March & Fame

The subjects of my title have nothing to do with each other. They're just the two topics I'll be discussing in this rambling post.

First up: March.

I'm so happy it's here. First, my 26th birthday is this March. And it's my Golden one. I'll be 26 on the 26th....in 2006. Although I guess it would be cooler if it was 2026. But whatever. I'll take it. I'll be flying to Colorado for my birthday and hitting the slopes at 3 different ski resorts. Not only that, I'll be hanging out with my friends from Glacier. It will be good times for all I'm sure.

Second, I'll be getting a break from work when I go to Colorado. Don't get me wrong. I love my job. I'm lucky to have it. But things have been go, go, go ever since I started back in November. It'll be a chance to look back and reflect on what's happened to me in the past few months.

Third, Spring begins in March. I can't really recall a time when I've been so happy to say good-bye to Winter. I'm just longing for the hot summer nights (we get a few of them in Montana) and the ability to walk outside without a jacket.

Fourth, when March begins, February ends. And this February has been non-stop. Some good things happened, but just like Winter, I won't be sorry to see February go.

Fifth, one of my favorite holidays is in March: St. Patrick's Day. I'm not really sure what you're supposed to be celebrating on St. Patrick's Day. I don't really care to know. I'll just stick with the belief that it's all about the color green...which does happen to be my favorite color. And on what other holiday are you allowed to pinch people who aren't being festive? Sounds good to me.

That's all for my ramblings on March. Now for a few things about fame.

I'm not calling myself famous. I'm a news anchor in a small town in Montana after all. But I am often recognized in this small town. I've always wondered what fame would be like. Frankly, it's kind of unsettling. What is the protocol when someone approaches you and says they watch you on TV every night? I have no idea. When it happens, I feel very sheepish and the urge to get away quickly overcomes me. I was at the gym one day on the treadmill when a commercial for our station (with several shots of me) came on the TV. This was the gym remember so it actually came on 4 or 5 different TV's. I wanted to die. The guy next to me turned his head with a look of recognition and smiled. I avoided eye contact. I was embarassed. I don't know why. I shouldn't be. But I was. And for every person who recognizes me and says something, there are others who keep their mouths shut. That creates further problems because they still give me that look of recognition without the explanation. Therefore I'm thinking this stranger is giving me a dirty look for no reason and I return the favor. It doesn't occur to me that they recognize me. I'm just thinking they're jerks. So then they go home, tell their family they saw the "news guy" at the store and then say, "he was kind of a jerk. He gave me a dirty look." Then there are people who recognize you, but they're not sure why? That happened tonight as my co-anchor and I went to Cold Stone. We're at the counter and the girl says, "do you guys go to Grace Bible Church?" Melissa says no. She says, "then why are you guys so familiar?" Melissa and I look at each other and smile. Then she leans over the counter, puts her hand to her mouth as if to conceal what she's about to say, and whispers, "We're on the news." So then the girl yelps, "oh wow! I knew I knew you from somewhere." That brings attention to us and again...I want to die.

The moral of the story: I'm not really sure I have one. Maybe it's this though: People say they want to be "rich and famous." I'll take the "rich" any day. I'm not so comfortable with the "fame."

Linco