Monday, July 02, 2007

I Like To Watch Listen, Part 3

Thanks for all of your comments about podcasts. Here are a few more notes and reviews for those who are interested...

Knitcast

I'm quite sure the first podcast I ever listened to was Knitcast with Marie Irshad. I loved her accent, her obvious confidence with a microphone (she has radio journalism experience galore), and the interesting guests she brought to the show. Since it was my first podcast, I didn't fret much over sound quality issues, etc., and just enjoyed the free entertainment. I listened to every one of her podcasts -- she began in February 2005; I must've found her not long after that -- and was loathe to delete them from my iTunes. Marie hasn't published a new podcast for some time, now, but about a month ago she posted a brief blurb promising to come back soon.

Cast On

At some point I found Cast On with Brenda Dayne. I was in love. The tone of her voice, the content, and the technical quality of her podcast, made this the show for me. I have listened to all 50 broadcasts... looks like there is a 51st now. Episode 50, Scouting for Grownups, is the beginning of a new series and made me laugh out loud as I was power-walking through my neighborhood, alone. (Look, mom, that crazy lady is walking by our house again. Why is she laughing and crying?) The story called Lanyard just touched every sort of nerve/emotion I have about being a daughter and being a mother. I loved the part about how making a simple, crappy lanyard at summer camp could possibly be enough of a gift for the woman who gave birth to you, fed you, took care of you when you were sick... and how I can't wait to get simple, crappy lanyards from my own little girl someday. Anyway, once in a while Brenda's metapodcasting gets a little moldy for me, but I keep listening because I adore the Today's Sweater segment, the contributers' stories, the humor that's fun but not over the top, and all the other little features. It's usually right around an hour long, just right for an evening walk around my neighborhood.

It's a Purl, Man

I did download an episode of It's a Purl, Man (my brain always reads: Itzhak Perlman) a while back and kind of forgot to listen to it. So thanks for reminding me! I listened to the State of the Knit Blog episode, which featured Subway Knitter Colleen. Guido has a lovely, calm voice and seems like he would be the nicest, easiest to talk to person. I love that he's a man who knits and blogs and podcasts. Having Colleen there was a bonus for me; I've been a Subway Knitter reader for ages. In this episode they mention some of their must-read blogs as well as have a conversation about the blogger persona vs. the real person, and how we maintain a certain degree of privacy in our lives as bloggers. I will be listening to more episodes of this podcast!

So, for the record, my current podcast subscriptions are:
Stash and Burn
Cast On
Knitcast (if/when a new episode emerges!)
It's a Purl, Man

You've mentioned some others that I might try this summer, such as Sticks & String, Pointy Sticks, Pixie Purls, and Knitpicks Reading Room.