Podcasts Are the Best

Yes, I know I'm a little late to the podcast party. Whatever. I'm currently obsessed, and I wanted to share my favorite podcasts so you too can have something to occupy your brain while you're washing dishes, driving across the country, or exercising! So far the only boring activities during which I am unable to listen to podcasts are showering and vacuuming, which are too loud. Join me and make your chores unboring too!

Ohhhhh Pocket Casts, you're the one! You make washing dishes so much fun!

Here's what you need:

1. A Podcast App
I recommend Podcast Addict if you want a free one, or Pocket Casts if you don't mind paying. If you don't know if this whole newfangled podcast thing is for you, start with a free app and see if you like it. Some great features of Pocket Casts, if you're interested in paying: you can set it to download new episodes of certain podcasts while you sleep, you can listen to podcasts faster by speeding up playback or getting rid of silence, and it's really easy to find new and recommended podcasts. I have an Android phone, by the way; Pocket Casts is available for iPhones, Androids, and even (shudder) Windows phones, but Podcast Addict is only for Android. Maybe you sheeple with iPhones can tell us in the comments what app is best for podcasts on iPhone.

2. Good Headphones
I thought headphones were pretty basic, and basically annoying: constantly falling out of my ears, getting tangled into Gordian Knots in my bag, and getting ripped out of my ears or my phone when I inevitably caught the cord on something (yes, I am THAT much of a klutz. Ask my girlfriend how frequently I stub my toes). Then I got an LG Tone. I know this sounds like an infomercial, complete with the part at the beginning where the person is incompetent and can't handle basic human activities, but I'm completely serious here. These headphones are life-changing. They stay in my ears, except when I go for a run (I said they were life-changing, not PERFECT). They use Bluetooth, so I can leave my phone sitting somewhere and walk around getting housework accomplished while listening to a podcast.

They're so comfortable and light around my neck that I completely forget I'm wearing them...which actually might be a problem because then I'm that douchey person walking around with headphones around my neck at the grocery store. Oh well. What I'm saying is, if you really want to listen to podcasts every waking moment like I basically do, it helps to get some fabulous headphones that have good sound quality and are convenient and comfortable to wear. Warning: if you have a cat, your cat might chew through the very thin cords of the headphones and leave you with only one working earpiece. You should still keep the cat (and the headphones. They still work in one ear).

Headphone-ruining asshole.

3. Podcasts!
Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order:

The Uncertain Hour: economics isn't really my thing, but this look at poverty and what welfare has become in the last few decades is blowing my mind. (Example: in Louisiana, only 4% of families living in poverty receive welfare. What.)

Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!: the NPR news quiz show, where the points don't matter and even the most serious of news items get a humorous treatment.

Guys We F*****: the anti-slut-shaming podcast. Conversations about sex, relationships, and life from two comedians.

Ask Me Another: a quiz show for the sort of people who love crossword puzzles, trivia, wordplay, and making random celebrity guests into contestants.

Alice Isn't Dead: creepy serialized tale of a woman driving around the country searching for her lost wife.

Hello From the Magic Tavern: Arnie fell through a dimensional portal behind a Burger King into the magical land of Foon and now he hosts a podcast from the tavern there.

How to Do Everything: Mike and Ian provide answers to things you've always wondered about, with dry humor and occasional helpful information.

Mystery Show: Starlee Kine solves quirky mysteries that seem to be about minutiae of everyday life but are really about so much more (no new episodes now but hopefully more are coming).

Radiolab: stories about the world around us, focusing on science in their earlier episodes but more recently covering everything from politics to sports to pop music.

This American Life: the classic NPR storytelling show that inspired a ton of other podcasts.

Science Vs: the scientific, evidence-based take on the fads and cultural beliefs we hold dear, from the Paleo Diet to Medical Marijuana (also waiting on new episodes...).

Ugh, and so many more: Code Switch, The World In Words, Within the Wires, The Gist, Note to Self, Reply All...I'm always discovering new ones and I currently have 125 episodes downloaded onto my phone (not sure when I'll have time to listen to all of them). Tell me about your favorites!

Paletas de Nuevo!

I know you were worried. I was worried too. What if, in moving out of Aurora, we had to say goodbye to our magical little Mexican popsicle place?

This magic

But I am here to assuage your fears: not only are there paletas in Southwest Denver, they are in walking distance from the new house (and you can catch Pokemon on the way).

The paletas (popsicles) are delicious. I got to practice my Spanish. And most adventurously, I tried pepino con chile: the cucumber popsicle with spicy chile pepper in it. I don't have pictures because I ate it too fast. Sorry!

Also, there's a guy in our neighborhood who sells paletas out of a cart that he pushes down the street. A cart with bells on it. Kind of like a popsicle truck, but cuter. So far I've tried the rompope flavor, which is sort of like...eggnog?

Further paleta adventures await!

WHOSE diary?!?

Girlfriend's brother and cousin are traveling through South America in this thing:

and they've asked me to write their blog! It's titled "The Diary of Van Frank" (I know. I much preferred Girlfriend's brother's suggestion of "Two Mans in a Van"), and they've asked me to write it for them.......from the perspective of the van.

Should be a blast!

And generally makes me wish I were joining them on the adventure rather than sitting at home in Denver trying to write about it...

Check it out here.

Aurora Eats: Tacos Selene

We've moved out of Aurora, but one of my favorite taco places is still a hole-in-the-wall spot in that much-maligned city.

I refer here to Tacos Selene.

'Nuf said.

Garden Explosion

New house with a big yard means an opportunity for a big-ass garden! It took some effort (mostly by Girlfriend, though I helped), but we now have grass, trees, and hand-built raised beds.

Before

After compost, grass seed, and a sprinkler system

Before

After compost, grass seed, tree planting, sprinkler system, 40+ hours of dandelion picking, weed barrier, mulch, and planter boxes

Baby planties, May 11

Crazy Hulk mutant plants, July 8: 3 tomatoes, 2 basils, chive, rosemary, parsley

More baby planties, plus Girlfriend's new drip irrigation system: June 16

Same plants have now exploded into this: July 8, zucchini, summer squash, cucumber, 2 more tomatoes

Come September I may need help getting rid of some zucchini...

The 5 People You Meet While Canvassing

When we first arrived in Colorado, I got three part-time jobs in quick succession: selling stuff at a large retail store, tutoring elementary school kids in reading and math, and canvassing for a city council candidate. The canvassing ended in early November with election day, of course, but as we approach the final stretch of the seemingly-decades-long 2016 presidential election, I thought I'd take this time to share my experience with anyone who's considering a career in politics.

Beware the dreaded Apartment Complex: the numbering system is incomprehensible and the residents will swear it's the "law" that political canvassers aren't allowed entry.

Parks and Recreation Nation: Maxwell Falls

I haven't posted in a while, so I'm going through the back catalog and putting up some unpublished junk from a while ago. 

We're going camping next weekend, so in honor of that: here is beautiful Maxwell Falls, a hike we took last October.

Since "Falls" is right there in the title, you're probably wondering where the waterfalls are. I have plenty of gorgeous pictures of trees...

And rocks...

So where are the eponymous falls? They're actually probably the least interesting thing about the hike. Especially in a photo, they are rather small and unassuming.

But the hike is definitely worth it for the rest of the scenery!

Maxwell Falls
Distance from Denver: about 45 minutes
Know before you go: the Cliff Trail Loop is a good route to choose
Things to do: hike, picnic, take pictures
Creature feature: mostly dogs, as these trails allow leashed pups. Pets are an excellent conversation starter if you're looking to chat with other hikers.
Plant highlights: trees and trees and more trees. Did you see the photos?

Go ahead. Your path through the trees is waiting!