DJSkyler.com

Wow, take a breather for a second and suddenly you have a dead blog! No problem, I know for quick blogging relief I can apply a handy TOP TEN LIST!

At my job I get to listen to audio all day long, so I am lucky that I can probably enjoy more than my fair share of podcasts. I currently am subscribed to 68 podcast feeds in my Juice Podcast Reciever, although some of that number I suspect have “podfaded” (their creaters are no longer producing episodes). From my subscription list, these are the top ten mp3 podcasts that I love to follow:

• This WEEK in TECH - This program is suprisingly fun, due mainly to the leadership of host Leo Laporte. Their roundtable of experts make current technology news feel like it needs to be urgently discussed and debated.
• Norm Augustinus - I just discovered this one and am only up to episode 22. This is a guy telling personal stories about his life, and it becomes funnier as you get to know him. I like to think of him as a Florida Woody Allen. The comedy is not about the jokes but about the hilarious character he projects of himself.
• Lee Harris - I found this podcast early on and greatly enjoy it. Lee is a middle-aged adult still living the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. A paperboy who has also been a professional musician for years, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music.  He also shares stories from his personal life and comes off as a cool person you wish you knew personally.
• Marpesia Now - This beginning hip-hop star plays great music that she finds from other independent artists (and she is also a personal friend).
• Daily Source Code - Adam Curry’s long-running podcast tends to be a bit bloated lately, but I hate to miss it as he is best at covering the current podcasting news and events.
• Digital Flotsam - P.W. Fenton’s meticulously produced audio gems are further enhanced by his excellent storytelling skills.
• The Golden Age of Comic Books - I dropped the comic book habit when I was 14, but this fascinating podcast is a prime example of what podcasting can be: an opportunity for enjoying or gaining benefit from somebody’s special knowledge on a specific niche subject. This host talks about golden age comic book characters (many forgotten to the current generation), their origins, history, story and eventual fate. He is an excellent speaker and you will find yourself riveted to a subject you thought you had no interest in.
• E-Auction-Air - This podcast is mainly about the internet auction business, which I am interested in. I listen to this in conjunction with eBay Radio, which I will not designate as an official podcast until they get their RSS feed right (I have to download it manually).
• Audio Kitchen - This is actually an old WFMU program no longer being produced, but an old episode is being released every week on an RSS feed, so close enough. These are snippets from “found recordings,” that is, like old cassette tapes or other media where people recorded themselves for reasons long forgotten. Collectors now look for these type of recordings to conjecture (and chuckle) at the motivations of the original participants.
• The MousePod - Fans are beginning to suspect that this one has “podfaded” for the second time, but essentially it is/was the best of the many Disney-themed podcasts.

If you would like to find podcasts that reflect your own interests, I recommend Podcast Alley. Their excellent search feature will deliver anything that’s available.