As a working violinist and long distance runner in Oklahoma I am frequently on the road. Many hours of my week are often spent getting from one rehearsal to the next, teaching here, performing there, running a few miles now and perhaps a few later (or several all in a row if I'm training for something serious). I teach in Shawnee, I perform regularly in Tulsa, Fort Smith and Fayetteville and those cities are not just a hop, skip or jump down the road from each other.

Often I find myself with hours of alone time stuck in the car trying to keep myself mentally occupied as I cruise-control the hours away, or trying to keep my mind off of the miles and miles I am putting on my running shoes. Sure, I make phone calls to friends, listen to all sorts of music and grab at least a few minutes of the news but often I need a little more. Something with a story, or a theme, some new information, a new fact to learn, a game to play or just an engaging host. Yes, I have access to an Audible account and take advantage of the hours of books available, but sometimes a long, narrated novel just isn't what I'm in the mood for. What I crave is a really good podcast binge.

I have been a podcast listener for years. The Moth and This American Life have been regular features in my audio diet for years now but recently I have discovered several more that actually make me excited for long drives and longer runs because they are just that good!

The following is a list of my favorite podcasts of the moment. I encourage you to check them out! I actually find myself trying to find excuses to listen to some of these - washing dishes, personal yoga practice, running, cycling, walking the dog, writing blog posts and working on this website, cleaning the house - you name it and I am using it as an excuse to worm a few extra minutes of podcast listening into my day! They range in subject matter from stories to science to music to history; Deeply personal interviews, funny game shows, Crime, ongoing investigations etc. You can regularly hear me chirping "did you know.....?" immediately after listening to some of these. They serve as excellent conversation starters, trivia, and cocktail party knowledge and are a fulfilling way to spend a few hours. I have included a link to the website for each, to visit the website for just click on the title. 

Serial - I know I wasn't the only person who looked forward to the newest Serial episode each week. In fact, there is fan art, blogs, reddits and other forums devoted to this podcast alone. The story is crazy, and true and totally addicting! One minute you are rooting for Adnan, the next you are convinced he is the killer. This podcast is binge-worthy and makes time fly by! I told pretty much every orchestra member I performed with about it in the hopes someone else would listen to it so we could gush about our murder theories together. Sarah Koenig follows the case of Adnan Sayed and the murder of Hay Min Lee in Baltimore, 1999. There were so many weird and vague and suspicious elements in this case to explore it was hard to turn it off. I cannot wait for season 2 (which will follow a different case). Seriously! Half of the podcasts below were discovered in an attempt to fill the void Serial left in my life.

This American Life - This one is a classic. Slices of Americana. Intimate portrayals of all sorts of things. Hosted by Ira Glass (cousin of the composer Philip Glass btw) it covers everything from the economy to  reunions, poultry, calamari, sleep walking and much more. Famous personalities like David Sedaris and Mike Birbiglia can often be heard reading their works or weighing in on a theme for the week. Sometimes I laugh really hard and sometimes the stories are extremely heart felt and touching or at the very least thought provoking. I have been listening to this one for years and have yet to get sick of it.

Radiolab - Also a classic. Generally radiolab focuses more on science than This American Life does, but nonetheless it is really engaging. They've covered a huge array of topics from Beethoven's tempo markings to the markings on the first human skull, to the warehouses where online shopping purchases are found. Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich are a really brilliant balance in personalities and even when you think the theme for the week maybe isn't something you're interested you still have a "no way! how cool!" or "neat!" moment. 

Ask Me Another - This is a trivia radio show, and it is unbelievably fun and amusing. I often find myself blurting out the answers in my car - alone. But it is also fun to listen to with other people as well - it can get a little competitive as people race each other to scream the answers aloud. Ophira Eisenberg is an energetic and delightful host and the games are highly entertaining and imaginative. They also invite a celebrity guest or guests to participate in the games each week. I can tell you that the episode featuring the planet money hosts was side-splittingly funny -Try talking about the economy while using only one-syllable words. Good luck not cracking yourself up!

The Moth - I have loved The Moth for years. Each year they host a fundraising event called the Moth Ball and it is on my bucket list to attend at least once. These are real stories told live by real people without any notes. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes really sad, or heartwarming, thought provoking or satirical. Stories are told by all types of people from celebrities and comedians to police officers in NYC, to middle school kids enrolled in a story telling workshop, cancer survivors, parents, scientists, college students, chefs - you name it and they are sharing their stories. They host classes, and story slam competitions, travel the country, and provide a stage for the human experience.  

Inquiring Minds - An in-depth look at where politics, science and society meet. Each episode opens with a discussion of the hottest science news of the moment. There are some super famous authors, scientists, politicians and the like who make appearances on this podcast. I started tuning in because I caught wind of an excellent interview with Michael Pollan about the role of heat and cooking in our evolution and diet and consequently found a really great episode with Mary Roach (one of my all time favorite non-fiction writers) referencing her book Gulp! about the gastrointestinal tract. Many more topics are covered besides food and digestion - I've tuned in to ones on climate change and the solar system to name just a few. 

The Heart - All about intimacy and humanity. This one is a little bit more radical, risqué and sexually explicit but sincere and heartfelt all the same. I'll admit I've only listened to one or two but am definitely looking forward to hearing more.

The Truth - described as movies for your ears. There are actors, story lines, plots, sounds effects. It is great! Like a radio drama! Having spent several formative years in the United Kingdom I have a serious soft spot for dramatized radio programming. Enjoy!

Death, Sex and Money - Intimate interviews. Anna Sale has a knack for guiding conversation into personal territory but not in a confrontational or offensive way. Each episode features a different guest and the private person behind the public persona is often touching and ever so human. Dan Savage on communication and long term relationships, Ellen Burstyn on what makes her most proud are just two of the interviews available. They really round out the celebrity experience, highlighting the not so talked about elements of life that so many of us deal with or have at least thought about in the past. 

Born Yesterday - A podcast about the past. This one focuses on history. I recently listened to the episode on Sea Shanties and highly recommend it. The host traces the history, from many angles of all sorts of things from Sea Shanties, to particular phrases that are part of our everyday vernacular, to games and much more. I have only recently found this one but definitely enjoy it. Each episode has at least a few "wow! cool!" moments. It is all of the history I wish we learned more of in school. Casual, social history of random elements of life. Can't go wrong with a little trivia knowledge like that, right? 

Wiretap - hosted by Jonathan Goldstein. This podcast is stories, adventures and themes, interviews from the normal to the surreal. Welcome to inside Goldstein's head - and good luck! It is quirky but definitely enjoyable. This one is pretty new for me, but I'm sticking with it.

Meet the Composer - If you have ever seen a composer's name on a program and thought "who is that?" or you hear a modern piece and just don't get it then this is a great place to glean some insight into the world of modern composers. Hosted by the ever so cool, ever so talented violist and avant-garde darling Nadia Sirota this podcast makes sense of the music of today through interviews and sound clips. It has certainly turned me on to a few composers I had, until recently never heard of. In each episode she interviews and studies a different composer and you come to find out that they are people too! Extremely interesting, inherently fascinating. This podcast has imbued in me a great deal of respect for an individual's creative process and inspiration. Definitely a must for music lovers who feel intimidated by modern music or just want to know more.

Can you tell what my interests are? I love learning and I love stories. History, people, science, economics, love, death, sadness, hilarity, music, interviews - you name it and I probably just can't get enough! I hope you enjoy these recommendations. Please hang out and gush about your likes, dislikes, plot twists, theories etc. If I could I would join a podcast club (like a book club, but for podcasts) so maybe we can start a mini one here? All podcasts listed can be accessed and listened to via their website or through iTunes, and as far as I know pretty much any standard podcast listening app. If you have any suggestions or additions to this list feel free to leave a comment! I am always happy to add to my list.