I feel like I haven't blogged in forever!
Okay, LOTS of stuff to cover. First of all, Thanksgiving was great. We had a good show, and then I went home to K-town to hang out with my family and watch the parade, which much to Marla and my delight included Kristen Chenoweth singing the Christmas Waltz on a float with the Care Bears! I noticed that I tended to watch all of the marching bands and color guards a lot more closely than in previous years, too. My dad and I made commentary on all of their costumes; he knows how much I dislike color guard uniforms in general so we were trying to pick out the good ones.
I have to admit I got a little cranky at my Mamaw and Papaw's...We had a wonderful dinner, which of course made me sleepy, on top of the fact that I hadn't slept yet. Then Mamaw wanted us to decorate their Christmas tree, which is great, but it's a big tree and there are a lot of ornaments, and after awhile I realized I was the only one hanging them up, and got a little pissy when my mom asked me if I wanted to take a nap...
"No, I want to do this, but nobody's helping me!!!"
So then Mom, Dad, Aunt Julie, Mamaw, and Marla hopped up and helped me finish the tree. That made it a LOT more fun. Then when I got ready to leave, Mamaw was like, "You have to leave already? Do you have another party to go to or something?" And of course the rest of the family is like, "She has to go to work, Mom!" Haha.
Mom packed up left-overs for me, which was awesome! And I drive back and went to bed.
Friday morning at work was actually really easy. I got my show done really quickly, which was good because that gave me lots of time to get prepared for my live shot at the mall. And the live shot went really well; I was super-nervous at first, but after I got the first hit under my belt, I started to get more comfortable. And when I got back to the station, I found out that apparently everything was going wrong right before the show--people hadn't gotten to work yet because they'd overslept, one of the cameras went down, the teleprompter went out--but luckily everything got ironed out. And Baron was back to directing that morning for Kim, who had the day off, and he is so, so calm in crisis situations, so he set the tone and they all got through it just fine. And we didn't have any problems out at the mall; it was actually really fun! But I definitely have a new appreciation for what our anchors and reporters do!
Friday afternoon was fantastic as I got to meet a bunch of my HSM kids for lunch at McCords (yummy!) and then we went to my apartment to watch some videos I'd made from our summer. Then I spent the rest of the day with Justin, who is like the little brother I never had, Christmas shopping and getting his oil changed. Then his mom called and told us to bring back a pizza and watch chick flicks with her (so cute). We dug out the Christmas Show DVD from 2003, which we were both on, and found the points where we were standing next to each other--so funny! We were the same height, even though he'd been a 12-year-old member of the Kid's Choir and I was a freshman in college! (He's like 6'5" now.)
I came home that night to find Fish (my male betta) looking very sickly. He had been looking pretty rough that morning when I came home from work, so I had put him in a smaller bowl (fishy intensive care), so he wouldn't have to swim or move as much to get to his food, which he wasn't really making an effort to eat anyway. I was not very hopeful that he would recover, although he's surprised me in the past, but I wanted to give him a chance, so I tried to get him to eat before I went to bed, but he was struggling just to stay right-side-up. So I put the fish bowl in the kitchen and went to bed.
I slept in Saturday morning, then finally got up to see if Fish had made it through the night. He hadn't. I did a little ceremonial flush, cleaned out his bowl, put his little castle up on top of the microwave, and put his food away in the cupboard.
Poor little Fish. He's been through a lot with me. He got me through my first year living on my own. He got me through a couple of break-ups, and through a couple of holidays that didn't feel like holidays because I was working. He listened to me practice for civic theatre auditions and sit down occasionally to butcher songs on the piano, and he never complained once. He was always happy to see me when I came home from work every morning and he would wake up in the middle of the night to keep me company when I couldn't sleep during the weekends. Fish was a good fish, and I'm thankful for the time I got to have with him.
Anyway, after putting Fish to rest, I didn't really have anything to do, since I'd done all my house-cleaning Friday morning. So I finally decided I'd just put up my Christmas tree and decorate the apartment for Christmas. That was really fun, and it definitely got me back in the holiday spirit!
And then, this morning I went outside to go to church, and it was a winter wonderland! My initial reaction was, "Whaaaaat." But then a smile immediately crept onto my face as I sloshed outside to brush all the snow off of my car. I had no idea we'd get that much snow overnight! So now I'm sitting here at my desk, with the window blinds open so I can see the snow-dusted trees and picnic tables outside. I'm sure this will melt away pretty soon, but it was such a fun surprise this morning!
OK, I think that's all. You're now caught up on my life for the moment.
Until later!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
good things
Didn't I say it would only get better from here on out? :)
All these little (and big) good things are just adding up to make me feel so much better about life in general.
First, I just feel like this week is going really fast. I mean, tomorrow is Friday! I don't feel like that could be possible! This week has just flown by! Crazy.
Next, I found the chairs!!!
We reformatted the morning news show that I produce, but part of the deal was this -- we wanted new chairs for the interview set. Right now we have these ugly little brown things that look like something the Jetsons put in a garage sale. We want to use the interview set for more than just interviews in the morning; we want to have segments where the anchors can actually just sit in the chairs for more of an informal "chat" setting. But we're not doing that till we get new chairs. And the guy who does our promotional stuff for the station said he'd spring for new chairs within a given price range as long as we got them before the end of the year. So naturally, time is running out.
BUT...today I did some more looking around and found The Chair. It's the right size, shape, and PRICE, and it comes in lots of different colors...and not crazy patterns or ugly upholstery. I was soooo excited; I got a quote and a photocopy of a picture of the chair and immediately dropped it off at the station for Mr. Promotions Guy to take a look at. Thank you, Jesus.
So given that the chair gets approved, that task is done. Check.
Another good thing - I now have unlimited texting for my phone. "Wait a minute, you mean you didn't have a texting plan until NOW?!" Yup, that's right. "So all those times I texted you, I was costing you money?" Yup. "That would explain why you never texted me back and I always had to listen to your stupid voice mails instead." Yup, that would explain that. But no worries! I am now totally textable! If that wasn't a word before, it is now. I haven't actually texted anyone yet. It takes so looooong lol. I'm sure once I have more practice typing on my little phone keys, I will get faster at it. But I feel like it takes like five minutes just to put someone's name in my contact list. Practice, practice!
Here's the funny thing. I'm still on my family's phone plan (hence the no texting thing), because there's really no point in my having my own plan since I'm dead to the world most of the normal daytime anyway, so how many minutes can I honestly use? And my dad was finally tired of my little sis using up all our minutes, so he finally listened to her arguement that if she had unlimited texting, she wouldn't have to waste minutes on out-of-network calls during peak hours. The condition was that my sis and I cough up the, I dunno, fifteen bucks a piece or something like that, to get unlimited texting each month, because my dad "would have no use for texting; this won't benefit me or your mom at all." OK, fair enough, we said! Because I'm tired of feeling bad everytime someone texts me. And seriously, let's get with the times already. Well, since getting the texting plan, the ONLY two texts I've gotten have been from...my dad. Yup! Via email, of course. Because he's Mr. Technology, so once he figured out he could email us on our phones, it was cool lol. I love my dad! That kind of stuff is just what makes him the guy he is! :)
Anyway, here's something else that is just making me happy...just one of those little things in life. I updated my AIM, and now I have this little AOL Radio player on my buddy list (again, I am probably way behind everyone!) and they have all these great little stations...like, pretty much anything you could ever want to listen to -- Broadway showtunes, movie soundtracks, salsa, comedy, and (earmuffs, Kelsey...) alllllll kinds of Christmas music! Christmas classics, Christmas pop, Latin Christmas (Feliz Navidad, anyone?), Christmas jazz, Christmas around the world...and I've been just kinda checking out the "classics" one, and there is actually a lot of really great contemporary Christian stuff on there, like Casting Crowns and Jars of Clay, mixed right in there with Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis, the Muppets, and of course the wonderful HCJ! Which I think is really cool...I feel like Christmas is the one genre where music people don't feel like they have to section it off as "secular" or "Christian." Because Christmas is for everyone, right?
(OK, Kelsey, you can take the earmuffs off now.)
Lastly, I am officially done with all extra-cirricular activities...for now. Until December (which I realize is not far off) when I'm planning on auditioning for another Civic show. But it's just nice to not have to go anywhere or do anything...I can stay up if I want to stay up, or sleep as long as I want to if I feel like it! I like to be busy, but it's nice to have a couple weeks of doing nothing every once in awhile. By the time December rolls around, I will be bored and ready to fill my schedule up again, but for now it's just great to not have a schedule. And here's the single greatest thing about having a job and being done with school -- no homework. It's the best. Seriously. That alone is worth getting a degree.
Alright, I think that is it. Life is good. I have a lot to be thankful for, and I'm excited about celebrating that just a week from now!!! And eating turkey and cranberries, and then taking home turkey and cranberry leftovers. Mmmmm!!!
Until later!
All these little (and big) good things are just adding up to make me feel so much better about life in general.
First, I just feel like this week is going really fast. I mean, tomorrow is Friday! I don't feel like that could be possible! This week has just flown by! Crazy.
Next, I found the chairs!!!
We reformatted the morning news show that I produce, but part of the deal was this -- we wanted new chairs for the interview set. Right now we have these ugly little brown things that look like something the Jetsons put in a garage sale. We want to use the interview set for more than just interviews in the morning; we want to have segments where the anchors can actually just sit in the chairs for more of an informal "chat" setting. But we're not doing that till we get new chairs. And the guy who does our promotional stuff for the station said he'd spring for new chairs within a given price range as long as we got them before the end of the year. So naturally, time is running out.
BUT...today I did some more looking around and found The Chair. It's the right size, shape, and PRICE, and it comes in lots of different colors...and not crazy patterns or ugly upholstery. I was soooo excited; I got a quote and a photocopy of a picture of the chair and immediately dropped it off at the station for Mr. Promotions Guy to take a look at. Thank you, Jesus.
So given that the chair gets approved, that task is done. Check.
Another good thing - I now have unlimited texting for my phone. "Wait a minute, you mean you didn't have a texting plan until NOW?!" Yup, that's right. "So all those times I texted you, I was costing you money?" Yup. "That would explain why you never texted me back and I always had to listen to your stupid voice mails instead." Yup, that would explain that. But no worries! I am now totally textable! If that wasn't a word before, it is now. I haven't actually texted anyone yet. It takes so looooong lol. I'm sure once I have more practice typing on my little phone keys, I will get faster at it. But I feel like it takes like five minutes just to put someone's name in my contact list. Practice, practice!
Here's the funny thing. I'm still on my family's phone plan (hence the no texting thing), because there's really no point in my having my own plan since I'm dead to the world most of the normal daytime anyway, so how many minutes can I honestly use? And my dad was finally tired of my little sis using up all our minutes, so he finally listened to her arguement that if she had unlimited texting, she wouldn't have to waste minutes on out-of-network calls during peak hours. The condition was that my sis and I cough up the, I dunno, fifteen bucks a piece or something like that, to get unlimited texting each month, because my dad "would have no use for texting; this won't benefit me or your mom at all." OK, fair enough, we said! Because I'm tired of feeling bad everytime someone texts me. And seriously, let's get with the times already. Well, since getting the texting plan, the ONLY two texts I've gotten have been from...my dad. Yup! Via email, of course. Because he's Mr. Technology, so once he figured out he could email us on our phones, it was cool lol. I love my dad! That kind of stuff is just what makes him the guy he is! :)
Anyway, here's something else that is just making me happy...just one of those little things in life. I updated my AIM, and now I have this little AOL Radio player on my buddy list (again, I am probably way behind everyone!) and they have all these great little stations...like, pretty much anything you could ever want to listen to -- Broadway showtunes, movie soundtracks, salsa, comedy, and (earmuffs, Kelsey...) alllllll kinds of Christmas music! Christmas classics, Christmas pop, Latin Christmas (Feliz Navidad, anyone?), Christmas jazz, Christmas around the world...and I've been just kinda checking out the "classics" one, and there is actually a lot of really great contemporary Christian stuff on there, like Casting Crowns and Jars of Clay, mixed right in there with Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis, the Muppets, and of course the wonderful HCJ! Which I think is really cool...I feel like Christmas is the one genre where music people don't feel like they have to section it off as "secular" or "Christian." Because Christmas is for everyone, right?
(OK, Kelsey, you can take the earmuffs off now.)
Lastly, I am officially done with all extra-cirricular activities...for now. Until December (which I realize is not far off) when I'm planning on auditioning for another Civic show. But it's just nice to not have to go anywhere or do anything...I can stay up if I want to stay up, or sleep as long as I want to if I feel like it! I like to be busy, but it's nice to have a couple weeks of doing nothing every once in awhile. By the time December rolls around, I will be bored and ready to fill my schedule up again, but for now it's just great to not have a schedule. And here's the single greatest thing about having a job and being done with school -- no homework. It's the best. Seriously. That alone is worth getting a degree.
Alright, I think that is it. Life is good. I have a lot to be thankful for, and I'm excited about celebrating that just a week from now!!! And eating turkey and cranberries, and then taking home turkey and cranberry leftovers. Mmmmm!!!
Until later!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
holy crap.
Ok, it's official.
I figured the suspense would last a bit longer but...I just checked my email and the thing involving me, the mall, and a microphone is really happening.
And no, Kels, it's not singing ;) Although I would be much less nervous if that were the case.
I will actually be doing a live-shot from the mall for my own morning show...lol. So, I'm gonna be reporting. From the mall, the day after Thanksgiving.
I am excited about this, but also very nervous. See, the nice thing about my job is I tell everyone what to say from behind a computer, behind all the cameras, out of the public eye. Not that I have any problem with the public eye...I mean, we all know how much I love to perform on stage and stuff. But this is just a little different. Mostly because it's something I've never done before.
In college I reported, but it was always on tape, so I could do it over again if I messed up lol. None of that this time. Yikes!
But no, I am excited to try something different. It won't be hard; I just find people in the mall to talk to about what they're shopping for, and stuff like that. And it's just for that one day, and then I can return to the safety of my little producer chair. :)
Good thing I got my hair cut last weekend!
I figured the suspense would last a bit longer but...I just checked my email and the thing involving me, the mall, and a microphone is really happening.
And no, Kels, it's not singing ;) Although I would be much less nervous if that were the case.
I will actually be doing a live-shot from the mall for my own morning show...lol. So, I'm gonna be reporting. From the mall, the day after Thanksgiving.
I am excited about this, but also very nervous. See, the nice thing about my job is I tell everyone what to say from behind a computer, behind all the cameras, out of the public eye. Not that I have any problem with the public eye...I mean, we all know how much I love to perform on stage and stuff. But this is just a little different. Mostly because it's something I've never done before.
In college I reported, but it was always on tape, so I could do it over again if I messed up lol. None of that this time. Yikes!
But no, I am excited to try something different. It won't be hard; I just find people in the mall to talk to about what they're shopping for, and stuff like that. And it's just for that one day, and then I can return to the safety of my little producer chair. :)
Good thing I got my hair cut last weekend!
turkey lurkey
Of course on the day that I don't have to wake up early, I just go ahead and wake up early. Maybe some blogging will get things out of my head and then I can go back to sleep!
I am so excited for Thanksgiving this year! Don't get me wrong, I always look forward to it, but I usually don't actually get count-down-the-days excited for it like this. I've always been a huge Christmas fanatic, so for me Thanksgiving always kind of marked the beginning of the last stretch before my favorite holiday. In high school, Thanksgiving could never be fully enjoyed because finals and school projects were looming overhead, not to mention the early-morning swim practice the Friday after Thanksgiving Day.
And in college, Thanksgiving was just a quick oasis from Christmas Show rehearsals and classes. And what did I take home? My Christmas Show music and my textbooks. And in college, I was in Christmas mode by the beginning of October, when the Christmas Show concept was unveiled and we started rehearsals. So by Thanksgiving, it had been Christmas for like a month and a half.
Here's the thing that got me most excited about Thanksgiving: the Macy's parade. Because back before YouTube, that was pretty much one of my only chances to see glimpses of Broadway musicals (the other chance was in the summer when the Tonys were on). I would always have my mom wake me up in time to watch the parade with her, and I would figure out the best strategy for flipping between the major networks so I could view the most performances possible.
But this year, I'm proud to say just how excited I am for Thanksgiving, not as the second-born child to Christmas, but completely on its own merit. Now that I have this job, I don't get any time off for Thanksgiving. It's just a full work week during which I drive to a relative's home one day to eat turkey and hang out with relatives for awhile before driving back and going back to work. And I think that makes me appreciate it more. And this year, I only have to drive as far as Kokomo to my grandparents, which will be a piece of cake! And then I'll get to take home some scrumptuous left-overs, which soothes the pain of having to go back to work that night. And everyone is coming home for Thanksgiving break...all of my little HSM buddies! So getting everyone together for the first time since August will be so exciting! And thankfully (ahh haha) we've all kept in touch, so it won't be that weird thing where everyone comes back from college and doesn't know each other anymore. I don't think. Anyway, I'm just super-excited about Thanksgiving this year...going home, eating turkey and cranberries, catching up with friends...it's gonna be great.
And hopefully I'll be able to catch some of the Macy's Parade after work that morning!
Oh...and there may be a potentially exciting piece of news regarding me, the mall, a microphone, and the day after Thanksgiving. But we'll have to see what happens. I'm gonna leave it at that.
Until later! :)
I am so excited for Thanksgiving this year! Don't get me wrong, I always look forward to it, but I usually don't actually get count-down-the-days excited for it like this. I've always been a huge Christmas fanatic, so for me Thanksgiving always kind of marked the beginning of the last stretch before my favorite holiday. In high school, Thanksgiving could never be fully enjoyed because finals and school projects were looming overhead, not to mention the early-morning swim practice the Friday after Thanksgiving Day.
And in college, Thanksgiving was just a quick oasis from Christmas Show rehearsals and classes. And what did I take home? My Christmas Show music and my textbooks. And in college, I was in Christmas mode by the beginning of October, when the Christmas Show concept was unveiled and we started rehearsals. So by Thanksgiving, it had been Christmas for like a month and a half.
Here's the thing that got me most excited about Thanksgiving: the Macy's parade. Because back before YouTube, that was pretty much one of my only chances to see glimpses of Broadway musicals (the other chance was in the summer when the Tonys were on). I would always have my mom wake me up in time to watch the parade with her, and I would figure out the best strategy for flipping between the major networks so I could view the most performances possible.
But this year, I'm proud to say just how excited I am for Thanksgiving, not as the second-born child to Christmas, but completely on its own merit. Now that I have this job, I don't get any time off for Thanksgiving. It's just a full work week during which I drive to a relative's home one day to eat turkey and hang out with relatives for awhile before driving back and going back to work. And I think that makes me appreciate it more. And this year, I only have to drive as far as Kokomo to my grandparents, which will be a piece of cake! And then I'll get to take home some scrumptuous left-overs, which soothes the pain of having to go back to work that night. And everyone is coming home for Thanksgiving break...all of my little HSM buddies! So getting everyone together for the first time since August will be so exciting! And thankfully (ahh haha) we've all kept in touch, so it won't be that weird thing where everyone comes back from college and doesn't know each other anymore. I don't think. Anyway, I'm just super-excited about Thanksgiving this year...going home, eating turkey and cranberries, catching up with friends...it's gonna be great.
And hopefully I'll be able to catch some of the Macy's Parade after work that morning!
Oh...and there may be a potentially exciting piece of news regarding me, the mall, a microphone, and the day after Thanksgiving. But we'll have to see what happens. I'm gonna leave it at that.
Until later! :)
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Twittering
OK, so I just added another pointless form of publication to my online repertoire: I just joined Twitter.
There's really no point in my doing this, since no one really cares what I'm doing enough to check it for frequent updates (isn't that what facebook is for?) But I thought it might actually be a fun way for me to document my numerous random thoughts, because sometimes they end up being pretty fun to look back at. And I guess it's one more thing to do when I get bored at work! :)
So check it out if you want, but don't expect it to have any sort of rhyme or reason...it's just a catch-all for thoughts that have nowhere else to go.
Until later!
There's really no point in my doing this, since no one really cares what I'm doing enough to check it for frequent updates (isn't that what facebook is for?) But I thought it might actually be a fun way for me to document my numerous random thoughts, because sometimes they end up being pretty fun to look back at. And I guess it's one more thing to do when I get bored at work! :)
So check it out if you want, but don't expect it to have any sort of rhyme or reason...it's just a catch-all for thoughts that have nowhere else to go.
Until later!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
GAP ad
I got paged to the control room this morning after the show so Izzy could show me the following pictures. They are for The Gap's winter collection. Last year their celebrity models included John Krasinski, Will Arnett, and Amy Poehler, all of whom I just love.
This year, they did it again!!!
Here are Jason Sudeikis and Fred Armisen from SNL. Recently both have had a lot of face-time on NBC for impersonating VP-elect Biden and President-elect Obama, respectively.
And here are two more SNL cuties...Seth Meyers and Will Forte. Seth is currently the head writer and anchors Update with Amy P. Will Forte may be most famous for his "dancing coach" character used in sketches with Peyton Manning and Michael Phelps.
Yummy!!! Ben Barnes, aka Prince Freakin Caspian. He is hot.
And best of all...
I audibly squealed when I saw this picture! Jason Bateman of Arrested Development (and for whom Izzy and I are head over heels), and his little girl Frannie. Sooo cute. Do you see why I wanted to marry him?!
I don't ever buy anything at the Gap and I doubt I ever will, but I love what they've been doing with their ad campaigns lately. So...keep it up, Gap!
Even though I probably still won't shop there.
(Ooh, just for fun, here are last year's ads starring John, Will, and Amy.)
This year, they did it again!!!
Here are Jason Sudeikis and Fred Armisen from SNL. Recently both have had a lot of face-time on NBC for impersonating VP-elect Biden and President-elect Obama, respectively.
And here are two more SNL cuties...Seth Meyers and Will Forte. Seth is currently the head writer and anchors Update with Amy P. Will Forte may be most famous for his "dancing coach" character used in sketches with Peyton Manning and Michael Phelps.
Yummy!!! Ben Barnes, aka Prince Freakin Caspian. He is hot.
And best of all...
I audibly squealed when I saw this picture! Jason Bateman of Arrested Development (and for whom Izzy and I are head over heels), and his little girl Frannie. Sooo cute. Do you see why I wanted to marry him?!
I don't ever buy anything at the Gap and I doubt I ever will, but I love what they've been doing with their ad campaigns lately. So...keep it up, Gap!
Even though I probably still won't shop there.
(Ooh, just for fun, here are last year's ads starring John, Will, and Amy.)
Friday, November 7, 2008
happy thoughts!
I know lately my blog has been all about elections and money and similarly un-cheerful topics, but I think this is a very important message from two actresses I really love. So pay attention.
"I waount that!" (Said in the voice of the lady from Napoleon Dynamite.)
This is the kind of dog I am hopefully going to be getting this summer! It's a miniature schnauzer, and they are awesome dogs because they are just as intelligent as they look (don't you love the little beard and bushy eyebrows?), they're easy to train, good with kids, they love giving and receiving attention, they're fiercely loyal, and they aren't supposed to shed very much. And they are apartment-sized!
And I just realized that I think that pretty much describes ME. Except for the beard and bushy eyebrows thing. And the shedding...I actually shed a LOT. Ask my sink drain.
This is what the puppy version looks like:
EEEEEEEEEEE!!! Look at those little faces! OK, I know, I am obessed. But whatev. I feel like I've been taking frequent trips to Negative Town on my blog lately, so I thought today I'd just leave one of my best happy thoughts on here instead!
You know, like in Peter Pan, where you think of your happy thought and then you can fly?
Mine is...PUPPIES!!! :)
Update...
Look who else is happy about puppies! My favorite online celebs, Whatever Hollywood!
See more Natalie Portman videos at Funny or Die
"I waount that!" (Said in the voice of the lady from Napoleon Dynamite.)
This is the kind of dog I am hopefully going to be getting this summer! It's a miniature schnauzer, and they are awesome dogs because they are just as intelligent as they look (don't you love the little beard and bushy eyebrows?), they're easy to train, good with kids, they love giving and receiving attention, they're fiercely loyal, and they aren't supposed to shed very much. And they are apartment-sized!
And I just realized that I think that pretty much describes ME. Except for the beard and bushy eyebrows thing. And the shedding...I actually shed a LOT. Ask my sink drain.
This is what the puppy version looks like:
EEEEEEEEEEE!!! Look at those little faces! OK, I know, I am obessed. But whatev. I feel like I've been taking frequent trips to Negative Town on my blog lately, so I thought today I'd just leave one of my best happy thoughts on here instead!
You know, like in Peter Pan, where you think of your happy thought and then you can fly?
Mine is...PUPPIES!!! :)
Update...
Look who else is happy about puppies! My favorite online celebs, Whatever Hollywood!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Election Day
A day in the life of a local news producer. On Election Day.
12.00 AM NOVEMBER 4
I head in to work at the station. Our evening anchor and I get together a game plan for the live local news cut-ins I'll be producing for her during election night between the 6:00 and 11:00 newscasts. We brainstorm ideas for local experts (mostly Purdue professors) to bring in to talk about different aspects of the election, like economy, race and gender, and political history.
12.30 AM
I spend the morning putting together our first news show of Election Day 2008.
4.00 AM
My anchors arrive. One will be heading out to a voting center where she'll set up a live shot for us to use during the morning show. We do a quick review of the line-up before she leaves with the videographer.
5.00 AM
We go on the air for a two-hour show. Looks live everything is going smoothly at the voting centers. We get interviews with the first voter at our live site and talk to some local high school teachers who are conducting an exit poll with their students. All good stuff!
7.00 AM
We go off the air. I put together a plan for our first two local cut-ins, which include more live-shots.
8.00 AM
The first two cut-ins done, I produce a third version for my male anchor to record before he has to leave on assignment. Then it's time to get on the phone and try to line up some interviewees for tonight's cut-ins.
9.00 AM
Done with my phone calls, I finally leave work and head to church, where I cast my vote and chat with my pastor. A sweet old lady gives me an "I Voted!" sticker, which I stick on my bag. I would wear it, but I'm just going home to change into my PJs anyway.
10.00 AM
I finally wind down and go to bed, setting my alarm for 4 PM.
4.00 PM
The alarm jolts me awake. I am amazed how fast those six hours went! I hit snooze once before rolling out of bed and checking my email. Looks like we've got a couple more guests lined up to come in and talk election for the cut-ins.
4.30 PM
Shower time. I'm really excited and pick out a super-cut (if I do say so myself) outfit to wear, motivated by the fact that people will actually see me tonight as opposed to most of my normal work days.
5.00 PM
I turn on our news channel as I get ready to go in to work. Looks like things are still running like clockwork for the voting centers!
6.00 PM
I arrive at the station and wave off the first round of comments and questions about my presence there. Yep, I'm here early. Yep, I'll be here all night. Nope, I don't mind. It's fun. I watch the 6 PM newscast from back in the control room.
6.30 PM
We go off the air. The evening anchor and I plot out the first cut-in, which will happen at 7:25, and I sit down to put together the newscast.
7.20 PM
It's twenty after?!! Slowed down by the fact that I can't use my own desk (our daytime producer is using it to run his software that comes up with our numbers for who's winning each race) and that I can't check my own email, I have to keep running back and forth to ask questions that I could've asked from two feet away if I had been able to use my own desk. Plus, the reporter's desk I'm using is filled with their own clutter, and you know how that is. I need MY clutter. Oh well! I get the scripts printed and sprint down to the control room to get them to the director.
7.25 PM
We go on the air. Everything goes pretty well.
7.30 PM
We go off the air. I return to the newsroom and pow-wow with anchor and directors to hash out a plan for 7:55.
7.45 PM
We're on a roll. I'm already thinking about what comes next at 8:25 as I print off the 7:55 scripts and get everyone ready to go back on the air.
8.00 PM
Off the air. The newsroom becomes a hectic crazy train of reporters and videographers coming and going, people from the sales department are answering phones, and production and engineering personnel trying to fix problems with our live shot's audio monitoring. The next few cut-ins come and go in a blur. They don't really get easier; instead, the simple fact that time will march forward whether you're ready for it to or not is a driving force to get through the next couple of hours.
10.30 PM
We go off the air from out 10:25 cut-in.
"One more, right?" I say to the evening anchor, who nods and suggests we meet with the evening producer to see how she wants us to work the last cut-in so that it transitions smoothly to the 11:00 newscast. We find out she's already written what she wants in that cut-in, so my job (for the moment) is done! I grab a slice of pizza from the breakroom and watch some of our broadcast before starting work on the morning show line-up.
11.05 PM
It's official. National news outlets call the race for President, and it's a historical moment. I watch John McCain's sweet, gracious speech as he concedes to Barack Obama, who will become the first person of color to be elected President of the United States.
11.30 PM
My boss brings me to her office so we can discuss what the morning show should look like. By this point, my brain feels like a sloshy mess of mush in my skull, but I try to keep it functioning long enough to get through this meeting.
11.55 PM
A few more reporters, production people, and videographers gather in my boss's office to watch as Obama gives his speech from Chicago. It dawns on me that this may be one of those moments I tell my kids or grandkids about somewhere down the road.
12.30 AM NOVEMBER 5
My boss and I get back to the reality that is the local news, and map out a plan for the morning show. I share it with the reporters who are now returning from their interviews with local race winners and losers, and we all get to work...a mad little frenzy of typing and reading out loud to ourselves. It's really weird to be in this environment, with people all around. I look forward to the time when everyone goes home, leaving me in the familiar quiet of the newsroom at night. The "election day high" wears off, and I notice I'm yawning a lot. I shake my head, hoping for my second wind to kick in soon.
2.30 AM
Finally, everyone goes home, and it's just me. I put on some music and eat a big Gladware container full of spaghetti and meat sauce I brought from home. My second wind finally hits, and I slowly but surely piece the morning show together, bit by bit.
4.00 AM
The anchors come in. I have the show all written and work on editing all of my videos. I'm actually ahead of schedule! The anchors think the show looks great (it ought to, for the extra time I spent with our superior planning it out and all the brain power I've had to muster to get it all together).
4.30 AM
Time to print scripts. i finish up the last of the videos and head back to the control room for the start of the show.
5.00 AM
The newscast goes well. At this point, my second wind is wearing off, and my brain is getting mushy again. I realize halfway through the show that I've been in this building for 12 hours.
7.00 AM
We go off the air. I print off the morning cut-in scripts and realize I still haven't checked my email.
7.15 AM
My last email is from the assistant news director. It says someone will try to call me Wednesday morning at 7:15. I look at the time, then immediately look at my phone, like I expect it to ring on cue.
It doesn't.
I decide to wait until 7:30 and then call it a day.
7.30 AM
Still no phone call. I email the assistant news director back to say that I didn't hear anything from this person and that I'll try to get in touch with them tomorrow.
The phone rings.
I answer, hoping it's the guy who wanted to schedule an interview. But it's not.
"Hello," says a woman's voice, "I'm sorry, but I just had to call in and complain because I think this morning's election coverage was terrible. I watched for 20 miutes and didn't see anything about a bunch of the elections."
Does this lady realize we cover election results for like 9 counties?
"OK," I say, "Which elections were you concerned with that you didn't see?"
"County commissioner--everything!!!" she replies. "I'm heading in to work and I don't even know who my new boss is going to be. So I just wanted to call and complain because I thought it was terrible."
"OK, thank you," I say. Thank you for taking what I've been working on all night, crapping on it, and flushing it down the toilet. If you work for these people, then I guess you'll hear the results once you get in to the office, huh? We've been running these results in a live crawl at the bottom of our screen all night and into the morning, and it's on our website. If you're really such a kiss-ass that you need to know the results before you head in to work, there were plenty of other ways we provided to help you find what you were looking for. Thanks for being a total bee-sting at the end of my fourteen-hour work day.
Oh well.
7.45 AM
I'm out. I suggest possibly keeping the crawl with our local results up on the screen all morning, laughing off the complaint with, "I can't do everything for everybody...figure it out yourself!" and head out the door with my usual sing-song "Have a great day! See you tomorrow!"
The election day high and it's second-wave energy boost have both completely worn off as I get in my car and drive home.
I'm glad it's not this exciting every day. I think it'd be a little too much to handle. That being said, I just LOVE election day! But I'm always very glad when it's over.
12.00 AM NOVEMBER 4
I head in to work at the station. Our evening anchor and I get together a game plan for the live local news cut-ins I'll be producing for her during election night between the 6:00 and 11:00 newscasts. We brainstorm ideas for local experts (mostly Purdue professors) to bring in to talk about different aspects of the election, like economy, race and gender, and political history.
12.30 AM
I spend the morning putting together our first news show of Election Day 2008.
4.00 AM
My anchors arrive. One will be heading out to a voting center where she'll set up a live shot for us to use during the morning show. We do a quick review of the line-up before she leaves with the videographer.
5.00 AM
We go on the air for a two-hour show. Looks live everything is going smoothly at the voting centers. We get interviews with the first voter at our live site and talk to some local high school teachers who are conducting an exit poll with their students. All good stuff!
7.00 AM
We go off the air. I put together a plan for our first two local cut-ins, which include more live-shots.
8.00 AM
The first two cut-ins done, I produce a third version for my male anchor to record before he has to leave on assignment. Then it's time to get on the phone and try to line up some interviewees for tonight's cut-ins.
9.00 AM
Done with my phone calls, I finally leave work and head to church, where I cast my vote and chat with my pastor. A sweet old lady gives me an "I Voted!" sticker, which I stick on my bag. I would wear it, but I'm just going home to change into my PJs anyway.
10.00 AM
I finally wind down and go to bed, setting my alarm for 4 PM.
4.00 PM
The alarm jolts me awake. I am amazed how fast those six hours went! I hit snooze once before rolling out of bed and checking my email. Looks like we've got a couple more guests lined up to come in and talk election for the cut-ins.
4.30 PM
Shower time. I'm really excited and pick out a super-cut (if I do say so myself) outfit to wear, motivated by the fact that people will actually see me tonight as opposed to most of my normal work days.
5.00 PM
I turn on our news channel as I get ready to go in to work. Looks like things are still running like clockwork for the voting centers!
6.00 PM
I arrive at the station and wave off the first round of comments and questions about my presence there. Yep, I'm here early. Yep, I'll be here all night. Nope, I don't mind. It's fun. I watch the 6 PM newscast from back in the control room.
6.30 PM
We go off the air. The evening anchor and I plot out the first cut-in, which will happen at 7:25, and I sit down to put together the newscast.
7.20 PM
It's twenty after?!! Slowed down by the fact that I can't use my own desk (our daytime producer is using it to run his software that comes up with our numbers for who's winning each race) and that I can't check my own email, I have to keep running back and forth to ask questions that I could've asked from two feet away if I had been able to use my own desk. Plus, the reporter's desk I'm using is filled with their own clutter, and you know how that is. I need MY clutter. Oh well! I get the scripts printed and sprint down to the control room to get them to the director.
7.25 PM
We go on the air. Everything goes pretty well.
7.30 PM
We go off the air. I return to the newsroom and pow-wow with anchor and directors to hash out a plan for 7:55.
7.45 PM
We're on a roll. I'm already thinking about what comes next at 8:25 as I print off the 7:55 scripts and get everyone ready to go back on the air.
8.00 PM
Off the air. The newsroom becomes a hectic crazy train of reporters and videographers coming and going, people from the sales department are answering phones, and production and engineering personnel trying to fix problems with our live shot's audio monitoring. The next few cut-ins come and go in a blur. They don't really get easier; instead, the simple fact that time will march forward whether you're ready for it to or not is a driving force to get through the next couple of hours.
10.30 PM
We go off the air from out 10:25 cut-in.
"One more, right?" I say to the evening anchor, who nods and suggests we meet with the evening producer to see how she wants us to work the last cut-in so that it transitions smoothly to the 11:00 newscast. We find out she's already written what she wants in that cut-in, so my job (for the moment) is done! I grab a slice of pizza from the breakroom and watch some of our broadcast before starting work on the morning show line-up.
11.05 PM
It's official. National news outlets call the race for President, and it's a historical moment. I watch John McCain's sweet, gracious speech as he concedes to Barack Obama, who will become the first person of color to be elected President of the United States.
11.30 PM
My boss brings me to her office so we can discuss what the morning show should look like. By this point, my brain feels like a sloshy mess of mush in my skull, but I try to keep it functioning long enough to get through this meeting.
11.55 PM
A few more reporters, production people, and videographers gather in my boss's office to watch as Obama gives his speech from Chicago. It dawns on me that this may be one of those moments I tell my kids or grandkids about somewhere down the road.
12.30 AM NOVEMBER 5
My boss and I get back to the reality that is the local news, and map out a plan for the morning show. I share it with the reporters who are now returning from their interviews with local race winners and losers, and we all get to work...a mad little frenzy of typing and reading out loud to ourselves. It's really weird to be in this environment, with people all around. I look forward to the time when everyone goes home, leaving me in the familiar quiet of the newsroom at night. The "election day high" wears off, and I notice I'm yawning a lot. I shake my head, hoping for my second wind to kick in soon.
2.30 AM
Finally, everyone goes home, and it's just me. I put on some music and eat a big Gladware container full of spaghetti and meat sauce I brought from home. My second wind finally hits, and I slowly but surely piece the morning show together, bit by bit.
4.00 AM
The anchors come in. I have the show all written and work on editing all of my videos. I'm actually ahead of schedule! The anchors think the show looks great (it ought to, for the extra time I spent with our superior planning it out and all the brain power I've had to muster to get it all together).
4.30 AM
Time to print scripts. i finish up the last of the videos and head back to the control room for the start of the show.
5.00 AM
The newscast goes well. At this point, my second wind is wearing off, and my brain is getting mushy again. I realize halfway through the show that I've been in this building for 12 hours.
7.00 AM
We go off the air. I print off the morning cut-in scripts and realize I still haven't checked my email.
7.15 AM
My last email is from the assistant news director. It says someone will try to call me Wednesday morning at 7:15. I look at the time, then immediately look at my phone, like I expect it to ring on cue.
It doesn't.
I decide to wait until 7:30 and then call it a day.
7.30 AM
Still no phone call. I email the assistant news director back to say that I didn't hear anything from this person and that I'll try to get in touch with them tomorrow.
The phone rings.
I answer, hoping it's the guy who wanted to schedule an interview. But it's not.
"Hello," says a woman's voice, "I'm sorry, but I just had to call in and complain because I think this morning's election coverage was terrible. I watched for 20 miutes and didn't see anything about a bunch of the elections."
Does this lady realize we cover election results for like 9 counties?
"OK," I say, "Which elections were you concerned with that you didn't see?"
"County commissioner--everything!!!" she replies. "I'm heading in to work and I don't even know who my new boss is going to be. So I just wanted to call and complain because I thought it was terrible."
"OK, thank you," I say. Thank you for taking what I've been working on all night, crapping on it, and flushing it down the toilet. If you work for these people, then I guess you'll hear the results once you get in to the office, huh? We've been running these results in a live crawl at the bottom of our screen all night and into the morning, and it's on our website. If you're really such a kiss-ass that you need to know the results before you head in to work, there were plenty of other ways we provided to help you find what you were looking for. Thanks for being a total bee-sting at the end of my fourteen-hour work day.
Oh well.
7.45 AM
I'm out. I suggest possibly keeping the crawl with our local results up on the screen all morning, laughing off the complaint with, "I can't do everything for everybody...figure it out yourself!" and head out the door with my usual sing-song "Have a great day! See you tomorrow!"
The election day high and it's second-wave energy boost have both completely worn off as I get in my car and drive home.
I'm glad it's not this exciting every day. I think it'd be a little too much to handle. That being said, I just LOVE election day! But I'm always very glad when it's over.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
