Blunt

A conversation I had today with a prospective talent agent.

Me: Hello.

Agent: Is this Lincoln?

Me: Yes it is.

Agent: Hi Lincoln, this is so-and-so from so-and-so.

Me: Hi there.

Agent: Let's cut to the chase. What's your current contract situation?

Me: Well, it expires at the end of February and I'm currently negotiating an extension.

Agent: And you're looking for a job and haven't had any bites. (said as a statement)

Me: Uh...yes.

Agent: Well first of all, get rid of those glasses.

Me: Uh....

Agent: Seriously. They're distracting. No one wears glasses. What about contacts or Lasik?

Me: Well I'm not a fan of contacts and I'm not a good candidate for Lasik.

Agent: Well get some contacts. Secondly, gain some weight or hit the gym.

Me: Uh....

Agent: You don't have a commanding build. If you want to be an anchor, you need broad shoulders. You're too slight.

(Silence)

Agent: I figure I should just be blunt.

Me: Uh....okay.

Agent: I take it you live in a part of the country that isn't getting a lot of sunlight right now.

Me: Uh....

Agent: You're very pale. Either get some new make-up or hit the tanning booth.

Me: Uh....

Agent: Tell you what, I'll send you a sample contract and if you promise to work on the things we talked about, I'd be happy to represent you.

Me: Okay.

The End

I paraphrased a little bit...but only a little. He did say I had a good voice. I'll give an inch on the pale hue of my skin. I need a little color. But this guy was a douchebag. I will not be signing with him.

Update

When it's been this long without a blog update, I usually feel guilty about it. That's mainly because I usually have things to say but I'm too lazy to sit down and put my thoughts into coherent sentences.

But this time around, I just haven't had much to say.

January is almost over. Crazy. I think it's safe to say this year is already zipping by. I'm a little less stressed about my professional life. True...my contract expires in just over a month. True...I haven't found any other news job. True...the continuation of employment with my current station is unknown at this point. But I feel more confident. I've had talks with two talent agencies. I'm intrigued by both. Employment (in my industry at least) is picking up around the country. So I'm hopeful. Now I just have to survive in the short term.

If I can't work out a short term deal where I am...I've got other options. Unfortunately nearly all of them involve some kind of employment lull lasting from March until mid-May. After that, I could do a number of things. I could pack up and go to mom and dad's house in Salt Lake. (Both mom and dad probably just read that sentence and thought, "what!?") I could pack up and head to Glacier National Park. (I've got a cat now and that means no more living in employee housing). I could stay in Boise and work full time at Zip Idaho. (From a logistics perspective, it's the easiest option. But I'd have to downsize so my wages could cover all my expenses).

Anyone have any other ideas for me?

All the while, no matter where I am in a months time, I'll be looking for my next TV gig. I'm confident I'll find it. It's just a matter of timing.

Sleepy Time

I am a tired drunk.

There...I said it. It's the main reason I don't like bars. It's the main reason I don't like to "party." When I drink, I get sleepy. Very sleepy.

So when anyone asks me to come out and "party" I say, "what's the point?" I'll be ready for bed at midnight anyway.

Sometimes, I get jealous of those who like to head downtown and party the night away. Sometimes, I wish I could do that. Sometimes, I wish I could roam the streets with wild abandon and go from bar to bar.

But I can't.

Because I'm ready for bed by the time we're headed to the second bar.

So quit asking me to "go out." It's futile. It only leads to bed...and not the good kind...where so many "other" drunk people end up. I actually end up sleeping.

Good night.

She's outta here!

We said goodbye to Mellisa this morning. Sad to see her go. Here's a closer look at the cake we got for her.

And here I am...eating my own face.
Attractive, I know.

Good luck Mellisa. I'll miss you.

A Tense Relationship

Merlin has a new friend. Her name is Snickers.

Merlin was curious at first...but is now skeptical of Snickers.
Snickers doesn't seem to care and likes to push Merlin's buttons.
Merlin says "bitch" and pushes right back.

Pandemonium ensues.

Snickers realizes she bit off more than she can chew.
Snickers hisses, moans, and wails through the brawl. Merlin is completely silent.

Soon...all is well and they're back to being friends (sort of) again...until the next round.

FYI: I did not get a new cat. I am cat-sitting for a co-worker. Before you call Animal Cops on me, the pictures aren't as bad as they look. Snickers has no claws. Merlin's are trimmed. I'm also fairly certain it's just a little rough housing. They sleep peacefully at night...a few feet apart on my bed. Still, Merlin is a bully. Snickers is a misbehaving little brat. I can't wait 'til she leaves.

Bronco Nation

When the University of Utah went to the Fiesta Bowl in 2005...I lived in Montana.

When the Utes beat Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl...I lived in Idaho.

When Boise State beat Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl...I barely knew, and certainly didn't care, what "Boise State" was.

My point is that I haven't been in a very good position to appreciate a certain team's appearance in a good bowl game...until yesterday.

With Boise State in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl, I was living in Boise, Idaho. Good fit, right? It really was a cool experience. This entire town was behind the Broncos. I have no special allegiance to BSU, but it just felt right to jump on the bandwagon. Here's the Bronco attire I sported on the news today.

I watched the game too. I'm not a huge football fan. But I was into this game. It was a good time. I even found myself wishing I was down in Glendale to see it in person. I also found myself looking back at the 2007 game and thinking, "wow...it would have been cool to be a part of that."

I won't be in Boise forever. But while I am here, I'm 100% behind the Broncos.

Unseen Horizons

Dear Boise,

It's not you, it's me. I know that's a horrible cliche to refer to when loosening ties with someone...but it's true. You're cute. You're charming. You're vibrant. You provide a quality of life that most people across the country probably don't experience. You're filled with good, honest people who love you for what you give them...a wonderful place to call home. In all honesty, I can't find a single thing wrong with you. So why would I want to break up with you? I already told you why. It's not you. It's me. That's all I can say. I'm sorry.

Love, Lincoln

I've had a lot on my mind the past several months. I haven't really opened up, on this blog at least, because things were muddled. They still are. But I need to flesh out my thoughts and this seems like the perfect place to do it. I have no immediate plans to leave Boise. My contract is up in a couple months. I've been looking around for new opportunities but they're either few and far between or the competition for them is insanely intense. I'm assuming I have the option to stay at my current job and negotiate a new contract. If that turns out to be true...do I want to do that? There's something to be said for simply "having a job" during times like these. But I wrote that letter to Boise for a reason. I feel like I need to move on. It's time. Coming here was the right thing to do. I learned a lot. I grew a lot. But I'm ready for the next step. But therein lies the problem. What is the next step? I have no idea.

This all made harder when you see people around you taking their next step. This is a picture of myself and my co-anchor Mellisa. We hosted the Miss Idaho Pageant last summer. Mellisa is leaving Boise for a new TV job in Sacramento. She deserves it and I'm very happy for her. But, so far in this business, she is my longest running TV wife. It's sad to see her go. I've always hated watching other people move on. It was a little different when I was in Bozeman. Out of all my closest friends there, I was the first to leave. That's sad as well, but in a different way. Mellisa leaves behind Michelle and I. She's my other co-anchor.

Michelle's future is uncertain too. No matter where she ends up and when she ends up there, she's moving forward in big ways. For starters, she's getting married this year. It's just another example of people around me "moving on." I feel stuck.

So there you have it. There are big changes going on around me. It'd be nice to be a part of them...but I feel left out. And even though I'd like to move forward....I'm not even sure where I want to go. It's no secret the broadcasting business is struggling. Jobs are scarce. Salaries have taken a nosedive. The future looks bleak. That just adds more fuel to this already confusing fire.

Oh, and let's not forget one other important thing. I turn 30 this year. My birthday is just under three months away. It's a big milestone. I'd love to feel confident, put-together, and comfortable in my own skin on such a big day. Instead, I'm on my way feeling like a lost mess.

Happy New Year.