My pallid complexion will tell you that the only light I have seen recently is from the mournful glow of a computer screen. Windows seem to be at a premium in a newsroom reserved for the front door and the toilet. But I was so busy my brain relegated any thoughts of the birds and the trees outside to my nasal cavity.

Day 1:

Got there early. Good start. Said hello to QT chief of staff and Advertiser Editor who were both lovely. “Maybe this won’t be too scary…” I thought.

Time for the news conference. John had made it abundantly clear that we were to go in there with our own story ideas from day 1. My ideas I had brought with me from Brisbane had seemed more and more irrelevant as the journalists all made their contribution for the day. Needless to say by the time it was my turn to offer something up to the news gods I might as well of just blown a big raspberry.

Feeling a bit p.o.’d, I assumed my position at my desk and wondered how I would be eased into things.

“Thwack!” went the press release as it thudded on my desk.

“Turn that into a story please Rob,” said the ‘Tiser editor Gabs.

“And when your done with that one here are some more.” Thwack Thwack Thwack!

“Oh shit,” said my internal monologue before I chucked that into my nasal cavity too.