I’m in to the second week of my 4-week stint at BBC Radio 2. I am now slowly getting used to the daily commute in to Western House.
While I’m in London this month, I’m staying at my cousin Tom’s flat in St. Margarets (near Richmond and Twickenham).
My daily commute takes me all the way in to London Waterloo, from where I am taking the Bakerloo line up to Oxford Circus.
Not being from London, I am not used to standing on a train like a sardine on a daily basis.
However, it hasn’t taken me long to learn the tricks of the London transport system: I’ve learned, when boarding the train in the morning, to get on the back coach, which often empties earlier than the front ones. If I’m lucky, I can even get a seat the whole way! And when I’m on the tube… the back two cars are often completely empty, even when the rest are packed with little room for additional passengers.
Having just got used to this, LBC reported this morning that there will be a 48-hour tube strike. Oh what fun the morning commute will become! I don’t know if there are any busses at all from Waterloo up to Oxford Circus. Alternatively… how long would it take me to walk, I wonder?
In terms of the radio stuff… My work experience seems to be going well. Generally, I’m producing timelines or short documents outlining a story, moving desks to answer the phones as the live show goes out. The first time I did this, I was terrified – but I’m starting (secretly) to enjoy it now. One of the calls I took today and sent through to the studio as a written comment even made it on air! Hooray!
I’m so glad the way we record all the calls is all electronic – my handwriting can be illegible at times, so typing everything out is so much better. We need more computers at Corinium Radio, I’m thinking…
I’ve found my way round the BBC’s computer systems, and managed to successfully do some audio editing the other day. Audio editing is relatively easy – learning to do so in a different computer system is a bit like getting in a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side, or cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen, or using an unfamilair radio studio/mixing desk…
Looking forward to what tomorrow may bring.
FH.
