OK, well perhaps a blog a day wasn't the best idea just yet. Because, today I did spend the day in Melbourne mostly driving around arranging orders and other boring things like that.Well, the good news is we have our orders done for some of our decorations and stuff and they will be ready and waiting for me when I arrive in Sydney. The plan tomorrow is to fly up and take receipt of our items, and then get Shaun and Bryce, our temp marketing interns, to write it, cut it, paste it, save it, load it, check it, quick rewrite it and so on and so forth.
Barralet from All Natural and The Hump Day Crew has already touched down and is getting the red carpet ready for my arrival at the airport to represent The Fool and The Opera in Sydneyland. Meanwhile, the status report on our intrepid van driver Tim Newton from The Spin is he and Molly, JOY's beloved border collie, are in Gundagai with our giant glittered polystyrene letters, twin set radios, flouro map of Australia and have caused quite a scene. Apparently they're a hit in country Australia and the country folk have even rolled out a wooden carpet for the pair (pictured). Tim and Molly continue their trek tomorrow morning and will meet up with the first fleet of volunteers at Central just after midday.
Today, I received many confirmations from our community broadcasting brothers and sisters too and it's quite heartening to hear what people from around the country think of this Broadcasters United marching group. James producer of Queer Radio at 4ZZZ Brisbane wrote this amazing note to the volunteers at his station to invite them to join the march with us, 3JOY, which I have excerpted for your benefit: "Watching the Parade is NOTHING compared to being part of it. When else in your life will you ever hope to experience the unrestrained heartfelt cheering approval of several hundred thousand people? Do it for personal reward alone - or also for the knowledge that you're raising awareness of the absolute value of LGBTQ programming in community radio. Our shows save lives - as well as enhancing the listener's health, happiness and well being."
His message has really crystalised my belief that our presence at Mardi Gras as a unified group is both poignant and necessary. This Broadcasters United is not so much a march of glittered up go boys and firm butt checks (although they will be welcome and present too), but is a march that celebrates great diversity. Whatever gender, sexual orientation, race, age, body shape, etc. We are here together to deliver a single, significant and important message: gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, intersex's, queers, whoever you are, whatever you are, wherever you are in Australia or even the world, you are never ever alone. In your home town, no matter how big or small, near of far, there is bound to be a community broadcaster that will be there for you.
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