Small Wins For The Heart

I grew up in a house full of gifted storytellers loving all the yarns - ripping - and otherwise, told by my mother, father and grandfather about their lives in China and when they first arrived in New Zealand. My mother's brothers and their friends were equally brilliant.

Today, in the age of power-pointless presentations, twitter and device-to-device communication, the fine art of story telling seems a bit old fashioned and on borrowed time.

I hope it isn't and why I was chuffed to recently come across the Vinyl Cafe podcast hosted by Stuart McLean, a Canadian with an amazing voice and vocal style tailor made for fireside tales.

His show mixes music, real life stories sent in by listeners and a fictional series based around record store owner Dave and his family and friends. The stories celebrate what many perceive to be the unimportant or minor, but these small wins for the heart really connect and resonate - well they do for me.

Another podcast filled with real life experiences is "This American Life" hosted by Ira Glass. In a recent episode I learned about the amazing lengths Iranians go to, to avoid saying no. As part of the taaroof custom or tradition, Iranians say no when they mean yes and vice-versa to different degrees. From experience, Asians and Polynesians often do this as well - but not as fanatically.

Make these two regular listens - your brain and heart will thank you.

Vinyl Cafe

This American Life

Jimbooo.... Jimbo, Jimbo, Jimbo... Jimbooo... Jimbo, Jimbo, Jimbo

I used to eat, sleep, breath and dream football (soccer, futbol, footbon) but like all passionate relationships it was unsustainable and the flame barely flickers now.

Playing football is still great fun as is watching the odd live match. But televised games and the baggage (bags of money, lots and lots of bags) that comes with it, has left me mostly cold.  I do however, look forward to, and love, two 45-minute halves of football chat every week thanks to the Guardian newspaper's Football Weekly (Tuesday) and Football Weekly Extra (Friday) podcasts. If you are football crazy you'll probably already know about these podcasts.

Hosted by James Richardson, the podcast is consistently brilliant and hilarious, especially shows involving Barry Glendenning and Sid Lowe - possibly the funniest and smartest pundits on planet football. If they are not discussing the Premiership, La Liga or international games, they'll be chatting about house prices, skiing, the pugilistic skills of the various members of the Pogues, Russian prostitutes at the beach, films, mugs, politicians, current affairs, football chants and much more.

Highly, highly recommended - Football Weekly