This American Life

I've said it before, there is nothing I love more than a well-told story. And there is no better storyteller than Ira Glass of This American Life. Each week on his radio show, Ira chooses a theme and brings us a variety of true stories on that theme. Sometimes funny, sometimes dramatic, and always poignant and intriguing, Ira seeks out the extraordinary in the ordinary American life.

I love this show. I listen to archived episodes while getting ready for work in the morning or during my commute or while cleaning my house. Sometimes I load them onto my iPod to enjoy while on lunch at work. It warms my heart and lifts my spirits and always makes me think.

Tonight, Ira Glass brought This American Life to the big screen for a one night only event. This live event was broadcast via satellite to movie theaters across the nation and featured Ira himself, discussing his radio program, sharing stories and giving us some sneak peeks into the upcoming second season of the television adaptation of This American Life.



I must say I am enjoying the television adaptation of this concept. I was a bit skeptical at first, because I feel there is something very intimate about listening to just a voice. As humans, we form opinions and make judgments based on what we see. With just a voice, however, all we get is the fundamental piece of the human being. Just the story. Just the soul. And I like that. However, there are instances where images compliment and enhance a story and the show does a divine job of choosing the right stories for this visual medium. It has exceeded all my expectations.

This evening was a complete joy. The stories shared were all poignant and funny as usual, yet there was a fresh twist to the topics chosen and they way in which they were presented. Much of the program was Ira just talking to us...reading stories or discussing the how and behind the scenes...and I just love listening to him talk. The icing on the delicious cake that was this evening was sharing it with Nick. We grabbed some dinner at one of our favorite restaurants and made an actual date night of the evening. And it's always nice to share something you are passionate about with someone you love and I was so pleased that Nick was intrigued and enjoyed himself.

I'll leave you with this clip from the radio show. This is one of my favorites of the past, entitled "Kid Logic". I wish I could find more to share with you, but I encourage everyone to check out the archived episodes.