Final jeopardy

The rest of Sunday was pretty easy. I listened to some James Taylor on my computer, I did administrative paperwork and checked Moodle for new assignments. It finally stopped raining and I took the dog for a long walk in the dark. I never listen to the radio in the evening. I don't know why.
But when I went down to make breakfast in the morning, I felt the complete silence again. usually I like quiet, but this seems to have a "dead" quality, as I think I mentioned once before. it was very hard not to turn on npr and hear a friendly rational voice. But I did not. I fetched the Times instead and got absorbed in that. Since breakfast i have really been too busy to notice. It is sunny s i took my paperwork outdoors for awhile. I almost never listen outdoors. I think I am repeating myself.

Did I cheat?? Not really, though a few times I did switch on the radio and once it took a few minutes to become aware of what I had done reflexively. I did go to several other sources for news and information. They are all sources I would use anyway, but maybe I spent a bit more time with them. Honestly, I think it was easier to avoid npr becasue they are doing fundraising this week. I didn;t know it was this week when I chose npr, but i feel like that is cheating a little because who wants to listen to fundraising, really?
I am really looking forward to discussing our blogs with everyone in class tomorrow. I already have more plans for blogging activities.

Sunday - no-npr: still

Saturday evening was pretty easy. I took the dog for a long walk during a break from the rain.Then I watched some tv I had tivo'd, and a DVD. Then I read a book I graded some papers and read a bit from the book I am reading and went to sleep. During the school year I read more junk, and suring breaks and the summer I read more " literary fiction" biographies , etc. Now I am reading a detective novel by Donna Leon. I don't even remember the name, but I love her mysteries becaasue they are more about the characters than the violence, and they are set in Venice ( Italy, not California) which makes for a really fascinating backdrop.
This morning I almost flipped on the radio again when I started making breakfast. The radio is next to the coffee maker, so it is a routine sequence, I think. I didn't listen though. I realize I miss the radio in the morning because I usually wake up thinking about ll the stuff I have to do, and how there are never enough hours in the day. I use npr to " change the subject" so i don't drive myself crazy. Fortunately, I love the Sunday Times, so I ran out through the rain to get it from the driveway. Then it was ok to have no radio.
I tried to take Gigi out for a walk, but she had other ideas.(See photo). She loves going under the hose, but hates the rain. Go figure. Lots of other dog walkers I see have ipods or little discmne, but I never take anything to listen to when I am outdoors. I like to listen to nature and to chat with people I run into. This is also true when I am swimming- which is pretty boring, I suppose. I find things to think about, and don't feel the absence of something to listen to.

Day 2- afternoon

I have been reading other people's blogs and I am pretty impressed with what you are all doing with them. I am encountering glitches uploading stuff, but it is probably just me. I have been doing fairly well without npr, though I have a tendency to automatically flick on the radio in certain situations. Mostly it has been ok, because I have been busy with stuff. I noticed the no nprs situation in the car, though. The car seemed like a little silent vacuum without the radio going. I'm glad my drives have been very short so far. I guess if I had to do a lengthier drive I would dig up an audio book on a CD and play that in the car.

I thought I might feel starved for news and information, being a news junkie. But I was rescued yesterday by PBS which has npr like information and news analysis stuff all evening. And every morning i read the Times anyway. Today is Saturday so I usually listen to " A Prairie Home Comapnion while cooking. So I expect to be pretty bored at that time. ( This is an indescribably weird radio show that is sort of a satire on old-timey radio, but is also pretty sharp and political, with off-beat, and sometimes bizarre musical guests. ) So I will see if I can make it thorugh without that show. After that the rest of the evening is easy- not normally a radio time...

afternoon -day I

The afternoon has been pretty easy because I have been busy doing things that are not really compatible with radio listening . I did actually sit in my car for a short while resetting the computer for tire settings. I could have turned on the radio, but I did not. Resetting anything in this car is complicated, so I didn't notice the lack or radio. Normally I would turn it on instantly when I get in to the driver's seat. Now I am doing various forms of written work, so if I were lsitening to something I would probably choose music, not talk/ news radio. I anticipate that the next 'deprivation moment' will occur when I go to start making dinner. I usually pour a little glass of wine and turn on the radio. The combination is relaxing, and helps me shift gears, epspecially if I have been at school late and rushed into the house. That will not happen today, but I think cooking will be less enjoyable without npr....

Day 1 of NPR deprivation

Well, I made it through the morning with no npr. Actually, I found myself switching it on without thinking when I began routine activities such as getting dressed after my shower, washing dishes, and housework. I quickly turned it off each time. But I can see that i use npr as a way to occupy my brain when I am doing something tedious or mindless. The content is interesting enough to make whatever I am doing less boring. I don't think about it. On the other hand, I have noticed already that these tedious tasks are completed much more quickly without the radio. Clearly I am distracted by the content, even if I think it is just " background". The other thing I've noticed so far is that these basically solitary activities seem much more solitary without the radio, which is in keeping with a lot of commentary about the functions of radio that I have read.
I have not yet found that I am using different media to fill in for npr. I did not use my ipod or a CD player to accompany my activities-yet. I'll see later when I am grading papers and such.

Post #2

I am giving up NPR because this is the media I use most in terms of the amount of time in the day ( not counting reading.).I listen to NPR as accompaniment when I do things that are boring or routine, such as brushing my teeth, washing dishes and driving. So I expect these activities to be very tedious without it.

no npr -dr. fowles

I am giving up radio, which for me, is giving up npr, WNYC.