Swam 10 laps today, another 500 meters. Getting better at the breathing part, I think…
I think I mentioned before how I used to listen to KQED/NPR all the time before 9-11, and ever since the fucking Chimp has made regular appearances in news reports and all the news has turned to shit, I kind of stopped listening to it. Which I feel bad about, but seriously I just get enraged having to listen to that idiot’s lies, not to mention the lies of the entire administration. So no newsradio for me, even of the public/moderate sort.
SO, I still like to listen to the radio in the mornings and before bed, but I don’t like country radio, or top 40, or “alternative” (angry guys doing bad eddie vedder impersonations). Frustratingly, I can never seem to get a good signal of either Bay Area jazz stations. Therefore I was stuck with KFRC — oldies.
Which is fine until you realize that they play the same exact playlist every day, three times a day. I guess that’s the nature of oldies stations — nothing new. And a large quantity of songs I just hate. Bleah. How can San Francisco have no good, interesting radio stations? Thanks Clearstation, for screwing us all!
So there was also KNBR, which is all sports. But now that baseball is almost over, no reason to listen to that anymore. And I was just sick of oldies. Really. I had to find some good radio in the Bay Area that I could actually receive on my clock radio. Which has an antenna and everything, yet still doesn’t get a lot of stations. Grrr. I want KJAZ dammit.
Anyway, I am trying out KUSF, which is a good college station and reminds me of my DJ days at Evergreen State. My only concern with them is that their playlists will be either too flaky or too much techno/oontz oontz. But really I prefer that to bad war news, GW, commercials, or having to listen to Creedence ever again.
radio
Don’t you have a classical radio station? I know we only have one in Seattle KING-FM 98.1, unless you count one we can occasionally get from Canada (I think it’s 89.5 FM). But a mecca like SF must have ONE! Love, Mom
Re: radio
Yeah, after I wrote this I dialled around some more and did find a classical station with a clear signal.
Seriously, MANY of the stations are very fuzzy, and I think it’s because I am on the side of the hill and near the radio towers, which makes no sense, but I have never had good radio reception of more than 50% of the stations in this part of the city. In fact anywhere in the city. It’s annoying. Maybe because the signals drown each other out? I dunno.
What about internet radio. I used to listen to a bunch of Danish stations. They were public (govt) stations with classical and a few progressive types. I’m sure they had those pledge drives and everything, but how would I know, I don’t speak Danish.
Also, there’s a station up the hill in Nevada City you might try. http://www.kvmr.org/webcast.html
do
Oh I do like internet radio, but in my bedroom on my nightstand I am stuck with regular old am/fm 🙂
I can’t help you out with radio stations (I like waking up to classical, though – much nicer than rock or news) – but on the breathing in water – have you tried bobbing? Just to get used to the breath – stand in place, duck down under water and blow out, straighten up and breath in, repeat 10, 20, 100 times. (well, 100 would probably be a bit much, but you get the idea.) It sort of drills the pattern and the feeling of it into you, so it comes easier when you’re swimming. You can practice the motion for front crawl standing still too – just do the arms and head turn while standing up. Seems like little kid stuff, but back in the day when I taught adult swimming lessons, it helped to get the motion and inspire confidence so you’re not afraid of inhaling water every time you turn your head.
Man, now I want to go swimming…hmmm.