inside the Pilot cockpit

one of my favorite parts of book binding (besides the final product of course) is the meditative aspect of it. it's a similar sort of meditation that can happen while running or driving... a semi-distracted state of deep thought, a place you can seep into pleasantly while sort of trapped in the action. i don't listen to my ipod when i run but it's a necessity in the car. when it comes to bookbinding though for some reason music doesn't do it for me. so it's either silience (doesn't last long), my Gregorian Chant cd (a carryover from my undergrad years and a sort of tribute to my bookarts mentor) or This American Life episodes.

i'm always astounded when i meet a like-minded individual who hasn't heard of or doesn't religiously listen to this radio show. it's the best free entertainment available, in my humble opinion. it's been a part of my weekends for years---for a while it was what i listened to on saturdays while cleaning the house, then for a number of years with my ex it was tradition to go on long drives in the country and listen to the show. since i've moved to central PA, i miss listening to it on the radio because none of the local NPR stations air it. luckily, TAL archives all of their episodes online so you can listen to them whenever you want to. i highly recommend taking a listen if you aren't already familiar. my favorite episodes (very hard to pick) in no particular order: Act V, Liars, Fiascos, Testosterone, and Valentine's Day 98. but they're all good. you can't go wrong. and yes, i do have a tiny little crush on Ira Glass, but that's totally beside the point. there's a link to the TAL site on the title of the post.