What Ana Does

Between the neighborhood walks with Bruce and being alone in my house during the day when Dave is at the office and the girls are at school, I've been consuming a lot more podcasts than usual. And I've learned quite a LOT of interesting stuff.  Here are three podcasts that are on heavy rotation ...  Feel Better Live More from Dr. Rangan Chatterjee is a new discovery that I've been consuming a lot of, going into the archives to catch up on older conversations. He interviews interesting people and asks a lot of good questions. I just finished a long conversation about immunity, one on running, the myth of calories was excellent and the short sum-up on the Blue Zones, which I find crazy fascinating. It's great listening.  Smartless is a weekly favorite. I can almost get in the whole interview on my 20 minute walk with Bruce in the mornings. Or I'll finish the tail end while eating breakfast. It's silly and thoughtful. I like the banter between the guys -- Jason Bat...

This week I went to my first CrossFit class (a topic for another post) and on my way to the gym I listened to an Armchair Expert podcast that made me laugh so hard I had to cover my mouth so as not to get odd looks from passing strangers. But put me in a fantastic mood to start the class. I listen to a lot of podcasts in Paris, from self-help to entertainment, and it's a great alternative to listening to music and I discover something new in each episode. Here's what I'm listening to these days: The Goop Podcast is kind of amazing. I like how the guests can be a little "alternative" or "controversial" and the interviewer (their CCO Elise, usually) really digs into topics and makes them relevant. During or after I listen to episodes, I find myself doing extra research to come up with my own views or thoughts on the subject. My favorite episode (so far):   Is there proof of a spiritual universe?  (Which will probably lead to its own post from me s...

Paris-Themed Podcasts To get in the spirit, I've been listening to Paris-centric podcasts while doing work or sorting our crap. It's been fun listening to other expats talk about their experience in Paris, hear topics of interest and some news, too. Here they are: The Earful Tower  --  The host, Oliver G, is a bit strange and charming. He's clearly entertained and also puzzled by the Parisians, so it's an interesting approach. Each episode tackles some aspect of Parisian life and most include interviews. He just interviewed a Brit who has been an expat for over 50 years and his perspective was fascinating. And at the end of each episode, there's a little story about Paris's colorful history.  The New Paris  --  This one is sort of based on the book the host, Lindsey Tramuta, wrote a few months ago. It's about the newer trends and businesses that are growing in Paris. Such as quality coffee, small businesses (which are challenging because ...

My update is this: I'm home this summer and working with a few clients on a few part-time writing/researching projects, so that's pretty cool. A good start. I'm also selling cabi clothing and that's been fun and challenging, and gives me a community to be a member of, which I like. Here are the other things I'm liking right now ... Mina and Karen On My TV HGTV continues to be my go-to for TV programming. I'm not sure how I'd unwind without the good folks bringing me more home fixer-upper shows than I have time to watch. Recently, I binged the entire first season of Good Bones on demand. The new season also just started, so I've got some new episodes waiting for me to enjoy. I love how capable Mina and Karen are, they're mixed up family and their positivity. And they're brilliant designers and builders. I would immediately buy one of their houses if I lived in Indianapolis. Also, have you seen Home Town ? There's only a few episod...

So, I listened and learned a little. Here are mini-reviews of the Podcasts I choose (spoiler alert: I enjoyed most of them): Young House Love has a Podcast  - A friendly podcast about homes and blogs and decorating, which I really enjoyed because John and Sherry are so delightful. I especially liked their concisely edited format, which made it easy to listen to. I'll likely subscribe to this one.  Stuff You Missed in History Class  - I listened to three scritped episodes, each about 30 minutes long, and each was interesting, informing and entertaining. The banter format between the two hosts annoyed people in the reviews, but I found it made it added a little charm.  TED Radio Hour  - These NPR-produced episodes pull together several TED talks around a subject into one well-produced 60-minute show. I listened to "The Meaning of Work" and it was thought-provoking and awesome. My one complaint is I wish they were a bit shorter, as one podcast doesn't fit...

Lately I've been feeling a little in the clouds. And I realized it might because I'm starved to learn something new. Is it a summer thing? Maybe because I've been reading too much fiction. Or spending too much time on news events. Election years can be so draining. I've been thinking about spending a bit more time in nonfiction land, so starting today I'm taking a break from the audiobooks I usually enjoy on my commutes to and from the office and listening to some informative podcasts. Once I started to dig into all the podcasts available, I was astounded by the amount out there. Hundreds! I thought podcasting was going the way of the dodo but, not so! Alive and well! Here's what I pulled: Young House Love has a Podcast  - Decorating and house stuff.  Stuff You Missed in History Class - Deep dive into people and events.  TED Radio Hour - We all know TED talks.   The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe - The Dirty Jobs guys has the best voice.  Anna Fa...