Thank you, podcast gods, for the 15-second skip button

Essentials Week spotlights unexpected items that make our daily lives just a little bit better.

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I realized this year that podcasts have supplanted practically every other form of media to become my most consumed entertainment. 

My Spotify usage has dwindled. I haven’t been making it to the theater much since all those MoviePass hijinks. And I’d rather just hear one guy drone on for seven hours about the French Revolution than actually pick up a book. It’s all podcasts now, baby.

There’s a lot to admire about podcasts as a medium. There’s a broad and seemingly bottomless well of content: comedy, politics, history, true crime, and too many others to list here. Audio-only means I can keep both hands free for multi-tasking. Podcasts pass the time on my morning and evening commutes, fill hours during my workday, provide a soundtrack for gym time, and can be a helpful motivator for chores around the house.  Read more…

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