tt5189670-2-ipuht

Making a Murderer: Part 2

Ok, this is a bit of a spoiler alert. If you watched season 1 but haven’t started (or finished) season 2, skip to the podcasts below. When I watched season 1, I had a fishy feeling about Bobby Dassey. When they shared the timeline of events that day, I knew something was wrong with the fact that Bobby vanished as soon as Teresa Halbach left the property. I don’t think that Scott Tadych had anything to do with it, but Bobby’s demented self did.

And let’s talk about Kathleen Zellner for a minute. She is something else. That hair, those nails, her lack of emotion. Maybe I’ve been watching too much of season 3 of American Horror Story, but she would make a perfect Supreme.

BBLogoV2

Bear Brook

I stumbled upon this podcast yesterday when driving back and forth from Baton Rouge. I keep starting and stopping podcasts that just don’t keep me hanging on. This one seems like it will do the trick. It follows a double murder that is found by a couple of kids playing around in the woods back in the 1980s.

sddefault

Voodoo City

This one is just a treat for all of those looking for some trick in time for Halloween. The stories are quick and shed some light on New Orleans legends. Give it a listen!

So, I’m into cults. Not in a way that suggests I want to or would join one, but I like to know why these people are able to be brainwashed in joining groups that take all of their money, their time, and families. Well, if I think about it, maybe online shopping is a type of cult. It takes all of my money. Anyway, here are a couple of cult-themed resources I’ve come across lately.

460>_12556187

Cults of Our Lives

This podcast covers a new cult each week in 30-minute spurts. I personally have learned so much, but sometimes, the girls get off track and the sound quality isn’t top notch for both hosts. However, listening to this each week during my trek around the states of Louisiana and Mississippi led me to my next obsession — Patty Hearst and the SLA.

180111135105-card-image-patty-hearst-super-tease

The Radical Story of Patty Hearst

Ok. Did she or didn’t she? Was she or wasn’t she? Personally? I think she was full blown in that cult from the beginning.

Long story short. An heiress to media millions gets “kidnapped” by a smaller (but violent)     cult, the Symbionese Liberation Army, held “hostage” for months while releasing tapes to  her family through the media about ransoms and needs of the group, only to show up on security footage of a bank robbery holding a machine gun of sorts. If you watch all the way through the docuseries, you’ll see just how into it this rich bitch gets. Crazy people.

Ok. I’m falling into a podcast black hole. I’m listening to ones that I’m hearing about on the news or in other podcasts, but they just don’t seem to be doing the trick. One that I came across was My Favorite Murder. The reason I’m not a fan is because these 2 girls really don’t have any sense of the “too soon” concept when talking about murder or dead loved ones. It wasn’t for me, so I gave up on them an episode in.

plain

What I did come across was The Last Podcast on the Left when I was listening to that one episode of the aforementioned podcast. While it’s pretty crude, rude, and socially unacceptable, it does dive deep into some things I’ve been listening to all year — murder, serial killers, and the strange parts of history. So far, I’ve listened to a little bit about the Jonestown “Death Tape,” which will give you nightmares and keep you up at night. Some of ole Jim Jones’ voice comes through pretty demonic and filled with crazy talk. I doubt I listen to each episode because … well … it may be too much for me.

My main point is that I need more podcasts. I like history. I like true crime. I like weird and strange stuff. So, give me your suggestions. Please. I’m begging of you.

Sprigs of Spring

I think we have all been a little skittish to say that Spring is finally here; but after several days of warmth, humidity, and a little pollen on top, I think it’s safe to say it’s here. Now, I know that we are due an Easter cold snap thanks to our thunder in early February, but that I can handle. It’s more ice, snow, and need for layers upon layers that I’m ready to get rid of. It’s time for a little sun on my cheeks and saying goodbye to sweater weather!

Japanese Magnolia

My rides to and from Baton Rouge have been tricking me lately to think that Spring has been here for weeks on end. The campus at LSU has been covered with Japanese Magnolia blossoms for weeks, and mine in the backyard on Auburn are just starting to burst open. It’s always been a late bloomer, but I’ve been waiting to see if the cold snap got it or not.

Unfortunately, my inevitable Spring sinus infection has hit this week, too. I spent most of Sunday doped up on Benadryl and Tylenol trying to make the pressure behind my eyes go away. I guess I’ll just have to live with it for a little while longer; I mean, the real pollen hasn’t even started to collect yet. I haven’t seen any streaks of missing yellow in my carport, so there’s still that to look forward to.

150491

Since I was a little dazed on my drive yesterday morning and I have a couple more days of travel this week, I decided to put the e-books to rest for a little while and try a new podcast. I’ve been told several times since I’ve started listening to different ones on the drive to give “Dirty John” a try. Well, after 4 episodes on my drive Monday, I’m hooked. I did do a little digging, too. I had to put a face to the name behind all of this craziness and was surprised how normal he looked. I guess that goes to show you that you just never know and to never judge a book by its cover.

la-dirty-john-wedding
Wedding photo from December 2014

I mean, how much more normal can you get? She must have not been a fan of the Google search yet or didn’t use Facebook to the best of its abilities before tying the knot after a few months of knowing him from Match.com. Oh, well, I’m sure by the end of the week, I’ll be finished with this season and looking for more dirt. In the mean time, keep those suggestions coming! I’m new to all of this, remember?

I’m sure you’re aware, but it’s cold. On my morning commute to Baton Rouge this morning, I watched the temperature bump around 16, 17, and 18 degrees until I hit the interstate. Gladly, once I got to the office, it was a crisp 23 degrees. Woo Hoo.

However, I stayed entertained the entire ride with a new adventure for myself — podcasts. In fact, it was my first podcast experience to date. I did a little research over the holidays, found a couple of good ones to add to my library, and decided at 6:45 a.m. today to give “Up and Vanished” a try.

uav_4320x1080

Y’all. I’m hooked. We are a family that enjoys crime dramas on T.V., and I love a good thriller or legal movie to hunker down with on Netflix or iTunes. We watch Law & Order: SVU and NCIS (of all variations). I loved Making a MurdererThe People vs. OJTrue Detective (which has FINALLY been confirmed for a 3rd season), Breaking Bad, and (most recently) Law & Order: True Crime (The Menendez Murders). I always say we are best when fighting crime from the sofa. And today was no different. I am in the middle of fighting crime with the help of Payne Lindsey in 30-minute spurts. I was actually able to get into the 4th episode of the tale of Tara Grinstead this morning. So, of course, I’m not finished with this cold case yet; but I did want to do a little Googling on the subject. I wanted to be able to put faces with names. Being an English major, you would think I don’t need to see a visual since my imagination alone should be able to paint the picture. However, I loved when I finally got to match faces (and the correct pronunciation) with the names of Harry Potter. So, I found Tara’s “missing” poster:

img_3519

Then, I followed the website on the poster and found several videos to help connect some dots from the podcast. However, I’m only halfway through the entire season after listening to it going and coming home from Baton Rouge. I do have my suspensions on who killed this missing beauty queen, but I think this may be a job for Internal Affairs to solve. Seems fishy. Give it a listen when you need something to keep you occupied while riding in the car.