Crossed wires

I got contacted by a researcher for a Dublin based Radio show, NewsTalk 106 with regard to doing an interview last Monday. Now normally I’m pretty leery about this sort of thing because people have previously wanted me to trek across half the country unpaid to their studio where there might be things like cameras lurking. Call me paranoid, but if you did my particular job you would be. Last year one blogger lost her job but found a new career because a newspaper saw fit to ‘out’ her. The careful shield of anonymity I maintain on this blog, mixing up times, dates and places so I can’t be readily identified helps me keep my job and a steady income. On the other hand I’m quite comfortable with doing interviews over the phone and like to think I come over as articulate, polite knowledgeable and mildly erudite.

A very polite researcher chap called John Fardy spoke to me on Tuesday for just over 20 minutes on the phone and promised to contact me later on. My initial thoughts were “Nice timing guys, I can plug the book.” I kept an ear out for my phone all Tuesday afternoon, but no call. No contact from them on Wednesday either. Thursday was likewise characterised by a deafening lack of phone calls from Ireland. All the time there’s this nagging little thought going through my head that I said something about being okay to talk on Friday, which is true. I’m not working that morning. Maybe that’s it. Perhaps it’s just me getting my wires crossed. Chaps, I’m still up for it if you are. Alternatively if you don’t want to go ahead, just let me know, eh?

Any old road up. Thank you to everyone for the nice comments and e-mails. For example, you might like to know that they do things differently in New Zealand. If I were to get mixed up in anything like this or this, I’d be up on a disciplinary for breaching health and safety guidelines, not a bravery award. Perchance that speaks volumes about what is wrong with life in England at the moment. The politicians make all these noises about ‘civic virtue’ but pitch in to help and you’re on your own, sucker. Although the case of John Smeaton at the Terrorist incident at Glasgow Airport signals a sea change in the attitude of officialdom. A big well done to that man.

Oh yes, and thank you Emily Scaz for the sweet little ‘advert’ below. It may not be exactly as you formatted it, but that’s Microsoft Word for you.

Hat tips for the NZ material to Amanda McIntosh and Simon Lindsay.