: Without question, this week has changed my life
I have truly burst out of my shell this week, and today has finished the job; live commentary has finally worked. Check the Surge webstream tomorrow, it will almost certainly be working; there will be three games (of uncertain duration, but anything outside the range of 100 +/- 20 would be highly surprising) during the day, and I will be one of the commentators on each. (Two pairs of commentators will be present, covering one half of each match, and I will be in one of those pairs. Each will be of the standard commentator-analyst form; I will be the former, the latter is likely to be someone called Simon who has helped with organisation having had his playing career curtailed by injury.)
The start times: 1000 (Junior Open, for which read male U21), GBR - GER; 1230 (women) FIN - GBR; 1500 (open, for which read male), SWE - GBR. The last of these has potential to be a genuine classic, though I'm not sure how much of this will translate to radio; Sweden have Sebastian Sporrong, possibly the best player outside North America, while the British team have enormous strength in depth (and with nine games to play in one week, each well over an hour in duration, this is extremely valuable). I'd be extremely hesitant to predict a winner, but would be very surprised if it were not close; if it is indeed one-sided, it will be down to Sporrong being either unstoppable or well off-form, such is his influence for Sweden. The hosts start as favourites in the Junior Open, while the womens' final is also hard to call.
But enough of that. This has been an unbelievable week. A sport I knew almost nothing about six days ago has become a substantial part of my life. I've been living and breathing it, following the action as much as I feel able to (and possibly beyond; I've been forced to take a nap mid-afternoon on more than one occasion this week), and ended up producing the lead article here on behalf of organisers who have been unable to watch as much of the action as me (yes). (And watching the end of the DEN - IRE match bought memories that will stay with me for years, and they won't be the only ones of this week.) Covering something I enjoy has sent me bursting out of my shell, and it seems as though nothing can send me down right now.
If I can cling to this feeling...
I have truly burst out of my shell this week, and today has finished the job; live commentary has finally worked. Check the Surge webstream tomorrow, it will almost certainly be working; there will be three games (of uncertain duration, but anything outside the range of 100 +/- 20 would be highly surprising) during the day, and I will be one of the commentators on each. (Two pairs of commentators will be present, covering one half of each match, and I will be in one of those pairs. Each will be of the standard commentator-analyst form; I will be the former, the latter is likely to be someone called Simon who has helped with organisation having had his playing career curtailed by injury.)
The start times: 1000 (Junior Open, for which read male U21), GBR - GER; 1230 (women) FIN - GBR; 1500 (open, for which read male), SWE - GBR. The last of these has potential to be a genuine classic, though I'm not sure how much of this will translate to radio; Sweden have Sebastian Sporrong, possibly the best player outside North America, while the British team have enormous strength in depth (and with nine games to play in one week, each well over an hour in duration, this is extremely valuable). I'd be extremely hesitant to predict a winner, but would be very surprised if it were not close; if it is indeed one-sided, it will be down to Sporrong being either unstoppable or well off-form, such is his influence for Sweden. The hosts start as favourites in the Junior Open, while the womens' final is also hard to call.
But enough of that. This has been an unbelievable week. A sport I knew almost nothing about six days ago has become a substantial part of my life. I've been living and breathing it, following the action as much as I feel able to (and possibly beyond; I've been forced to take a nap mid-afternoon on more than one occasion this week), and ended up producing the lead article here on behalf of organisers who have been unable to watch as much of the action as me (yes). (And watching the end of the DEN - IRE match bought memories that will stay with me for years, and they won't be the only ones of this week.) Covering something I enjoy has sent me bursting out of my shell, and it seems as though nothing can send me down right now.
If I can cling to this feeling...
Mood: 
intensely excited and happy
intensely excited and happyMusic: The Holloways - Generator