Knit to This
Snap Judgment
Dear Ann,
One sign of advancing age is the refusal to take notice of the newfangled. My grandma Mabel had a telephone table. It was made of wire and perforated steel, with a plastic-covered seat about the size of a phone book, and an even smaller built-in table–a ledge, really–that held the phone, which was old-school, black and rotary, as a proper grandma phone should be. When the phone rang, Grandma would lumber (in her dotage, her long legs took their time but maintained a youthful length of stride) to the telephone table, fold herself into the too-small seat, and only then would she answer with a quavery “hello?” that definitely had a question mark at the end of it. To Grandma, talking on the telephone required sitting at that table. Next door, with our white plastic phone hanging on the kitchen wall, with a cord long enough to go around the corner and into the next room, we were living in some dystopian future of go-go boots and cut-off shorts.
Recently I had the realization that I have a telephone table mentality of my own. As Grandma was aware of the fact that a telephone could hang on a wall, I am aware of the existence of podcasts. But to me, podcasts are still like extra-long telephone cords were to Grandma: some foolishness of the Young People. Unless I’m hunting for a Knit to This, the vast majority of my radio listening occurs while listening to an actual radio, usually in the car.
Which means I miss a lot of good radio, because I am not in a car very often.
Today’s Knit to This is one of my favorites, which sounds just the same coming out of the computer as it does on the radio: Snap Judgment, hosted by Glyn Washington. I have been known to park in front of a Panera for 15 minutes to listen all the way to the end of a Snap Judgment episode. (Even though I know I could dial it up on my phone later, in podcast form. The phone cord reaches everywhere nowadays!)
Right now I’m listening to the most recent episode: The Monk of Mokha. It’s about coffee. (The story is the subject of a book by Dave Eggers.) It’s about a lot more than coffee, actually.
Bonus content: my new radio is a mason jar. It’s pretuned to only one station, WNYC. Works great, as long as I stay in NYC. Mabel would approve.
Love,
Kay
So happy to read that you’ve become a Snap Judgment fan! I’ve listened to this podcast for a couple of years and I’m always entertained by Glyn’s topics. I am also three quarters of the way through reading The Monk of Mohka – fascinating true story! Enjoy your posts and retained smiled when I read this one.
They used to call that a driveway moment, before the smartphone. I’ve done it many times. I’m going to try this one. Dare I say it but I need a replacement for (Gasp) Leonard Lopate. YMMV.
Hahahaha. I had forgotten about Grandma’s telephone table with the snazzy green vinyl bench. Thanks!
Loved this line in today’s post..”the phone cord reaches everywhere nowadays!” And I think my little granddaughters would say, “Mimi, what’s a phone cord?”
I don’t listen to the radio much, but after seeing that one in the Mason jar I want one!
Yeah, I don’t do podcasts either. But then I’m not a big radio fan to tell the truth. It takes so much longer to listen to information than to just READ it! I’m too impatient, and I find listening to people talking (or anything) rather wearing.
Just discovered (thanks to this blog post) Snap Judgement’s “Spooked” podcast. Real life supernatural stuff. About two goosebump-inducing stories per episode. Yay! Let the binging begin…
Podcasts are new to me, but I’ll check it out. I still listen to a radio that plugs in, and isn’t even digital. Some evenings it has to be stood on it’s end to pick up Jazz FM. For some reason, the University of Toronto radio station comes in better at night.
Thanks Kay…I’m new-ish to the pod universe and looking for some winners. I have to turn off the political pods before my head explodes – even if it’s Pod save America (the best!)
Serial was the first podcast I listened to. The episodes were true story of a convicted criminal that may not have committed the crime. I have listened to a few knitting podcasts sporadically and enjoyed them. I will have to listen to Snap Judgement. I enjoy reading and listening.
WNYC is what’s on in my house, with the occasional WQXR. (I stumbled one Saturday on an amazing “Carousel” from Lyric Opera in Chicago). However, I do find myself missing Jonathon Schwartz and Leonard Lopate, and like many, am perplexed at how things were handled at the station. I bought a Google mini to be able to stream what is now called “American Standard” but it sounds like a bad Spotify playlist. But, their daily email often points me to interesting things I have missed. I do have two WNYC totebags, but for a while I didn’t feel like using them.
Wait, Wait; Studio 360; Brian Lehrer and Jamie Floyd are in my home and car on a daily basis – makes my day complete.
I freaking LOVE Snap Judgement! So many amazing stories. It’s the one thing I give money to every month. I get so much out of it- it’s the least I can do.
(Sporkful is also delightful in a different way, if you’re looking for something else)
How cool is that? A one station Mason Jar!
I love that mason jar radio!
Btw you may live in NYC and all, but only Minneapolis-St.Paul has public radio that’s called KNOW. It’s all I listen to when it comes to radio.
And there is no reason to give Ma Bell more money each month to get an upstairs extension, now, is there? I’ll have to add Snap Judgement to my walking list.
I am a bit behind in my reading and radio listening. So I especially want to thank you for this article. It was the breath of fresh air I needed.