One of my goals this year is grow and learn more about the world we live in. I would like to be able to speak intelligently on topics other than the drama going on in the lives of my favorite TV characters. I know, a tall order.
Here’s more background from my 2014 goals:
I rarely watch the news because I find it boring, but there is so much I can learn from the rest of the world. And one day my kids will learn this “history” we call the present and I’m not going to know what they are talking about.
I decided to start small, so I added to my January goals to “listen to NPR on my way to work every day.” A simple start.
I added this goal rather begrudgingly, but surprisingly have really enjoyed listening to NPR every day. Maybe this is a sign of me getting older or how simple-minded I viewed the news before, but it wasn’t boring at all. I loved the varied stories and learned about the conflict in Syria, the upcoming Olympic games, a bombing at a restaurant in Afghanistan, how people are helping the homeless in sub-zero temperatures, and the fight for teacher’s salaries here in North Carolina.
Last week I read an article on signs of a Type A person. Aside from interrupting (that’s actually one of my pet peeves, so please tell me if I ever do it to you), all signs point to me as being very Type A.
One of these signs is fear of wasting time. I am so guilty of this. When I’m waiting in a line, I check my phone and try to multitask because God forbid I stand idly by when there’s things to get done.
But I think that’s why radio is my favorite medium of receiving news. It doesn’t really interrupt something I’m already doing — driving to work — so it’s more passive on my part. Sitting in front of the TV to watch the news is not how I want to spend my time, and navigating news websites overwhelm me. I don’t know where to begin.
The radio it is. I’m on my way to a smarter 2014.
How do you consume the news? I’ve heard a lot of people use Twitter, but I get lost in all of the status updates. Maybe I follow too many people.
i always thought people that listened to npr are soooo well informed and smart…i knew this little girl that listened to npr and just loved her. anyway i don’t even watch the news anymore because it’s too depressing and when i listen to the local radio…i lower the volume during news that just make me cringe…there are so many on a daily basis!
I used to not watch the news for that very reason! I was surprised at the many feel-good stories there were on NPR though, thankfully not all of them are depressing.
I also don’t watch the news because I find it depressing. Especially the local news, even watching the weather bothers me. It seems like they really exaggerate everything to get people glued in. I also tend to feel a sense of desperation when watching the news. It really bothers me that I can’t help everyone and everything.
Good for you Ginna, I think NPR has a fascinating way of telling stories, which keeps me interested and informed.