Latest NPR commentary

I celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots with this commentary on NPR's All Things Considered,

New Day #183

Wore two different shoes today, a practice I wrote about in How I Paid for College, but had never actually tried. Courtenay Hameister from Live Wire Radio warned me that she had done it in high school and nearly gave herself a concussion when she lost her balance stepping off a curb.

My legs must be two different lengths because I didn't have to make any adjustment. What I did observe is that people either noticed right away or not at all.

In other news, you can hear me do a new piece on All Things Considered.

PS Owing to the fact I began this project before New Year's, today I passed the halfway point.

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New Day #172

A couple of firsts today. Thanks to my new saddlebags (and a backpack), I was able to lug three bags of groceries home on my bicycle, which made me feel very virtuous. After all, now that I've done the World Naked Bike Ride, I consider myself part of Portland's militant bicycle lobby. (Our mantra Saturday night was "Less gas, more ass.")

I returned home to discover that the commentary I did on All Things Considered on Friday made today's Listener Mail section. Here's the transcript:

Robert Siegel: On Friday...we featured writer Marc Acito who has a propensity to burst into song.

Marco: (Speaking) But singing out loud is good for you. It gets oxygen flowing. It relieves stress. You should do...
(Singing) When the dog bites, when the bee stings, but only after first aid.

Melissa Block: That prompted a WIDE range of comments. Maureen Cruz of Chicago writes: "There is someone else like me in the world?!" Please consider this is formal proposal of marriage to Mr. Acito."

Robert: Walt Martin of Phoenix thought differently. HE writes: "Why add to all the strife in the world by letting that guy sing on the radio."

Isn't that DELICIOUS? Honestly, I love the pans just as much as the raves. I just can't take them seriously. I mean, please, how can trust the judgement of someone who lives in PHOENIX?

I figured you didn't want to see a picture of my groceries or a radio, so here's another of me being pretty and witty and gay on the Red Dress Party float, which I failed to mention was the Titanic of floats. Seriously, one of us fell off, then we took a wrong turn after the parade route, grazing a low-lying tree, which knocked our glitter ball into the street.

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New Day #169

Today I sang on national radio for the first time. National Public Radio, to be exact. In a "singing essay" on why it's good for you to burst into song in public.

Be sure to spread the Public Singing Revolution by going to All Things Considered and e-mailing the page.

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