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.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
swamped
I feel like I've been neglecting my little blog lately. I just feel like I haven't had a good moment to sit down and write something. I feel like I've been really busy lately. Not that anything has been added to my schedule; it's just more like it's all been building up--the constant stream of band practices, speech meets, home football games, family visits, and work. It's not that I'm getting busier, it's just that it's getting harder to maintain life at this speed.
I'm totally stressing about bills. I hate to admit it, but it's true. I always do this time of year. The good thing is, the light is visible at the end of the tunnel since I'll finally get to see some fiscal rewards for driving to Monticello and back all summer and fall when gas was at a record high. I won't see that money till December, but it'll be just in time to do my Christmas shopping and not totally destroy my bank account.
Really, I just have to make it through the beginning of November and all of my heavy financial lifting will be done. Actually, it's just going to get easier from here on out. My earnings from coaching speech and color guard will finally put a nice cushion in my savings, and gas prices are going down (for now, anyway). Meanwhile, I'm almost three-fourths through my car payments; those will be done in the summer. And, I'm supposed to get a raise now that the first year of my contract is nearing completion. Not that it'll be truly significant, but again, it'll just be some extra padding, which would be nice.
And things are already starting to slow down, as far as my various commitments are concerned. Our band didn't make it to State, but the upside is that I won't be spending so much money on gas every week, and my weeknights will now be completely free to get back to the gym (oh, how I've missed yoga classes!!!) and do a better job of keeping up with my housework. Blech, does that sound domestic or what? I do kind of enjoy cleaning, once I get to it, though! And it's easier when you can do a little of it more often, rather than watch it pile up until you finally have time to put some serious elbow-grease into it.
Speech lasts through the middle of November, but that's just one afternoon a week, and we only have two meets left. And now I don't have to worry anymore about splitting my Saturdays between band contests, speech meets, and football games. I actually have managed to make it to every single game, although I missed the first half of one to go to a band contest. But as busy as it's been, I have to say I enjoy it; I really thrive on having things to do rather than to just go to work and come home. I think I took on a little too much this fall, but I made it work.
November will be a sort of a wholistic detox for me; back to the gym, no more need to eat on the run, put more time and energy into work to get the rest of the changes to the show accomplished, start work on plans for the 11:00 service at church. Revamp, renew, refresh, refocus.
All in time for the holidays.
Last year, the holidays stressed me out because it was the first time I didn't get an actual "Thanksgiving break" or "Christmas vacation." And unlike most places of business, I didn't even actually get all of the holidays off at all. On Thanksgiving, I did the morning show, drove down to my grandmother's, drove back, got minimal sleep, and headed into work again. Christmas Day I actually got to spend at home...until the evening, when I drove back in to get to work that night. New Year's Eve passed and the new year arrived as I sat at my desk next to the police scanners, watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV. Talk about depressing. And then that day I navigated a blizzard to make it to my aunt's house for a couple of hours before having to head back once more.
I can't do that this year.
Thanksgiving, I can handle. And Christmas will be the same deal, which is no problem. But I think I have decided that I will be spending New Year's in town. And the nice thing is, I think a lot of my friends from this summer will be home, so I'm sure I'll be able to find something to do.
Geez, Halloween isn't even here yet...I can't believe I'm already thinking about the holidays. But if you don't consider them now, they sneak up on you two-thirds of the way through November, so it's best to think it out now.
Anyway...
I don't plan to go back to my quiet life for long. I am planning to audition for another musical with Civic at the beginning of December, and that will be my new "extra-cirricular" activity through the winter. The show I'm hoping to be a part of is in March. Then in April, I will re-assess and figure out my next move, whether that's beginning the search for a new job or waiting a while longer until I save up some more or a better opportunity presents itself. I'll start planning my vacation time for the lake and get it approved. Then I'll make my last few car payments and begin the hunt for a puppy, and maybe try another Civic show for the summer if it's in the cards.
That's a loooong way in advance. But that's where I'm headed.
Right now, I just need to kind of get my life back together.
Tonight was nice, not having to go over to Monticello for band practice. Not to mention it's saving me gas money! I've been reading all evening, and I'm going to try to finish this book before it's time to get ready for work.
Until later!
Lis
PS - I can't BELIEVE I almost forgot to say this--I saw High School Musical 3 this weekend and LOVED it. The dances and songs were a major step up from the franchise's first and second installments. And yes, I was a little sad when it was all over. I actually had that "let-down" feeling today that I used to get after the Christmas show or after performing a musical for the last time. I would have changed a few things about the plot to make it a bit more intricate, but then again it's HSM, so there's no real need for depth. I can't wait to get the soundtrack, and I will probably go see it again (one of my friends mentioned he might be persuaded to go!) while it's still in theaters. And the icing on the cake was that this morning I read reviews from Yahoo, Rotten Tomatoes, and other film buff sites, and the reviews were actually pretty good! I think the critics have finally learned to see the franchise for what it is--a fun, kid-friendly, postive message about working as a team and being yourself. Not to mention a great way to get a new generation interested in song-and-dance. While critics were sure to point out how unrealistic East High and its student body may be, they also noted Kenny Ortega's use of choreographical references to Bob Fosse and Fred Astaire. Several critics even compared Zac Efron's dancing to Gene Kelly! Holy crap!!! That's pretty huge. I think in the end, HSM has proved to be something that, fluffly and cheesy as it may be, is so fun and infectious that you can't help but enjoy it.
OK, bye for real.
I'm totally stressing about bills. I hate to admit it, but it's true. I always do this time of year. The good thing is, the light is visible at the end of the tunnel since I'll finally get to see some fiscal rewards for driving to Monticello and back all summer and fall when gas was at a record high. I won't see that money till December, but it'll be just in time to do my Christmas shopping and not totally destroy my bank account.
Really, I just have to make it through the beginning of November and all of my heavy financial lifting will be done. Actually, it's just going to get easier from here on out. My earnings from coaching speech and color guard will finally put a nice cushion in my savings, and gas prices are going down (for now, anyway). Meanwhile, I'm almost three-fourths through my car payments; those will be done in the summer. And, I'm supposed to get a raise now that the first year of my contract is nearing completion. Not that it'll be truly significant, but again, it'll just be some extra padding, which would be nice.
And things are already starting to slow down, as far as my various commitments are concerned. Our band didn't make it to State, but the upside is that I won't be spending so much money on gas every week, and my weeknights will now be completely free to get back to the gym (oh, how I've missed yoga classes!!!) and do a better job of keeping up with my housework. Blech, does that sound domestic or what? I do kind of enjoy cleaning, once I get to it, though! And it's easier when you can do a little of it more often, rather than watch it pile up until you finally have time to put some serious elbow-grease into it.
Speech lasts through the middle of November, but that's just one afternoon a week, and we only have two meets left. And now I don't have to worry anymore about splitting my Saturdays between band contests, speech meets, and football games. I actually have managed to make it to every single game, although I missed the first half of one to go to a band contest. But as busy as it's been, I have to say I enjoy it; I really thrive on having things to do rather than to just go to work and come home. I think I took on a little too much this fall, but I made it work.
November will be a sort of a wholistic detox for me; back to the gym, no more need to eat on the run, put more time and energy into work to get the rest of the changes to the show accomplished, start work on plans for the 11:00 service at church. Revamp, renew, refresh, refocus.
All in time for the holidays.
Last year, the holidays stressed me out because it was the first time I didn't get an actual "Thanksgiving break" or "Christmas vacation." And unlike most places of business, I didn't even actually get all of the holidays off at all. On Thanksgiving, I did the morning show, drove down to my grandmother's, drove back, got minimal sleep, and headed into work again. Christmas Day I actually got to spend at home...until the evening, when I drove back in to get to work that night. New Year's Eve passed and the new year arrived as I sat at my desk next to the police scanners, watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV. Talk about depressing. And then that day I navigated a blizzard to make it to my aunt's house for a couple of hours before having to head back once more.
I can't do that this year.
Thanksgiving, I can handle. And Christmas will be the same deal, which is no problem. But I think I have decided that I will be spending New Year's in town. And the nice thing is, I think a lot of my friends from this summer will be home, so I'm sure I'll be able to find something to do.
Geez, Halloween isn't even here yet...I can't believe I'm already thinking about the holidays. But if you don't consider them now, they sneak up on you two-thirds of the way through November, so it's best to think it out now.
Anyway...
I don't plan to go back to my quiet life for long. I am planning to audition for another musical with Civic at the beginning of December, and that will be my new "extra-cirricular" activity through the winter. The show I'm hoping to be a part of is in March. Then in April, I will re-assess and figure out my next move, whether that's beginning the search for a new job or waiting a while longer until I save up some more or a better opportunity presents itself. I'll start planning my vacation time for the lake and get it approved. Then I'll make my last few car payments and begin the hunt for a puppy, and maybe try another Civic show for the summer if it's in the cards.
That's a loooong way in advance. But that's where I'm headed.
Right now, I just need to kind of get my life back together.
Tonight was nice, not having to go over to Monticello for band practice. Not to mention it's saving me gas money! I've been reading all evening, and I'm going to try to finish this book before it's time to get ready for work.
Until later!
Lis
PS - I can't BELIEVE I almost forgot to say this--I saw High School Musical 3 this weekend and LOVED it. The dances and songs were a major step up from the franchise's first and second installments. And yes, I was a little sad when it was all over. I actually had that "let-down" feeling today that I used to get after the Christmas show or after performing a musical for the last time. I would have changed a few things about the plot to make it a bit more intricate, but then again it's HSM, so there's no real need for depth. I can't wait to get the soundtrack, and I will probably go see it again (one of my friends mentioned he might be persuaded to go!) while it's still in theaters. And the icing on the cake was that this morning I read reviews from Yahoo, Rotten Tomatoes, and other film buff sites, and the reviews were actually pretty good! I think the critics have finally learned to see the franchise for what it is--a fun, kid-friendly, postive message about working as a team and being yourself. Not to mention a great way to get a new generation interested in song-and-dance. While critics were sure to point out how unrealistic East High and its student body may be, they also noted Kenny Ortega's use of choreographical references to Bob Fosse and Fred Astaire. Several critics even compared Zac Efron's dancing to Gene Kelly! Holy crap!!! That's pretty huge. I think in the end, HSM has proved to be something that, fluffly and cheesy as it may be, is so fun and infectious that you can't help but enjoy it.
OK, bye for real.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Things I Never Want to Forget: Punk'd.
So, I feel like I got totally punked by the LPD just now.
OK, you know how part of my job includes listening to the police scanners? Well, around 12:45 this morning I'm sitting here working on my show and I hear someone say over their radio that someone has reported a man wearing camoflauge pants head for the mall with a handgun, and he looks like he's "in a hurry."
What?
My ears perk up at this and I resist the urge to watch the next episode of ANTM on CWtv.com so that I can pay full attention to the scanner.
Nothing...
Then just before 1:00, I hear that rare and always a slightly frightening phrase:
"Shots fired."
An officer then repeats that shots have been fired in the mall somewhere near Victoria's Secret.
WHAT!!!!!
Now I'm totally glued to the scanner. A) Who the heck would be in the mall in the middle of the night with a GUN in the first place and B) Who ELSE would be in the mall to be shot at with aforementioned gun!?!
Usually what I do when I hear something interesting like this is wait and listen for at least 30 minutes. So that's what I did. Crazy Tyra can wait; this is good stuff! I kept hearing that the subject was in different locations of the mall, but nothing else, which was kind of weird. Finally I called LPD, about an hour after the initial dispatch. The dispatch officer has that expectant tone in his voice, which is typical when there's something big going down and they know we're going to call sooner or later. So I ask about the shots being fired in the mall, and the guy just starts laughing.
"Yeah! We were wondering when you'd be calling about that!"
"Well, I usually try to wait awhile because I know when I call too soon there isn't any information available," I said. "But I hadn't heard anything in awhile so I thought I should call."
"It's a training session," said the officer.
Ohhhhhhh.
"Ohhhh wow, ok," I say, clearly thrown for a loop. "I was kind of wondering who would be in the mall with a gun in the middle of the night."
"Yeah, we couldn't believe no one was calling us to find out what was going on!" said the officer. "But we figured you guys would eventually. It's just a training, and it'll be going on all morning. And other than that, nothing's happening tonight."
Well that's good news. A.K.A. no news at all.
"Awesome, well, hope you guys have a good morning!" I hang up the phone.
Punk'd. LPD style.
OK, you know how part of my job includes listening to the police scanners? Well, around 12:45 this morning I'm sitting here working on my show and I hear someone say over their radio that someone has reported a man wearing camoflauge pants head for the mall with a handgun, and he looks like he's "in a hurry."
What?
My ears perk up at this and I resist the urge to watch the next episode of ANTM on CWtv.com so that I can pay full attention to the scanner.
Nothing...
Then just before 1:00, I hear that rare and always a slightly frightening phrase:
"Shots fired."
An officer then repeats that shots have been fired in the mall somewhere near Victoria's Secret.
WHAT!!!!!
Now I'm totally glued to the scanner. A) Who the heck would be in the mall in the middle of the night with a GUN in the first place and B) Who ELSE would be in the mall to be shot at with aforementioned gun!?!
Usually what I do when I hear something interesting like this is wait and listen for at least 30 minutes. So that's what I did. Crazy Tyra can wait; this is good stuff! I kept hearing that the subject was in different locations of the mall, but nothing else, which was kind of weird. Finally I called LPD, about an hour after the initial dispatch. The dispatch officer has that expectant tone in his voice, which is typical when there's something big going down and they know we're going to call sooner or later. So I ask about the shots being fired in the mall, and the guy just starts laughing.
"Yeah! We were wondering when you'd be calling about that!"
"Well, I usually try to wait awhile because I know when I call too soon there isn't any information available," I said. "But I hadn't heard anything in awhile so I thought I should call."
"It's a training session," said the officer.
Ohhhhhhh.
"Ohhhh wow, ok," I say, clearly thrown for a loop. "I was kind of wondering who would be in the mall with a gun in the middle of the night."
"Yeah, we couldn't believe no one was calling us to find out what was going on!" said the officer. "But we figured you guys would eventually. It's just a training, and it'll be going on all morning. And other than that, nothing's happening tonight."
Well that's good news. A.K.A. no news at all.
"Awesome, well, hope you guys have a good morning!" I hang up the phone.
Punk'd. LPD style.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
just me and my thoughts...
Kels, I promise I will do a purse post soon! That was such a cute idea!
But for now...
This is the first Friday night/Saturday morning in a long time that I've gotten snagged on my sleeping schedule and ended up awake all night. It's 4:40 AM as I'm typing this now. I was supposed to go to Twin Lakes for color guard this afternoon, but wasn't feeling well, so I called in and stayed home to sleep, which was a good choice; I feel much better just getting some solid sleep under my belt.
But now I'm up.
And I need to get at least a little sleep sometime this morning because I have to be at one of the local high schools for regional band competition (at least I don't have to drive far!) at 10 AM. And it's going to be a full day because after regionals, I am off to another local high school to watch my friend Justin march in his marching band. It is the one and only chance I'll have to see him march, so I need to go. And afterwards we might do a movie, so...yeah. Sleep is going to be needed at some point this morning.
I actually probably would've been able to achieve a second round of Z's if it hadn't been for the fact that I swung by Marla's sorority and stole her to go get some ice cream. Before that, I had just eaten dinner and finished a Bacardi Raz, and there's nothing like a full stomach from a warm meal and a little adult beverage consumption to get you comfy and ready for a nap. But Marla needed some cheering up, and I was only too happy to oblige! I love being in the same town as her. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when I move away; we've just always been within reach. It's not like we hang out all the time, but when times like tonight come up and we need some sisterly support, it's just nice to know we can physically be there for each other. I tried to talk her into moving with me wherever I go...lol...but she wants to stay close to home, or at least in the Midwest. And I don't blame her; the Midwest is a wonderful place, and it will always be home. But it's just been home to me for my entire life, and if I don't get out now, I never will. A year from now, I really hope to go somewhere unlike any place I know.
Possible thoughts...
Savannah, GA (I am in love with that place, ever since a visit there on Spring Break once. Small-town feel, but big on culture and especially history!)
Somewhere near Hollywood, California (Entertainment capital of the galaxy.)
Charleston, SC (Again, one Spring Break trip there and I was in love. For many of the same reasons as Savannah plus the shopping there is amazing!)
Somewhere in Florida (My sister is moving to Tampa...maybe after a visit I can come up with some ideas.)
New York!!! (Whenever Lorne Michaels and Marci Klein call me up.)
Watch me end up somewhere really random like Omaha, Nebraska. Or French Lick. Yikes.
Anyway, I'm watching GiGi. I never realized until this year what it's really about. And what it's about is a girl who is being raised and trained to be a mistress to rich men in Paris. I know, right?! Granted, the last time I watched this was when I was really little, so I didn't really gain anything from it except the song "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," which now that I watch the movie as an adult is kind of a creepy song.
Oh! This is one of the best parts--Gigi is singing "I don't understand the Paweeeeesians!" I don't either, Gigi.
OK, can I just explain to you how much I want a dog? It's like, some women get this crazy obsession with having a baby, like Jennifer Garner in Juno or Tina Fey in Baby Mama. Well I have that, but with dogs. I mean, I grew up in a family with pets. My dad is a vet, so I think we all are kind of naturally animal lovers. I live on my own, and I'm at a great point in my life to have my own dog. And the plan is to get one this coming summer--which I realize seems like a long time form now. But financially it's the best timing. So now I'm like this crazy lady obsessed with having a baby, only my baby will be a dog. Haha...yep, I've officially lost it.
OK, maybe I need another Raz. Or a snack. Something that will make me sleepy.
Sweet dreams!
But for now...
This is the first Friday night/Saturday morning in a long time that I've gotten snagged on my sleeping schedule and ended up awake all night. It's 4:40 AM as I'm typing this now. I was supposed to go to Twin Lakes for color guard this afternoon, but wasn't feeling well, so I called in and stayed home to sleep, which was a good choice; I feel much better just getting some solid sleep under my belt.
But now I'm up.
And I need to get at least a little sleep sometime this morning because I have to be at one of the local high schools for regional band competition (at least I don't have to drive far!) at 10 AM. And it's going to be a full day because after regionals, I am off to another local high school to watch my friend Justin march in his marching band. It is the one and only chance I'll have to see him march, so I need to go. And afterwards we might do a movie, so...yeah. Sleep is going to be needed at some point this morning.
I actually probably would've been able to achieve a second round of Z's if it hadn't been for the fact that I swung by Marla's sorority and stole her to go get some ice cream. Before that, I had just eaten dinner and finished a Bacardi Raz, and there's nothing like a full stomach from a warm meal and a little adult beverage consumption to get you comfy and ready for a nap. But Marla needed some cheering up, and I was only too happy to oblige! I love being in the same town as her. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when I move away; we've just always been within reach. It's not like we hang out all the time, but when times like tonight come up and we need some sisterly support, it's just nice to know we can physically be there for each other. I tried to talk her into moving with me wherever I go...lol...but she wants to stay close to home, or at least in the Midwest. And I don't blame her; the Midwest is a wonderful place, and it will always be home. But it's just been home to me for my entire life, and if I don't get out now, I never will. A year from now, I really hope to go somewhere unlike any place I know.
Possible thoughts...
Savannah, GA (I am in love with that place, ever since a visit there on Spring Break once. Small-town feel, but big on culture and especially history!)
Somewhere near Hollywood, California (Entertainment capital of the galaxy.)
Charleston, SC (Again, one Spring Break trip there and I was in love. For many of the same reasons as Savannah plus the shopping there is amazing!)
Somewhere in Florida (My sister is moving to Tampa...maybe after a visit I can come up with some ideas.)
New York!!! (Whenever Lorne Michaels and Marci Klein call me up.)
Watch me end up somewhere really random like Omaha, Nebraska. Or French Lick. Yikes.
Anyway, I'm watching GiGi. I never realized until this year what it's really about. And what it's about is a girl who is being raised and trained to be a mistress to rich men in Paris. I know, right?! Granted, the last time I watched this was when I was really little, so I didn't really gain anything from it except the song "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," which now that I watch the movie as an adult is kind of a creepy song.
Oh! This is one of the best parts--Gigi is singing "I don't understand the Paweeeeesians!" I don't either, Gigi.
OK, can I just explain to you how much I want a dog? It's like, some women get this crazy obsession with having a baby, like Jennifer Garner in Juno or Tina Fey in Baby Mama. Well I have that, but with dogs. I mean, I grew up in a family with pets. My dad is a vet, so I think we all are kind of naturally animal lovers. I live on my own, and I'm at a great point in my life to have my own dog. And the plan is to get one this coming summer--which I realize seems like a long time form now. But financially it's the best timing. So now I'm like this crazy lady obsessed with having a baby, only my baby will be a dog. Haha...yep, I've officially lost it.
OK, maybe I need another Raz. Or a snack. Something that will make me sleepy.
Sweet dreams!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Things I Hope I Never Forget: Fire, Fire!
This is truly one for the books as far as newsroom irony is concerned.
The fire prevention show at Lafayette Jeff High School today is cancelled due to a fire at Lafayette Jeff High School. Not even kidding.
And for the record, breaking news loves to happen just as I'm trying to get out of there. I won't lie, though--it's always exciting no matter what.
OK, that's all!
The fire prevention show at Lafayette Jeff High School today is cancelled due to a fire at Lafayette Jeff High School. Not even kidding.
And for the record, breaking news loves to happen just as I'm trying to get out of there. I won't lie, though--it's always exciting no matter what.
OK, that's all!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Random Thoughts!
This is what happens around 1:30 AM or so when I'm at work...I get ahead of schedule, so I get really short-attention-spanned (not a word) and "take a break" to watch something on the CW online (tonight it's 90210 and Priveleged), browse Facebook, and maybe post in my blog. And then by the time I get done doing all that stuff, I'm behind schedule! Ha. So let the procrastination begin...
Random Thought #1: Things That Bug Me~It bugs me when people in front of me drive below the speed limit. Or right at it. I am a 5-miles-over kind of girl, especially when I'm in a hurry to get somewhere. So, speed it up, people!
~It bugs me when people get all stressed out about finding love. I say, stop looking!!! When you go around looking for it, it usually concludes in your compromising for something you don't really want but seems to be better than the alternative, which is being alone. Trust me, the alternative is SO WAY BETTER. Aloneness rocks. For me, anyway.
~It bugs me that librarians always seem to be persnickety. I went to the library today after church and walked in the front door to be met by a librarian with mousy hair (don't they ALWAYS have mousy hair?!). She said very curtly and offendedly, "The library's not open. How did you get in?" I kicked in the door, lady. I wanted to get in the library sooo bad...
"Uh...I just walked in," I said. "The doors were unlocked." I may have copped a bit of a 'tude. What?
"Oh, well the library doesn't open till one," snapped the mousy librarian.
"Oh really? OK! I'll just come back at one, then." I turned around and left, pulling my phone out of my purse on the way to check the time. 12:30. Seriously?
Random Thought #2: Things I Really Like
~I really like this little sandwich shop/cafe on Stadium. It used to be on the other side of campus, but now it's on my way to work and tonight I picked up a sandwich and a pumpkin pie latte on my way in. (P.S. I still don't like coffee, for those of you at home keeping score...I just like gas station/Mac Doodle's cappuccinos, and two things at Starbucks--white chocolate mocha and pumpkin spice latte--and if I get a "real" cappuccino, I have to dump like six sugars in it to tolerate it.) Anyway, having a delicious sandwich and bag of Sun Chips from this little place just makes my day.
~I love finding great deals on clothes, food, shoes, music, and movies. Today I got a box set for $25 that included Singing in the Rain, GiGi, and My Fair Lady. Awesome!
~I love comfortable fall weather. Today I just shut off my AC/heat unit thingy and opened up my window, and it was perfect. Add to the perfection watching GiGi and IMing my little sis, and you get amazing.
Random Thought #3: Good Talk.
I got to have a really good phone conversation with a good buddy today, which is really significant. Because I always feel like he's the kind of guy that just wants to have a good time and talk about funny stuff, not get into serious or emotional topics, so I usually keep it surface level with him...I don't really force it to go deeper, although I'm not opposed to it going there. I just don't want to make him feel bogged down by some old lady who wants to have a grown-up conversation. But today I called and we went surface level for awhile, and then we talked about some stuff that I knew we'd both kind of been concerned with regarding some mutual friendships and such, and it was one of those things where I felt weird bringing it up, but once we went there, we had this great, open conversation and I felt like I got to know him better though it. It was one of those conversations that you start worried that you're going to be out in left field, but then figure out that the other person is totally on the same page. So that was really great. And he's just such a doll, the kind of guy that makes every girl feel like the center of the world when he's talking to her, (which I hear doesn't always work out in his best interests, haha) but speaking plutonically, it's really nice to have that kind of attention. So that also made my day today.
Ok, I think that's all my randomness for one morning.
Love!
Lis
Random Thought #1: Things That Bug Me~It bugs me when people in front of me drive below the speed limit. Or right at it. I am a 5-miles-over kind of girl, especially when I'm in a hurry to get somewhere. So, speed it up, people!
~It bugs me when people get all stressed out about finding love. I say, stop looking!!! When you go around looking for it, it usually concludes in your compromising for something you don't really want but seems to be better than the alternative, which is being alone. Trust me, the alternative is SO WAY BETTER. Aloneness rocks. For me, anyway.
~It bugs me that librarians always seem to be persnickety. I went to the library today after church and walked in the front door to be met by a librarian with mousy hair (don't they ALWAYS have mousy hair?!). She said very curtly and offendedly, "The library's not open. How did you get in?" I kicked in the door, lady. I wanted to get in the library sooo bad...
"Uh...I just walked in," I said. "The doors were unlocked." I may have copped a bit of a 'tude. What?
"Oh, well the library doesn't open till one," snapped the mousy librarian.
"Oh really? OK! I'll just come back at one, then." I turned around and left, pulling my phone out of my purse on the way to check the time. 12:30. Seriously?
Random Thought #2: Things I Really Like
~I really like this little sandwich shop/cafe on Stadium. It used to be on the other side of campus, but now it's on my way to work and tonight I picked up a sandwich and a pumpkin pie latte on my way in. (P.S. I still don't like coffee, for those of you at home keeping score...I just like gas station/Mac Doodle's cappuccinos, and two things at Starbucks--white chocolate mocha and pumpkin spice latte--and if I get a "real" cappuccino, I have to dump like six sugars in it to tolerate it.) Anyway, having a delicious sandwich and bag of Sun Chips from this little place just makes my day.
~I love finding great deals on clothes, food, shoes, music, and movies. Today I got a box set for $25 that included Singing in the Rain, GiGi, and My Fair Lady. Awesome!
~I love comfortable fall weather. Today I just shut off my AC/heat unit thingy and opened up my window, and it was perfect. Add to the perfection watching GiGi and IMing my little sis, and you get amazing.
Random Thought #3: Good Talk.
I got to have a really good phone conversation with a good buddy today, which is really significant. Because I always feel like he's the kind of guy that just wants to have a good time and talk about funny stuff, not get into serious or emotional topics, so I usually keep it surface level with him...I don't really force it to go deeper, although I'm not opposed to it going there. I just don't want to make him feel bogged down by some old lady who wants to have a grown-up conversation. But today I called and we went surface level for awhile, and then we talked about some stuff that I knew we'd both kind of been concerned with regarding some mutual friendships and such, and it was one of those things where I felt weird bringing it up, but once we went there, we had this great, open conversation and I felt like I got to know him better though it. It was one of those conversations that you start worried that you're going to be out in left field, but then figure out that the other person is totally on the same page. So that was really great. And he's just such a doll, the kind of guy that makes every girl feel like the center of the world when he's talking to her, (which I hear doesn't always work out in his best interests, haha) but speaking plutonically, it's really nice to have that kind of attention. So that also made my day today.
Ok, I think that's all my randomness for one morning.
Love!
Lis
Friday, October 3, 2008
Help a girl out...
Hey Lisa...embed much?
I know, it's been ridiculous how much I've been embedding videos lately, but I promise this is the last one for awhile. I am just asking you to do a favor for these super-nice girls trying to make it in Hollywood. You may remember me writing about Whatever Hollywood in the past, but just for a review, these girls are all aspiring entertainers who make these cute videos in the meantime. But they don't just wait around for fame...they really go after their goals! And their newest goal is to get to do a show with Jimmy Kimmel, their favorite late-night guy.
They made this video to convince him to appear with them.
And here's the deal: They were told they had to get 100,000 views on YouTube to be taken seriously, so if you wouldn't mind watching this video, it would help them out a bunch. I promise it will make you laugh, and then if they ever DO end up on Jimmy Kimmel, you can say it's because of you!
OK, enough with me and my plugs. Enjoy Whatever Hollywood! :)
Love!
Lis
Oh, PS I am totally addicted to the soundtrack for the Broadway musical "In the Heights" right now. It's like, Latin-rap-salsa-R&B amazingness! And if you don't wanna dance when you hear the music...shame on you.
That's all!
I know, it's been ridiculous how much I've been embedding videos lately, but I promise this is the last one for awhile. I am just asking you to do a favor for these super-nice girls trying to make it in Hollywood. You may remember me writing about Whatever Hollywood in the past, but just for a review, these girls are all aspiring entertainers who make these cute videos in the meantime. But they don't just wait around for fame...they really go after their goals! And their newest goal is to get to do a show with Jimmy Kimmel, their favorite late-night guy.
They made this video to convince him to appear with them.
And here's the deal: They were told they had to get 100,000 views on YouTube to be taken seriously, so if you wouldn't mind watching this video, it would help them out a bunch. I promise it will make you laugh, and then if they ever DO end up on Jimmy Kimmel, you can say it's because of you!
OK, enough with me and my plugs. Enjoy Whatever Hollywood! :)
Love!
Lis
Oh, PS I am totally addicted to the soundtrack for the Broadway musical "In the Heights" right now. It's like, Latin-rap-salsa-R&B amazingness! And if you don't wanna dance when you hear the music...shame on you.
That's all!
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