TV Spring at Night


I've just had the disconcerting experience of being interviewed for TV in the middle of the Royal Botanic Gardens lit up like a spotlighted rabbit, with an earphone in my slightly deaf ear (the right one) and the 7-second delay on my voice feeding back into the same earphone.

I could hear the questions, just, and miscellaneous night noices and what I took to be some audience participation (i.e. I think they laughed occasionally). So I said my piece, about the need for an early spring and an extra season, and with relief my goodbyes when we seemed to have reached the end of the questions.

Odd and not very pleasant. Depressed, I made my way home determined to never do a TV interview at night, put the earphone in my left ear the next time, and try and work out a way to stare down the camera at the same time as remembering all those witty things I was going to say.

My family very kindly taped it for me, so with some trepidation I thought I should watch it so I could improve for next time. Ah, the magic of television. Somehow, and I don't know how, it actually looked and sounded like I knew what was going on and was in some kind of control. Amazing.

If you are not a regular watcher of the '7 PM Project' on Channel 10, you have the opportunity to review my performance on the web (it might not be up yet, but perhaps in the morning). Just remember that I'm still recovering from the experience...

For a slightly more coherent line of argument, see the ABC Online report. For some sometimes very passionate responses to my ideas, read the comments below. It's funny how this topic divides people into two main groups: the first want to know why I don't have something better to do with my time, the second have been thinking much the same thing but usually with slight adjustments.
I think it's a fascinating topic and quite pertinent to how we observe and respond the world around us. But then you know that.

Comments

Jim said…
Don't you have a botanic gardens to run or something? :)
dave ross said…
cool to see this - m. markham here from long ago.
your making sense.

finding country is what we do.
might have to talk to you.
http://www.findingcountry.com/
Talking Plants said…
Re Jim - knew I'd forgotten something. Be back there in a sec.

Michael/Molly! Will look at site (my system is blocking it for some reason at the moment). Good to hear from you...
I woke up this morning and thought, I wonder what's on TV so I turned the Today show on and the weather man was talking about your seasons. Very popular this week aren't you? I have to say, their suggested names weren't very good.

I remember reading that the local Indigenous community had six seasons. I wonder what they called them?
Talking Plants said…
I guess the naming is the least of the problem! The Indigenous community seasons near to Sydney are (roughly) as follows:

D’harawal Seasons
from D’harawal Seasons and Climatic Cycles,
compiled by Frances Bodkin, illustrated by Lorraine Robertson

[July-August]: Wiritjiribin (Sydney Green Wattle Acacia decurrens, Gossamer Wattle Acacia floribunda)

September-October: Ngoonungi (Waratah)
November-December: Parra’dowee (Coastal Myall Acacia binervia)

January-February: Burran (Hickory Wattle Acacia implexa)

March-April-May: Marrai’gang (Lilly Pilly Acmena smithii etc. in fruit)

[June-July]: Burrugin (Forest Red Gum Eucalyptus tereticornis)
Melanie said…
You were great Tim! A natural! Were those cannas flowering behind you? They won't be doing that in Melbourne until January!
Talking Plants said…
Very kind, thanks. Yes they were cannas. Not really my first choice for 'spring' flowers but they were the right height, and colourful!
Mark said…
Hey Tim - great talking point - it's been picked up by the BBC News website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8215570.stm
Talking Plants said…
It continues to generate interest and the UK Telegraph also ran a version of the story yesterday. I did an interview with BBC Scotland and then BBC England (both prerecords) last night, after doing two interviews with radio in New Zealand during the day. Generates good discussion, even outside Australia.