Well, not really new. But just back, after what can only be described as the busiest most hectic few weeks of my life. Uni work, uni work, uni work, work experience, social life. I've been busier than a man using Photoshop charged with making the new Tory campaign posters look pretty.
So yeah work experience. I've been at the Kent Messenger newspaper for a week now and it has absolutely flown by. Took me a few days to get the hang of things (picking up the phone for the first time saying 'Kent Messenger, good morning' was a terrifying and surreal experience) and it doesn't help I've been spoilt by Uni. Nice new computers, decent camera equipment, reasonable deadlines...I'm not going to complain ever again. For a newspaper that covers the whole of Kent, I was a little surprised to find only 4 reporters, 2 news editors and an editor. The amount of work these people is unreasonable to say the least. I've gone through more press releases than a shredder, trying to get 200 words into 20. It's been chaos.
But fun. Very good fun. Day one was spent at an old people's home, where the smell followed me all day. We were doing a voxpop on the election, finding out which political party had amassed the 'grey vote' as the sub editors politely put in the headline. I was at my happiest when a dotty old lady told me 'the first person to kick out all the immigrants, I'll vote for'. It was like looking at a more cenial, older and feminine version of myself.
Tuesday was rather boring. Found out about a 16-year old yoof from Maidstone who'd uploaded a video showing how to kick a football which had attracted 1,000's of views (the internet is FULL of any old shit that people will watch). I think it's the first time a story has appeared in a Kent newspaper about a 16-year old that hasn't mentioned the words: 'sambuca', 'fire', 'rape' or 'Walther PPK', so it's a nice little bit of publicity for all.
Spent Wednesday morning at a sleepy little village just outside Maidstone. Gordon Brown was there the week before, Liam Fox (Shadow Defence Secretary) was there Tuesday to announce to Tory manifesto, and then lil' ol' me showed up the day after. I'd hoped to strut around the pubs, saying 'Daniel May, Kent Messenger' and return to the office with a notebook full of quotes and stun the editors with an article (the word 'twat' comes to mind...). Unfortunately, nobody told me they were shooting a sequel to '28 Days Later' in Aylesford (the little village). Because that's what it was. Empty. As fuck. No matter, got some quotes. Then in the afternoon, Maidstone had a powercut. So I ran around the town centre finding out what had happened (the response 'the lights have gone out' made my day) and managed to get a story on the website. Things were going well.
Thursday was a little more subdued. I logged onto Facebook for the first time that week in the office. Just to check I hadn't missed anything. In the afternoon I went to a fashion show (I know, 'bout time my area of expertise was recognised). It was once again full of old girls (I swear they're following me) and most of the models were shop employees (i.e. more old women). But it was great fun. I got free flapjack so I wasn't complaining.
So yeah, there's a little chronological report into my week. Hopefully next week I'll get to go to a car crash or house fire or something. I won't leave the office until I've had to give an eyewitness testimony to the police.
Leader's debate yesterday. I shuffled my rear into the perfectly formed ass-groove on my chair and stuffed my face with chicken as the leaders had a good ol' fashioned scuffle. Clegg did very well, but then no one's really paid much attention to him before. It's like a novelty at the moment. He out-Cameroned Cameron, in the sense he was big, confident and very well spoken. Gordon Brown just looked a creature from the cantina scene in Star Wars. His attempts at jokes were dire, the man has about as much comic timing as roadkill.It'll be interesting to see how Clegg stands up in the debate over foreign policy, seeing as his credentials in this area are way behind those possessed by Cameron and Brown. For these two, last night was a warmup. Get through debate numero uno without any hiccups and get a feel for how it's going to go down. It'll be an interesting few weeks.
And finally, quick update on my Créme Egg count. I started with 138, I've had a bloody good munch on them. I'll count them later. Don't expect there to be more than 60 left.
No comments:
Post a Comment