H. Hsu Word Salad

Radio

Long, long ago, the city of Cupertino was quite white, and I mean Anglo white, Wonderbread white, as in only one Chinese restaurant for miles around (and not a terribly good one at that, "Magic Wok" I believe it was called).  Of course the currently city resembles a satellite of Taipei, Taiwan. Go figure.  Personally I’d surrender even all the fabulous food now in Cupertino (impressive really) to get back those groves of peach and cherry trees. 

Mom said she knew things were getting interesting when shortly after we moved to town in 6th grade (for me, and I came along begrudgingly since I did not give a damn if the school district won  awards), she answered the doorbell of her new home and found "two boys at the door looking for you.  One tall black boy, and one white boy."  Hence began some years of shooing away boys from that doorstep.  I grew up mostly around an assortment of long-haired rockers and stoners, loitering at Grateful dead shows.

Anyway-weeks ago I received the most peculiar voice message through my cell phone,

"Hey, Helen, oh my God, you have to tell me when you’re going to be on National radio…I was driving home and heard you on the radio!  Something about Asian women and high suicide rates…which is really too bad…since they’re really Hot."

Ah, Tad. Cupertino high school friend personified!  So heartfelt and…deep!  Well, he is one of those long haired closet brainiacs that play in a band, dwell in the tech world- but have never succumbed to the pocket protector/sensible mindset (not too much at least).

Anyways it was my first alert that a previously taped interview with a KQED reporter actually went somewhere besides oblivion.

http://www.kqed.org/pgmArchive/RD37/20070225/week

So I call my amiga K, "Hey Sweetheart, did you know that we were both on the radio!?"

Of course I missed it, but the archive is here.  A bit choppy since reporters must take like a 45 minute interview and hack it into 5 minutes, but overall she did a good job.  I had wondered if she would get anything useable.  As she taped we had construction going on in the background (remodeling) and she put her hand out to make me stop habitually clicking my pen "that’s gonna pick up on the tape."

huh. I hadn’t even noticed, I’ve developed a Bob Dole like pen clutching habit…

I LOVE Pacific Time, it’s a great radio show that covers topics all over the Pacific rim and range from economics to social justice to Chinese punk bands in Texas to world politics…and food of course.

So, information for those of you who must tango with the media.  In the past 5 years I have learned: reporters almost always work on a last, last minute deadline.  Unlike us academics, they are each desperately chasing the "hot" topic of the week as well as competing with all other reporters for the best "angle" and under the axe of publication deadline.  They will call you and hound you incessantly to be a source, to meet said deadlines.  Then they will usually drop off the face of the earth and forget to tell you they published it, aired it etc.  Half the time they will misquote you. Get used to it.  Better still is when they ask you to go live on the air, into a taping studio, or on TV- with about 1 days’ notice (seriously).

Last week I found myself in a snazzy professional recording studio for a Chinese radio show.  Complete with "On the Air" flashing light on the door, nice headphones, giant microphones etc.  Thank goodness for the spiff view over SF Bay which kept me calm.  I can improv & blab for days in English, but in Mandarin, eh….let’s just say my vocubularly stunts down about 9 grade levels.

The show went well enough, my usual spiel about psycho-education and removing mental health stigma, and how people need to get help & learn about managing and caring for their health rather than allow their problems to worsen etc.

Between takes, during the commercial breaks, the radio hostess and I chatted.  She was impressive - silky smooth radio voice, perfect enunciation, a good improvisor who assisted me greatly in getting my points across.  A long career in media both in Taiwan and now California.  Tiny lady, yet quite a powerhouse.

I wound up explaining to her that my long term dream is to be able in some way to be a visiting scholar to Asia, especially Taiwan and Hong Kong, and teach others to help others.  Train clinicians there as I am doing now (only the need is 500X greater there as there are no clinical psych. education programs).

She seemed amazed. "So…you actually, you’re saying you want to serve."

"Well, yes. Uh, that’s basically my whole career in non-profit.  I want to share it with all the people in need in Asia…to share and serve what I have."

"Wow!" She said, "I’m a Christian, and I never knew that someone who’s not Christian also ever feels that desire to serve others."

WTF!?

Nice lady, but I wondered if she realized how annoying that statement was (I think not).  First of all, I don’t know how it’s obvious or assumed I am not a Christian (it’s not like I wear an atheist sign on my head or on a chain around my neck).  And other than that, I find it sort of offensive that some religions think they are the ONLY moral, caring persons on the face of the earth. 

Puh-leeze.  I don’t need church or even state for that matter, to do what I think is kind, just, or helpful.

Oh well, secular or no, she helped me pull together a short radio show that day which did result in some worried Chinese moms (day time slot)  calling me for more info about how to help their families. 

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