A “different” idea for holiday gift giving...

If you’re like me, finding a gift that the adults on your list haven’t already purchased for themselves can be quite a challenge. For me this task can best be described as giving someone the thing they would have bought, had they known about it.

I’ve noticed a resurgent interest in audio of late. Audio books have been around for a while, but iPods and podcasting have made them even more popular. Also, folks who didn’t know what a podcast was a couple of years ago are now regular listeners.

With that in mind, let me share a link and a gift idea with you. Since 1984, the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company has been performing, recording, and broadcasting dramatic audio — fully dramatized, fully sound-scaped audio drama, far beyond the readings and “audio books” you can find in every bookstore. According to their website, “We like to think that what we do is classic ‘old-time radio’, as it would sound with today's technology and dramatic techniques.” I’ve heard them perform, and it is quite a treat.

So, for those on your list who have a computer, an audio player, or an iPod, and who enjoy a good story, you can give the gift of premium audio drama— courtesy of the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company. There’s a link to their podcast on their site, as well as ways to purchase their recordings, in either CD or cassette format.

Sure beats trying to figure out size and color preferences, doesn’t it?