Kattie Laur
— Kattie Laur is a Podcast Producer and Consultant based in the Greater Toronto Area

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Getting mad and creative - MAY 2022 - PODKATT REVIEW

A personal blog post about podcast discovery and my podcast world.

The month of May felt like it lasted for about a year when I look back on it. It’s probably for good reason because it feels like so much happened that I definitely needed the time to ease into the summer.

I was so excited to finally visit some friends in Toronto and had an intense wave of nostalgia. Living in Toronto throughout my early 20s had such a huge impact on me. It’s where my passion for radio and podcasting really came to life and I became a full-blown human, so it was honestly a bit emotional for me. I’m certainly grieving the past as I reflect on the toll that the pandemic took on all of us, so I decided to try to take it as a sign this month to remember my passion from the early days and reel in some of that excitement into my life today.

How did I do that? I got mad and I got creative.

Overall, I consider myself to be a pretty optimistic and cheerful person, but (as I’ve previously mentioned) I’m also pretty sensitive and have a lot of feelings. I’ve been thinking about my "release" for stress and anger. Some people have religion, or meditation, or art. My outlet has been writing since I was a kid, and this month I was thrilled to write A LOT.

Today, cathartically scribbling thoughts into a journal has transitioned into thinking up ways to make them “broadcastable”. My journal is full of could-be podcast scripts and show ideas. So this month, I decided to take one seriously and start writing the first episodes of a personal, audio-journal podcast. I have tons of inspiration but it’s crazy nerve-wracking writing something that is meant to be a true reflection of yourself. So while I’m really excited about it, heads up that it might not actually see the light of day for a while. But I have the finger-dents to prove that it exists, I promise!

I also got to write an issue of the Vocal Fry Studios Newsletter while Michal was away which, of course, was all about creativity. It’s all a part of my campaign to inspire the world! Subscribe to the newsletter if you haven’t already - Michal Stein does an amazing job curating breaking (and broken) Canadian & US industry podcast news⁠, exlusive interviews, recommendations, podcast jobs and way more. Plus the newsletters design is bad ass.

Looking for a reliable way to record your podcast remotely in studio quality without internet disruptions?
I recently partnered with Riverside.fm as an affiliate because I’m literally obsessed with their platform (no joke).
I do my remote podcast recording on Riverside.fm and recommend checking them out!

Podcasting for Teens: Do you know a teen with something to say?

I’m really excited to announce my latest endevour - a podcasting for teens, 9-week virtual summer camp!
Registration is now open until June 23rd at 5PM EST for 15 passionate teens who want to learn how to find their voice through podcasting and develop a podcast concept. Classes are open to teens all over Canada!


“You’re feeling emotionally moved by the world around you right now.”
- my snide horoscope

 

HERE’S WHAT MY EARS LOVED THIS MONTH:
(Wait to the bottom of this post for a full list of what was on my podcast roster!)

Sounds Like A Cult

Huge shoutout to my podcast bestie, Erin Hynes (Alpaca My Bags), for recommending this podcast because it was an instant favourite! This podcast hilariously dissects the modern-day “cults” we all follow - from SoulCycle and the comedy scene, to Fast Fashion and Elon Musk. This is the perfect podcast to listen to if you’re in the mood for some fun banter that still has a structure and purpose. Isa and Amanda are so charismatic that they already feel like my close personal friends.

Sandy and Nora talk politics

How I've only just discovered this podcast is frankly, embarrassing. My rage feels so seen.

Just listen.

Guilty Pleasures: Cars

If you need a good, stupid laugh, the Cars episode of Guilty Pleasures should get you there. Garrick, Zach and Kelsey are joined by Shane Madej to do a hilarious review of Pixar’s 2006 movie, Cars. This episode is so much fun, and the four of them manage to have such an engaging and ridiculous chat about this kids movie that even though I’ve never actually seen it, I don’t think I ever need to. Do not listen with kids!

 

SOME NEW WORK: Telling Ontarians the Truth with ONA

I’m excited to announce my recent work with the Ontario Nurses Association and their podcast, Telling Ontarians the Truth. I feel really lucky to take over the reins from the wonderful Donna Papocosta in both producing the show and moderating the conversations. We’ve all heard a horror story from the experience of nurses these last two years, and the future isn’t looking any better. Their show is making a powerful statement for nurses in Ontario and it’s important that we support them, so please give it a listen!

 

FINALLY, SOME THINGS THAT KEPT A SMILE ON MY FACE IN MAY:

  • Seeing great friends in Toronto

  • Wine + Gelato pairings

  • Dim Sum

  • Warm weather

  • Baseball

  • Denim overalls

MORE TO COME.
ALWAYS WEAR SUNSCREEN!
Kattie (@PodKatt)

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