The survey-taker on the phone was a (thankfully, because she had a lot to read at me) fast-talking woman who wanted to know my radio listening habits, if I was between the ages of N and N+X, which I am, just barely. These habits are, I had to say, minimal. I listen to the classical music station mostly in the car, not at home, and then only when I can pick up the signal, which isn't often. (The better one over the hills to the south packed up and quietly skipped town last fall, alas.) I listen to the all-news station in the car when I need to catch the traffic reports, or in case of natural disaster (partly because radio news keeps its head on better than does television news, but mostly because the power does not go out in the car). The last natural disaster around here that qualified was the Oakland fire, which was 21 years ago, so it's been a while. At least the survey-taker had heard of the all-news stations; I gather that the classical station wasn't on her list.
Then she had to ask if I regularly listen to any of the following musicians, and rattled off a bunch of names I'd never heard of. Nope. Then another bunch of names I'd never heard of. Nope. Then a third bunch of names, some of which I had heard of ("Lady Gaga", "Coldplay"), but I wouldn't know their music if it hit me over the head. Then a fourth bunch of names which ... wait, was one of those Madonna? I once watched a clip of her singing "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" from the movie. Does that count? The survey-taker chose to interpret that as declaring myself an ardent Madonna fan. A few more of these and we were done, and we still hadn't gotten anybody, even among active pop musicians who might conceivably show up on the radio, whom I do actually listen to. (Suzanne Vega? Enya? Weird Al Yankovic?)
And is there anybody else in the house between the ages of mumble who might be interested in taking this survey? On both counts, no. In another two months I, too, will be too old for this. Can't wait.
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