New website - charlottegay.wordpress.com

I've decided to update my blogging skills by switching to enemy lines.

The inevitable change to Wordpress is upon us and I have come to ask you to join me.

 

This is a sneak preview of what the new site looks like:

charlottegay.wordpress.com

NERVE FM

As of today the usual nerveradio.com has TRANSFORMED into Nerve FM during our two week specialist FM broadcast. We will be broadcasting the very best talent Nerve Radio has to offer over the 87.7 frequency, with a special focus on our breakfast show Wake Up To Nerve.

Myself and Dominic Garcia will be taking the airwaves by storm every weekday for two weeks. From 8-10am to bring you a fantastic show with feature like our Topic of the Day, Where's Will, Cuppa Joe, Challenge Dom and Garcia and Gay Save The Day - simply the best piece of advice you could expect to receive from someone - perhaps ever!


Not only that but you can win truly awesome prizes such as JASON MANFORD TICKETS for this Friday (18th March) at the BIC.


So no excuses listen in at 87.7fm or tune into www.nervemedia.org.uk if you are not from the Bournemouth & Poole area.


Keep an eye on the Twitter and Facebook pages too.

BBC Visit with Rory Cellan-Jones

5AM start.
2 hours of bus travel (with several sneaky dozes)

10 minutes of blatant London underground inexperience pointing at tube maps & working ticket machines.

Arrival time 10:00AM to get to the BBC Television Centre and a cheeky visit to see Mr Cellan-Jones.
 

Hopefully now I’ve updated you on the vital statistics of my journey I could tell you in a bit more detail about my day.



Rory & I after the Unplugged Experiment

Since the Unplugged experiment in October last year I had planned to go up the studios in an acceptable form of stalking the BBC crew back to their base. I hadn’t really thought about what it was I wanted to do exactly when I got there, as work experience is off the cards (Damn you official BBC work experience page).  I’d done the public tour before, but as expected you were following official routes designated for the general public which although fun for the first time – wasn’t anything exclusive I could write home about.
Luckily since meeting Rory Cellan-Jones and Peter Page, it would seem I had made a good enough first impression for another encounter. Sadly Peter was out on a job during the visit… but a few other faces appeared during the visit which kept me and Miss Caroline Scott amused.
I should perhaps interject that I asked Caroline to join me after she too had worked with Rory and Peter during the filming so rather than be entirely selfish and keep this treat for my own glory she sensibly came along too.
One thing, which is probably not at all surprising but did lead me to the conclusion that any kind of great escape during the public visit to wander around the beeb and bump into any familiar journalistic face would not have worked. We had to be personally assisted through security. Even within the building the amount of time key fob swiping that happened at all but every door confirmed by Rory that you would almost certainly get stuck in a random corridor in the middle of the centre – not a glamorous collision with Fiona Bruce.
We began the visit to Rory’s department, business & technology, and sat in on the morning meeting. I say sat, the meeting was a gathering on one side of the room all standing and putting forward what everyone had busy doing. I’ll be honest in that I was envisioning a meeting room with a lot more of a formal aspect – seeing as previous local newspaper work experience had entailed.
From here, we were lead around the office meeting people from 5live, the online crew, then visited BBC World Service, saw News 24 being recorded live, and ending up watching the 1 O’Clock news go out whilst sitting in the Gallery. This was a particular highlight as it was interesting watching the ridiculous amount of screens ranging from VT’s ready to air, live correspondents in Libya, Wales and the Isles of Scilly, and rival broadcasters. The last minute changes and even removal of stories even during the broadcast and problems with sound could without doubt become an extremely stressful but exciting environment, 1 O’Clock being notoriously most difficult bulletin to work on.
From here, I think Caroline’s favourite part for sure; we took a detour from News spur to the entertainment side of the centre. The BBC studios are often hired out to other production companies so alongside seeing (**SPOILER ALERT!**) Two Pints Of Larger and A Packet Of Crisps being filmed, we saw a run through of Celebrity Juice, the set for Channel Four’s Ten O’Clock Live, and the massive main studio used for shows such as Strictly Come Dancing.



BBC Weather anybody?

We then had a little play with the Weather’s green screen, including Rory! As you can see from the pictures, we aimed to be as professional as possible.
Finally, we grabbed a quite bite to eat at The Club which Rory kindly paid for (thank you again if you do get a chance to read this), and then a dash back to Victoria.
Funnily enough whilst looking lost and panicked after exiting Victoria underground at a different exit to the nearer coach station one, I forgot I still had the BBC visitor tag pinned to my top. So in a rushed state I had a Big Issue calling ‘Hey BBC Lady, wanna buy a Big Issue?’ bringing even more attention to the fact that I didn’t really know where I was going.
A day very much enjoyed! Saw a few famous faces like Kate Silverton and Gabby Logan. I would of loved to have been able to have popped into ZDF like I had planned – but time escaped and I think it’s a perfectly good excuse for another visit.

Light Pollution

Why not have a gander at my television package.
Its about the light pollution in Bournemouth and yes -  I did get a lot of weird looks for being that girl who was filming the street lights in Winton.


Feedback would be appreciated.

Songs Of Now...

As some of you may have noted I am planning on filling your audio waves with my song choices of the week. Like an Ipod on shuffle, this selection is fairly random.


1) Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons

After popping along to Milk on Tuesday, I have flashbacks of the night with this song. I'm sure I don't have to explain to you why Mumford & Sons are on here but you can be enlightened on why I love them.
I think its the entire pace of the song - and the fact that since Mumford & Sons smashed the limelight, they've brought folk back into the foreground. Perhaps making it a bit cooler to announce that you were into folk. If a band can sing acapella as brilliantly as these fella's then they deserve the multiple recognition they get.


2) Price Tag - Jessie J

Usually... overly poppy songs put me off. I refused to listen to Alphabeat because they were unnaturally happy (well this is until I was in a crowd of people at Weston Super Mare with them playing live at me I felt like I ought to try and enjoy it).
But with Jessie J - almost like the same Katy Perry effect - I find myself singing along with her tunes. This song in particular has cropped up to me this week after a certain comment was made in reference to "if its not about the money" - can I have your album for free?
I also like the fact that she writes her own songs and before stepping onto the stage wrote for people like Justin Timberlake, Xtina and Alicia Keys  - Much more impressive and talented than some of the run of the mill generic pop artists out there.


3) I'll be in the Sky - B.O.B

Again like Jessie J - when I see American rapper/singer hop over the pond and start raping our British airwaves I tend to switch off. Yeah I'll sing along to them if I'm a night out but all the Kanye Wests out there aren't exactly my thing..
However B.O.B has tapped into something which I quite like... I really loved Airplanes featuring Haley Williams and now this one has crept in too. Watching the video I am wondering... can he actually play the piano... I hope so!
I think I'm going to have to blame the NerveRadio playlist for this one - I've obviously been brainwashed into liking this one. 


4) A Little Respect - Erasure

The eighties were such a marmite era. So many classic yet some very questionable fashion choices. I've chosen Erasure after having a bit of an eighties evening during the week, yes there was Aha and Rick Astley thrown about. A Little Respect is super happy and a classic sing along track. It was put on a 'happy' album given to me before leaving home for Bournemouth, so maybe my love for this is helped by good'old memories.




5) Lets Go Surfing - The Drums

According to NME one of the best Indie tracks to include in your playlist (I feel that maybe Indie is the wrong word to use - seeing as now whenever I generalise my music taste to 'indie' I get a sigh and a look of typical music choice!) This may sound like a stupid thing to point out as my favourite part of the song but I like the whistling - there I said it. It seems like if I was the running sort of person that it would be a great track to have queued up to play. Having said that, as someone who walks into uni everyday I think it will definitely be playlisted as 'a song to listen to on a sunny day and pretend I'm in a musical montage like a movie of my life' <perhaps a shorter title maybe more appropriate.

Vote for Daniel Duke for VP Comms at SUBU

Vote for Daniel Duke
If you like Dancing Banana's and Banjo's then you should definitely watch this video!

Songs Of Now...

I've decided that I want to write a mini feature on songs I am particularly enjoying right now. 

They might not be new (though usually will be) and they may seem to be a bit of a random selection (perhaps enjoy them at different times to appreciate their awesomeness!) but this is what I have in my favourites at time of publishing.

1) Oxygen by Hadouken

I've chosen this song, and happen to have it playing right now as inspiration because I went on a little downloading spree earlier. Seeing as this weekend has had more focus on the hours of the night than the pre-noon time, I chose a fantastic song to keep you raving to. Its full of energy and when I saw them in Poole back in... October? You couldn't possibly keep still - you physically had no choice!

2) Jump Into The Fog by The Wombats

I adore this song. Perhaps it is because I just love typical indie rock bands, but I think its awesome when you can fit lyrics such as "I've made some bad decisions, I'll admit that freely It's just that life tastes sweeter when it's wrapped in debauchery". The witty ones amongst you may have noticed I tweeted these line earlier. Songs like these are proven to be great when I find myself singing along to them in the middle of Dylans Bar without realising this is perhaps not the right social occasion to be belting out these tunes. 

3) Hello by Martin Solveig & Dragonette

This little number has been selected because its ridiculously feel good. It reminds me of summer, and with the video being one of Wimbledon it is the perfect help to sooth my craving for sunshine and general summer merriness! 

4) Someone Like You by Adele

This song defines beauty. Its wonderfully sung by the a-mezzingly talented Adele, who just captured everyones focus and completely stole the limelight at this years Brit awards. I find Adele's lyrics, especially in this song, are ones I can relate to. Singing about an ex, its sentiments charms me into believing that we are all together in how we react to losing someone important at that time of your life, even if only for a short time. I find its a great song to either have some alone time with or just to appreciate for the skill of Adele's vocal chords!

(I'm surprised I could ever put an artist who I used to have to listen to back to back for 2 years of my waiting life!)

5) Lover by Daniel & The Lion

Now part of me thought another post relating to Daniel & The Lion would perhaps be a bit too soon. However I have specific cause for choosing this song. Last week Daniel released many FREE (if caps didn't emphasize this enough) tracks of a special Valentines theme, and this perhaps coinciding with D&TL's biggest fan Claire Edwards getting engaged creates the perfect excuse to listening into this tune. Have a little listen in and you'll see why I need no more explanation.

I will bring you more songs to browse through next week :)

Any Tips?

Is it fair to give tips? Should we be made to feel that if decide not to tip we may risk a poorer quality of service? Charlotte Gay peers into the world of tipping.


I used to be a waitress – chances are I’ll be one once again this summer. It’s not the best paid job but one benefit to this part time work is the tips. Extra money just for me doing my job? Thank you very much.

Unlike other jobs, waiting and bar work are standard areas of service where workers can be paid extra money for their services. I would like to say that this is for particularly outstanding work, that the employee had gone out of their usual way to be of help to someone. Yet this doesn’t seem to be the case.

But it’s not just when you’re feeling like eating somewhere a bit classier than heading to the local chippy. Tips jars are becoming common place. You’ve all seen them, and they seem to crop up in the most bizarre places now. For example, it is very often seen as customary to give tips to taxi drivers… does this mean I now have to stash back even more of my alcohol fund on nights out to give to my taxi driver for already expensive taxis?

“I thought I’d already paid you!”

Maybe it is just what I’ve grown up believing but it seems wrong giving money to someone just for the sake of feeling socially awkward if I don’t pay. When looking at why we tip, they usual reasons are obvious but there some people have even handed over extra cash to improve their service. Does this mean people pay before they're even attended? The mind boggles…

The etiquette of tipping (or to give a gratuity) is fairly vague here in the UK. It’s generally not seen as needed as say a pub, but at bars and restaurants a figure around 10% is the norm. These charges aren’t expected as it varies from place to place. In London and many different European countries a service charge is actually attached to the bill. For instance countries such as Brazil attach a suggested ‘service charge’ for customers to pay… so now we've been charged for dinner and you’re recommending how much we give you? You can refuse to pay this. But let’s be honest who wants those kinds of moments on your conscience? Surely we shouldn't be made to feel guilty like this?

Saying all this, I do not mean to offend. So if I am on holiday and it is the done thing to give tips to the staff who has served you – I’m not going to defy their culture (although the staff that just carry you bags... really? You want to be rewarded for that?)

In Japan is seen as weird and even offensive to give someone a tip, and some states in America, such as California, have even out right banned it! Tipping is illegal in California – who’da thunk it?

Under ‘basic issues of fairness’, 2009 saw the law round up the loop holes where employers were paying their staff partially in the gratuities they received. This was all agreed to be wrong but another reason why people tip is because waiting is seen as an poorly paid profession… This reason I find interesting because as a waitress I can confirm the pay… well let’s just say I won’t be retiring on It any time soon. So for someone to outwardly recognise this is quite unusual for them then to feel the need to be the person who fills this gap.

I just think that the logic behind it is wrong. If someone was above the standards the customer thinks they have paid for then great – quids in. But you are paying someone who stood around talking to theirfriends, texting on their phone and generally unconcerned of your evening – is that right to reward them?






For more of an insight into the world of waitressing why not read some waitressing stories

JK Unlimited

It would seem that although I already follow Mr Kent's Unlimited Blog, I am making particular reference to it as my bag has made an appearance!

Why not have a gander anyways.


Click here for Unlimited.

Five of the best places to 'Pop The Question'

I wouldn't call myself an expert on places to propose, but these few places would be pretty hard to say no to...

Look at St Michael's Mount! It look like Disneyland!

Click here at countryfile.com for the original article.

History Re-enactments For The Family

This one has just been published too....

Click here countryfile.com to see the original article.

Five Facts You Didn't Know About Your Garden Wildlife.

Not sure if this is going to be put up online (this is just a preview when I saved it to the system) or not but I've kept a copy anyway. Just a small factfile style bit I wrote inbetween other things.

Is traditional cob the eco way forward?

Here is a bit I wrote about Cob houses - for all you cottage fans out there! There are a more bits that I am waiting to be published online nearer to appropriate certain holiday times..... so I'll keep you posted :)

This is the link to Countryfile.com

Five Days to the Weekend: Great Torrington

I'm currently on work experience at Countryfile magazine in Bristol. I'll keep uploading the stuff I do onto here, so I can keep a copy. Enjoy!

Countryfile - Five Days To The Weekend: Great Torrington 

Chess Boxing

Seeing as I discovered a large amount of unwanted time had been dumped upon my hands I thought I might as well Google this epic sounding new form of sport.

Chess Boxing. Does what it says on the tin. Skilled chess players take to the ring to begin an quick round of chess before the board is shoved to one side and the opponents start punching each other for three minutes. when this time is up the pair then return to their original civil behaviour and resume their game of chess.

This may sound like a total bizarre mash up of two completely different sports... and although yes I cannot deny that it is... it is brilliantly entertaining to see how the players start the slowly decrease in any chessing talent they may have began their day with and start making easier mistakes and slowing right down.

This is an official world sport. Not just something some bored buff chess players decided after arguing over where someone put their bishop.

The you-tube video I watched the final tournament in German's 2008's championship, apparently in an old train workshop.Being of course an international sport, just like say the football or rugby world cup, the game warms up with a good old sing song of their national anthems.

The first contenders is a nineteen year old Russian maths student, who isn't half bad at boxing and his partner a Berlin Policeman who currently the world champion chess boxer! The pair begin their little game of chess sat on stalls in the centre of the ring to begin their first round. Each man has his boxing gear all on (except of course their gloves although would that make an interesting higher level of difficulty?) 

If this alone is not an weird looking scenario then wait till you hear that the pair also wear massive oversized head phones to block out the commentator and crowds distracting 'oooo's and ahhhhh's'.

But as soon as these four minutes are up the pair engage in their first round of boxing.

So on and so forth the game carries on until the ends with this new coming youngster whipping the champion by stealing his queen and the supposed world champ quits there. In more perhaps visual interesting games, the winner can be decided by whoever knocks out the other player too - a little bit more familiar to the standard game of Boxing.

So if you fancy having a game of chess boxing the rules are simple. So go for it. Why not.

I think the best image of this sport I could have would be combining champions of the worlds of boxing and worlds of chess, some Napoleon Dynamite character against Frank Bruno..... 

  Watch on youtube

ZDF News Television Pictures

German television crew ZDF filming about the Official results of The Unplugged Experiment!
(Filmed Wednesday 19th - aired Thursday 20th 8pm)
I'll put a video up as soon as I can get it embedded or copied


but here's the link:


ZDF News Link

(About 7 and a half mins into the footage)

Mark Forkgen Layout

Daniel & The Lion

The Gig was during the first lot of heavy snow - shame it couldn't be online sooner!

Click Here -> to read the article:soundsurge.co.uk

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