Friday 17 December 2010

14

I'm going to cease Christmas Crafting with immediate effect and just give you my autograph. You're welcome.

Last night I was asked to participate in the BBC's Good Morning Scotland radio programme and despite my extreme nerves (and after much cajoling by my friends on Twitter), I agreed. Get me and my big britches. I was picked up early this morning, whisked to the studio and they even let me in. I wasn't sure that last bit was actually going to happen.

Outside the studio

That is 'my' studio to the right. In the lefthand studio was non other than Alistair Darling. I can't be entirely sure (as I was on-air at the time) if he was also being interview about Christmas Crafting, but probably.

In the studio

It was very kind of the gentleman in reception to endulge my dorkiness and take my picture but he's probably used to it (no doubt Alistair Darling asked him too). He also turned a blind eye to me spilling coffee and gave me a last minute pep talk to calm my nerves before prepping me on the booth and how it worked. Unfortunately he assumed people being asked to speak on the radio would have a basic level of intelligence and failed to tell me I'd need to put the head phones on. Good thing I popped my head out with seconds to spare to confirm, or this interview never would have happened.


So here we go then. People in the UK who want to listen, the show can be found here. Obviously I'd recommend listening to the entire three hour programme because it's very reputable with a high caliber of guests but if you just want to listen to just me it starts at the 1:46.40 mark.

Poor, sad non-UK folk won't be able to listen to the iPlayer* but if you want a transcript it's something like this:

Them: (Question?)
Me: Ehhhh.
Them: (Question?)
Me: Hmmm.
Them: (Question?)
Me: Emmm.

*EDITED TO ADD: Lyn in America has said she did manage to listen! And here's how:
"I started the regular player and when I tried to go to the play position you listed it said "not enough bandwidth." I switched to the low bandwidth version (lower left of the player) and it played fine."

14 comments:

  1. not dissimilar to any tv or phone interviews I have ever done. Lots of "OMG My brain doesn't think that fast! eeeeek"
    Lovely though :)
    Men want an electric gadget?!! What?! My husband WANTED socks. And he's getting Onion marmalade to go with his stilton and freecycled electric razor. And some teenagers .. even boys would like knitted phone covers. As long as they are black of brown or khaki I imagine.

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  2. I just listened! You sound really different to how I thought you would - more Scottish!! Well done on the interview. I would be sooooo nervous.

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  3. I am very sad that being a non-UKer I cannot listen to your (I'm sure) lovely and witty interview. However, I have offset that with a feeling of immense satisfaction that I read your blog before you were famous!

    Congratulations, what a fun honor!

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  4. Go you!! And I, non-UKer still, was able to listen. So exciting and you did a great job, didn't sound nervous at all.

    I started the regular player and when I tried to go to the play position you listed it said "not enough bandwidth." I switched to the low bandwidth version (lower left of the player) and it played fine.

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  5. You're famous! And much more Scottish sounding than I had expected.

    Right, must get back to making small fish toys for a marvellous little girl.

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  6. I can only agree with everyone else, and you definitely sound much more Scots than I'd imagined - have you modified your accent deliberately, or is it just from years of living there? And do your family in the US marvel at your Scottishness?

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  7. Thanks guys!

    Tinder, you banged the nail right on the head... I couldn't listen and think about what I was going to say at the same time :)

    I'm surprised you all think I sound remotely Scottish, when I listened I thought I sounded really American! I think I tend to change accents depending on who I'm speaking to :)

    It wasn't a deliberate effort to change my accent L&L, but I'm sure I've been subconsciously affected by people not understanding what I'm saying! I remember when I moved here 12 years ago and phoning a friend named Anne and her mum insisting over and over that I had the wrong number because she didn't understand my American pronunciation of Anne. So my vowels have changed the most :)

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  8. I haven't listened to this yet, but I think the comments on your accent are so funny. Not long ago, I watched a (Youtube?) video of Ysolda Teague being interviewed at some wool/yarn/knitting-crocheting conference, and she sounded so...not (what I think of as) Scottish. She sounded practically as if she has an American accent.

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  9. You have a very sexy radio voice, I'm liking the American / Scots combination :)

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  10. I was able to listen on high bandwidth here in the frigid midwest.

    This was so not how I imagined your voice sounding. And strangely enough, I have imagined it. (Whenever I read your blog, I was "hearing" it in the voice I mentally assigned to you... But that's how I read most things... I hear voices :)

    It's the same phenomenon that I experience the first time I finally see a picture of the DJs I listen to on the radio.

    And is it just me, or did you get the impression that the food writer is not hoping to get something hand sewn for Christmas?

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  11. You do not sound at all scottish to me :-) It is terrible in that situation, you get to a point where they could ask your name and you will be thinking "Oh I know that answer to that....". I think you did really well though. Congratulations on being invited onto the show!

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  12. nooooo - I'm too late, it says it's unavailable cos I'm tooo late :-( but I'm sure you were awesome

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