MY CUPPA TEA
Journalists have to be “chameleons”; it’s the 101 of the job your editor would certainly have mentioned in the interview – “you’ll be dealing with people and situations from all walks of life – not all nice – and you have to get on with it; blend into their surroundings and embrace their interests with vigour”.
It has nothing to do with becoming a wallflower or fading into the background, in fact, the complete opposite.
It has to do with embracing subject matters and people, oftentimes several diverse ones in a day, and, for that hour or two, truly being a horticulturist, Girl Guide, philatelist or (heaven forbid) a bird or snake lover.
ALSO SEE:
[LISTEN/WATCH] An interview with John Connolly
I have a bird phobia. No amount of chameleonism will change that. Birds trigger my fight or flight mode and flight always wins. Usually, accompanied by panicked screeching that has anyone nearby thinking a madman is after me.
Like the Elephant Man, I think my mom was attacked by a bird when she was pregnant with me, but she has no recollection of anything like that. A friend also suggested perhaps it is a past life thing – in my previous life I was a sheep which had its eyes pecked out by crows on the Scottish Highlands (nogal).
That made me laugh, nervously – baaaaaaaa!
It’s a myth, did you know, that chameleons change colour to match their environment.
Rather, Google says, they change colour as a response to mood, temperature, health, communication and light – so, very much like journalists who often find themselves among people in all kinds of moods, in varying temperatures and states of health and having to deal with multiple modes of communication and bad lighting situations.
Most of these hazards of the job (that turn us all colours of the rainbow at times) are largely driven by the digital age.
As if the good old days of notebook and camera were not stressful enough, journalists have to today wear all kinds of other hats – think print, think online, think social media, think Caxton Radio, think Pixzar … phew!
The trusty notebook has been replaced (well, in younger journalists at least) with microphones and phones and when you go out to a job you have to remember the public (and your boss) want instant gratification.
If we’re not doing a Facebook Live, we’re shoving a microphone under someone’s nose while cursing background noises or frantically snapping away on our phones and WhatsApping content pieces to eager digital minds who spring it to life within seconds (OK, more like several tedious minutes or even hours, depending on the mood your internet connection and all things else digital are in) on our website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
I’ve always believed in writing a story up as soon as possible after an interview or event because it’s fresh in your mind then, but there was always time for a relaxing cuppa tea back at the office while you dissected the story with colleagues and threw headline ideas around.
Back then you also had a full week to deadline, so even if you were halfway through writing the most important story of your life and realised you never asked the person how to correctly spell their name (a cardinal sin in journalism), you had some time to patch things up before your editor lashed you within an inch of your life.
The only thing that could possibly go wrong in the good old days was forgetting to put film in your camera and snapping away for four hours at the mayoral induction, only to discover this horrific mistake when you get back to the office. Or you could lose your notebook by leaving it on the roof of your car, or your pen gave up the ghost and you didn’t pack spares (another cardinal sin).
Maybe the only thing which hasn’t changed is that we are still expected to be chameleons – gosh, yet another hat to wear!
That’s OK though, I’m a good chameleon. I love talking to people and hearing their stories.
Problem is, like when I was interviewing world-famous Irish author John Connolly, I got so immersed in my role as chameleon crime fiction author that I clean forgot to whip out my phone and take a video or audio clip.
Ironically, it is the digital age which came to my rescue. A quick email to Dublin and problem solved. Phew!
I may not have my own digital components of this iconic interview, but I will always have my notes … in my notebook.
That’s as good as a fly on a leaf for any chameleon!
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