What I’m Listening To…

So to relax from teaching and working on the Bike Karma Podcast, I need a break from bicycles. Sadly I don’t often listen to other bicycle and cycling podcast on my downtime because it is just “too much tuna” for one person spending hours and hours editing cycling stories for the show. I just need to forget about bikes now and then, lest they go from a healthy to an unhealthy obsession.

I feel pretty guilty about this sometimes, because there are some other bicycle podcasts out there doing great work. I hope to be a friend, ally and a fan of these shows, but apart from the occasional listen, I just need to balance out myself with some “other” stuff… you know life is more than bikes… GASP! faint.

So when I listen for enjoyment these days, to non-cycling stuff, here are some of the things I listen to…

My DOWN IN THE SHOP Music PLAYLIST – This is my ever-changing down in the workshop playlist. You’ll see I have some moods musically that I cycle through. You can skip, it changes like the weather. There is a lot of music and some Philosophical Ramblings sprinkled in. Definitely listen to on shuffle. Sometimes a song gets through that I delete right after I hear it again (sorry), but over time it has some solid music for wrenching on bikes. AND best is that some of it let’s the mind wander…

(*PS I am team Neil Young, and really miss his music on here. I listen to him elsewhere.)

PODCASTS I LIKE to listen to while wrenching on bikes…

*These shows are not mine, but just stuff I like to listen to.

(Almost Any) Alan Watts Audio Book, or Podcast

Alan Watts has probably saved my life. He was a “hippy guru” from the 50s and 60s who gave lectures from his houseboat in Sausalito about Zen, Life, and Philosophy. He recorded these talks on audio tape and called it “The Electronic University“. While he did (by many standards) “fizzle” near the end of his life, and you may also need to forgive an occasional dated moment in these historical recordings, I feel his heart was in the right place for 95% of his lectures. I have spent HUNDREDS of hours listening to his prattling and ruminations. I highly recommend you listen to audiobooks and vintage recordings of HIM actually speaking. You’re IT! is a great one, as is Out of Your Mind. Numerous people have put his talks to music. A dj called Akira the Don has done some nice music sampling his voice.

CBS Radio Mystery Theater

Old radio shows are usually REALLY CHEESY, but 90% of these stories are surprisingly, super clever and engaging. These old time radio shows are very well written and thoughtful! Bonus is that they didn’t edit them a lot so you get news and commercials from the 1970’s. Another bonus for me is that there are TONS of them. Only a handful (out of hundreds) are dumb, but don’t be put off. Great creative stories here… mostly lost to the world.

The Happiness Lab Podcast

This show accessibly applies brain science to what seems to make people happy. I like this show a lot. It’s very relevant to both my career and my life in general.

Hidden Brain Podcast

This is interesting reflection on how your brain works (and sometimes doesn’t) that is story based and highly engaging.