You stumble along in a stupor, sleep hasn't quite released you yet and the half a pot of coffee hasn't kicked in. Still you've managed to dress and negotiate the debris strewn landscape that is your home and have made it, shins intact, to the relative safety of your car. You shove the key into the ignition, the motor grumbles to life and you are about to back out of your driveway.

Wait! There's a flashing light approaching. The light sits atop a huge yellow thing. The thing is vaguely familiar, but what it is is lost in the stubborn metal fog that still has your brain. Instinct has kept you from moving out into the street. Somehow you know that light is a warning of some sort, and that kids are involved.

Kids! You remember those. It's all coming back now: Kids, large yellow vehicle, flashing lights. It can only mean one thing...

SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION!!!

Isn't it wonderful? The quest for knowledge, the fulfillment of dreams, the anticipation of getting meaningful answers to all of life's questions.

Well, most of life's questions...., OK, some of life's questions. A few?

It doesn't matter. It is the journey and the experiences we have along the way that counts. What better way to augment those experiences than by taking in a few educational podcasts?

Don't frown. I'm not talking about those dry, boring podcasts where some stuffy, self absorbed professor drones on about things you care little about. No, I'm talking about stuff you can use and enjoy.

For instance, maybe you have a fascination for dinosaurs and you just can't get enough info about them. You may get a kick out of Dinosaurs: Before They Were Fuels.

Iyaz Akhtar talks up long dead friends in Dinosaurs: Before They Were Fuels

Interesting title, huh? The podcast is equally interesting. Host, Iyaz Akhtar, offers up the latest news on the long dead reptiles on a weekly basis.

You may be wondering just what new news could this guy offer weekly. I wondered the same thing.

Well, it turns out that Mr. Akhtar not only discusses dinos, he also talks about anything even remotely related to dinos, like the possibility of time travel (presumably to meet a T-Rex face-to-jaws). It's a good idea and it makes dinosaurs a bit more relevant.

So, cold blooded iguana ancestors or warm blooded proto-birds? Did a big rock from space wipe them out or was it volcanically induced global warming that extinguished the big lizards? What were they like before they became coal or petroleum? Check out Dinosaurs: Before They Were Fuels.

Now, from learning about big beasties to seeing how real artists ply their trade.

The Smithsonian Institute is without doubt an American crown jewel. Its museums and research into arts and science are world renown. So when the Smithsonian features an artist you know that person has it going on.

The Smithsonian has a collection of movies featuring premier American artists, called The Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, and the entire series, 24 episodes and an epilogue, is available on the iTunes Store in the iTunes University section. The series is free.

Fiddling around on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

From Jazz to Bluegrass to Country to Blues, each episode features a particular artist versed in a particular genre of music.

This really is an excellent find, folks. Each episode is about 55 minutes long and you see and hear some of the finest musicians America has to offer. If you love music you need to download this entire series. This is your tax dollars at work. You may as well enjoy it.

While you're rooting around iTunes University why not check out The University of California's Science and Technology series. This expansive series covers many topics, from global warming to technology to genetics.

I like the series because I don't have to be an egghead to understand what's being said, yet they do go into detail about the subject at hand.

These videos are all high quality and, just as with the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, they are free for you to download and enjoy.

Take a look and see if you don't agree.

There's one other item I want to alert you to. You can't go to school and not do a little partying. If you're a fan of rock and roll then you are going to love Rock N Roll TV.

The podcast features interviews and performances by some of the wildest indie bands in the U.S. The Dirty Pearls, Ninja Academy, Bangkok 5 and many more. My favorite so far is Powder. The shows this band puts on will rock your socks off.

There well over 100 Rock N Roll TV episodes available at the iTunes Store so go grab a bunch.

Well that's a wrap for this week.

Have a great Labor Day weekend and see you here next week for more Free on iTunes.

More iTunes Store freebies with direct links: