Romanticizing recommendations

sand, bridges, audio artifacts, food and pleasure, feeling awe, violent hockey, problematic hockey

Not to get overly romantic about recommendations, but it is such a fun and special feeling when someone enjoys something you suggested to them. Whether it’s a song, food, movie, or podcast it feels like you’ve connected with them. And even if it wasn’t their favourite, the fact that they still made the effort to check it out means a lot and says a lot. Marketers will always say how powerful word of mouth is, and they’re not wrong, but it’s also a reflection of human connections. The things a person recommends to you says a lot about them and what they know about you. Blame this quote from Abbott Elementary for making me romanticize recommendations. I haven’t stopped thinking about it and I hope it inspires you to share a recommendation with someone.

This week’s podstack

Without - Sand

Sand is the most important solid substance on earth?! And it’s being pursued at a level that you’d probably associate with something like oil?! There’s a sand mafia and they don’t hold back?! I will never look at sand the same. I never realized how much sand is used and how important it is. This episode takes something that you might assume is pretty mundane and makes you feel invested in the future of sand as a resource. And that feeling of investment is really solidified when you hear about how much one woman is fighting to protect sand supplies in India, even when it puts her life in danger. I haven’t stopped thinking about it everywhere I look. The second episode of this series is about coffee and it’ll make you want to savour every sip of your coffee while you still can. Without explores all of the things we can't imagine losing or had never considered the repercussions of losing.

Abridged - The Bridge Man

If you weren’t sure how interesting sand could be, get ready for another episode to change your perspective on something seemingly mundane. The first episode of Abridged introduces you to The Bridge Man in New York. He knows these bridges better than Spider-Man and not just from climbing them – he takes photographs while he’s up there. In between talking about what it’s like to be up there, balancing a camera and racing against time for the perfect shot, he also makes you appreciate all the connections bridges make. He’s made connections with people and the city through photographing all these bridges. With Rebecca Seidel’s always impressive sound mixing and writing, it’s like a more poetic take on something you might think is just a simple structure. It feels like a romantic nod to 99% Invisible’s take on how design and architecture impact our lives. The Tribeca Audio selections this year are incredible and I can’t wait for more episodes of this.

These Were Humans - These Were Humans (ONE)

Speaking of Tribeca Audio selections, I need to include one more. I heard Shreya raving about These Were Humans and I always trust her taste in podcasts so I had to check it out. I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t fully comprehend the format and premise of the show before I started listening, which I kinda love. It’s a fictional mashup of audio artifacts discovered after humanity disappeared. This montage of clips give you a funny and thought provoking look at what glimpses of humanity could sound like to someone who’d never met them. I started listening without realizing how they would be arranged and it felt like a fun audio adventure. It might sound different than what you’re used to, but the structure and writing are so much more fun than I expected. I listened twice to appreciate it knowing how it’s set up and the Speed bit at the beginning still cracked me up just as much as the first time!

The Pleasure Palate - Food & Bodies: What’s Passed Down

I knew very quickly that I was going to enjoy this episode. Not only does it lead with a description of how good it feels to experience a delicious food, it also captured the deeply personal nature of the show immediately. Rebecca Katz wants to celebrate taking back pleasure in the kitchen for women who have been told so many times that dieting and body size are more important than enjoying food. Through conversations with her sister and her friends about food and the feelings they witnessed their moms have towards food, we’re introduced to how complicated this topic is for Rebecca to cover, but also how important it is. I love the special moments of her and her sister cooking their mom’s baked ziti recipe together. It’s a personal show with a powerful message that we can all grow from listening to.

Unexplainable - Awestruck

When was the last time you felt awe? It’s one of those almost indescribable feelings where a moment or experience gives you this sensation of hope? Wonder? Excitement? I found myself kinda grateful to know that there are scientists actually studying this feeling. Just like other feelings we experience, there is something noticeable happening in us when we feel awe and they’re working to better understand it. Not only is the science of awe pretty cool, this episode may also inspire you to seek out some awe. (transcript)

The Fighty Pucks - Game 1: The Galantes of Danbury

When someone describes an episode as one of the best first episodes they’ve heard, I’m immediately adding it to my queue. When that someone is Lauren Passell, I’m immediately pressing play. And I think she’s right. The first episode of The Fighty Pucks sets up the story and gets you invested so well without it ever feeling forced or gimmicky. We’re introduced to this small town hockey team that seemed to re-invigorate life into the town, but also might have some problematic forces behind it. And a lot of the build up and intrigue comes through AJ Galante, who was part of the team. Through his family history, his interest in hockey, and allusions to how things went wrong, he pulls you in. He’s recollecting things to the host and giving you context without it feeling like an exposition dump. But I think what this episode also does so strongly to keep you listening is when they get romantic about hockey. When they describe it as the sport with some of the best sounds and what it sounds like when a team is playing well together. The violence in hockey mostly annoys me, but this episode actually made me want to learn more about the most violent team in hockey history.

COMMONS - HOCKEY 1 - The Best Game You Can Name

Last week I wrote about two different podcasts about the Colorado River, and this week it’s two different podcasts about hockey! It’s no secret that hockey is a very big part of the Canadian identity. But there’s the wholesome perception of it, and then there’s the more honest look at how damaging it can be. Like when parents become so caught up in their kid’s hockey career that they forget it’s just a game and their kid is only ten. The first episode of this season of COMMONS, all about the problematic ways of hockey in Canada, is just as strong of a first episode as The Fighty Pucks! I knew some of the problems with hockey, but I had no idea how deep it went and that’s only just in the first episode. My jaw kept dropping as I learned about one of the biggest minor hockey leagues in the world, a family that Wayne Gretzky lived with, and dangerous lengths people will go to for this sport.

More sweet treats

• You need a woman in your queue.

• This thread about living a creative life.

• This will change the way you buy and giveaway clothing.

• The great phone addiction challenge comes to an end

• Rethinking ambition and the way your work defines you.

Thank you for reading! If you listened to something this week that made your heart sing, your imagination wander, or your brain ponder, I’d love to hear about it!