I would argue that This American Life is the spiritual ancestor of a great many podcasts.

Like so many works of art, from the songs and guitar stylings of Chuck Berry to the stand-up comedy of Steve Martin, the show’s influence is so pervasive that it is all but invisible.

But when it first came out, there was nothing like it. I used to time my college laundry runs to take place on Sunday evenings so that I could listen to This American Life on my Sony Walkman while I trekked down to the dorm basement.

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For so long, I didn’t create things on a consistent basis.

All I did was look at other stuff and get frustrated with how bad it was.

Bad music, bad Instagram posts, bad YouTube videos. You name it, I judged it.

I even judged other people for liking it. “Why does this person have so many followers?”

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I enjoy taking courses on platforms like Teachable, Thinkific, and Kejabi. Seeing those little checkmarks appear after you watch a video or click on the buttons of a virtual worksheet is very pleasing.

However, these checkmarks probably aren't the best measure of whether I did the work I was supposed to have done. If there's no teacher who's going to give me a grade, how do I measure whether I've actually gotten out of the course what the creator intended? What I intended?

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I'm a lot more high maintenance than I used to be.

I used to just need my laptop. Now, I need my laptop, plus my glasses. And my ergonomic laptop stand. And the light that makes me look less haggard on Zoom calls.

And then, since my laptop is up off of my desk, I need a separate keyboard and mouse, plus wrist rests.

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In the food court of Concourse A at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, there is a guy who is really good at his job.

Not only does he keep the napkins stocked and the seating area tidy on the busiest of days, he will even approach travelers to clear their trash when they are finished with their meals instead of waiting for them to take care of it themselves. Pleasant but not overly friendly, he conducts himself with brisk efficiency. No energy is wasted or misdirected.

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