Internal Monologue

It's 6:40 pm. I'm sitting here at work on the computer. For the time being, I'm filling in on weather every other Saturday. I'm fine with that. There's a 5:30 show and a 10 o'clock show. Working this shift brings back memories of my days in Bozeman. The time between shows was usually my favorite time of the day. It was breathing time. I could do whatever I wanted. Maybe take my time getting the 10 o'clock show ready. Perhaps go out for a bite to eat. Even get in a nap every now and then. There were plenty of nights where breaking news ruled the day but for the most part...it was relaxation time. I can't believe that was more than a year ago. I can't believe I'm smack dab in the middle of another chapter to my life. It's amazing how fast time can go by. It astonishes me to see how life happens. I remember being in Bozeman and thinking about just two life chapters. There was Glacier. There was the present (being Bozeman). There was the seasonal life. There was real life. Now...Glacier is TWO chapters ago. TWO!! That weirds me out. Before I know it I'll be done in Boise. At least, I think. I have no idea what's going to happen March 1, 2010 (my contract expiration date), but I suspect I may leave Boise. I could be proven wrong. But I haven't really found anything here to keep me. I've learned a lot at my current job...but I don't want to stay in my position forever. Boise is a nice place but I'm more attached to other locales. I've met a couple close friends and plenty of acquaintances...but my closest ties are elsewhere. The big question is where I will end up. Let's just forget a crappy economy right now. It really effects movement within the TV industry. For the sake of argument, let's just say things have turned around by next year. I guess I could keep climbing the ladder...or at least keep trying. I suppose I wouldn't rule anything out. I'm not above going to a less desirable location if some money was thrown at me. But it would have to be a lot. More likely is me looking for a better job in a place that attracts me. Portland is at the top of my list. It's a hard TV market to get to. Many people want to work there. And getting an ANCHOR job...just might prove impossible. But I'll probably try. Salt Lake is another option. My ENTIRE family is there. It would be nice (and maybe slightly annoying) to live close to them all again. Again, an anchor job would be hard to come by but it seems more likely than Portland. I'd consider Denver. I'd consider Seattle. I'd consider San Diego. I'd consider San Francisco. I'd consider Austin. I'd consider Raleigh. I'd consider Asheville. I'd consider Portland, Maine. I'd consider Burlington, Vermont. I'd consider a few places in Florida. And unlikely though they may be, I'd consider New York, Chicago, or Philidelphia. Those are all places I'd actually seek out. The other big cities in this country (LA, Houston, Dallas, etc.) don't appeal to me. Again, throw some money at me and I might bite. But...fewer people are making more money in this business. And yes, I want an anchor job. I don't want to be a reporter. I've learned some things about myself in the last three years and I know I'm not a fan of general assignment reporting. I LOVE breaking news. But it's not ever-present. I LOVE feature reporting...but feature reporters are becoming extinct. More likely than not, if things worked out reasonably well, I'd end up as a morning anchor or weekend anchor/weekday reporter in a bigger city. As for anchoring, I like it. I realize most people just see it as reading the news. On the surface, that's all it is. But there's something about it that I like. I've been lucky enough to be an anchor in both of my TV jobs. I've reported as well, but "anchor" has always been in my title. I don't want to give that up...unless I got a primo feature job...or better yet an outdoor reporting job. I suppose my dream job would to have my own show on the Discovery Channel or the Travel Channel or the National Geographic Channel. I'm just not sure how to get to that point. Time right now is 7:10. I'm wasting that blessed break between shows. I should go get something to eat. I'm thinking Subway and a Starbucks one pump, nonfat vanilla latte. Adios.

(this post not checked for spelling errors. Hopefully I'm a good typer...or is it typist? Whatever)