Thursday, May 14, 2009

WKMS and I am a Poop Head

There are things worth supporting in this life. Top of my list is National Public Radio. If you've been deprived of shows like Prairie Home Companion, Talk of the Nation, Fresh Air, This American Life, and NPR news, for heaven's sake, end your deprivation!!!


Our local NPR affiliate is WKMS. They do a fantastic job. One of my requirements for moving to this charming neck of the global woods was that there be an NPR station. As we were driving on our very first trip to Western Kentucky, and I was fiddling with the radio dial, I found one. What with the static and the accent, I thought they were saying, "WPMS". It had been my dream to write commentary - little stories - for NPR and how Bill and I laughed at the notion that my big break would come on a radio station called WPMS. But we were hearing wrong. WKMS. WKMS. Got it.


(And in a fun twist, I had not yet had the nerve to contact the station about writing little stories for them. I had written a post to the small artist's email group about living in this neighborhood. That was forwarded (unbeknown to me) to the editor of Paducah Life, where it was printed. The folks at WKMS read it there and asked me if I would record it for them. Well, yes I would! Jumping jacks, high fives, and cartwheels ensued. That's what happens when little dreams come true all by themselves.)


Fund raising this year is t.i.g.h.t. Budgets are slashed. Charitable giving is down. But here's what I figure. I figure unbiased news coverage is more important than ever. I figure I want to hear my programs and not have them sacrificed to hard times. I figure that's worth my financial support, and my time and effort.


So, when Program Director Mark Welsh emailed me last week and asked if I would be willing to record a piece for the fundraiser, I said sure. Maybe I should have declined. You, Dear Readers, know this has been a challenging time for me. My head is not screwed on tight. I am hanging by my stubby little fingernails to Real Life, as it spins with all the calamitous energy of a very angry bucking bull.


But I wrote my piece and I drove down and recorded it. I called myself a Poop Head twice, and I sang Linda Ronstadt. A capella. OH DEAR!!! I forgot I can't sing. I mean I can sing with the best of them, just not particularly well. You can hear it HERE. Oh please be kind.


If you feel compelled to make a donation to WKMS after listening, or just out of embarrassment for me or pity, (obviously I have no pride) be sure to mention that you are no longer a Poop Head, either. That will bolster my self esteem times a million. Misery loving company and all that.


And if you are a local Dear Reader, WKMS would love if you could take five minutes on this survey:



Simply click on the image. It's fun and you get to tell them what you want to have on the radio. Cool.

hug your hounds - mine are listening to WKMS!

16 comments:

  1. ooooh...so much to pack into a little square box.

    First: We are members! We are members here.(x2) We are members in Azrizona (just for a few more months, though) We are members of WAMU, because our local station doesn't do Diane Rehm. We are members of National Public Radio (it is different!) So we will prolly give some money to the KY station, just because we enjoyed hearing you.

    Second: You and Mumsie sound a lot alike. Are you twinses?

    Third: NPR has a service called Road Trip. http://www.npr.org/templates/stations/stations/index.html
    Not only do you get fairly good maps, but you get NPR stations along the way. Also, muzzer says lots of times, you have to dial them in one digital click at a time, and she feels this is a consipracy of sorts. Dad assures her that the "seek" button looks for the strong signals, and some NPR stations are almost below the radar.

    AND....tadaaaa...my sissie works for NPR in DEee See, so if you ever want a tour, let us know.


    kisses
    gussie

    pee ess...you can send Teka home any time, or muzzer and dad will be in KY in July and can pick her up.

    g

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  2. Let me say right now, without hesitation or reservation that my wife is definitely NOT a ....Wait, what I mean is that almost 99.999% percent of the time she is not...well, maybe it is MOST OF THE TIME she is not a poo......no....that’s not it either. Ok, maybe I should just delete this and start all over.

    I love my wife, in spite of what she said she is. I'm not saying she is a poop head, but if she were, I would still love her.

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  3. Is it like public TV. We love public TV. The world is full of poop heads, but we don't think you are one of them.

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  4. No poop heads here -- our folks are Circle of Friends members at the South Florida NPR station -- WLRN. Once upon a time they were poop heads -- that was before I was a poopy.

    I grew up listening to a local late night/early morning broadcast of Sounds of the Carbbean -- before I got to sleep in the folks' bedroom. Wanna' see me dance to reggae music??? Wanna' hear Just Harry sing?

    Jake (from camp)

    (Some of your programs -- different from ours -- sound very cool.)

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  5. I am an avid NPR listener! I get my cool stories and news on the way to wok on Sirius. I must become a member, you are right, these are hard times, NPR deserves our support.

    I love that you submitted and spoke/sang your piece. Very inspiring for this unpublished writer!

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  6. NPR on WAMU American University!!!!!
    No Poop heads here either.

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  7. We do love the NPR!!! Though for some reason we don't get it in the house here (something screwy with the wiring in Delaware--just like in the ape's head!) so we do WHYY online! And pawd casts! Oh do I love This American Life like we love your story! It was so wonderful of you to do this. I have far exceeded my exclamation point quota!!!

    wally t.

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  8. That was great, Patience!...I love your voice.

    My favorite NPR show is Fresh Air...but I am a bit of a poop head where that's concerned. You have inspired me to be a poop head no more!

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  9. Me love NPR too, but would you please do me a favor and update my link on your blogsites you visit to http://jennandthecity.net I have actually posted in the last three weeks. In fact, I now post for the Seattle PI. I will go look at our local NPR...can I tell them I know you?

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  10. Please update us on how Spice is feeling. Lisa

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  11. Oh P, it's great! And I totally don't get how your radio system works so I guess I'm the poop head ;) (And i've got the candle to proove it :))

    Hugs,
    Ane

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  12. I couldn't get the link to work, so I missed out on your commentary.

    We don't have anything like your NPR here in Canada. I guess the closest is the CBC which is only partially funded by commercials.

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  13. My husband is a big listener of NPR and I've recently started listening as well. Love it!

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  14. When the Pl's leave the house( AND US AT HOME) they leave the radio on......yep you guessed it...you know what we listen to!! Lve A+A

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  15. My Old Girl and Mr. Jason used to work for Alabama Public Radio before they moved me out here to Texas! Hooray for your support!
    By the way, I'm Fred, and I just stopped by to say hello.

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  16. Mom listens to that NPR stuff at work on the internets. She likes it a lot!! She will take a listen to you and don't worry, she cannot sing either.

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