I'm not easily impressed, but lately two Chicago-area podcasting teams have left me overwhelmed and even a little bit jealous.

A YEAR AT THE WHEEL

At the last meeting of the Chicago Area Podcasters Network Meetup, I had the pleasure of meeting Shane and Amy Bugbee, a couple who are committing a year of their lives to a podcast version of the Lucy and Desi "Long, Long Trailer" thing.
Shane and Amy's project, "A Year at the Wheel," gets into gear here in Chicago on November 4, hits the road and then concludes November 5 next year -- just in time for the Big Election.

During their 365-day journey across America, they'll be creating audio podcasts, video podcasts, publishing a newspaper -- and generally doing the kind of Charles Kuralt-style coverage that the mainstream media too often neglect to do.

They've attracted some heavyweight attention -- namely, podcasting pioneer Adam Curry, who's scheduled to appear at a kick-off event for Shane and Amy on November 4 at The Empty Bottle.

I'm especially dee-lited by Shane and Amy's creative approach to fundraising. Visit A Year at the Wheel and see what I mean. One example of their out-of-the-box thinking is a video (see frame grab above) in which Shane demonstrates how to build your own inexpensive version of the Fig Rig. Shane's version costs considerably less than the original, which lists for $295 at B&H.

So, check out Shane and Amy's site and give them a hand in their journalistic odyssey. I know I'm looking forward to some vicarious thrills, as well as some high-quality journalism.

(Disclosure: I've donated a digital recorder to A Year at the Wheel.)


THE MIKE AND JEFF SHOW

"The Mike and Jeff Show" has been one of my favorite podcasts ever since I first listened to it last year. This simple, elegantly produced show features two guys discussing their lives with brutal honesty.

They've been funny, off-color, outrageous ... and insightful. But their latest show left me speechless. You've got to listen to this one. I dare anybody to do so and not conclude that our criminal justice system needs to be seriously overhauled.

Here's the link to Mike and Jeff Show Show No. 35.

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