XM Radio - The Results
December 29th, 2005 
by Susan Harris
Photo: Acer palmatum ‘Green Castle’
My research into XM Satellite Radio includes nine hours of driving over two days, plus a week or so around the home and garden, and I’m happy to report - no, make that ecstatic - that XM’s a WINNER. For example, on the highway I didn’t have to listen to my out-of-date CDs or the execrable local radio stations. Instead, I heard a long concert of Scottish folk music. A complete Beethoven symphony. The Al Franken Show. A talk show on NPR. Lots of bluegrass, which felt just right while driving through the mountains of Western Virginia. A station called Progressive Country, which I thought was an oxymoron but turned out to mean Willie Nelson. Even some excerpts from operas, something I haven’t willingly listened to in years. Lord only knows what I’ll discover I like by the time I’ve checked out all 65 music stations, commercial-free. Here at home I have the little XM receiver sitting in its cradle in the living room where it plays through the stereo speakers, and when I want to listen in the garden or during my neighborhood walks, it plays through headphones.
Before buying XM, I’d read an animated discussion of satellite radio on one of my favorite political blogs, dailyKos, and discovered that whether customers chose XM or Sirius, its only competitor, they’re an incredibly happy bunch. Some people choose Sirius in order to hear Howard Stern - puh-leez - while some choose between Sirius and XM according to which sports they carry. Again, not a concern of mine. But locally headquartered XM has just what I want - three channels of classical music and three of jazz, plenty of folk and bluegrass and Reggae, a huge selection of rock subgenres, several channels broadcasting in French, interesting stuff like "Latin jazz," and lots, lots more.
Maybe my music research project is finally over and I can turn to the next item on my to-do list - getting used to my new CoolPix camera and doing some serious photo organizing and archiving. It feels kinda daunting and maybe lethargy has set in, it being winter and all. I have to remind myself how cool it is to have climbed a learning curve and created something new and exciting, this blog being yet another example. And it led to reading Sandy in B.C., who inspired me to try new things photographically.
Posted in Culture | 
| Permalink
December 29th, 2005 at 9:49 am
Huzzah! Congratulations!
December 29th, 2005 at 10:16 am
intrigued by your comment on the timegoesby blog about volunteering, i decided to visit. though i could go on…on about that, i’d rather brighten up a dreary east coast day with a large “thank you” for laying out the terrain to consider on satelitte radio.
XM was, in my untutored view, a male-oriented video game! guess i’d better learn more. -naomi
December 30th, 2005 at 1:10 am
You go girl!!!
December 30th, 2005 at 9:14 am
My husband has Sirius in his car and his other car, as we have a sedan limo service, and loves it. He freely admits to choosing Sirius for the football as he was tired of missing games while working. Now we have Sirius at home with our Dish Network TV service and it is great. In the car he and his customers can listen to whatever genre they like without all the loud commercial interruptions. He likes The Vault, the classic rock channel but listens to all types of music. I like it when we have people over because it’s non stop music you can change easily without searching for new CD’s all the time.
January 9th, 2006 at 10:19 am
I must investigate this & make XM happen in my life–I have been considering, but had looked at Sirius. Very envious of what you have been able to listen to! And as a P.S.–I am new to visiting you & find I could post a comment at just about all your wonderful posts–excellent inspiration, information & more. Peace.