My plan was to drive to from Baton Rouge to Tallahassee and the following day to Orlando, but I wasn't sure if that was going to be possible.
The weather people kept emphasizing that the storm was likely to stay put as there were no systems present to scoot the storm on out to the ocean (or off to lands we care less about).
I called ahead to the hotel and they said the rain had stopped, but that it might come back in the evening. The weather forecast in Tallahassee predicted thunderstorms that night and plenty of thunder and lightening in to the next day there and in Orlando.
I decided to take a chance during the break in the rain with the alternative of getting the heck out of there if the going looked treacherous.
However, I am pleased to report that I drove all the way to Tallahassee without encountering a drop of rain. (Although the rain that fell caused quite a mess before I got there.)That night's promised thunderstorms never appeared either. I don't know what happened, but I'm enormously thankful that it did.
It reminded me of a day in middle school when we were all sent home from school early because of the chance of wind. As I recall, we ended up getting a nice breeze, but that was it.]
It was a fairly boring day of driving and listening to the weather reports, so instead of writing about the non-excitement of that, I'd like to write about what else I've been listening to. As I just passed the K/W dividing line, it feels appropriate.
Back in 2004, I decided it was time to do something with my life. When I searched my soul for what I was truly passionate about, and the answer came back: women's health and radio.
We know which path I chose, but I still have a love for listening the radio. Starting in second grade, I went to bed with the radio on every night. I remember deciding that it was time I developed a taste for popular music out of Seattle and began listening to pop on Star 101.5. Later, I made the switch to Young Country at 96.5 and ultimately decided I'd rather be friends with people who listened to alternative music on 107.7 the End.
When I moved to Massachusetts, I searched the Internet for a station that would play music and allow me to listen to Loveline at night. I found and fell in love with 94.7 KNRK out of Portland, OR. I was most fond of the morning DJs, Gustav and Daria. They were witty and intelligent, and every morning Daria told a story (often from her mischievous childhood) that led to recommending a local business.
I was thrilled to move to Portland and be able to listen without being next to a computer. In 2004, their one "shock jock" said something a bit too controversial and was fired, and KNRK restructured to become the perfect radio station. Except part of their restructuring included splitting up Gustav and Daria. Eventually, Gustav was brought back and Daria resurfaced on 105.1 the Buzz (a bit more pop-y than 94.7, but still decent) and Daria's Local Entertainment Guide came with her.
At the University of Puget Sound, I finally got to try my hand as a radio host on 90.1 KUPS. I was host of the Theme Park -- a twice weekly one hour program with a theme to every show.
When I returned to Portland, I tuned back in to 94.7 and discovered a treat on Sunday mornings. Greasy Kid Stuff is a show devoted entirely to awesome music for the kidlets. And while kids are the target audience, I'm not ashamed to admit I enjoy it quite a bit myself. Since bands like They Might Be Giants have gotten in on the game, kids music has gotten pretty darn cool.
It was Greasy Kid Stuff that introduced me to pirate rock in the form of Captain Bogg and Salty:
Although my favorite song of theirs doesn't have a video, but you can listen to it here. "Scurvy" is also the source of the ubiquitous "Eat a Lime" bumper-sticker found all around town.
When I left on this here adventure, I said goodbye to my car's preset radio stations (but I am still able to visit them via an app on my phone). I was determined to say hello to the local radio as I crossed the nation.
I encountered comedy radio in Austin, TX. Comedy 102.7 plays nothing but stand up clips 24 hours a day. It's fun for a few minutes, but I think any longer than that would be classified by torture.
In Louisiana, I happened across retro Voodoo 104.1 which plays a lot of songs I haven't heard in decades. (I noticed something was up I heard a string of Boyz II Men, Bell Biv DeVoe, and Tony! Toni! Toné! all in a row.)
And certainly crazy-making talk radio can be found anywhere, but I've noticed it more on the FM dial here in the South. One particularly inexplicable conversation I listened to while coming back from the Watermelon Thump. They were talking about "the environmentalists" so I knew it was going to be good. The caller stated that the question that always stumps them is, "How do we know it wouldn't be a good thing to kill the last black rhino? Maybe nature has a plan!"
I had to change the station when the host signed of to commercials saying, "The crazy part is, all these environmentalists are going to vote for Obama . . . and he ate dog!"
(I'm not quite sure what one has to do with the other. We're not running out of dogs.)
Later, I heard a one-sided debate on the need to reinstate mandated prayer in school. I will quote the dearly departed Paul Harvey and say as long as there are math tests, there will be prayer in school.
I'm a little sad to have made the last time warp into the eastern time zone, the land of W_ _ _ and Eddy's ice cream with no immediate plans of turning around. I am still a Pacific Northwesterner at heart and each time I adjusted the clock in my car, this move became a little more real (although maybe I could have stayed in denial a little longer had I let it be like the woman I met in Atlanta whose car still thinks its in California).
Well, at least I'll know the news three hours before it happens in the Pacific Northwest and "Saturday Night Live" will actually be live!
Tomorrow, I attempt to make it to Orlando as long as the weather holds.
Odometer Start: 38625
Odometer End: 39073
Miles Driven Today: 448
Miles Driven Total: 5236
Today In/Around: Tallahassee, FL
Tomorrow: Orlando, FL
States Visited: 12 (Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida)
Raindrops Falling on My Head: 0
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