Simple Things: Podcasts

Not long ago I introduced a series called The Best of Old and New. I’d like to continue that series with this installment and talk about the power of audio. Specifically, about podcasts.

Now, granted, there were no podcasts “back in the day” but radio was certainly the dominant form of entertainment. It was free and anyone with a radio could listen in. And if you have ever listened to our show, you know I’m an audio kind of guy.

For a long time, radio was THE new and best way to get the word out fast or to provide entertainment to the masses. When Franklin Roosevelt was Governor of New York State in 1929, he held the first of what would come to be known as his “fireside chats” to talk directly to his constituents. Later, as President, Roosevelt used the power of audio to communicate with the American people intimately and directly through some of the toughest times in our nation’s history, the Great Depression and World War Two. FDR understood the power of audio and used the latest technology to reach as many people as he could in order to get his message out.

I see podcasting much the same way. But even better.

With podcasts, almost anyone with internet access and some pretty basic tools (most of which you probably already have) can produce a podcast and have their message heard anywhere around the world. Never before in our history has mass communication like this been so easy and so democratized. What used to cost thousands or tens of thousands to do can now be done for almost nothing. Even from your mobile phone. Amazing.

Not so far removed from the golden years of radio in spirit, we are now in the golden era of podcasting. Podcasters can tap into that “power of audio to communicate intimately and directly” with people around the world. It still amazes me that our little show Simple Life Together has listeners in 154 countries (that we know of) around the world. Yet we produce our show in our backyard shed!

What’s just as amazing as being able to produce content so easily is that we get to listen to all this content for free online and on our mobile devices through podcast directories such as iTunes, Stitcher and many others. And the shows are time-shifted, meaning you can stream them or download them and listen in when it’s convenient for YOU…not just when the show airs.

Do you have a message that you want to share with the world?

If so, have you ever considered starting a podcast?  It’s really not that difficult and there are tons of free resources out there to get you started. If you’re thinking about podcasting or just want to see how Vanessa and I produce Simple Life Together, here’s a link to some slides and 5-video series that we did for a presentation for the National Association of Professional Organizers annual conference back in May of 2014. It’s pretty comprehensive and shows you how you can start your own show.

And that, my podcast loving friends, is a simple thing that blends the best of old and new. So what do you say? Ready to share with the world? We’re certainly ready to listen!

SLT074: 3 Simple Living Habits You Can Use Right Now

When it comes to simple living, we can all use a few more tips to help us along. We’re going to share 3 more simple living habits you can start using right now for a better today and tomorrow.

One of our most popular shows was Episode 55, 7 Habits for Highly Effective Simplicity. We passed along what we feel are the top 7 habits you can develop to bring some serious simplicity into your life. That show was shared thousands of times…over 2300 times on our Pinterest page alone! Well, today we’re going to share 3 more. So let’s jump right in!  Read More…

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Simple Things: The Best of Old and New

I like simple things and sometimes pine for simpler times. That said, the realist in me knows that even times past weren’t all that simple, but there will always be a part of me that likes to imagine they were. We could all use a little more simple these days.

Rapid wire

The “Rapid Wire” cashier system.

When I was a kid, I loved to sit with my grandfather as he told me of how he worked in a store back in the late 1920s and early 30s.There were no credit card machines, or even a cash register. There was a teller with a scratch pad & pencil, and a pulley system with a can on it. The teller would do the math, take the payment, put it in the can and then pull the cord to send the money to the cashier. The cashier would make change, write the receipt, and send it back to the teller. It all conjured up images in my seven year old head of the Rube Goldberg-style contraptions I used to see when I watched The Little Rascals. I loved those shows as a kid. And I loved to hear about and dream about the “old days.”

But over time I’ve learned that what I really love is a mix of old and new. I like to consider myself a forward-looking guy, and what I’ve come to appreciate over the years are hybrid solutions that blend the best of the eras. Taking something from the past and adding some modern touches doesn’t always work. Sometimes you need a complete overhaul or new invention. Anyone who remembers the huge battery packs you used to have to carry around with your “car phone” in the mid-1980s will echo the sentiment that sometimes you just need to start from scratch. But the subtle blend of old and new, that works, is what makes “classics.” And those are the simple things I love.

So, occasionally, I’m going to share some of my favorite things that, to me, blend old and new to form simple things. Sure, I love my Macbook Pro with retina display. And my iPhone. But sometimes a really nice old-school notebook with a nice new pen is a much better combination to gather my thoughts. So be on the lookout for upcoming posts that start with “Simple Things: ___________.”

In the mean time, what are some simple things you love that blend the best of old and new? Leave a comment below or tweet it to me @DanielHayes.

SLT073: Simplifying Simple Life Together

Okay, folks. We had intended this episode to be more of a “finality”. It was supposed to be more of a “farewell” episode and post. But the truth is, we’re having trouble with this because Simple Life Together is such a big part of our life. If it sounds like we’re waffling a bit, that’s because…well, we are!


So I guess you could say that we’re simplifying Simple Life Together. We should just jump right into the dirty work and break it all down for you…  Read More…

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SLT072: How Do You Define Work Life Balance?

Vanessa was getting ready to throw away a magazine (because of course, she practices the “one in one out rule“) and the headline on the cover was: The Balanced Life! She told me that she paused for a moment and thought, “Do I have balance?” We hear so much about it, but how do we define work life balance?

What does it really mean? Can we really achieve a balanced life? And so we got to talking about balance for a while, and thought we’d explore that a little more…. (Read more…)

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