THE ORANGE ONE

I know it can be hard to fill the days. I could never relate to that sentiment when I was working. Retirement always seemed like something at which I will excel. I have always been confident that my days could easily be filled with activities of my own choosing that stimulated my mind, body, and soul. There is, however, an element to retirement that is missing in unemployment: financial security. So, being flat-ass broke, your options are decidedly limited. I live in the NYC area, so getting out for say a round of golf would require a car, a friend, and about $150. It's amazing how even the simplest activities can be sneaky expensive. Even going to a museum, you have to pay for the train, the ticket, the over priced scone, and the weed to make it interesting to walk around a museum by yourself on a Tuesday afternoon.

One form of entertainment that is as reliable as free entertainment can be are podcasts. I have been religiously listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show, in podcast form, since he went back on the air about a year ago (I also listened at my desk, and in a totally unrelated story: I'm now unemployed). Tony talks a lot about the DC are where he lives. It is, in effect, a local show. But, I find him so amusing, so curmudgeonly, and so entertaining, that I can't miss even a day. He has a segment called, "Old Guy Radio" where he can guess any song his producer plays from the 60s in about 2 seconds, and his love/appreciation for music is apparent. Tony is widely known as a sportswriter, but the show covers everything from his lust for mint chip ice cream to his abhorrence for DC area cyclists clogging up the road ways. He can get a little out of hand when he goes off on a rant, but his guests are excellent, and hey, it's free. Here are a list of some of the other free podcasts I listen to on a very regularly basis while trolling on the job search websites. These podcasts cover topics like sex advice, music, sports, and comedy. They range from the slightly above average to the sublime:

- The Adam Carolla Show (daily)
- Fitzdog Radio (2x per week)
- AfroMarc Podcast (whenever he damn well feels like it)
- Radio Lab (twice a month, don't miss it)
- This American Life (weekly)
- Daves of Thunder (2x per week)
- Savage Love (weekly)
- The B.S. Report (usually a few times a week)

You can find all of these podcasts on Itunes. If you are reading a blog, I trust you can figure out how to download a podcast. Happy listening.