I’m a little in love with Kai Ryssdal.

It’s not a creepy fan love because I’m always a reluctant fan, but I have feelings for him.  Yes, he is an attractive guy, and yes he has a smooth lovely radio voice, but it’s not that kind of love.

I love that he’s smart and accomplished and able to communicate, teach, and inform me about something I know little or nothing about in a way that doesn’t seem pretentious.

He’s a graduate of Emory, so he has the high brow credentials.  He’s on NPR and the host a highly successful finance show.  He could support that air of a pompous, pretentious ass, and yet every time I listen to Marketplace I feel like we are just sitting around chatting.

He tells me some stories that help me understand the grand and overwhelming concept of the economy, he brings in some guests I wouldn’t necessarily associate with the economy and shows me how everything is connected, and then he does the numbers.  There’s cute music mixed in here and there, he’s funny, but not so sarcastic that he comes off aloof.  And just when you think it’s all warm and fuzzy, he’ll nail someone with a much needed question that shows you he’s not fooling around.

His show is authentic and perfect.  I believe that is due in large part to who he is as a person.

I like people that are not just smart, but able to share that knowledge with others.  I like people that are bold, but only when they need to be.  I like people that, regardless of diploma or position, remember that they are a human being.  I like people that have a sense of humor about themselves and their often difficult topics and I love people that can help me understand.

I want to understand our economy.  I don’t need a dumbed down version with stupid Youtube videos or pie charts.  I want an intelligent, approachable person that can break it down, lift the mystery and show me that most of it isn’t rocket science.

Kia and his show do that and for that my heart is warm for him.

My thoughts from the laundry room.  Good Evening.

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