The "In-Studio" Experience at KLRN's Blazing Gavels Auction!

We've enjoyed KLRN's Blazing Gavels auction for years; we've bought wine, vacations, art...all sorts of cool things. They had a Twitter account last year but really didn't do much with it. This year, rather than tweeting themselves, they decided to ask members of the San Antonio social media community to come into the studio and serve as "guest tweeters." I was flattered and honored to be asked to do so Friday night!

As much as we've watched the auction, I've never been in studio during the events. I previewed the new digs a couple of days ago (see my last blog post). I've heard it's very exciting, so I was really looking forward to it. And here I am:

• 5:05pm: arrived at the station early. Each night a restaurant donates dinner for volunteers. Tonight we enjoyed salad and pasta; very tasty.


• 5:20pm: into the studio with Katrina, who helps set up my station and get me logged onto the various accounts. She offers a few suggestions on what to post, but for the most part, I'm on my own.


• 6:07pm: went on air a few minutes ago with lots of hoops and hollers from the USAA volunteers. There's so much activity that it's tough to know what to focus on. Can't hear Steve (the announcer), which is oddly disorienting.


• 6:20pm: found out they plan to do a little interview with me later this evening. I hope my tongue doesn't decide to get all tied in knots.


• 6:30pm: Bonnie Walker of the great blog SavorSA just sat down next to me! She's reading one of the wine boards later. Trying to figure out how to pronounce all those foreign words. Oh...and she's co-editing a new foodie magazine, San Antonio Taste. Look for it at HEBs.


• 6:50pm: starting to feel the rhythm and keep my eye on things I want to bid on. I'm allowed, but I have to call from outside the studio. I think I may have gotten a Texas red wine package, but just like everyone else, I won't know until they call.


• 7:30pm: wandering around the studio. Lots of wine lined up in the back. At any given time, there's at least one board with open bidding on wine packages.


• 7:50pm: I've just about decided that bidding will have to wait until I'm not tweeting. Too much going on.


• 8:10pm: snack break. Headed up to snack room for some soda, popcorn and chips.


• 8:15pm: sandals may be cute, but an unwise choice in a chilly studio. My toes is froze.


• 8:40pm: Ellen stopped by to say goodbye and asked me to come back! She also asked me to put a bug in Chef Jason Dady's ear about donating some gift certificates for his restaurants. I'll see him Monday night at a cooking class, so I'll ask!


• 8:55pm: about to do my on-camera interview. Boy, I hope the words all come out right.


• 9:15pm: done! Everyone said it looked fine. Hope so. I recorded it at home and will look later. That's nerve-wracking!


• 9:45pm: tonight, USAA volunteers man the phones. Shift changes at 10:00, and new folks are trickling in.


• 9:55pm: winding down. Last night's guest tweeter made it to 11:00. Not this tired bear.


• 10:00pm: finally got to meet the awesome Steve Alwais, the voice of Blazing Gavels!


• 10:05pm: signing off! They want me to send a "guest" entry for their blog. Will do so tomorrow!
  

And to finish the night, a much-appreciated escort out to my car by a nice deputy sheriff.

Many, many thanks to KLRN, Ellen, and Katrina for a fabulous evening!