read between the runs

i found out pretty late that september 30th is national podcast day. i really only found out because spotify sent a push notification stating that i’ve listened to 491 episodes and that it’s time to discover more. that got me to thinking, huh, what are my favorite podcasts? there are a lot of things that i’m working out rankings for, but i thought it would be fitting to write this today (and it would be a lot faster to rank than many other things). and so, here is my speed ranking of my favorite podcasts:

The Rich Roll Podcast

this one incorporates discussion about so many topics that are important and interesting to me. running, the environment, health, plant-based living, happiness, and more. there is rarely a podcast that simply doesn’t interest me and i have always been impressed by the intentionality that rich roll pursues conversation. his mind works in a way that i wish mine would, and i love listening to to him so that i can try to be more like him. the only struggle i have with the podcast is that it is not binge-able. i learn so much and hear many ideas that i agree with, but the episodes are long and i sometimes need a reprieve before i start listening to my next episode. however, if i were ever asked to recommend a podcast to someone, it would, without a doubt, be the rich roll podcast.

F**KFACE

i honestly would not know how to describe this podcast if i were asked to. it’s off the walls, irreverent, and just plain wild. everything about the podcast excites me and i think it is definitely the podcast that i most look forward to listening to each week. conversations range from the absurd to the deeply meaningful in seemingly every episode. i appreciate the yelling component that they bring to the table because they aren’t afraid to let their friends know when they’re being the most idiotic version of themselves, which is something that i feel like i do in my own life, so my appreciation for the podcast makes sense. i’m very glad that they began releasing supplemental content often because i felt like there was more that i wanted to be able to listen to but couldn’t because the podcast was only released once a week.

Tales From the Stinky Dragon

dungeons and dragons is something that, though i have minimal personal experience with, i have absolutely enjoyed playing. the game is an absolute blast, and this podcast allows me to experience others playing a game that i deeply enjoy. i have been a fan of roosterteeth for years, and particularly the players of this podcast for a very long time. getting to hear them play the game together and interact in such a joyful way has been so fun for me as a listener. i think this podcast has a higher barrier of entry since the format is episodic and relies on previous episodes to know wha is currently happening, but it definitely is not worse for it. i think that anyone who likes dungeons and dragons, or has an interest in the game, would like this podcast.

ANMA

i’m not sure why i like this podcast so much, but i’ve listened to all the episodes that have been produced. i have a very small frame of reference for life in austin, so much of the conversation goes over my head, but there is just something about gus and geoff that make me keep wanting to listen. this is another roosterteeth podcast, so part is absolutely reliant on my love for the company. outside of that, i suppose the conversation is something that is calming and easy to listen to, meaning there is much to appreciate.

Stuff You Should Know

this was the podcast that got me into podcasts. there was a time when i thought that the only media i should consume (apart from music) should be educational. in that effort, my love for stuff you should know was born. i remember bike rides of podcast after podcast learning about gladiators, charles manson, axe murders, cults, and other random topics that interested me. i enjoyed that period of my life, but i no longer find myself listening to this podcast nearly as often as i may want to.

future podcast endeavors

despite my more recent foray into the world of podcasts, there are still many that i want to try a listen of or find one that i like. jukebox the ghost has a podcast that i would love to support. being a teacher, i want to find one that discusses current hot-button education issues and promotes advances in methods that i can utilize in my classroom. also i started listening to rhett and link’s earbiscuits, so that could become one that becomes a regular for me.

in terms of future podcasts, i think a podcast that discusses the types of books i enjoy would be interesting, along with something specifically about plant-based living. for a time, there was an option for each of those that i listened to, but that’s no longer the case. i think a travel podcast could be fulfilling as well.

*The Roosterteeth Podcast

Two years ago, and even more recently maybe, this would have been my de facto response for favorite podcast. i’ve listened to well over 200 episodes i would guess, and was a heavy watcher/listener at three different points in my life. heck, i even watched the podcast live a few times. i was obsessed. i loved the hosts and the occasional characters that would appear in their stead, and especially the easy conversation of it all. however, life goes on and with the exit of gus, the podcast has become unrecognizable to the podcast that i fell in love with. and that’s okay, it really is. i have filled its hole with others that scratch that itch for me. but nonetheless, i do miss the days of the old rtp.

_{do great; be happy}