Podcast Fatigue
So here's my problem. I have over 20,000 tracks on my ipod, but I can't remember the last time I listened to any of them. The reason? I simply have too many podcasts to listen to.
My current podcast essential listening is as follows:
The Word Podcast
Mark Kermode's Film Reviews
The IGN Games Podcast
Andrew Collins and Richard Herring Podcast
Adam & Joe Podcast
The Daily Mayo
Cinema Diabolica Podcast
Stewart Maconie's Freakzone Podcast
After that little lot, there is little or no time to listen to any music. I listen to the podcasts on the way to work, but I only have a ten minute walk to the office. I come home at lunchtimes to see to the dog and to intercept the post before my wife comes home, so that I can hide my online CD, DVD and Xbox 360 game purchases (we're meant to be saving for a new kitchen). All of this adds up to about 45 minutes of listening a day, Monday to Friday. I may occasionally get some extra time at weekends, but if I walk into town to go shopping, the wife likes to come with me, and she rather unreasonably expects to be able to have a conversation with me as we walk.
So what's the answer? I don't want to give up my beloved podcasts, but I also need to find time to give a considered listen to the new Portishead, NIN and Delays albums, along with the recent reissues of the Cud back catalogue and the new 2 disc edition of Forever Changes.
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An obvious question
So why don't you listen on your computer in the evenings, when you're doing all that secret on-line buying? And don't you ever take the dog for walks?
Oh, and I would give up that Xbox whatever it is. Playing computer games is no way for a man old enough to be married to pass his time.
In the interests of public safety,
please let us know, well in advance, the times and your approximate itinerary whenever you plan to go for a walk whilst listening to the NIN material.
Suggestions
I often just go through my list of subscribed podcasts and delete fairly mercilessly. If I have more than 4 unheard episodes chances are that I don't have time in my life for it.
You could do something with a smart playlist to limit how many podcasts (in terms of time) copies on to your iPod each day, but have them randomly selected. Something like Podcasts, played less than 1 time, limited to 45 minutes.
Or you could listen to podcasts whilst playing games, browsing the Interwebnets, or anything else where you don't need to be listening to something specific.
Never understood the point of keeping podcasts.....
It's hard enough to get around to listening to the buggers once, let alone using all that space that, as you say, could be filled with music that warrants a listen. Its like taking pictures with a telephone, it's just not right.
Collins and Herring
Deleting the C&H cast instantly saved me some time. It isn't funny. The one I had consisted of H slurping on an ice lolly and C talking about "cocks". Is this supposed to be amusing? Good remind on Freakzone though - it seems to have disappeared out of iTunes, a problem I will address forthwith.
Makes you wonder what we did in the pre ipod days
I have a remarkably similar podcast list which does indeed tend to dominate my listening. I guess I equate podcasts to radio, so as far as i am concerened I'm listening to more radio than I used too. As for my 5000 or so songs, it is a real effort to remember what I've recently bought and added. I download stuff and forget its there. I find it helps to put the ipod on shuffle songs from time to time. It helps to remind me what I've actually got.
Podcasts suit me well on my 30 minute commute and also for listening to in bed.
The question is, how did we manage to keep up with our music collection before Ipods were invented?
Um......
By looking at the massed ranks of LPs and CDs, lining up for regular inspection. By playing them? Cassettes in the car, as one example, if not the turntable of player at home.
Are you all "young people" or something?
Exactly and what a forgotten
Exactly and what a forgotten pleasure that is. The coverflow thing just isn't the same.
The physical record cover with associated artwork creates an anchor in the mind that mentally registers a collection. It kind of worked with CD covers too but I just can't get it to kick in with MP3 / Itunes etc.
The Medium Is The Message
And the message is, "I've got these things jammed in my ears 'cos I'm hip 'n' groovy, and I don't want to interact with anyone else unless I choose to do so, and my environment is noisy and dirty and impersonal and the world I inhabit often feels to me like a sea of isolated individuals rather than a decent, functioning human society and these make me feel more internally secure despite my lostness."
Shades for your lugs, that's what iPods are.
The List Gets Bigger....
My Podcast list keeps getting bigger, which naturally means I listen to less music than I used to. However, I still seem to acquire the same amount of cds.
My primary list:
-Word Weekly
-The Blueprint (www.blueprintpodcast.com)
-Guardian Music Weekly (www.guardian.co.uk/podcasts)
-Guardian Science Weekly
-Guardian Film Weekly
-Guardian Media Weekly
-Times Sounds (www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/audio_video/podcasts/)
Plus I've got several on there I keep meaning to try: Collins and Herring, Best of Myspace, The ABC Lost Podcast....
I find the best way is albums in the car (to and from work every day), podcasts while I'm pottering about at home (cooking / washing etc). Plus time put aside here and there just to take in a record or 2.