Podcasts- Why iTunes Doesn't Completely Ruin My Life

Apple products are great...sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I have an iPhone with ios7 and I LOVE it most of the time. If you stop and think about it, it's really crazy to have so much technology in such a small device. That being said, iTunes is awful. It just is. Between constantly trying to update, operating slower than Christmas, and not recognizing my phone every other time I plug it in, iTunes is pretty frustrating.

Aragorn gets it.

One thing iTunes does really well, however, is podcasts. Podcasts generally fall into one of two categories: radio show or talk radio. One of the great thing about podcasts is that they have new episodes often (daily or weekly) and that you can download past episodes and catch up. Oh wait, I forgot the best part, they're FREE! When a single song on iTunes cost $1.29, free is a much more in my price range. There are literally hundreds of podcasts for everything from teaching kids their ABC's to celebrity gossip to readings of Sherlock Holmes. I'll share with you two of my favorites, Stuff Mom Never Told You and Welcome to Night Vale.

Stuff Mom Never Told You is a podcast put on by the geniuses at howstuffworks.com. This podcast is all about gender and women's issues. That's not to say it's just for women, but women are the target audience. Some of my favorite topics have been "Why is 'bossy' a bad word?", "Movie Magical Makeovers", and "Are women less financially literate than men?".

The two ladies who host the podcast, Caroline and Cristen, do their research and present their topics in a funny, yet informative fashion. (Be forewarned, though. These ladies are not Christians or very conservative, so while there is no bad language on the podcasts themselves, there does tend to be a more liberal slant to their talks. That doesn't make them any less informative, but be aware that you may want to skip some of the more...racy topics. There are plenty of topics to choose from, so don't despair!)  If you're looking for some informative tidbits about women's issues, this podcast is right up your alley.

This podcast is as hard to explain as it is a joy to listen to and that's exactly what its creators intended. Welcome to Night Vale is the brain child of Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor and is narrated by the very talented Cecil Baldwin.Welcome to Night Vale is a twice-monthly podcast that gives updates to the fictional desert town of Night Vale such as weather, traffic, community calendars, and updates from the City Council and the Sheriff's Secret Police. Their website, Commonplace Books, sells merchandise, answers F.A.Q's and posts a schedule of their live shows (which need to come to my area ASAP). The best way to experience Night Vale is to listen to the podcast and revel in the deadpan humor and creativity put into every episode. If you're nerdy in the slightest, you NEED to subscribe to this podcast. It's not an option, really.

If you're traveling this Christmas, be sure to check out Stuff Mom Never Told You and Welcome To Night Vale along with any other gems you may find in the podcast section on iTunes. Trust me, it'll make your drive/flight/train ride/ sea voyage much more bearable!

Happy Trails!

What's your favorite podcast? How else do you keep entertained on LONG trips?  Let me know below!