Switch Come... Switch Go

The Switch 2 launches next month and I rather uncharacteristically haven't pre-ordered my console yet... And at this point it might be tricky to get hold of one. I put myself on a mailing list this morning for a website I got a top off about getting a very small restock in for. At lunchtime today I got the email and hopped into the online queue to secure my place.

I still get a little star struck by cast members, even moreso when they drop me an email. A couple of them come to me for scripts now which is fun, printed or digital copies. My only lament is someone asked for scripts as I was in a virtual line for the Switch 2. I took my eye off the tab for a couple of minutes to be professional at work, I glanced up afterwards and I learnt how quickly I'd sacrificed my shot at getting a rare console. I won't let the next chance pass me by I decided.

Adult Balance

Tended the camera test and donned my Catering Coordinator hat once again. Thankfully all I really did was make a few phonecalls and the venue took care of the rest, but building rapport is half the battle. I had intentions on leaving the shoot after lunch as everyone seemed to be getting on just fine, but every time I got mentally ready to go more work appeared out of the ether. Guess that's why I was there but when will this workload let up? I'm so tired this week, on the one hand I want to sleep, on the other I want to do things in the evening. That's the adult balance we must all figure out for ourselves.

Double Bubble

Rose early to bid our hut and our holiday goodbye. I was driving to work come hell or high water because it was double pay today! Perks of the unions fighting for our workers rights, I got enough cash today to not feel guilty about buying in lunch. 

We're gearing up to do a camera test on one of our locations tomorrow. As the headcount spiralled it became increasingly clear they were going to parachute me in on the day to make sure it all runs ok. So now my car is full of teabags, water pumps and mobile Internet routers - everything a production member needs to ensure a smooth filming day. Beyond that, anything is possible with a smile and enough cash.

'Tick'ed Off

I thought this late Spring heatwave would never end so I only packed shorts rather than including long trousers. I learnt that was a mistake the hard way, not just because I got chilly knees, but because I got my first ever tick. We got it out safely with tweezers mind, but I was a little grossed out by a bug just kinda sleeping inside of my skin.

In better news, we visited a burger place that we wanted to try two years ago when we were last in a Shepherd's hut. The book up FAST so we were lucky to get a place today. It was a burger two years in the making, but it was worth the wait! We walked it off with a trip around Goodrich Castle then headed back to the hut for our final night. Wine, board games and then a atmospheric horror game... Which in hindsight we shouldn't have played in the middle of a field in the dead of night. But maybe it enhanced it?

Here's Rebecca looking scared after I locked her up in the castle's dungeon.

 

Hot Tub

Just before I started filming on the first series of Rivals, Rebecca and I headed West and over a bridge to spend some time in a Shepherd's hut in Wales. Well, we're repeating the trick only a few miles away from the site of our original holiday, but still in a wee hut. The key difference with this place is there's a hot tub only a few paces from our gaff, the host warmed it up for our arrival so it felt rude not to dip in. It dawned on me that outside of swimming pools, I don't think I've ever been in a hot tub before. Based on all the games of The Sim's that I've played I associate them with the high of luxury - they were always the most expensive thing in the in-game furniture catalog, and a worthy reason to use the Rosebud cheat code for quick cash. Stepping into the tub I realized there really ain't too much special about it... It's just kinda nice to be in some warm water while outdoors. The novelty wore off once I clocked it was just like sitting in a big hot bath, except I also got bit of nature falling into the water too and I had to shower the chlorine off my body afterwards. Not the life-changing experience the late 90's promised they were.

Email Nirvana

We held our Production meeting in a nearly carved out spot of our plan offices. About 40 people held and important meeting about how the next couple of months olare going to play out, all the while I was trying to muffle the sound of my typing as I was only 10 meters away from them. Everyone left happy and informed though, but my inbox exploded the moment it was all over. I've always been the type of person who hates having unread messages hanging over them, yet today it kinda got to a point where I had 15ish unread emails and an almighty calm washed over me. I achieved Nirvana as I realised I didn't need to rush around all the time. Everyone else answers their messages when they see fit, I get round to your messages when I finish everything else. Perhaps I projected too calm an energy because a couple of my other team members were in high alert trying to buy a curtain for ASAP. I must have sounded quite blasé about it despite it being the most important thing in their world. Maybe my anti stress balanced it all out, or maybe I'm turning into my Dad? Mum always says if he was any more laid back he'd be horizontal. I just keep remembering 'we're all just making telly at the end of the day'.

Doughnut Treat

 The final coffee run had us stationed in a well loved doughnut shop in the center of town. So right after we passed out the final beverage we returned and order ourselves a little treat for a week well done. I continue to feel like I'm playing whack a mole with my to do list, whenever I sit down to try and crack in with something meaty I'm cornered by other requests popping up all over the show. Still got everything more or less done but still feel like I'm treading water. What was a nice gesture was our team were all invited out by some of the visiting London lot for drinks tonight. I was a little shattered but I made the effort to show my face and I'm glad I did (like I always am with these things.) I'm always keen to try and attend the social things after work because they allow people to get to know each other and build rapport. It always ends up making my job easier as it's easier to ask people for favours if you've shared a pint with them.