Thousands at Mindil Beach

Though it may seem I’m on a “holiday” right now, I’m actually working quite hard. The days haven’t been necessarily overly long, but they’ve been fairly intense. After two years of working from home, face-to-face daily interactions can sometimes be quite exhausting. I’m also juggling aspects of my “regular job”. Nonetheless, there have been many moments of extreme pleasure.

Today, for example, we did an outside broadcast of ABC Darwin from Mindil Beach. During the dry season, the regular Thursday markets attract many hundreds of people.… Read the rest “Thousands at Mindil Beach”

Darwin shots

The woman behind the counter looked at me with surprise when I told her I didn’t want a side salad with my steak.

Often they consist of too much barely edible lettuce, and not enough tomatoes and cucumbers (my favourite salad vegetables/fruits). I’m far more inclined to match steak with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.

So, when the only choices were chips or salad, I chose neither.

“Are you sure?”, she asked me.

Medium Scotch fillet at the Wisdom Bar & Cafe, Darwin

I went out for dinner tonight because I hadn’t so far made it to the supermarket for a “proper shop”, despite my arrival here on Sunday night/Monday morning.… Read the rest “Darwin shots”

What’s the right word?

What’s the word for the name you give someone who helps the new kid at school?

I’ve been trying to remember the word all week, and everyone keeps saying, “buddy”. Indeed, that was the first word I thought of, too. But “buddy” seems overly American and I don’t think we would have used that word when I was a child. Maybe we didn’t have a word back then?

Either way, it’s the word for what I’ll be doing on Monday and Tuesday, for the new Manager of ABC Radio Sydney.… Read the rest “What’s the right word?”

One Night in Canberra

“These are the reason I haven’t worn a watch in about twenty years”, I told Sue, as we wandered around the ABC Studio at Old Parliament House, now the “Museum Of Australian Democracy”.

I was referring to something commonly known as a “bulk eraser”, though they probably had a more formal name. In the days before extensive digital storage, audio (and video) tape was commonly re-used. That’s part of the reason why many episodes of classic radio and television programs no longer exist.… Read the rest “One Night in Canberra”