I’ve developed a recent addiction to NPR. After years of wondering what drug they put the announcers on, I finally listened to it in an attempt to promote my own sanity (read: I had a really bad day and I needed to relax). And it worked. It really worked. I cooked, I listened, I learned, and I felt better.
The next time I was in the kitchen, I listened again and then again. At this point, I listen to NPR three times a day. I figure the shine will wear off eventually, but until then, I’m learning all kinds of interesting things. Did you know that there is a type of fungi that eats radioactive materials? Did you know that Phillipino cuisine was heavily influenced by Mexico (corn, pineapple, chile, etc.)? Did you know that blind people who suddenly (surgically) regain their sight often have huge difficulty adapting to the world afterwards?
I think the reason that other people hate NPR is that they don’t really care about radioactive-waste-eating fungi. I get that. And some of the announcers’ voices are pretty awful. It does wear on you after a while. The high brow humor can be a little tiring. Garrison Keelor is fantastic, but the Prairie Home Companion can be too much to take at times. If you’re in the head-banging mood, I don’t think new age trash, ahem, MUSIC, like “Gentle Rain” is going to do it for you. That is to say, I admit, there are still parts that I hate. The news programs are the best, but even they have their moments. Jokes aren’t supposed to celebrate one’s intellectuality. They’re colored by wit, but if brains are their basis…boring! No one wants to hear a snob tell jokes.
Still, the content of the information is excellent. It’s interesting, there’s a good mix of news and other programs, and I learn a lot of interesting information by listening. Still, I think NPR could learn something from the more popular stations. Sometimes people don’t want to be put to sleep by the radio, they want to be energized, they want to be provoked. Diane Reem sometimes provokes me to want to break something, but I think it’s just because I need a change of pace. There’s something about her voice that kind of drives me nuts. But oh, the information.
