Persistent earworm alert CDXLVIII

During Thursday night's power outage, the first three words of Crowded House's "It's Only Natural," played on a mental loop for me.  I kept thinking, "Ice will melt," repeatedly.  

That earworm stopped when I realized that I would lose hardly any perishable food.  Ever since a three-day power outage 21 years ago, I've been careful not to get too far ahead on perishable food.  During a storm in 2005, I lost 90% of the perishable food I'd just bought, and I resolved not to let that happen again.

"I thought, 'Ice will melt?'  Ice cube trays can always be refilled," I reasoned Thursday, "and all I'm really losing while the electricity is out is two sticks of butter." 

Context? CDLIV

Recently, I heard an opinion expressed on AM radio that some amusement parks should be dinged for not having a running theme.  

How important is that?  When I went to Six Flags as a kid, I didn't think there needed to be any common thread among the attractions.  I just thought, "I look forward to going on the Log Flume and the Scrambler and tasting the mustard-based potato salad at a particular restaurant."

As with most high school yearbooks, I'm not sure a theme matters all that much to most customers.  Disney, for some reason, is an exception to that for people, but otherwise...

Context? CDLIII

Yesterday, a radio talk show host said that when he retires, it will be a true retirement.  He won't go on the radio again, even in a reduced capacity.

He clarified that he'll likely talk about what it was like to be in radio with people at a coffee shop, but he doesn't intend to broadcast again,  He reasons that by then, he'll have said everything he intends to say.

His logic is understandable.  Even when you enjoy broadcasting, it's a relief not to have to fill airtime.  Here's hoping he has a relaxing time away from the microphone--whenever that turns out to be. 

Context? CDLII

Yesterday, a radio personality made a sound case for being the narrator in a play, reasoning that "all you have to do is read, and you're paid handsomely for it."

If you never have to appear on stage while narrating, I'd contend it's even more appealing.  

Spoken like someone who prefers the contradictory known-yet-anonymous aspect of radio fame...

FM dial scan highlights CCCX

Six recommended tracks heard this morning:

WSIE 88.7 FM 

• Sky High-Donald Byrd (A sunny, joyful groove for trumpet, flute, and rhythm section.  The vocal punctuation is icing on the cake for this 1973 tune.  Also recommended: "Where Are We Going?")
• El Fuego-Althea Rene (Pleasant, upbeat smooth jazz flute and guitar, with a kick.)
• Paris-Janet Evra (The synergy between the vocals and piano is particularly appealing.  This relaxed rhythm could segue with multiple versions of "The Girl From Ipanema.")

KCLC 89.1 FM

• We Should Talk-Bleachers (Lyrically, this is a sad reminder that people you once knew well will drop out of  your life not out of animosity but because your life trajectories are radically different.)
• Paranoid-Hippo Campus (Are you on the right path?  Yes.  Or no, maybe.  Sometimes, the answer isn't immediately obvious.)

KCFV 89.5 FM

• Promise Me-Badflower (A discomforting warning, even more so than "We Should Talk" by Bleachers, that it's sometimes too late to get back in touch.)  

A sad sign of the times II

About 12 years ago, I visited an independent bookstore.  I found the quiet atmosphere welcoming, and the store's tasteful selection of reading material in a small space impressed me.  As I stepped up to pay for my purchase, I saw the wide selection of music magazines offered near the register.  I thought, "I really hope this store succeeds.  With this selection and friendly service, it deserves to make it."

Then, reality crept into my thoughts.  "Not many people buy magazines these days," I thought.  "Most likely, only a small fraction of this inventory will sell.  As much as I'd like to believe that hordes of customers will stop in and pick up the latest issues of magazines specializing in folk music, music critics' reviews of new releases, and various instruments, that probably won't happen."  

The optimism that the music magazines represented reminded me of the unexpectedly large selection of greeting cards I saw at a small pharmacy that opened around the same time as the bookstore.  I thought, "People still send greeting cards in some cases but not as often as they used to, and this won't likely be the first place where they'll select them.  Most of these cards will probably remain unsold." 

Unfortunately, the bookstore and the pharmacy are no longer in business.

Context? CDLI

During an FM dial scan in 1997, I heard a DJ say, "Isn't that about obnoxious?  But it's got to be done, in case the Russians are--No, forget it.  Let's get a look at traffic..."

Presumably, the station had just run a test of the Emergency Broadcast System.  I still wonder how the DJ would have completed his thought if he hadn't censored himself.