This is another great piece by Matt. Though it is about a very serious and emotional subject, Matt manages to keep the tone light and playful- as hilarious as always. When I read the title I was expecting a different Matt than the one I had listened to several times before, but found, to my great delight, that Matt was as exceptional a writer as ever- playing on the idea of his father as a character in his novels, and framing it as the family that suffers more. Listening to this piece, I find myself (and anyone listening) both laughing and walking away a little more thoughtful. Thanks so much, and can't wait to hear more!

Martin's sweet narrative was extremely well put together. His voice was clear and enjoyable, with brilliantly crisp sound bytes and the absence of distracting background noise. Martin articulates his point well- and in an interesting way, framing his message around the idea of "going back to college." However, I find Martin's tone to be degrading towards his mother at several points throughout the piece- and as a listener would like a little more clarification about his relationship with his mom. Despite this, though, the piece flows quite well, the opening and closing song puts a nice cap and tail on Martin's amusing and unusual narrative.

Another beautiful diary! It is so wonderful to hear such beautiful voices speaking so confidentally about their lives and what they wish to change. Though the sound quality was a little poor (alot of background sound), Fatuma does an EXCELLENT job of interviewing, and has a real flair for radio- her voice is exceptional. The wide range of interviewees is spectacular and gives a wide, ranging view of how girls run their lives in Kenyan slums. By interviewing both teenagers and young mothers, Fatuma covers well the many different ages of Kenyan women. I love listening to these pieces- keep it up!

This piece reminded me of how much I love stories. So often in our busy, internet, ipod based-lives, we don't take the time to sit down and listen to a good, entertaining story. Eli Gover, Tommy Anderson, and Jordan Frazier beautifully produced this piece to showcase down and simple stories, something I definitely don't get enough of. I personally like the crooked-nose and Wendy's "heist" stories, though all four are entertaining and endearing. The different voices add layers and depth to the piece while the simply flow and use of few effects make sure the focus remains solidly on the actual stories. The Kentucky-style bluegrass was a great touch that really pulled the piece together. The only bit of advice I have is to keep posting more and more!

This packed, personal piece is both tough and almost addicting to listen to. The voices of the four boys intertwine to tell the story of their neighborhood. Told through the conversation between the four, the listener gets a strong sense of friendship that flows between them, highlighted by the sweet, innocent introduction. As the boys discuss shootings and cops, well-placed sound effects play in the background that both enhance the dialogue and add a real sense of place to the piece. Very enjoyable and a very important piece for all to hear.

This piece is a beautiful insight into the commonly misconceived continent that is Africa. It is wonderful to hear inspirational stories of native Malawians working to improve the lives of children. The first story, in which Ms. Kachitenji interviews young Chisomo, is poignant, and raw, the simplicity of her words strip her unimaginably difficult, and different life down to poetry. Her line ?If I can go back to school, I would work on that chance with both hands.,? leaves the listener clawing for more. Both Ms. Kachitenji?s audible charisma, and her subjects? stories grasp the audience, and demand further attention. It is hard to describe how good it is to hear of the positive aspects of village life in Africa. Too often we hear bad stories, and Jane?s outlook and passion for change, brightens the future of Malawi.

This piece is a great, new, and personal look at such a commonly misconceived place- the Chicago 'hood. Keith's voice clearly relays his passion for his home, and his desire to give others a different view. Throughout this piece, it is easy to tell how comfortable Keith is at a microphone. A small drawback to the overall feel of the piece is the too-harsh sounding music that concludes it. After the light-hearted vibe of his story, the music doesn't seem to fit. One aspect of Keith's story that I particularly enjoyed was when he spoke about the specific characters at the game, and I think describing more people would have been a huge addition. Spoken over well-placed effects, his simply-worded but enthusiastically delivered narrative is awesome to listen to.