No, not snakes on a plane- maybe better (I hope) - but I thought I'd to tell you this true little story...
At about 6:10 pm on Monday , I logged on to Podcast Pickle - a nice board etc for podcasters - and saw a note: Broadcasting Your Podcast at the South Pole...
The gist: This is the busy, populated season in Antarctica - meaning, about 4000 people live there, many scientists, from 27 different countries. But the Internet connection is slow (hmm... I wonder if they have the same provider I do, a little north of NYC...) But the Internet in parts of Antarctica is not much good for transmitting even just audio material.
So - an organization called Polar Radio was arranging to send some CDs down to Antarctica - on a plane leaving Cape Town, South Africa on January 11. Any CDs of any podcasts, music, anything would be gratefully received.
It was now about 6:14pm in New York, give or take a few seconds, and the date was January 8. I call UPS. Yep, they ship to Cape Town. A CD can get to Cape Town by January 11 - they can't guarantee the exact time. They do offer that I would have to get the package into their system by 6:30pm... or in 14 minutes...
It's now 6:16pm. I don't have time to make CD copies of my podcasts - I almost don't have time for anything. But I make a copy of my radioplay - The Chronology Protection Case - the one performed live at the Museum of TV and Radio in NYC in September 2002, nominated for an Edgar by the Mystery Writers of America, etc. (Yeah, I always have a copy handy, you never know when a Hollywood producer may come calling...)
It's past 6:21 now, but I scribble a note, feverishly put the CD in a UPS package ... and I get it into their hands by 6:30!
But now part 2 of the fun begins. I see, by tracking, that my package makes it to Germany, pretty fast. But there it sits - a long day - why? - until it gets put on a plane to Cape Town.
I get confirmation of delivery: January 11, 11:48am, local Cape Town time. But did it make the plane? (de plane, de plane...)
And late last night, I got a thank you e-mail: the CD arrived just in time. (Que scene from Casablanca ... someone runs up to Rick with a package by the plane...)
And so ... I'm very happy about this. I'm not quite sure why. Well, yes am I am. Antarctica, I think, is about the closest you can get to being on another planet on this Earth. So my Chronology Protection Case will soon be heard in Antarctica. And, then ... who knows ... maybe next year, the Space Station, next decade Mars, then 'round Alpha Centauri ... the cosmic is the limit-
Wait a minute - I hope, in my rush, that I put the right CD into that package ... no, I'm sure I did... seriously... I think ... no, I'm sure...
Useful links:
Polar Radio: http://www.radioqualia.net
The Chronology Protection Case radio play: http://odeo.com/audio/4008363/view (hey, it's free) - or look for the little player about half-way down on the panel on the right
No comments:
Post a Comment