Random thoughts from my tired mind.

I finished Alias yesterday. It was kind of sad. Now I have nothing to watch while I'm home by myself... Maybe I'll start Lost when Mom gets done with it... I also watch Fried Green Tomatoes yesterday. GREAT MOVIE! I can almost quote it completely. My favorite scene is the food fight scene. My DVD is the extended version and includes the deleted scenes. It also has a documentary on making the movie. It was filmed in Juliet, GA, a no red light "town" with about 25 people. I plan on getting the book soon. There's also a cookbook.

Wes starts his new job this week. Did I mention that before? I can't remember. He got a job at the airport here in town. (Yeah, the one with only two flights to Atlanta each day - closed on holidays...) He's going to be working at the place where planes get serviced and gased up, called the FBO, I think. All the planes that come in use this service. All the privately owned planes (the doctors), the ASA planes (Delta), and the Air Force pilot training planes from Columbus, to name a few. That's about all I know. Wes is looking forward to it. He starts on Thursday. He quit the TV station yesterday. Yesterday, we gave Phoebe a bath and then planted an Apple tree in the yard. I also planted some seeds and flower bulbs in the planter along the carport. (I don't know what you call it.) Today he took apart the bathroom, recaulked the tub and is attempting to replace the faucets. This house is old and it's giving him fits. We've been to Lowe's twice in as many days, and we have to go back tomorrow...

I've been thinking lately about a new career... I've been in TV for over 8 years. I'm kind of sick of it. (As if that isn't obvious) I don't know if it's related to the recent poorly chosen career move that I made. Possibly. But in general, I'm ready for a change. I told myself for years that I wanted to go back to school. I've considered finishing my bachelor's in Broadcasting, but I have NO desire to do that anymore. I want a regular job, but not a desk job. I have been toying with a few options. Here they are:

x-Ray Technician
Court Reporter
Landscaper

Totally different, I know. Based on the current economy, the medical field is pretty much the only stable field out there. I have no desire to become a nurse (never have). I don't want to deal with respiratory therapy (I've seen enough with Papaw). Physical therapy is more schooling than I'm willing to commit to. I've figured out that x-ray is the farthest thing from the blood and gore I can get. I really liked Biology class (although I liked the plant section more than anatomy, but learning how the body works was cool). The program at MCC would be tough because I'd have to be a fulltime student and do clinicals all summer. I wouldn't be able to work full-time if at all, so I'll have to wait till Wes gets out. The only pre-requisite/core classes I don't have yet are A&P 1&2. I can go ahead and take them in the fall & spring of next year and be ready to start the program in August '10, providing Wes will be done or almost done and I can maintain a job for at least that first semester.... (It's too late to get in for this fall.) There are so many ifs..... Mom's going to see if I can shadow someone at the hospital soon. Maybe that will help me decide. A&P would be interesting and even if I don't do radiology, they may come in handy for something else.

I've always enjoyed typing and writing. Court reporters make great money and there's specific school programs for this, some even online. Problem is, this is a small town and the demand around here is non-existent. I'd still think it be fun though. That'd be a job with normal hours, for sure. Con: Desk job.

Landscaper. I like to cut things down in the yard. It's fun. I love my new pair of clippers! (Just ask the Azalea bushes in the back yard, or what's left of them). I like plants and being outside in the yard. (Not big on cutting grass although weedeating is fun. Don't like the idea of being sweaty hot all the time, but maybe I can get over that) I have a friend in the business here. I may call him up one day and talk to him about it. He owns his own business and has done quite well, I'm told.

The church is starting a CO-ED SOFTBALL TEAM!!! ! YEAH!!!! I signed up on Sunday.

Gotta go. Going running in the AM. It's been raining for 4 days!

Hewitt Clarke's New Book, "Mississippi Blood"

I've been reading Hewitt Clarke's newest book Mississippi Blood. I have read all of his other books as well. He was on the 5pm show last week and when I introduced myself and told him I've read all his books, he told me that the ones on murder and mystery are better sellers than the others. He gave me the impression that this new book was going to be better than the others. Well, I have to be honest. It's pretty hard to follow. I have read about 80 pages and I have to say that I'm a little lost. The story trails off in different directions and there are many, many grammatical errors and misspellings. I was describing it to Wes and I said I felt like I was reading a Junior Higher's term paper. Seriously. Clarke's other books were really good. A bit elementary in his descriptive elements, but the story is interesting. The story in the new book could be interesting, but I just can't follow it. I'm really trying. I still think anyone interested in local history should read it, but take your time.


I added a list of Quarters that I need to complete my sets. Yes, I'm one of those who has been collecting them for the past ten years. This year it will be over. I wonder what they'll look like next year...... Anyway, I've got two sets going. I don't use cash very much so it takes me a while to get them.

Blah...

Not much going on this week. We took Papaw to church yesterday. He's doing great. I like standing by him while the congregation sings. Hearing him sing is comforting. I don't know why, but it is. It brings a tear to my eye sometimes.
This week I am filling a Operation Christmas Child box. The boxes are filled with toys and books for kids in poor countries who don't have Christmas. We're turning them in next Sunday at church.
I've been running nearly everyday as well. I did 5 miles today. I only did 3 yesterday because I didn't go until later in the day and I was running out of daylight. There's a 5K this weekend. My goal is to run it without stopping. I'd like to do it in under 33 minutes, but I won't be dissappointed if I take longer.
I finished Edgar Sawtelle. I highly recommend it to everyone. I'm currently reading The Shack. My dad gave it to me. It's really good so far, but very deep. I have to reread paragraphs often to understand what's happening. It's about a man who spends the weekend with "God" after struggling for several years with his daughter's death. Very good.....

I am so upset at myself...

This afternoon, I completely ruined a great book. First of all, let me clarify something. YES, it is an "Oprah book club" selection. YES, I did see it briefly on Oprah, only because it comes on before my show. I saw a review on another news network and decided to get it BEFORE I found out it was on Oprah. Several people have asked me if I saw it on Oprah. I did, but that's not why I got it. ANYWAY, this book I'm reading is excellent. I can't put it down. It's almost 600 pages and I've read about 500 in less than two weeks. It's so descriptive. There's a reason for this, but I won't tell you why. I'm at a critical point in the story and I just couldn't put it down today.
Every chance I had today at work to read a few paragraphs, I took it. I decided that I couldn't do this anymore, because it was getting close to show time and I needed to you know, work and all... So I finished the chapter, which was just one more page. I flipped through the rest of my unread pages see how much I had left, but not really looking. I stopped flipping for like a half a second and there it was! The first three words of a chapter gave a major conclusion away!!! I was so upset! I started crying. I had to go to the bathroom and let the tears out. I was a little embarrassed about what I was crying about. I couldn't believe that happened. I was upset both at what happens in the book but also at myself for seeing it too early.
So now I have to continue reading as if I don't know what's happening. I'm still going to finish it, but I feel like I have cheated myself.

So anyway, read the book. Ir's really good.... Just don't flip through the pages ahead.

stuff.

I haven't been around much lately... Sorry. I've been really into reading these last few weeks. I finished Randy Pausch's book. Very good and inspiring. I have started a book called The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski. The gist of it, it's about a boy and his dog. Or dogs I should say. It's a slow read, but pretty good. It's very illustrative and wordy, but I like it because it gives you a complete picture in your mind.
Plus I've been watching all the new seasons of my shows... Eli Stone, CSI, Heroes, Fringe, Ghost Whisperer. I've also been running a lot. I started running the roads. Down 40th St to 23rd and down to the cemetery and back. Once I get pretty comfortable with that, I'm going to go further, to Country Club Road to 10th Avenue and back. It's a little longer and through neighborhoods I haven't driven thru in a while. I'm going tomorrow and Thursday. It's supposed to rain on Friday, so I'll end up in the gym then I'm sure.
I signed up for a couple of local runs. There's one on Nov. 15 and Dec. 6.

Work has been well, work. There'll be a few changes coming soon. The part-time workers are being "transfered" to the news department. Well, sort of. I will be making the schedules, but they will be working for both the newscasts and the news department, which will keep them busier. Hopefully, these changes will make some things better. We'll see.

Banana mashing is fun!!!

I just finished baking my first loaves of bread. I made three small loaves of Banana bread from scratch. One is Apple butter banana bread and the others are plain banana bread with walnuts. It smells delicious in here!! I've always wanted a bread maker. I still don't have one, but I think I can manage. I used loaf pans. I made them for our Sunday School class. I wanted to do something besides donuts or breakfast casserole. I saw these recipes in the Betty Crocker and realized that I had found a project! It's 1:30 am right now and I have to be at the Alzheimer's walk at 7:30 or so. I also have a cook out at Wes' parents at noon and then we have to go to my High School reunion at 6pm. I'll be tired tomorrow, but I'll manage. I'm currently waiting for the bread to cool so I can wrap it up and go to bed.

Yesterday, I finished reading Flags of our Fathers. It's a great book. I've seen the movie, but books are almost always better. This one hits closer to home because my (great) Uncle was a flamethrower and was there when the flag went up on Iwo Jima. He wrote a few short memoirs of his experiences that day and the days following. His stories are nearly identical to the book, but you can tell in his writings that he was haunted by what he saw. His English is bad which makes it a bit difficult to read, but I find it fascinating. I am proud to say that I have relatives who served our country on such historic days. I am also proud to say that my 6th Great Grandfather on my Dad's side was a man named Ferdinand Kowall. He was Copernicus' Assistant. He helped Copernicus prove that the world was round and traveled with him during his academic quests.

This morning, I started reading Randy Pausch's book, Last Lecture. I have not been able to put it down. I have read over a hundred pages already. It's a small book, but full of wonderful life lessons from a man who knew his fate. I'm pretty sure I'll finish it before the weekend is up.

I think my bread is cool enough now. I'm going to bed. I have to be up in 4 hours... If you see me yawning tomorrow, pinch me and tell me it's my own fault for staying up so late. I could have just bought donuts.....

I'm a nerd.

While flipping channels earlier today, I came across an old movie with Halle Berry. I couldn't remember the name of it. I was about to change the channel, but something caught my eye.. OCEANIC AIRLINES was on the side of the plane in the movie. It was about an airplane in trouble and Kurt Russel was trying to land it with Halle's help. (The movie is called Executive Decision.) Now I am determined to find if there any other movies/TV shows that used Oceanic. That's my chore for tomorrow...

Anyway, this week was pretty normal. Wes was off on Thursday & Friday. On Thursday we went downtown and ate at a restaurant we haven't been to yet. (Great appetizer, but mediocre food. Gilligan's is still better.) It was supposed to be bad weather on Thursday, but turned out fine. We went window shopping. Went to the gym yesterday. I also finished reading Hewitt Clarke's books this week. We had softball practice today. I did better. I feel better about my "skills," although I still think I am one of the weakest players. This was Pete's first practice. We have some really good players this year though. I think we'll be a good team this season.

Now, go do something NOT boring......

:)

A day in the live of Evelyn

Another typical Monday morning. Didn't go to sleep until around 9:15 last night. (Pete & Kelly were over and the four of us played a few games.) This isn't unusual though. It's hard to go to sleep early after sleeping late on Saturday morning. I only have one producer today. This makes my job easier, but their's harder. One person has to do both hours. Most times, they repeat everything in the second hour. They usually have the majority of the show done by the time I get here, which means I don't have to sit around and anxiously wait for them to finish their show. It makes things easier. It usually takes me from 3:30 to about 4:40 to set up the rundown and build graphics for the show. It's 4:02am. I've been done for a few minutes. Now I'm waiting for Brandon (my producer) to print.

I'm still tired of working the AM shift. I'm still tired of my job. Someone mentioned the other day that it could be the "Seven Year Itch." They said that they had the same problem and wanted to quit. Someone else said that they did quit but came back about 6 months later. Maybe that's it. I don't think my feelings for the AM shift will change, that is unless Wes starts working the same shift which won't happen. Hopefully, I'll feel differently about my job one day. I don't have anything else I can do, so I don't have much of a choice right now. (Brandon just printed the first 1/2 hour(5am) yeah progress! It's 4:08) Tomorrow will be my 7th Anniversary in TV. I started working at WTOK on January 29th, 2001. I've been directing for 6 1/2 years. (August 4th, '01 was my first show.)

Now, I'm marking my 5am scripts. This usually takes me 3-5 minutes. It's 4:15am. Brandon just printed the 530am show.... Done.... It's 4:18am. The show is so formatted that most segments are identical from day to day. For example, we always have a short weather hit at the beginning of every segment. The pre-recorded Sports segment is always at the end of the 5am 1/2 hour. Lunch menus are always at the end of the first segment of the 530. There's the CBS Money watch package (featuring Alexis Christoforous with her recent facelift) that runs in the 530 after the main weather. The main weather hit is always in the second segment of each half hour. This is when I am usually marking scripts and catching up (or taking a catnap). Kristy, the 6am producer who is off today, usually doesn't print her first half hour (6am) until about 5:15 or 5:30, after the show starts. So I am catching up during breaks and weather. (I'm pretty good at doing 8 things at once now!!) Doing the morning show really helps you manage your time. (I even have time to blog!)

It's 4:21am.... Marking 5:30... I have to wait for the camera guys to bring me scripts after they are printed. They are called PA's (Production Assistants). Done.. It's 4:24.
There's also weekly franchise segments that run in my show. For example, on Mondays we do a segment called Unclaimed Cash that has ten local people that are owed money from the State Treasurer's Office. It's kind of stupid if you ask me. There's also a Most Wanted Sex Offender segment that runs on Thursdays in the 6am. I have to shoot this on Wednesdays after the morning show. There's also a Most Wanted Deadbeats (for fathers who don't pay child support) and a regular Most Wanted. They both run in the afternoon shows. There's Schemes & Ripoffs, Burglaries & Breakins (which is even more useless than Unclaimed cash!), Hall of fame (an oldie in which the public can nominate someone who does outstanding volunteer work, or someone who is retiring. These usually turn into the weekly retirement party story), School Patrol (which is dumb too), Speed Patrol where the reporter goes out with a cop to a place with a lot of speeders, and my all time favorite, "What's going Around." This one tells which school is reporting what illnesses. Yeah. (Sarcastic!) There's another one called Golden Apple where the "station" gives an "award" to an outstanding teacher. It doesn't really mean anything. (I hate franchises!)

(It's 4:37am-the show starts in 20 minutes) I'm still waiting for him to print 6am. When Brandon does the show by himself, he usually prints everything before the show starts. He can wait and print from the control room if he isn't finished, but he's pretty good about getting everything done. (mainly because it's the old "rinse & repeat," our term for copy/paste)
There's no live shot today. I guess there's nothing going on. That's good because my audio guy (Johnny) hates live shots. I like them. That means there's less graphics for me to build. Right now, we are training a new person to do Deko (the Character Generator--layman's terms: where the names, locators (called lower 1/3rds) and full screens come from). She's pretty good now. The other guy (Jason) is sitting around and actually "enjoying" his job now. I'm not sure what her regular schedule will be once she is trained. (It's 4:42am) - I'm going to set up the switcher now. That takes about a minute. Still no 6am scripts. The switcher is the "big board o' buttons" that I use to put the show on the air. I'm just a "button-pusher" (I thought about putting that on my license plate: BTNPSHR) Setting it up really doesn't require much. I have several plasma monitors in the studio that I can route video or graphics to. I route those and then prepare for the first segment. That's about it.

It's 4:46am.. The 7am FOX show director (Jon) just walked in. He has two hours to prepare for his 1 hour long show. I have 1 1/2 hours to prepare for a two hour show. Does that make since?? I'm scheduled to work 4am-1pm. I have to come in at 3:30 because sometimes there are days were I am slammed with a bunch of graphics and maps to build and I barely have time to breathe (and pee). I usually leave at 12:30, immediately after the noon show (I do audio for the noon show). Jon is scheduled for 5am-2pm. Jon is leaving in a few weeks. He & his wife had a baby last month and they are going back to Ohio, where their family is. His replacement was hired and started last Monday, but is already been fired. He was "walked out" on his third day. All we were told was it was a "conflict of interest" situation.

Every morning while I'm sitting here working, I listen to my iPod. It gets boring and I get tired of listening to "Up to the Minute"(CBS's overnight news show) repeat every half hour. We use several stories from them in our show, so it's one less time I have to listen to it.

It's 4:49--Brandon just printed 6am! I'm going to wait to mark them because so I'll have something to do during weather (otherwise, I will get sleepy!) He should print the 630 in a few minutes.
Since there's not much going on today, I'll continue this little "charade" until I get bored with it... I'm sure whoever is reading this is bored already! I am about to stop until after the show is over. There's not much to do until the show starts, but producers usually gets fidgety if I'm not "ready" when they get in here.
------------------------
SHOWS OVER!!! YEAH! (It's 7:01) Now I can sit around and do pretty much nothing! Here's a recap of the past two hours... Brandon printed the 630 show at around 505. I marked the 6am during the first big weather at 513 or so. Then I marked the 630 around 540 in the second big weather hit. After the show we have four 3 1/3 minute cut-ins: at 7:25, 7:55, 8:25 and 8:55. Since the 7am FOX show is on right now, Jon does the 7:25. Ryan, the Fox producer has to time his show so that he goes to break at 7:24 so we can do the CBS cut-in at 7:25. We produce the FOX show for WTAT (the local fox affiliate) and then they air it on their channel. Their station is about 8 miles from here. They have a microwave receiver that they use to receive our signal and take it to their air. The 7:55 cut-in for CBS is only weather and is run out of Master Control. (Not the control room). All I have to do is set up the cut-in rundowns for Jon and that's it. It takes 5 minutes. Today since I only have one producer, I have to wait for Brandon to set them up. Usually the 5am producer will do them and they will be done by the time the 6am show is over.

So now I just edited this (because I'm anal and obsessive) and I'm pretty much done until the Noon show. I usually eat "lunch" at 9am. Most times I'm not real hungry and I'll get a granola bar or something small. I read during my "lunch break" as well (I'm currently reading "Thunder at Meridian," by Hewitt Clarke) Most Mondays, I will take a nap in my car instead of eating because not sleeping much the night before. It depends on how I feel. I might take one today. My day can be boring if I'm really tired and there's nothing to do. But usually I can find something to do. I do audio for the Noon show and then leave after the show it over. That's about it.... You can wake up now.

Learn Something New Everyday.....

You know how everyone has their favorite movie or TV show, one that you can watch over and over and never get tired of it. (For my mom, it's Star Trek) Since my surgery, I've been watching Alias over again (for the umpteenth time). Everytime I watch it, I learn something new. I'm nearly done with Season 2 and so far, I've found dozens more references to the number 47. I also realize there are several actors in Alias who appear in JJ Abram's other productions, other than the obvious ones (The pilot from Lost, etc). I'm sure no one cares, but it's interesting to me. I would love to one day work on a show like that (Lost, Alias, etc).

On a different subject, I have this book I've been reading off and on when I'm at the gym. It's called "This I Believe." It's a compilation of essays written in response to a NPR radio program of the same name. NPR asked people to write an essay about what they believe in, their life's "credo," only positive responses. This was done in 1951. They revisited the series and broadcast another program around 2000. People like Colin Powell, Carl Sandberg, Helen Keller, Jackie Robinson and other famous writers, civil rights activists, and political leaders responded, as well as ordinary citizens. The book is a compilation of new essays and some from the original program. Some of these essays are amazing. Some of them I don't understand. But one in particular stood out to me. It's written by Robert A. Heinlein, a writer and Navy war veteran. In his essay, he talks about his belief in the everyday, ordinary person. He says that "for every criminal, there are ten thousand honest, decent, kindly men. If it were not so, no child would live to grow up. Business could not go from day to day. Decency is not news. It is buried in the obituaries, but is a force stronger than crime."
I know I'm not that important in the world of television, but sitting behind the switcher everyday and listening to story after story of death, tragedy, and unspeakable crime, you have to compartmentalize your thoughts to get the job done. When all you hear is negative, reading things like this after a hard day of work is very emotional. I first read this essay back in June. It was the week of the sofa super store fire where 9 local firemen died. Everyone at work was emotionally exhausted and were all on edge. The stress of that week was unbelievable. Wes was working around the clock. No one could sleep. I can't even imagine what the local media in NY went through during and after 9-11. Even though most of us didn't know the 9 guys, we knew someone who did or we related to it in some other way or because the store was less than a mile away from our station. The fact that it could have happened anywhere and to anyone affected us, I think. I read this essay that week and I cried. I was on the treadmill, running and crying.
The fire was the day after Father's day. My birthday was the following Sunday. I was looking forward to NOT working that weekend. On Friday when I was driving home (late because the public memorial service was carried live) I was physically and emotionally exhausted. I texted Wes to tell him I was going home (He was working) and then called Mom. She knew about all that was going on and I told her I was really tired and was looking foward to not working. She nearly cried when she told me that she was only three hours away. I almost had a wreck!! It couldn't have come at a more perfect time. It was comforting that she was here. It was possibly the hottest weekend of the summer, but we had a great time and the stress just went away completely. It was the best birthday present ever.

The reason I'm writing this is because I am almost finished with the book and I think it is something that everyone should read. The website has a more in depth history of the NPR program as well as other essays. I was moved by this book and the essays in it, and I know that other people will be as well.

Okay, enough sob story, I'm going to the gym........ :)