into your profession or does it go hand in hand ?

In high school I was always trying to fit in….sure I had friends but we were never in the popular crowd, we always seemed to be on the outside looking in. Sometimes I would wish I was somebody different and I would even have a different name and start over. College helped a lot. Being independent and making decisions is an important step to discovering yourself. A college campus is a wonderful place offering a wide variety of experiences. It’s so often the place a teenager transitions to a young adult and that may be the most valuable aspect of college. Although in one respect I was still lost….I entered college thinking I knew what I wanted to do and I left having no clue about my future. In that respect I kinda failed…….I didn’t take full advantage of all the opportunities to discover potential careers. I didn’t fully explore both myself and where I might fit in as I transitioned to adulthood. I didn’t fully understand myself, most importantly nor had I accepted myself for who I was and what my strengths were, and so I spent the first years out of college bouncing around from one meaningless job to the next. Looking back at that time I realized I wasn’t even participating in activities that made me happy, I was still trying to fit in instead of being myself.

I don’t know when it happened or how it happened, perhaps it has something to do with growing older and not caring what others think, maybe I just realized I need to live the life that makes me happy or maybe it occurred around the time my profession became my career but somewhere along the way I discovered myself.

I have fun, I laugh, I try to make others laugh. I’m there with a kind word or I just listen when others need to talk. I set an example for my son and I’m always available and supportive for my spouse. I no longer care or worry what others are doing, in fact I would rather not be around most people as I relish opportunities to be alone with my thoughts outside doing things I love. I don’t know if this makes me different but it’s what I discovered about myself and it was the greatest find of my life

as always Peace and Love….

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There’s a Pod For That

I sometimes joke around that there’s a podcast for everything and everyone has a podcast. It certainly seems that way and yet I do know of numerous people who don’t listen to any podcasts. Perhaps it depends on your daily habits and I think it largely depends on how much time you spend commuting to and from work, or if your like me and your job involves driving on a daily basis then you might be more inclined to listen to podcasts.

One time I tried to explain podcasts to my mom, she’s 82, so I tried to keep it simple and the best way I could describe it was to compare it to a radio show, but not just any radio show because if you’ve tried to actually listen to a radio station it’s….well let’s just say it’s difficult with the endless commercials and very little content you want to hear. Which make podcasts great….you’re listening to subjects you want to hear with minimal interruptions. That’s not to say there aren’t commercials…there are but you also have a way to fast forward through them if your so inclined and can do so without losing focus on whatever else you might be doing….like driving.

Whatever your interest, hobby or guilty pleasure, there’s a podcast for that. Most of the podcasts I listen to have weekly episodes or bi-weekly episodes and then there are special podcasts taking a deep dive into one particular subject. I just finished a podcast by the author Michael Lewis on the trial of Sam Bankman- Fried and the collapse of his crypto exchange FTX. It helped me understand a subject I find fascinating and yet no matter how many times it’s explained to me I still don’t understand crypto or the blockchain. I enjoy Michael Lewis’ books and podcasts as he has a very wonderful way of writing and explaining things that make them relatively easy to understand.

I tend to like podcasts that aren’t about a bunch of yelling and screaming and taking sides on issues….so I tend to stay away from any political podcasts. They don’t seem to convey much relevant information or accomplish much….much like our political system.

Podcasts like Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History which reexamines subjects in a unique way or tells interesting history are favorites of mine. Along that line is a wonderful podcast by Mo Rocca called Mobituaries which gives an oral obituary of someone or something that’s been forgotten.

I enjoy a couple of business podcasts with Freakonomics probably being my favorite….again it tends to look at things in an entirely different way and discuss subjects that I’m generally not exposed to….they recently did a 3-part pod on the history of whaling…it was way more interesting than I would have thought.

In my free time I do enjoy watching sports so I do listen to some sports podcasts and of course there are many to choose from, and for sheer entertainment there is a hilarious podcast that finds stories about people screwing up and doing stupid, relatively harmless things and a trio of comedians pokes fun at their stupidity….it’s aptly named Dumb People Town and if you’re stuck in a commute that’s taking longer than expected it certainly helps pass the time.

Peace and Love……as always like, subscribe or comment….leave a podcasts recommendation as I’m always looking for new ones