words

i was listening to a wiretap podcast entitled couples on the subway today.  it aired on the 13th but you can listen to the episode here.  it begins with scott kravitz's story of how he acquired his (now deceased) dog, ann... he further explains his inability to be in the moment for his fear of it ending.  and goes on to say his biggest regret was not taking enough pictures.  he says photography forces you to choose between living in the moment and documenting it... and he feels that you can't do both.

and from it i learned a welsh word: hiraeth.  according to wikipedia it has no direct english translation... according to scott kravit's friend it means:

"a longing for something you already have . . . that feeling when you're in a moment so wonderful that all you can do is mourn it's passing even as it is happening"

then he looks it up online and learns that hiraeth actually means, a longing to be in wales...

well i liked the meaning he initially gave us better...  so i didn't want to believe him.  upon further research (does wikipedia count as research?) i learned it could also mean:

"homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over the lost or departed. it is a mix of longing, yearning, nostalgia, wistfulness, and the earnest desire for the wales of the past."

scott attempts to quantify the real definition by saying "if someone is in wales and still feels hiraeth that's probably close enough."  too funny.  anyway. it's an interesting thing to think about: living in the moment. and the podcast is good for at least 3 laughs.  and maybe one single tear.

karl pilkington

is my new favourite human being. 

i've been listening to the ricky gervais out now podcasts.  it's ricky, stephen merchant and karl pilkington talking about different subjects to promote their upcoming (now outdated) audio books.  despite being anti-headphones on the ttc, this has been worth it.  i'm the only person on the train smiling on my morning commute. actually i'm more than smiling, i'm in stitches.  and maybe a couple of people look at me like i'm a crazy, but that's okay.
here is a link to listen to some of the podcasts, alternatively you can upload them through itunes or purchase the audio books.  once i'm done with these i'm going to start watching an idiot abroad.  they have several different projects so i'll be sorting [laughing hysterically] my way through them.

you know who else is funny?  stewart lee. 
disclosure: to all harry potter fans [i know you're reading this because you're my biggest supporter robyn], please don't take him personally, he probably secretly loves hp.  to people who don't like the f word, please plug your ears around 1:12.  thanks.

i have one final funny.  it came from darryl's trash can this morning.  it really summed up the day for me, so i kept it. enjoy.

wiretap

wiretap is a radio show on cbc featuring one of my idols, jonathan goldstein.  you can listen to it on saturdays at 1:30pm or thursdays at 11:30pm.  if you're anything like me and have no regularity in your life, you can get just get the podcasts.

i don't think the videos really do it justice.  but it will at least give you a taste if you've never heard of him.  you have to understand, when i hear wiretap on the radio it feels like i've won the lottery of timing.  this show 9 times out of 10 has me in stitches, and the other time, it gets me thinking.  the podcasts are convenient but i prefer the magic of catching him at his regular air time.

i'm actually such a huge jonathan goldstein fan that i bought and read his books, lenny bruce is dead  & ladies and gentleman, the bible!  i doubt any other author (or person) could trick me into reading bible stories.

this post is mainly about wiretap, but i would also like to profess my love for podcasts in general.  spoiled for choice, i stick mainly to the things i know (ie. cbc shows and ricky gervais).  if you could recommend any that you listen to, please let me know.  right now i'm listening to the january 15th episode of quirks and quarks which is talking about music releasing dopamine in the brain.