Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain

Have you ever listened to someone on the radio and formed a complete picture of what that person must look like in your head, than seen what they actually look like in person and it made your head hurt because your picture was so totally wrong?

Well that happened to me this weekend.

Last week I started listening to a new podcast. I downloaded my first two Croncast podcasts. They were recommended to me by the host of another podcast I listen to all the time, Morning Stories. From the first word uttered, I knew I would love this podcast. It’s a half-hour of Kris and Betsy Smith, a young, married couple living outside of Chicago, talking about life and family and selling crap on ebay and getting a dog. Normal, everyday stuff made so funny.

Kris has the most amazing, deep, rich voice I’ve ever heard. I love deep voices so much that I don’t even care what they’re saying, but this voice was actually saying really funny stuff. Betsy has a slightly squeaky voice and a slight Midwestern accent that made me like her immediately. She talks really fast and is completely wacky but so lovable. Kris and Betsy chat and argue, pick on each other, and they very obviously love each other very much and have a lot of fun together. It makes me smile hearing them laugh at each other and argue about getting a new dog, which was the main topic of the first two podcasts I heard last week.

I had a complete picture figured out in my head of what the two of them looked like. Kris was tall and lanky. Paleish skin and dark brown hair, parted on the side. Small, wire-rimmed glasses. Big hands, smooth face. Quiet and reserved. Betsy was short and petite. Tiny and cute. She had short, blond hair and funky glasses. She was very stylish and funky to go along with her spunk.

Totally wrong.

This is a shot of them from their website:

At least I got the glasses right. Now as I listen, I flicker back and forth from the image I used to have in my head, to the actual image of them – it’s very distracting. This morning as I listened I decided to just imagine them the way I originally imagined them, it’s just easier that way.

I was thinking about writing this entry as I was getting ready for work this morning because it was still bothering me how I was so off-base with what Kris and Betsy looked like. Then I got in my car to drive to work, plugged in the iPod and listened to the latest Croncast on the ride in. At the end of the show, they announced another great reason for me to tell you all about Croncast. A contest to attract new listeners where current listeners refer new listeners, new listeners sign up at the website and tell them who referred them. The 300th new listener to sign up will win a new iPod, as well the person who referred them. Awesome, huh? So go, listen, sign up, download, and laugh! And don't forget to tell them who sent you. (My Croncast handle is LisaLisa.) You won't be sorry, and you don't even need an iPod to listen. You can listen right from your computer. Go now! Laugh yourself silly.