Well, no.
Well, yes.
The eminent podcast network Relay.fm added a membership option a while back. I did a mental thumbs up and filed it in my brain as a worthy thing to splurge on some day. Looking at the list, I subscribed to somewhat fewer podcasts there than I thought (five, it seems. I listen to individual episodes of others as well), but if nothing else Reconcilable differences is great enough to make the network worth supporting.
What brought me from mentally enthusiastic to suddenly actually paying for the annual membership? This year's bonus episodes. They have been discussing for a while how most shows will do a special bonus episode for members around this time of the year. Various shows have mentioned their own episodes as well as favourites other shows have released. Unsurprisingly, Reconcilable differences was what really made the difference for me. When I heard their special would be a super long episode with John Roderick as a bonus host, I was sold.
The episode turns out not to be out yet at this time of writing, presumably because of the poor overworked editor needing more time to get through it all. All the more reason to shoot some money their way.
I do not know what kind of occassion I will choose to savour that episode, but savour I will.
So, which do I listen to?
- Connected - no subscription, but I tend to listen to all new episodes eventually anyway. It is early on my list when the subscription stuff runs out
- Free agents - we will see if it stays on, but it is new, short and on an interesting topic
- Material - I need some Android to balance my life
- Reconcilable differences - yes, oh yes. Best host combination ever!
- Upgrade
- Mac power users - special mention, I only pick an episode every now and then