A day in the life of a Flash Quote Reporter begins at around 7 o'clock. The FQR has breakfast, usually consisting of yoghurt and a bit of fruit. This FQR has trouble with Chinese breakfast, which consists of dumplings and deep fried stuff.
The FQR heads down stairs, but not before checking the rug in the elevator - the only way he can keep track of the days - to make absolutely sure that he really needs to be up at this time and can't go back to bed.
The FQR, and any other sod who was unlucky enough to pull the 14 hour shift for that day, jump in a cab and head to their venue. In this case, it is the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronomics.
Upon arrival, a FQR makes a coffee and looks up the contenders for the morning's session. The FQR looks for who might be a good interview in Group B. Group B is on in the morning, and is basically for the the lifters who aren't really a medal chance.
Two FQRs need to be at the venue in the morning for Group B, just in case something amazing happens. It's not out of the realm of possibility, a guy won silver from Group B in Athens. But, Group B being Group B, not much of the media is interested. A FQR spends a large part of his time in the mixed zone. The media stand on the left side of the barrier, the athletes walk down the right. Although I don't have any photos of it, when the Chinese athletes won Gold, the mixed zone was incredibly packed. A FQR can have a lot of difficulty getting in and out of the mixed zone. Not so in this case.
After Group B, there's lunch. After lunch, all the Chinese guys in the venue, put their head down on their desk and have a nap. Some FQRs have tried this.
After nap time, a FQR has another coffee, a relax, perhaps listens to his iPod, and looks at the form of the lifters in the first Group A session. There is usually a Women's Group A that starts at 3:30, and a Men's Group A that starts at 7.
The other FQRs come in during the afternoon, and everyone receives a briefing from our manager, Jane. We're assigned what we will be doing for that session. We are usually either targeting a specific athlete in the mixed zone, standing behind a journalist in the broadcast mixed zone (where we can't ask questions), attending the press conference, being a general rover, or sitting at a computer in the office being the copy taker.
FQRs have a 10 minute deadline from when the athlete speaks to submitting their work. So everyone is in a rush. And while this FQR doesn't like being the copy taker, it is a good system to speed things up. The deadline for Press Conference quote is 20 minutes.
After the afternoon session, a FQR has dinner. Quite often the line is very long, and the food really is pretty bad. But there's lots of rice, so there's always something that's edible.
The FQR heads down stairs, but not before checking the rug in the elevator - the only way he can keep track of the days - to make absolutely sure that he really needs to be up at this time and can't go back to bed.The FQR, and any other sod who was unlucky enough to pull the 14 hour shift for that day, jump in a cab and head to their venue. In this case, it is the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronomics.Upon arrival, a FQR makes a coffee and looks up the contenders for the morning's session. The FQR looks for who might be a good interview in Group B. Group B is on in the morning, and is basically for the the lifters who aren't really a medal chance.Two FQRs need to be at the venue in the morning for Group B, just in case something amazing happens. It's not out of the realm of possibility, a guy won silver from Group B in Athens. But, Group B being Group B, not much of the media is interested. A FQR spends a large part of his time in the mixed zone. The media stand on the left side of the barrier, the athletes walk down the right. Although I don't have any photos of it, when the Chinese athletes won Gold, the mixed zone was incredibly packed. A FQR can have a lot of difficulty getting in and out of the mixed zone. Not so in this case.After Group B, there's lunch. After lunch, all the Chinese guys in the venue, put their head down on their desk and have a nap. Some FQRs have tried this.After nap time, a FQR has another coffee, a relax, perhaps listens to his iPod, and looks at the form of the lifters in the first Group A session. There is usually a Women's Group A that starts at 3:30, and a Men's Group A that starts at 7.The other FQRs come in during the afternoon, and everyone receives a briefing from our manager, Jane. We're assigned what we will be doing for that session. We are usually either targeting a specific athlete in the mixed zone, standing behind a journalist in the broadcast mixed zone (where we can't ask questions), attending the press conference, being a general rover, or sitting at a computer in the office being the copy taker.FQRs have a 10 minute deadline from when the athlete speaks to submitting their work. So everyone is in a rush. And while this FQR doesn't like being the copy taker, it is a good system to speed things up. The deadline for Press Conference quote is 20 minutes.After the afternoon session, a FQR has dinner. Quite often the line is very long, and the food really is pretty bad. But there's lots of rice, so there's always something that's edible.After dinner, there is another session, and a FQR does it all again. He usually leaves at around 10pm and gets home around 10:30. After a quick chat with the doorman, he heads up to his room.
The FQR might be in the mood for a beer as he checks his email and the headlines, and then goes to bed. Luckily, no FQR has to do 14 hour shifts back to back, so he can sleep in tomorrow!
1 comment:
It sounds like an FQR lives through a heady mix of uplifting Group B stimulation and crashing post coffee come-downs.
It makes me wonder if you're not laying the foundations for a great literary career marked by caffeine induced brilliance juxtaposed with public self-induced humiliation.
I look forward to your future works.
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