Just before we went to air on Saturday, (Newcastle Herald, 2RPH), I found out quite by chance that one of the readers for that shift was a alumni of the Theatre Studies Department of the UNSW. She had been through about a decade before me but many of the staff I encountered (my stint was 1977-1979) were the same, Dr Jean Wilhelm, Dr Philip Parsons, Dr Thierse (and a few others whom I cant remember) obviously had quite long careers at the campus.

I had never intended to study theatre when I enrolled with a teaching scholarship at UNSW. I was mentally locked into English, History and Political Science, but was short a couple of units. So on the recommendation of one of the advisors, I included some theatre-based units. It's fair to say that that one decision was both eventful and fateful, having a hand in both my rise as an effective teacher and my subsequent fall.

As it turned out I went on to major in Theatre Studies as an undergrad, then, ten years later completed a Masters degree in the same discipline at the same university. I am really grateful for the excellent teaching I received from these passionate and talented educators. Post-teaching, the skills and outlook that were the combined effort of study and practice have stayed with me and been a boon when both working overseas and in volunteering at home.

The same day the other reader on the program told me a powerful story in response to my question, 'Why do you walk with a limp?' But that is a tale for another day.