I think my weekend activities require a more positive response than I accorded them ion the previous blog, but I was trying to make a point to a bunch of 'scientists' who really did seem to be playing shuffleboard to the death, with the winner getting the last deckchair to rearrange on the Titanic.
The Nesta FameLab I had known about for a wee while, but then forgot about until Friday. Coming hot on the heels of another event, courtesy of the University of Warwick's nb2bc initiative (of which more later, in another blog, with suitable temporal confusion), I was all at sixes and sevens.
Basically I lobbed up at the 9am registry in Cardiff (after major fight with the Uni parking system - coupons. You have to buy them and then stick them on your car. Fair enough. Thing is, you can't buy them until 10am when public buildings who sell them may open. But you can get a ticket for not displaying beforehand. Stupid... or what?) and got my number.
Then it was off to rehearse for and hour and a half until showtime. As described before, I totally blew it. Bad preparation, a total inability to remember what i had to say and stick to it according to script I (lifelong curse), plus an arc lamp blinding me all conspired to ensure that while my stalk was good, it got cut off mid flow at the designated 3-minute limit.
However, the judges were very nice, and my fallow contestants nicer still, so I decided to hang about to watch the final in the afternoon. Plus there was a course on public speaking beforehand, which was well worth attending, so I did. To kill time I scooted off into the City, and had a very fruitful time buying a countdown and count up timer to help me in future.
Because I decided to give it another go. They won't allow the same day, but they will allow another place, so I got on the phone and asked the family to get ready as we were going to Plymouth that night. Nothing quiet like spontaneity.
For me it was a long day and a lot of travel (hey, i know, but don't blame me. And it does get worse... sorry), but we ended up in the fair city of Plymouth in time for a slap up seafood dinner and a very nice night on a last minute deal at the China Fleet Club.
Next morning we popped back across Tamar Bridge and arrived in good order at the venue, which was the Aquarium. Wow, what a place. Worth it just for that.
Surprisingly, not many people had signed up, so I was soon schedule din later that morning as the judges had all swanned off in boredom. So we really scoped the place out with the kids. And then I went off to rehearse my revised talk, complete with timers.
I really thought it was quite good, (see previous blog) but again blew out. That will teach me not to read the brief. They want people who want to be science reporters. Now I'm up for that, but I was, am more interested in people who are trying to make a difference by understanding the science and not letting buggers who would try to blind us with it use science to pull the wool over our eyes. So I am bigger on digging out answers to questions than having pat replies served up. As I say, a journey to be embarked upon together than a review served up from a limited, and agenda strewn viewpiont. But to win against the system you have to play it, and I did not do that. More fool me.
I am encouraged. For the judges comments there is no doubting my ability to conjure a story... but I just need to have one that has a neat beginning, middle and end. Mine was to open to satisfy.
But I appreciate the process and the opportunity. You can always improve and learn, and improve some more. And try again. So I am going to keep plugging away, like Robert the Bruce's spider. There are a couple more to go, and I think I will tackle them.
It will be hard, but next time I think I will not bang on on the environment. And just spin a story about a lobster, which I read on a panel at the aquarium. It was very interesting, and I have a lovely lady called Amanda who worked there to thank for fleshing the facts out into what I think could be a winner on the basis the programme is seeking to fulfil.
And once I win, then I set about changing the system. From within.
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