Saturday, July 10, 2010

I Need A Fix...

There are two pretty serious addictions that I'm enjoying right now. One should run it's course pretty soon, and the other is ongoing.

While on vacation, our gracious hosts introduced us to the HBO show, True Blood.
We're almost through the first season (12 episodes), and it's like candy. The premise is set two years after vampires have revealed themselves to the public due to a synthetic blood that allows them to sustain themselves without being a threat to the population. The show is set in a small town in Louisiana, where they're encountering their first vampires. While there's plenty of fear, the protagonist (and her grandmother) are pretty liberal, as though they've learned everything they need to know about vampires from Oprah. It's a very adult show, with all the swearing and sex that entails. It seems that they're trying really hard to prove that they aren't re-packaging Twilight. I don't mind it, but some friends found it a little excessive. What I'm enjoying is the Southern Gothic flavour (Up yours, Spell Check, I'm keeping the 'u' in “Flavour”). If you'd asked me a week ago just what “Southern Gothic” was, I'd say that I'd heard of it, and that would be the end of my contribution. Now, I know what it looks like, and I must say, I'm finding Southern Gothic to be mighty tasty!

My other indulgence goes back about a year, and I can't believe there aren't more people into it. A couple months after I got my Ipod, I discovered Podcasts, and since they're all free (and we all know how that F-word will get attention:) ), I was free to experiment. For the uninitiated, it's like getting 15-90 minutes of talk radio on any subject you could imagine, and they release regular shows. (there are video Podcasts, but I'm not as familiar with those). Seriously, have you heard of “Thelema”? It's a Kaballa/Yoga-based belief system that maybe 1/10,000 people have heard of, and I've found 3-5 Podcasts about it. There are some good writing Podcasts too, my favorites being “I Should Be Writing” and “Writing Excuses.”
I lot of radio shows have podcasts, as do some magazines, such as the “New Yorker Short Fiction” Podcast. Another one I like is the “APM Dinner Party Download” for general conversation topics for – you guessed it – your next dinner party. `

Does anyone have any Podcasts that they like? Like I said, it's an addiction, and if you have a suggestion for my next fix, I'd be much obliged.

11 comments:

  1. I love True Blood too.. hurry up and catch up this season is a good one.

    Don't forget about Adams podcast.

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  2. Sorry, I haven't gotten hooked on either. Although Eureka returned last night, so I'll be hooked on that show for a few months.

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  3. I was just ripped from my sleep by someone who thinks he's hilarious, so I'm like way sleepy eyed right now. Therefore, you wrote, "Seriously, have you heard of 'Thelema'?" What I read was Thelma and I thought, "Dude, I'm from the south. Which Thelma are you talking about cause we've got on on every corner?"

    I'm going back to bed.

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  4. Trueblood = Vampire porn and I effing LOVE IT!!!!

    As for podcasts, I've never been a huge fan, but I do download many guided meditations onto my ipod.

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  5. Hi Will .. I do subscribe to the BBC history podcasts .. and they are excellent. I really would like to subscribe to BBC World Service as when I hear some of those broadcasts .. they are extremely interesting and informative.

    Enjoy your choices .. Hilary

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  6. After reading your post, I decided to get some podcasts. I found a podcast player for my cell phone and have one from a church in Barrie we attend when we visit Canada. Thanks for prompting me to look into it. Now I can hook my cell phone up to my speakers at work and listen to podcasts while I work. Now I just have to find more.

    Of course, not having an Apple product (which I refuse to ever own because I hope Apple goes bankrupt because I despise their elitist egotistical arrogance and hope never to hear their name again), it's really hard to connect to podcasts using a non-A**** product. :)

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  7. I haven't tried podcasts except the occasional Harry Potter one because I'm a geek that way, but I am on the waiting list for True Blood at the library--sounds FAR MORE like my thing that sparkling vampires. I am a Buffy fan, but I get the distinctions... I HAVE heard the later seasons aren't as good as the first, but I tend to be loyal if the first can suck me in, so we'll see...

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  8. I've listened to a few podcasts, but I try not to get hooked on TV shows. No time!

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  9. Another True Blood fan...it is addiction! I love it~

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  10. Haven't tried podcasts yet, but they sound interesting.

    And a big high-five on the Spell Check comment!

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