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Test the Nation

Today was probably one of the most interesting days I've had since moving to T.O. I was working Test the Nation at CBC (actually working - paid and everything - whoo!), which meant meeting a whole wide range of people.

My job was to shuttle groups of people up to the studio in the elevator. We tried to shuttle groups as a whole so everyone could stay together, but I ended up having a collection of "Believers" with "Atheists" in my elevator at the same time. A woman ran up just as the doors were about to close, calling out "Is this the Atheists?" I let her on, saying "It's a mix in here. Everyone's agreed to get along for one elevator ride." -- which prompted someone in the back to say "Yeah, but are we going up or down?"

Met Justin Trudeau (quite charming and much more handsome in person) on his way up to the studio, and R2D2 on his (its?) way down after the show. Also finally crossed paths with George Stroumboulopoulos. This is the third show I've worked where he has appeared, but the first show when there was an unobtrusive moment where I could say Hi -- and tell him what a friend had made me promise I would say should I ever meet him ... namely that he simply must make an appearance in Calgary someday. (he made quite a funny joke about being legally required to avoid Cowtown. ha ha)

During the show itself, we volunteers remained in the groups' staging area, where there were tables and chairs (and FOOD!), and actually followed along taking the test as the show aired. Did you watch? A number of participants had been hypnotised before the show to see if being in a more restful state improved test performance or not. The hypnotist was sitting at the table next to mine, and I couldn't help but ask him how does one know if a Stormtrooper is hypnotised?! (The hypnotist advised that the clip you saw on tv -- with two people sitting quietly in full Stormtrooper and full Transformer gear -- was not an actual clip of the hypnosis session) Overall, it was like being in a very rowdy examination hall. And my IQ took a hit of about 8 points -- which I chalk up to the distracting environment and not being able to see the television screen well enough to choose the right answer in the visual question portions. I will protest anyone who suggests otherwise.

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