Radio Daze.

This was a truly daunting task. While I wouldn't claim that I'm shy, I have an impossible time asserting any sort of authority on a subject -- even something like Movable Type.

I certainly do not fool myself in thinking I'm articulate in any way. Nor, do I consider my speaking voice to be any more pleasant than the sound that the Ringwraiths in The Lord of the Rings make. So, obviously, I can't listen to the program without cringing.

Ben and I are certainly a sad lot. He listened to the archived version and came into my room shouting (yes, he does shout) "I sound like I'm special!"

So between Rain Man and the Ringwraith, our radio debut is quite unsettling.

But at least it gives us something to aspire to -- we've made a resolution to try to sound a bit more confident and at least pretend that we can command a room.

Yeah, good luck.

Comments

[Brenna]

Aw, you guys did just fine. That guy, David Lawrence or whoever (that was the first time for me hearing his show)... he sure didn't make it easy on you! Eric Stolz? Bah, not a chance!

[kismet]

I think you guys did incredibly well. I've done the radio thing a couple times before as well, and... man, it's rough.

Big thumbs up!

[nedrichards]

It's super smashing cool, amazing fun. You don't sound like a ringwraith at all, msybe a balrog...

sorry, non funny joke. I think you underestimate how confident and clever you sounded. Much fun. Well done.

[DrDel]

yeah, you folks sounded great!

[Jeff]

Don't you just LOVE it when someone appreciates your hard work!! And he was!

I've done a few telephone interviews too. Doing them over the phone is hard. You can't "see" whom you are talking to and so get no visual feedback (a nod here and there would be nice and give you the sense they're "getting" what you're trying to say).

When it's over I try not to think about how I came across at all. If it starts to seep into my mind, I push it aside. Trying to sense how you came across in a situation like that has driven even the best interviewees crazy!

This reminds me of when I had a phone interview for a job (on the other side of the country) with the search committee: 8 people sitting in a room with a speaker phone! Try coming across well in that situation! In prep, friends told me I should either dress in business attire or in the nude (sort of a corollary of public speaking where you envision your audience nude) as a way of getting into the right mindset.

Despite my choice of clothes (or not), I felt like I wanted to jump out of the window after I hung up. Didn't get the job but years later one of the interviewers told me they were really impressed with my interview (they were looking for someone "older" for the job).

So you see, it's really hard to gauge. So don't sweat it.

[Nicole]

I love the jingle for this show. And he really has the voice of radio, doesn't he? As for you two, no one ever seems to like their own voice--especially over the phone--but you sound NPR-worthy based on your other recordings.

[Ed]

Mena: Give me a friggin' break! You guys are kicking some ass on Movable Type. Congrats on the latest release.

[Ed]

I listened to it last night. What was up with that guy ogling over you and Dinah on air? ("That Ben guy is one lucky man.") I am so sick of the antediluvian notion that a female IT person is automatically assumed to be a sexpot of some sort. Isn't this the 21st century? He could have easily offered ten more minutes talking with MT users rather than that and the whole "Look at me! I'm donating $150! You're talking with people in power!" routine. If crap like that was what made it hard, then I'm truly sorry.

[Ed]

I listened to it last night. What was up with that guy ogling over you and Dinah on air? ("That Ben guy is one lucky man.") I am so sick of the antediluvian notion that a female IT person is automatically assumed to be a sexpot of some sort. Isn't this the 21st century? He could have easily offered ten more minutes talking with MT users rather than that and the whole "Look at me! I'm donating $150! You're talking with people in power!" routine. If crap like that was what made it hard, then I'm truly sorry.