A couple of years ago, podcasts became trendy. People would ask me if I listened to podcasts, and I would tell them that I did not. They would recommend podcasts and I would repeat that I didn't listen to podcasts. I didn't see the hype. I'm pretty picky, and I couldn't be bothered to find podcasts that I liked.
I had, however, developed enough self-awareness to know that eventually, I would absolutely succumb to the hype, it just hadn't hit me yet. When it comes to trends I'm either so on the cutting edge that I can't even find what I'm looking for (in 2016, teal and copper wedding decor was NOWHERE), or I'm years behind and will never catch up (Instagram, Game of Thrones, collagen, cropped tank tops, liking puppies, YouTube, matte lipstick, Snapchat, filters in general...).
(In case you're interested, some of the things I'm currently NOT into but expect to love in probably twelve to eighteen months are chunky white sneakers, neon colors, and meditation.)
Anyway. I've joined the podcast party, and here is what I've been listening to, ranked.
#1: Crime Junkie
Ashley Flowers discusses fascinating crimes (mostly from the United States, but sometimes international) with mysterious circumstances. Where The Conspirators (see #5) is weird stories of all types, Crime Junkie is pretty much exclusively murder and missing persons.
Good because: VERY interesting, well-researched, vary in length, include follow-up episodes if more information comes to light or if a killer is caught (!!)
However: 1) The commercials/shameless plugs are annoying, 2) very occasionally you'll get glimpses of politics that are eye-roll-inducing, 3) these girls are moderately irritating. They have enough Valley Girl ("Oh my gahd, full. body. CHILLZUHH!) in them to provoke a cold, sarcastic stare from me at times--though not enough for me to stop listening.
#2: Made for This
Jennie Allen talks about cultivating healthy, Christ-centered relationships and tackles topics like making friends, having deep conversations, setting boundaries, and breaking free from shame. The only reason this one isn't my #1 is because there aren't enough episodes to binge safely yet XD
Good because: her insights are deep and practical and Christ-centered, and she's already dropped truth bombs on me that are changing the way I think
However: The only "however" I have so far is that the variance in episode length in this podcast feels like a negative, whereas I know I gave it as a positive for Crime Junkie. Some of them are just REALLY short, like, I couldn't finish my shower before it was over XD
#3: The Woody & Wilcox Show
This has actually been the asterisk to my non-podcastism for about four years. I love this show XD It's just for fun, but it is also how Gabe and I get most of our news about the world (which is not something I'm proud of).
Good because: it's funny, they have lots of regular games, the hosts are friends IRL and you can tell, none of the hosts annoy me, they steer completely away from politics
However: it's not going to make you a better person or anything. If you rarely look at the news (like me and Gabe) or social media (like Gabe), it might be informative on occasion, but only by accident.
Fun fact: the only reason I got into other podcasts was because I went though a period of depression when I could not make myself do ANYTHING unless I used The Woody & Wilcox Show as a distraction, but their episodes are only once a day (I know, "only") and I went through them too fast when I needed like six daily hours of podcast to get me through. So I moved on and explored.
#4: The Summit
I've been listening to The Summit church's podcasts lately, and really enjoy them. They're a good way to get focused on the right things, and they provide something healthy and good for me to dwell on while I'm going about my day.
Good because: the pastors are engaging and theologically sound, and I always get something out of each episode
However: very occasionally there will be something you can't "see" in a podcast, like a prop or some students' presentation
#5: The Conspirators
Gabe's dad recommended this to me years ago before I got into podcasts. When I kept running out of WW Show, this is the first other one I tried. The host, "Nate Hale, an entirely fictional identity," takes weird and creepy stories from history and unpacks them.
Good because: it is super interesting, Nate Hale does the research for you, his narrating voice is good, he does a good job of "wrapping up" the story even though they don't usually have definite answers
However: a very few of them make me genuinely uncomfortable because of how graphic and sad they are. I had to skip "Episode 41: The Stain" and "Episode 43: The Boys on the Ice."
#6: The Balance Show
A post about Balance Athletica is coming, but the company's creators just started a podcast and I've just started to listen. It's about a variety of topics that have to do with finding yourself and finding a healthy balance in life. It's too soon for me to evaluate it well,* but here are my thoughts so far.
Good because: the hosts are kind, well-intentioned, and theoretically Christians; they address relatable and important topics
However: I might be too old to benefit from what they're doing? I think a podcast like this would've been really great in middle or maybe high school, but they haven't dropped any major revelations or truth bombs on me yet, and they feel too young to have the kind of insight they seem to believe they have.
If you have podcast recommendations...I'll take them now. But I won't make any promises about listening, because, I mean, I'm still me. Asterisks and stubbornness and pickiness and all of that.
~Stephanie
*I have evaluated The Balance Show more since I wrote this post a month or so ago, and I don't care for it much any more XD
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