So I'm sitting at my desk at school today when the phone rings and who's calling but the NRA.
"Hey, we saw this article about you in the Stockton Record and wanted to see if you'd like to be on our radio show..."
It turns out being a female journalist academic who hunts makes me the trifecta of weirdness. In a good way, of course.
"Uh... sure. OK. Uh, no problem. What time?"
I actually love radio. Back in my last life as a newspaper reporter, I'd occasionally be a guest on both radio and TV programs, and I must say radio was my favorite because I didn't have to worry about how I looked. Not that I'm a hag or anything. But even my mom says I'm better on radio. Thanks, Mom.
So, anyway, the deal today was that I'd be a guest on the Cam & Company show, which streams live on the NRA's website.
So I get the call at the appointed time - 8:20 p.m. - and start talking. Everything's going fine.
Except for my cat.
Giblet is a spoiled little kitty who likes to be doted on a LOT. And if there's one thing that drives her crazy, it's me talking on the phone, because I'm not paying attention to Little Miss Princess.
First she starts making her little harumphing noises. "Mrrrph? Mrowf?"
I ignore her.
Then she starts hacking like an old man. She's getting over a cold, and when she decides to clear snot from her little sinuses, it's really quite spectacular.
"Hchwack! Hchwack! Hchwack!"
Oh lord, can Cam hear this? Can the audience hear this?
If Cam could hear it, he wasn't saying anything. So I kept talking. "Hunting with my boyfriend blah blah blah writing a blog blah blah blah..."
Then Giblet decides to jump on a precarious stack of my mother's photo albums, which I store here during fire season in case her mountain home goes up in flames. Giblet is about to topple the stack, which includes one ancient volume filled with black-and-whites of Mom and my late father during their courtship.
Yikes! I leap out of my chair and remove the cat, trying to remain coherent and nonchalant with Cam.
With Giblet safely on the floor, I sit back down and relax.
Until I hear it.
Scratch scratch scratch.
Scratch scratch scratch.
What the hell is it with cats scratching the kitty litter and litter box 300 times? Can they not just poop, cover it up and be done with it?
More importantly, is the sound of my kitty's bodily function being transmitted to fine, gun-loving Americans everywhere?
Not a peep from Cam, so maybe not. He finished up with me, told his listeners that I was a good-news story and went on to his next piece.
Of course, as soon as the show was over, I immediately went to the archived show to see if I could hear Giblet's mischief.
Not really. I don't know. I don't think so...
All in all, though, it was a very good experience. But if Cam ever invites me back on the show, I'm locking Giblet in the garage.
How to hear it: The show streams live on the NRA's website, but each show remains online only until the next one begins. I did, however, make a copy of the webcast, which you can view/hear below. YouTube won't let me upload it in one piece, though, so you have to watch it in two parts. And, fair warning: The quality is poor because I literally had to videotape the screen of my computer - the original webcast isn't downloadable or embeddable.
Part One:
Part Two
© Holly A. Heyser 2008
Pimp My CZ 527. The Parts List Part 1
2 weeks ago
28 comments:
Just thought I should point out. In case people go looking for your time on Cam and Company later than show time tomorrow. It is only up for 24 hours. So come Tuesday Night at 9:00PM US Eastern Time it's a memory.
When they can start doing Podcasts that should be different but I figured you could use the heads up.
Hope you can find time to join us in the talkbacks.
Sincerely,
Daniel in Reno NV AKA Spokavriel online.
That's awesome, congrats on the radio show
Spokavriel, I was afraid that was the case when I couldn't find any archived radio shows. Thanks for pointing it out!
And thanks, Rick!
Wow. yer a very are-tik-u-late spokesperson fer hunters. Kinda like me...not!
Very nice voice, too...
A radio spot. That sounds great. I'm jealous.
Great interview Holly. Thank you for being a fine representative for hunters and huntresses!
Damn, Holly! You're on a roll!
Soon you'll be leaving all us little people behind.
*snif*
Ironman, a mouse could kick my cat's ass. She's a little runt. Don't pick on her, or I'll kick your ass. That's my BABY we're talkin' about!
Spokavriel, I actually made a video of the segment hoping to post it here before the NRA archive vanishes, but YouTube has rejected it because it was too long. Sigh.
Bushman, Simply, Terry and Phillip? Thanks! And this makes up for the totally lame hunting I've had lately. There's a reason you're not reading hunting stories here even though we're well into the season now...
To paraphrase the immortal Homer, "mmmm... Giblets"
Also, Phillip is right.
Holly,
Cats, gotta love them. It's all about them!
Oh, and good on you getting on the radio!
Regards,
Albert
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
Holly,
Great Job!
Wonderful discussion hitting all the right points; a diplomat and spokesman for the Hunting/Shooting community.
Holly, if you get into the 2012 race, maybe you can get $250,000 for a hunting wardrobe. Designer hip waders, Gucci leather sling, Tiffany thermos, I mean there's no telling what kind of impact you might make on the hunting fashion world!
Regards,
Albert
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
I enjoyed listening to your spot! thanks for being a great coherent voice for our sport - even if your cat was trying to distract you :)
Trust me - cats are much easier to deal with than dogs or children...
Dang! I missed it Holly. It was not up when I visited the N.R.A. website.
Is it possible to get a copy from you?
I have to concur with Phillip's sentiment and hope that this is not a pre-curser to you leaving us!
I didn't think your segment was longer than 10 min. But cutting it into segments smaller than 10 min would fix that length issue.
People even post cartoons and entire movies using cuts like that.
Oh, don't underestimate my ability to talk incessantly - it was 12 min. and change. I'll split my vid into two in the morning and get it posted. Just a warning, though - it's going to be very poor quality. But until NRA makes the show downloadable or embeddable (is that a word?), it's the best I can do...
And Albert! Do you hate me, to suggest such a thing? Blech. I don't have the stomach for politics - much more fun to throw verbal firebombs from the gallery.
But come to think of it, a new wardrobe would be nice...
I'd love it if you'd post the interview somewhere too. The NRA website would not cooperate with me yesterday when I tried to listen.
I think it's fantastic that your voice is getting out there Holly. Keep speaking up for the outdoors.
OK, my very crappy video of the webcast is now up at the end of this blogpost!
A great post, I could just imagine..
SBW
I just listened to the interview. Great job Holly! Really fantastic.
I love the fact that your mom said you're better on radio. It's good to know that certain, ah, commendations (?) run in the family.
You know for future times you end up recording the show to share I could give a couple tips.
One of which would be to use any audio recording program on the computer to also make a recording of the show audio. You can select system sound and end up with a higher quality version of exactly will be heard out the computer speakers but you will avoid that open air hollowness.
Getting the audio to sync putting things back together in a Video Editor may be a hassle.
I play with this kinda stuff often Another thing great for captured video is using something like Dr DivX to make it a smaller file and trim the edges down to the window where the vid was playing. It wouldn't help much with the focus as it was but it would help some.
Instead of making a book on how this if I could help with tips down the line I don't mind getting E-Mail just make sure the topic isn't something easily mistaken.
Spokavriel @ yahoo . com
I think it would be much easier if NRA would just make it downloadable!
I thought about just going with a higher-quality audio recording, but I had a limited amount of time and a 12-hour work day ahead of me. One of my students told me about software that would record from the computer (just as "print screen" grabs a still image from the computer screen). But again, there was that time thing.
If NRA made that embeddable, in segments, that program would get massive replay in blogs and forums all over the country.
True if they did that it would get reposted in allot of blogs.
But when that happened the server costs for hundreds if not thousands of copies of the show segments playing. Sadly the costs for having the shows that way would add up quickly. Even doing audio only has gotten into over a thousand dollars a year just for bandwidth cost on a couple podcasts I know but would rather not list that have gotten popular. And their audio is less than 1/30 - 1/10 the size of most quality video.
Well all the quality issues aside it's great that your call is still available. And thanks for both making the call and sharing it.
Wonderful for you, and about time too. Though the story behind the story is so very funny. Typical lady, multitasking, cat tamer and all. Really enjoy your blog, first I've paid much attention too. Go Holly!
Not sure if my last comment went through - doesn't appear to have made it. I just wanted to say you rock, Holly. Way to spread the message - a very composed and awesome interview.
Hey,
You will be the spokesmodel for women hunters... uh, I think you already are--and I stress the "speaking" part. Well done.
And it was fun to hear you mention me anonymously. I giggled since I knew it was me.
Can't wait to go out in December after the Beretta arrives.
Hellek, I am insanely excited that you're almost ready to go. I told Dana and she is totally ready for another all-girl hunt - with you shooting this time. Yay!
And just wait 'til winter break - we are going to tear up those refuges. Life is good...
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