Twister: SLC Edition

I'm sure some of my midwestern friends have their own tornado stories. I've got my own...and I grew up in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. 

Ten years ago today, I drove right through a tornado...and didn't even know it. I worked at a library in Salt Lake's Avenues neighborhood at the time. I remember it being a gloomy day as I left for work. At one point, I started to notice lots of debris flying through the air. My first thought was that a dumpster had perhaps tipped over. I was only a minute or so away from work when I looked my rear view mirror and saw a tree topple over into the street. "Wow, it's really windy," I remember saying to myself out loud. I wasn't nervous or scared. I was mesmerized more than anything else. Branches, leaves, boxes, a strange blue styrofoam (which I later learned came from a nearby construction site), and garbage was flying everywhere. Hail was coming down hard. I saw another tree fall over as I parked along the street in front of the library. I ran towards the entrance and saw my manager holding the door open screaming, "Hurry!" She closed the door behind me and said, "you're a lucky guy." "Why," I asked. "You just drove through a tornado." They were listening to a news bulletin on the radio. We closed down for the day and I slowly made my way home. Later that night I took my nephew Ricky and drove up to the state capitol building. These were some of the pictures I took. 

I remember people asking me why I kept driving through the storm. What else was I supposed to do? I didn't grow up with midwest psyche of "seek shelter." The possibility of a tornado was the furthest thing from my mind. Luckily, it all turned out okay. 

Lonely nights

Most people don't travel at night, especially when they have to drive. Sometimes, I prefer it. If you're lucky, you'll see some cool things that wouldn't be that impressive in daylight. I headed home from Glacier last Wednesday evening. The plan was to get through at least half of my Highway 12 route, stop at a pullout along the Lochsa River, and sleep in my Jeep. I didn't count on not being able to sleep. After 40 fitful minutes of trying to doze off, I said, "screw it." I got back in the driver's seat and kept going. 

Much of Highway 12 through Idaho is a frustrating and beautiful drive. It's 150 miles of windy, curvy roadway. There's a lot to look at but if you're in a hurry, it's the road that never ends. There's also a long, long stretch between any kind of services. It's a lonely road. Lonelier at night. I could count the number of cars I saw that night on one hand. Imagine my surprise then when I rounded a corner and saw a bright light ahead on the roadway. Beneath the light, a lone flagger holding a stop sign. It was a strange sight at 2:00 a.m. in the middle of nowhere. Eerie is a good way to describe it. As I inched closer, the flagger turned out to be a middle aged blonde woman with a big grin on her face. 

"A pilot car will be along in a little bit to take you through," she said. "Bet you didn't expect to see me tonight, did you?" 

I don't think most people normally roll the windows down and chat with construction workers but under the circumstances, it would have been weird not to. This woman chose the night shift so she wouldn't have to stand in the heat of the day. She told me about the time her construction light suddenly went out. She turned the headlights of her car on so drivers would at least see her. 

"But then I thought that was a bad idea," she explained. "If I was driving through here at night and saw somebody in construction clothes lit up by the headlights of a car, I wouldn't think it was legit. I'd think somebody was trying to stop me so they could rob me or kill me." 

I laughed nervously at that one. 

"You're fully awake aren't you," she asked me. 

"Yeah, I am." 

"The other night a guy rammed right through here because he fell asleep. I had to dive out of the way. He hit the rear view mirror on my car. I think that woke him up. If I hadn't been here he would have gone right into the river."

I'm sure she would have been happy to have someone to talk to for the rest of the night. But the pilot car came and escorted me through. I never got a picture of her. The photo at the top is of another roadblock I came across minutes later. This guy wasn't in the mood for conversation. I eventually got through this last road block and continued driving. Thirty minutes later, I was treated to one of the most incredible lightning shows I've ever seen. Lots of electricity, no rain, and virtually no thunder. Very cool. Consider traveling at night if you can. You never know what strange experiences you'll have. 

Escape

I'm going here for the next week. Glacier National Park. "Pick a different vacation spot already," I hear you say. The answer is...no. I'm simply too nostalgic for my own good, and therefore must visit my old stomping grounds. Hopefully, I'll return with adventures to share. For now...adios.

Snape Kills Dumbledore

When you watch this video...you'll understand the title of this post.

I've lambasted the Snuggie before. But let me reiterate. It's a stupid product. But I realized yesterday I've never posted this Snuggie parody. It's been around for a while but it's good.

Company

This is my favorite photo of the past week...and there were a lot taken. It was a whirlwind 6 days. An old friend and my parents came to the City of Trees to see me...and it reminded me how exhausting it can be to have company. Don't get me wrong. I love it when friends and family come to visit. But it is exhausting. 

The seasonal life is, of course, nomadic. I think the wandering spirit of a seasonal worker (no matter how long they're in that world) stays with them forever. Part of that spirit is always being on the run...always taking the next step. It's a life of movement. Because of that, friend and family visits never seem to last long. I know that was the case for me when I was still in the seasonal world. I'd stop by and see people "on my way" to somewhere else. I usually stayed for no more than a day. It's the same story for those who've visited me since I started "real life." They stop in for a day or two...and continue on their way. That's why it was so nice to have Siri come stay with me for 4 days. I met Siri my second year in Glacier. Here I am, back in my Glacier glory days, holding a water gun to her head. 
She was on her way up to Glacier and stopped throw B-town to see me. We had a blast too. Explored Bruneau Sand Dunes. Hiked to Sawtooth Lake in Idaho's Sawtooth Wilderness. Drove to Silver City with my parents (more on their visit later). Ate at plenty of good restaurants. We got a little picture happy too. Have a look.

Good place to meditate...no?

A badger with his/her dinner

Siri has the look of a little kid here

Walking along the ridge of one of the dunes

Sawtooth Lake

The handstand of death

Mom & Dad also came to visit. They went to Silver City as well. We saw Harry Potter on Friday. Then I took them zip lining earlier today. I apologize for the lack of pictures on this front. I took a couple with my camera but I had some trouble getting them loaded to my computer. I'm waiting for dad to email me some of the ones he took. Suffice it to say...we had fun. (Dad...sorry for not having more faith in you as you came in for a landing on that one zip line. Although...I can't wait to see the pictures of you slamming into me and knocking me to the ground.) 

Merlin was glad to have all the company too. I'm sure he thinks I'm boring now. 

Anyone else want to come visit? 

Montañas!

I'm trying to balance on a rickety fence post. This is about as close as I got to actually standing up. 

Went camping for the weekend. It was awesome. Those are the Sawtooths behind me. I'm headed up again this week with Siri...an old friend from Glacier. This is her and I back in 2003. We were acting like bad asses outside Ptarmigan Tunnel. 

Not much else to report. My parental units are visiting at the end of the week. That's all I have to report. Sorry for the sporadic posting. It goes in waves. Sometimes I'm good about it...sometimes I'm not. 

Until we meet again. 

Googly, googly

I walked into Walgreen's last night to buy some milk. I passed by a large bin containing the above merchandise...basically a giant Koosh ball. When I saw what it was called, I laughed...out loud. It was advertised as a Massive Googly. I can't explain why I think it's so funny. I guess it's just the word "googly." Can you think of a word funnier than that? I am incredibly amused by it. 

In completely unrelated news...I've finally figured out how to get recorded footage from my DVR onto my computer for editing. (This is important in the process of making a resume tape as I begin the hunt for a new job). I've been trying to do this for months and I haven't been able to figure it out. As it turns out, the solution was pretty simple...a small, easy-to-use (although expensive) device I bought from the Mac store in Boise. It works wonders. I tested it out yesterday and decided to post my appearance on the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. 

For anyone who doesn't know, I had a 1/3 of a second (literally) cameo on Conan the other night. Watch the clip below. Pay attention though....blink and you'll miss me. 

A Good Day

I can't say for sure...but this might just be the best Independence Day holiday I've ever had. There was nothing overly grandiose about it. I just had a very good day. I started early...about 6:45...by going to the gym. Then I headed off to Zip Idaho for half a day of zip line tour guiding. The morning was beautiful. Temperatures in the mid-70's, bright sunshine, cool guests, and the speed/adrenaline of Wild Turkey (the zip line...not the drink). I drove home...making sure to stop at Baskin Robbins for a Cappuccino Blast with extra whipped cream. Then it was off to a BBQ with good friends, good food, and good conversation. After that...a brisk 25 minute walk with more friends down to Ann Morrison Park for Boise's annual fireworks display...sponsored by the station I work for. It was quite a good show too. 

The importance and significance of today was not lost on me. I thought about America constantly today. Problems abound...but I'm happy I live here. 

Yesterday, July 3rd, was Idaho's birthday. I'm happy to be here for the moment as well. There's a lot for me to complain about but I developed quite the soft spot in my heart for Boise tonight. Community gatherings (like the thousands gathered for fireworks) do that to me. 

Oh...and did I mention the fireworks. I love fireworks. 

Happy Birthday America. I hope it was a good one for you. It was for me. And even though the following has nothing to do with Independence Day...I thought I'd post it anyway...because hey...I love things that explode in the sky. This is, hands down, the best fireworks show I've ever witnessed personally. It was at the closing ceremonies for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. This is coverage from the Canadian Broadcasting Company (btw...Happy Canada Day back on July 1st!) but it's the best clip I could find on YouTube. Mega-fireworks literally exploding up and down the Wasatch Front. I was in the stadium for this. What a damn, good, explosive show. 

What would you do?

I hope this never happens to me. Although if it did, I'm not sure I'd shove the guy's face on live TV. I love the anchors' reaction.

Oldie but a goodie

I've spent all day trying to pretend I know something about computers and file transfers and editing and digital video and blah, blah, blah. I'm irritated now. I'm simply trying to get old programs saved on my DVR transfered onto my computer so I can edit them. That is much, much easier said than done. 

Anywho, I needed a break so I went Youtube browsing. I came across this. Many of you might have seen it before but it's still worth another look. This is the "God Warrior" from Trading Spouses. This one crazy, crazy lady. It'll make you thankful for the mother you have. It gets real good about a minute in.

Yikes.

Peevish

On long Interstate drives...when the cars around you can't maintain a steady speed. Why do they have to pass me...then watch me pass them a few minutes later...then repeat the cycle. Cruise control people! I'm using it so I know you are not.

People who call attention to their own birthdays. One or two mentions are fine...but don't go overboard. It really ticks me off when they say, "What are you doing for my birthday?"

Overly sweet coffee or tea. Why do Starbucks baristas look at me strange when I ask for just ONE pump of syrup?

Waking up early...although my definition of early has changed since I started waking up at 3:00 am.

Slow hikers. I'm destination oriented. I'm sorry. Just accept it and let me book it. Please don't ask me to slow down or "wait up." If I'm hiking with you I know I've already warned you that I like to go fast.

People who don't accept alternative lifestyles...and by that I simply mean those who think you're abnormal because you're not married and raising a family.

Chronic tardiness. It isn't that difficult to be on time. I promise.

Reporters who say, "take a look behind me" or "just over my shoulder" in live shots.

People who don't like animals. How is that even possible?


I think that's it for now...but I reserve the right to add an addendum to this post.

Wow

I guess everyone's weighing in on Michael Jackson's death. I will too. Whoever first referred to him as Wacko Jacko couldn't have said it better. He was a bizarre human being. But it's obvious he had a HUGE impact on the entire world. I'm not exactly sad. Just shocked I guess. 

Like many people, "Thriller" is always the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Michael Jackson. I don't remember a childhood transfixion more confusing than that video. I was scared of it. I was drawn to it. I remember a little panic attack when it would come on the TV. Yet I'd never leave the room to avoid watching it. For some reason, I'd always focus on one specific female zombie in the group dance. (I'd have to watch it again to tell you which one it is. I think she was wearing white). My "favorite" (or the most terrifying) part was when the girlfriend barricades herself in the house and they start breaking in. What a video. 

People will remember him in many different ways. I think it would be awesome if everyone did their best to learn the "Thriller" dance and then let 'er rip in a big group performance. That idea brings a smile to my face. 

Preggers

Here's the deal. 

Back on June 1, I officially had 9 months left on my current contract. I made that realization and immediately thought, "that's the length of a pregnancy." I've taken that theme and run with it. 

It's an interesting time for the news biz. I have no idea what I'm going to do early next year. I suppose I'm torn between several different goals and aspirations. I won't go into them here. I just know that, like a pregnancy, I've got to be ready when the time comes. Much like a soon-to-be parent, I feel unprepared. 

So yeah....I'm pregnant. 

If I throw myself a baby shower will people bring me presents?

Why I Caved

I'm a tweeter. 

I've been one for about 4 hours now. I expected to feel more ashamed about it but...I really don't. Over the past few months I told many people that I wouldn't join Twitter. Honestly, I'm not quite sure I ever believed myself. I was hoping for the Twitter hype to die down and then feel comfortable with my refusal. Then, two things changed my mind: the Iran election drama and the social networking password controversy in Bozeman. 

We've known for a while how a site like Twitter can enable "citizen journalists" to spread information quickly. I, like many others, was able to see it as a dissemination tool. But I looked at it as a divider of sorts. It divided the "citizen journalists" from the "real ones." You could get little bits of information from people on the scene of a breaking story. But if you wanted the best "coverage" you should look to traditional media. In many ways, I still believe that. But with the two recent events I mentioned above...I saw the flaws in my argument. When Iran cracked down on media coverage, Twitter became vital pathway of information dissemination. The traditional media were looking to Twitter (among others) for the best coverage. As for the Bozeman drama (quick background: a reporter at KBZK uncovered the fact that the city was asking job applicants to disclose login information...including passwords...on applications. A worldwide brouhaha ensued...and the city dropped the policy days later in embarrassment) a BIG part of the story was how the Twitterverse was exploding with criticism. As someone very interested in the issue, I was shut out of a lot of the back and forth....simply because I wasn't on Twitter. 

As a personal social networking site, I'm still skeptical of Twitter. But as a journalist, I now realize it's a valuable tool to have at my disposal. I would hate to be involved in a major breaking story and not have Twitter in my coverage arsenal. 

So I joined. I feel good about it. I'm going to try to keep it more professional than personal. 

My Twitter handle is LincolnGraves. Check it out and become a follower. 

Miss Spud State

People are often surprised when I tell them I'm scared of public speaking. "But you're a news anchor," they say. Yes I am. Put me in a studio with a teleprompter and I'm fairly comfortable. I'm even fairly comfortable without the teleprompter. Even though people are watching on television, I'm able to feel safe and comfortable in the studio. But put me in front of a large group of people and I get nervous. 

It's gotten better over the last year and a half. Taking this job in Boise has given me some opportunities to overcome that fear. I took the biggest step last weekend as co-host of the 2009 Miss Idaho Pageant. I didn't know what to expect but I must say...I had a really good time. It helped that my co-host was someone I'm already comfortable with...my co-anchor Mellisa. Here we are all dressed up. 

It was a two night event and I got more comfortable the more I did it. I got a lot of good feedback after the show as well. I'm going to assume it was all sincere. It made me realize that I should look into hosting gigs when it's time to look for another job. Granted, host jobs are even tougher to come by than news jobs...but I was never interested in them before this event. 

Here's Mellisa and I on the first night with Miss Idaho 2008.

And here we are with Miss Idaho 2009. 
I know people are skeptical of pageants. They have a cheesy reputation that will probably never disappear. But by the time we got down to the end and were ready to announce the winner...I was genuinely excited and happy for the girls.

Mellisa tells me I may have gotten a date out of the whole thing too. She's with-holding information until she knows for sure...whatever that means. 

More than anything, I'm grateful for the experience. It made me much less nervous to accept a debate moderator gig I've got lined up for next month. 

Under Fire

I've been able to do a lot of cool things since I got into the news business. My latest adventure was Fire OPS 101...a firefighter training event put on by local fire departments in the Boise area. It was the inaugural event...designed to give local media and elected officials a taste of what it's like to be a firefighter. I've gotta say...it was awesome. We were in groups of four...each "amateur" shadowed by a real firefighter. We searched for victims in a smoke filled room. Attacked a blaze head-on with a fire hose. Sawed into the roof of a building with a chainsaw. Climbed a 100 foot tall ladder truck. Used the Jaws of Life to cut open a wrecked car. Watched a flashover demonstration. Here's a picture of that. 

I'm not sure most people really understand what a firefighter does each day. Until this event, I didn't. I was worried about going through all the exercises without wearing my glasses. (You can't wear a firefighter's mask with eyeglasses). It turns out vision wasn't the sense I needed most with some of these exercises. There's nothing like crawling around on your knees through a smoke-clogged room, breathing oxygen from a claustrophobic mask...to make you appreciate the sense of touch. And while I like to think I'm in reasonably good shape it's exhausting to drag a 150 lb. dummy from a "burning" building. I had also never operated a chainsaw before. It's not as easy as it looks. I'd have to say the coolest part was cutting apart a wrecked car. The "cutter" and the "spreader" are AWESOME....and very, very heavy. 

It was a really good day. I was drenched in sweat by the end of it...but I only felt the good kind of exhaustion. 

There were several local elected officials there. As for the media...a news anchor from each station in Boise came to play. It's not often we all get together at events like this...so I had to take a picture. 

Three morning anchors, Tammy, me, Doug (left to right) and one evening anchor, Natalie. Oh, and we got to keep those helmets too. They even put our names on them. 

Good times.

Tidbits

It's official. I lost the dancing competition at my station. Still, thanks to everyone who voted for me. If it wasn't for you...I wouldn't have received the 41% of votes I did get. A landslide loss? Yes. But it could have been worse. 

I haven't yet talked about the season finale of Lost. I won't say anything revealing in case some of you haven't watched it. I still love this show. But I have to admit this latest season confused me more than any other. I hope I'm not alone in this. But it did give me one of my favorite phrases. "When are we?" I love that. I've also got a crush on Juliet. 

Merlin, my well-behaved cat of seven months decided he had enough of me and tried to make a break for it a week ago. He's never showed much interest in going outside like some cats do. He's never bolted for the door. He never whines in front of the window. I usually open a window so he can sit on the window sill and get some fresh air through the screen. I was watching TV one morning when I looked over and saw him poke his little paw through a small hole at the bottom of the screen. It's like something clicked inside him. "This is it! Here's my chance!" He rammed his head through the hole, tore the screen from its edges, and lodged half his body outside before I ran over to pull him back in. Little bastard. He's still a cool cat though. 

Yeah, he drinks out of the toilet. He won't touch a water dish. And no, he's not fat in that first picture.  He's just very, very furry. That damn fur fills up my vacuum every time I use it. 

While not official by the calendar, summer is, nonetheless, here. That means I'm back on a zip line. I'm helping out at Zip Idaho this summer as a part-time, zip line tour guide. It's a nice escape from the real world and the extra money is good too. Here's my latest ride on Wild Turkey. 

Zip Idaho is in the mountains...meaning I've finally put my Jeep through some rugged paces. Soooooo nice. Bumpy, dirt roads are so smooth compared to how they felt in my Camry. It's nice to have a new car that can go pretty much anywhere. 

I really dislike it when someone makes a favorite treat of mine the wrong way. I'm somewhat addicted to Cappuccino Blasts from Baskin Robbins. I've gotten so many of them that I can immediately tell when the worker behind the counter starts to make them in a way I don't like. They let the blender run long. They let it run short. They don't add enough ice. They don't give me enough whipped cream. The possibilities are endless. It makes me want all the materials at home so I can make it myself. 

With me being a news anchor, I don't report on as many stories as I'd like to. But, this is one I did as part of my weekly environmental franchise. It's one of my favorites, so I'll share it with you. I'm having a hell of a time trying to embed videos from my station's website. For some reason, I can't get it to work for all videos. I'll just give you the link instead:

A Smoggy Day in Boise Town

I watched the finales of Dancing With the Stars and American Idol. Man, I need to cut down on my TV watching. I've become addicted. I'm happy Shawn Johnson won. I'm okay with Kris Allen winning...even though I wanted Adam Lambert. Whatever.

Finally...old school Nintendo is awesome. I brought the old NES and SNES game consoles home with me from my last trip to Salt Lake. Since then, I'm wasting hours in front of the TV playing Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Street Fighter, and others. Good times...but not good for my lazy tendencies. You just can't beat classic video games. 

Ouch

We play games in TV business. Sometimes we take digs at the competition. They do the same to us. It's a back and forth...and you just have to roll with it.

Unfortunately, I figure prominently in a promo from another station in town. More specifically, my bad dancing figures prominently. I have to give them credit...this one was pretty creative, and a pretty good dig. And despite my poor performance, I stand behind our dancing segment 100%. It was a cool, fun feature story that tied in with a hit show on our network. They've done similar things.

But yeah...this one stings a little.

Yep...it's bad

Okay...it's done. Just keep one thing in mind. Since I'm encouraging all the world to see this story...please go to our station's website and vote for ME...even though I'm not a good dancer. 

Don & Michelle Judge the Dances:

Be nice to me folks.

Oh geez...here we go

Here's the promo spot my station will start running tomorrow. I know some of you are giddy with glee to see me make a fool of myself. I'm considering faking my own death after the whole thing airs.

This is gonna be bad.

Mom's Surprise

I went to the gym pretty late Saturday night. While there, I thought to myself, "it'd be nice to surprise mom at breakfast tomorrow morning." So I did. I didn't leave Boise until 10:41 that night. I got into Salt Lake around 3 o'clock in the morning, slept for four hours and headed to the restaurant to meet my family. Only Dad and my sister knew I was coming. I surprised my aunt, grandma, and cousin when they got there first. When my mom walked in I was sitting at a table with a newspaper held up over my face. Mom went to sit down with my nephew moving in beside her. I got up quickly, walked over to the table, pushed my nephew out of the way and said, "I want to sit by my mom." 

The look on her face was priceless. It was a nice surprise if I do say so myself. Happy Mother's Day mom. 

It was a quick trip...but well worth it. After breakfast my mom, sister, her kids, and myself headed to Lagoon. I haven't been to Lagoon about 3 or 4  years. Every time I go back I get nostalgic for the good ole days. When I was kid I went to Lagoon EVERY SINGLE day during the summer. My aunt would take my sister and I along with our cousins. We rode the rides occasionally but the vast majority of our time was spent at Lagoon-A-Beach. Hours and hours spent at the waterpark. It was awesome. We'd rent tubes each day and get a two dollar refund when we returned them. My cousin Levi and I would use that two dollars to play Sidewinder. It was a game they had along the midway. It was only around for a couple years. I found a couple pictures online.

You start with a large ball (about the size of a skee-ball) near the top of the curvy track. Using the steering wheel, you guide it down the track and make it fall into a hole at the bottom. Near the bottom, the guardrails disappear. Plus, the steering wheel turns in opposite directions. Turn it right, the track goes left. It was confusing. Levi and I, however, got very, very good at it. We'd throw two bucks towards practicing every day and within weeks...we were always winning. This was a game with big prizes too. I'm not sure why we needed huge stuffed animals but we kept winning and winning and winning. They had a rule against winning more than once each day so we'd come back at different times when there was a different game attendant. Lagoon tried to make it a little harder the second year. They put a plastic ring inside the hole to make the opening smaller. It challenged us a little more but...we still kicked ass. 

It was nice to go back and re-live some of those memories. Lagoon is a fun place. If you try to compare it to a Six Flags amusement park...Lagoon will lose every time. But take it for what it is...and it's fun. 

My only problem is that I noticed my age once again. When I was young I could ride any ride as many times as I wanted and feel great. This time around I felt a little queasy getting off some of them. So sad. 

Whoa there buddy....

This is cute...until the cat decides to take it too far.

Mr. Chihuahua wants none of it. 

The moral of the story...you can't be friends with benefits unless your friend wants the benefits.

Dancing with the Hopeless

As far as reality TV talent shows go...I'm an American Idol loyalist. I've taken a gander at Dancing With the Stars but I can take it or leave it. 

Still, I've wondered what it takes to do a little ballroom dancing. I can wonder no more. For the last two days I've taken a crash course in the Waltz with a dance instructor in Boise. My co-anchor is doing the same thing. It's a competition of sorts. It's called Dancing With the Anchors. Since we're an ABC affiliate, we're doing a little local tie-in with the season finale of the show. 

We don't get much practice time. I'm getting one more hour on Wednesday and then I have to perform the routine...while a photographer videotapes the whole thing. Apparently, we're airing the embarrassing footage sometime this month. 

I'll share the footage when the time comes. But let me warn you. It's bad. Really, really bad. Perhaps, with time, I could get better. 

But it'll take a while.

Lazy

You can always spot a lazy blogger. They rely more on random YouTube videos to entertain rather than write anything. But let's be honest...my life hasn't been interesting enough to write about.

With that, here's a clip of a kitten versus an electric fan. It's pretty awesome.

Facebook Guilt

I have 302 friends on Facebook. I don't know if that's a large number or not. I've seen people with more. I've seen people with less. There's one thing I'm sure off. No one should be impressed with anyone who has lots of friends.

I wouldn't recognize half of my "friends" if I saw them on the street. I can't be alone in this. The only reason most people have hundreds of friends is because they won't deny a "friend request." There's a myriad number of reasons for this. I'm sure some people love to see that "friends" number climb. In my case...it's guilt. I feel guilty if I don't accept someone as a friend. What a blatant form of rejection. "Um...no...you can't be my friend." That's harsh. I can't do that. Some people are from high school. Some are from Glacier. Most of them...I don't talk to anymore...not even on Facebook. There are even some who apparently "know" me...but I've never even met them. Chalk that up to my job. Someone sees me on the news and throws a friend request my way. Some of my colleagues wouldn't entertain the idea of accepting such an invitation. I, for one, feel guilty if I don't. It's Facebook Guilt.

I went through my Facebook and MySpace friends lists about 6 months ago to do a little weeding. I deleted about two dozen people. But it's no secret that Facebook has really taken off in the last six months. I've had friend requests pouring in since then...(some from people I weeded out weeks earlier). I'm not fighting it anymore. It's not like anyone actually keeps up to date with everyone on their list. I keep in touch with a select few...and just let the others sit there. I suppose there's no harm in that.

Reality

Somewhere in my blog archives there's a post in which I talk about "harboring secret desires to be a morning person." 

That desire has officially been flushed from my system. 

I'm a night owl. It's part of my personality. I never denied that...but fought it from time to time. For most people who come to such a realization it's easy to settle back into their "normal" lifestyle. Unfortunately I can't do that. My livelihood depends on it. 

It's really not fair of me to speak harshly of the mornings. I still haven't been able to give it a real shot. Getting up at 2:30 or 3:00 (like I do Monday-Friday) isn't really being a morning person. No one gets up at that time. Some stay up that late. Some work through the night. But who actually rises at 2:30? It sucks. I hate it. I can't deny it anymore. I can't escape it either. It's part of my job. I wouldn't rule out a similar shift in the future. If I want to stay in this business, it's a distinct possibility. But I do not like these hours. I long for the days of staying up late. I long for the days of waking up whenever the hell I want to. I long to truly be a night owl again.

Addictive

Bored?

Go here.

Do so at your own risk though. It's a highly addictive game. I keep finding new designs to make and new ways to manipulate everything. 

Go ahead. Explore and see what I'm talking about. 

Now if you'll excuse me...I have to get back to American Idol. 

Plugged In

During the height of my Glacier National Park experience, I was blissfully uninformed. There was no reliable TV in Glacier. Internet access was slow and computers were usually occupied by all the foreign kids. Much of my time off was spent hiking and exploring the backcountry. When I did make it to town I only had time to stock up on necessities, see a movie, or do a quick email check. My most reliable source of news was the Great Falls Tribune...a good paper by Montana standards but no New York Times. I knew about major events happening in the world but for the most part, I was disconnected. I was kind of happy about it too. (The only time I ever missed it all was during Hurricane Katrina. Even the Great Falls Tribune made it known what a big deal it was. For a day or two, I would have given anything to sit in front of a TV and watch CNN for hours).

Fast forward to the present. I have been sucked in to the media/entertainment world. It's no surprise I'm a news junkie. Not only is it part of my job but it's part of my personality. What is surprising is all the pop culture and television shows I've become addicted to. My DVR is set to record half a dozen different programs. There are gossip websites I check every day. I've been completely sucked in to American Idol. I'm not sure what happened to me. I've become one of the huddled masses. It's a little sad...but I've given in. I'm not fighting it anymore. 

In light of all that...let me share this:

I love Ellen. And this is one hell of a clip. It's a little lengthy...but watch it if you have time. At least watch up to the 3:55 mark. That's when it gets really good. 

One other thing in the world of pop culture. I'm growing tired of all the Susan Boyle coverage. I know I posted the clip of her singing a week ago. But that was before EVERY media outlet in the world decided to run with it. It's still an amazing clip of an amazing moment...but if there ever was a definition of "overexposure" this is it. I want only good things for her...but geez...let's all ease up a bit. 

Spring has sprung in Boise. I love it. I put a lot of miles on my bike this weekend and it felt great. 

One last thing. I must give a shoutout to my very good friends Ron & Jessie. They have been winter caretakers at the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park for the past 186 days. They have that many blog entries to prove it. Not only has the blog been entertaining...but visiting them this past February is one of the best trips I've ever taken. With spring coming quickly, their job is done and they're off to greener pastures. Nice job guys. Good luck and stop through Boise if you get a chance. 

Quote of the Day

This happened a few days ago so it's not exactly the quote of today...but whatever. 

Beth is a news colleague from Bozeman. We worked at the same station for a while before she left to work for the competing station. She's currently the morning anchor for KBZK in Bozeman. We still talk quite a bit...several times a week. She usually calls me when she's driving. It's a way to kill time I guess. 

I called her one morning to catch up and she said this:

"I was going to call you...but Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin' was on the radio."

Ahh...priorities. Thanks Beth.

Wow

I haven't blogged in a while. Haven't had anything interesting to say. But I came across this today and had to share. Watch the whole thing if you can. It's pretty awesome.

Susan Boyle - 47-letnia śpiewaczka z brytyjskiej wersji "Mam
by luloczek

Haunting

There are some things that transfix me and beckon my participation. I was obsessed with the news when I was a kid. Thus, I became a journalist. At one point I took an interest in gymnastics and wondered what it would be like to accomplish a back handspring. So I took a class in college and learned how to do it. One day I took a look at a New Zealand travel brochure. Months later I was living in the country. 

If I'm transfixed...I usually "want in."

Usually. 

Art and photography are two notable exceptions. I have no desire to learn how to draw or paint nor do I care to know more about cameras than "point and click." But there are times I'm drawn in to a painting or photograph. All I want to do is admire. I'm satisfied with just looking. 

With that, take a look at my latest piece of eye candy.

My initial reaction to this photo was "wow." It's disturbing, I know. Even frightening. I wouldn't want to encounter this dog in a dark alley. But it's also kind of beautiful. I don't know enough about the artistic side of things to tell you why. Perhaps the best word for it is "haunting." Thoughts?

It was taken by Giacomo Brunelli. Check out his work. Most of his photos aren't so scary. 

If I was wealthy enough to buy "art"...I'd buy this photo.

Birthday Boy

It's been a while since I posted any news related videos. This is some serious morning fluff right here. I had a nice surprise on my birthday when I got not one, but two birthday cakes. 

While I did go home and fall asleep at 7:30 that night, I still had a good birthday. Thanks everyone. 

29

I could use this opportunity to moan about the weight I've gained, fret about the hair I've lost, whine about the dental work I need, worry about the wrinkles that are showing, and generally lament the passing of my youth. But I won't. Besides, that old adage "age is just a number" is pretty accurate. I still feel young...and there are probably thousands of 30-60 year olds out there who'd like to punch me in the face when I say, "I'm getting old."

Instead of all that, let's focus on the positive. I feel pretty good about what I've accomplished in my 29 years. Friends, family, my job...I'm proud of it all. But more than anything, I'm proud of the exploring I've done. To some, it's a lot. To others, it's minimal. To me...it's formed my identity. While I've "settled down" a bit in the past few years...I'm making a vow to myself on my 29th birthday. I'm not finished exploring. I encourage everyone else to do the same. I think it's what life should be about. 

Missing Out

Is there a pattern forming?

Go to Montana for a little vacation. Leave. Watch from afar as a "big" story develops and wish I could be there to cover it.

I drove to Bozeman/Big Sky over the weekend. Spent time with old friends, visited some old haunts, and gawked a little at this:

That's what's left of an explosion that ripped through downtown Bozeman in early March. I would have loved to cover it as a reporter.

Fast forward to yesterday. I left Big Sky at about 3:30 in the afternoon headed back home to Boise. I didn't know it yet but a small plane had already crashed in Butte killing 14 people. I got a couple text messages as I drove through eastern Idaho telling me about it. When I worked in Montana I worked for "Butte & Bozeman's News Channel." I've covered plenty of stories in Butte...none as big as this one. I'm not going to dwell on it...but I'm disappointed. 

I'm also disappointed in my snowboarding performance at Big Sky. I took three runs on Sunday before I caught an edge and did a chest plant into the snow. It knocked the wind out of me and I just lay there on the slope for a while trying to get my breath back. After that, I was in no mood to ride. I went down to the bar with Mike and Beth and spent the next two hours over beer and nachos. As for my wipeout, it turns out it was more of a shoulder/chest plant because my right shoulder is killing me today. 

Still, I had a good time. 

Oh..and thank God for satellite radio. I'm not quite sure how I survived long drives without it. I love Sirius. 

Internal Monologue

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

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

Ahem...my new crush

I was an American Idol fan during season 2. I was sort of a fan during the Carrie Underwood season. But somehow, I've really gotten sucked in to the latest season.

I don't write about pop culture that often. But I'm a little smitten with Megan Corkrey...and it's not just because she's from Utah. She just has "something" that's very appealing. Sadly, I don't see her winning. I don't think America likes her type. I see Adam Lambert winning. I'm okay with that too.

This is a shallow, meaningless post...and I vow to write about pop culture only on rare occasions.

The End

If not me...then definitely him

I recently applied for the "Best Job in the World." The successful applicant will be caretaker of an island in the Great Barrier Reef. They'll get paid $120,000 a year, live in a three bedroom villa, get free massages, do lots of "touristy" things, blog about it all, and generally promote tourism in the area to the entire world. Sounds good to me. 

All I had to do was submit a 60 second video application. Really it was more of an audition. I thought mine was pretty creative. I guess it wasn't. I didn't make it to the next round. I suppose that's not a huge surprise considering there were over 30,000 applicants from around the world. 

Disappointed, I logged on to the official website to see who had made it to the next round. There's a rundown of the 50 finalists with their application videos. While production quality was good in many cases, some of them were just as boring as mine. But there's one that stands out. Anyone who writes a musical for their application deserves a shot. My vote's for Mitchell. This kid's freakin' brilliant.

To see the rest of the applications go here. I also like Julia from Russia. 

Bozeman Burning

A massive explosion in downtown Bozeman. One woman likely dead. Half a dozen businesses destroyed. Historic buildings gone. It's sad from every angle. I just want to say that up front.

But I must admit I'm looking at this from a very different perspective. I want to be there covering it as a journalist so very badly. I have a special attachment to Bozeman. I started my TV career there. On top of that, I love the town. I know its residents. I know its leaders. I know its quirks. I know the businesses that are now gone. I've been in every single one of them at one time or another. Not being there is killing me.

I'm still a sucker for breaking news. I get excited every time it happens. But it's different when a big breaking story develops in a small town. It takes on more meaning. It has more of an effect. In terms of news value, you've got more bang for the buck. (no pun intended).

I was checking in with my old colleagues in Bozeman all day yesterday. I made sure to watch their coverage. Kudos to my friends at KTVM, KECI, and KBZK for rocking it. They all did a very good job. I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm so, so, so very jealous of what they were a part of. I wish it would have happened when I was there...as an employee....or as a visitor who passed through town just a week earlier. That might be a little sick and twisted...but from a journalist's perspective it only makes sense.

Time & Place

You've likely heard the expression "there's a time and a place for everything." Probably true. But how about "there's a time for every place?" Think of the hallways in your elementary school. I'm sure that's a place you were well acquainted with...but only for a time. Think of the slopes on a ski hill. You can have a lot of fun at a place like that...but only at the right time of the year. Think of the old house or apartment you used to live in. There's no place like home but at a different time...when you don't live there any longer...it feels strange being there.

Despite all that, heading to an old place at a new time isn't a bad thing. It is, however, different. Often, it's different in some very good ways.

So it goes with Glacier National Park. For most people, the time to visit such a place is summer. I spent four summers there. But in winter...things are different. Winter has a way of saying, "back off." But if you don't back off...if you dive in head first and are prepared for anything, you just might be rewarded.

The photo at the top of this post best exemplifies what I'm trying to say. Shelly Jones is standing on the Many Glacier road on a cold, windy, late February afternoon. I promise there's a road there. Seven miles ahead is this place:

It's the Many Glacier Hotel...the old stomping grounds of everyone you'll hear about in this post. Also ahead...a tiny little chalet, warmed by a wood stove (and electrical heat), to call home for a couple days. Looks quaint, doesn't it?

We just had to get there. That was the hard part. More on that in a moment. First, some backstory.

Ron & Jessie are winter caretakers at the Many Glacier Hotel. Here's Ron:

And here's Jessie as she updates the wildly popular blog she shares with Ron.

Ron & Jessie, also known as Sipner, are old Glacier friends. So are Jason and Shelly, also known as Shelson. Here's that dynamic duo.

It was decided early on that we should all visit Ron & Jessie sometime this winter. The weather had been pretty nice and biking in on the Many Glacier road (closed for 7 miles during winter) seemed like the best option. Old Man Winter had different plans. He dumped 2.5 feet of snow on the ground right before our arrival. Snowshoeing was the only option. Here's Jason and Dave, another old Glacier friend, as we get ready to begin the journey.

We got started late...around 5:00 in the afternoon. Not only that we were dragging a sled full of beer behind us. It was hard. It was really hard. I pride myself on being a fast hiker. But it took us 6.5 hours to snowshoe seven miles. Obviously it was dark for nearly all of it. Unfortunately, Dave decided to turn around early on and head back home. We eventually made it to the chalet at 11:30 that night. Exhausted, we went to bed. But as soon as I woke up the next morning I could see it was all worth it. We were greeted with a sunny, windless day at Many Glacier...a rare treat in any season. After a breakfast of Blueberry Pancakes, we were ready for a day of exploring the mighty hotel and her grounds.

Half the fun of our trip was just hanging out in the chalet with old friends. We reminisced, we made fun of each other, we laughed, we ate, we drank, we also played the Wii and Wii Fit. Here I am doing a little ski jumping.

The next day brought more exploring. This is the Upper Dorm, my old residence. I loved my dorm room. The window on the top left was mine. Ron once referred to it as Chateau Linco.

I had so much fun. Glacier is a special place...and winter is a special time. I used to think there was only one time to visit this place. Now I know better. Access is easier in the summer. There's more to do in the summer. Frankly, the park is easier to enjoy in the summer. But winter is special too. Winter in Glacier is about stillness. It's about dormancy. It's about mystery. It's about rarely seen beauty. It's about the park's time to rest...to be free of the crowds and the hikers and the forest fires and the cars. There is a time for every place. For me, and most people, summer is the time for a place like Glacier. But for the park, and forgive me for personifying here....her time is winter. 

There's something eerie about seeing a familiar place in unfamiliar conditions. For reasons I can't explain, I keep thinking about the Many Glacier road. Seven miles of snow-covered foreignness on the way in. A 10-minute drive turned into a nearly 7 hour slog. Old Man Winter did not make it easy for us. But we made it and he gave us a break on the way out...by clearing large sections. Here's Sipner and Shelson acting like hard asses. A fitting end to a very good trip.