I lost my XM virginity

I rented a car from Avis on a recent trip to North Carolina. Since I had to drive 2 hours to my destination from the Charlotte airport, I chose a car that included free XM service. I've never used a satellite service before, because I tend to listen to music in my car via my mp3 player. However, I wanted to travel light and left my Zen Vision at home.

I was pleasantly surprised by the eclectic choice of music available. When driving alone, I opted for Air Musique, featuring new and emerging music broadcast in French. When driving with the family, we listened to The Joint, which plays some awesome reggae. My daughter enjoyed the kids channel.

Listening to XM almost made me wish I spent more time in my car. I'm lucky that the commute from my home to my office takes 7 minutes. I can't really justify the expense of XM for such a short car ride. But if I ever have a longer commute, I would definitely consider it.