7 Podcasts Perfect for Commuting

Because boring trips and commutes aren't worth it. 

Do you listen to podcasts? It seems like everyone and their mother does so now. Last summer, I was addicted to Here's the Thing with Alec Baldwin and fell in love with the intimacy of hearing stories and fun anecdotes from people I didn't know or may never know. If you get to your job via the subway, are a consultant who travels via plane multiple times a week, or need interesting audio for your drives into school or work, these seven podcasts are sure to help you pass any length of time...

1. My Favorite Murder

I. Am. Obsessed. Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff invite you into their cozy podcast where they catch up, chat their favorite murders, and remind you to stay sexy. I was hooked from the very first episode. Needless to say, some nights I have to sleep with a nightlight, but it's worth every moment, because you'll find yourself laughing, disgusted, and horrified in the span of two minutes. 11/10 would start all over again. 

Perfect for: on your way to work, in the car to the grocery store, basically anywhere you want to laugh or listen to some crazy s***
Try this episode: My Firstest Murder

2. 2 Dope Queens

Straight from their bio: "Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams, along with their favorite comedians, tell stories about sex, romance, race, hair journeys, living in New York, and Billy Joel". It can't get much better than that. One of my favorites, I listed it below, stars Connie Britton, and they chat haunted houses (yasss). 

Perfect for: long commutes to or from work
Try this episode: Sleepover Accidents

3. Another Round

Buzzfeed is great, and Heben Nigatu and Tracy Clayton make it sparkle. Over a few drinks, these ladies chat everything from pop culture to politics, and make you laugh at their bold humor and charisma. 

Perfect for: a shorter commute to finish with a glass of wine on the couch to feel like you were with the girls all evening
Try this episode: This is the Most Beautiful Laugh

4. Last Podcast on the Left

Definitely darker and more researched than My Favorite Murder, this one explores the ins and outs of the horrific, and they spend more than one episode on one topic. It's kind of like being immersed in a scary book, except it is even more fascinating, in depth, and well, real. 

Perfect for: on the way in to work if you're jittery, so you can spend the whole day on an adrenaline rush and decompressing
Try this episode: Sexy Ghosts

5. Beautiful/Anonymous

Readers call in anonymously to discuss any topic of their choosing with actor and comedian, Chris Gethard. Beautiful, poignant stories, sometimes heavy, like a woman who found out she was married to a child molester and sometimes light, like the journey of one person getting their passport renewed. Either way, you feel wrapped into conversation and gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be human -- and how it's never all black and white.  

Perfect for: when you're trying to connect to humanity or on your commute home after a particularly uneventful day
Try this episode: Married to a Monster

6. Call Your Girlfriend

Hosts Anna Friedman and Aminatou Sow, journalist and digital strategist respectively, discuss everything from politics to pleasure and have the kind of conversations you and your best friend have on the roof over a glass of wine. 

Perfect for: your ride into work when you're stressed and would rather be having a fun chat with your bestie
Try this episode: Wear Sunscreen

7. Splendid Table

If you like learning about food, cooking, or really just eating, you'll love this podcast. People who are passionate about food talk about it almost to excess (yet it's always the perfect amount). Splendid Table is hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper, an award-winning food writer and radio journalist. She interviews cookbook authors, chefs, wine experts, and others, so you learn about what to make, where to go, and have an in-depth understanding of the food world. Tip: Don't listen when hungry. 

Perfect for: your lunch break or commute home to wine and snacks
Try this episode: Cheddar

What I'm excited to start next: Homecoming

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+What did you think of these seven podcasts for commuting to work? Have you listened to any of them? 

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How to Shake Hands with Someone

Never break eye-contact. 

Did you know when it comes to a handshake, if you don't make eye contact, you're immediately seen as less confident? I learned this is one of my professional training seminars. It is easy to be nervous walking into a social situation and look down to make sure you don't miss a person's hand. This makes you appear uncertain and unsure. In actuality, you can see your hands out of your peripheral, so you would rarely miss, and can thus maintain eye contact and exude the aforementioned confidence. 

Of course, we're not talking excessive staring. Since you will most likely be talking with someone, saying things like 'good to see you again' or 'nice to meet you, I am _____', you'll be walking into a situation where natural speak should be coupled with strong contact to demonstrate self-worth and power.

We could talk about cultural customs or whose hand goes on top of whom at a later time, but for now, we'll stick with the traditional shake:
 
As your hands come towards one another, the space between your thumb and index finger will touch theirs, and your fingers will wrap around the palm and lay on the back or side of the hand. Grasp strongly.

Some people suggest squeezing only as hard as the other person if you are in the less powerful position or having a firm shake if you are displaying dominance.

Remember, at the end of the day, it is just a handshake. Some people don't even prefer them at all. As long as you are being yourself and being confident in how your respond and speak, you will be just fine. 

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+ What do you think? Do you have trouble making eye contact?

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7 Books Perfect for Commuting

Sometimes you need to be whisked away from the everyday, boring commute. If you get to work via the subway, are a consultant who travels via plane multiple times a week, or need an interesting audiobook for your drives into work, these seven reads are sure to help you pass any length of time...

The Girl from the Sea - Shalini Boland

I haven't read this one yet, though I just received an excellent recommendation from a friend of mine. A girl washes up on shore with no memory of how it happened, and it's her experience of amnesia and running into the people who she can no longer recall that bring her back. It's officially on my holds list.  

Perfect for: commuting back from work and at home sipping a glass of wine, lengthier trips preferred

Lie Still - Julia Haeberlin  

I am so obsessed with Julia Haeberlin's books. She crafts the most gloriously horrifying twists into beautiful writing of psychological thrillers. The last two I read had me clearing my meetings and workouts in order for me to finish, so...

Perfect for: commuting back on a Friday and a weekend free of plans, lengthier trips preferred

Devil in Spring - Lisa Kleypas  

Sometimes, you don't want something scary or overtly educational when you're going too and from work. That's when I usually turn to romance novels and traditionally deemed 'beach reads'. This is the latest historical romance novel by Lisa Kleypas (correct me if I'm wrong) and the first one I've read of hers. I was absolutely addicted and read it when I woke up and before bed until it was finished. A marriage of convenience coupled with high passion and great humor, this book couldn't be better.

Perfect for: commutes when you don't have to pay attention but might be disrupted, any length

The Girls - Emily Cline

Young author gets a wild advance to write a book that closely parallels the Manson murders. I sat on the waiting list at the library for four months and checked every morning to see what number I currently held. When I finally had the book, I was stuck in my final weeks of college work, but I read the book in every moment of my free time. While it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, it was well-written  and eerie. Plus, the cover art is so gorgeous, I want to buy it in hard copy just to keep on my book shelf. 

Perfect for: commutes to work, any length  

Weird in a World That's Not - Jennifer Romolini

I bought this book after reading several poignant articles about interviewing and owning your individuality in the workplace. I would read them avidly, scroll down to the bottom, and see they were excerpts from Romolini's new book. I finally decided I had to read the book and purchased it to read and read again. I haven't regretted it at all, and I know it will come in handy this week without a doubt.

Perfect for: commutes to an interview or new job when you're a self-classified weirdo, any length

The Grownup - Gillian Flynn

Gillian Flynn wrote spine chilling Gone Girl, in case you've been living under a rock lately, and this short story is a quick, fun way to transport you out of current life and into a spooky read . I devoured this in one sitting, and while the ending was kind of predicatable, the fact that it was a short story made it like watching a movie. 

Perfect for: commuting to work, at least 45 minutes each way or longer plane rides for consulting or interviews

The Year of Yes - Shonda Rhimes

If you need a self-confidence booster, no one does it better than white-hat wearing, gladiator, Shonda Rhimes. This book, from the first page of quotes (where she quotes her own script, aka being a badass), is inspirational in a nontraditional-inspiration-script way. She talks about her experiences being a total boss, how she's managed it all, and how her world changed by saying yes more. 

Perfect for: commuting to work, any length

+What did you think of these seven books for commuting to work? Have you read any of them? 

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