I have been challenged to spend a week without listening to the radio. Which means I will be driving in silence for the next 7 days. The reason for this is I am trying to figure out what radio means to me. I would not consider myself a serious radio listener. I do not know the schedules, the personalities life stories, and I do not listen through the commercials (I flip stations). I only listen in the car, and I think that makes me a fairly typical radio listener. I suppose I could listen at work, but I don't.
Although I am impartial to radio as a medium, when it is taken away from me I feel uneasy.
DAY 1
I got in the car and turned off the radio. While I was driving to work I kept wanting to hit my radio consul because my radio only works some of the time, and that is how I get it to work. Then I think to myself what is going on in the world, what am I missing? I listen to NPR on my way to work so I get a feel for those kinds of things, and in case I don't have time at work to check nytimes.com.
I start to notice the car in front of me looks like its tires might be a little low. Then I start to hum to myself. I guess I needed more than just the noises of cars around me. Admittedly this may be more enjoyable if I were on a scenic highway, but because I am not I begin to get bored. Now my time is spent getting frustrated at other drivers. Finally, I get to work and can interact with others!
My drive home was HOT, not only does the radio sometimes work, the A/C doesn't (I am driving my brothers car because mine had a fuel leak). I didn't miss the radio as much because I almost always talk on the phone while I drive home... I really need to invest in a head-set.
Well there you have it. Day 1 of no radio. What did I discover? Radio makes me a little more carefree, not letting other drives get under my skin. Radio acts as an information source to keep me connected to what is happening here, there and everywhere. Radio acts as my commuter companion.
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