Hockey Comfort Pods
So... I emerged from the essay drama with a fairly positive attitude \o/ (and with like 2000 words of really interesting 10 things I hate about you analysis that didn't make it into my essay). Although the writing process was a lot of fun, it was hard going and anxiety inducing. Of course, I made a comfort playlist of podfic to help me destress at the end of each day. I present to you my top 10 Hockey Comfort Pods list, which is not an absolute top 10 list, since long podfics were excluded. Also, I am using this rec list for 
welovepodfic and as a way to organise my feedbacking.
A perfect comfort pod is hard to classify. Sometimes I want to be soothed, sometimes what I need is a laugh, sometimes you just need a bit of fluff and love. So I created, with help and ideas from
rhea314, a good blend of 10 podfics (not in any kind of rank order) 100% guaranteed, no matter my mood.
1) Keep You On My Arm by
rsadelle read by
bessyboo - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 39 min.
Summary: In which the gay bar is Stalberg's idea and Kaner doesn't notice Jon pretending to be his boyfriend.
A ultimate comfort pod for when what you really want is to smile and laugh for 39 minutes. I have listened to this one over 5 times and each time I get so much enjoyment and joy from it.
bessyboo gets really into the voices and the banter between Johnny and Kaner, it is so much fun to listen to. I was amused and endeared by turns :) It's such a great story and
bessyboo brings it to life with so much enthusiasm and talent. I love, love, love this podfic. I particularly love this podfic because I get the sense that
bessyboo really enjoyed making it. Awesome use of music too.
2) Steal Some Covers by
grim_lupine read by
War_Kitten - Mike Richards/Jeff Carter - 23 min.
Summary: Three times they fell asleep together without talking about it, one time they didn’t fall asleep together but wished they could, and the one time they finally talked about it.
A truly adorable podfic that never fails to make me smile. I loved the moments of dialogue when the characters were particularly sleepy/irritated - they were very cute moments. Napping logic \o/ I'm trying not to over use the words 'adorable' and 'cute', but it's impossible :D Napping podfic is an awesome was to calm down and reach a restful place for sleep.
3) To Challenge Control by
thisissirius read by
anna_unfolding - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 57 min.
Summary:The body of the email just says, “don’t fuck seguin” because Jonny doesn’t know what capital letters are and he’s a controlling asshole even when he’s miles away, and attached to it is a spreadsheet that Patrick reluctantly opens. It’s color-coded with tabs and he’s not sure whether he wants to punch Jonny in the mouth or laugh in his face.
Calling him in the middle of the airport is a really bad fucking idea and Patrick knows something about those, so he settles for sending Jonny a message. YOU SENT ME A JERK-OFF SCHEDULE FOR SWITZERLAND?!
Sometimes you just need
anna_unfolding's soothing voice reading you d/s :D for some reason I find it super intense but calming. I loved this story when I read it, but her reading gets to me viscerally. Kaner's desperation, his love, his longing, his trust, were brought to another level for me emotionally.
anna_unfolding has the ability to bring me to the brink of tears by placing so much emotion into the smallest of moments.
4) Practice Makes by
thisissirius read by
anna_unfolding - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 27 min.
Summary: Jonny stands, tucks Patrick against his body. “Did you practice?”
Patrick keeps his breaths slow and steady as he tries to get a hold of himself. He still wants Jonny, still feels the arousal coiled in his belly and he shivers. “Practice?”
“You said you could take it and not come till I said so.”
The follow up to the above, and
anna_unfolding keeps the quality consistent and flawless. Patrick's head space is just done so well and I am captivated by his vulnerabilities and emotions. Patrick is HOME!!! and my heart just broke (in the best way).
When I read this story, I was like, "so, how long until
anna_unfolding podfics it????? HOW ABOUT NOW??? and it does not disappoint. For me
anna_unfolding brings out the intensity of emotion and vulnerability that I most enjoy from stories conveying d/s relationships.
5) Say it with Flowers by
hazel read by
rhea314 - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 47 min.
Summary: GOOD WORK, YOUNG HAWK, the oak tree outside his building booms once the season’s over, and Patrick smiles sleepily in its direction.
He's never been sure how the trees of Chicago know about hockey-trees hear a lot, but it's not like he's ever stopped in a public park to ask one about it.
Magical realism and the language of flowers \o/ This is an adorable story and
rhea314's reading just puts a smile on my face for the whole thing. This is one of the first hockey podfics she made (check out some of her longer ones over here & here), and it's great for me to hear the beginnings of how the characters feel to her. Kaner's glee at Johnny's frustration, desperately trying to find out what certain plants symbolise, is a particularly great moment.
6) What I'm saying is I need you hear by
grim_lupine read by
rhea314 - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 12 min.
Summary: Pat’s been carrying around these feelings for Johnny like an extra limb for years, now. It sucks, a little bit, but mostly it’s not too bad. Sometimes it blindsides her, though, like when the lockout ends and she comes back home.
rhea314 creates Kaner's mental voice in such a fun and light hearted way. It's a very fluffy podfic, and the pacing is kept very tight, which makes for a truly enjoyable 12 min and always puts me in an excellent mood. It is just SO sweet and always makes me smile. <3
7) The best thing that's ever been mine by
rsadelle read by
duckgirlie - Jonathan Toews/T. J. Oshie - 24 min.
Summary: They never stopped loving each other, not really.
I have a intense love for two people reconnecting after a failed relationship.
duckgirlie captures this fragile hope so well, while the banter still being super hockey-bro like and fun to listen to. I really enjoy this podfic, the back and forth between Johnny and T.J is really sweet and listening to their relationship develop and strengthen is truly delightful.
8) The boy who cried gay by
duchessofavalon read by
unrequited_rain - Tyler Brown/Tyler Seguin - 18 min.
Summary: or, the many times Tyler Seguin tried to come out on Twitter and no one believed him.
Fun! Fun! Fun!
unrequited_rain just NAILS Segs for me, it's just perfect. Segs' inner monologue makes me laugh the whole way through. His long suffering moans are just so adorable and
unrequited_rain commits to Segs' dramatic state of mind SO well.
9) Highly Sticked by
jedasaur read by
marianas - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 22 min.
Summary: "Yes, Kaner," Sharpy's saying as Jonny sits down next to them with a beer. "It would indeed be gay to measure your teammates' dicks to find out whose is biggest."
A perfect podfic to put you in a happy/laughing mood for sleep. The story is fun, and
marianas' reading just makes me smile the whole time. Kaner is just so ridiculous and Tazer is just so long suffering. The two different voices work together so well and are incredibly well done. I also super like the moments with Crow :) He is no nonsense and it's super cute.
10) Sunday Edition by
twentysomething read by
Hananobira - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 23 min.
Summary: In breaking news, surprising no one, Sharpy is a dick.
hananobira is animated and enthusiastic, which makes for a fantastic Kaner! I have so many awesome adjectives I want to assign to this podfic. Biggest smile :D The pacing is fast and snappy and very well put together. Every line in this podfic is full of dynamism and energy. I also super love the use of Maroon 5 music :)
Reading back I am AMAZED how many I describe as 'sweet', 'cute', 'adorable', 'lovely' - I think hockey has warped my brain.
welovepodfic and as a way to organise my feedbacking.
A perfect comfort pod is hard to classify. Sometimes I want to be soothed, sometimes what I need is a laugh, sometimes you just need a bit of fluff and love. So I created, with help and ideas from
rhea314, a good blend of 10 podfics (not in any kind of rank order) 100% guaranteed, no matter my mood.
1) Keep You On My Arm by
rsadelle read by
bessyboo - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 39 min.
Summary: In which the gay bar is Stalberg's idea and Kaner doesn't notice Jon pretending to be his boyfriend.
A ultimate comfort pod for when what you really want is to smile and laugh for 39 minutes. I have listened to this one over 5 times and each time I get so much enjoyment and joy from it.
bessyboo gets really into the voices and the banter between Johnny and Kaner, it is so much fun to listen to. I was amused and endeared by turns :) It's such a great story and
bessyboo brings it to life with so much enthusiasm and talent. I love, love, love this podfic. I particularly love this podfic because I get the sense that
bessyboo really enjoyed making it. Awesome use of music too.
2) Steal Some Covers by
grim_lupine read by
War_Kitten - Mike Richards/Jeff Carter - 23 min.
Summary: Three times they fell asleep together without talking about it, one time they didn’t fall asleep together but wished they could, and the one time they finally talked about it.
A truly adorable podfic that never fails to make me smile. I loved the moments of dialogue when the characters were particularly sleepy/irritated - they were very cute moments. Napping logic \o/ I'm trying not to over use the words 'adorable' and 'cute', but it's impossible :D Napping podfic is an awesome was to calm down and reach a restful place for sleep.
3) To Challenge Control by
thisissirius read by
anna_unfolding - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 57 min.
Summary:The body of the email just says, “don’t fuck seguin” because Jonny doesn’t know what capital letters are and he’s a controlling asshole even when he’s miles away, and attached to it is a spreadsheet that Patrick reluctantly opens. It’s color-coded with tabs and he’s not sure whether he wants to punch Jonny in the mouth or laugh in his face.
Calling him in the middle of the airport is a really bad fucking idea and Patrick knows something about those, so he settles for sending Jonny a message. YOU SENT ME A JERK-OFF SCHEDULE FOR SWITZERLAND?!
Sometimes you just need
anna_unfolding's soothing voice reading you d/s :D for some reason I find it super intense but calming. I loved this story when I read it, but her reading gets to me viscerally. Kaner's desperation, his love, his longing, his trust, were brought to another level for me emotionally.
anna_unfolding has the ability to bring me to the brink of tears by placing so much emotion into the smallest of moments.
4) Practice Makes by
thisissirius read by
anna_unfolding - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 27 min.
Summary: Jonny stands, tucks Patrick against his body. “Did you practice?”
Patrick keeps his breaths slow and steady as he tries to get a hold of himself. He still wants Jonny, still feels the arousal coiled in his belly and he shivers. “Practice?”
“You said you could take it and not come till I said so.”
The follow up to the above, and
anna_unfolding keeps the quality consistent and flawless. Patrick's head space is just done so well and I am captivated by his vulnerabilities and emotions. Patrick is HOME!!! and my heart just broke (in the best way).
When I read this story, I was like, "so, how long until
anna_unfolding podfics it????? HOW ABOUT NOW??? and it does not disappoint. For me
anna_unfolding brings out the intensity of emotion and vulnerability that I most enjoy from stories conveying d/s relationships.
5) Say it with Flowers by
hazel read by
rhea314 - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 47 min.
Summary: GOOD WORK, YOUNG HAWK, the oak tree outside his building booms once the season’s over, and Patrick smiles sleepily in its direction.
He's never been sure how the trees of Chicago know about hockey-trees hear a lot, but it's not like he's ever stopped in a public park to ask one about it.
Magical realism and the language of flowers \o/ This is an adorable story and
rhea314's reading just puts a smile on my face for the whole thing. This is one of the first hockey podfics she made (check out some of her longer ones over here & here), and it's great for me to hear the beginnings of how the characters feel to her. Kaner's glee at Johnny's frustration, desperately trying to find out what certain plants symbolise, is a particularly great moment.
6) What I'm saying is I need you hear by
grim_lupine read by
rhea314 - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 12 min.
Summary: Pat’s been carrying around these feelings for Johnny like an extra limb for years, now. It sucks, a little bit, but mostly it’s not too bad. Sometimes it blindsides her, though, like when the lockout ends and she comes back home.
rhea314 creates Kaner's mental voice in such a fun and light hearted way. It's a very fluffy podfic, and the pacing is kept very tight, which makes for a truly enjoyable 12 min and always puts me in an excellent mood. It is just SO sweet and always makes me smile. <3
7) The best thing that's ever been mine by
rsadelle read by
duckgirlie - Jonathan Toews/T. J. Oshie - 24 min.
Summary: They never stopped loving each other, not really.
I have a intense love for two people reconnecting after a failed relationship.
duckgirlie captures this fragile hope so well, while the banter still being super hockey-bro like and fun to listen to. I really enjoy this podfic, the back and forth between Johnny and T.J is really sweet and listening to their relationship develop and strengthen is truly delightful.
8) The boy who cried gay by
duchessofavalon read by
unrequited_rain - Tyler Brown/Tyler Seguin - 18 min.
Summary: or, the many times Tyler Seguin tried to come out on Twitter and no one believed him.
Fun! Fun! Fun!
unrequited_rain just NAILS Segs for me, it's just perfect. Segs' inner monologue makes me laugh the whole way through. His long suffering moans are just so adorable and
unrequited_rain commits to Segs' dramatic state of mind SO well.
9) Highly Sticked by
jedasaur read by
marianas - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 22 min.
Summary: "Yes, Kaner," Sharpy's saying as Jonny sits down next to them with a beer. "It would indeed be gay to measure your teammates' dicks to find out whose is biggest."
A perfect podfic to put you in a happy/laughing mood for sleep. The story is fun, and
marianas' reading just makes me smile the whole time. Kaner is just so ridiculous and Tazer is just so long suffering. The two different voices work together so well and are incredibly well done. I also super like the moments with Crow :) He is no nonsense and it's super cute.
10) Sunday Edition by
twentysomething read by
Hananobira - Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews - 23 min.
Summary: In breaking news, surprising no one, Sharpy is a dick.
hananobira is animated and enthusiastic, which makes for a fantastic Kaner! I have so many awesome adjectives I want to assign to this podfic. Biggest smile :D The pacing is fast and snappy and very well put together. Every line in this podfic is full of dynamism and energy. I also super love the use of Maroon 5 music :)
Reading back I am AMAZED how many I describe as 'sweet', 'cute', 'adorable', 'lovely' - I think hockey has warped my brain.