When the Cheshire emerges...

I was so caught up in the craziness of my first day at the NT News and in Darwin that I completely forgot to mention the Japanese travel show hosts after lunch. Yes, I had cameras in my face as was asked to appear on a Getaway-type show... until they asked me the question. Something about poles on buildings that channel lightning strikes to avoid damage according to intern Tamara, who came in and saved the day. I was stuck between her heroism and the sweaty melodramatic faces of the two hosts, and there's a good chance I'll look the fool in front of millions in the land of Mt Fuji...

***

Backtracking to yesterday, I found one or two briefs (three-paragraph stories) of mine in the day's paper. Baby steps. I end up spending the bulk of my day in the Magistrates Court (lower court) this time, looking out for two offenders that were part of a ram-raid on a corner store and property. They had stolen $20 and a bottle of Bundaberg rum, but caused $20,000 worth of damage. I then only had to write a brief on each of them, which totally took me by surprise...

Today I discover I have two stories in the BusinessWeek section, about fracking and Andrew Forrest's indigenous employment review campaign. Woohoo! It was a great edition, and I'm noticing more about what really makes this paper a great one.

Story-wise I was kept busy. I did the street poll, went to a closed community to try and find out about a murder, and found out how 11 people were stranded in west Arnhem Land for two days because of heavy rains. The police reports for Tennant Creek were interesting; a man was run over by a bus while asleep on the road, and the town's power went out for 90 minutes after an explosion at the power station.

There was also a farewell as a Walkley 2013-nominated colleague finished up. Sarah taught me a bit about court straight up so it's a shame she has to leave. I hope she wins tomorrow night.

But before some (not all) of this... I did my first crocodile story.

SCHOOLIES IN THE CAGE OF DEATH!

Facing a croc in formal dresses for the heck of it. Love it. Now I'm keen to get amongst it.