Wonderful World of Podcasts

This weekend at my nonfiction book club meeting, the conversation strayed to music and iPods. One member complained that she loved her iPod when she bought it, but now that some time has passed she has gotten bored with her music selection, and the novelty of the iPod has worn off. Then someone else mentioned the wonderful world of podcasts, a tool that adds spice and new utility to the iPod. I decided to check it out. First I googled "Minnesota podcasts." The list of results was long and I wasn't sure all of it would be worth my time, so I turned to a reliable and commonly mentioned source: Minnesota Public Radio. One of my favorite shows on MPR is Kerri Miller's Midmorning program, which is available as a "regular" podcast or as a "Speedcast." The Speedcast is convenient because it takes less time to listen, but I can't decide whether the time saved is more valuable than getting the nuances of the pauses, intonations, and timing of the conversation. Plus it takes a few minutes to get acclimated to the speed of the conversation. Another podcast that I like, especially as a potential English teacher, is the Grammer Grater program. I can always use a brush-up on my grammar skills, and now I can get it while I walk the dog or wait for the bus...