Have You Heard of These Things Called “Podcasts”?

Podcasts—they are the gift that keeps on giving. There’s literally one for everything and you can always find a new one. In fact, I now pretty much HATE doing anything without listening to a podcast.

But I was so late to the game on this one. For some reason I thought you had to pay to download them 💁🏻. Guess what? You totes don’t. When I caught wind of this I downloaded a bunch for a flight to OR and I’ve been obsessed with them ever since.

I thought I’d share what I’m into right now in case someone out there is in the same boat as I am and looking for new series. I’m an uber true crime creep, so the majority of my favorites are in that genre. But I’m always trying to find new pods to dive into. If you have any recommendations, please let me know.

My Favorite Murder

This is by far my favorite. It combines true crime with humor and is hosted by two badass ladies (and a Stephen) who share the same sense of humor as myself. Some people hate their opening banter, which can be half the episode, but I enjoy it thoroughly. Stay sexy, and don’t get murdered my friends.

Pod Save America

I am more politically aware right now than I’ve ever been, which probably isn’t that weird considering the climate right now and my age. This is my main way of keeping up with what’s going on in the world. Again, it’s the added humor that gets me. Just make anything funny and you’ve got me.

Radiolab Presents: More Perfect

I love the production quality of this podcast and the cases that they cover. They weave in narration with real audio clips and experts in specific cases. It’s very interesting to hear why we have some of the laws we do and how the originated.

Sword and Scale

Another true crime pod, and this one is not for the faint of heart. It uses a lot of original audio from court cases, interrogations and press conferences. Details are not spared and many of the cases featured include crimes against children. It’s not super gorey, just very in-depth.

Casefile

More true crime, but this one is narrated by an Australian guy which makes it more fun to listen to. Like Sword and Scale, cases do involve younger victims often, so listeners beware.

Someone Knows Something

There have been three seasons of this podcast so far, which is narrated and produced by David’s Ridgin of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It’s kind of like Serial (I recommend the first season of that one) in that it’s an investigative piece that’s trying to help solve a case. But these cases are cold or unresolved. The second and third season are best, in my opinion.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

This one is part of the Stuff Your Should Know family and spans the gamut. I can’t listen to all of them, but if the topic is something that strike my fancy than I’m in. These have included a history of SPAM, the sinking of the SS Eastland and a summary of the Tuskegee Experiment.

I’m always down for another true crimpe podcast, but obviously I could use something outside of that genre. That’s where YOU come in. Comment below with your favorite podcasts and suggestions for new ones that I should check out!

My first boyfriend…and I didn’t even know.

First of all, ha. It’s been a crap ton of time since I blogged. I should catch you up on my life, but in Jenna style, I will wait 10 months.

To the point: I was driving to work today and thought about my first real crush. It started in 6th grade on the bus and lasted until Freshman year. Of high school, I’m not THAT lame.

The Pros and Cons of Breathing

I figured since Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco (no !? With !? WHO KNOWS ANYMORE) are notorious for naming their songs after movie lines, I could take one of their song names and make it a blog title. If you didn’t guess from said title, this blog is about exercise. Uh duh.

So, I have a gym membership. I haven’t used it in over a month. It was convenient because my old workplace would not let me work through lunch and leave early, so I just went to the gym during lunch.

Now I don’t have a job and my apartment complex has a crappy exercise room. But, it is so much easier to cross the street and work out than to drive to a crowded gym and work out.  So, here are some reasons I haven’t canceled my membership:

Mirror Mirror on the Wall…Wait, is that My Identical Twin?!

So, this might be weird, but whatever. I think the strangest things at night and last night I found myself wondering if I would recognize my twin? Clearly, I would know I had a twin if I was raised with her. But, what if something crazy happened and we were separated at birth and never knew the other existed?

C’mon and Pet the Doge. Such Wow! Such Fluff!

It has been proven that petting a dog can make you less stressed. Don’t believe me? Well then you are a dummy. Just kidding. I wrote about it in a different post earlier which you can read right hurrr.

My life in an E-card

*Except dogs and pizza.

All the single doggies!

I like them. I put some rings on them.

Woah oh oh. Oh oh oh oh oh. Oh. Oh oh oh.

Taking it back to the year 2000: A dream come true

Everyone knows that Jenna loves Incubus. It has been a fact since 8th grade, although, it is not as hard core now as it was then. I was a bit obsessed. I was all:

My 13 year old self’s favorite past time was sitting at the computer and scrolling through Limewire to find all of the rare Incubus treats that were not included on albums, because of course I had all of the CDs.

Then, I came across a beautiful, nay, masterpiece of 6 live songs that were part of something called the “Almost Acoustic Christmas”.

It’s a dog eat dog world out there…and I wish I was a dog.

Think about it, dogs just live. They do what they want, when they want. They don’t normally stress or sweat the small stuff.

Check, Check: Ending the Radio Silence

That title might be misleading to you. I am not back in radio. Turns out, nobody wants me/I might not actually be good at it. That will come up a bit later in the post.

“I did my time in a windowless box, like it or not, all I’ve got now is today”

So, it has been about 4 months since I made the pilgrimage to good ole’ California, or as I like to affectionately refer to it as, the worst place in the world.  It’s hot, it’s expensive, I don’t know anybody, and now I have no money.

Yes, I have officially been “laid off”. This comes with mixed emotions. I am happy that I never have to go back. I learned a few things about how to not be a human, so, those are pretty good lessons. But, now I have to explain why I am not employed. And, I am also unemployed which means I am pooooooor. Again.

If you have been lucky enough not to have to spend days, weeks, and now months looking for a job, I envy you. Hundreds of applications, minimal rejection letters, even less responses, even fewer interviews, and a whole reevaluation of self. Job searching has stripped away much of the confidence I have acquired over the years. Whatever I thought I was good at, I am currently doubting.

I think that maybe radio was a fluke for me. The first rule in the book of “Jenna in School” is to try harder and do better than as many people as possible. In 8th grade my math teacher assigned us numbers so we could refer to our grades “anonymously”. It wasn’t hard to figure out who the two people above me were…and subsequently crush them under my A.

Maybe that’s what happened to me in college. I was okay at radio, so then I just made myself the best within an educational setting. Then I was just in the right place at the right time later on. That is how it feels. When I think I want out of radio, I get a different job and immediately want to run back behind the board. Although, I do realize that radio is subjective. The only person who has to like you is the Program Director. If they like you, you’re pretty much in. If they think you suck, then they will tell you so and everything that they think you need to work on.

So, if I am not good at radio, if i have sub-par skills regarding social media, and I suck at communication and writing (which I am supposed to be a Master in), what is left for me?

The last two weeks I have been digging, digging, digging, a hole and working on burying myself in it. Trust me, I know it is not the way to go. I have been here before (not because of the weight of rejection and the lack of direction for the future, but the idea of a hole here is similar). I have been feeling very alone, and actually have been very alone since I don’t know anyone and have found that work and school are usually how I find new friends. But, the only person that is going to worry about me or try to help me is myself. So, I am currently reverting back to the years 2000-2009 thanks to my best friend, Mr. Orange iPod shuffle.

Oh the songs I have forgotten about. Oh the memories of having the future at my finger tips; of not being scared and not realizing the volume of adulthood. I was never worried about making tons of money. I just wanted to be around music. That’s why I liked radio. That was my identity. Then you grow up and it’s bills bills bills. (You can look up the Destiny’s Child song if you want, I have decided I am not a Beyonce fan and I won’t humor you, even for clicks).

Listening to songs of the past, getting back those memories, getting a taste of that ambition and drive, it reminds me of younger Jenna who was ready to take on the world. I need her back, but a less angsty version. I am okay with channeling my feelings into anger rather than sadness. It motivates me more, bring out that screw you mentality. The, tell me I can’t do it so I can turn around and prove you wrong, Jenna. So, for the 800th time, I shall build myself up and try to guide my life in the direction I want.

This girl is taking her Masters and her “I’d rather have 3 jobs during grad school than none” attitude out into the world. I never wanted or expected to go back to minimum wage, part time work, but I guess I can swallow my pride and do it for now. And, if things don’t pan out in the next month or two, I will figure it out then.

I hear Denver is nice. I do like the Indiana seasons. Or maybe I’ll be Canadian, eh. Or, I could just try to get a job in the other hundreds of cities in California that aren’t the most terrible place in the world.

Only time will tell.