It's the end of an era here in Studio 3A at Minnesota Public Radio.

Unless something goes completely kerblooie on Wednesday (which is not entirely out of the question), today is the last full day of broadcasting from the booth that has been the home to The Current during its first year on the air. It's also been home to The Morning Show for about 10 years, and MPR's regional classical music service for nine (until The Current came along last year and booted it upstairs to Studio 4D, that is ... eyebrows were raised, some harrumphing was heard...). In fact, the plan is that this little booth will become a mere "production" booth, meaning that it will no longer be where live radio is created anymore. So it's kinda a sad day for "The Fishbowl" as some grew to call it.

However, for some of us, tomorrow couldn't come soon enough, since Studio 3A also happens to be the only remaining, functioning room on three entire floors of the old MPR building. It's been a bit creepy to be in here this week, as MPR's news and national classical service have completely bugged out, and the walls are literally coming down. It feels kinda like were some straggly band of survivors sending out a clandestine broadcast from some debris-filled post-apocalyptic bunker. Well, except for the guys in hard-hats walking around, looking at us through the glass as if to say, "Those clowns are still in there? When do I get to use this sledgehammer?"

Anyway, wish us luck on the transition. (And, oh yeah, it never hurts to repeat this: your membership donation was not used to buy MPR "sexy new studios," unlike what some folks would like you to believe. We held a capital campaign to build the new building).