On Giving to NPR

It's that time again: the only good radio station in my area, WNYC, is doing their pledge drive. I must say that their advertisements have improved recently. Many feature Alec Baldwin saying vaguely menacing things about Ira Glass, or Soterios Johnson. They've also gotten Jad Abumrad to make some interesting & amusing points about why public radio is important. Overall this drive, I have felt the desire to give them money more strongly than I ever have in the past. I've even visited the donate page 3 separate times.

One of my two problems with the drive is that the smallest amount I can give right now is $60. They have plans to make me a monthly supporter, but as a recent college graduate, I have no idea what my bank balance is going to be from one month to the next. I would love to give them $20 now, & maybe $20 during the next drive, but Brian Lehrer gave me a guilt trip about $60 being the smallest suggested donation, & the radio doesn't respond to me when I yell at it. It's shockingly similar to the TV in that regard.

My other problem with the drive? It means I'm not listening to wonderful WNYC programming on my drive to work.