Addiction

I'm addicted to podcasts, truth be told. Here's the list of what I'm subscribed to right now:

• A Prairie Home Companion
• ESPN: Around the Horn
• ESPN: PTI
• ESPN: The Sports Reporters
• The Fermi Project
• Folkways Collection from the Smithsonian
• NPR: All Songs Considered
• NPR: Live Concerts from All Songs Considered
• NPR: Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me
• Paste Culture Club
• PRI: The Sound of Young America
• PRI: This American Life
  
• Slate Magazine Daily Podcast

I also have various lectures/speeches from the following Universities:

• MIT
• Reformed Theological Seminary
• Seattle Pacific University
• Standford
• University of the Pacific

Good thing I've got a sizable commute (just passed 90,000 miles today). And it may seem like I might list all of this to say "look how smart I am, how cool, how hip and trendy." Which may be the case, but really - its to say its ridiculous the access we have to information these days. And yet, as a society, as a species, how much progress have we really made?

It's a lot of information. Which begs the question -
With great podcasts comes great responsibility??

Excitement Abounds

Most of my days revolve around thinking about Jack. More later, but there are other things that've gotten me excited as of late.

1. All Things NPR

• Best Shows: "Wait, Wait" , "This American Life", "All Things Considered", "All Songs Considered", and the recently discovered "Live Concerts from All Songs Considered" (podcast editions of the last two). The amazing thing to me is that that the later two actually talk about music (meaningful music that isn't Nickelback) in a very interesting way (or there's this site for a meaningful way). And the live concerts - fugedaboutit. They are amazing. And free. And amazing.

2. Impending Football

• The Colts went to training camp today. And fantasy football talk is beginning to rear its nicotine-like head. A buzz I'd rather not wait for. Although, to complain for but a moment, it's absolutely absurd that the Patriots (who are evil, and who went 18-0 last year) have, literally, statistically the easiest schedule in the NFL. A world gone wrong.
  

3. Olympic Buildup

• Just two weeks away. Watching the trials got me excited. Listening to the Olympic Fanfare and other related music (thank you John Williams) is exciting. I not-so-secretly hope that Jack is born on 8/7 so that I'll be home with him during the bulk of the Games. Here's to hoping.

4. New Music

• Along with the Free Samplers with my Paste magazine, recent ablums include: Sara Groves, William F. Gibbs, Micah Dalton, Rufus Wainwright.

And, if you read this blog, there's a decent chance you'll care when Stacey and I head to the hospital in the next month or so. If you'd like to stay up to date and keep tabs: Baby Bouse Blog.

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So obviously, things have been busy. I doubt they'll slow down until mid-August, but only to become a different type of busy then. Here's what consumes most of my time these days:

• Work - Lots of shows and rehearsals, an increasing number of meetings, and mental gymnastics/struggles (good ones, I think)
• Home - Getting ready for the baby! We're under 5 weeks to go and I cannot wait (really, if he came out tomorrow, I'd be terribly excited). We're halfway through baby classes. His room is all-but-done. Stacey is doing wonderful; a gracious (if not resilient) mother-to-be.
  
• Leisure - Just finished reading Into the Wild. Half through Dreams from My Father and The Omnivore's Dilemma. This past weekend included an 11 mile trip down the not-so-White River. Good fun, beautiful weather. And then there's always keeping up to do with the Obama/McCain circus.

And the free Coldplay song from their site was a delightful and surprising treat. Maybe better than anything on the new album? Maybe, just maybe.

Note - There will be a new blog popping up soon, to share the joy of Jack's arrival. Be on the lookout.