New York Gem #1

Now that I've officially come out on the blogosphere about my lack of infatuation with New York, I feel like I've regained some motivation to seek out its redeeming qualities. I do, after all, have to live here for another 5 and a half months, and I had better have a hell of a good time while I'm at it, right? Added to that, my forgotten-about New Year's resolution was "Give New York a Chance" - perhaps it's time to dust that one off? 

Aaaanyway. Especially since I've run out of whimsical or otherwise engaging work/neighborhood/church stories to post here, I thought I'd try to do a mini-series about the things about New York that actually make me glad I live here. I need to encourage myself to think more positively about NYC, and so you (lucky, lucky!) get to come along for the ride. 

So: New York Gem #1. 

It's really not that interesting. And yet, it consistently makes my day. It's an under-appreciated thing of great beauty called WQXR. Also known as NYC's classical radio station. As someone who spends an appreciable amount of my workday driving around (or, to put a finer point on it, sitting around in a car: port traffic can be horrendous), I get to spend a lot of time listening to the radio. Very few things can redeem a nasty traffic jam like a rousing rendition of the Hallelujah chorus or a Mozart horn concerto, let me tell you. Better yet, the selection is incredible! Considering that I grew up in a city where the classical station (which was never particularly good to begin with) went under sometime during my teenage years, the fact there's a station that plays everything from plainchant to postmodern is nothing short of mind-boggling to me. 

Thus, the quality of my day is usually in direct proportion to the quality of the daily WQXR selection. If it's heavy on Brahms and Mahler...steer clear. If, on the other hand, I've had the unexpected thrill of catching a rare Beethoven symphony (I have a long-standing infatuation with dear old Ludwig. I may or may not be, um, flying home to Wisconsin this weekend specifically to hear my favorite orchestra perform my favorite piece of music EVER), my mood is automatically dialed up about ten notches. My coworkers all hate driving with me, because they know the radio choice (and volume...) is non-negotiable, and God only knows what the poor seafarers I shepherd around think. I console myself with the certain knowledge that I'm making a valuable contribution to their cultural education. 

But the whole reason I'm boring you with an entire blog post about my radio listening preferences is to announce that the glory of WQXR can be yours whether or not you have the privilege of living and working in the NY metropolitan area! Friends, prepare yourselves: it is possible to listen ONLINE! Check it out and appreciate the awesomeness for yourselves. You can thank me later :)