Hey, it DID work!
I'm surprised and impressed. It worked on the very first try. Sometime later I'll post information about how to CREATE the mp3 file (it involved a free download of Audacity, and a free download of a file entitled LAME mp3 encoder). Then all you need is an inexpensive microphone (if your computer doesn't have a built-in microphone) and you are set to create and post your podcasts. Then people can add you to their RSS feed aggregator, such as Google Reader, and get all your latest podcasts!