In my recent post on games writing I made the assertion that podcasts will overtake text as the preferred source of news and opinion online. Over the course of each week I spend an entire day’s worth of time listening to podcasts. Not with my full attention, mind — I multitask. I listen to podcasts while playing games, while I browse the web, and while I eat. Listening to podcasts is, for the most part, an auxiliary activity. There are a few select shows for which I make an effort to devote special attention; I’ve decided to share.

Buzz Out Loud is a daily technology news podcast from CNet.com. Each episode is thirty to forty minutes long and is hosted by Tom Merritt with two or more others from a rotating group of regular guests. BOL has become a part of my routine; I listen to or watch the show with my morning coffee while I scroll through my RSS reader. As such, it’s my first stop for tech news and opinion. I still subscribe to the news feeds of sites like Engadget and Arstechnica, but much of what’s discussed on BOL every day is picked from their headlines anyway; it’s like a tech news “best of.”

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If you’re a reader or listener of ExtraLife you’ve probably heard of Scott Johnson’s gaming podcast Final Score. You also know it’s been on hiatus for a good many months. Recently he put out a call for people with recording ability and a gaming-related story to tell. I decided I’d give it a shot, so I wrote some stuff down, opened up Audacity and recorded a story. I sent him my submission, and apparently he liked it. My story is featured on the premiere episode of the re-launch of Final Score. It’s pretty corny but it’s a true story from several years back that I look back on fondly and often. Anyway, check it out, I am at the tail end of the show.