Even in a world of pithy status updates and 140-character tweets, stories are more important than ever and the yearning for them more fervent. So says Gretel Killeen, whose whole professional life has, in one way or another, been about telling stories.
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But the comedian, television host, author, voice artist and producer says that yearning is really for authentic, meaningful stories in the face of trout-pout poses on Instagram, humblebrags on Facebook and look-at-me outrages on Twitter.
She will be telling her story in the first week of Floriade, which this year has the theme of reflection and which has devoted the first week to, you guessed it, stories.
"It's interesting, I think in the last couple of years we've seen the value of story-telling. Not just stories in books, but people telling their own stories," she said.
"Telling stories seems to have had a bit of a resurgence as technology has seemingly tried to make everything more personal but has actually made it more impersonal. There seems to be a yearning for old-fashioned connection."
And that means telling the good, the bad, the ugly – the whole catastrophe. Revealing the humanity we all share.
Killeen will be making several appearances at Floriade – across the weekend of September 19 and 20 – to talk about her life and career; on anything from motherhood to "a few good men". She enjoys being before an audience and seeing where the conversation goes.
"I just love being in a room surprising myself and surprising an audience. The audience giggles at something and that opens a door, 'OK, here we go'," she said.
It will be Killeen's first visit to Floriade, where perhaps she might be able to fire up any latent green-thumb tendencies.
"I'm one of those people who aspires to be a gardener," she said. "I like the whole idea of growing wisteria in Provence. But then I look around and all my plants are not looking loved. That's not a very good metaphor. I have friends who are gardeners and they seem to exude a different energy from their fingertips."
But she's completely on-board with the festival side of Floriade, Canberra's celebration of spring, which is now in its 28th year, using the theme of reflection in 2015 to not only consider the past but also embrace the future.
"I really love community events," Killeen said.
"I love how in so much of Australia there is this love of getting together, sharing something, whether it's Vivid or Floriade. I just love that.
"I think it's very important to see each other and celebrate because there's a lot of non-celebrating going on in the news and in politics."
Killeen is a kind of paradox – she has never really been shy of sharing her personal life, whether on stage or in print, but still maintained a level of privacy. She's always talked about, for instance, her children without thrusting them into the limelight.
Son Zeke and daughter Eppie are now both in their mid-20s, both telling their own stories. Zeke is in New York working on documentaries and in publishing. Eppie has just returned from travelling the world, making a mini-documentary a day and posting it on social media. So, any grandchildren in the wind?
"Oh, I'm desperate for them. You want something to cuddle," Killeen said. "But I don't want to wish it on them too soon, there's still so much I want to do."
In the past, Killeen has also happily talked about her age. Any internet search will reveal it in a flash. But more recently she doesn't want to confirm it – why put herself in a box? Be defined by a number?
"In our society, you can be so crowded and restricted, it takes a lot to leap over those boundaries," she said.
Her whole career seems to have been about taking the opportunities and refusing to be confined to a category. Right back to her beginnings in stand-up at the Harold Park Hotel in Glebe in the 1980s to hosting Big Brother to writing more than 20 books to acting as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.
She laughs and says that it's really been "total chaos".
Or more positively, "Carpe diem". Seizing the day and loving what she does.
"I've asked a German friend of mine to come up with a word that means 'enjoying work every day' but he hasn't been able to help me. So if anyone out there can, I'd love to hear it," she said.
That work includes regular appearances on The Project on Channel Ten and hosting How Not To Behave on ABC-TV. But there are also plenty of things happening behind the scenes. She's writing a hush-hush musical to be performed in Melbourne. She has a company with a business partner that comes up with TV formats from game shows to comedies that they spruik to networks around the world. And the one-time law-school drop-out also advises businesses.
"I've got a good problem-solving brain," she said. "When you work in the arts, your whole life is about problem-solving. How did that character get in the room? Out of the room? What's their motivation?"
She works with companies to help them in areas such as negotiations and understanding the characters and personalities involved.
"It's bringing the creative brain into problem-solving for business," she said.
And the drive to Canberra will give her time to think, to fire up that creative brain. She says given the option, she will always drive rather than fly from her home in Sydney to the national capital, saying it's a beautiful journey and one that frees the mind.
Canberra is being described as "the keeper of Australian stories". Killeen maintains "some amazing things" are going on in the national capital.
"It's unique and the things you can do in Canberra are unique and that needs to be told," she said.
"If you don't tell your story, no one will know."
* Gretel Killeen will be telling her story at Floriade on September 19 and 20 at 11am, noon and 1pm in the Inspiration Hub. Floriade runs from September 12 to October 11 in Commonwealth Park in Canberra.
