Stephany Writes

Categories: About Me

What I’ve Learned About Cats After Eight Months

It’s been almost nine months since I brought Eloise home and seven months since Lila entered our lives. Before adopting my girls, I had zero experience with cats. (My family was more into dogs than cats, especially considering my grandma was super-duper allergic to cats.) I really had no idea what I was getting into. (Thank god for Kim, who I relied on so much. She sent me a long list of items to buy for cats and patiently answered all of my questions, even the really stupid ones. Heh.)

So, it’s been nine months of learning for me and I thought it might be fun to share all the stuff I’ve learned about cats and their behaviors. Let’s dive in!

> Sometimes, they sleep with their heads up. It still kind of weirds me out that they will fall asleep sitting upright because dogs just don’t do that. I had no idea what was happening when I saw Eloise do it for the first time and had to google about it.

> I’ve grown way too comfortable with the sight of their buttholes. Honestly, one thing nobody told me was how often I would be up close and personal with one of my cats’ buttholes. Lila’s especially, since she likes to lay right on my chest with her butt in my face.

> Cats love to wrestle! The first time Eloise and Lila fought, I was worried! Was someone going to claw an eye out? Nope – it’s just their way of playing! It’s always fun and playful with them. They just love to tussle and mess with each other, like all siblings do. It’s grown to be one of my favorite things because it’s just so funny to watch them wrestle!

> A tiny scrap of paper, bottle cap, hair tie, or other silly object brings them the most joy. Forget about regular cat toys. These girls just want silly inanimate objects to play with. They can keep themselves entertained for a long time by pushing these objects around the floor or throwing it up in the air or biting it. Speaking of…

> Nothing of mine is safe anymore. Whether it’s a hair tie on the floor, a necklace on my bathroom counter, or a marker on my kitchen island, if they find it, it’s for them to play with. The same is true with dogs (let’s talk about how Chip will sometimes run around with my mom’s glasses in his mouth), but the difference is, Chip can’t climb up on my bathroom counter or kitchen island or dresser. The cats can.

> Their pupils change sizes! Chalk this up to something else I didn’t know about cats. Sometimes, their pupils are as big as saucers and sometimes as small as slits. I think it has something to do with light and darkness? I read up on it a while ago because I was so interested in learning why their pupils can be such massively different sizes. Speaking of which…

> I can make their pupils dilate! Ah, it’s so funny to see this happen. I’ll do it just for fun when one of the girls is sitting on me. I’ll make a silly sound and watch their pupils get really big… and then return to normal when I stop making the sound. It’s the little things, sometimes.

> They eat insects! I did not realize this was going to be one of the benefits of having cats. (Or maybe I just had a really lazy dog, haha.) But the moment they spot an insect in the house, they are off to the races to kill it. Which works for me! One of the worst parts of living alone is having to kill all the bugs myself so it’s nice that I can let them do it for me. (I try not to let them eat the bug, though. I just appreciate that they help me kill the bugs. Team effort!)

> They climb on everything. Oh my goodness, I think the only place they haven’t climbed on is my kitchen counter. They love being on my kitchen island (they use my bar stool to get up there), my TV stand, my bed, and the window ledge in my bedroom. Ellie really loves jumping from my bed to the top of my dresser (and it’s one of those tall six-drawer dressers, so it’s quite the jump!) Lila has taken to jumping onto my bathroom counter when I’m using the toilet (TMI, sorry). They also love jumping on the side of the tub when I’m taking a bath, which freaks me out a bit because I’m worried about them falling in! Oh, and last night, I found Lila just sitting on top of my suitcase. Just because. Ellie will climb onto my new bookshelf from time to time, but usually only the bottom shelf. All this to say, nothing is safe. Everything is free to climb. I really need to get a cat tree but there’s nowhere in my apartment to put it. Definitely something I’ll be getting when I move next year!

> Speaking of climbing on everything, I still cringe every time they jump from a high distance. Sometimes, Ellie will jump right from the top of my dresser to the floor and it freaks me out. Just this week, Lila jumped a good five feet (laterally) from my bathroom counter to the center of my room. I know they’re okay to jump like that (something about a flexible spine?), but as a former dachshund mom who had to be so careful about Dutch’s back (I didn’t even like him jumping off the couch!), it’s this weird dichotomy. Hopefully, one day, it won’t freak me out so much!

> They give love bites! Eloise, especially, gives lots of love bites. She really loves to nip me in the elbow or side of my wrist, especially when I’m sitting down and petting her. Lila’s form of love bites is to just gnaw on one of my fingers, lol. Sometimes, she’ll wake me up in the middle of the night just for gnawing. Ah, silly girls.

> I didn’t realize how much time I would spend petting them. Oh boy, they are very demanding about their pets! They will even paw at me to give them pets if I’m not giving them the attention they feel they deserve. I had no idea how much time I would spend just rubbing and scratching that special spot right below their ears. They go bonkers for pets.

> They are so affectionate! Goodness gracious, I did not get cats that are aloof. My girls are obsessed with their mama. (Which makes me happy because I am just as obsessed with them.) They greet me when I come home, meow loudly for pets, and cuddle up with me at night. I think I definitely got lucky when it comes to having super affectionate cats, but I’d like to think I also had a little to do with it. Like, maybe because I’m so affectionate and loving with them, they reciprocate? Perhaps.

Categories: About Me

How I Listen to Podcasts

Hello, friends! I mentioned a few weeks ago when I detailed some of my favorite podcasts right now that I thought it might be interesting to keep track of exactly when I’m listening to podcasts and how long I’m listening to them during a typical week. Well, last week, I kept track of my podcast listening times and tabulated my results for you guys! Here’s the breakdown:

Getting ready (21%) – I had no doubt that this would be where the bulk of my podcast listening occurred. Since I live alone and don’t have to worry about bothering anyone, I can listen to my heart’s content as I get ready for the day. I listen in the shower (I have a Bluetooth speaker for my shower), while I do my hair and makeup, as I feed the cats, as I pack my lunch, etc. It’s nice to feel like I’m hanging out with some friends in the morning. Bonus – I don’t have to make conversation with them! 🙂

Playing games on my phone (16%) – Okay, I’m kinda surprised this is my second-largest category. I’m going to guess it has to do with the fact that I didn’t exercise as much this week due to some unpleasant GERD symptoms I was experiencing. That has to be it, right? Otherwise, I may need to come to terms with how many hours I’m spending playing games on my phone. But it’s nice when I need a break from work. I pull up my latest podcast episode and crush some candies or play some Wordscapes for a few minutes. It’s totally mindless and wonderful.

Driving (11%) – This percentage is higher during the weeks I’m not listening to an audiobook. But this week I was, so I only listened to podcasts while driving after I finished my audiobook (on Wednesday). As a note, I don’t have Bluetooth in my car. I just turn the volume up as high as it can go and tuck my phone into a cup holder, which helps to amplify the sound. It works for me, although I dream of the day when I can have Bluetooth!

Working (10%) – I can’t always listen to podcasts while I’m working, but at least a few times a week, a task pops up that’s mindless enough that I can listen to a podcast while doing it. Usually, this is when I’m publishing content on a client’s website or working on a content plan.

Nighttime routine (8%) – Every night, I take the time to tidy up my apartment, clean any dishes in the sink, and scoop all of the litter boxes. This takes 15-20 minutes every night and accounted for 8% of my podcast listening last week!

Exercising (7%) – As I mentioned above, exercising fell to the wayside a bit because I wasn’t feeling my best. I only worked out twice, both long walks (around 45 minutes) while I listened to a podcast.

Cleaning (6%) – Cleaning is one of my go-to suggestions for how to start listening to podcasts. Listen while you sort laundry, fold laundry, clean the tub, sweep the floors, wash the dishes, etc. I got a good amount of podcast listening in while cleaning last week!

Preparing meals (5%) – I had quite a few plans this week, so I didn’t spend a ton of time making recipes. But I did listen while heating up some meals, as well as when I was making my breakfast and lunch at work.

Coloring (3%) – I take in a lot of podcasts while coloring. It’s one of the most relaxing things for me! I didn’t do as much coloring this week as I normally do, but it’s one of my favorite things to do.

Grocery shopping (2%) – Grocery shopping is not my fave, but listening to a podcast makes it a little less painful. I spent about a half-hour at the store this week and caught up on a fave podcast while checking off items on my list.

Misc (11%) – There were a lot of little categories where I listened to a podcast while doing something, so I combined them all into a miscellaneous category. This includes walking Chip one evening, unpacking my lunch bag and putting things away, eating a quick lunch in my car at work, online shopping, making my meal plan for the week, formatting a blog post, and walking into work/walking to the parking garage after work. All of these little snippets of time added up to over two hours of podcast listening over the week.

After the week was finished, I learned that I had listened to more than 21 hours of podcasts! And the crazy thing is, a lot of that podcast listening happened in short bursts. There were only a few instances where I listened for more than 30 minutes (getting ready, driving, working). Most of the time, it was a snippet of 5-15 minutes. This is very similar to how I read, preferring to read in short bursts rather than sit down for an hour or two, so it must have something to do with my attention span. I probably need to challenge myself to focus for longer periods of time, especially at work, so I’m not breaking my focus to play a quick game of Candy Crush while listening to a podcast. Maybe it’s time to give up the iPhone games? (Please say no.) Or maybe it isn’t something I need to fix.

It was interesting keeping track, though, and to see my podcast listening laid out like this. It’s making me think more deeply about my listening habits and what they mean for me, big picture. I don’t have any pretty answers here… just something I’m thinking about.

Do you listen to podcasts? When you do get the majority of your listening in?

Categories: About Me

My Favorite Podcast Docu-Series

At first, I was going to label this list as my favorite true crime podcasts, but not all of these are true crime. Some of them are just short documentaries about a thing that happened. I love these types of podcasts. I think it’s because they are, at their heart, telling a story. Each episode feels like a chapter in a super engaging book and I can’t help but binge all of the episodes quickly because I just want to know what happens next. Even when I know how it’s all going to play out, it’s the way the story is told that keeps me engaged. So, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite docu-series – podcasts that tell one story and one story alone (with one exception).

1) Believed.

Believed is the story of Larry Nassar, who molested dozens of female gymnasts during his time as the USA Gymnastics national team doctor. It’s an incredibly well-produced and thoughtful documentary that delves into exactly how Larry was able to get away with his abuse for so long and the courage of these women to come forward and accuse him. I listened to this podcast over a year ago now, and it’s still one I talk about a lot and encourage everyone to listen to.

2) Cold.

Cold is about the disappearance (and likely murder) of Susan Powell, who disappeared in December of 2009. Her husband, Josh Powell, was the prime suspect in her murder and there is no doubt in my mind that he did it. Unfortunately, there will be no justice in Susan’s (likely) death, as Josh killed himself and their two young sons in February of 2012. Cold takes a deep dive into this case to show us who Susan and Josh were, what their marriage was like, and the ebbs and flows of the investigation.

3) Dirty John.

Oh, man. This podcast. What a wild ride it was. It’s about a single woman in her fifties (Debra) who meets a man (John) on an online dating site, has a whirlwind romance, and marries him, against the wishes of her grown children. One of her daughters does some digging into her mom’s new husband’s past and learns that he’s a con artist but it takes her mom a while to come to terms with it. I must say, Debra infuriated me, mostly because I have my own experience with my mom using dating apps and I am positive she would have taken my concerns seriously.

4) Dr. Death.

This is another wild story, one that hit a little too close to home at times. It follows the story of Christopher Duntsch, a neurosurgeon who seriously injured multiple patients and is responsible for the death of two others. The podcast gives voice to all of Dr. Duntsch’s victims and lays out the long and horrifying journey of this man, one who should have never had any sort of medical license or been in any kind of operating room.

5) Up and Vanished, season one.

Season one of Up and Vanished follows the mysterious disappearance of Tara Grinstead, a high school teacher in Ocilla, Georgia. The host investigates this case from every angle, piecing together Tara’s life and what could have happened to her. Then, halfway through the podcast series (in real time!), an arrest is made in the case. I found the entire series fascinating, but I’d advise just to stick to the main episodes. There are so many “extra” episodes that were unnecessary and I don’t think you need to listen to them to get a full view of this case. The host provides updates from time to time on the case as the murder trial proceeds, and it’s super interesting. I’m glad justice is being done in her case.

6) Broken Harts.

In March of 2018, Jennifer and Sarah Hart, a married couple who were adoptive parents of six children ages 12-19, drove their van off a cliff, effectively killing the entire family. (One of the sons, Devonte, who was 15 at the time of the crash, is still missing and presumed dead.) Broken Harts explores the adoption of these six children, the alleged abuse the children suffered, and what led to Jennifer driving off a cliff. It also explores transracial adoption, which was a big theme throughout the podcast, as Jennifer and Sarah were white and all of their adoptive children were black.

7) The Dropout.

The Dropout chronicles the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and CEO of the now-defunct Theranos, a medical company that claimed it was going to revolutionize blood testing. Instead of needing vials of blood to diagnose disease, a single finger prick is all that would be needed. Theranos received millions of dollars in venture capital and a partnership with Walgreens. But… it was all a fraud. This podcast does a great job of unraveling all the threads involved in the story of Theranos, and it’s not to be missed.

8) Standoff.

This four-episode podcast details the standoff at Ruby Ridge and how it became the foundation for the modern right. I didn’t know anything about Ruby Ridge until I read about it in Educated by Tara Westover, so it was serendipity that this podcast premiered soon after I finished that book. It details the Weaver family and how they got onto the U.S. Marshals watchlist, as well as the eleven-day siege that resulted in three deaths. The last episode was the most interesting to me because it discusses the aftermath of this siege and how its effects reverberated throughout the nation, especially in Republican politics.

What’s a podcast docu-series that I need to listen to?

Categories: About Me

To Have or Not to Have Kids

I’m 31 and not sure if I want to have children. There are days when I long for babies and feel like something essential is missing from my life. My children are missing. And then there are days when I can’t fathom being a mother and feel like there is nothing I want less than to have children tugging on me. I wonder which side of me is the true side. Do I long for motherhood because I’ve been socially conditioned for it? Or am I trying to protect my heart from the possibility of never having children by telling myself I don’t want them?

***

I had a conversation with a friend recently where she wondered about women who say they don’t have any desire for motherhood. She couldn’t wrap her mind around that thought. Are these women just lying to themselves? How does a woman just not want to have children? Isn’t it ingrained in our psyche to want them?

I don’t think my friend meant any malice by this. I think she was genuinely baffled by it, as someone who deeply desires motherhood for herself. Even so, I left that conversation feeling a mix of emotions and I haven’t been able to get our discussion out of my head.

I didn’t tell her about my apprehension toward motherhood then. I always find it hard to give my opinion when someone is arguing strongly about a point. I’m an Enneagram 9 through and through, which means I always take the path of least resistance to maintain the peace. But what I wanted to tell her was that I’m not sure I want kids for myself and that I don’t think I’m lying to myself when I say that. I don’t think any “childless by choice” woman is lying to herself. In fact, I think these women are being their truest selves.

***

I worked in a daycare throughout college. At first, I worked there because I was getting an education degree and thought it would be a good experience. And then, after I changed my major to journalism, I found a job at a different daycare because the hours were perfect for my schedule and I never had to work weekends.

Before working in a daycare, I was pretty much convinced I’d be a mother. In fact, I imagined having a big family. At least three kids, maybe four. Daycare threw me for a loop. It was there I learned how needy children are, how exhausting. I left every shift tired to the bone and not sure how these parents did it. Working all day and parenting all night. This is when I started questioning if I wanted kids.

Working at a daycare is really great birth control, you guys.

Don’t get me wrong. I loved the children at the daycare. I still think of them fondly. But I found myself wondering constantly what I was doing there. I didn’t enjoy these kids as much as the other teachers did. They were whiny and needy and overwhelming and way too silly at times. They were also cute and precocious and hilarious and smart, of course. But it felt like there was a wall up between me and the kids. I wasn’t as silly as some of the teachers or as friendly as others. I preferred the days when I could hide away in the kitchen, making breakfast and lunch. I found playing with the kids tedious and doing art projects chaotic. I just don’t have that natural ability to be around kids and enjoy their silliness. I know this doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy motherhood – lots of mothers are like me but thoroughly delight in their own children. It’s just another mark in the con column for me.

***

In the book, Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed: Sixteen Writers on the Decision Not to Have Kids, many of the writers talk about the main reason for not having children is that they want to be able to do what they want, when they want. They want to travel and grow their careers and not be limited by family. I get that, I do. But that’s not why I’m on the fence about children myself. I’m mostly concerned that I wouldn’t enjoy motherhood very much.

I worry about the tedium of it all and the exhaustion and never having time to myself. I’m used to having lots of alone time right now. I’m used to slow mornings and evenings, lazy weekends, and making a schedule that’s my own. I’ve followed women online who seem to have the same sensibilities as me, and these women are honest about the struggle of motherhood. The messy parts. I’m glad they are opening up about what motherhood truly looks like for them, but from this outsider’s perspective, it seems that they don’t particularly enjoy motherhood all that much. It makes me question if it’s a life I want for myself. I don’t know if I desire motherhood so strongly that I’m willing to put up with the messiness of it for the beauty.

Also, can we talk about how I’m an incredibly anxious person who constantly worries about something bad happening to my loved ones? I don’t know how I’d survive it with my own flesh and blood, a tiny human I made. How could I let her ever go anywhere without me? The world is a scary place. My Lexapro prescription would need an upgrade.

***

This past weekend, I visited my younger nephew at the summer camp he attended, which was filled with young kids, three and four-year-olds. I’m at the age where being around children should make me desire to have babies of my own, but all I could think about while I was there was how happy I was to be childless and be able to go home to my quiet apartment with my cats. I felt nothing but ambivalence when I looked at these children, not any sort of desire to be a regular young mom picking up my kid.

And look, I know it is different when it’s your own children. It’s different with my nephews whom I greatly adore and love spending time with. And that’s what keeps me on this weird tug-of-war between wanting kids and not wanting kids. Because I know the tedium and exhaustion would be worth it when they’re my own children. I know I will delight in them and be completely obsessed with everything they do. I know I will take joy in the messy parts because they’re mine and I get to be their mom. And I also believe I would be a good mom. I’m a natural nurturer, I’m affectionate with the ones I love, and I love deeply. (Plus, I have the best mom in the world as my role model!)

***

I’m not sure where I fall on the topic of motherhood, quite frankly. I do know that I would never attempt parenting on my own, so it’s all really a moot point unless I find someone I want to spend my life with. (And the way my love life is going… well…) Should I find someone and he desires children, I’d probably seriously consider having a baby. Never say never, you know? But I also don’t feel like I need children to make my life complete – just as I don’t need a partner. I’m really happy being 31 and childless with no plans for children anytime in the near future.

Maybe I’ll hear that biological clock start ticking in the next few years as my mid-thirties draw closer and closer. But for now, it’s quiet and I like it that way.

I feel like I need a disclaimer of sorts here. I am in no way disparaging mothers or those who desire motherhood. You are the lifeblood of our society and I deeply respect the work you do every day for your children and your family. And my heart is with those who long for children and are still waiting. These are simply my thoughts on motherhood for me. I may look back on this post in a few years and laugh about how wrong I was. I may not. But I wanted to begin a discussion about the weird dichotomy between wanting children and not wanting them. I think a lot of us are more unsure about it than we let on. <3

Categories: About Me

My Favorite Podcasts (Round 6)

It’s time for my yearly podcast roundup! Can you believe this is the sixth year for this series? Crazy! I started listening to podcasts in early 2014 and haven’t stopped since! It’s now my favorite way to occupy my time (aside from reading, of course). One of these days, I want to tabulate how I listen to podcasts during a typical week for a blog post. I typically listen to podcasts while driving, while on long walks, while showering, while doing chores, while getting ready for the day, while playing games on my phone, and while coloring. Since I live alone, I can get in a lot of extra podcast listening!

For this year’s podcast roundup, I decided to only talk about the podcasts that I love. I listen to a lot of podcasts I like (some I tolerate, lol), but there are just a few of those podcasts that are standouts, in that I get legit excited when they’re next in my queue to listen to. And while I’m subscribed to 40ish podcasts, only EIGHT made the cut for this list. I was very, very picky in choosing these eight podcasts, so please give them a try if you haven’t yet:

The Baby-Sitter’s Club Club

Jack and Tanner are two men in their thirties who are reading through The Baby-Sitter’s Club series. They’ve read through all 100+ books in the regular series, tackled the Super Specials, and are now reading the mysteries. I had no idea there were so many BSC mysteries! This podcast makes me laugh and always puts me in a better mood. It’s my #1 favorite podcast and I will defend it to my dying day. I love it so much that I support their podcast on Patreon and it delights me to no end that that means I get an extra dose of Jack and Tanner each week. (In their Patreon episodes, they’re reading The Baby-Sitter’s Little Sister series, and man, if it doesn’t bring back so many memories. Karen Brewer FTW.) It’s not for everyone (they can get a bit silly at times!), but it makes me so, so happy. If you do plan on listening to this podcast, you have to start at the beginning and binge the whole thing. There are so many inside jokes and segments that just won’t make sense unless you do.

Episode length: ~1 hour | New episodes every Monday

Good Christian Fun

For anyone who followed Christian pop culture of the 90s and early aughts, this is the podcast for you. Kevin and Caroline are two Christians who talk about Christian movies, music, and events that have had an impact on our culture. Each episode involves a discussion of a different piece of pop culture. Sometimes, it can be a person (like Kirk Franklin), an album (like Unguarded by Amy Grant), a movie (like Saved!), a Christian TV series (like Young Once), or just a weird thing that happens in Christian circles (like Hell House). Every week, they bring on a guest who talks about their journey with faith and then they discuss the topic at hand. Most of their guests are former Christians who don’t go to church or follow the faith anymore, but they also have guests who still attend church regularly. Everyone’s faith journey is just so varied, though, and it’s incredible how different our experiences can be.

What I love most about this podcast (aside from how it makes me feel a bit better about my evangelical upbringing) is how funny it is. Kevin and Caroline are hilarious and have such a fun rapport, and their guests are equally funny. They bring such great energy and I find myself laughing out loud throughout every episode. It’s never a bad time when I put on GCF!

Episode length: ~1.5-2 hours | New episodes every Wednesday

The Girl Next Door Podcast

This is the type of podcast that, when I turn it on, I know it’s going to put me in a good mood and make me chuckle. It’s not a podcast that’s really catering to me – single and childless – but for some reason, I still love it. Even the episodes that center around parenting! Kelsey and Erica used to live next door to one another and they decided to start a podcast in 2014. They no longer live next door (Erica and her family moved to a new home a neighborhood away), but they still podcast regularly and their episodes are really fun to listen to! There’s just something about their easy rapport with one another and general good humor that makes it a great listen.  Each episode covers a specific topic (kid behavior, self-care during the holidays, organizational systems, money, etc.) that they dive deep into. I really love how organized and on-topic each episode is because it makes the episodes easily digestible. (Also, their yearly Fall Extravaganza episodes are one of my favorite things in the world!)

Episode length: ~45 minutes | New episodes every other Wednesday

Keep It!

I don’t listen to any pop culture podcasts because I’m just not that into pop culture. (Most times, when people name a celebrity couple, I don’t even know who either of them are.) But I love Keep It! for some reason. It’s co-hosted by Ira Madison III and Louis Virtel, two supremely funny pop culture fanatics. They are currently looking for their third co-host since Kara Brown, who used to co-host the show, left a few episodes ago. In every episode, they dive into the pop culture news of the week and give their commentary, then they bring on someone in the entertainment business (like a showrunner, an actor, a comedian, etc.) to talk more in-depth about something going on in pop culture right now. They end every show with their “keep it,” which is something they find annoying happening in pop culture. It’s a fun show and I really love the different perspectives they give.

Episode length: ~1.5 hours | New episodes every Wednesday

Pod Save America

Everyone knows about Pod Save America by now, right? It’s where I get the majority of my news these days! Four political junkies and former Obama staffers sit down to talk about what’s going on in politics right now, how it affects us, and what we can do to affect change. I listen to each episode the moment it downloads in my feed (mostly because news changes fast nowadays, and some of the info they talk about could be outdated if I waited even a day or two to listen!) It helps me to feel more informed and also to have actionable steps for things to do if I’m feeling hopeless about the state of our government right now. Every episode starts with a 45-minute discussion about the news and then transitions to an interview with a journalist, political pundit, senator, or representative about a timely political issue. I don’t often listen to the interviews, honestly, unless it’s about a topic I’m interested in or with an interesting guest.

Pro-tip for PSA: don’t fast-forward through the ads. Their ad breaks are truly my favorite. They’re hilarious and I love how they mock the ad copy from time to time (because, truly, ad copy can be ridiculous).

Episode length: ~1.5 hours | New episodes every Monday and Thursday

Stuff You Should Know

SYSK was one of the earliest podcasts I listened to, and it’s the only one that has stuck around for five years. At this point, Josh and Chuck (the hosts) feel like family to me and sometimes I’ll play their episodes in the background of what I’m doing because their voices and banter are just so comforting to me. Every episode dives deep into a specific topic and they can run the gauntlet from weird conspiracies to science concepts to animals. Some of their recent topics: sand dunes, the moon landing, sloths, Cleopatra, photographic memory, Neanderthals, Area 51, the gig economy, perfect pitch, the Tylenol Murders… you get the picture. Basically, if you want to listen to an educational podcast that will teach you about all sorts of subjects (I had no idea what the Tylenol Murders were!), start listening to SYSK.

(Also! They are now releasing “Short Stuff” podcasts once a week where they have a quick discussion about a topic. Every episode is less than 15 minutes so you can get through it quickly!)

Episode length: ~1 hour | New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday (“Short Stuff” releases every Wednesday)

Lovett or Leave It

Oh, I could sing the praises for Lovett or Leave It for dayyyys. It’s a weekly podcast that breaks down the news headlines in a fun, interactive way. Lovett is joined by a panel of guests (comedians, actors, politicians, journalists, political pundits, etc.) to discuss the top headlines, comment on a recent video clip (often of Fox News shows since they have the most egregious segments), and play one to two games with the audience. Every episode ends with the Rant Wheel, which is exactly what it sounds like: a wheel with a bunch of topics for Lovett and the guests to rant about. What I love most about this show is that it makes me laugh and feel less alone in my utter despair about politics today. I think Lovett does a great job balancing the need to keep things light-hearted while also remembering that this presidency has been complete chaos and downright scary for many individuals in the US today.

Episode length: ~1 hour | New episodes every Saturday

No Thanks We’re Booked

This is another podcast that just makes me feel good when I listen to it. It’s co-hosted by two #bookstagrammers and every episode is so lovely to listen to. In each episode, they discuss a bookish topic (like book-to-move adaptations, book tracking, reading goals, etc.) and also discuss what they’re currently reading and/or what’s next on their reading list. Katie and Mollie have such soothing voices, and they’re also incredibly funny, which makes every episode a joy to listen to.

Episode length: ~30 minutes | New episodes every other Wednesday

Honorable mentions (podcasts I love but didn’t quite make my ‘favorites’ cut): Sarah’s Book Shelves Live, Unladylike, Criminal, Imagined Life, This American Life, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and Throughline.

What’s your favorite podcast?