I’ve been driving to work more than I initially intended for a number of reasons. First, Chicago roads have managed to break yet another spoke on my rear wheel, so I’m in the market for a decent commuter bike. Second, public transit is great, and cheap, but it can really take a long time when the various buses running from Hyde Park to the Loop are behind schedule. Or, for that matter, in the other direction. It’s amusing, in an annoying way, to see all the people obviously headed to the University of Chicago (more later on how easy that particular bit of species identification is), waiting for the #2 or the #6 while three or four Archer buses go by. I don’t know what’s so special about Archer, but the CTA seems to have a rather high opinion of it. Finally, I really, really like listening to Chicago public radio. WBEZ is the main NPR affiliate and they have a great local news magazine show called 848 on at 9, which is usually when I head in if I drive. And my new discovery is WFMT. They have great, and I mean great classical music programming. Not the 100 greatest hits on shuffle playing on KDMT, but all sorts of unusual pieces and some incredibly well-informed announcers who should be giving music history classes, if they aren’t already. Today on the drive home (yes, I work on Saturdays) they were playing a show from their archive of Studs Terkel’s program. Dear Lord, is that man a gem. People just open up to him, and his questions are insightful and carefully directed. I don’t think I’ve progressed too far along in my attempt to improve my personal Terkel rating, but I still find a lot of delight in hearing him do an interview.

(cdm | ChicagoPublicRadio )