A Fighting Spirit

I've been a news anchor in Bozeman for just over a year now. In honor of that milestone I had my 1-year employee evaluation yesterday. Here's a taste of how my boss views me:

I have a fighting spirit
I like to challenge authority and policies
I go over people's heads (like my boss's)
I don't follow protocol
I use my "leadership position" in a negative way

From what I've written it would appear I was berated during the hour-long meeting. But I wasn't. There were many positive accolades thrown my way as well...mostly dealing with my job performance as a working journalist and anchor.

The gyst was this: I'm excellent at my job. But when it comes to things I don't like (policies, rules, etc.) I deal with them in the wrong way.

Whether I deal with those things in the "wrong way" is up for debate. I think it's a matter of opinion. Yes, I've done some stupid things...(name calling comes to mind)...but in most cases it was in the heat of the moment and I later realized I should have kept my cool. But I don't think my "fighting spirit" or "questioning attitude" is a bad thing. If I'm told of a new rule or policy I don't agree with, I'm going to stand up and tell you why I don't like it. If you don't do anything about it, I will go over your head to the next person in line and express my frustrations. I'm not an idiot. If the boss to end all bosses says, "no, Lincoln" then I'll back down. But until all my options are exhausted my "fighting spirit" will live on. Part of that spirt is "rallying the troops" so to speak. I'll get everyone on my side and go from there. I guess that's where I mis-use my leadership position. Again, I don't think getting people on my side is a bad thing. But I do see where doing that can lead to an "us against them" environment. Things shouldn't be like that.

The moral of the story, for me anyway, is to use my "fighting spirit" in a more productive manner. I'm the type of person to speak up and give my opinion. I'm not going to suppress that. But I do realize I can use it in a better way.

All in all, my evaluation was a positive experience. I was given an enormous amount of praise in the quality of my work. Yet again, I've been validated in my career choice. But in other areas of professional growth, I have a lot to learn. I know that.

No matter what...I'll always get a little pleasure being a pain in management's side. I just need to make sure I'm being a pain for the right reasons.

Grrr...

I'm in a bad mood.

For the last 5 or so years I've considered myself a fairly healthy, active person. I hiked. I snowboarded. I worked out. Hell, I still do all those things.

And yet...I seem to be falling apart.

My teeth are so badly worn down from grinding them that I need thousands of dollars in dental work to fix them.

I was reminded today just how bad my eyesight is when I couldn't find my glasses for a short period of time. (There is nothing more frustrating than LOOKING for something when you can't SEE.)

And let's not forget that I'm in the early stages of a receding hairline. Yup ladies and gentlemen, I'm going bald.

I'm a pretty vain person so I would have no problem paying to fix all this stuff. Oh..but wait. I'm living below the poverty line. I can't afford anything.

I suppose the icing on the cake would be to start getting fat. Maybe I should just forego all physical activity and just let nature take it's course. It's already starting to anyway.

Family Time

It is time, once again, for the annual Graves family Christmas extravaganza.

No, that's not the official name. I just came up with that. I'll be heading home to SLC tomorrow for our big family Christmas party. (But Utah standards my extended family is not large. My grandma had seven children. By other standards, some are convinced I belong to a polygamous enclave. And while, on a side note, I am connected to polygamy like every other person in Utah...my extended family is not made up of polygamists. Just so you know.

I'm excited to see everyone. I haven't been to one of these in a few years. I know by the end of it I'll be looking at aunts, uncles, and cousins and wondering how in the world I'm related to such oddballs...but hey...they're family and I love 'em.

It will be a quick visit but I hope to catch up with a few friends. I will of course be having an Olive Garden dinner with Ms. Kathryn. I'll be hoping against hope that Chocolate Lasagna has returned to the menu...even though I know, deep down, that isn't the case. Poor me.

What a jerk?

I'm referring to myself. Whether it was via text message, MySpace comment, phone call, email, actual letter or blog reference, I received many Thanksgiving salutations. And did I respond? No. (well except for the personal interactions and phone calls in which I sort of had to say something back). I'm not a mean person. I was just lazy. I figured, "I'll wish them well a little later." But I never did. So I'm scolding myself publicly and apologizing for not responding to the well wishers. Sorry.

On to other tidbits:
Ask anyone who knows me and they'll tell you I'm not a football fan. I've never cared about it and I barely know how the game is played. BUT...believe it or not, I've gotten into lately. It all started with going to a Bobcat (Montana State University) Football game in our station's company suite. The free food and alcohol helped me enjoy things but as I went to each game week after week, I started to get into the game. Then when MSU played their arch rival in Missoula, UM, I watched on TV. And then, yesterday at the Bobcat playoff game, I was cheering with the best of 'em as they crushed the competition. I even called home to see how my alma mater, the U of U was fairing against BYU. (Although I was saddened at the Utes' loss I was disappointed that I had missed what was apparently a very good game). The moral of the story: I probably won't be watching NFL football anytime soon, but I have a new appreciation for football.

Did I tell everyone that my former co-anchor Melissa already got promoted at the station she works for in Oklahoma City. She's now the noon and 4 pm anchor Monday thru Friday. I may have mentioned that already but I want to show you these pictures of her station's new set.

I'm a bit of a TV news geek so I may be the only one who cares...but this is an awesome news set. "Sexy," as Melissa put it. I couldn't agree more. Although my station's humble little news set is pretty nice for small-market television...I can't wait to sit with the big boys at the grown-ups table.

I'm in a coffee shop right now and there's a girl across the room with quite possibly the most annoying laugh....ever. It's loud, not at all infectious and several people are cringing. Just thought I'd share.

Big issues at work these days. It's not appropriate for me to delve into them but I'm really annoyed. I'm not perfect but I feel like one of the few sensible ones. All I want is to be given the tools needed to do my job and to stop being treated like a child. Is that so much to ask?

Snow moved into Bozeman last night. I was on call so I was downtown filming the scene. It was picure perfect. A scene from a postcard. The snow falling lightly. Children running up and down Main Street in their coats. Not too cold. Everyone having a good time. It's those moments when I really like winter.

Happy Holidays everyone. Cherish that greeting because I don't hand them out very often.

"Scattered throughout the nation like candy from a pinata."

That's the expression used by my dear friend Katie to describe where her friends are. I'm in the same boat as Katie for I was a seasonal worker for 4 wonderful years. And while it's cool to have all those friends in all parts of the country (and the world for that matter)....it's also a little sad. We see so little of each other. For a time, we were together 24/7 while working in our respective seasonal jobs. Then...when the season's over, the reality of life sets in. We all must go our separate ways and wait for the chance meetings that occur because so and so is passing through so and so. (Just this past weekend, Heidi passed through Bozeman).

I can't complain too much. I'd rather know these people while they live in Texas, Missouri, or Oregon...than never have known them at all.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

All Stars!!!

I have a new obsession. And I suppose I'd better get my fix because this one isn't going to stick around for much longer.

During a sleepless night this past weekend I happened upon Food Network's All Star Thanksgiving Special. All of the network's biggest stars (Emeril, Rachel Ray, etc.) cook a dish of their choosing in their own kitchens. Then...at the end of the show they all come together and show off their creations.

I have no idea why but I was....entranced. Seeing Emeril give an excited Paula (the southern grandma type lady) some alcoholic sorbet made me giggle.

I certainly don't cook. But I love the Food Network. And seeing everyone on there together in one kitchen made me happy.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to pop a HotPocket into the microwave and have lunch.

True or False?

I don't usually do these but I kinda liked this one. So here ya go. Copy and do it for your own blog.

TRUE OR FALSE
Appearance:
I'm short: False
I have scars: True
I tan easily: True
I burn easily: False
I wish my hair was a different color: False
I have friends who have never seen my natural hair color: False
I wear glasses or contacts: True
I'm legally blind without them: Extremely close to true.
I have 5 or more piercing: False
I have/had piercing in places besides my ears: False

Relationships:
I miss someone right now: False
I've gotten divorced: False
I've had a crush on a teacher: True
I've hugged a stranger: True
I like my bubble: True

Embarrassment:
I've laughed so hard I've cried: True
I've glued my hand to something: False
I've laughed till some kind of beverage came out of my nose: True...it was milk.
I've had my pants rip/drop in public: False
I was born with a disease/impairment: False
I've sat in a doctor's office with a friend: True
I've had my wisdom teeth removed: True...It was awful
I've had a serious surgery: False
I've had chicken pox: True

Experiences:
I've gotten lost in a city: True
I've seen a shooting star: True
I've wished on a shooting star: True
I've gone out in public in my pajamas: True
I've pushed all the buttons on an elevator: True
I've been to a casino: True
I've been skydiving: True
I've played spin the bottle: True
I've drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour: False....who does that?
I've been in a car crash: True...not a serious one though.
I've caught a snowflake on my tongue: True
I've sat on a roof top at night: True
I've played chicken: False
I've played a prank on someone: True
I've ridden in a taxi: True
I've seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show: False
I've eaten Sushi: True...I don't consider it real food.

Random:
I own something from Hot Topic: False
I own something I got on E-Bay: true
I own something from Abercrombie: True
I own something from American Eagle: True
I own something from Anchor Blue: False

More Random:
I've stolen a tray from a fast food restaurant: False
I watch the news: True
I curse regularly: Okay, okay it's true.
I sing in the shower: True
I'm a morning person: Ha ha! False.
I have listened to more than 30 CD's in a day: False
I've worn pajamas to school: False
I know how to shoot a gun: I have before but probably false.
I laugh at my own jokes: Sad...but true.
I am really ticklish: True
I play video games: False
I'm good at remembering names: False

Lost...Found Again

I've jumped back on the bandwagon.

It's been about a year since I stopped keeping track of the television show Lost. I started my new job and all TV viewing sort of fell by the wayside.

But I was inspired this weekend to play a little catch-up. I was in the video store when I saw Season 2 on the shelves. "Why not?," I thought.

So now I'm in the middle of Season 2. I'll probably have to wait until this season appears on DVD in another year but whatever.

I'm just happy to be back. What a damn good show.

A Long Week

It has been a long, tiring, and exhausting week. I am so happy this election season is over.

I've said before that I hate politics. I still do. But my excitement always builds on Election Night. This past Tuesday was my first real Election Night coverage as a broadcast journalist. It was awesome. It was a fly by the seat of my pants, non-stop 4 hours of live coverage. Yes...4 hours. We were on the air from 10 p.m to 2 a.m. To be fair, I played a fairly minor role. Our coverage was a regional newscast originating from Missoula. The main anchors there carried the show and they tossed to us, reporters across the state, for live coverage when they needed it. It went well. I was tired and exhausted...but I had so much fun. It was also a big deal for us considering the big role Montana's Senate race played on the national scene. NBC even used our reporters for national live shots. What a night.

In other news...big flooding at my home away from home.

It's hard to tell from this picture but water poured into the ground floor of the Many Glacier Hotel. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love this building. I basically lived there for 4 summers. I haven't heard how bad the damage is but the lake rose several feet...more than enough to flood the building. Going-to-the-Sun road was also washed out in several places. It's the worst flooding in the park in about 100 years.

That's all for now. Two more weeks of November Sweeps and I have another short vacation coming to me. Woohoo!!

Vote

I'll make this brief.

I don't care who you vote for today.

Just vote.

And if you decide not to...don't bitch when things don't turn out your way.

If you don't vote...you don't have the right to an opinion on how things turned out.

Go vote now.

Identity

When meeting new people I usually share the following tidbits about myself.

1. I am a news anchor.
2. I'm from Utah.
3. I live in, and love, Montana.
4. I worked in Glacier National Park for 4 summers.

That's it. Tonight, I'm realizing that I'm a fairly lame person. Isn't there anything more to me? Don't I have more of an identity? Apparently I don't.

I need more of a life.

Little Annoyances

I'm not necessarily in a bad mood but...I'm annoyed.

My glasses broke recently. The frame, right around the top of the lens, just snapped. I really liked those glasses. Now I'm wearing my backup pair. They suck. I hate the way they look. The lenses are scratched. The prescription isn't quite strong enough. And now I have to go through the process of getting new glasses. I hate that. Getting an eye exam, picking out frames, paying for the damn things, and of course getting used to a new pair. I always get headaches when I get a new pair. Annoying.

November Sweeps is here. For those who don't know, it's a big time in television. Networks put on their best programming. Local news outlets do their best special stories. That means I'm busy. Very busy. Thankfully, Thanksgiving (no pun intended) is right around the corner. That's when my hectic schedule will slow down a bit. Annoying.

I have the teeth of a 90-year-old. I'm not kidding. I went to the dentist yesterday for a check-up and cleaning. I apparently grind my teeth so badly, in the daytime and nighttime, that my teeth are severely worn down. My gums are healthy. The teeth themselves are generally healthy. But I was told, and I quote, "Lincoln. This is the worst case of wear I've seen in a 26-year-old. Those teeth should be in a 90-year-old's mouth." Well thank you very much. I didn't realize I was such a decrepit old man. Depressing. I guess I'll be getting a nightguard soon. Although I tried that once and it didn't work out. I would take it out in my sleep. I think it eventually broke. We'll see though. I have another appointment next week to fill the two cavities he discovered. Icing on the cake and....Annoying.

No...I don't have direct deposit. And if one more person looks at me with an astonished "why not?" look, I'm going to punch them in the face. I LIKE going to the bank. I LIKE depositing part of my check and getting cash for the other part of it. True, that makes me the ONLY person in the office actually needing and looking for my paycheck on payday. I'm the only one who's frustrated when they don't show up for some reason. And when that happens someone will inevitably say, "you should get direct deposit." Shut up. I don't want it! "Well then don't complain when your check doesn't arrive on time." Again...shut up. I will complain and I have every right to complain. It's my company's responsibility to make sure my check gets to me on time. Now leave me alone. You are becoming...Annoying.

I'm not going to elaborate on this one but...for the record...I AM NOT A WEATHERMAN. Not that there's anything wrong with meteorologists. I'm just not one. And yet some still think I forecast the weather. Annoying.

Politics. I don't want to see any more political ads. I don't want to see any more campaign signs. I don't want to interview any more politicians. Political season...is....Annoying.

And I'm probably annoying you. So I'll shut up and stop whining...for now.

For Mom

During my last visit home, my mom asked me if I had brought pictures of my new apartment. I didn't. I told her I'd go back to Bozeman, take some, and then post them on the blog. So here you go mom....and anyone else who cares.

The Living Room

The Kitchen

The Bedroom

And the best part...a view of the Bridgers from my bedroom window

A Better Attitude

I've whined a lot about winter on this blog and I feel a little bad about that. I've always loved winter. Where did that love go? I'm not exactly sure. But I woke up this morning, saw the mountains covered with freshly fallen snow, and vowed to get excited about winter again. So I went on a short hike. Here are some highlights.

It was a good hike. I'm excited about winter again. The snowboarding. The crisp air. The way freshly fallen snow muffles all sounds. The beauty of snow-covered mountains. I'm ready for it. I know I'll be sick of the cold by February but I figure I'll try to embrace winter and just go with the flow. Who's with me?

Bad coffee?

Here's the scenario:

On Sunday evening I went to my favorite Bozeman coffee shop, Rockford Coffee. I ordered a non-fat, Irish Cream latte and hopped on the internet for 45 minutes. I slowly nursed my latte the entire time. I wrapped things up and headed back to my apartment for a night of TV watching. Within 15 minutes of sitting on the couch my insides started to squirm. I quickly developed the chills and body aches crept over me. It wasn't long before I felt like I had to vomit. So...vomit I did. Afterwards I crawled into bed and spent a sleepless night tossing and turning.

I woke up the next morning feeling weak. My stomach was feeling better but I had no appetite. I tried to determine what caused my night of sickness and the only conclusion I could reach...bad coffee. But can coffee do that to someone? Was it the milk? I have no idea.

I haven't felt 100% all week. Yesterday I felt like someone was squeezing my head from all sides. I couldn't get rid of the pressure. To top that off, I walked around all day light-headed. Today is treating me a little better. (although I'm feeling slightly queasy eating a plain bagel with cream cheese and raspberry jam right now). Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

I'm skeptical of one latte kicking my ass. And yet...I don't know that I'll touch any type of coffee ever again. I think I've developed a coffee aversion by merely speculating that it could have made me sick. I think of coffee now and I get queasy.

I guess it's a good thing. I've been spending way too much money on lattes anyway.

Hoodwinked

I don't like being tricked.

That said, I feel as though I was manipulated into seeing "Man of the Year," the new Robin Williams movie. How was I tricked you ask?....by the damn movie trailer.

I saw the preview a couple weeks ago and thought it would be a funny movie to see. It wasn't. I'm all for carefully structured movie trailers where the entire plot isn't given away. I am NOT for a trailer that completely misrepresents what the movie is about.

Despite this tirade, I really did like "Man of the Year." I recommend everyone go see it. BUT...if you're expecting a comedy you will be disappointed. There are funny moments but this movie is definitely not a comedy. It's more of a conspiracy minded drama. Just be warned.

I wouldn't even be complaining about it had I not been in the mood to laugh last night. That's all I wanted. A good laugh. I didn't get that. So despite the fact I DID like the film, I can't help feeling gypped.

I was tricked...and I don't like being tricked.

A Re-Posting

I've chosen to re-post one of my blog entries for two reasons. One...I'm lazy and I'm having a hard time finding the motivation to write anything. I'd call it writer's block but it's really nothing of the sort. Two...it's been on my mind lately. In recent weeks, I've had several conversations about Mormonism. Sometimes it's hard to articulate myself in these conversations. I feel the following post best exemplifies how I feel about the Mormon religion.

I first posted this on March 20, 2006. Title: Mormonism

Ahh the Mormons. I am one and I'm not one. It all depends on how you look at. I almost prefer to look at Mormons as a race of people. I'm certainly not a Mormon in practice. However in a cultural sense, I will always be a part of the race. I've got Mormon blood in me. But like a lot of people who feel conflicted about their relationship with a certain group, I myself have a love-hate relationship with Mormonism.

I don't go to church anymore. I don't want to and I don't feel guilty about it. I'm just way too liberal for such a conservative religion. I think abortion should be legal. I believe gay people should be allowed to tie the knot if they so wish. I don't see a problem with premarital sex. I enjoy my Irish Cream cappucinos and I think a beer or a glass of wine are acceptable beverages. My views don't mesh well with Mormon teachings.

And yet...

I don't want to be known as a former Mormon. I don't want my name removed from membership rolls. There's something comforting about being a part (even if I don't play the part) of such a unique and often mis-understood crowd. There's something rebellious and satisfying about telling new friends that I have polygamy in my family. I can walk into any Mormon church in the world and know that help is waiting for me if I need it. I can still walk the grounds of Temple Square and feel a tremendous sense of peace.

And yet...

I can be critical of "The Church." I can roll my eyes at that whole priesthood revelation of the late 1970's. I can snort when young Mormons refuse to see a movie because it's rated "R." I can cringe with embarassment when I explain the whole "undergarments" thing to Mormonism rookies.

And yet....

I'm the first to defend "The Church" when someone makes fun of it. I get exasperated when the ignorant try and tell me Mormons still practice polygamy. I can get irate when someone tries to tell me that Mormons aren't Christians. I can tell the story of Joe Smith and what he's all about and I get frustrated when the listener's eyebrow raises and they say, "What is this crap?"

I don't particularly understand my relationship with Mormonism. Am I believer? Probably not. I'm at a place now where I feel more personally connected with God than at any other time in my life. I got there by doing my own thing...not following Mormon doctrine. But Mormonism isn't just a faith to me. It's a culture. Sometimes that culture is too conservative and over-bearing. But I know that if I ever turn to it for help...I will be received with open arms; even if I do see things a little differently than they do.

But I suppose my relationship with Mormonism is a bit like my view on religion in general. We're all individuals and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. That's how I see things. That's why I'll understand those who faithfully follow that Mormon lifestyle just the same as those who shun it with ridicule. Believe what you want to believe. I'm in the middle and I'm happy staying there.

What is News?

Hatchfest is a cool film/arts festival that takes place in Bozeman every October. Yesterday I had the honor of participating (in a very minor role) in a panel entitled "Journalism: Telling Stories that Inspire." The real guests of honor were some producers, reporters, and anchors from CNN, CNBC, and other national media outlets. The discussion turned towards the state of today's media. While not attacking any media reps personally, there was definitely an anti-media diatribe coming from the audience. I understand all the complaints and criticism. Sometimes it's hard for me to refute them. But I will say this: News has changed. Everything IS news. I grew up watching newscasts that contained stories about school shootings AND celebrity break-ups. I'm not defending coverage of either topic. I'm just saying that that's what news has become. Is that a bad thing? I don't know. Regardless of the subject matter, those of us in the media are still telling "stories." We're storytellers. Sometimes the story is about a crazed gunmen who shoots 5 little Amish girls. And sometimes the story is about TomKat. Love it or hate it...that's what "news" is these days. I'm okay with that.

Halloween Memories

I used to be freakishly obsessed with Halloween. Just ask my old neighbors.

I believe it started in my early teen years one October. I was looking through the garage and found a very old prosthetic leg that somehow ended up in storage. I proudly planted that leg upside down in the garden in front of our house. Then I nailed two pieces of wood together, wrote "Danger - Quicksand" on my new sign and placed it near the leg. With that, my Halloween decoration obsession was born.

A 13-year-old's attempt at outdoor decorating can be pretty feeble. And although all my decorations have been very low-budget, my displays got more impressive over the years.

I did all kinds of things for my craft. I stole cornstalks from nearby farms. I made headstones out of huge pieces of styrofoam. I saved stacks and stacks of newspapers to crumple up, stuff inside some clothes, and bring dummies to life. Here's an old picture of my nieces and nephews surrounding one dummy.

And over the years, my displays became more elaborate. The neighbors loved it all. Even when it got a little grotesque. (I'm sure a few people were put off by the dummy impaled on a 25 foot pole in the front yard.)

But, like many childhood obsessions, my Halloween fixation has faded. I don't really care anymore. Perhaps I'll get back into one day if and when I have kids. I don't know. For now I can only muster up the energy to hang a skull from my rear-view mirror. It's a sad reminder of what I would have done years ago.

Malicious Intent

Do you remember the Rhode Island nightclub fire back in 2003? 100 people died and 200 more were injured. The clubs owners, two brothers, were sentenced today. One of them got 4 years in prison. The other got probation. They'll both have to complete countless hours of community service. Earlier this year, the third person involved, was also sentenced to 4 years in prison. Family members of the victims were, and still are, outraged at the light sentences. I, however, am not.

I've thought long and hard about this aspect of crime and punishment. How should you punish someone who commits a "crime" but had no malicious intent? What is the appropriate sentence for an accident?

First, a disclaimer: I've never lost a loved one to any type of crime. I don't know what it feels like. But my opinions on crime and punishment haven't changed much. I've always gravitated towards a more forgiving approach. I still do...especially when it comes to accidental crimes. (Pre-meditated crimes are a different story and I won't delve into that now).

I feel as much sympathy for those two nightclub owners as I do for the victims' family members. I know people were lost. But those responsible do not deserve to spend 10, 15, 20 years in prison. They never dreamed of hurting anyone. And for most, the weight on their conscience will have more of an effect on them than any lengthy prison term.

I don't know that I have a point. I just wanted to share my opinion. I don't know if that opinion would change if I was affected personally by a tragedy. I'd like to think my forgiving attitude would triumph. Hopefully I'll never have to test the theory out.

OVERLOAD!!!

I have so much to say, so much to write about, and so much to contemplate. My head's about to burst.

First of all, I enjoyed my trip back home. I'll be heading back to Montana on Tuesday afternoon. (Fortunately the vacation's not over. I'll spend the rest of the week in glorious Glacier). It was fun but it was stressful. I always stretch myself too thin when I come home. Everyone wants to see you and everyone wants you to spend time with them. So, in an effort to please everyone, I end up pleasing no one. It was overwhelming. And to everyone I wasn't able to hang out with...I'm sorry. Perhaps we'll have more time together if and when I live in this city permanently. (It also would have been nice to meet some of you blogspt acquaintances out there and share a cup of coffee. Alas, that's for the future.) Moral of the story. Keep it simple when you're on vacation. You'll thank yourself later.

My sister is evil. I went to the restaurant where she worked and she guilt-tripped me into ordering a drink called the Death Star. It's huge and it contains a lot of alcohol. It is tasty but WAY too much for me.

I miss my cat. Lame, I know. But I do. My parents just don't have the time or energy to look after him in the same way I did for so long. He's gotten so fat. He's not very active...and that's saying something for an animal that normally sleeps 23 hours a day. I want to take him home to Bozeman with me. But I can't have pets in my apartment. It's sad. I just get the feeling that he's depressed and there's nothing I can do about it. Does this mean I'd be a bad parent?

I watched a little TV when I was home. I'll agree with urban princess and say ABC does have some damn good shows. I'm a fan of Brothers & Sisters. Luckily for me, it's on Sunday night's so I'll be able to watch. (On a side note: Here's a strange little TV news fact that no one will care about. Some TV stations have started to have their main anchor teams work Sunday through Thursday nights because of primetime line-ups. In essence, Fridays are being abandoned.)

Every family has drama and mine is no exception. I'm not one to air dirty laundry though. Let's just say there are issues that I only discovered in coming home for a little while. We'll get through it just fine though. In thinking about it all for the past few days I've only reached one heartfelt conclusion: Sometimes it's hard to love troubled people...and yet it's the troubled ones that need the most love. That answers no questions. I just believe it's an over-arching theme to keep in mind when dealing with familial issues.

Kathryn and I did what we normally do when we get together. We went to The Olive Garden. I've expressed disgust at what was done with my favorite OG dessert. After complaining, the company basically said, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Here's a gift card to find a new favorite." I attempted to do just that. I'm still not happy. The two new dessert items could be found anywhere at ANY restaurant. Chocolate Lasagna was unique. It was special. No one else had anything like it. And now it's gone...to be replaced by drab concoctions that Applebee's, TGIFriday's, or Chili's could come up with. I'm sorely disappointed. (I did like the new pasta dish I tried. :)

I've been eating like a pig since I've been home. Frankly, I don't care.

"Wow Lincoln. That's so cool that you're doing something you've always wanted to do. You've followed your dream." Countless people have expressed that to me ever since I started my job as a news anchor....and there was a new round of congratulations during my visit home. But I'm not quite sure how to respond when people say that. In my head I'm thinking, "yeah...it is pretty cool. What about you?" When people comment on me landing my "dream job" they do so with an air of wistfulness...as if they themselves can't follow their own dreams. There's a lot I'd like to say about this but for now, I'll keep it brief. I realize we all live under our own set of circumstances. But dammit people, if you have dreams...go for them. You'll come out better in the end.

Home sweet home

I arrived in the city by the salty lake on Friday afternoon.

Say what you will about Utah, it's capital city, or the many Mormons who live therein but I happen to like this place. I've missed it.

In driving around the past day or so, I'm overwhelmed at how big this city is. I realize it's because I've spent so much time in "remote" areas the past 5 years. Bozeman seems like a quaint little village compared to Salt Lake. Yet life in Bozeman seems like life in the "city" compared to living in national parks. It's all very strange. I find it exhilarating. I find it depressing. I find it vibrant. I find it crowded. I find it welcoming. I find it scary. I guess I just don't know what to think of it.

There is one aspect of city life that terrifies me. It's the ability to get lost. I'm not speaking directionally. I can find my way around almost anywhere. By lost, I mean overlooked. Cities seem like they can swallow a person. Individuality is lost. The mass of people that dwell within the city is just that....a mass. One person is inconsequential. I don't like feeling inconsequential.

My fears are a little absurd. Most of us have connections with people that make us feel needed and appreciated. I, myself, have my entire family in Salt Lake so I don't know that I'd ever feel "swallowed" in this town. But what about those lonely souls who don't have anybody? To me, they appear more lost and forgotten within a big city.

And I'm only talking about Salt Lake. I may feel even more discouraged if I went to New York.

BUT...I still like being home. A huge part of me wants to live in Salt Lake forever. For now though, I'll just be content with my short visit. Mom and Dad are happy to see me. My cat purrs happily in my lap. The dusted Wasatch Mountains feel welcome and comforting.

It's good to be home.

Everything Ends

I'm obviously late in my accolades but can I just say the last season of Six Feet Under was awesome. (More than that, the last 5 minutes of the last episode...I got chills)

I was a Six Feet Under fan the first time it debuted on HBO. I was loyal in my viewership right up through season 3. Then, as I begin to wander and live the seasonal life, my favorite TV shows fell by the wayside. Six Feet Under was no exception.

Fast forward to a few days ago when I was in the video store. I saw the final season there on the racks and thought, "well no time like the present to catch up." (I mistakenly believed I had seen season 4. Now I realize that's not true so I'll have to go back and watch that as well. I hate doing things out of order). So I spent last weekend in my apartment watching the final season. What a damn good show. I have a serious crush on Lauren Ambrose.

In other news, I am comin' home this weekend. I'm excited to see my family and my cat. Although I'm sure he either hates me or doesn't remember me.

It's raining in Bozeman. I dislike the rain. I don't mind sunshine. I don't mind clouds. I don't even mind the snow. But rain...is just...too wet.

One final thought: Does anyone know anything about the broadway musical Wicked. I'm intrigued by it and I'd like to know more.

"Summer" in Montana

I love AND loathe Montana for the following reason.

It is still technically "Summer" and yet this is what it's supposed to look like this weekend in the mountains around Bozeman.



I'm not exactly ready to freeze my ass off.

Man, summer was short.

A New Day

While I've been annoyed to no end by those "It's a New Day!" ads for the Today Show, I've decided to play copycat once again and use it to talk about the new beginnings at the station I work for. Above is a picture of the new and improved anchor team. Steve's our sports director/anchor. He's been around for a while. The new addition is Jenny. We're all very excited to have her with us. She's doing an awesome job...but it is interesting to see someone go through the rookie learning curve that I did. Hopefully the three of us will be together for a while.

On to other news though.

It's getting cold. I can feel the air changing. Summer is short in Montana. While I'm not dreading winter, I am sorry to see summer go. It's been a good ride.

Having my own place is AWESOME! It makes me wonder how I'll be able to share space with someone if I ever get married. I'm growing dangerously accustomed to my very own space.

I've mocked MySpace even after joining. Now, I'm realizing the benefits. It really does put you in touch with old friends. The level of communication with these long, lost souls probably won't improve much. But at least we can check up on each other and see how life is going.

Kathryn admitted to me today that she's taken up jogging. (Sorry if that's a secret Kathryn) I nearly laughed my ass off. Perhaps if Kathryn can grow to love exercise, she can grow to love Montana.

I hate politics. So much of what I do as a journalist is political in nature and I hate it. I'm dreading Election Day.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I'm now riding my bike to work. Well I recently met a girl who got pulled over for not completely stopping at a stop sign. $130 ticket. Only...she wasn't in a car. She was on her freakin' bike! I was stunned. I didn't even know that was possible.

I want a dog....or a cat. I want some sort of animal companion. But I can't get one.

Why does traffic in such a small town like Bozeman suck so bad?

Oh...and I broke a mirror today. A big one. I found out the bad luck superstition came from the Romans. Stupid Romans.

Smoked Out

For the past week or so I've woken up, looked out my bedroom window, and gazed upon a thick, brown, smokey haze hovering over the Gallatin Valley. The Bridger Mountains, normally visible, seem to have disappeared.

So much for Montana's clean air.

I'm sick of the fires. From a journalist's perspective, I love covering them. From a citizen's perspective, it's disgusting. The smell of smoke is getting old. My eyes burn all the time. People around town are coughing constantly. It's making me crave the crisp, cold air of winter. Anything to get this haze out of the air.

In other news, some of my Glacier friends and some of my work friends traveled up to the Garnet Mountain Lookout Tower for an overnight stay.

It was awesome. I've known you could stay in Forest Service cabins and towers for year but I had no idea how luxurious they were (well....as luxurious as you can get for an old cabin at the top of a mountain). The hike was intense but the view was well worth it.

A few other thoughts: Goodbye Steve Irwin - I wasn't what you'd call a loyal fan but I was sad to see you go. Reliving 9/11 - I still think about what happened that day and I'm shocked. What a horrific day...and yet as a journalist, I wish I could have been there covering it. Coffee - I've been drinking too much of it. I need to stop.

That's all for now. Later.

Copy Kat

So I introduced the love of my life to a new game. She, being the queen of all things blog-like and cool, decided to share the the game with all the world on her own blog. I, being the one who has followed and copied every single one of Kathryn's blogospheric ideas, decided to do the same. The game is called:

(Your name) reminds me of

1. Go to Google.
2. Type in "(Your name) reminds me of." (Make sure you put you quotes around the whole things)
3. Pick out the funniest entry that you can find and post it in the comments.

Since I don't have as big of a fan following as Kathryn does, I don't expect many replies. But I know there are some of you out there who read this blog and never leave your input. (That includes you, Mom.) So, take a stab at something different, and play along.

As for my own results. I found the following beauty:

"Lincoln reminds me of a president, a car, and a city in Nebraska. I definitely wouldn't choose it as a name for a child."

Laughing at Myself

You have to be able to laugh at yourself.

I think that's true for everyone. But I think it's especially true if you're somehow in the public eye. Whether you give speeches, or you're an actor, or a politician, or in my case...a news anchor...other people are going to laugh at you at some point. You might as well join them.

With that said, I present a montage of bloopers from my 9 months and counting on the local Bozeman news. It's not just me. The whole news team is included. And they're not all mistakes. I've included some moments that just made me chuckle. (And yes...that choking fit I wrote about in an earlier blog entry is included. It's at the beginning.)

So I will watch this and laugh at myself...because I know you're going to.


Get this video and more at MySpace.com

Bikes, Milk, and Sinus Infections

I have started to travel to work...via bicycle. It's pretty awesome. I'm doing it more for health benefits but the money I save on gas is nice. I've joined a large crowd too. I never realized how many people ride bikes in Bozeman until I hopped on one myself. I encourage everyone to do the same.

Stay away from "thickened" skim milk. I was grocery shopping the other night and they were all out of regular skim milk. They did have something called "Viva Skim Delight." I got home, poured me a glass, and was disgusted by the thickness. Skim milk isn't supposed to be thick. Then I read the ingredients and saw they add thickeners and artificial color (is there really such a thing as white food coloring). I didn't like it. But I drank it all. Without being too graphic, I'll just say it does wierd things to your digestive system.

I went to the doctor today. I got sick about 3 weeks ago and I haven't been able to shake it off. Mostly it's just been my throat and my voice. It isn't enough to make me feel miserable but my on-air performance is suffering. (It's the reason behind my choking fit which I wrote about in an earlier blog entry) My sinuses started to hurt yesterday so I decided to go in. The doctor believes I had a bacterial infection that never quite went away. He says it's decided to travel up to my sinuses and try to hide there. Now I have some antibiotic medicine which is supposed to take care of it. We shall see. I'm anchoring alone tonight which makes me a little nervous. That's a lot more talking I have to do and my voice has been on the verge of failing several times since the choking fit. I'll be sure to let you all know if things go awry.

p.s. Doug Miller, the outdoor reporter for KUTV in Salt Lake died. Very, very sad. I wasn't a loyal fan but I share his love for the outdoors and the desire to combine that with television broadcasting. Nice job, Doug. We'll miss you.

S.O.A.P

Yes I saw it.

I have not been a part of the Snakes on a Plane hype but I did go see the movie on opening night.

It was not a good movie. But it was good fun.

I recommend everyone go see it. And although I was sober, I recommend being slightly intoxicated when you see it. You might enjoy it a little more.

p.s. Julianna Margulies is hot. I never thought so when she was on ER. But now...I have a little crush.

myspace & video

I've jumped on the bandwagon.

After months of being pressured, I finally created my own myspace page. I realize myspace is the domain of pre-teens and teenagers everywhere. But I caved in anyway. Kathryn has said myspace has no point. She's right. It's an incredible time waster. Still, it's fun to post pictures and find old friends in the myspace network. So if you care to visit my new myspace page go for it. The address is www.myspace.com/glacierlink.

But don't foresake this blog. I've come to love it and it will always be my chosen communication with the outside world. Myspace has actually provided me with a way to make this blog even better. I'm now able to post video. I've decided this would be a good way to let everyone see some clips of me anchoring. I took a low-tech approach to do this. I transfer video at work to a DVD. Then I play the DVD on my computer. Then, using my digital camera, I take video of the video playing on my computer. Then I can transfer the file from my digital camera to my computer. Then I can upload that movie file to my myspace page. Then I can take that link and post it to my blog. The result: video on my blog. I'm sure I didn't have to take such a complicated approach. But I know of no other way. So without further delay, I present random clips of me being a news anchor over the past several months. Because of the low-tech approach, sound and video quality isn't great. But at least you get the idea. I hope it works. Let me know if it doesn't. Enjoy...and don't hate me for joining myspace.



Get this video and more at MySpace.com

Let me know what you think!

Ridge Runnin'

Ridgeline of the Bridger Mountains

I first heard about the Bridger Ridge Run early one morning near the top of Sacagewea Peak. I was descending from my early bird hike when a man hiking up stopped me and asked, "Do you know which direction the Bridger Ridge Run goes?" I had no idea. But I went home, hopped on the internet and Googled it. Turns out it's a 20-mile race traversing the Bridger Mountains ridge line. The Bridgers tower over Bozeman...much like the Wasatch tower over Salt Lake.

Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Mountains

Bozeman and the Bridger Mountains

My first thought was, "a 20 mile run over rugged terrain? No way." I love hiking. But I detest running. I'm a wimp. I just can't do it.

Fast forward to yesterday...date of the annual Ed Anacker Bridger Ridge Run. I decided to climb up Sacagawea Peak early in the morning (Brandon, our station's technical director came along) to cover the race for our station. We were both expecting it to be nice. It was for most of the night. But by race time, the cold moved in. As the runners approached the peak, brief little snow squalls passed over. Snow in August. Part of living in Montana I guess. Anyway it was miserable. The runners faired a little better. They were working their asses off after all. I'm sure that kept them warm. I was freezing. We headed back down the trail eager to get out of the wind and cold. It wasn't until later that day, when I was interviewing some runners as they crossed the finish line that the first inkling of desire popped up.

I kind of want to do this. I hate running but I think I may sign up for the Bridger Ridge Run next year. It's really just accelerated hiking after all.

Right?

p.s. The winner of the caption contest from my previous post. Definitely slcurbanprincess with "It's rabbit season, really."

Bunny Wabbit

I have no idea why but this picture makes me laugh my head off. This little bundle of fur is no doubt adorable. I also find him hilarious. Again, I have no idea why. Perhaps it's what may be going on his head. I have an idea. I want to know what you think. Let's play the "Caption This" game? What is this little bunny thinking? Even if you don't normally comment on this blog, leave your thoughts. You don't have to be a "Blogspot" member to do so. Just click on comments and leave an anonymous post. That's all for now. Adios.

TV Viewers

So apparently people really do watch the news.

I was out on a story today and I had several different people come up to me and mention my choking (and my co-anchor's uncontrollable laughing) incident on last night's newscast. (see previous post.)

Everyone was good-natured about it. They all thought it was hilarious.

I guess it is when you look back on it.

Good times.

Another Live TV Disaster

I've had several stupid moments on Live TV. Nearly all have been due to some level of a lack of self-control or experience. I said the wrong thing. I laughed at the wrong time. I messed up the words.

Tonight, I can say without a doubt that it wasn't my fault.

I was in the middle of a script when my voice...simply stopped working. I tried to cough it away but it was to no avail. Nothing would come out. Things would have been fairly okay had my co-anchor taken over and explained my predicament.

But no.

He knew I had a sudden throat spasm but thought that it passed quickly. He assumed my turning away from the camera and my inability to speak was due to a laughing fit I was having.

I was not laughing. I was choking.

But he thought I was laughing. Which in turn made him laugh...a lot. Luckily we were close to a commercial break. He was barely able to get through it. I can't fault him though. I may have reacted the same way.

I couldn't even continue with the news. I tried but my voice failed me. I've always wondered what would happen if I had to sneeze or if something happened to my voice in the middle of a newscast. Now I know. It wasn't pretty.

Run Ragged With A Full Plate

I'm sick, tired, and I have too much to do.
First the sick part. I felt it coming on yesterday. By the evening, I had a sore throat and it hurt to talk. I muddled my way through the two nightly newscasts. I had a pretty good feeling that I would be calling in sick the next day. Lo and behold, that's what happened. Now it's 11:30 and I'm lying in bed waiting for the Tylenol PM to kick in.

I should have used my day today resting. While I did do a lot of that there are other things I need to take care of. First and foremost...moving. I need to be out of my current place by Friday. Normally that would be fine but climbing up and down stairs while carrying my belongings and wheezing takes its toll. My body hates me. I've made a few brief trips between the old place and the new place. The car is loaded up with yet another load which I hope to take in the morning. The big stuff...my bed and futon...still needs to be taken care of. Hopefully Friday morning.

Why did I get sick? I don't know. It may have something to do with the hectic weekend I had. I ventured on up to Glacier this past weekend. It was the 3rd annual Babbfest (a local music festival). It promised to be a big Glacier reunion as friends from years past would be making an appearance. I was looking forward to it. Then work came calling. A wildfire that had started the day before exploded in just a couple hours. I called the office and made sure they knew about it. They not only knew about it but were gleeful when they learned I was in the area. They had already sent the satellite truck and another reporter to the scene and they thought the "team coverage" they could have would be awesome. I wasn't mad about it. I was pretty excited in fact. I've seen some big wildfires in Glacier before and here was my chance to report on one of the worst. My friends were a little pissed. Understandable. But events like this were the reason I got into the news business. It just validated my career choice.

So I worked and did a live report from the scene at 10 o'clock that night. (FYI: for those interested the Red Eagle forced the evacuation of the town of St. Mary Saturday. Everyone got to go back tonight.)

I spent the next day catching up with people. I left for Bozeman early Monday morning with Whitney in tow. I got home and had to go to work in an hour. Then some friends came into town. I entertained them that night and the next morning and sent them on their way. That's when I started to feel the sickness coming on.

Oh, and I'm going to Glacier again this weekend. A camping trip that's been scheduled for a few weeks. The check engine light in my car's on now. It came on during the last drive to Glacier. I have every intention of getting it looked at. But with moving and being sick...the time is hard to find. Oh and I can't afford it anyway. On the 1st, I wrote out 3 different checks for approximately $1,400. Rent for the new place. Deposit for the new place. Rent for the old place. I still have some money left in the checking account...but not a lot.

In other news, my friend and former co-anchor Melissa began her new job in Oklahoma City. Here's a picture of her first live shot there.

I guess that's it for now. I'll wake up in the morning and see if I'm well enough to go to work. Wish me luck.

The Perks of Being Poor

There are few advantages to making the pitiful excuse of a salary that I make.

But I've found one.

I qualify for affordable housing. I'm moving into a new apartment next week.

Affordable housing can mean the "projects" in larger cities. Not in Bozeman. These are nice, brand new apartments made for the people who have too many zeroes missing from their paychecks.

That's me.

The best news, I'm moving out of my current place. It's been a fine place to live but I'm really sick of having roommates. I want my own place.

Now I'm getting it. Woohoo!

Long time no blog

It's been a while. Sheesh.

Where do I begin? How about the President. In my last blog I wondered why everyone cared so much that the president said "shit." A co-worker of mine, Shawn, agreed and then said everyone should be focused on the disgusting way Bush was shoving food into his pie hole and talking with his mouth open. I agreed. He seemed like a bit of a slob.

I have a new co-anchor. She starts August 30th. There were 3 finalists for the job...including my current co-anchor, Beth, who had been filling in since Melissa left. I was rooting for Beth. She does a great job and I thought she deserved the position. The powers that be felt otherwise. I'm confident things will work out and I am excited to meet my new TV wife...but at the moment I feel for Beth and her disappointment.

I saw "An Inconvenient Truth." Excellent movie. I highly recommend it. Why did Al Gore have to become so cool AFTER the 2000 election. We could have used the coolness factor back then. Anyway, go see it. It's worth it.

The Olive Garden followed through on its promise to send me a gift card. A $10 one. I was surprised by the amount. I was expecting $5. Now if only they'd build a restaurant in Bozeman.

I suppose that's it for now. Adios.

The Sh_t Heard 'Round the World

So the president said "shit."

Big deal.

I am no fan of of President Bush, but I like him just a little bit more tonight.

Everybody swears. EVERYONE. I don't care how religious you are. I don't care how inappropriate you think swearing is. At the very least...when you are alone...you swear. You know it.

So our president is no different than us.

So let's attack Mr. Bush for every other stupid thing he's done...but not for the use of a four-letter word.

The Olive Garden's Response

Dear Lincoln:

We understand your disappointment with the removal of Chocolate Lasagna from our menu. We make decisions about our menu based on guest demand, along with an effort to keep our menu fresh and interesting. Guests help determine what remains on the menu by ordering those items, and conversely help determine what is eliminated from the menu by not ordering those food and beverage items. We regularly review the preferences of our menu items and make additions or deletions accordingly. Please be assured that we are interested in your comments and have documented your preference for Chocolate Lasagna for future consideration. In the meantime, in the hopes that you may find a new favorite, we are sending a complimentary gift card to try one of our other menu items.

Erich

Olive Garden Guest Relations

(I'm still somewhat unhappy but at least they responded to me. Plus I'm getting a free gift card. :) Now if only they'll build a restaurant in Bozeman so I can use it.)

The Waters of Madison County

I've been in Bozeman for almost 8 months now and I finally took part in a local tradition of sorts. I floated the Madison.

(Disclaimer: I have no idea who the people in the picture are. It's a random one I found in cyberspace.)

The Madison River begins in Yellowstone National Park and meanders for 133 miles before converging with the Gallatin and Jefferson rivers to form the mighty Missouri. There's a small whitewater section along its path but for the most part the Madison is a gentle, wide waterway.

Every weekend during the summer, hundreds and hundreds of people, (mostly from Bozeman) grab whatever flotation device and jump into the river. Coolers of beer get their own inner tubes.

A lazy day of floating down the river. It was awesome. I'll be doing much more of it I'm sure.

I'm also nursing a nasty sunburn. It's been a while since I've had one.

It hurts.

A Sad, Sad Day

I have devastating news.

The best dessert in the entire world has been discontinued. Olive Garden officials, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to stop selling the beloved Chocolate Lasagna. Is there even a reason to eat there anymore? (Not that I can that often anyway because in another brilliant business move...they have yet to build a restaurant in Bozeman).

Kathryn broke the news to me this afternoon. She, more than anyone, knows what Chocolate Lasagna means to me.

This news has so upset me that I even sent a message of complaint to The Olive Garden on their website. I don't do things like that. Even when I was a kid and my favorite microwave snack, Suddenly Smores, disappeared off the supermarket shelves, I didn't take the news this hard.

I encourage all of you to contact The Olive Garden and demand that they bring Chocolate Lasagna back to the masses.

Please. I beg of you. Help me in this important endeavor.

Roadkill #2

Ahhhhh.....Isn't he cute? Well, cute and dead that is.

I'm an animal lover. So don't think I'm just casually talking of Mr. Squirrel's death as if I don't care about him. I do.

But damn....these are some stupid, stupid animals.

They are Columbian Ground Squirrels for those who don't know. They look like prairie dogs. They act like prairie dogs. They are NOT prairie dogs. I promise. They are however, dumb.

I killed two (and watched a third one dying) on my way home from Glacier over the weekend. I've killed countless others in my four years spent in the Big Sky state. They just can't seem to learn that the roadway is a dangerous place. They'll trot out into my lane...and sit there. The imposing edifice of my Toyota Camry (I'm sure from the ground a Camry looks imposing) racing towards them doesn't seem to phase the little bastards. They will simply NOT MOVE. Don't they see the car coming? Are they just blind? Are the processes in their tiny little brains not working fast enough? I don't know. What I do know is they appear to be on suicide missions. They run into my lane and simply wait to die.

What's worse is that the rest of the Columbian Ground Squirrel family will quickly choose to devour their fallen comrade. It's disgusting. They in turn stand a great chance of also being run over. I've seen it happen. It was a little squirrel graveyard. A squirrel would die. Another would try to eat it. Said diner would also be hit and killed. It's a never-ending cycle.

They are dumb, but I feel bad for them. I've never intentionally hit one and I never would. They are fairly adorable. But come on guys...smarten up a little.

I also hit a bird again. I've started to feel less sorry for them. If you can FLY and you still end up being hit by a car, you aren't using that flying privilege to its full potential.

My Rambling Mind

In an earlier post on this blog I lamented on my hatred of Spring. I love Summer, Fall, and Winter (usually) for very different and distinct reasons. Spring is just...blah.

Good news though. It's often been said that Montana has two seasons: Winter and Summer. Apparently it's true. As I was enjoying the nice summer day yesterday I wondered, "what happened to Spring?" It seemed like it was winter and then all of sudden it was summer. Oh well. Fine by me.

In other news I don't get play anchorman for a while. An expensive piece of equipment was fried in a power surge at our parent station in Missoula. The details are boring. What it means is we don't have a local newscast for at least a week. Instead I get to play reporter and do live reports for Missoula every night. I love anchoring but this will be a nice change.

I want a pet. I want a dog and/or cat. However, I don't have the time for an animal and I can't afford one anyway. But it would be nice. A cat would be the most logical choice but I'd really like a dog I can take to the park and play fetch with.

New Zealand is an amazing country. I spent 6 months there and I miss it quite a bit. Everyone's friendly, the landscape is hard to beat, and life seems so carefree. I recommend everyone go there at least to visit. The North Island is cool but the South Island is where IT'S at.

I have a crush on Allie MacKay...the morning reporter for KUTV Channel 2 in Salt Lake City. I realize she's rather polarizing. You either love her or hate her. I happen to love her. I watch little clips of her segments on the Internet. She's hilarious. Perhaps I'll work with her some day.

I guess that's it. Later.

Farewell Friend

She's gone.

We sent my co-anchor Melissa off in grand style tonight. (These are pictures from tonight) I'm fairly certain I wasn't supposed to give as much time to her "goodbye" as I did, but she deserved it. Better to beg for forgiveness later right?

She was my colleague...and a damn good one at that. More than that though, she's also my friend. I will miss her terribly.

Keep your eye out for this woman everyone. I have no doubt that we'll all see her on network television a few years down the road.

Good luck Melissa! Go make us proud.

Roadkill

Are there more critters in Montana or are these animals just stupider than elsewhere?

I'm not sure what it is but I've killed or almost killed more animals in the past couple months than I have since I first got my license. Here's a rundown.

Deer: Luckily there have been no collisions but I almost ran into a few of these guys on my home from Glacier a couple weeks ago. It's a little frightening when you're barreling down the freeway at 85 miles per hour and you suddenly see animals in the roadway. I braked....hard. Which, I found out last week, is the right thing to do. Apparently most drivers instinctually swerve which is bad....or so I've been told.

Ground squirrels: These little cannibals are everywhere in Montana. They're idiots too. I ran over many when I worked in Glacier and I saw plenty more smashed into the roadway. I guess Bozeman's no different. I was driving home the other day and a doofy little ground squirrel came trotting out onto the road. I grimaced and drove right over him. I mean that literally. I looked in my rearview mirror and saw the dumb little bastard standing up on his hind legs like, "what the hell just happened?"

Birds: What the hell? The only animal on earth that can FLY and I've hit 3 in the past couple weeks. In one case a couple of blue jays were fighting in mid-air. One of them decided to quickly back off but ended up too low...and smacked into my windshield.

Snake: This one's a little different in that a) I don't know if it's dead and b) I ran over him on my bike. It scared the crap out of me though. It was probably a little garter snake but he hissed like hell as my tires ran over his tail.

Anchors Away!

I knew it was coming but it doesn't make it any easier.

My co-anchor, Melissa, (that's us being stupid and acting "newscasterish") is moving up in the world. She's been at the station much longer than I have (2 and a half years to be exact) and the time has come for her to move on.

I remember working at Big Sky Ski Resort in the winter of 2004/2005. I've always been a news junkie and I made sure to catch the local news wherever I was. Big Sky was no different. Bozeman was only 40 minutes away thus that's where the local news came from. During my first few days there I juggled through the local channels trying to decide what I liked best. Maybe it was fate that I finally settled on Melissa. Back then she was a solo anchor for the 10 o'clock news. I liked her style and preferred to watch her over the competition. My friends knew of my news ambitions and they knew that I'd one day leave the seasonal world and pursue my dream of being a news anchor. I remember a prophetic statement made by one of them. "Lincoln? What if you start looking for a job next year and you get to work in Bozeman with her?" I tossed aside the notion back then.

Now look at me. I've been sitting next to her for the past 6 months.

Melissa, our time together has been short. But I've loved every minute of it. You have taught me a great deal on how to be a good anchor and reporter. I will miss you and I know Butte and Bozeman will miss you. Watch out Katie Couric. She's on her way.

Perspective

I went to Glacier over the weekend. Most know of my love and adoration of all things Glacier National Park. This is the first summer in 4 years that I won't be spending within the towering mountain walls of the Many Glacier Valley. That fact has worried me for quite some time.

The seasonal life can ruin you. Most don't understand that because most don't take part in it. Once you do indulge however, the lifestyle becomes dangerously addictive. Why work in the "real world" when you can "just have fun." I spent my last four summers hiking and hanging out with friends. I spent my winters snowboarding and seeing New Zealand. Sure I worked in these places but when you're living that life, being a bellman doesn't seem like work. The whole experience was like college. Only for me there was no school involved and I lived within the most beautiful mountains on earth.

Thus, making the transition to "real life" can be a little traumatic. I thought my experience might be a little different though. I landed a dream job of sorts as a TV news anchor...my lifelong ambition. Not only that, I found that job in Montana...a place that cast a spell over me nearly 5 years ago when I first came to Glacier. So obviously, some good things have happened to me in the past 6 or 7 months.

But that pesky little thought lingered in the back of my mind
"I'm not in Glacier."

So I was a little nervous to go back. I expected something heart-wrenching. It didn't happen. I stared out over the waters of Swiftcurrent Lake and smiled. I was happy to be back. But something was different. I felt like a bit of an outsider. Normally that would dismay me. Glacier is "my park" after all. But then my intuition spoke loud and clear. "You feel like an outsider because you don't belong here. You've moved on."

So I'm relieved. I can go back as much as I want this summer and I know I won't be disappointed that I'm not living there.

My time there is over. And I'm okay with that.

It's hopeless

I had an epiphany today.

Unless I marry someone who gets joy and comfort out of cooking for me...I'm going to become one of those people who eat out...all the time...every meal.

It's not that I can't cook. I believe I have decent culinary skills. But my drive and ambition to cook is...well...absent. I just don't want to put forth the effort. It's so much easier (and tastier) to drive to the Naked Noodle and order me one Gaucho with Red Snapper.

However my habit of eating out does have financial implications. To put it simply...I can't afford it. (Here's a sad, sad side note. I discovered today that new hires at the Bozeman Taco Bell are making more than I am. (Another side note: Yes I went to Taco Bell because I didn't want to cook). Granted there is a serious labor shortage in this town and even fast food chains are providing some impressive incentives. But come on.) Therefore I've been forcing myself to cook a little more.

I started this morning. Scrambled eggs with salsa and cheese. Yum.

Bozeman's Beautiful!

That's a little jingle from local radio station. It's very catchy. It's also true...most of the time. See for yourself. Isn't it purty?

Actually it wasn't this weekend. My parents came to visit for the weekend. It rained...and rained...and rained some more. It sort of pissed me off. And of course on the day they leave...it clears right up. Figures. Stupid Mother Nature. Is she on her period?

On a completely unrelated and random note...do people really care about Brad and Angelina's (oh wait...Brangelina's) baby? How is it possible that a picture of this little kid could fetch $5 million. It's a freakin' baby. Don't they all look the same anyway? I just don't get it. I do however like the idea of combining the first names of celebrity couples. It saves us all time and it's kind of a novelty. Has anyone started referring to Jennifer and Vince as Jennivaughn? If not we should start now.

TV

I find it ironic that I watch less TV than ever since I started working in the TV business.
No more Lost. No more American Idol. No more CSI.
I will catch the ABC Sunday night line-up. (With the exception of the god-awful Extreme Home Makeover). That's about it.
So as everyone I know freaks out about the American Idol finale, I sit back and wonder, "Who the hell is Taylor?"

Turmoil

Today is Mom's birthday. Happy Birthday Mom!

Onto the subject at hand.

It is so easy to be angry. Why do people fight with each other? Because it's easier than sitting down and actually communicating. It's easier than telling someone some painful truths about them. It's easier than learning painful truths about yourself. Why sit down and tediously work through the issue when you can be pissed at each other? Because being pissed off is easier.

But as with all things in life, the easy path usually isn't the best one to follow. Avoiding the easy path may just help you grow as a person and help other people grow.

I'm trying to remember this as I deal with a difficult person in my life right now. Given a choice I'd say forget it and simply avoid their poisonous attitude. Unfortunately, that's not a possibility. Circumstances are such that I must interact with this person every day.

I'll let you know how it all turns out. I am vowing to be mature and reasonable. For now, I take comfort in the fact that I, and everyone else around me, know this other person is the irrational one. And if nothing changes, I know that they'll lose in the end.

Stupid President Bush

Oh sure I think he's stupid for many reasons. Tonight, however, I'm pissed at him for addressing the nation and thus causing a very embarassing moment for me.

Mr. Bush spoke at 6 pm local time. Our newscast usually starts then so we were pushed back by 25 minutes...or so we thought.

The president finished early...which meant were were starting our show earlier than expected. We didn't know that though. I was sitting at the anchor desk getting ready for the show. There is a TV in our newsroom that usually has NBC on at all times. I happened to glance at that TV and was puzzled at first to see myself.

"Hmm," I thought. "That's not right. Melissa was sitting next to me, putting her microphone on and getting ready as well. Then I realized....I'm on TV...right now! It was not good. We had no freaking idea what to do. Our production crew in the back wasn't ready. We all got caught with our pants down. Eventually the screen went black, we started our show and pretended nothing had happened.

But man oh man it was embarassing. You gotta love small market television news.

I blame the President.

Eden

This is a picture of Mt. Wilbur. It was taken from the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake in Glacier National Park. For the past 4 summers this was the view I was treated to every day. I've written of Glacier several times in this blog. I know, I'm obsessed. I'll spare you the "Glacier is Great" testimonial this time. I'm only mentioning it because now is the time for all my Glacier buddies to be heading back up to the park. Several have stopped through Bozeman so far and more are on the way. Six months into new career (at least I hope will turn into one) as a news anchor, I'm still conflicted about not going back to the Many Glacier Hotel. Don't get me wrong. I love my job and I'm lucky to have it. But it is....a job. There's no escaping that fact. In a perfect world I'd be independently wealthy and do whatever the hell I wanted. But I digress. I'm simply hoping this picture, in some small way, explains why Glacier is a place hard to let go of. Unless you hate everything outdoorsy. In that case we'd probably never get along. Unless you're Kathryn.

On a side note, I am 5 hours away from Glacier. As I'm traveling up there nearly every weekend will I be enriching myself with the spirit of the park...or, like a bad breakup, prolonging the inevitable?

Will my job get me out of this?

As soon as I saw the police car flip around I knew it was coming for me. I resigned myself to being pulled over, turned a corner, and parked on the side of the road. Sure enough, the cop pulled up behind me...and I waited.

But the wheels were turning in my head. I wasn't wondering how to get out of this ticket. I was simply curious as to whether my job would do it for me...or even make things worse. Bozeman is a small town. My face is on television here twice a night, 5 days a week. I deal with the police all time in my job. I even recognized her. She had to know who I was. The only question is whether she'd give a shit. The answer: No.

Don't get me wrong. I wasn't expecting to get out of a ticket because I'm on TV. I was just wondering whether she'd be lenient with me because of it. If that were the case, I'd drive away and think, "ahh, the perks of my job."

But, alas, it didn't happen. In fact, she gave no indication she recognized me at all. She asked me where I lived, where I worked, and how long I'd been in Montana. I got a ticket for going 43 in a 25. I then got a stern warning for not having a Montana driver license and Montana plates. Then I got sent on my merry way.

So now I have to pay the ticket, get a new license and shell out a lot of money to have my car registered here. All for having a lead foot.

So no...my job didn't get me out of it. I'm still a nobody.

The Question

I've been alive for a little over 26 years now. Only recently have people started asking me "the question."

When you're young, they ask you because it's a cute thing to ask. They like to see how a little kid responds.

When you're in your early teens, they ask because you just might be reaching the point in life when you're actually interested in the topic.

When you're a full-fledged teenager about ready to tackle college, they ask because they want to know who the "flavor of the month" is.

When you're a finally an adult, they ask because, apparently, that's what I should be focusing on now.

So to answer this question once and for all...NO. I'm not currently seeing anyone. When I am, I'll let you know. But to satisfy the murmurings in your mind, I'll delve into this topic further.

I am not interested in dating. Dating is a foreign concept to me that I want no part of. I have never dated. I am not dating now. I don't see myself dating in the future. (Could happen I guess, but don't count on it.) Now don't mistake me for an aesexual eunich. I don't want to be alone. I would like someone special in my life. I've had a significant other before and I loved how it felt.

BUT...I'm not a fan of actively "dating" to find that someone. I won't go up to someone I find attractive and ask them if they want to "go out on a date." I'm just not comfortable with it. I prefer to meet people simply by living my life. I can meet people at work and slowly get to know them. Sometimes that can lead to some sort of relationship. I can hang out with friends and, over the course of a given amount of time, meet new and interesting people. Sometimes, a relationship can emerge. You never know. I just want to live life and see what happens. I don't want to be active about this whole thing. Perhaps that's the wrong way to go. Right now, I don't care. That's how I do things.

So for all those reading this (and I realize that's not many) don't ask me "the question" if you ever get the urge to. It irritates me.

If and when I find someone, I'll let you know.

Musings

Ahh life...

I was home for the Easter weekend. You know something...I like Salt Lake. I really do. I guess it's just because that's where I grew up. It's home. But I really like it. The mountains are gorgeous and enormous. They tower over the city. I think people who live there often take them for granted. The city is, for the most part, nice and clean. People are friendly. And, above all, it's more cultured than people think. Would I love to be the next Tom Brokaw and work out of a studio in New York City? Sure. But if I stay in the news business, and I'm working in local news for the rest of my life...I'd rather it be in Salt Lake. I could work for KUTV for the rest of my life and be happy I think.

On the other hand, I'm liking Bozeman more and more these days. It's getting warmer every day. I'm becoming more and more social. A couple long, lost friends have resurfaced in this town. Things are going well. My co-anchor is fast approaching the end of her career here. She's flying down to sunny Florida for a job interview at a station there. She's good and I have no doubts she'll go far....but it's gonna be sad without her.

Kathryn and I ventured to Olive Garden while I was home. For some reason Ms. Kat wanted me and the waiter to be best friends. She wanted us to have more of a conversation. She wanted me to invite him to sit down so we could all learn more about each other's lives. He'd say, "How is everything?" I'd say, "Great, thanks." She'd say, "That's all you have to say? Couldn't you be more creative?" I told her her mom was fat. For some reason I can't quite pinpoint, Kat and I always have the strangest interactions with the waitstaff wherever we go. It gets doubly weird when Liz is with us.

Danny's a freakin' musical genius. He's gonna be country superstar soon. He's got a website now, www.dannymcintosh.com. Check it out. He's got some good stuff on there. I like to think I'll be anchoring the Today show one day and Danny will be part of our summer concert series.

I suppose that's all for now.

Me in action

This picture doesn't have the best quality but I thought I'd post it and show you all what I look like. Granted, there's probably only one person out there who reads this blog and doesn't know what I look like...but whatever.

This is a picture of my co-anchor and I at the anchor desk just before a show.

I love my job.

The road to being a slob....

....is paved with good intentions.

I have so many of them. The warmer weather and the sunshine have inspired me.
I want to rise early every morning and go for a jog.
I want to hike into the mountains and feel at one with nature.
I want to go to the gym and work out with the best of them.
I want to eat right and exercise and take care of myself.
I want to be confident and have people notice it.

But, alas, I wake up in the morning and think....

...I want to stay in bed.

So I do.
I'm pitiful.

Linco

Love & Marriage

Okay, here's the deal. I have this friend who's fallen in love with a married woman.
And seriously, it's a friend of mine. I'm not using one of those "i have a friend" lines to cover up the fact the story is really about me.
So yeah...he's fallen in love...with a married woman. Apparently she feels the same way about him and tells him that she's been drifting apart from her husband for quite some time. They've only been married for a couple years. She now says it was a mistake to marry him and that, at the time, she assumed she knew what love really was. Now she says she's discovering the truth...she's found out what love is supposed to be like.
These are not crazy people. I know all three of them. They're not the whacked out type that pops up on Jerry Springer from time to time. They're all well-grounded, well-behaved, honest, down-to-earth, caring individuals.
Physically, this girl has not strayed from her marriage. Emotionally, she has.
My friend took a step in the ethical direction and told her that they probably shouldn't see each other anymore...at least until she figures out where she wants to take her marriage.

I'm torn. If I didn't know these people I wouldn't have much respect for this girl or the man squirming his way into her marriage. Then I hear how he talks about her. I hear his genuine remorse and how the girl's husband is being treated. My friend's a good guy and he doesn't want to hurt anyone. He's just fallen for a married girl and doesn't know what to do.

Marriage is supposed to be sacred, I know. He should take the honorable road, stop seeing her, and remove himself from the situation. And yet, on some level, I'm rooting for him. Is that wrong?

Cheating takes place all the time. People are pigs and jerks and don't care about other people. But aren't there times when something that just isn't supposed to happen...develops? What if you fall in love with someone other than your spouse? Do the vows you took trump everything else? Does the realization that you married the wrong person even matter?

These are genuine questions I'm asking. I don't know.
My friend feels horribly guilty for what's happening. Yet, he can't help the way he feels.
I suppose I'm in the same boat. Logic and ethics tell me that he's a home-wrecker. And yet, on some level, I can't help but wish that his dreams become reality.

Advice?

Lincoln

Bed

Why is it so, so hard to get out of bed?
Every night I have these grand intentions of rising early and starting my day off right. Whether that be going to the gym, or doing laundry, or getting other errands done.
Every morning I look at the clock and refuse to leave the warmth and comfort of my bed. I end up sleeping a couple hours longer than I should.
I just don't get it. It's like I'm addicted. I simply CAN'T force myself to get out of bed unless I absolutely have to. I've harbored dreams of being a morning person for years. There's just something about it that I'm drawn to. But I can't do it. I just can't.
Does anyone else have this problem? Maybe my bed's too comfortable.
Ah well. It's about 11 am so I'm gonna get up now. But I promise. Tomorrow I'll be up by 8.

Who am I kidding?

Lincoln

Mormonism

Ahh the Mormons. I am one and I'm not one. It all depends on how you look at. I almost prefer to look at Mormons as a race of people. I'm certainly not a Mormon in practice. However in a cultural sense, I will always be a part of the race. I've got Mormon blood in me. But like a lot of people who feel conflicted about their relationship with a certain group, I myself have a love-hate relationship with Mormonism.

I don't go to church anymore. I don't want to and I don't feel guilty about it. I'm just way too liberal for such a conservative religion. I think abortion should be legal. I believe gay people should be allowed to tie the knot if they so wish. I don't see a problem with premarital sex. I enjoy my Irish Cream cappucinos and I think a beer or a glass of wine are acceptable beverages. My views don't mesh well with Mormon teachings.

And yet...

I don't want to be known as a former Mormon. I don't want my name removed from membership rolls. There's something comforting about being a part (even if I don't play the part) of such a unique and often mis-understood crowd. There's something rebellious and satisfying about telling new friends that I have polygamy in my family. I can walk into any Mormon church in the world and know that help is waiting for me if I need it. I can still walk the grounds of Temple Square and feel a tremendous sense of peace.

And yet...

I can be critical of "The Church." I can roll my eyes at that whole priesthood revelation of the late 1970's. I can snort when young Mormons refuse to see a movie because it's rated "R." I can cringe with embarassment when I explain the whole "undergarments" thing to Mormonism rookies.

And yet....

I'm the first to defend "The Church" when someone makes fun of it. I get exasperated when the ignorant try and tell me Mormons still practice polygamy. I can get irate when someone tries to tell me that Mormons aren't Christians. I can tell the story of Joe Smith and what he's all about and I get frustrated when the listener's eyebrow raises and they say, "What is this crap?"

I don't particularly understand my relationship with Mormonism. Am I believer? Probably not. I'm at a place now where I feel more personally connected with God than at any other time in my life. I got there by doing my own thing...not following Mormon doctrine. But Mormonism isn't just a faith to me. It's a culture. Sometimes that culture is too conservative and over-bearing. But I know that if I ever turn to it for help...I will be received with open arms; even if I do see things a little differently than they do.

But I suppose my relationship with Mormonism is a bit like my view on religion in general. We're all individuals and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. That's how I see things. That's why I'll understand those who faithfully follow that Mormon lifestyle just the same as those who shun it with ridicule. Believe what you want to believe. I'm in the middle and I'm happy staying there.

Everyone has their day

Just for a moment picture the state you live in. Does your state have a city or town that's become the "butte" of all jokes. Are they the "butte"hole of your state? Does everyone hate that place and make fun of all who live there?

I'm sure you can think of some place.

In Montana, that place is Butte. It's a town of about 35,000 lying in the heart of southwest Montana. It's called the "Mining City." They got that name because mining was, and in some cases still is, the town's economic foundation. In many ways it's your typical American town.

But they get no respect. For some reason, no one has anything nice to say about Butte.

That is except...for today.

For reasons unknown to me, Butte is the location of one of the largest St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the country. I never knew that until I moved to Montana. But apparently, it's true. I've heard out-of-staters talk about St. Patrick's Day in Butte like it's some sort of pilgrimage.

This just goes to show you that everyone has their day. Even those cities and towns across America that most people like to make fun of.

No one's laughing at Butte today.

Tomorrow will probably be a different story.

70 percent

They say about 70% of what a television reporter or anchor projects into a camera actually comes across on TV. Watch a news anchor on TV and they're talking normally. Watch the same show, live in the studio, and the anchor seems to be shouting at you. Emotions, voice, and projection are all diminished in the journey through television. After tonight, I've decided that might be a good thing.

I had my first real laughing fit on television tonight. I've had one before but I was never on camera and was only laughing while our sports anchor did his thing. Tonight was different. It's a little scary to know that I can't control my giggling fits even when I know I'm live on television with thousands of people watching at home.

We were in the middle of our show. Our weather guy was showing people the forecast while Melissa and I patiently waited for it to be our turn to talk. Tara, our camera operator for the night, said something funny and set both Melissa and I off. We laughed and laughed and then APPEARED to pull it together before the weather guy tossed it back to us. Then Melissa flubbed a line, and for some reason...we lost it. She couldn't get the rest of her sentence out. I lost it and muttered something incoherent about cigarettes in an upcoming story. And that was that. Melissa decided it was best if she left the desk because we were afraid we wouldn't be able to get through the next segment. It was pretty damn funny.

Probably funnier to us. We watched the tape after the show, and while it was very noticeable and very funny, only about 70% of the idiocy we projected, actually showed up on TV. So I figure that 30% of material left out might be a good thing.

Linco

2 weeks?

Is that really all the vacation I get? Two freakin' weeks. There's one more aspect of the real world that pretty much sucks. That's not nearly enough. I think everyone deserves at least 4 weeks of vacation a year. Possibly more. I'm just used to having so much time off. Not only did I get one to two months off between seasons during the past four years, but I had a lot of time off while I was working as well. As a bellman at the Many Glacier Hotel, I got three days off a week. Three days! And I could have those days back to back with the next week and get 6 days off in a row. It was awesome. But back to reality. Now I get 2 weeks a year. That sucks.