Evacuated!

Never did I think I'd have to evacuate from the building I work in (after dealing with hurricanes). However, today, a huge brush fire made an evacuation reality! I caught word about it around 10:30, so I grab a camera and run out back to get some pics. No sooner had I walked in the door to download my pictures to my computer the fire alarm goes off...so I grab my stuff and go outside with everyone else...

At this point, the smoke is right behind the building...almost looking like the building itself is on fire!

Anyway, long story short...the fire was finally put out and we got to go back inside... We will hopefully know for sure tomorrow what happened...it occurred in a wooded area, and either someone started it or it was a freak occurrance!

Nice, quiet weekend...

...after a long-ass week! I was so happy to see my bed when I got home late Thursday night. It wasn't all bad, though...I met a few cool folks down the GA... I didn't feel all that well while I was there...my bad allergies had me down. In one of the many instance while I was training people, I'd practically lost my voice! At least the job got done, and I figured out what all I need to be working on and keeping an eye on.

It was fun hanging out with Brock on Thursday... I figured I'd stop by and say hello on my way home...ended up being about a three-hour stay in Auburn. It's always nice to see friends when I'm traveling...since it almost never happens.

Well, this week will prove rather busy again. Got a fancy, really nice new system involving how I get video on the web I need to perfect, organize and train others for. If I get this working, technically, I would never have to go in to work again! Woo hoo! That and some other crap I need to catch-up on and either complete or yell at someone about!

Road Trip

I'm headed to Columbus GA tomorrow morning...early...at like 4:30! I'll be down there till Wednesday (I hope at least). Hopefully all I have planned will get accomplished before I leave...

Now...of to bed...Peace!! ;)

I can't think of a good title...

I was trying to think of something funny and off-the-wall for my title, but alas...this dreary weather has brought me down...brought me down, baby!!! Ok...I'll stop singing. ;)

Congrats to my buddy Brock and his wife on the birth of their daughter... I just spoke with him and he's the epitimy of a proud pop!

I've been dealing with some serious "burn-out" this week. I really need a vacation... I really should start looking for a job outside of news...seriously... I'd like a nice editing job...but who knows... I should really try harder looking...

I'm tired

I'm very tired... Kind of wish I could work from home tomorrow, but I can't.

I'm pretty exhausted to say the least right now...today was a busy day. I might disappear next weekend...not too sure about it yet, though.

Anyway, off to bed.

A little surprise...

So I'm having a chat with the operations manager at my station, who I speak with every once in a while...and mention my PRODUCTION background to from time to time, asks me today if I might be interested in learning how to direct.

My reaction?? "WHAT?!?! MAY I, SIR?!?!" HA!

Apparently they're going to need a fill-in director from time to time as the new automation system is installed...and when vacations come around, they'll need someone to fill in. It will probably be on my own time, but to get to direct a newscast again, for a REAL tv station??? FREAKIN' AWESOME!!

Maybe the long road back to production just got a little shorter... There are plans to add newscasts up there... Hmm......... Maybe my ORIGINAL plan for going there is finally coming together (nearly two years late).

;) I have new-found happiness with my current employer...for the moment at least... I'm still on my track to take over all of TV in the southeast!! Now if I could just win the lottery...

Finally, some snow!

We had snow last night! ;) Around 6:30 last night, I thought I heard rain...so after seeing a snow flurry earlier, I ran to the door like a little kid and guess what?!?! It was SNOWING! HEAVILY! It was raining a bit, too...but nontheless, it was SNOWING! Too bad it wasn't sticking, but it was nice to look at. My 13 year old niece was at the house, so I made her come out in it too! She tried to make a snowball from the snow that was on the back of my car...just not enough though. I shot a little video with my crappy digital camera, but you can't see it really well...since it was quite dark by this point.

I found more property for sale...in an area I've been looking in. I might have to track this one down...and see what I can do about getting a house built... I'm prefering the house over an apartment by far...and I don't think I'll be moving off too far from this area any time soon, so it would be a good investment (pending I can afford it). So I'll be looking into that in the next few weeks...

Work will probably prove to be tiresome this week...too much crap to deal with...

I have internet again

Well, after a three-day hiatus (nearly) I have my internet connection fixed.

So for now, the short answer for why I'm not going on my trip to GA at the moment is because a week from Monday, that website will be added to my current work load. The person I was going down to train has resigned, and there's no sign someone else will be hired to replace her. Just what I needed at this point...more freakin' work! As if I had any time for myself...I'm really not going to have any! Grr!

No snow

Well crap! I go into work at 3:15 this morning for nothing! Not even a flurry...from what I saw at least. It did, however, rain like crazy atop Red Mountain...so I suppose it could have been really bad today had the temperature cooperated. I got to booth the weather updates at one point, so that was fun. I kept threatening to make the weather guy laugh by talking to him during the cut in's...but I held back! ;) I needed to make the morning a little more exciting.

So I came home after a 10-hour shift and went to bed... So I'm up now, still sleepy and about to go back to bed.

Nothing else really going on...this morning went awfully fast...fastest Monday I've been through in a while...

Snow day!

Is it really?? Could it be??

As if it really matters...I'll be missing most of the "snow" anyway. I get to be at WORK at 3AM!!! Grrr! Can we say, "Michael will be REALLY chipper tomorrow?!!?" (please note the large amount of sarcasm in that quotation! ;)

Better than what I thought I was going to have to do. I was afriad I'd be spending the night in my office on an air bed.

I believe as most of the staff attempt to come into work, I'll be hiding outside with some snowballs (or ice balls...whatever is there)! ;)

The trip I had planned to Georgia has been indefinitley delayed...

Well, it's 7pm... Off to bed! Gah!

Holding pattern

I was headed to Georgia to help out a colleague at a sister station, but that seems to be on hold at the moment. Seems there's a new threat for snow?? Yep, you heard it! Snow! Sunday night into Monday morning is the fear right now, but for those of you who know Alabama weather...you know to take that with a grain of salt.

So it looks like I'll be doing some of my training over the phone...which is fine...but I was looking forward to scaring some people! ;) I'll probably go at the end of the month...we are just starting sweeps (ratings period)...

I've felt really crappy all week...like I'm coming down with something. I think I just need more sleep...I haven't gone to be at my normal time lately...

It puts the lotion in the basket...

Interesting...I particularly like the part about "my wrath!" ;) Gee, who would have thought?? Muahahaha! Oh, yeah...in case you're wondering about the title...I watched "Silence of the Lambs" on Bravo this weekend.

You Are Wind

Strong and overpowering. A force to be reckoned with, no one dares cross you. You have the power to change everything around you. You are best known for: Your Wrath Your dominant state: commanding

What Type of Weather Are You?

My desk is still clean! ;)

Shocking! I haven't destroyed it yet! And my cat is happy she can walk freely across it so she can climb on top of my monitor to sleep... ;)

I had a slow day today...not a whole lot to do at work, so I spent part of the day investigating prices on website building software (dreamweaver is freakin' expensive!!) and found something comparable that wasn't too expensive. Also found some basic video editing software called Adobe Premiere Elements...which I definitley need, even if I hate Premiere (that's what I use at work...but it is an older, crappy version). I'm thinking of buying a DVD burner soon...so all that's left that I need is a camera! The question is what am I going to do with it all?? Another ghost documentary?? A different sort of genre of TV production?? I need to find something to occupy my time so I don't get rusty on what I spent all my time in college doing.

Later this week should prove interesting. I'll be going to the Survivor casting call to take pictures for the web... I have a feeling the nutjobs are going to show up for this one. I hope they do, I need some compelling video and pictures! ;) I love doing something fun at work...it tickles me...plus I hate not enjoying work...I really want to make it fun.

I finally cleaned my desk!

It should be considered an olympic sport. If any of you ever saw just how bad my desk can get at home, you'd be amazed...and probably impressed. All that matters is that it's clean now and I can find crap again.

I saw both Lori and Jill Thursday...Jill was in town to visit and to ride back with Lori on the plane...also saw a few other former co-workers... It was a tame setting, more or less, seeing as how we were left waiting over an hour for a table...then found out we'd been skipped! Not cool...though the manager gave us a discount.

Friday was quiet...nothing big went on. I ended up coming home and finding out Jonathan wasn't going to be on his way from Laurel until 7:00...meaning Nixie didn't go out until Saturday night. No matter...my 11 year old niece decided to come up for a visit...so I ended up playing video games with her and complaining about being forced to watch "made for teens" television. Gag! I'm keeping the remote away from her next time! ;)

Had Ruby Tuesday on Saturday night...after Applebee's tried to kill Jonathan last week. We've decided not to go back there ever...they've made one of the four of us mad at one point or another, so screw them! I need to find a new restaurant...

Interesting

I've never had one... Is this an omen?? ;)

You Are a Mai Tai

You aren't a big drinker, but you'll drink if the atmosphere is festive. And when you're drunk, watch out! You're easily carried away.

What Mixed Drink Are You?

No more driving in heavy rain...

It was a rainy day today...this morning it was raining rather heavily. I venture out the door on my way to work around 7:45. I decide instead of driving my normal route down 216, I decided to drive down below the house and jump on the interstate. I drive about 55-60 mph from there almost all the way to work due to the heavy rain...

However, about 15 miles into my trip, I get a big, fat, freakin' scare of a lifetime!!!

I'm driving down the interstate and am already paranoid about water building up on the road...and have to hang on tight to the steering wheel a few times... I get to the Tuscaloosa/Jefferson County line when my day nearly becomes REALLY bad... I hit a big, REALLY BIG patch of water. I find out real quick I'm not going to stop my car. It was all I could do to keep the car in my lane. Well, this story could be almost identical to any story about someone hydroplaning on a road.

Of couse, this must go one step further.

On this particular section of interstate, there is a large barrier in between the east bound and west bound lanes... As I'm sliding across the water...I see HEADLIGHTS...AIMED AT ME! Apparently a car hit the same patch of water going much faster then I was...and had spun around...and ended up on the far left side of the road...aimed the WRONG WAY... Due to hydroplaning, I was headed for the far left side...thinking I was about to hit the barrier...but then notice the headlights and the car!!!! The last thing I remember thinking as I was doing my best to control my car, which was out of control at this point, was, "Oh God, this is it"...and I started to prepare for the huge impact that was coming!

Somehow...my tires gripped the road as I was about 15 yards from the car...and I was able to get back on my side of the road... I came within 3 feet of actually clipping the car! I can't imagine what was going through the mind of the person in the other car!!!

My......God..... I thought I was going to have to stop the car and throw-up. I came so close to being hurt really bad...if not killed! My back was hurting so bad afterwards...since my body was preparing for impact. I hope the unfortunate person who spun around and was probably waiting to get back in the road when I came by made it out of there ok...

Thank God I'm a somewhat steady driver... Not many people would have been able to manuver through that!

The rest of the day was rather exhausting...I'm planning on going to sleep a little early tonight.

Yawn.......

I'm so SLEEPY!! ;) I was up a little too late last night...and today has just drug on so slowly.

I'm beginning to hate work again...maybe it will pass...if not, I might be job hunting sooner or later. I'm getting a little tired of the spiteful, jaded world of news...

I'm watching the Lincoln documentary on The History Channel...pretty good stuff! Looks like something I'd try to produce if I had the time and money!

I can't leave for a few hours...

I send an email in to work Saturday morning...some breaking news occurs overnight and I caught wind of it. I go to the website and of course...no mention of anything. I send an email in and tell someone to POST IT! Is it posted?? No. Am I going to pitch a fit? Hell yes! I am NOT HAPPY about this... All someone needed to do was copy and paste this...maybe make a few cosmetic adjustments...that's about it. I will be "laying down the law" in regards to this and other things this week, though. A mandate from the corporate goons was that "this is the year of multimedia in the media biz." This means I WILL NEED HELP! If I don't get coorperation from that blasted newsroom, I will bring in some "forces" and I will "take care of it!" My goal for 2006 is to beat the other stations as often as possible on the web to just about everything. So far I was getting the job done! Grr!

Zook and I took a trip down to Brock's house in Opelika Saturday. This was the first time I've seen him since we graduated (May 2004). I think I was out of the country when he moved down that way...and I just haven't been able to get down there like I probably should have already. It was good to go down for a visit, and his wife was nice enough to cook for us! I'll probably be making another trip down there soon due to work...and if I want to visit again any time soon, I'd probably have to anyway...his wife will have their baby in about 8 more weeks!

And this week I'll be seeing more friends... Jill will be coming into town for a visit and to pick up Lori...and they'll be flying back to South Bend on Thursday. I haven't seen Jill since July...so it'll be nice to pick on her a bit... I saw Lori back in December...but it's always nice to see old friends occasionally (and for all of us TV people to find another restaurant we could potentially be kicked out of! ;)).

Word... ;)

Another busy day...now I feel like crap! All three of my sisters kids have been sick with some sort of bug...and I'm afraid I might have caught it. I need to shake it soon...I'm planning a trip to Opelika Saturday, and I'd like to be well! Otherwise, nothing all that big going on lately...

I've been so freakin' busy this week...

I've only worked two days this week and I've already worked myself into exhaustion! It's not because I took the rest of my vacation left over...all this new work that's popped up that needed attention is getting me.

*WARNING...I'M ON MY SOAPBOX FOR THE REST OF THIS POST!* ;)

By now, most of you have heard about the mine disaster in West Virginia...and the "debockle" over whether the miners were alive or dead. I watched a few pundits (I don't call them journalists by any means) discuss it. In one instance, it almost seemed like one network placed all blame on anybody but themselves. However, as one professional that was interviewed put it, couldn't everyone have said "they are reportedly alive?" This person went on to say the term "unconfirmed" would have been just as useful...just to be on the safe side...until they saw the miners brought out ALIVE!

Being a former news assignment editor, I know the value of MAKING DAMN SURE your right. But, speaking as a professional in the news business, there are too many "hot dogs" out there who have to be FIRST...even if they're not right. But what happens to these "hot dogs" when they have to retract a story?? Do they apologize?? Do they say to themselves and their newsroom, "Folks...we need to do better...and make sure we know damn sure next time!" It's always been my belief to above all be correct...even if you're not first...because I've seen first hand news people in my market botch something not quite as serious...but there are probably next to no ramifications... Should something be done about this?? Should news outlets be held accountable??

On the flipside...I can't completely complain about the newspeople getting it totally wrong...seeing as how the freakin' coal company had the wrong information too (so they say)...and after they found out for sure there was only one survivor...they still waited longer then they should have before telling the family. I call that flat-out wrong!

But back to the media...I did see where most networks and local stations had crews at the local hospital...where, caught on video, hospital employees said they had heard more survivors were coming...but none had shown up...and nobody had called them saying more were coming or "nevermind."

After hour one, a good old "hang on just a second..." should have been uttered...and a good producer should have asked the question, "What the hell??" If I was a producer doing live coverage of this, I would have had everyone in my newsroom on the phones looking for the "survivors." Why did only one ambulance with one survivor leave and no others?? Something would have defintley not been right...at least in my mind.

My opinion? The mine is primarily at fault...but eveyr blasted media outlet should apologize for jumping the gun...and I mean every single network to every single tv affiliate...to every single paper and magazine who got it wrong!

This is very similar to the 1972 olympics in Munich...where several Israeli athletes where held hostage...and killed... Everyone got that wrong, too...except one sports announcer, whose name I cannot remember... It's called being very, VERY careful with what you say...especially in situations like this.

And as the son of a coal miner who witnessed a very similar tragedy in my own hometown, my thoughts are with the families...and may God have mercy on the soul-less coal company executives!