Audio Christmas card!

A Podsafe Christmas

As a change up, I have put together a collection of my favorite podsafe holiday music for you. We'll be back with new content later in the week, but consider this a small present to all listeners, podcasters, and the wonderful, terrific people I have met and worked with this past year. The list is long, and I forgot to mention a few of these people on the podcast, but here is a longer, but probably not complete, list:

Paige & Gretchen From Mommycast

Dennis Grey, 101 Uses For Baby Wipes

Mike and Karen Patrick, Pediacast

Mark Blevis and his wife Andrea, Just One More Book

Jahn Havens

Chris Brogan & all the Grasshoppers

Chris Penn

Dr. Kathleen King & Peter Yanke

Everyone from Podcamp!

Megin & Rob Hatch, Melody Ruth, Joan La Strange, Kim Mansk, Marsha Fortunato, Courtney Rau, The Academy in Manayunk, Elliot Glickman, Jim Conroy, Paul Spangler, Laurie LeComer, Rich Weinfeld, Dr. Kathleen Nadeau, The Autism Podcast, Kids Wife Work Life,

and to each and every listener, to everyone else who said yes when they could have said no, everyone who encouraged me to try new things and explore these new areas- what can I say but Wow! and Thank You so very much from the bottom of my heart.


Click Here to listen to our Audio Christmas Card!

Show 20- an inside look at Special Education

Show # 20: An Inside Look At Special Education

At Podcamp Boston, I met Courtney Rau. She is the Special Education Department Chair at a Massachussetts school district. We got a chance to sit down and talk about special education, and how the school handles both the education of the child and the management and education of the parents. This was a wonderful interview, that gives you an idea of how schools see parents for a change. Maybe if we can all understand where each other is coming from, we can begin to make these meetings more productive, but I doubt they will ever lose their emotional component, since we will always be talking about our kids.

We spoke about issues you rarely hear about- how schools view advocates; how they sometimes dread talking to us; and how, in the end, it really is all about the child, and everyone does want to see the kids succeed. This should be mandatory listening for every parent before their IEP meetings.

I also met alot of great podcasters at Podcamp, including Mark Blevis, who produces a great podcast with his wife called Just One More Book, looking at chidlren's books you might have missed at your local bookstore. I've also been in contact with Mike from the "Kids Wife Work Life" podcast- another wonderful parenting and family podcast you should check out!

Today's song is the terrific You Don't Need an iPod performed by Uncle Seth. In case anyone wants to know a bit more about podcasting, this is probably the best and most entertaining "commercial" available. Available on the Podsafe Music Network.

Please email us with comments at LDpodcast@gmail.com, or give us a call at (206) 666-2343! We want to hear from you!
Click here to listen or download Show #20

Podcamp Redux

Podcamp was simply amazing. I finally got my act together and submitted the audio I recorded for David Berlind's Gear Talk and the Podcast Format panel. I created another page on my website, www.ldpodcast.com, to host the audio for these and the other recordings made, for those that are interested.
As I continue to process all the information I gained and the contacts I made over the weekend, I continually come back to this thought-
It is rare in life to meet people that you feel an instant connection and friendship with- this is an uncommon experience. The weird thing about Podcamp, is these intense connections were happening by the minute. It was overwhelming, and I left feeling like this experience needs to be replicated, as much as possible, elsewhere. It is too good to let go.

I met people like Julian Smith from In Over Your Head and Eric Skiff from FeltUp TV and the Alternative Music Show. Julian looks like a rock star, and from the viewpoint of a suburban mom, someone way too hip for me to hang with. But he is not only one of the world's nicest guys, he is so freaking smart! If he ever gives up the music biz, he could rocket to the head of almost any business venture, large or small. He is just plain smart. Julian plays a lot of hip hop, which I thought was just not my thing. But then I took off my blinders and listened to the last show. The music challenged my pre-conceptions about hip-hop, and I am now subscribing to the show, just to see what happens next. Julian's show is not for the tween set, but older kids and college students will love him. Give a listen- you might love it, too.

Eric is rather soft spoken and friendly. He is such a sweet guy. When I got home, I listened to the Alternative Music Show, and they play terrific stuff- definitely worth your time. The music is more acoustically based, and easier for those of us who have just left our 30's to digest. Eric's videos on Felt up TV are terrific- check out the one about firefox!

The bottom line here is that I met many new people in podcamp, and many people I would have never crossed paths with in my regular day to day life. I am passionate about what I am doing with this podcast, but there are times I also feel like just another suburban mom, no one very important or worth paying attention to. The other podcasters out there were supportive and genuinely excited about what I am doing, and it's really refueled my batteries and helped me believe anyone can make a difference. With this blog and podcast, I hope I am helping you and your family- I know talking about the things I care about certainly helps me!