I know, Blogger; I'd almost forgot how much I used to post here. Some thoughts just don't really fit in a typical social media post, so here we are.
Coming in from harvesting some leaf lettuce last night I was struck by the idea that while they seem very different, there are some definite parallels between my gardening hobby and my career in radio automation, especially when considering the concept of managing unpredictable elements, such as studio failover.
Here's how they can be compared:
Planning and Setup (Initial Automation/Garden Design):
Radio Automation: You design a system, set up playlists, schedule content, and configure rules for how everything should run automatically.
Gardening: You plan your garden layout, choose plants, prepare the soil, and set up irrigation systems. You're trying to create an environment where things grow "automatically" once planted.
Automated Processes (Growth/Scheduled Broadcast):
Radio Automation: Once set up, the system runs autonomously, (or should...) playing music, ads, and pre-recorded segments without constant human intervention, especially during "automated hours."
Gardening: Plants grow, flowers bloom, and vegetables ripen through natural processes (sunlight, water, soil nutrients) without you needing to actively pull them up each day.
Unpredictable Elements (Weather/Studio Failover):
Radio Automation: In certain scenarios, or other unforeseen issues (like a server going down, a network glitch, or a software bug) can cause a failure or disruption. These are external factors that the automation system itself can't always control or foresee.
Gardening: You cannot predict the weather (droughts, heavy rain, unexpected frosts, pests, diseases). These are external factors that can severely impact your garden's automated growth.
Manual Intervention / User Definition (Troubleshooting/Adaptation):
Radio Automation: There are times a human may need to step in, assess the situation, and redirect the system to the correct, active studio to restore normal operations. In the event of a major unpredictable event, an automation system still needs a human touch.
Gardening: When unpredictable elements hit (a sudden pest infestation, a plant wilting from lack of water, or an unexpected heatwave), you "manually define" what needs to happen. You intervene by applying pest control, watering, providing shade, or even replanting. You adapt to the unforeseen.
Goal (Smooth Operation/Healthy Growth):
Both: The ultimate goal is to maintain a smooth, continuous operation (radio broadcast) or healthy, thriving growth (garden), despite the inherent unpredictability of the environment.
So, just as a gardener needs to be ready to intervene and adapt when nature throws a curveball, radio automation, despite its sophisticated programming, still requires human oversight and "user definition" when the unpredictable happens, especially during critical moments like a studio failover.
