Day 2 (22 January 2017): Check out http://2hoursaweek.org for suggestions for the week. This suggestion comes from a document I saw on Twitter called “Getting Started with Resistance 2017.” I have not been able to find the author, but would like to give attribution where attribution is due!

This is going to be most Sunday’s suggestion.

Day 1 (21 January 2017): Attend the Women’s March.

The Women’s March has many sister marches if you can’t make it to DC: . If you can’t march, read and take inspiration from their Guiding Vision statement.

 

Walnut Grove
Phoebe Judge
Criminal
rating: 3
A disturbing examination of symbosis between a corrupt prison and a the small town it supports. The last moments of this episode hint at crime on a larger, societal scale — profit off of the private prison system.

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The Promise
Nate DiMeo
The Memory Palace
rating: 5
A fascinating tribute the Hazel Scott and a bit of a cross over, for me, to another beloved podcast, Nerdette. The host first heard of Hazel Scott from Rad American Women from A to Z. The author of Rad American Women has been a guest on Nerdette.

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A Henry Sky
Nora McInerny
Terrible (Thanks for Asking)
rating: 5
McInerny interviews Colleen Barton who discusses her experiences with delivering a stillborn son and infertility. Insightful, emotional, and thought-provoking look at parenthood and infertility.

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Margot Lee Shetterly, Andy Cohen And The Best Podcasts Of 2016
Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen
Nerdette
rating: 4
The highlight of the episode was Bobeda and Johnsen’s interview with Margot Lee Shetterly, the author of Hidden Figures. There quite periodic laughter peppered a conversation on women in STEM fields, how far we’ve come, and how far we have to go.

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Lose Lose
Robert Krulwich
RadioLab
rating: 4
Highly entertaining look at whether or not sports can be turned inside out to make losing the object of the game. Enjoyed the brief cameo by Chuck Klosterman. Would have given this one a five, but I wandered off and forgot I was listening to it for days so it obviously didn’t grab my attention enough.

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Unbroken
Nora McInerney
Terrible, Thanks for Asking
rating: 5
This is an amazing episode about Sarah Super, founder of “Break the Silence” and sexual assault survivor. As McInerney said (paraphrasing), the point of this podcast is that all cry. And yes, I cried. Not just during the harrowing recounting of Super’s experience but about her triumph in finding her own way to continue on rather than kowtow to others notions of recovery.
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Didn’t We Solve This One?
Ira Glass
This American Life
rating: 5
Glass is right when he warns parents with small American children that this episode will not make them proud to be Americans. The TAL team’s investigative reporting into the visa and immigration system for Iraqis and Afgani’s who work for American forces during the war is maddening, illuminating, and memorable.

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name: The Reversal
PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman
Reply All
rating: 5
Dr. Richard Bedlack’s X-Files obession is so charming that it makes the entire episode.

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Boobs
Hillary Frank
The Longest Shortest Time
rating: 3
Although both of Frank’s guests were funny, personable, and weaved great stories, I don’t think I’ll be able to recall this episode a year from now. A middle of the road affair. Super Boob deserves a comic book though.

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Slanguage
Shankar Vendantam
Hidden Brain
rating: 4
I’ve already started recommending John McWhorter’s book, Words on the Move, based off of this entertaining episode alone.

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Tracy Clayton is Speaking Things into Existence
Anna Sale
Death, Sex, & Money
rating: 3
Clayton is a frank, likable guest on this episode of Death, Sex, & Money where she shares her aspirations for the new year that hit on two out of three of the themes of the show (Sex & Money)

Lost in a Good Book
by Jasper Fforde

rating: 4
The second book in the Thursday Next series, Lost in a Good book, didn’t quite match The Eyre Affair — perhaps because some of the novelty has worn off. However, Thursday Next continues to grow as a beloved character and by the end, I was ready to jump with her straight into the next adventure.

As DJT begins his presidency, we are seeing the “first 100 days in office” articles start up (NPR, CNN, NYTimes).

Although the first 100 days are a largely symbolic narrative device, I want to borrow that symbolic narrative to motivate myself to move from reaction to action. My goal for the #100DaysResistance is to post one action of resistance from 21 January 2017 through 29 April 2017 (If I’ve done my math right, that’s 100 days).

I’m starting out and learning. I welcome feedback and ideas from others or for others to take this project and make it their own.

Merry Gift-Mas
Mortified
rating: 4 out 5
For folks who cringe a bit when they remember their first love, Merry Gift-Mas has a standout section from an adult woman recalling her struggle to find the right gift for the boyfriend who had everything. Her frank writing and confusion about the role of sex in love lead to several laugh-out-loud moments.

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Useful Idiots

Benjamen Walker
Benjamen Walker’s Theory of Everything
rating: 4 out of 5
For folks who’s paranoia may be getting the best of them, Useful Idiots takes you one drop further down the rabbit hole. Was Edward Snowden actually a patsy? What do Pink Floyd, Jackson Pollick, and Donald Trump share in common?

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The New You, It’ll Do
Hillary Frank
The Longest Shortest Time
rating: 3 out of 5
For folks who’s are long time listeners of The Longest Shortest Time, this podcast is a trip down mememory lane with a nice update to close out the year. For newer listeners, this episode is for those who are fearful that parenting will change them.

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Stephanie Beatriz, Reality Bytes, and Cookies with Dorie
Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen
Nerdette
rating: 3 out of 5
For fans of Brooklyn 99, this episode includes some quality time with one the characters. I wish that there had been more time with the delightful Dorie on her cookie cookbook. Bring on the World Peace cookies, Dore. We need you!

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Getting Unstuck
Shankar Vedantam
Hidden Brain
rating: 5 out of 5
For anyone who has ever felt lost or like they can’t find their path, Getting Unstuck explores the possibility that there is not one true path.

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It’s Not Us, It’s You
Robert Krulwich
RadioLab
rating: 3 out of 5
For long-time RadioLab listeners this episode will bring back some old favorites, most notably Amy Pearl from the Alpha Gal episode. The telethon continues between segments with Robert and guest host Manoush Zomorodi finding cutesy and cutesier ways to ask for money to support RadioLab.

The Tresspasser
number of books for the year: 1
author: Tana French
rating: 3 out of 6
For folks who are already into the Dublin Murder Squad Mystery series, The Tresspasser is a middle-of-the-road contribution. French is a master in getting you inside the head of her narrators and allowing you to step between his or her perspective and your own more omniscent-reader perspective.

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This Book is Overdue
number of books for the year: 2
author: Marilyn Johnson
rating: 5 out of 5
For folks who love the library, This Book is Overdue allows the casual reader to explore a rich and varied world of librarianship; from archivists to zine creating anarchists. Johnson’s enthuiasms for cutting edge librarianship and respect for traditionalists is infectious.