Needing more

Boise has been good for me. I've learned a lot and I've grown as a news anchor. I'm comfortable on the desk. I know how to do weather. I'm good (at least I think I am) when it comes to ad-libbing. I can go from serious topics to fun ones and then back again. I'm pretty versatile and I like that. But it's hard to find a job that gives you EVERYTHING. For me, that's reporting...especially live reporting. As a morning anchor, it's hard to come by. Being in the field is rare for me. Covering a live, breaking news situation proves even more elusive. I have zero doubts that I can do it...and do it well. But this business is about proving it. I have to prove to prospective employers that I can do it. That's the tough part. I'm applying for several reporting jobs. This is what I have to show people. I think it's strong...but it's missing key elements. I'm just hoping it's enough.

Creature Feature

My face says it all. I'm not a fan of having a tarantula put into my hands. But I didn't freak out. Although spiders sometimes scare the crap out of me, I'm oddly more at ease with a big arachnid than a smaller one. Smaller ones seem to move too fast. They can hide in your shoes, behind the bed, somewhere where you least expect them. I feel like I would notice a tarantula. Still...you can't tell that my hand was shaking when these photos were taken.

Charlotte, as she's called, was brought on by Corbin Maxey. Corbin is known as "The Reptile Guy." He's a Boise native. He's made the rounds at the other stations in town. He's also made several national TV appearances. It was the first time we had him on our station. Good times.

Natalee was not a fan of the snake. I'm less afraid of snakes than spiders but I was still a little wary.

Chompers was my favorite. Very cute.

It's days like this when I really like my job.

Rip City

Sudden, strong, intense infatuations are dangerous. They can mess you up inside. They can lead you to believe that if you don't get what you want...nothing will ever be right with the world. Or more specifically...nothing will ever be right with YOUR world. No amount of rational thought, from your own mind or the mind of another, can make you see otherwise. If you're lucky, you get what you want. (Whether what you get is really what you ever wanted...well that's a different story entirely). If you're not lucky enough to get what you want, hopefully the infatuation passes quickly and you can move on with your life. I've dealt with this situation before. (Very recently actually). I think we all have. But now I have a new problem. A new obsession. Portland, Oregon is calling my name...and I can't hear anything else.

I've always liked Portland. I've always thought it would be cool to live there. It's always been near the top of the list of places I want to live. But all of a sudden, I'm freaking out about it. I don't want to go anywhere BUT Portland. There are a number of reasons why. But none of them can be considered big enough for me to have such narrow vision. As stupid as it sounds. As corny as sounds. As irrational as it sounds. I really think it's speaking to me.

Scary stuff. Forget the fact that job hunting in the news biz is hard ANYWHERE in the country. It's worse when you focus on just one place.

Maybe my sudden crush on Portland will pass. I don't know. For now, I'm hoping our relationship is meant to be...and the obsession is just a precursor to reality. I'll let you know.

p.s. Rip City is apparently a lesser-known nickname for Portland. I liked it better than the City of Roses.

New year, new....something

Well. So much for this blogging "everyday" idea. I guess I shouldn't make promises. At the very least, I'm blogging on a "more frequent" basis. That counts for something, right?

In other news...check out this job posting on TVJobs.com. (I censor it for search purposes. Anyone could find out where I work if they wanted to. But I'd rather not have them find this blog by searching for my station).

Morning Anchor/Producer

****-TV

Nampa, ID

Yep. That's my job. It's now being advertised for all the world to see. I've officially told my bosses that I won't be signing a new contract. I'll likely be staying through the end of the year and then...well who knows? There is no plan at this point. I admit that I'm scared. Leaving my job is bittersweet. While I complain about recent changes, the truth is I've been allowed to professionally grow and develop in ways I didn't imagine.

I've compared my current situation to the idea of walking away from a relationship that's run it's course. You've had a great time. You have great love and respect and admiration for the other person. You're comfortable with them. But deep down, you know it's just...not...right...anymore. You're afraid to walk away because you know it's going to be hard. You have NO idea what's going to happen or what you're going to do. Still, you know it's time to go. That's how I feel. It IS time to go. I know that. I just wish I had some sort of a plan right now. I wish a great job prospect would smack me in the face. I wish I didn't have to worry about paying my bills. I'm wishing for a lot of things. But, at the very least, I have a sense of relief. Relief doesn't have to feel happy and joyful. It can be tinged with a sense of melancholy and resignation. That's where I am right now. I'm relieved I've taken a big step. Where I actually end up going...is anyone's guess.

Waiting for the end

I'm a little obsessed with this song at the moment. I listen to it and I get lost in the lyrics. It seems to be about the end of a relationship. My personal interpretation is a bit different...but for me, it's more about my relationship with where I am in life right now. The lyrics say it all.

Yesterday? Last night?

I've been working the graveyard shift for nearly 3 full weeks now. In two words...it sucks.

I didn't know what to expect. I've worked overnights before but never on a semi-permanent basis. In the times I did do it, I just powered through (occasionally napping when I shouldn't have) and got back to my regular schedule when I could. I can't do that anymore. I'm stuck on this schedule for at least the next two months...possibly three. I've seen what it does to people. From observation I thought my biggest problem was going to be lack of sleep. That's actually not the case. I guess I've learned to do without sleep over the past two and half years. Working early mornings will do that. The biggest problem for me is the blending of days and nights.

Terms like "yesterday" and "last night" don't mean the same thing anymore. I don't even know what "yesterday" means. Yeah, I worked last night...and by "last night" I mean early in the morning. It's all too confusing. It's effing me up psychologically. Morning is supposed to be the start of a new day. Not for me. I'm heading home to go to bed. Evening is supposed to be the time for winding down and getting ready for bed. Nope. I'm driving on a deserted freeway to work in an empty building with nothing but my thoughts to keep me company.

As far as actual work goes...it's okay. I expected worse. I'm continually hoping for better...and a good night's sleep...at night...when it's dark...and everyone else is sleeping.

Okay. I'm done.

That cabin in...East Glacier?

David Walburn is a singer/songwriter in Montana. Every summer he does nightly shows at the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park. One of his shows centers around an adventure he had in the 80's, when he and his buddies built a cabin in the Alaskan backcountry. In one of his songs, the lyric "that cabin in Alaska" is fairly prominent. I won't tell you the story about the cabin...although it's a good one. But I was lucky enough to make a pilgrimage there with some friends back in 2005. Take a look.

Fast forward to 2010. There's a new cabin from a different David. It's in East Glacier, Montana just outside Glacier National Park. Here's Dave with his pride and joy.

While I greatly respect Dave, and repeatedly name him as the one friend who would drive across country to bail me out of jail...he couldn't build this sucker all by himself. That's where another friend of ours comes in...Danny. He did most of the work on Dave's cabin...and he did a damn good job. Here's Danny working on his next project...his own cabin on the west side of Glacier.

I'm a month late in writing about these cabins and my recent trip to Glacier. But it was an awesome vacation. I was gone for 10 days. I'd like to say I did a lot of hiking and backpacking and camping. But that would be a lie. Instead I did a lot of napping, eating, drinking, and visiting with friends. But that's fine. I pretty much went there with one goal in mind...and I accomplished it. Looking back, I now realize this trip had a special purpose. While I would have liked to hike around a bit more, the trip was about frying bigger fish. If I really whittled it down, I could count my best friends in life on two hands. Seven of them were with me on this trip. Thanks guys.

It was also a significant trip for Ron & Jessie. I'd refer you to their blog but they haven't updated it in a loooooong time. (hint, hint). Conventional wisdom goes that Jessie didn't care much for Ron when they first met. That's the story we all tell. I don't know if it's really true. Either way, they eventually did grow on each other and Ron proposed in Glacier. Here they are on the shores of Lake Josephine.

Congrats guys. You deserve it.