Hello all,
There has been much happening of late.
Many things of which I am too tired really to talk about.
One of them is THE WEEKEND BREAKFAST SHIFT.
This is go go go from 4am to 12 noon. Actually I'm still here and it's 12:30pm.
Anyway, to give you an idea of what people in newsrooms sometimes have to put up with...here is a copy of the note I have just left for my colleague for when they come in Monday morning.
Enjoy! Natalie.
--------------
Hi News Hounds...
Just warning you that a crazy lady called Kate called in yesterday...around 9:40am...
She was saying it was very urgent we bought a copy of "Hard Evidence" magazine and read an article called "McVee: The Manchurian Candidate" .
(She spelled out "Manchurian" for me, which was very nice of her, considering she then proceeded to ignore everything else I said)
Anyway she started going on about how her father was used as a science experiment by the US army and CIA in World War Two - apparently he was injected with CANCER CELLS...meaning she "never knew him because he was always in hospital".
She reckons that the Townsville soldiers who may possibly have the RAT disease...are being tested on by the army, ASIO, the CIA, CSI, CSI: Miami and quite possibly the West Chermside Junior Boys Brigade.
(I may have made those few up but seriously - it wasn't much of a stretch).
She also claims they're now testing on her son, of whose whereabouts she is currently unaware.
(Gee, I wonder why.)
Her number is 0*** *** ***. DO NOT CALL HER, unless you have a masochistic desire to be ranted at by a certified loopy banana lady. I am just leaving this number in case she needs to be returned to whatever mental facility she escaped from so she can receive the best possible care.
I realise this email is hardly benevolent and understanding - and it's certainly not a side of myself that I wish to promote. But dammit, when you ring me with 15 minutes to news time and I'm trying to write sport and cut up a grab of Bruce Flegg from Madonna and Tony's show and turn it around for 10am, you ain't gonna make me a happy lady!
Oh, and RE: above story on Bruce Flegg calling Lawrence Springborg "a farmer from the Darling Downs" who probably can't cut it as a swinging hipcat who urbane Brisbanites would actually want to vote for...
I got a call from Chris O'Brien at the ABC after that went to air at 10am...asking to hear it again because he wasn't quite sure he'd heard what he thought he'd heard. I thought yay! The ABC are calling ME for news! Woo hoo!
....OK...it's now frighteningly obvious I need sleep...I will go home now and curl up in a big ball.
Cheers all, Natalie.
Mar 21, 2005
Mar 8, 2005
Another post! And so soon!
Sorry, but I'm into my fourth wind...
...and just totally wired now.
The newsroom is starting to seriously believe I'm insane. ;)
But I had to point you in the direction of this article:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12439218-13762,00.html
I just wonder what the front cover headlines would be:
"Jihad: Is Blowing Yourself Up with Seven Kilos of C4 Really What it's Cracked Up to Be?"
"77 Virgins in the Afterlife: Fact or Fiction?"
"Boulders and AK47s or 70s Shagpile? Osama bin Laden's Ultimate Guide to Renovating Your Secret Mountain Cave Hideout"
"Infidel dogs! Abu Musab Al-Zarkawi blows his top about the US in Iraq"
"To Burqua or not to burqua: Your guide to dressing on a first date"
"George W. Bush swears Iraq is on the road to peace: Humour Column"
etc. etc.
All these jokes are just going to waste. Somebody read this darn journal. It's a freakin' masterpiece of comedy. At least the fiend is reading.
Yay for the fiend. He came to see my show too, so he gets extra special bonus Nat points. If you accumulate enough you get a free chocolate!
...and just totally wired now.
The newsroom is starting to seriously believe I'm insane. ;)
But I had to point you in the direction of this article:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12439218-13762,00.html
THE Iraq wing of al-Qaeda has launched an online publication to rally Muslims to
wage holy war against "infidel crusaders" in Iraq and other Islamic countries.
I just wonder what the front cover headlines would be:
"Jihad: Is Blowing Yourself Up with Seven Kilos of C4 Really What it's Cracked Up to Be?"
"77 Virgins in the Afterlife: Fact or Fiction?"
"Boulders and AK47s or 70s Shagpile? Osama bin Laden's Ultimate Guide to Renovating Your Secret Mountain Cave Hideout"
"Infidel dogs! Abu Musab Al-Zarkawi blows his top about the US in Iraq"
"To Burqua or not to burqua: Your guide to dressing on a first date"
"George W. Bush swears Iraq is on the road to peace: Humour Column"
etc. etc.
All these jokes are just going to waste. Somebody read this darn journal. It's a freakin' masterpiece of comedy. At least the fiend is reading.
Yay for the fiend. He came to see my show too, so he gets extra special bonus Nat points. If you accumulate enough you get a free chocolate!
Sell outs and bad puns
Hi.
We're currently celebrating 50 years of rock 'n' roll. Various rock experts have been commenting on WHY rock'n'roll was just so powerful - and they keep mentioning the rebellion factor. How all these teenagers broke out against their parents and embraced this spirited new music. It was the zeitgeist, etc.
Now I'm wondering just WHAT HAPPENED to that rebellious spirit. What happened was that the freaking Baby Boomers - the whole bally generation - SOLD OUT.
I haven't slept much in the past 72 hours...and the following rant came out of my mouth in the newsroom at approximately 8:20am today.
"Now they're just interested in their retirement plans - their golden nest eggs, their superannuation, their healthcare plans. I know you get cranky at the idea your Viagra may cost more....but I'm sorry, there are some things more important in life than a government-funded stiffy!"
Ahem. Some titters from the news hounds, and the compliment that I was bringing improv comedy into the newsroom.
On the bad pun front: Clean Up Australia Day people yesterday found a cremation urn containing some poor soul's ashes at Nudgee Beach in Brisbane.
My news director asked me to track down what happened to it. Says me: "I heard yesterday that they took it back to a funeral home. Apparently it had URN-ed a good rest".
God bless Walter Williams for laughing. ;)
Meanwhile I have some very mixed feelings about the conclusion of Miss Bosnia and the conspicious absence of many friends from the show. I understand it's childish to demand people come and that I need to let go. However, I don't think I should be ashamed of myself - in so far as I was so proud of the show and in particular my role, and I really wanted people to support it. I don't think it's entirely inappropriate to feel sad that some people don't come - and either offer no reasons, or very dodgy ones.
So thank you if you came to see my show. If you didn't - please understand that it meant a lot to me, and that I am somewhat disheartened by no shows. Think of all those car lifts I've given you home. (I've given most people car lifts home). So I'm going to re-affirm my policy of TRYING harder than ever to support other people's stuff. Whatever it is.
That means when I get upset by future no shows at future plays, I can stand in a better position of righteous judgement.
The rest of you who don't care can SOD OFF. ;)
Natalie.
P.S. Today is Rik Mayall's birthday. Huzzah! A quote:
"Always treat your kite... like you treat your woman."
"What do you mean sir....do you mean take her home at the weekend to meet your mother?"
"No. I mean get inside her five times a day and take her to heaven and back!"
-Blackadder Goes Forth "Private Plane". WOOF!
We're currently celebrating 50 years of rock 'n' roll. Various rock experts have been commenting on WHY rock'n'roll was just so powerful - and they keep mentioning the rebellion factor. How all these teenagers broke out against their parents and embraced this spirited new music. It was the zeitgeist, etc.
Now I'm wondering just WHAT HAPPENED to that rebellious spirit. What happened was that the freaking Baby Boomers - the whole bally generation - SOLD OUT.
I haven't slept much in the past 72 hours...and the following rant came out of my mouth in the newsroom at approximately 8:20am today.
"Now they're just interested in their retirement plans - their golden nest eggs, their superannuation, their healthcare plans. I know you get cranky at the idea your Viagra may cost more....but I'm sorry, there are some things more important in life than a government-funded stiffy!"
Ahem. Some titters from the news hounds, and the compliment that I was bringing improv comedy into the newsroom.
On the bad pun front: Clean Up Australia Day people yesterday found a cremation urn containing some poor soul's ashes at Nudgee Beach in Brisbane.
My news director asked me to track down what happened to it. Says me: "I heard yesterday that they took it back to a funeral home. Apparently it had URN-ed a good rest".
God bless Walter Williams for laughing. ;)
Meanwhile I have some very mixed feelings about the conclusion of Miss Bosnia and the conspicious absence of many friends from the show. I understand it's childish to demand people come and that I need to let go. However, I don't think I should be ashamed of myself - in so far as I was so proud of the show and in particular my role, and I really wanted people to support it. I don't think it's entirely inappropriate to feel sad that some people don't come - and either offer no reasons, or very dodgy ones.
So thank you if you came to see my show. If you didn't - please understand that it meant a lot to me, and that I am somewhat disheartened by no shows. Think of all those car lifts I've given you home. (I've given most people car lifts home). So I'm going to re-affirm my policy of TRYING harder than ever to support other people's stuff. Whatever it is.
That means when I get upset by future no shows at future plays, I can stand in a better position of righteous judgement.
The rest of you who don't care can SOD OFF. ;)
Natalie.
P.S. Today is Rik Mayall's birthday. Huzzah! A quote:
"Always treat your kite... like you treat your woman."
"What do you mean sir....do you mean take her home at the weekend to meet your mother?"
"No. I mean get inside her five times a day and take her to heaven and back!"
-Blackadder Goes Forth "Private Plane". WOOF!
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