listening lately

If "you are what you listen to", then if I stick to my usual NPR and current events podcasts, then what I am is an anxious mess, because if it's not about the election, it's about the pandemic, and gah. So this week I have been deliberate about not listening to anything newsy (and also looking at news sites only at appointed times...of which there were zero on election day itself), and I think it has been the right thing for mental health.

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Here is a very random assortment that has given my ears a little respite from it all in the last couple of days:

For some smiles

• "Samin Nosrat And Hrishikesh Hirway Are Just Here For The Cookies" on The Sporkful: in which the Salt Fat Acid Heat author and Song Exploder podcast host talk about their love of cookies, and what are the best kind of cookies. It is delightful.
• "Tell Him I'm a Good Kisser" by Lake Street Dive: I have been blasting music when waiting my turn in the afternoon school pickup line, and this particular song just makes me smile and want to groove.
  

For an escape

• "Doree's Hotel" on Forever35: it probably will seem super weird to someone who isn't a regular listener of this podcast, but lately the co-hosts have been taking imaginary vacations on the show, verbally walking through each aspect, like what the hotel bed is like and what they would order at the restaurant, etc. and it is SO soothing. So they did an entire episode for election week with 2 imaginary getaways - perfect escape that is lighthearted and silly but at the same time also might have made me audibly moan with pleasure.

For some big emotions but in a good way

• Celine Dion: Enough said.
• Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack: this isn't a Broadway show that I've seen, but I'm loving the music, and I definitely get the sense that it would be a show with big feels - I can almost get a cathartic kind of cry going just by singing along to a few of the tracks.

For some calm

• "The Third Gleam" by The Avett Brothers: this new album is quite mellow, and I have really been enjoying it in the evenings, especially now that it's dark so early.
• Sleep meditations by Kristin McGee: I haven't utilized the meditation section of the Peloton app much yet, but this week I appreciated the help in calming down and falling asleep. I love Kristin's yoga on the Peloton app too. 
  

Next I'm kind of tempted to go back to some old David Sedaris audiobooks for some laughs. Any other suggestions for me?