Wish I'd Brought My Brolly
Over the Erskine Bridge this morning and paying my 60 pence toll for what might be the last time ever. The fee is being scrapped at the end of the month. I was heading for Mar Hall - on the site of the old Erskine Hospital - for the annual conference of the Broadcasting Council for Scotland. I parked outside and listened to Good Morning Scotland as Scottish swimmers won two gold medals in the Commonwealth Games. It certainly put a spring in the step.
Inside, I had been asked to give a presentation on the different ways that Radio Scotland involves listeners in programmes. I cited examples such as Morning Extra and Radio Rookies, but also talked about this diary. BCS members seemed intrigued that I get comments on my weight loss as well as programme suggestions. (No weight lost this week, I'm afraid. Not enough walking -blame the snow)
It's clear some of the BCS members are well up on new technology. At one point during a coffee break everyone was comparing mobile phones and iPods to demontrate live video feeds or downloaded movies. My own phone is just one step up from two cocoa tins tied together with string. I tried to hide it under my paperwork, but it was spotted by my colleague Julie Adair who runs 大象传媒 Scotland's Interactive Department. Everyone then pointed at me and sniggered. It was a bit like that awful dream in which you find yourself out in the street wearing pyjamas. There must be a word for this. Technoshame?
I got back to Queen Margaret Drive in time for an unscheduled fire drill which meant all staff had to leave the building immediately. Of course, it then began to rain. Sally Campbell, my PA, had a hood on her coat so she very kindly leant me her umbrella which I used to help shelter some producers from the music department. I'm not sure it did much for my street-cred, mind you.
