Kirstie's job log: 24
Kirstie Nicols has just started a new sales job, but a Masters in journalism beckons. BBC baptism In the desperate search to earn a little extra pocket money last week I found myself being roped in to help out at the local May Day carnival. The idea of being paid to go somewhere I would have gone anyway (except this time clutching a backstage pass) wasn’t an opportunity I was planning to let go past, and I happily offered up my services.
I was to be helping the local BBC radio station with their local, live, unsigned music stage; handing out flyers to the crowd, taking photos and videos of the band, the show’s presenter, the backstage crew and the audience. Spending the day listening to music and hanging around with bands that might one day be huge didn’t seem like it would be the hardest way to earn a wage, and I was looking forward to the whole thing, thinking I’d managed to land myself some pretty cushy temping work. I don’t think it’s possible to have been more wrong. I woke up that morning to rain. Not just a little bit of light drizzle (annoying but manageable), but a full on, no holds barred torrential downpour. The type of rain that makes you want to spend the day curled up in bed with a film and hot chocolate, and not marching up and down a town centre trying to persuade people to come and listen to music. And it didn’t stop. From 11 in the morning to 10 that night, the rain kept coming. After the first couple of hours of excitement at having become part of the BBC backstage crew for the day, the rain had managed to soak through all three of my jumpers, and well as the soles of my trainers and both pairs of socks, and I began to feel the cold. The whole idea no longer seemed as glamorous as it had just 24 hours previously, and my fantasy of swanning around in the sun with a backstage pass on show had long been torn to shreds. Please take this soggy leaflet...Despite the rain, the day wasn’t all bad; though I have vowed that from now on, whenever I pass by someone trying to hand out a leaflet I shall take it and smile. Especially when that person is standing in the pouring rain trying to remain upbeat and passionate about what it is they’re promoting. The bands were amazing, and soldiered on despite the weather; as did the rest of the team. The crowd that had gathered to watch was definitely not as large as it could have been, but they all did their best to show support. Even better, there were regular coffee runs, and the day has taught me to appreciate how good a cup of warm tea is, no matter how it actually tastes. The best thing about the day though, was that everyone helping out was in the same boat. By the time we were halfway through the day, you could see most people had given up trying to find imaginative ways to stay dry (I saw one guy sellotape plastic bags together in an attempt to make a rain mac), and had instead resigned themselves to the fact that if rain falls and you're underneath it, you’re gonna get wet. Somehow, everyone managed to stay in relatively good spirits throughout the entire day, and although it wasn’t quite what I was expecting, we managed to have fun and it turned out to be a pretty good bank holiday. However, I have never been happier to get into a warm, dry, comfortable bed! I am still on the lookout for some part-time work; something a little more regular and hopefully a little drier, but I have been asked if I fancy helping out at various other shows and events going on throughout the summer, and despite previous experiences I’m still showing willing. Before that, however, I think a shopping trip is due. Time to spend my harder-than-expected earned cash! Read Kirstie's previous blogs
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