Do You Podcast? I Do!

Being of the age I am, music was always my go-to source when I needed to work out, clean the house, drive just about anywhere or simply unwind. I have made my way through record players, transistor radio's, 8-track players, tape players, stereo's with all the bells and whistles, boom boxes, walk-mans, disc-mans, cd's, iPods, and now my phone. In other words, whatever was the newest thing for music to be coming out of, I had it and I was listening. 

Today though, we are not just relegated to listening to music through our devices and headphones. With our smartphones, we can listen to a variety of things from books to my new favorite thing, podcasts, all with no more effort than carrying around the outdated iPod. Okay, sometimes technology is pretty cool. 

So always a die-hard music listening fan no matter what I was doing, for some reason I decided to start exploring the world of podcasts. I honestly think maybe my first step into the podcast world was spurred on by my two older sons. I am a huge fan of true crime stories and murder mysteries on tv. I think I inherited this from my mother, who also was a fan. She used to read every true crime book she could get her hands on. At any rate, my boys gave me no end of grief over my entertainment choices. The older one commented every time he walked into the room and would ask if I might not like to watch a comedy for once instead of my murder shows, while the other son started calling my true crime "obsession" (their word not mine), murder porn. Now mind you, this entertainment critiquing was coming from those who found slasher movies and South Park, quality tv viewing, so truly, their opinion didn't rank very high on the things I worried about, but my grandkids also gave my choice of viewing a few weird looks from time to time, so maybe my true crime wasn't for everyone.

I guess it was about when I started going to the gym, that I decided I wanted to make better use of my time on the treadmill. I figured that rather than just listening to songs I had already heard thousands of times, maybe I would do something different. So I  started looking up podcasts. Naturally, I looked up true crime. I was in heaven. There were so many podcasts devoted to just this thing. I began sifting through them and looking for ones that really piqued my interest. 

Now before I go any further, for those of you who have not ventured into the world of podcasts, there are literally all kinds of podcasts. There are some that are like listening to the news. There are others that are like listening to a talk show, and others like listening to a lecture of sorts. My favorite though, are the ones that are basically told like a story or like an old-time radio show. 

The true crime podcasts that I seem to be drawn to most though were crimes discussed by comedians turned sleuths. Believe it or not, there are a lot of these and they are quite entertaining. I think since it is such dark subject matter, a little well-placed levity or in some cases, badly placed levity, helps to balance out the story and keep things a bit lighter. My second favorite is the podcasts where real detectives and police tell the stories of crimes that have come across their desks, and that they have had to solve. And finally, my third favorite is the cold case stories that can be decades old, that are being brought forward again and given new life with genealogical DNA and old clues being picked up by fresh eyes and new listener's ears. They all make for hours of entertaining and enlightening information.

 After stepping into this new world, I found myself with my headphones on and listening to podcasts most of the time. Not unlike music, I had a whole playlist of my new favorite podcasts and many had new episodes daily, some weekly, some bi-weekly, and some monthly. I was actually enjoying this far more than tv, as I could clean a tub and still be listening to an unsolved murder mystery. Bonus, no one knew what I was listening to and the kids could be in the same room and not give me funny looks. Of course, now my two children have opinions on me having headphones on all the time, but that is a them issue and not a me issue. 

One day, after being caught up on all my current true crime episodes, I decided to branch out even further into this new podcast world and look at some other types of podcasts. I found that I also really liked some of the scarier true-life stories, as well as some history podcasts, some political podcasts, and some religious podcasts. Quite honestly, there are podcasts for just about every kind of person and every kind of genre. They are almost addicting. 

I have found that since I have started listening to podcasts, I am actually learning a great deal. It appears that my old brain is still just spongy enough to absorb some new facts or at the very least....old facts that I have forgotten.  Listening to some of the historical podcasts, I have learned things I either slept through in high school or was simply never taught. I have run across some fascinating little-known stories that keep listening fun and even a bit unexpected at times. I have also learned that politics goes far deeper than just what we see and hear on the surface. Some of the podcasts give a deep dive into what goes on behind the scenes that we don't always get to know about from the mainstream media. Who knew that all was not as it seems in the world of presidents, senators, and such?  It all really is quite fascinating. 

One of my favorite podcasts that is non-murder porn, is called, Let's Not Meet. This podcast is about stories that listeners write in and tell about the weird, strange, and sometimes downright terrifying encounters they have had with people, places and things that they don't want to meet up with again. It is amazing how many near misses with serial killers and kidnappers there are out there. It is a weird and at times, a scary world, where sometimes the scariest creatures we run into are the other humans around us.... and this particular podcast shines a light on a lot of it. 

Now don't get me wrong, I still love my music and it still makes its way into the soundtrack of my life quite often, but with podcasts, I feel like my brain is working just a little harder, to visualize the stories that I am hearing, and most of all, I am always learning. In some strange way, it feels like my brain is doing double duty when I am both doing cardio and listening to a story about Billy the Kid. Yeah, I know. I am weird. 

Well, if any of this has piqued your interest and you might be looking for something just a little different, then maybe a podcast or three, are right up your alley. If you are interested in checking some out, then below I am listing some of my favorites. If however, I am preaching to the choir and you are already a podcast listener and lover, then please, leave me some of your favorites in the comments below. You can never find enough good podcasts.....right? 

Some of my favorites:

My Favorite Murder: two comedians, research and tell the stories of famous and not so famous murders. They also share murder stories from their fans. Their tag line: Stay sexy and don't get murdered? 

Small Town Dicks: Yeardley Smith of Lisa Simpson fame, and twin brother detectives Dan and Dave from small-town America, tell stories of murders they have been associated with as well as, they have on guest detectives who tell their own small-town murder stories. 

The Murder Squad: Detectives Jensen and Holes tell stories of murders and crimes both solved and unsolved. 

Let's Not Meet: Listener generated stories of true life scary stories filled with near misses and terrifying events with persons, places, and things they never want to meet again. 

Life Is Worth Living (Bishop Fulton Sheen): Talks and sermons that the late Bishop Fulton Sheen gave during his life as a Bishop of the Roman Catholic church. 

The Way I Heard It (Mike Rowe): TV personality Mike Rowe tells true stories reminiscent of Paul Harvey that always have a surprise ending, where the listener always learns something they didn't know before. 

History This Week: Well-known and little-known stories of history that happened on this date each week. 

American Story Tellers: History at its finest with historical stories we never knew we wanted to hear and that we never learned in school.

Well, there you have it. These are some of my favorite podcasts. I hope you give them a try and that you enjoy them as much as I do, even if you aren't into murder porn, like me. 

So....until next time, may you stay healthy, may you enjoy the warmer weather, and most of all, may you too find your favorite podcast. 

Ask Them What They Mean By Choice

A blogger whom I read, St. Blogustine, wrote this: Today NARAL(a pro-choice advocacy group) is having a pro-abortion blog bomb called "Blog for Choice Day," which "boils the blood" of Jill Stanek (pro-life advocate)and MANY OTHERS, including me.  So Jill, a champion of the unborn, has quickly and successfully implemented ASK THEM WHAT THEY MEAN BY CHOICE blog day, on which I am participating with this post.  The pro-abortionists must be corrected in their deceitful choice of words.  Make them say what the so-called CHOICE is all about.  Thank you, Jill.  You do the Lord's work!

After reading this....I knew I had to get involved and throw in my two cents. Now before people start letting their blood pressure creep on this volatile subject, let me say this......I know and love people on both sides of this issue. I and many dear friends have spent many hours as a pro-life advocate trying to educate young women on what abortion truly is and what "choice" really means when paired with abortion. I also have many friends who advocate "choice" who fight both behind and in front of the lines believing they are fighting for women and for what they believe choice to be. I also know many young women who have chosen abortion to end their pregnancies an in most cases....never was their choice an easy one and their reasons for doing this were as complex and varied as the girls themselves. However...knowing theses things and witnessing what I have witnessed in my life and in the lives of others, I have very strong opinions on the subject of abortion and using the word "choice" in a way that somehow makes abortion sound a little more pc and in the eyes of choicers apparently seems to make the end result acceptable. So I love the title Ask Them What They Mean By Choice and here are my thoughts on abortion.

Choice is a word that implies (to most) something positive. If you have a choice then you appear to have a right. Rights are good things....right? And in this country....don't we ALL have rights? And this is where the word "choice" becomes a great big FAIL! Paired with the word abortion....choice is a right only given to the few....(women) and not even ALL women at that. In this country human life is only respected and protected outside the womb. Inside the womb....human life is not acknowledged....therefore those in the womb have absolutely no rights.


Any woman who has ever carried a child inside them knows without a doubt (whether she admits it or not) that she is carrying a human life. She feels that life grow, move, and hiccup each day as her belly expands. That child inside her doesn't simply just come to life as he/she peaks its head into the world. It has been alive since conception. There is a reason that the child responds to music it heard while waiting to be born or why he/she recognizes the voices of parents and siblings who have been the focal point of the child's life while growing in the womb. Yet somehow....this isn't enough for many to admit that this life deserves the same rights as any other human life.


When considering abortion there are always two human lives involved....but only one of those lives has a "choice", a voice, a right (by law) to keep on living. When making that "choice" two human lives go into a clinic, but only one of those humans comes out alive. In our society.....many say....this is an acceptable choice for women....but they aren't even giving ALL women a choice. Think of the number of unborn women who have never had the right to decide their fate. Why? Because "choice" in terms of abortion.....was only a word used by a select few, for a select few with no respect for the rest. What human would "choose" to die by such horrendous means? There is no dignity for human life through abortion. The unborn are not sedated, handled gently or disposed of respectfully. The woman's choice results in pain (especially in late term abortions), dissection...in some cases chemical burns and other horrendous acts which if done to an already born individual would be considered cruel, sadistic and dare I say....murder. And their final resting place is a trash bag full of waste. Again I ask? Who would choose to die like this?

So going back to the topic Ask Them What They Mean By Choice.....is choice really the right word when linking it with abortion? Is there really a fair choice involved when one humans choice trumps another humans life (an innocent one at that)and sentences them to an unspeakable death?

So here's the deal. I will never agree with abortion and I will always pray for those who find abortion as a solution to a problem in their life. However....if you are going to have an abortion, support abortion, or participate in an abortion....then at least be honest about what you are doing. If you choose abortion.....this is the reality of what you mean by choice: A child was created who was not wanted for whatever reason. This child is a living human being who is in early stages of growth, but very much human and very much alive. Because you don't want this child/can't keep this child/feel like having this child may cause you mental or physical issues, rather than allow this child to have a life even if it is not with you.....you are going to have an abortion. An abortion is YOUR choice....NOT and I repeat....NOT the unborn child you carry's  choice. By having this abortion....you know this child will not be anesthetized during the last horrendous moments of his or her life. You do know that the child will be dissected and torn apart inside you....while still alive. And finally.....you have full knowledge that this child....a child you created will end up in a garbage bag and taken out with the rest of the trash and disposed of....not with any form of dignity.....but as nothing more than waste! This is what is meant by choice in the case of abortion. Also remember....that if these same acts were imposed on you....they would be considered illegal, unconscionable, unethical, and completely inhuman which would likely carry either a sentencing of life in prison or more likely a death sentence for those involved with the act. However.. do it to an innocent unborn child....it is merely a choice. A choice with no consequences which leaves many to repeat the act over and over again. If this is their idea of choice....I think I will pass.

I know there will be those who vehemently disagree with me and I am okay with that. I just believe that if you are truly going to support a woman's right to choose....then you first need to know what they mean by choice!