You Should Join a Podcast Club
It has all the same benefits as a book club, but it’s more adaptable to busy schedules
About a decade ago, shortly after my daughter was born, I developed my own private ritual: Whenever I needed a pick-me-up from the intense demands of new motherhood, I’d turn on the parenting podcast The Shortest Longest Time. During a period that could often feel isolating, it was comforting to hear other people’s stories about the highs and lows of parenthood — funny stories, heart-wrenching stories, sweet stories, stories that surprised me or made me think.
That podcast accompanied me through many long, dark nights with multiple feedings. It kept me amused during excruciatingly boring stroller walks around and around the block. It even drowned out the cries of my daughter when we were attempting to sleep-train her. I’d never been much of a podcast person before, but soon enough, I was branching out into all kinds of new shows, from science to true crime to news.
The one problem: I had no one to talk to about the things I was hearing and learning. This new audio world was occupying nearly all my free time, but podcasting hadn’t yet reached the level of popularity it enjoys today, and my good friends — all bookworms and consumers of pop culture — weren’t plugged in.
