This American Life; Also, a Prayer
Do you listen to the NPR show This American Life? It's my favorite radio show ever. I turn down invitations if they cut into my weekend routine of drinking a cup of tea and listening to This American Life. It's hard to describe the show -- the people at the show themselves admit this -- but they do a pretty good job here. And some popular episodes are available for your listening pleasure here.A few weekends ago, the episode was about numbers being used in places where numbers maybe shouldn't be used. For example, some folks tried to quantify what makes likable songs likable, and what makes unlikable songs unlikable, by taking a survey of what instruments, voices, and genres of songs people like and dislike most. Then, they combined all the most-liked sounds to create a song everyone should like, and all the least-liked sounds to create a song no one should like. The "good" song turned out to be rather bland and unlistenable. The BAD song, on the other hand, combined elements such as bagpipes, tubas, accordions, children's choirs, and an opera singer singing rap on the subject of the life of cowboys. It was HYSTERICALLY WONDERFUL.
This past weekend's episode was about tomorrow's inauguration, and about how Americans are feeling about all things Obama-related. Another good episode; made me feel a little better about Obama's selection of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the inauguration. You can listen to that episode here.
Before I go, a shout-out to the man who moves into the White House tomorrow. Barack Obama: You know what I think? I think you're extraordinary. You inspire people to work together; you give people hope; you shine. I believe in you. I'm on your side.
I hope the angels are, too.
Comments
I heard the episode on numbers. Liked the part when the two people tried to quantify their relationship. Interesting concept.
Happy inauguration day!
Aside from NPR, I feel so blessed to have found your blog. I will be attempting to get through your posts within these next couple weeks as I get back into school mode.. Of the few I have read so far, I have adored each one almost as much as I love Graceling. I love your voice. Thank you.
Can't wait for tomorrow!! ;)
Code name (not because this is my secret but because I've always wanted a "code name"):
~Candelion
--derived from my sister's nickname of "canda" for me and her insistence that I am a Chameleon by nature.
I added "This American Life" to my iTunes subscriptions. I'm looking forward to listening to it.
Candelion, what a nice comment! Thanks so much, and welcome to my blog :o)
Faith, heh heh, I hear that! I wish you luck.
Charly, that's pretty much how I started listening to NPR, too. My parents. I'm grateful for it now... it's made me impatient with fast, fluttery, screaming news shows...
anywhowhat, u r not going to believe this by science project was about music, and i read this book of the worst songs ever, so i wonder if the good (bad) song sounded like those put together????
happy inauguration day!!!!!
"swing, swing"-swing, swing by the all-american rejects
"jenny was a friend of mine"-jenny was a friend of mine by thekillers
sorry my friends going through a killers phase and she got it stuck in my head
Tink, I held out until they got to Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma, and then I started bawling :o)
I LOVED Graceling! ur an amazing writer :) keep up the good stuff
:D
Have you read Eon: Dragoneye Reborn? Just finished it and I highly recommend it. Now I must go and listen to that "bad" song, which sounds hysterical...
I do find it interesting, though, that some of his stronger support came from the under 30 crowd. I'm used to seeing people put signs on their lawns supporting a politician, but I've never seen people wearing t-shirts in support of their candidate before. From my point of view, it seems like people voted for him in part because he's a celebrity.
In any case, Obama isn't the first person to promise change while being vague about the details... Castro beat him to it when he was elected.
I'm not trying to start a big political argument... the level of enthusiasm just seems bizarre to me and I felt like commenting on it.
I don't want to start a big debate either ^_^ -- but if he's managed to turn some cynics into non-cynics, or at least into cynics with a touch of hope, then he isn't like most politicians.
Do you ever follow the blog of Jay Smooth? He had a good entry yesterday.
Anyway. Just my two cents.
After writing quite a bit about why I still don't agree, I decided maybe it's just better to leave it at that.
I do hope I'm wrong about him... I don't doubt that he'll bring change, but I think he'll be changing the wrong things.
I am just another fan, but I have a question that has been bothering me. I can imagine you have been asked this a lot but Is there going to be a sequel to Graceling. Perhaps Katsa and Po could go on another journey. I am positive your audience would enjoy it. I am,however,aware of the book "Fire" you are writing.I can't wait for that. Although I am a big fan of Po so it would be nice to have both of the main characters together again.
Nice Talking to you,
Book_Worm