Every Thursday morning this semester I have woken up at 4:40am. I ride my bike to the Communications building, climb 2 flights of stairs, and enter the DJ booth of KVRX Austin, 91.7 FM. From 5:00 to 7:000am I can play whatever music I want to.

These early mornings have a definite mood that stems from several factors.

Solitude

My bike ride to the station is completely devoid of any sign of human activity. No one is on the streets at 4:45 in the morning. When I get to the station, I see Kayla (who has the show before mine) for a few minutes, and then I am alone again. For the next two hours I will not see anyone else - I am completely alone.

Early Morning

As mentioned in my Micro Narrative, the morning time has a special significance for me. In the early morning, everything seems open-ended - there is no end to the day in sight. Though I am certainly still groggy from the night's sleep, everything feels fresh: the cool air, the new sun rising, and the world slowly coming alive.

Callers

During my show, I oftentimes have people call me to ask what I am playing, about upcoming shows, etc. This adds an interesting dynamic to these mornings because, as I found out in my Family Discourse, I struggle to maintain a balance between independence and support. In this way, while I am still in control of everything going on, with my callers I can be sure that someone cares and is paying attention.

Sound

Throughout my MyStory I have constantly returned to sound. Each of my discourses has related to sound in some way, and I am generally more comfortable when I am wrapped in a thick blanket of it. Thus, the two hours I spend surrounded by stereo monitors and with isolating headphones on are a very comfortable and special time for me.

Picking the Songs

In Gut Musicology, we look at how music effects ourselves as well as others. My radio show is an amazing way to explore those ideas more fully, as I choose songs based on what they mean to me, and what I think they will mean to other people that I do not know. Through feedback from callers I have learned what songs people connect with, and through this have learned what types of music are more universally accepted and which types are more specific to myself.

Freedom

During my show, I have the freedom to play whatever I want. This makes my show two hours of "me time" - where I can expand myself and express myself in any way that I please.

Light

The name of my show is Kinds of Light. I named it this because, during my two hours, the world transforms from nighttime (moonlight) to day (sunlight). To me, these types of light are very special and lend a lot of the aura to my time in the booth.

All of these aspects add to the mood of those Thursday mornings.

Image 1: poopoorama

Image 2: maireadaseacht

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Image 4: hooked on Monix

Image 5: Tubes.

Image 6: OuroborosX

Image 7: woodindian