OK gang. I've thought, meditated, ruminated, contemplated, and even prayed about this. Here is how it's going to be.

1. I am not going back to the old streaming format. Podcasts have become the preferred format for presenting audio programs on the internet. They are relatively easy to put together, and they are completely downloadable by the listener to carry around on their iPod or burn onto a CD. There is no reason to be afraid of or intimidated by podcasts. A podcast is essentially nothing more than a big mp3 file. You can stream it, or you can download it. Ideally, you should subscribe to your favorite podcasts. The beauty of subscribing is that the most recent episodes are automatically downloaded when you visit that podcast's RSS feed or other podcast directory, such as iTunes, Podcast Pickle, Odeo, etc.

I would say the feedback I've gotten from my listeners on which format they prefer has been pretty much split down the middle. So, I'm making a command decision here and sticking with the podcasts.

2. Several listeners have suggested I indicate time stamps for each song on the playlists. Since a podcast is one big mp3 file, there's no way to tell for sure what track is playing when while you're listening. I've thought about this long and hard, and I've decided against it. Why?

a) Each program is a little over one (1) hour in length. There are approximately 13-15 tracks in each program. It really shouldn't be too difficult to figure out which tune is playing when, with the playlist as your guide. The playlist for each show can be found in three (3) different places: on the podcast blog page, on the Playlists page at the main site, and embedded within the ID tags of the actual podcast file.

b) It's an extra step that I just don't feel like making, frankly. I've started putting the length of each tune in the playlist, which I admit is something I should have been doing all along. That, coupled with the relative shortness of each show and the easy availability of the playlists, should make things a bit easier, I'm hoping.

3. I will keep putting up archive shows as I'm able, and I hope to get a new show out soon. However, my life is just about to get a whole lot busier. I'm taking on new religious and career training commitments that are going to be taking up a lot of my free time. So please bear with me on that particular front.

I think that's it for now! I apologize if I've disappointed some of you, but I think I've made the best decision, all things considered. Take good care and as always, I enjoy hearing from you!

Easter blessings,
Marisa~