Much to my husband's annoyance, I am almost always wearing headphones. If I'm not working at my computer or sleeping, chances are excellent that I'm listening to an audiobook or a podcast. The following scenario has happened approximately 2.3 zillion times:
Sara, wearing headphones, is bustling about, cleaning the kitchen or similar.
Husband: (Indistinguishable, due to aforementioned headphones.)
Sara: (With thinly masked annoyance.) Just a moment. I need to turn off my headphones.
Several seconds pass, as Sara's bluetooth headphones seem to take FOREVER to disconnect and turn off.
Sara: (At long last.) Yes?
Husband: Never mind.
Husband: (Indistinguishable, due to aforementioned headphones.)
Sara: (With thinly masked annoyance.) Just a moment. I need to turn off my headphones.
Several seconds pass, as Sara's bluetooth headphones seem to take FOREVER to disconnect and turn off.
Sara: (At long last.) Yes?
Husband: Never mind.
So sue me: I love listening to things. I've been a member of Audible for close to 20 years and have accumulated 321 titles in my library. Here is a sampling of the podcasts I enjoy listening to. Additionally, I listen to programs like Hold On with Eugene Mirman that are technically Audible channels. Oh, and I also have the Audm app, which enables me to listen to great articles from magazines like The Atlantic and The New Yorker.
Why do I love audio so much? For one thing, if I sit down to read a "real" book or magazine, my mind is likely to a) wander, or b) go to sleep. But beyond that, I love listening to voices—the emotion of them, the timbre, the humanness and intimacy. And when you listen to podcasts, there's the fabulous nuance added by thoughtful production: sound effects, audio engineering, conversations, audience reactions, etc. Good podcasts are magnetic.
Earlier in my long advertising career, I got to write and produce many radio commercials, and that was wonderful. I maintain that radio is the most visual medium, because when it's done well, it makes listeners watch stories right in their heads.
So imagine my delight when 99% Invisible, one of the best podcasts out there (and a must-listen for anyone even remotely interested in design), shared this wonderful tale about Clive Desmond's personal history with radio advertising. The episode is called "A 700 Foot Mountain of Whipped Cream," and that evocative title is a testament to the visual power of audio.
If you are interested in advertising or psychology, if you enjoyed Mad Men, or if you just have a strong recollection of the ads of yesteryear, I highly recommend that you listen to this podcast episode. And try not to let anyone interrupt you.
Why do I love audio so much? For one thing, if I sit down to read a "real" book or magazine, my mind is likely to a) wander, or b) go to sleep. But beyond that, I love listening to voices—the emotion of them, the timbre, the humanness and intimacy. And when you listen to podcasts, there's the fabulous nuance added by thoughtful production: sound effects, audio engineering, conversations, audience reactions, etc. Good podcasts are magnetic.
Earlier in my long advertising career, I got to write and produce many radio commercials, and that was wonderful. I maintain that radio is the most visual medium, because when it's done well, it makes listeners watch stories right in their heads.
So imagine my delight when 99% Invisible, one of the best podcasts out there (and a must-listen for anyone even remotely interested in design), shared this wonderful tale about Clive Desmond's personal history with radio advertising. The episode is called "A 700 Foot Mountain of Whipped Cream," and that evocative title is a testament to the visual power of audio.
If you are interested in advertising or psychology, if you enjoyed Mad Men, or if you just have a strong recollection of the ads of yesteryear, I highly recommend that you listen to this podcast episode. And try not to let anyone interrupt you.
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