Yesterday I started editing my 100th podcast. It’s not done yet, but I’m happy with what I have so far and I think you’ll be too when you hear it.

I have noticed something, though. Almost all of my previous podcasts were made by me simply talking into a mic, throwing in some background music, then uploading the mp3. Most of my editing was done while writing the script, with the exception of the occasional moment where I read the same line twice.

But my 100th episode is different. I have lots of clips to play, including the ones provided by listeners like you. (Thanks, by the way. I’m still accepting more if you want to send one in.) Now I have to drag audio back and forth, adjust music volumes, readjust music volumes, wonder why those last five clips I imported deleted themselves, and of course import a 45 minute recording because I want to use the first 60 seconds.

In short, this isn’t easy. If I had to do all of this on a regular basis you wouldn’t be getting 3 podcasts a week from me, especially now that school’s started again.

I suppose there’s a lesson to be learned here. Just because you can do a lot of nifty things with a program doesn’t mean you need to. Yes, PowerPoint offers enough transitions for you to use a different one on each of your slides, but will that really help your presentation? Only if you’re doing a presentation on the transitions.

When you’re working on audio, video, PowerPoint, or even an MS Word document, it helps to find or create a template in the beginning and just use it over and over again. When you’re giving information to your students you should not be spending half an hour finding just the right animated clip art for your PowerPoint on Indonesia when you only spent 5 minutes typing up your bullet points. And really, that dancing baby just isn’t cool anymore.