Best podcasts and other stuff.

February 11, 2012 11:18 AM

Best episodes of On Being (nee Speaking of Faith), best light, entertaining and/or inspirational podcasts, plus other cheap but good things to include in a get well care package.

My mom was in a fairly serious car crash the other day. She'll be fine, but she's going to be recovering, and in some serious pain, for a while. I can't afford to visit her right now, and I'm a bit broke at the moment, so I also can't afford to spend much money, but I do want to send her a care package to let her to know that I'm thinking about her. Ideally, it would be full of things that would be helpful and/or diverting for her in the coming weeks, and/or that would make her feel cared for and loved.

Ideas so far include a heartfelt card, a nice chocolate bar, and loading my ipod with a bunch of podcasts. The podcasts should be light, amusing, and/or inspirational. My mom is into the mind body connection, health, etc. She has a strong inclination for woo. She likes good, dark chocolate.

In terms of podcasts, I was thinking This American Life, The Moth, The Dinner Party, possibly a few Wiretaps and Third Coasts (I'm not sure if she'd enjoy them, while I do feel fairly sure of the preceding podcasts.) Maybe some StoryCorps? (though they feel too short; I'd like something she can drift off to for a while). RISK! is great, but it feels too risque for my mom. Can anyone recommend any other light, amusing podcasts? Audio only; it's an ancient ipod nano.

She'd like TEDtalks, but I'm pretty sure she listens already.

I know she'll like On Being, but I haven't listened to it for a while, and there are a ton of past episodes. If anyone could point me toward the most inspirational and easy to listen to episodes, that would be awesome.

Also, if anyone has any other care package ideas (that cost less than $10), it would be much appreciated.

posted by quietshout to human relations (5 answers total)

What kind of injuries does she have? For example, when I was in elementary school I broke my arm and was in a full arm cast. Some lovely, extremely-well-meaning neighborhood friends brought me get well gifts - paper dolls, which are very hard to cut out and dress when only one hand is available to you.

I ask because I recommend cutting out crosswords/sudokus from the local paper for a week, but if she's going to have trouble writing, those are a terrible idea.

In terms of podcasts, I adore Planet Money. Sticking with an NPR theme, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me is also good distraction listening.

For chocolate, I can't recommend Lake Champlain Chocolates enough - the truffles, etc are a bit pricy, but they also have chocolate bars that run in the $3.50 range at Whole Foods (at least here in the northeast). And Haribo gummies are all pretty excellent if you wanted another candy (I've just become re-addicted to their Raspberries and they just seem cheery to me).
posted by maryr at 1:56 PM on February 11, 2012

Oh! And write her letters. That's cheap and you could spread it out over a longer period of time.
posted by maryr at 1:57 PM on February 11, 2012

Thanks, maryr. I might throw a few Wait Waits on there. And Planet Money is a good suggestion.

She broke her collarbone and sternum, and she's also pretty bruised up.
posted by quietshout at 2:15 PM on February 11, 2012

If she likes On Being, there are two audiobooks of This I Believe essays that you could download or rip from CD. You can also get a few recent episodes and some of the old 1950s ones on iTunes.
posted by Flannery Culp at 3:10 PM on February 11, 2012

My favorite On Being episodes are the one with Sylvia Boorstein and the one with Rachel Naomi Remen.
posted by dawkins_7 at 8:19 PM on February 11, 2012 [1 favorite]