i (heart) Tunes

iTunes. Oh how I love thee.

During our month of Marriage and Moving, we'd been distracted from current events and popular culture. Especially since in the last three weeks we've had limited access to the internet. And I've not had access to iTunes since August, before I lived with Marty and used his computer.
Now that we are fully connected, I've become reacquainted with a much newer and improved iTunes. The podcast selection excitingly is leaps and bounds better than a few months ago.

I am, admittedly, the biggest NPR newsnerd on the planet. I had to take a cold shower when I found out that This American Life now has a free weekly podcast. Anyone can listen to Chicago Public Radio streaming from the internet, but what with time difference and all I've been missing my favorite shows in favor of sleeping. Now I don't have to choose. By the way, if you've never heard of This American Life you can follow the link and fall in love with host Ira Glass like I did all those years ago.

Chicago Public Radio's "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" had me laughing audibly in the grocery store this afternoon. What I learned: Don't listen to hilarious political commentary in public places unless you're prepared to get "is that person crazy?" looks before people notice your earbuds.

For those who read this blog and are not familiar with the beauty of podcasts, a podcast subscription means that each time we connect our iPods to the computer iTunes automatically will load the latest episode of our shows, enabling us to listen to them at our convenience. It's free and takes just one click per podcast. Like, one click EVER.

I've subscribed to many other public radio and New York Times podcasts, best of all a new one called Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. All of which will be available directly in the morning as we leave the house for our bus rides/walks to our respective tasks. It. Is. Awesome. Insert Howard Dean scream here.

Another iTunes perk: Potunkey told us a few weeks ago that they had just finished watching the end of the second season of Lost, my favorite cliff-hanger show on the "telly," and that season three isn't planned to air until gasp! months and months from now.

Imagine my horror, because I literally have been glued to the edge of my seat since season two ended this summer in The States and was due to start there in early October. Real horror. (I mean, it's really uncomfortable to be glued to the edge of your seat and I've had to go to the bathroom since September. Hardy Har Har.)

Crisis averted, since the suckers at iTunes think we still live in America so we were able to buy a Season Pass to the third season, now in progress. Meaning new commercial-free episodes will also be downloaded to our iPods as they air in the U.S. of A. If you give iTunes a British billing address, TV shows are not available. As you might imagine, we suddenly have become insanely popular among European Lost fans.

Also, we have cable here, so we're able to get The Daily Show too which completes our constant trickle of Liberal Media, and thus fulfilling our God Given American Right to listen to news and commentary that affirms and never challenges our pre-conceived political notions.