KERRE MCIVOR
WORKING AFTERNOONS WAS A BIG SHIFT FOR NIGHT OWL KERRE, WHO IS NOW LOOKING FORWARD TO BECOMING A MORNING PERSON
There’s an old truism that goes along the lines of “if you love what you do, you never have to work a day in your life”. Meaning that if your livelihood is one that gives you great joy and pleasure, it’s hardly a chore to turn up for work.
I’ve been very lucky to have felt this way about the jobs I’ve done. Whether it’s television, maitre d’ing, radio, writing or public speaking, I have always loved the jobs and the people I’ve worked with.
When I was moved from nights to the afternoon radio shift on Newstalk ZB and given a gorgeous young co-host with whom to share the announcing duties, I assumed life, which was already pretty good, was just going to get better. I would spend my days having fun with a lovely young man on the wireless and my nights having fun with a gorgeous older man – my husband. I would work daytime hours like everybody else, and would always be available for the parties and dinners I’d missed when I was working nights.
Given that I had spent 18 years working nights on the radio – and four years before that working nights in hospitality – I thought I might take a little bit of time to adjust. I thought two weeks, perhaps a month. But after that, it would be plain sailing and I’d be well settled into my new way of life. Except it didn’t quite work out like that. I hated going into the studio during the day. Mark and I started our new show in January 2016, and every day I had to force myself to go into work.
I loved Mark and the rest of the team. I loved doing talkback. The job itself wasn’t the problem. It was going into an air-conditioned building and locking myself away for the best part of the day when the sun was shining and the skies were blue. It was slightly easier to go into work when it was raining, but only barely.
Working nights, I had the days to myself. I could make the most of the sunshine and I had yawning vistas of time to get things done. I was working the same number of hours in my new shift, so ostensibly I should have had the same amount of free time. But it seemed there were never enough hours in the day. I felt like I was chasing my tail, never managing to achieve what I wanted to achieve.
Every day I went to work, I thought to myself that this was another day I would never see again. Which is a horrible way to live. I tried giving myself pep talks. I told myself not to be so silly. I reminded myself most of the world works during the day, and they don’t make a song and dance about it. But it was hopeless. I loved my job but I really wasn’t enjoying going to work.
And then Mark decided a regular job wasn’t for him at this stage of his life and he would go off travelling the world. And the Newstalk ZB broadcasting legend that is Leighton Smith decided he would retire after 33 years behind the microphone. And I was asked if I would fill his shoes. It was an incredible honour.
The morning show is a plum position in broadcasting. What’s more, the hours suit me down to the ground. I may have to work the morning but from midday, the day is my own. I was delighted to say yes. I won’t be taking over until 2019 and, until then, I’ll be doing the Sunday morning show for ZB as well as special projects for the company. And I’ll be counting my blessings, and making the most of each and every day.
‘Most of the world works during the day, and they don’t make a song and dance about it’