let's talk radio

If you live where I do, you may have noticed that our radio stations aren't as plentiful and wonderful as you may expect from a city of our size.  Or you may be laughing at me for even talking about radio.  I mean, we all listen to our iPods in the car, right?  

Well.  I drive a hand me down car without a USB port, and I can't even put new music on my iPhone because I can't get the new iTunes because I don't have Snow Leopard because my MacBook is old and my "applications store" icon disappeared.  I'm not even sure what all of that means, and by the way it's a miracle that I write a blog because I am 875 years old when it comes to using technology.

But back to the radio.  I spend a bit of time listening to the radio on my commutes around the county, and doing so has solidified my belief that I am completely out of touch with pop culture.  "Pop" music is disgusting cacophony.  Even the country station -- why is there only one?! -- sometimes plays rap.  Once in a while, they play the Luke Bryan winner winner catfish dinner song sandwiched between Taylor Swift and some old Tim McGraw, but then comes someone singing about a chrome piece tucked in the console, and I've already changed the station.  Sometimes I want to call the DJ and request the Alan Jackson Pandora station.  For a couple of weeks, I stuck with the local college radio station; now that's desperate.

Eventually the terrible music lead me to my very last option (probably even after silence): talk radio.  My new favorite companion on a road trip is some preaching on the radio.  I shake my head at the stupid financial decisions people have made when they call in to Dave Ramsey.  I catch up on the news and hear about new books coming out that I suddenly want to read.  Y'all.  I nod my head to the preachers on the radio, even "mmhmm"ing along with them, and (!!!) sometimes even "praise God!"  I actually TELL people about books I think we should read or what I learned from the sermon.  I asked my dad what his favorite station is the other day, and now I've picked up a new one to fill me in on politics.

I am old, and I am not embarrassed.

What do you listen to in the car?  What's your take on talk radio?