Blah...

I need some excitement... I don't think I'll go as far as fly somewhere...but I'd get a kick out of it if I did. This is all probably due to the fact that I was FRAZZLED by Friday of last week and, for the first time in a while, was LOOKING FORWARD to Friday ending. I feel better now...and am ready to get back to it.

I had some "suits" to deal with last week. My first time dealing with people from Richmond on my own turf, but I think it went pretty dog-gone well. They got to see me do a lot of different things, and helping out other websites that I don't normally do (in this case...it was breaking news). I'm glad they're gone...I couldn't deal with more "ideas" on how to make that site better. I have plenty of ideas...getting them implemented is a whole different story. There will probably be a few considerable changes to the site this week... I've gotten a few things done and still waiting on approval for a few others.

I'm finding myself getting more competitive about this job...and the fact that I'm trying to stay ahead of sister-stations! I've noticed ever since I began posting a video forecast on my site, other stations have followed suit (yeah, thanks...no I don't mind...it was my idea and all...I know you're copying...I was scanning every website for a few weeks before getting THAT little video forecast going). It doesn't matter...the sales management can't get enough of me right now...which means I can get them to sell the site more...thus getting me a raise soon. If I said I was leaving, I think a few of them might cry! I'm pleased that I've made a few friends along the way now...

I started eating at a favorite old restaurant a few weeks ago. I was dismayed when things went bad there...but they're very much on the up and up... My friends and I are rather pleased by this...because it was always our favorite place to eat and get hammered. I haven't gotten "hammered" in a while...maybe that's what I need?? ;)

I'm going to decorate the outside of the house at the end of next week (after Thanksgiving). I haven't done it in a while...look out, I'll have to post some pics of "Nix Airport!" Lets see how many fuses I can blow this year (my record is about 12...but who's counting??). ;)

I can't get those damned orange/chocolate chip cookies from Ireland out of my mind!! I think I need to go pick-up a few bags!

You're kidding me, right?

I have got to get on my soap box now...this is just unreal to me...

I'm sitting at work today and decide to check on what the competiting stations' websites are looking like in my market. I go to check out what my old station is up to and see new weather graphics...

"Not bad," I say to myself. Though later I notice they've changed the station logo... Ok, this logo sucks...but whatever. My old boss at that station had made a rather nice logo a few years ago to use when the current owners bought...but they didn't want to use it. My suggestion is this would have been the time to use his stuff!

Anyway, I call my Dad and tell him to watch at 6 to see what they've done. He decides to record the whole thing for me (how entertaining this was).

I get home and he and my Mother tell me "You've got to see this!" He rewinds and low and behold...new animation, music and lower thirds...right out of the early 80's!!!

They are TERRIBLE!!!!! The music SUCKS!!!! Whose decision was this?!?!?! The station's up the road will most definitley be laughing more at them when they see this... You can only use the color YELLOW so much in broadcasting, but not ALL THE FREAKIN' TIME!!

I heard better news music in the 90's! I know I left that station with more than one news-music package that sounded much better then that garbage! The opens for weather and sports are EXCEPTIONALLY bad...the happy "out in a forest at sunrise in front of a lake" music doesn't do well with sports, nor does it do well with weather!

I think I could have plucked out a few nice chords on a casio keyboard and came up with better music! My earlier work with photoshop looked much nicer then this crap!

Why am I concerned?? Even though I was surrounded by idiots in certain departments I did try to leave a nice legacy...small things that would try and make them look a little more professional. Some things didn't do so well, but others did... I demanded a standard look to everything...even a standard sound in regards to music!!! Everything matched as well as it could (considering the circumstances). I really hope the new man in charge and my old boss weren't that crazy about these graphics and music. I'd expeced more from these folks... If this is what they're going to try and sell, you won't see me back at home any time soon!!!!!

Ok, off the soap box, I have big things planned for my current station's web site...stuff that will most likely give me almost complete job security... I can see the hits going up even more between now and January...stay tuned, more at 6! ;)