Testimonials

So, the past couple weeks, I've been working on what are called "testimonials."  As many listeners of National Public Radio will already know, most stations are supported in part by underwriters; businesses and organizations who help support a show and in return we mention their support on the air when the show plays.  Testimonials are when we bring in people from those businesses and record them talking about how underwriting has worked out for them, so other businesses can hear that and decide to underwrite as well.

I've been tasked with running the microphone while we record these people and also editing down the interviews; removing all the dead space and cutting down the length so they can be played on the air.  What's amazing, that I've noticed during editing, is that some people (myself included) tend to pepper their speech with so many "um"s and "uh"s that they can't finish a sentence without using them, and some people can speak for several minutes without using them once or pausing to think about what to say.  Equally amazing is the fact that you wouldn't really notice either way unless you're actively listening to tell (or trying to edit those words out). 

We're all finished recording the businesspeople and now all that's left to do is "tag" the spots (record one of us talking about how people can sign up for underwriting) and edit it all together with music.  Then, they should be ready to hear on the air.  So next time you're listening to SPR and you hear someone talking about how great underwriting was for their business, now you know what those little spots are called and how they're made.

A New Blogger.

With Evan gone, there has been a Making Noise power vacuum at SPR. In light

of this opportunity, I, Luke the production intern, have seized power.  But by "seized power," I mostly mean "volunteered to start writing for Making Noise."  But since I will be the new blogger at SPR, here’s a little info about me:

As mentioned, I am the community production intern here, which is a volunteer

position.  About a month ago, I started doing work for the station because I’ve

always enjoyed listening to NPR, and felt like I wanted to do my part after

congress voted to stop funding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 

Being unemployed, however, I had more free time than I had money, so

volunteering looked like a better option than donating.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I first came here, but I soon

found that everyone was quite friendly.  Mostly, it’s like a normal

office, wherein everyone has their own tasks that they’re working on in

their own offices, but nobody is so busy that they can’t take a little

time out to give some advice to a new production intern who can’t figure

out why the speakers on the editing station keep playing Beatles music

instead of what’s on the editor.

Speaking of production intern, I should probably talk a little bit about my

duties here.  When I signed up to volunteer, I put three smiley faces next

to the “Computer Help” box  because that’s the kind of thing I’m

good at.  Fortunately, they had a lot of that for me to do.  Primarily, I

put up podcasts onto the Spokane Public Radio website and do the same for

news stories.  I also write some promos, provide a little tech support, edit

audio, and I took photos of Carl Kasell’s performance when he came to

Spokane (more on that later).  I guess you could describe me as an “intern

of all trades.”

And now, I’ve volunteered to start writing for the SPR blog as well, and

that’s where I am.  I’ll be taking Evan’s place writing about the

daily life here at SPR, as well as interesting happenings.  Or, if

there’s anything you want to know about KPBX, KSFC, or KPBZ, or just general stuff

you want to hear about, let me know in a comment.

      Until next time,

      Luke

Fond Farewell

Farewell lunch with the gang

How time has flown over the last several months. The moment has come for me to write my last blog post as the marketing intern. The summer is fast approaching and with school almost done, I will soon be heading home to Denver. It seems like yesterday that I sat down for the first time at the station to write my introduction post. Before this, I had never had to write for an organization or even heard much about blogs before, it was difficult to put pen to paper and find my style of writing. Over time the blog has slowly, but surely improved and matured to what it looks like today. Designing and writing for the blog has been an amazing and enjoyable challenge that has allowed me to express creativity and share my thoughts.

The two semesters I have spent at SPR have been without question a rewarding and memorable experience. I have met some great people and developed new music interests while receiving invaluable knowledge about marketing and business.

The hardest part of concluding my internship is saying goodbye to all the staff that make SPR truly special. Many listeners are acquainted with the station’s program hosts, but I was lucky enough to get to know the staff behind the scenes. Even though I was the only guy in the back office, it was never difficult to strike up a quick conversation with all the women. Whether it was chatting with Ann, about this year’s excellent skiing conditions or discussing with Stephanie, the Volunteer Coordinator, our favorite TV series, I will miss each and every person at the station. It was great to be in a welcoming environment and I always looked forward to arriving at the office each day, except during pledge drives. I think everyone can breathe a sigh of relief now that I will no longer be asking them to take ridiculous pictures with donated items for the website during the pledge drive.

Reflecting back on my time spent in the office, I am amazed at how much I have transformed. Verne can attest to how nervous I was at first of doing even the simplest of tasks, such as take pictures in the studio of him and his guests, while on the air. Now, I don’t hesitate to snap a quick photo of an interview. There have been times where deadlines and unexpected events caused me anxiety, such as answering the phones during the pledge drive. A big thank you needs to go out to all those listeners that called into the station and were patient enough to repeat their contact info multiple times for me. One of the most stressful times I can distinctively remember was the day when I accidentally deleted The Making Noise blog. In a panicked frenzy I tried to remain calm, but was overwhelmed with the task of having to build the blog from scratch without anyone noticing what I had done. In the end everything ended up for the better and all those stressful times were learning experiences that made me stronger.

Last but not least, I can’t forget the readers of Making Noise. Through all the changes you managed to stay with the blog and continue to give your reactions to posts, vote on the poll question and leave comments. One of the most satisfying parts of being the intern at SPR was when I received responses back from people about the blog. Everyone has been so supportive and I appreciate all the feedback. My goal with the blog was to make it an interactive site where a dialogue could occur instead of a one-sided lecture.

I now pass the blog onto the next intern who will give it a new voice. Spokane Public Radio will forever be close to me and I look forward to returning back to school for my senior year, so I can once again volunteer at events and be a part of the public radio family.

 

Will Summer Ever Arrive?

The spring equinox may have passed, but winter seems to not want to take a vacation. Staring out the second floor window at the station on Monday, I was stunned to see such large snow flakes falling. Apparently everyone has come to the same consensus about the strange weather. Martha the front desk receptionist, on the intercom mentioned in a bummed voice that gardening season will be a little late this year.

Not everyone hates the snow. A friend of mine (who wishes it was ski season year round) was celebrating the whole 0 inches of non-accumulating snow, even if the rest of the world criticized his Facebook post. This time last year, I was pulling out the shorts and getting ready to throw on some tanning lotion to begin bronzing up for the summer. This year, my morning routine consists of first instinctively grabbing the t-shirt and cutoffs and then realizing I need to make a realistic switch to jeans and a sweater. Living in Spokane, many people get used to the rainy and cloudy weather, but after a several months of relentless cold and non-stop windy weather it shouldn’t be much to ask for a few continuous warm and sunny days. Looking at the 10 day forecast today, there is some possibility for a sunny and relatively sizzling Easter weekend in the 60s.

What are your thoughts on the strange weather pattern we have had this year?

Sunny Stroll

It seems like every time I stroll by the studio, Verne is in the midsts of another interview. Today, Gabriela Montero stopped by to chat. Last year she had to postpone her visit to the station and for good reason. She got the opportunity to perform with Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman at the White House. The forecast for most the weekend is calling for gloomy weather. In order to keep myself active and off the couch, I might have to make a visit downtown and check out one of her perfomances with the Symphony.

Hot off the Press

In quintessential KPBX Kids’ Concert style, Saturday’s tribute to Django Reinhardt featuring the Hot Club of Spokane had the Bing Theater aisles bustling with kids dancing to the Gypsy-Jazzy beat. It’s a hard task to keep kids attention let alone their parents for an hour concert performance, but the Hot Club did just that. With their catchy rhythm and interaction with the audience via sing along, the group kept the audience active. Guest guitarist, Steve Bauer of 6 Foot Swing had parents laughing feverishly when he mentioned his favorite performer’s eccentric spending habits. The kids got their good laugh when later in the performance he imitated Django’s bizarre playing style. The hour long concert culminated with Miss Lee Lee, a diva that would have had the 1920’s Parisian audiences roaring. I can honestly tell you I did not recognize the music of Django Reinhardt before the concert, but after hearing some of his tunes, I can now say that I have become a fan of Hot Club music. Before starting as an intern at Spokane Public Radio, I thought I was aware of a wide variety of music. After helping out with several KPBX Kids’ Concerts and the R&V Sale, I have realized that I have much to learn. It’s great that the children who attend the station’s concerts get to listen to alternative music at such a young age.    

The Run In

Have you ever unexpectedly bumped into a person you know? Whether it's family, friends, people from your past, or co-workers -- it can be an strange but stimulating experience. Last week, while at a Gonzaga music performance featuring French guitarist Florian Larousse, that’s exactly what transpired. After listening to Larousse play passionately, I was surprised to run into Leon Atkinson. The crowd had exited the concert hall, but the two of us remained to chat. After exchanging greetings and discussing the performance, our conversation had run its course. I like talking to Leon, so instead of ending the conversation there, I prolonged our meeting by mentioning the weather, the ultimate conversation stretcher. While not the most ideal topic to discuss, at the very least, I was able to enjoy the chat a little longer. After we went our separate ways, I realized it was not that unusual to run into Leon at a performance in Spokane, especially since it is Spokane. However, there might have been another reason that we ran into each other. Could it have been the Law of Attraction? The law states that you will attract to yourself whatever you give focus, attention, or energy to; whether wanted or unwanted. For example, if you think about being broke, poor, lonely and believe in your thoughts, then most likely you will be. This extends to the synchronistic "coincidence" of being in the same place at the same time as someone you know. Leon may be the host of KPBX's Guitar Hour, but on that night we both were brought together by the positive energy of a few relaxing acoustic guitar sets. You would have never known that a demanding week-long pledge drive had just concluded. If you have a story about an unexpected meeting or the Law of Attraction feel free to post a comment on the blog.

Drive Update

By now you’re quite aware that the station’s spring pledge drive is in full swing. While the semi-annual drive can be very strenuous, everyone so far has been up to the task of attaining the stations pledge goals. Coinciding with the tremendous financial support from listeners, the down in-the-trenches support from all the staff and volunteers has been sensational. Everyone is working diligently and doing their part to make sure the week-long event ends as soon as possible, even if it means burning the candle at both ends. Several staff are arriving as early as 4 and 5 am and not leaving ‘til evening so that they can complete their duties.

The volunteers answering the phones are working hard too. On Friday, I was lucky enough to answer calls with three ladies, several of which had already done multiple 3-hour shifts for the drive and were planning to do more. They were energized to be there and enjoyed taking pledges so much that at one point in Pledge Central, it was more like the game show Jeopardy when an easy question is asked. It’s all a matter of who had the quicker reflexes and could connect to the caller first. I was never fast enough, which seems to be the story of my life. Even though the drive may still have a few days left, it’s apparent that all involved are staying steadfast in seeing the final hours through.

Humdinger

We all know the sailors adage referring to the quiet before the storm, but is it really true? In regards to weather, but is it always the case? According to How Stuff Works, warm, dry air is the main contributor needed to produce the calmness we experience before a cloudburst, because it is a relatively stable air mass. The quiet before the storm possibly describes Spokane Public Radio before a pledge drive. All is relatively quiet at the station currently. Starting Thursday, it won’t be that way. Pledge Central will be hectic and filled with volunteers sitting at tables and answering non-stop phone calls. The staff will be hard at work; running around making sure everything is going as planned and even spending their extra time in the studio to help make a push for the cause. The aroma of lunch provided by local restaurants will have people attempting to determine whether they’re at a restaurant or a radio station.

The staff has been briefed, the setup in pledge central is complete and only several things are left to be finished. Electricity is in the air, and the staff at the station is excited to have all the calls pour in as it warms up with all the community support. A tremendous amount of effort goes into a pledge drive which includes the generous support from volunteers who contribute their time and local businesses that donate food and other items to help fuel the drive. Of course, the listening community is imperative to the endurance and success of the station. It has been especially warming to witness the amount of pre-pledges that have been received by the station. The perfect conditions seem to be in place during this calm before the pledge drive storm. Let's hope it's a humdinger.

My First Meeting

Ask any college student what their least favorite part of school is, and the answer isn’t a surprise. Of course, finals and midterms top the list, but immediately after -- is going to class. Sitting in a classroom for over an hour as a professor monotonously rambles on about some “fascinating” topic is torture for most students.

Excited to go the SPR special meeting today regarding the upcoming pledge drive, I realized shortly after sitting there that I had been deceived into adding an extra class to my Tuesday schedule.

Without realizing it, I began to follow my normal class routine. I grabbed a seat in the back row and watched as everyone trickled in several minutes late. My new professor for the hour, Linda, began to outline the meeting’s agenda. While at first I was active and interested in the subject matter, eventually I started to feel the Charley Brown effect where the teacher makes non-sense whopping “wa-wa” noises. It is also interesting to note that I was not the only one feeling this way. Like always, the guys in the room livened up the discussion by adding several humorous (wise-ass) comments -- something typical in most of my college classes. Linda did, however, get everyone through the material in a little over an hour, and I was impressed that the staff and volunteers felt free to give their unique two-cent perspectives and ideas. And I certainly learned that there’s much more that goes into running a pledge drive than I have ever even thought about.

As the meeting began to wind down, and the aroma of the Aloha Island Grill after-meeting meal began to waft through the room distracting everyone’s attention, I was struck by the thought that maybe some things never change. Will my future work meetings be like class lectures where my mind wanders and I can’t wait get out and go skiing?  Is this what I have to look forward to when I graduate? Or is it that, maybe, the employees at SPR have just found it hard to grow up? Either way, I’ll find out in a year or two.

Shelf Shuffle

Do you remember that feeling as a kid when you were forced to visit the dentist for the first time and in your mind you way over-blew the event? Friends and family (even though they were joking) petrified you by telling outlandish stories of their first visit being a time where dentists tortured people with drills and sharp pointy objects? I guess some things never change--since there are people that still hate going to the dentist.

When I first started interning at the station, the same over-blown thought processes occurred in my mind, except this time it was the stereotype that all interns were errand-running servants. I will admit that most of my perception came from the movie “The Devil Wears Prada” (I won’t go in to the details of why I watched the movie, since it is a chick-flick). For those of you that haven’t seen it, Anne Hathaway runs around as the assistant to an over-demanding boss (Meryl Streep), who everyone fears because she is so malicious. Up until Tuesday, my internship fears never had any merit, since I never had to do monotonous tasks. What made Tuesday an interesting day was that I was asked to bring up from the basement an all-metal shelf unit. I was more than willing to grab it, and even assemble it, until I realized that the box had to weigh nearly 200 pounds. With no elevator, and only a dolly for support, I was anxious about getting the IKEA-style shelf up the intimidating flight of front stairs. I did manage to get my load up the 20, or so, steps with a little elbow grease and was able to start putting the shelving-system together.

Like a dad trying to put his child’s bike together on Christmas without the adequate tools, I didn’t have a hammer (suggested in the manual as essential equipment) to help me complete the job. If you have ever put one of these units together, you know that it can be tedious to get the support panels locked into place so the whole thing doesn’t collapse. Using my body weight, I’m sure I looked foolish hanging off the ground while holding on to the side panel to get it to lock into place. When it was all put together (and I had done my pull up workout) I was glad that I had followed the directions (the second mistake that fathers perform). When all was said and done, though, I was pretty astounded that I had built the shelf without any prior experience -- even though there were two extra pieces, go figure.

Ecstatic of my accomplishment, I was a little irate when several staff members walked by and told me how easy it was to put shelves together. At least now I can say that I am a real intern and have done the grunt work.

R and V Aftermath

Believe it or not - vinyl is not dead. This past weekend was a testament to the sustained popularity of this old-school musical medium. For two days, the KPBX Recordings and Videos Sale had hundreds of people lined up early to get first grabs at all the pristine vinyl they could buy. As the new kid on the block who had never participated in the event (and who knows relatively nothing about vinyl) I was amazed at the continuous flow of record groupies all day in the Spokane Masonic Center Auditorium, where the event took place.

I lent my time as a volunteer for several hours on Saturday and was given the duty of putting rogue records back into boxes and helping buyers carry their stuff out to their cars. I soon realized why no one else wanted the task: vinyl records are like carrying lead when you get dozens of them stuffed into a box. If I were asked “what is humankinds’ best invention to date?” - I would have to say the dolly. While loading records, equipment, and other dusty treasures, I got a chance to converse a little with sale-goers about the items they purchased. You would have thought that they had discovered gold with the way they described all of their stuff! One gentleman bought a load of old 78s, and as we were putting them in the cab of his ’69 Chevy truck (another potential conversation piece), he told me that it’s a hobby of his to keep “the good stuff of the past.” I guess he gave me the nostalgia fever, because at the silent auction I decided to bid on a turntable that, surprisingly, I won.

Finishing up all the duties for the day with the rest of the volunteers and staff who worked long hours to make sure the event ran smoothly, I felt invigorated. Placing equipment on the tables for the next day’s auction, I now understand why vinyl continues to survive even if digital allows you to access thousands of songs in the palm of your hands. Sure, it could be the quality of the sound or the artistic album covers, but the sense of community and the history are what make it even more special. I’m not quite there yet to join the vintage LP fan club, but I am enthusiastic about next year’s sale. Especially because I can bid on that receiver I forgot I would need to go with my new turntable.

New View 2

You may have recently observed that some major updates have occurred to the SPR blog. While many of the updates over the past several months have been intentional, changing the entire layout on Tuesday was not. With one click of the mouse, I managed to alter Making Noise forever by deleting the template that organizes the design of the blog. Originally, I thought I had deleted all the content on the site as well. Thankfully, after several panicked minutes, I realized that everything was not lost. This created an opportunity to further tweak Making Noise and design a layout that could better handle new interactive features such as the weekly poll, picture of the week and the Photoshop designed header. When I started interning at SPR last October and took over responsibilities for the blog, I had no clue how to manage it. With a modest amount of HTML and website design knowledge from a college class I took a year ago at Gonzaga, I had the ambition to give the blog more pizazz. With the recent changes, I feel as though Making Noise is one step closer to that goal. In the coming weeks there will be more minor changes as I fiddle with the aesthetics. If there is anything you would like to see added to the blog feel free to leave a comment.

Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me

.

With a great deal of hype surrounding Watson, the IBM computer that can play Jeopardy, I thought that Making Noise should jump on the quiz show bandwagon and ask the staff some questions. Just like the title of the NPR quiz program Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me, many of them tussled with the deep, thought-provoking questions asked. Here are a few samples:

Choose a movie title that is the story of your life?

Jerry Olson, chief engineer – “Sleepless in Seattle.”

Reason behind answer: Not getting enough sleep

If you could only see in black-and-white and one additional color, what color would you choose?

Brian Lindsey, operations assistant and Weekend Edition host – “Gray, the world is not always back and white.”

Can you name four words that rhyme with pencil?

Mary Cravens, membership coordinator – “Stencil, tinsel, utensil, and pencil (Wait… that shouldn’t count!).”

If you could go on a road trip with any person, dead or alive, who would it be?

Verne Windham, program director – “I would like to take a drive with Dr. X, who is down on Obama-care.” Verne felt in order to properly address all the issues surrounding the subject, the length of the road trip would need to be similar to the amount of time it takes to drive to Seattle.

What do you think the greatest invention is in your lifetime?

Ann Torigoe-Hawkins, underwriting representative – “The GPS. Good or bad it’s amazing we can find out exactly where we are in the world at any time.”

If you would like to answer some unique questions NPR's, Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me has an interactive question section. Link: http://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/

Also, if you have a question you would like anyone at the station to answer, leave a comment and we will added it to the post.

.

Car Talk

.
Wow! I was wrong that gas prices would remain low during and after the recession. Washington now has the seventh highest gas price in the country, with a gallon of gas costing nearly $3.25 according to gasbuddy.com, and it’s only February! What is a driver to do to save at the pump?

With the economy recovering and car sales up, it seems that the manufacturers are gearing up to take advantage of drivers’ smaller pocketbooks. Just look at the Super Bowl, where there were over a dozen advertisements for a variety of new models: electric, diesel, hybrid, there is so many options to choose from these days to save energy and money.

I grew up listening to Car Talk with my dad on Saturdays and I still find Click and Clack’s advice helpful when I’m trying to find ways to save gas money since I drive a Jeep Wrangler, essentially a vehicle that is a brick on wheels. I am always looking for ways to improve my estimated 15 MPG (which it rarely is). Recently on their show, a caller asked a question about whether having a full or half filled tank is better for keeping gas costs down? After much debate and shared stories of how callers were able to beat the system and drive on fumes for hundreds of miles, it was determined that more gas equals more weight, thus causing worse mileage. So, I guess that means that even the pennies from my ashtray will get me where I’m going.

If you’re looking for something to listen to this weekend, my recommendation is to turn the dial and enjoy some ‘Car Talk.’ If you're a fan of the show leave a comment about your impressions.
.

Catchy Converations

.
Strolling into the SPR office each morning you don’t quite know what to expect. I find it similar to playing Roulette, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen. Take for example, last Tuesday. It was a peaceful time at the station; it felt like few were in attendance. Then the blackout occurred. With the station without juice for nearly an hour, it was interesting to see how the noise level escalated as people emerged out of their offices, some of which I still have no clue where they're located. Even with the computer monitors turned black and the sound of typing hushed, the noise of multiple conversations still echoed. All the action focused to the lobby and the studios, thanks in part to a generator that kept the lights on. One of the first perceptions I had when I first started interning at the station was the welcoming environment, where it seemed that striking up a conversation was effortless. Now I wouldn't go as far as to say that its like the Who’s in the Grinch Stole Christmas after they all got robbed, but it’s great to see all the interactions that occur each day between staff. I know it’s a consensus that some days it can be distracting and just when you think that nobody will be in for the day that everyone suddenly does arrive and the decibels start to rise. According to a Cornell study just recently released that looked at 40 clerical workers, the impact of low level office noise dramatically reduces productivity (it’s true). Those studied in a noisy environment made forty percent fewer attempts to solve an unsolvable puzzle and made half as many ergonomic adjustments to their workstations. (I always knew Rubik cubes were unsolvable puzzles). One thing the researchers noticed was that the subjects typing wasn’t affected. While a quiet environment would be great, apparently I have no excuses when it comes to typing blog posts. My slowness is probably related more to the archaic hunt and peck method of typing I use.
.
As far as my perfect work environment, I wouldn’t have it any other way than to have a sporadic mixture of conversation and noise. It makes every day a new adventure.
.

Voice Rejoice

Have you ever heard a recording of your own voice? If you’re anything like me, it’s reminiscent of sounding one octave lower than if you just breathed a balloon full of helium. Today, I got a chance to get in the studio and record my first promo for the station's blog. It took several days of brainstorming script ideas and searching for audio tracks to select just the right clips and finalize the promo. In the studio, it was a little nerve racking to put on the headphones and hear myself for the first time. Maybe it was the caffeinated beverage I had sitting next to me, but I couldn't refrain from speed-talking and sounding like I was a hostage forced to read a scripted plea. It wasn’t until I started enunciating all my lines, especially k-p-b-x (dot) org that it started to flow. Something about the letters “p” and “b” next to each other created issues with my tongue getting tangled. While it would have been great to do everything in one take, it was only a matter of time before practice made perfect…or so I thought. I didn't realize it, but in a span of 15 minutes we probably went through two dozen takes. Stretched thin for time, Patrick tried to make the best of it and we were able to get everything recorded that we needed for the first 15-second promo. My fears of sounding high pitched and nasally like Fran Drescher were dispelled. I have hopes for my future promos. Next time, maybe I can conjure up a deep Barry White voice. Tune in to KPBX or KSFC and maybe you can catch me in action.

Blast from the Past

I’ll admit I was a tad bit envious after stopping by the growing collection of music and videos downstairs at Spokane Public Radio. I couldn’t stop myself from flipping through the endless rows of organized vinyl records. Even though Bill Wright the Guru of donations was tired of the constant stream of staff members pursuing and parading through his organized area, I couldn’t pass up the chance to take a sneak peak at all great album art. What do Blondie, Ted Nugent, and Christmas with Johnny Mathis all have in common? Not much, except they all have outlandish album covers that are up for sale at the KPBX Recordings and Videos Sale, February 19 and 20, in the Spokane Masonic Center. Bill, in the last several days, has started to display some of the colorful, unique, and odd records on a wall in his downstairs dungeon for all of us to see. While visiting the music lair I was also amazed to see all the retro turntables, tape decks, speakers, (and something I’ve only seen in movies) a reel-to-reel tape machine. So, if you have ever thought about getting into vintage vinyl, or your looking for equipment, seize the moment to grab a turntable and some LPs for some classic listening this next month. If you’re into DVDs and videos there are plenty of those too. Are you ready music aficionados? “I got my 45 on so I can rock on” - Sheryl Crow



Bagel Burglar

.
Have you ever placed leftover food in the fridge for safekeeping, just to find out later someone already grabbed it? Today, a similar unjust crime occurred at the station. John a volunteer was nice enough to drop by with a spread of bagels and cream cheese. One by one in the lobby, everyone constructed a mid-morning snack. Then, it was discovered that someone left only half a bagel in the bag! Fortunately, Eckart Preu, the conductor for the Spokane Symphony, was in the studio with Verne promoting the group's upcoming concert theme, C.S.I Neurotic Composers. He sparked the idea to do some perusing and analyze the crime scene. Amid an array of cream cheese containers sat the lone half bagel in the bag. There were too many suspects, too little time. The only break in the case came when some spilled cream cheese was discovered on a desk. The sample has been sent for analysis, but meanwhile the bagel burglar remains on the loose. Who could have committed such an etiquette offense?
.



Revealed Resolutions

Resolution season has arrived and every year along with millions of other Americans, the staff at SPR has set their goals. While chatting with several people at the station, I discovered that even though Verne says his best resolution is not having one, Kathy did resolve to get organized and have more fun. Stephanie the volunteer coordinator has set her goal to exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Unsuccessful for several years, my plan is to also get in shape and get organized. Another 2011 resolution I have is to cut back on the sweet treats. This might be a difficult goal since on my first day back from holiday break there is still candy and goodies lingering around the station. With indication that more candy canes, chocolate, and baked goods are on their way in the next few days, I might have to put off my goals for the unforeseeable future. If you have any resolutions you want to share post a comment on the blog. After being on hiatus for several weeks for the holidays the blog will return to being updated regularly. It’s been too long since the last picture of the week. With a big dump on its way, a snowy picture seemed fitting. Take a guess where it was taken. Hope everyone is having a great start to 2011!