The word “commentator” has always sounded wrong to me. Surely there is no such verb as “commentate?” It sounds as though you meant to say “comment” and got confused. I would think a person who offers commentary ought more properly to be called a “commentarian,” but everyone else has agreed on “commentator,” and I confess that after hearing myself referred to yesterday as COMMENTATOR ALEXA STEVENSON, it is beginning to grow on me. In fact, that is how I would like to be addressed from now on, even in casual conversation. “Could you sign for a package, COMMENTATOR ALEXA STEVENSON?” See? It’s fancy!
If you didn’t hear my piece yesterday, you can listen to it here. That is where I listened to it, because the Minnesota public radio station saw fit to cut away before my commentary for a local story, perhaps not realizing that I was a local story myself. They missed their chance for a nice “local girl makes mediocre” moment. I guess covering a “flood” is more “important,” because it’s a “national disaster” that threatens “lives.”
Anyhow, I promised to come back yesterday and tell you how my NPR debut (I am using the word “debut” in hopes of tricking them into having me on again) came about, but last night Simone had a bedtime meltdown while I was on a conference call. She managed to hang up on my conferencees with her flailing—and I am sure that when combined with the shrill infant screams, this made me look very professional—refusing to settle until I was lying down, holding her in the crook of my arm. Thus I was in bed at 7:30 and never got a chance to post, and now some similar sort of thing seems to be happening, where Simone will only scream and scream when we try to put her to sleep, and I have been pecking this paragraph out with one hand for an hour now while I rock and pat and sing and the baby makes a noise like a scalded ape. I have the sense that any minute I am going to end up in bed with her out of desperation, meaning that you will have to wait another day for my tale of triumph.
I think it goes without saying that I am happy. And still slightly disbelieving. And immensely thankful for the lovely producer who gave me this—neither “chance” nor “opportunity” seem quite right; I think “gift” is nearer the mark.
Tomorrow I get my wisdom teeth removed, and a root canal, and my in-laws arrive for the weekend, so when I return to take you INSIDE the hallowed halls of public radio, I hope to be wrapped in a silken cocoon of strong narcotics. Until then, this is COMMENTATOR ALEXA STEVENSON wishing you good night, and whatever.
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Oooh, the strong narcotics should make bedtime a bit easier, I should think. I hope your procedures go well, Commentator.
Well done, Alexa. Perhaps YOU are the gift.
Faaaantastic, Alexa. You have a lovely voice, too. It sounds very NPR, and you know that’s a compliment.
Congrats! It was a beautiful piece of writing/speaking.
Even though we’ve never met, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU. It was an awesome piece, and you have a beautiful voice, and I was so excited to hear you on NPR!
Wonderfully done, Alexa! You should be proud. :-)
“scalded ape” BWA HA HA HA HA
Nicely done! Very exciting.
I love your voice. You must must must do more of this. So glad you did this! Yippee.
You did really well. Let’s see more commentatrixing!
Hi Alexa-
Really enjoyed the piece, though it brought tears to my eyes. You are a great writer and have the perfect “commentarian” voice!!
Good luck with your current and future projects!
Erin
Ah Commentator Alexa . . I have decided that I can say I knew you when . . You and I will be the only ones who know that my knowing is from reading. From crying with you, commenting infrequently but holding you and your family in my positive thoughts for days and days, months and months on end. That’s knowing, isn’t it? So very happy for you, now for new and quite professional reasons!
When I passed my exams and got my PhD, I made my husband call me “Dr. Tash” for a week. I suggest the same there: Commentator Alexa, for a week, in all things.
Jeebus with the teeth. Heal fast.
You are so cool. Commentator Alexa Stevenson takes over the world, on at 11.
Wishing you luck with all the dentistry. and the in-laws. Not sure which you need more luck with. :)
I heard your commentating (commentatoring?) and was so excited!! Like someone I knew on the radio, but I don’t really know you- just a reader of the blog. best part was I was stuck in traffic, so it was a nice way to sit there going no where..
Couldn’t listen, but enjoyed reading the piece and your perspective. Here’s to many more commentatrix moments!
This should make you feel way cool. I was telling my husband a story involving solitary kidneys and your blog (long story), and I said something about you being on Morning Edition yesterday. He was like, “Wait, was it the story about the preemie?” So not only did he hear it, but he remembered it, and could recall information from it. Sometimes I feel like NPR can have a tendency to go in one ear and out the other (especially very early in the morning), so look! You are memorable!
Swank!! I read the transcript on npr.org yesterday, and I loved it. You have a fan in Texas!
Have fun with the strong narcotics. I hope your root canal goes well!
It was great to finally put a voice to a face and name. Your piece was beautiful.
As well as being addressed properly, you should also be granted an assistant to carry around a player to play that diddy music at the end of the piece…that could be your theme music.
Your piece is great! Congrats!
Your writing comes across as so much more vivid now that I’ve heard your voice reading one of your commentaries.
Commentarian. That’s great.
Congratulations again on your debut NPR appearance!
I can’t wait to listen to the commentator’s comments. Good luck with everything this weekend!
Well I think “it” was quite good Commentator Stevenson. Meant to post this to your NPR piece but since that will be a bit I had best post it now or I will forget it…there just aren’t enough yellow stickies in the world. Anyway, you mentioned in an earlier blog the calming effects of NPR. I always thought it interesting how many missileers listened to NPR on the way to/from alert.
Happy dental times. Don’t believe those don’t drink alcohol with this labels…bourbon is your friend. I suggest that you make sure that the folks waiting for you at the dental hobby shop can’t hear you…ref Mo and drug induced banter that a waiting room could hear…or was it banshee wailing?
I got e-mail from my mom first thing Wednesday morning asking if I’d heard it and if I knew about your blog and I was all “pshaw, I’ve been reading Flotsam for AGES!”
Nicely done.
Beautiful piece on NPR. Congrats!
Commentator Alexa — It is just like you are hanging out with Renee!
Just a lurker in Indiana – but still feels like I know the cool kid in class!
Liz
Yay yay yay for you! It’s a beautiful, funny piece & you should be very proud. I can’t understand how you don’t have a book deal yet. You are the best writer in the blogosphere (I know because I subscribe to all of them. ALL OF THEM).
I heard it online since I somehow missed the segment on the radio in Kansas even though it was only 7:30 a.m. – How did I miss it? Anyway you were wonderful and you made me cry your closing line to those parents of preemies with babies the size of soup cans. Since you are now a commentator I leave you with a relevant joke. “What did the mother and father potato say to their daughter when she wanted to marry Walter Cronkite? You can’t marry him he is only a common tater!”
I love the NPR piece!! Now on to some urgent matters here… wisdom teeth! I received some awesome advice when I had mine out and I swear by it!!
1) Stay upright as much as you possibly can the first day!! Do not lie down no matter how much you want to do so! If you stay upright, gravity will be working with you to help prevent swelling.
2) Start taking the pain medication before the anesthetic wears off! Have your prescription filled ASAP and start taking the meds before you leave the pharmacy. This way, any pain never has a chance to get out of control.
3) Put ice packs on your cheeks continually throughout the first day… 20 minutes on one side and 20 minutes on the other and so on. Again, helps with the swelling.
Here’s hoping you have a quick and relatively pain-free procedure!!
Wow, I may like your speaking voice better than your writing and that’s saying a lot because me loves your writing. I can’t believe that Simone is not immediately soothed when she hears your voice.
Also, I had my wisdom teeth out as an adult and it was a piece of cake! I was out shopping solo the next day. Wishing you the same speedy recovery! (If you need more rest and pampering, you can always pretend to be in pain . . . we won’t tell!)
Congratulations!
Good luck with Simone =)
Awesome Alexa!
So glad it was written out so I could read it here at work–lovely piece!
Their use of commentator makes it sound like you’re on the show all the time! Cool.
Good luck with the wisdom teeth. I was very nervous before getting mine out (I heard so many horror stories), and it was a piece of cake. Hope yours goes as well.
Fabulously done! You have the perfect NPR voice, your internet subjects are all so proud of their commentatrix! Again, well done!
Congratulations, and well done! You sounded like the words were flowing easily off your tongue. Very smooth.
Hope the extractions went okay.
I am actually here BECAUSE of the NPR piece. I’m an avid listener here in Seattle, and although my preemie twins were not quite micro preemies (32 w 1 d, 2lb 11oz and 3 lb 5 oz), I certainly related to a lot of your story. Thank you for sharing your story. I’m looking forward to reading your blog and finding out a bit more about you and your daughter!
BRAVO, Commentator Alexa, Bravo! Your loyal readers are beaming with pride. You did a great job!
wow, finally got a second to listen, and I thought you did great!
So, I turned on NPR and perked up when I heard you say that your daughter Simone was born three months early. I thought, “this must be Alexa”..You do indeed have an “NPR voice” worthy of impressing Ira. BTW, we have a Sophie le giraffe named “Simone”, it is my son Cole’s favorite toy and we pretend he is talking to it in a corny french accent. Good times.
I heard it! It was great – your voice is lovely and your piece was wonderful.
I’ve been reading your blog since your NICU days, I’m a pediatric nurse and love your writing!
I hadn’t read last week about your NPR debut, but there I was driving to work and when I heard you come on my jaw dropped! Now you are famous! I loved your reading and writing. I hope to hear you on NPR again! It really was a lovely piece.
I couldn’t agree more about your opinion about miracles.
Meredith
Alexa,
Congratulations – that was fantastic. I’ve recommended your blog to a very dear friend whose daughter recently gave birth to her first child at 23 weeks. A boy.
I thought she would find your story and perspective helpful if not somewhat comforting.
I wish i knew you personally – you are quite and amazing woman. Simone is as beautiful as you are…may she be as gifted.
xokath
Fabulous! Miracles are wonderful, but never ever discount the hard work that makes a miracle. Great job!
Ohhh wisdom teeth pulled and a root canal? Talk about hell! I went through that – but they knocked me out and I didn’t feel a thing. Hope things go well for you.
Congrats!!Way to go..hey are the inlaws staying with ya or taking care of ya while your gums heal. I had my wisdom teeth out when I was 18, They knocked me out and don’t remember the rest, except for throwing up in the car home.
You have a great radio voice. Maybe you could become a professional commentator (I like commentarian) and read everything you write out loud! :)
I was thrilled to hear you on NPR. Great job!
*jumps up and down with excitement*
I’ve been out of town and away from the Internet for weeks…then I come back to THIS! I’m SO excited for you – congratulations!!
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