psychology podcast

My Favorite Podcasts

- Mel

I’m looking for a few new additions to my podcast list. What are you listening to and enjoy and would recommend? I know that is a very loaded question, as podcast requests are as individualized as the genres of books we read. I already listen to way too many long-form shows – so, looking for episodes that are regularly less than an hour long (but even better if the show trends closer to half of that run time). I have 169 Unplayed episodes queued up right now, and regularly delete those that are three months out-of-date (unless there’s a guest that I really, REALLY want to (eventually) listen to)… sooo, maybe I shouldn’t download anything new? In any event, maybe you’ll find something new to listen to here!

podcast header blog reviews

Here’s what is on my regular rotation (as you will read, I have various moods and interests):
Real Talk Radio with Nicole Antoinette*
99% Invisible (I mean, who DOESN’T love Roman Mars’ voice?)
The Psychology Podcast*
Sooo Many White Guys (which I think might be on extended hiatus?)
How I Built This
You Are Not So Smart
Sincerely, Hueman (uplifting stories, and easy-to-digest length)
Stuff You Should Know (sooooo many episodes; I’m totally backlogged!)
Hidden Brain
Finding Mastery with Michael Gervais
Freakanomics Radio

What I listen to more infrequently:
You Almost Had It!
Everything is Alive
The BibRave Podcast
You Made it Weird (this is actually one of my FAVORITE podcasts because I am regularly LOL’ing but the episodes are kinda long at 2+ hours, and I have been procrastinating on their priority)
Recode Decode
Armchair Expert (I like this show a lot and mostly save the episodes for long road trips because they are really fun interviews)

Series that I am currently enjoying:
The Dream (about MLM – it’s SO GOOD)
Happy Face (if you’re into murder-type series; this one is interesting, coming from the daughter’s perspective of her father being the Happy Face Killer)

Series that I finished in whole and would wholly recommend:
Atlanta Monster
Heaven’s Gate

What is currently on my list and I’ve yet to get into:
Slow Burn (Season 2)
Longform Podcast
Yo, Is This Racist?
Hell and Gone

I wish Apple Podcasts kept a record of the shows I’ve deleted out of boredom, disinterest in the hosts, or irritation at unbalanced sound levels because OMG there are so many terrible ones out there.

*I financially support these podcasts via Patreon because I positively believe in doing so. And if more podcasts went this patron-backer route, I totally would give up more of my money!

Weekly Therapy: Setting intentions to LISTEN.

- Mel

the week:
Um, guys? I’m so bored! hahahahahah

But seriously, my week started off with a confirmed broken pinky (chip fracture). And after a couple days off (and one serious day of pain and crankiness), I feel better. A little emotionally drained but better. I went back to run//yoga Wednesday night too, and aside from not doing any floats or crazy inversions, yoga seemed OK for my finger. I definitely had to listen to my body a lot in this practice to be conscious of where I placed my weight. Kind of a welcome change in pace for me.

weekend:
Podcamp PGH X! My intention this year is to learn all that I can about podcasting. I think it might be something I want to dip into this year.

We were also asked to include our garden/courtyard in a strolling poetry reading throughout our neighborhood, in a collaboration with City of Asylum. Each reading is from a specific poet who wrote about the individual gardens in which they are presenting. The collective experience sounded amazing to be a part of, and the boyfriend has been tirelessly prepping the garden (while I write out to-do lists and requests, of course).

52 books in 52 weeks:
Finally finished a book (decided to put the other one to the side, temporarily), which leaves me a couple books behind on my goal, but I have nothing but time to make it up!
#28: The Connection Algorithm: Take Risks, Defy the Status Quo, and Live Your Passions
I was able to finish this book quickly, and there were a few life-affirming gems within it — but I felt the content skewed more towards tech/entrepreneurs and their livelihoods. Interesting read though!

seven things, seven days:
1. Ice wine chocolate, yeah. I just realized today too that maybe these aren’t appropriate for the office?
2. Also, we brought home three bottles of ice wine from duty free.
3. We have approved “jeans day” for the duration of August at work (however, those dang August temperatures aren’t very denim-friendly). I’d like to have Yoga Pants August, please.
4. Would you be surprised that I filled every single night of my week with socializing? (If you saw my face right now, you would *know* that I overdid it.)
5. First post-degree-completion meltdown: CHECK!
6. Why telling kids to dream big is a BIG FAT LIE {via aeon}
7. How my therapist gave me the best career advice {via The Financial Diet}

Weekly Therapy: SPORTS and spring and all the things.

- Mel

the week:
Happy First Day of Spring! And Happy International Day of Happiness! And Happy International Macaron Day (freebies at both Jean Marc and Gaby et Jules, by the way). And OMG Gaby et is setting up a location within the new fancy-schmancy grocery store opening in downtown next month). (I’ve had a lot of sugar today, including chocolate-caramel popcorn from Pittsburgh Popcorn Company.)

snakes

Oh yes… it was also my 6-YEAR anniversary this week! We celebrated by going for burgers at Benjamin’s (I drank almost a full bottle of wine, save for the glass that I knocked over and the glass I gave to my neighbor) and went to see Cold War Kids. Ah, blissful normal-ness.

weekend:
OMG does my house need some spring lovin’ (that’ll be me up on a ladder, trying out the new fan blade cleaning trick with a pillow case that I saw on Pinterest!) I also have to tweak the living room layout, clean the wood floors, lay down a new rug, replace my one off-sized window panel, vacuum EVERYTHING… I’m putting the boyfriend to work outside to clean up the courtyard. Because, SPRING!

seven things, seven days:
1. Registered for the Niagara Falls International Marathon in October. Half-excited, half freaking out.
2. Also getting more serious about training now, and signed up for coaching through Steel City Road Runners.
3. And so long as I make it through this year’s longest of long runs, I’m planning for Prague Marathon in 2016.
4. I also now have a mentor through AASP.
5. While we’re on the topic, The Sports Psychology of March Madness. {via Sporting News} FWIW, I’m in the “Sleepers” bracket category at work for only properly guessing 9 out of 16 in the first round. First prize is a free vacation day. GIMME!
6. Designer juice is for assholes. YES, THIS. {via The Financial Diet – add to your blog reader!}
7. The Methodology for Psychology Podcast gets me moving (and smarter!) in the morning. But as the days get nicer, I’ll be walking to work more, and I’m already going through more episodes than there are sunny days. Have any interesting psychology podcasts to recommend?