I heart KCRW

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BLISS

Over the last four years I have developed a deep and undying love for NPR news. This can be blamed on Nic Harcourt, the KCRW DJ on the morning music program, "Morning Becomes Ecclectic" or as I like to affectionately refer to it, "MBE". When I first moved to LA, I happened upon this radio station while trying to survive my morning commute. I fell in love with Nic who introduced me to some of my favorite bands and helped me realize that the music world as I knew it was not dead. I love KCRW and all that it stands for. Through it I discovered great music, Matt's movies, This American Life, Story Corps, early concert details, and NPR news. Just like most things that I really dig, I became a little obessed and would talk about Nic, MBE, and NPR all the time. That station saved me from the commercial radio in LA which would have otherwised led to a slow and painful death during commuting (this was in the pre-ipod days). Anyway, Nic indirectly led to my discovery of NPR news. I would get to work in the morning listening to MBE and when I got back into the car to drive home, I would hear the soothing voices of Melissa Block, Michele Norris, and Robert Siegel telling me the news of the day on All Things Considered. In my younger years, I would have immediately changed the station to something more hip and exciting. But, there was something incredibly grounding and calming about hearing the news as I fought my way back to Hollywood in the heat and traffic. NPR quickly became part of my daily routine and when I started working earlier in the morning I would listen to Renee Montagne and Steve Inskeep give me the morning news as I was getting ready for work and on the morning commute. I didn't realize how much a part of my routine and daily world these people had become. But, as I was driving to work yesterday, I had this empty, disconnected feeling. I realized that I had no idea what was going on in the world and I missed my friends at NPR. I frantically searched through the radio stations, listening eagerly for a familiar voice...but none could be found. I settled for some amature news program that just wasn't giving me the satisfaction I was looking for. I came home from work last night, got online, and found the local NPR station, Oregon Public Radio (OPR). This morning, I drove to work while Renee told me about an elephant that was holding up motorists in Orissa and Steve told me about the political crisis that Musharraf is creating for himself. All was right with the world.