Worth a Listen

I have been absolutely thrilled and grateful for those many readers that have expressed a new interest in ethical fashion and learning more about where their belongings come from. My personal interest in this subject grows more and more every day, and I really appreciate those of you who are making an effort to investigate the origins and impacts of your purchases. This particular episode of Conscious Chatter should be required listening for all of humanity. Hearing garment workers’ accounts of conditions they endure in factories here in the USA is illuminating and disheartening. I guarantee you will be floored by the working conditions and wages being allowed to continue right here at home. When we say that cheap fashion is costing someone somewhere, this episode drives that home in a big way. Please listen and take what you hear to heart.

If you are wanting more in this vein, I urge you to subscribe to the Conscious Chatter podcast and listen to the whole thing. It is so well done with very thoughtful questions from the host, and I find it encouraging to see this spark for change in the fashion industry taking hold.

Guys, this podcast is bananas. Dr. Death chronicles the story of a Dallas neurosurgeon who maimed and in some cases killed the vast majority of patients he operated on. This story is both jaw dropping and thought provoking, particularly as a physician myself.

Both doctors and patients have faith that the medical establishment enacts multiple safeguards to ensure that such cases do not occur and if they do, the doctor is quickly barred from practicing. Unfortunately there was a total system failure in the case of Dr. Duntsch, calling into question the organization he worked for, the programs where he received training, and other medical centers that continued to allow him privileges even with a concerning record. It is definitely worth considering what changes are needed to prevent such a heartbreaking story in the future.

I love podcast features of individuals I admire, and I thoroughly enjoyed this coversation with Grace Bonney, founder of Design Sponge. I especially related to her discussion surrounding personal identity as a blogger and the concept of having to live and embody your brand, as well as her thoughts on letting your business evolve over time as you evolve personally. It is a delightful interview and I hope you check it out!

Here is another excellent origin story and kick ass woman profile featuring Jeni Britton Bauer of Jeni’s Ice Cream. If you aren’t familiar with Jeni, how her company evolved, and her philosophy, you are in for such a treat. I adore her trailblazing personality, her abundance of creativity both in her craft and the business realm, and her habit of thinking deeply about the world around her and how this all ties together. Go listen!

I don’t know about you, but for all the drama and politicizing that goes on around the landmark case Roe v. Wade, I knew very little about the case itself. These episodes from The Daily do an excellent job explaining the details of the case itself as well as the mechanisms through which a woman’s right to safe and legal abortion became a political bargaining tool like no other through strategizing on the part of an evangelical leader. It was interesting and sad to hear the ways in which the central player felt taken advantage of by those on both sides of the debate.

Part 1 and Part 2

Though the news cycle churns at a head spinning pace, and the story of the New York Times anonymous op-ed penned by a Trump administration staffer may seem like old news now, this episode of Pod Save America addresses the topic very well. I agree very much with their assessment of this anonymous author and the relative import of the piece itself. It’s a useful perspective for sure.

When you feel ready to take on a lot of information you really don’t want to hear, listen to Fear. To say that consuming the information in this book is unpleasant and deeply unsettling feels like a mild characterization. I think every single American needs to hear the contents of this book. It won’t make you feel good, but I think we all need to know this information.

It’s worth noting that the sources in this book while anonymous, were vetted with “deep background”. I think the reasons for this as a necessity are relatively obvious, but this episode of The Daily has a conversation with Bob Woodward (the author) regarding his choices regarding the matter of sources. It is also worth considering.

While we’re on the topic of things that absolutely will not make you feel good, here you go. The entire series of Caliphate is a must listen. The quality of reporting is unbelievable, and I am so impressed with the interviews Rukmini Callamachi obtained. This is illuminating regarding the Islamic state and the role of America’s failed interventions in the Middle East. This was an amazing binge listen for me.

This episode of Criminal includes interviews with three top trauma surgeons regarding gun violence in our country and is another piece that should be required listening for all people. A doctor who witnessed firsthand the actual slaughtered bodies of Sandy Hook students reflects on the mental disconnect that results when we do not visually witness the horrific ramifications of this violence with our own eyes. All three have important thoughts to share in this crucial conversation regarding our ongoing national gun violence epidemic.

If you haven’t yet experienced the brilliance that is Esther Perel, you are in for a treat. She is a psychotherapist focusing on sex and relationships, and all of her work fascinates me. The book Mating in Captivity contains so much food for thought that is vital to consider as we navigate our lives and relationships.

I listened to her second book before I listened to this one and vaguely worried that this might be a lot of the same information, or possibly dated because Mating in Captivity is over ten years old. It turned out my worries were unfounded. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think nearly everyone would.

If you don’t sew, you might be inclined to skip right past this recommendation. However, I think you need to give it a listen! This particular episode has plenty to be enjoyed by non-sewists as the two invite their partners to participate in this episode and discuss what it’s like living with a sewist. I just found the whole episode hilarious and so charming, and it’s sure to make you smile…which you might need if you listened to Fear or Caliphate.

I adore the Love to Sew podcast as a whole and basically want to listen to it and sew all day every day. Helen and Caroline have the sweet soothing voices and get me excited to sew up my next creation every time I listen.

I love the BA Foodcast so much that it often comes up in conversations with me, sometimes even if you don’t know me at all and even if we’ve only been talking for a couple of minutes! Though I love almost every episode (except the Jeff Goldblum one – WTF was that tho?), the Hot 10 episode this year was especially enjoyable. I loved hearing about their selections for the Hot 10 list and it has me itching to make my next travel plans based on some of these recommendations.