Not much going on...

I was sick this weekend. Getting better, but not 100% yet. We didn't have softball practice on Saturday because there were a lot of people who wouldn't be able to make it, including our coach. We're supposed to have practice this weekend. On Sunday, I ran 2 MILES!! and then went and played softball with Pete & Kelly. It started to rain a little bit while we were there. (It's still raining). I haven't been to the gym since Sunday. The race is in 5 weeks. uh-oh....

I got my new passport in the mail this week. I had to get a new one because my old one still had Kowall on it. My new one is weird because the picture and info are on the second page instead of inside the first page. It's also thicker and more colorful. Apparently there's electronic chips embedded in the new ones so when you go through customs at bigger airports, they can scan it quicker.

Phoebe is now sitting in my lap while I am trying to type. It's thundering and lightning outside and she's scared. Poor thing.

This week the new owners of our station are in town. There's a meeting tomorrow morning. We are going to learn about new benefits and vacation and all that. Hopefully, there will be no surprises.... This year, I have 17 days to do with as I please(plus holidays of course). This includes sick days. We don't have designated sick days and vacation. I like it this way because I don't get sick that often so I can use more days for vacation. I'm using 8 or 9 days for our trip to Germany in June, plus one when Mom & Dad come over. (!!!!) This leaves 6 or 7 for other things, like Christmas. Raycom will change this I'm sure. If this changes before our vacation, then I will be using all my time at once. I'm hoping they won't. We'll see tomorrow.

More later.....

The Katrina Collection...

This just made me cry! A great story of the struggle of the south in the aftermath of Katrina...

http://thekatrinacollectionbylorikgordon.blogspot.com/2007/10/film-on-work-of-lori-k-gordon.html

Lazy Weekend....

Not much going on here. I'm enjoying NOT doing 3 hours in the morning! We actually had someone interviewing for the empty director spots today! Progress is nice!!

Saturday, I went to the gym and wore myself out and decided not to go on Sunday. Instead, I got really bored and it was such a nice day that Kelly and I decided to run the bridge! (another link) I ended up wearing myself out again. It was beautiful up there!!! We ran over half of one way (roughly 1 1/2 miles). One way from "fountain to fence" (the water fountain on the Mt. Pleasant side to the fence at the red light on the Charleston side) is right at 2 1/2 miles. Round trip is about 5 miles. It's got a pretty good incline on both sides. Heading towards Charleston is steeper but shorter. Heading towards Mt. P is not as steep but a longer inclining stretch. It was really crowded, even for a Saturday. I guess people are taking advantage of the great weather we are having!

I started playing with my camera (as seen with last post). Here's some more that I took today.

camera fun....

Newest Baby Pics!!

Nathan Wayne Knight
7 lbs. 1 oz.
2-10-08

Very Proud GREAT Grandpa!!!

Papaw & Virginia with little Nathan

I like this one! It's hard to picture Laura being a Mom! Most of my memories of us are when we were being "kids," driving our parents crazy. Now it's our turn to be the parents.

Congratulations Laura & Jay!!

The First Great Grandchild!!!

CONGRATS! To my cousin Laura and her husband Jay!! They had their first little one last night at River Oaks in Jackson. He is the first Great Grandchild on the Martin side. My mom and Papaw are going over there to see him today! I wish I could be there!

Congrats Laura & Jay!! We Love you!!

UPDATE: Here's a picture of little Nathan with Laura & Jay from the Hydrick's blog...Link to the right! He's so cute!!!

Nathan Knight

(His nickname since they found out it was a boy was "Jedi") HAHA!

Softball soreness...

Yesterday, Pete, Kelly and I went to goof off at the baseball fields. Softball season starts soon and they are going to play on my stations team. We had a good time, but today we are paying for it! Me especially because I went to the gym earlier in the day. I played last season as well. We won more than we lost, but lost out on the first round of playoffs. We had fun though.

Work this week has been hectic, but it went by fast so that was good. I've been worried that since we are short two directors, I would have to do 3 hours in the morning and the noon as well. I found out on Friday that the current plan is to schedule someone else to do the Fox show. It's not official yet, but the fact that they are not thinking about making me do it is promising. I always overreact to things like this even though I know I can do it, I just don't want to make a habit of it because then it may become a regular thing.

On Thursday, Wes & I went to Riverfront Park. We've been there before but they just opened up a new memorial for the Navy base. The Park is on the old Navy base right in front of the Admiral's house (They use this house and several others in the TV show Army Wives on Lifetime). Some of the buildings on the old base are being used by private companies and the ports. There is a new port under construction as well. There's a dock there where cruise ships are repaired. There's also a Magnet school. Most of the buildings are sitting empty and delapidated. We drove through the officer's houses and most of them are boarded up and falling in. Some sections are being used for private homes and others are all fixed up with new paint and landscaping for Army Wives. The power station that provided power for the dry docks is still there, not being used. It's a neat looking old building and you can see all the pipes and machines through the windows. Pete works on a different part of the base that is still being used by the Navy for the Brig and I believe a submarine training program. But where the Navy yard was is where all the private busineses are now. The park includes the admirals pier and you can see down the river where all the ships and ports are. It's a really nice little area. Here's some pics...

Some houses that appear to have been batchelor's or officer's quarters. The admirals house is behind these on a hill. In the foreground is a water fountain/feature.

The Admiral's house. Decorated and landscaped for Army Wives shoots, although they haven't been out there in a while because of the writer's strike.

The power building

A cargo ship going to the port up the river. There's a port for container ships as well as one for ships carrying gas, coal and other materials. This was taken from the pier.

Some ships being worked on. I think they are in the dry docks.

Downriver

A cargo ship leaving the port and heading back toward the harbor.

Part of the Memorial. There's water right in front of Wes. The cones are there because there's no rail. Apparently they are still working on it.

A partial map of the base.

It's 79 Degrees!!!

It's February and it's 79 Degrees outside!!! Today, Wes and I are probably going to have a picnic! I wish the pool was open, that would be great as well.

I went to the gym yesterday for the first time since before Thanksgiving. They have remodeled the place. They had started it the last time I was there. I did 35 minutes of cardio and a few weights. I didn't run because my foot is still pretty stiff. I'm going to walk for about a week or so and then try running. I'm glad I went. I needed it badly because the noon yesterday was terrible. We had terrible issues with the commercial server. We basically had 2 long segments and three REALLY long breaks. It was exciting at the time, but stressful. Also, I am stressing because it seems that I may soon have to do THREE hours in the morning! They can't bring someone up from the nightside because of the other hole. I need prayer and a nap.

On a more positive note: :)
June is going to be a great month!!! I can feel it!
--Mom & DAD are planning on coming here the first week. This will be the first time Dad has been here. I'm taking off that Friday and Wes is taking off that Saturday. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

--Wes & I are making plans for our vacation to GERMANY. We are leaving around the 18th of June and coming back on the 27th. This means that I will spend my 28th Birthday in Germany! YEA! We are planning on going to Munich and "exploring" most of Bavaria. There's this cool "spa" in a town called "Baden Baden" that we saw on a Rick Steves show. Adam & Becca, Wes' brother and sister-in-law are going with us. They live in Spokane, Washington and will be flying separately.

I have to go now... I have to start getting ready for the noon... Sometimes I hate my job!

Who won??

I don't care! I didn't watch the game yesterday. I chose not to watch it because, #1-I don't like football. I like Hockey; and #2-I choose to NOT conform to society! I was NOT one of the millions who glued themselves to the TV. I do not do things because "everyone else" does it.
I watch Lost because I like the show and its creator, NOT because it's one of the most popular shows. I dress comfortably. I don't wear the latest styles because Gap and Old Navy tell me too. I went to see Cloverfield, once again because I like JJ Abrams. This was the first movie I have seen in a year and a half! Why? Because nothing looked interesting to me. I didn't go see Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter or any of the comic book movies. I haven't seen Finding Nemo or any of those other animated movies. I think the movie industry is slacking in coming up with new ideas and now have to remake the classics and make ridiculous sequels in order to make money. I like the classics.
I don't necessarily support the "underdog," I just choose a "side" on the basis of what appeals to me and not what society says is the best choice.

I like to be different.

tidbits and OC Spray!!!

(I don't know why several posts start with "tidbits"...)
Had my last post-op on Wednesday. Doc says everything is fine. My toe is still a little numb. He told me to message it and bend it as far as I can every day. It's still a little swollen. I can officially drive now, even though I drove myself to work all this week. I go back in mid-March.

I learned this week that I am going to have to do the Noon show until sweeps is over (the whole month of Feb.) That's stinks!! The usual noon director is moving to the evening shift because we are down two directors and this eliminates 6 night shift people from getting overtime. It will make the day go by faster I guess.

Thursday, Wes and I walked around downtown for a while. We found this little map store. We were lucky to find a framed National Geographic map of the world and they gave it to us for $100!! This prompted us to finally hang all our frames on the wall. There's only a few with watercolors that we bought in Italy, but having them on the walls will push us into finally getting our pictures blown up!

On Friday, Pete got sprayed in the face with military issue OC spray as part of his training at the Brig. He said it was the worst thing he ever had to do!! After they sprayed him, he had to run through a short "maze of opponents" and hit punching bags before he could clean off his face. In some of the pictures, he looks like he's crying!! It's funny, but listening to him describe it, it makes me want to cry. Here's a few pics that he sent me. I think they videotaped it as well...

This one's the worst!! Look how red his face is!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!!!!!!

(His birthday was yesterday!!) Love You!!!