I only discovered what a slug was at ABC TV last week and now I want to organise my entire life with slugs!

Today I discovered there was a TV in the newsroom. Yes, there was. It was on all day and, somewhat, tuned into ABC. I was half hoping I could be transplanted through the fuzzy reception up on to Mount Coot-Tha where I could hang out with my mates there editing some big political stories. But I’m yet to master the art of teleporting, so I did the next best thing: I wrote a nice story about a soccer club from Papua New Guinea who had requested second-hand footy boots from a Redcliffe football club. The response from the Peninsula residents was overwhelming. Lovely story.

After that I was given another story to write about the menu at a local restaurant. I called the owner/chef and he was more than happy to answer all of my questions about his inspiration behind his special one-month menu. I wish politicians’ media advisors were this helpful. It was hard concentrating with Question Time blaring in the background, but it was a nice festive atmosphere.

I asked my editor for more direction on the travel piece and she said I could write it in first-person as a travelogue. Beauty! That’s exactly what I wanted to hear. The example she gave me from the paper had space for 300 or so words, 3 pics and a nice bold by-line! So I’ve offered a few: Philippines, Japan, Vanuatu, Beijing, Thailand, Guatemala and Mexico City. I’ve got a lot of writing to do.

I got a few more responses from the local councillor about a story I wrote yesterday about the reafforestation of a concrete canal on the Peninsula. She had mentioned that there were plans for more work. I called her to ask exactly what kind of work. She e-mailed late yesterday after I had left the office to say that she couldn’t give me any details until the budget was released. But, today I received another e-mail from her saying what those extra details were. The first extra detail was a plan to plant more trees. Fine. The second plan was to put up a sign that thanked the bank who is sponsoring a lot of the work! Why would she tell me this. It appears it has nothing to do with the council budget.

Tomorrow will be my last day at the Herald. It’s casual Friday which means I am expected to wear jeans. I had been told off by some other journalists for overdressing. “You’re making us look bad,” one of them told me.

Over and out.