Monday, March 26, 2007

CONFESSIONS OF AN NPR NERD

I love NPR in a big way. The Girl loves NPR. I have even turned The Hubby into an NPR news enthusiast (which is different from me, since I also have BIG love the non-news stuff). My BIG NPR love is also directed at Ira Glass. There is nothing better than listening to This American Life, while sipping a Starbucks' chai in my driveway, all alone with Ira. You know how that goes: You're driving home from running a few errands on Sunday, listening to a great story about an abandoned house or misspent youth or lottery fever. You have been lulled into a semi-trance by Ira's sorta-nasal but very charming voice. Then, damn, you've arrived home. But Ira's siren song is too strong. You can't turn him off. You must listen to the remainder of the story in your car despite the fact you have subscribed to the podcast. So you just relax, sit back and sip your chai, letting the warmth of Ira Glass wash over you along with the sunshine streaming in from your sunroof. And you let the neighbors wonder.

Whew, I'm spent. OK, back to reality.
This American Life is now on Showtime. Now we can all watch as Ira Glass delivers his funny little introductions, gives an endearing giggle when tickled by an unexpected turn of his guest's story, or interjects personal quips into their tales. Oh, Ira, you sweet, sweet man-child.

And enjoy this article by Sarah Hepola on Nerve.com. Very funny and Glass-o-rific. And until I read in her piece that Ira Glass is married, I too held out hope that one day our paths would cross and we would fall madly in love. Nerdy, witty, aural love. A love that is fueled by the fact that there are funny but sad stories all around us that need to be heard.

PS - I also have a secret (well, not anymore) crush on long-time TAL contributer Sarah Vowell. Her wit is drier than vermouth, she loves history, has an odd voice and is friends with Conan O'Brien and They Might Be Giants. Plus, she was an animated superhero. F'n A! She rocks.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi,
Came across your blog and am enjoying it...have ties to Ventura, so it caught my eye.
Feel the same about TAL and our friend Ira. Am so happy about the Podcast!
Thought I would stop lurking and let you know...I agree:)

VenturaMom from said...

Yippee! A big Ventura welome to you jb. I thought the only folks reading were former co-workers and friends who left the area.

And just so the rest of you don't feel left out...YIPPEE to you too!

SUEB0B said...

I love me some TAL too. I can't wait to see it for the first time.

Thanks for the Zoo invite, but I had other stuff I had to do...How was it?

Monkey loves Kitten said...

We'd heard it was coming so I sneak DVR'd it (No, we don't have real TiVo right now). I was aprehensive. We watched it. I was not totally freaked out. I prefer the radio version, prefer the way my mind works when listening, but it was cool to see the Ghosts of Pasha story since I had heard it before. I felt like some sort of insider.