It's 5pm. Or 5:07 or 5:15, depending on traffic. I've just climbed aboard the employee/patient shuttle that has become a part of my new commute since we moved into our house. If it's a routine day, Marcel is the driver. I know this because his name is on a large magnetized sign above his head. He's a very friendly guy, Italian I believe, and coincidentally an ex-boyfriend of my coworker...but that's beside the point.
I believe each driver gets a limited selection of music to play, as it must be appropriate (or tolerated) by all age groups. My first shuttle experience was after DH (dear hubby) and I returned from 90 degree Caribbean weather had a different driver, Sergio, behind the wheel and in control of the music. He played Christmas tuneage. Admittedly, I hadn't prepared myself for holiday music. I've been saying how it doesn't feel like we should be going into winter, it should be summer. This is probably in part to preoccupation with wedding planning causing me to be less observant and less available for summer relaxation and I feel I missed the season...and I want it back. ANYWAYS, while I love Christmas, I am not one that requires months of Christmas. A couple weeks is fine.
So I have been less than impressed with the music selection of other drivers. Some don't play music and that's simply dull. When Marcel is the driver, however, I hear classical and probably not the Beethoven kind you might be thinking of. The lightheartedness of the piano keys makes me think of Seahaven Island in The Truman Show and how that type of music was all they allowed, except for the school dance scene. For a moment, I think I'm getting on the bus there, which will wind around bricked roads and life is simple and plaid shorts are all the rage.
I will say, it has a soothing effect. At first I wasn't too sure about it, but I like mentally being in the simple little world of Seahaven. It calms me for the evening. I take out my book, or if I've forgotten it, my sudoku, and I have just under a half hour of the playful compositions. I guess certain kinds of music has settings where it just works. For me, I couldn't imagine turning on classical while I'm cleaning, working out, etc. It doesn't work, but for that limited amount of time, I really do appreciate it.
Second order of business in this quirky little blog is XM radio. DH's car is fully equipped with it, mine is not. Boo hoo. We use his car 90% of the time anyways so it doesn't matter, but I did start using a resource I can't believe I ignored so long. It's XM Radio ONLINE. See, at work, we've had a lot of issues with background tunes. First of all, our cave of an office is underground. No reception for radio. Secondly, our online radio experiences have been disappointing. We get commercials, they don't work, we get error messages, it's just not a very fulfilling experience.
Now XM Radio online is a FREE service to XM subscribers. DH doesn't use the online service. In fact, he didn't even have a log in. Wonderful man that he is, he trekked out to the car in the rain to get me his radio ID so I could create one and try it out. Now I am not a paid spokesperson, though I am open to such opportunities and am reachable at krystenshea@gmail.com, however, let me just say, I love love LOVE this service.
No commercials. I get to pick 10 pre-sets and the music player will have the pre-set list show what the current song is on each so I can switch back and forth at will. Oh and I do. I'm one of THOSE. It is simply the best thing that's happened to my work life since said coworker who previously dated Marcel the shuttle driver moved to our other location.
Thought I would share with any Sirius/XM subscribers. I kind of figure if you pay for it and they offer this wonderful service, use it!
In my next blog...probably, if I don't change my mind...house redecoration ideas.
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