New Podcasts I'm Loving

Hey guys! It's been a while! As many of you know, I've moved to Stafford, VA. We LOVE our quiet, conveniently-located neighborhood but I am driving a bit longer to connect with friends and family. Lucky for me, I've discovered a few new podcasts to spice up my drive!

1. Work, Play, Love with Lauren Fleshman and Jesse Thomas: This podcast is great for runners or athletes trying to find a balance between training and work/relationships. Lauren is a retired professional runner (now coach) and Jesse is a current professional triathlete. Together, they run a company called Picky Bars. Oh yeah, and they're married! Each episode, they discuss what's going on in their personal lives and then answer questions from listeners. 

What I love: Both Lauren and Jesse are candid about their experiences: the ups and downs of business, athletic careers, and their own relationship. They don't come across as know-it-alls or experts, but rather as kind friends willing to share what has worked (or not worked) for them. Jesse openly discussed his struggle in college with an eating disorder, which I appreciate in particular because we don't often hear stories from men about those issues. Lauren also has some great sound bytes on what it means to be in a relationship (she said something like "If you want to do whatever you want all the time, don't be in a relationship"). To top it all off, the opening and closing theme (written by Jesse) makes you feel like you're coming home. 

This podcast is only 9 episodes in, so you have time to start from the beginning and catch up! Each episode as about 45 minutes long.

2. The Anthropocene Reviewed : This podcast is written and narrated by John Green, author of The Fault in our Stars and other popular YA books. In each episode, John reviews two different things; topics range wildly from diseases to natural landmarks to food. For example, episode 5 is titled "Hawaiian Pizza and Viral Meningitis". John shares the history of each topic, provides witty commentary, but then takes each topic to the next level, digging deep to make poignant connections and assign surprisingly heartfelt meaning to each topic. "Googling Strangers" in episode 3 is a great example of this. Still confused about what "Anthropocene" even means? Here's the podcast description: 

"The Anthropocene is the current geological age, in which human activity has profoundly shaped the planet and its biodiversity. Here on The Anthropocene Reviewed, we review different facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale."

What I love: John makes the seemingly simple or mundane incredibly profound. Also, his writing is just incredible. Listen to how he described the Bonneville Salt Flats: "It looks like driving alone at night feels. It looks like being alone in a crowded airport, watching other peoples' reunions while your flight is delayed". 

Each episode is only about 20 minutes long, so it's easy to catch up on all 5 episodes!

What have you guys been listening to? I'm all caught up on these podcasts so I have room for more! 

XOXO,

Maria