Always the last to join the pack…
After being told many times, by many sources, that I should be listening to the podcast “Welcome to Night Vale” I finally decided that I wanted something new, interesting and amusing to listen to, and thought to myself, Hey, what about that Night Vale thing people keep mentioning?
Well. Silly me. I should listen to all those people and sources. Because, see what I’ve been missing?
I spent my entire weekly housecleaning laughing like a loon, with my iPod loaded with Night Vale episodes, and a bluetooth earphone plugged in my ear. I didn’t want to turn on the vacuum cleaner, because I wouldn’t be able to hear over it, and I didn’t want to stop. So I did that part really fast. Then I did some extra housework, just so I could keep listening. Then I cleaned the snow off our cars and shoveled the entrance walk. Still listening.
I finally stopped in order to actually produce some art of my own, instead of merely consuming other people’s art.
If you don’t know about Welcome to Night Vale, you really ought to check it out. Don’t listen to just one episode — stay for the first three (and do them in order). They’re about 20 minutes each, and if you end up liking it you’ll have another glorious 33 episodes waiting for you. One of the advantages of getting to things late — you don’t have to wait 2 weeks for the next episode.
The easiest way to listen is on your computer at SoundCloud’s NightValeRadio page. Or follow the links on their main site to download from various other sources.
For the cautious who want some warning about what they’re getting into, let’s just say it’s a spooky comedy. Here’s their own description:
WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE is a twice-monthly podcast in the style of community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, featuring local weather, news, announcements from the Sheriff’s Secret Police, mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events.
Turn on your radio and hide.
I did so love the episodes I’ve heard so far. I’m up to number 6: History Week.
Meanwhile: Snowstorm not as bad as predicted. Yet.
Also meanwhile: Hey, remember how I mentioned how much I enjoyed the audiobook version of Ellen Kushner & Delia Sherman’s The Fall of the Kings ? Well, it was just selected as one of the top ten best audiobooks, by AudioFile magazine. And so I remind you of it again.  Excellent book, lovely performances, not the least of which was by Ellen herself. This is yet another wonderful thing to listen to on your iPod, iPad, tablet, mp3 player, music device, or actual computer!
