Another one bites the dust

A year and 8 months at my station and I just sat through my 3rd farewell. Andrew Capasso had his last show tonight. He's moving on to a station in western Pennsylvania. I've scratched my head over many of Andrew's quirks, behavior, and work habits. At the end of the day though, Andrew is as genuine a person as I know. You can wonder where his head's at but you never have to wonder whether Andrew is really being Andrew. There are plenty of fake people out there. Andrew isn't one of them. I admire him for that. Andrew, we will definitely miss you. Good luck in all and go take Fox News by storm.

In other news...

....I took my Blue Angels flight today. Um............wow. I'm not even going to begin to describe it right now. My story will air Thursday night. I'll post it later that night. Let me just say it was the ride of a lifetime...and I'm a little embarassed. (NO, I did not throw up). I'll explain it all in my next post. For now, here's me before I left on the flight.

Have a good one.

Harry & G-Forces

I've finished the last Harry Potter book. Wow. Very, very good. I want to talk about it but I know there are people who read this blog that haven't finished the book. Therefore, I won't spoil it for them.

I will say two things. First, I expected a little more sadness. I think the fact that "major characters die" was built up to the point that people expected a bloodbath. And while there was some serious carnage, I thought there may be more. Second, I have loved these books. I know millions of people out there feel the same but I sometimes have to defend myself against those who don't "get" Harry Potter. I'm 27 years old and I love nothing more than descending into Harry's world and getting lost in it. It's amazing. It really is. I have so much respect and admiration for J.K. Rowling. I don't know how someone is so imaginative that they create such a richly detailed world. I make no apologies for being a Harry Potter dork. I'm sorry the series is over but...it was one hell of a ride. At least we have two more movies to look forward to.

Guess what else I have to look forward to? Tomorrow at 4 o'clock, I will by flying high above the skies of Bozeman in an F-18 fighter jet.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, I have been chosen to fly with the Blue Angels. I was an alternate candidate in the beginning and I didn't think my chances were very good. But someone else was eliminated because of medical conditions and I got the call. I'm excited beyond belief. I'm hoping I don't vomit.

Wish me luck. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.

Blackhawk Cruisin'

Yesterday was another one of those days where I love my job.

I got to ride in a blackhawk helicopter. We were doing a story on a group called ESGR...or "Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve." It's an organization that helps national guard members and the employers they work for resolve differences that arise when a guard member gets deployed. Nearly 100 employers from around the Gallatin Valley were invited to attend. The helicopter rides were part of a big promotion for the whole thing.

Here's a brief video clip of the ride:



We went on a 20 minute flight over the Gallatin Valley...chopper doors wide open. It...was...awesome!

Now if only I can get that Blue Angels flight I wrote about a few weeks ago.

Desolation

Remember the creepy poplar tree farm I saw on my trip to Oregon? After driving home from Glacier on Sunday I've decided to make a tradition out of finding creepy looking places on my road trips.

It was early Sunday...I was only 20 minutes into my drive when I came upon this:

It looks like an abandoned school on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. I can't put my finger on it but...I didn't like the looks of this place. Perfectly still, rusting playground equipment on dead, bone-dry grass. The group of horses huddled up next to the boarded up schoolhouse windows and doors didn't help improve the ambience.

Just a general creepy place. Agree?

Wilbur Ascended

This past Saturday, I climbed this:

It's Mt. Wilbur in Glacier National Park. The Blackfeet Indians know it as Heavy Shield. The picture doesn't do it justice. While not "super-tall" (9,321 feet) it nonetheless towers over the Many Glacier Valley. Whilst living there for 4 summers, I looked up at Wilbur dozens of times every single day...always wanting to stand on the summit. But because of its reputation for being somewhat of a sketchy climb, I always forewent Wilbur for easier peak bagging in the park.

No more.

The opportunity to climb the bad boy presented itself this weekend (with Glacier buddy Ron)...and I took it. I'm not gonna lie. I was a little anxious. Some people told me it was awful. Others said it was a piece of cake. Regardless, I did it. It wasn't awful...but it wasn't a cake-walk either. There were at least 4 times when I was legitimately nervous about climbing a particular section. This was one of them:

We didn't use ropes...and frankly we didn't need to. But there was plenty of equipment already stashed on the mountain for those who brought ropes or webbing. As we got closer to the summit the thought of coming down kept weighing on my mind. Most of those thoughts disappeared temporarily after getting to the summit and seeing these views:

Looking down on Iceberg Lake; Glacier mountains in the distance

The Many Glacier Valley (Look closely...you can see the hotel)

Ron & I on the summit

The trip back down was scary at times...but not as bad as I thought it would be. The worst part came near the end when we were almost back to the trail. Ron looked down the slope and saw two giant grizzlies foraging in the brush. We were a good distance away (a couple hundred yards maybe) and they didn't notice us. Unfortunately they were right where we needed to go. Eventually we started yelling in hopes of scaring them off. Didn't work. One of them just became curious and started to mosey on up the hill towards us. We took off at a brisk pace in another direction and ended up bushwhacking through alders, thimbleberry bushes, and aspen before finally reaching the trail...tired and sweating profusely.

All in all, it was a very good day. We ended it at the Park Cafe with a plate of nachos, a gypsy burrito, and a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie.

We also saw this guy on the climb:

I zoomed as far as I could go so I lost some picture quality. But I still think it's an awesome shot.

I love Glacier.

Late Night

Yes, I saw "Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix last night.
Yes, it was a midnight showing.
Yes, I was giddy like a little schoolgirl.
Yes, I'm a "Harry Potter" dork.
Yes, the movie was excellent.
Yes, I missed boot camp this morning because I got home so late.
Yes, I have a crush on Hermione.
Yes, she's only 17.
Yes, I'm 27.
Yes, that may be wrong on many levels.
Yes, I'm excited for the 7th book to come out.
Yes, I'll be holed up in my room reading it.
Yes, I'm counting the days 'til Nov. 2008...when movie 6 comes out.

No, there's nothing wrong with me...at least in my own mind.

Best....video....EVER!!!

I would like to share something amazing with you. There are many "viral videos" circulating on the internet. It's not hard to come across one that entertains. But I have, without a doubt, stumbled on the BEST one out there. I know I saw it on somebody's blog. But for the life of me I can't remember where. Forgive me for the lack of credit I could be giving someone.

It's not actually one video. It's a whole series. Posting them all would be nearly impossible. So here are my three favorites. They're from the BlendTec company (based in Utah)...a company that makes blenders. They've come up with an ingenious marketing tool meant to show the world how amazing their blenders are. Have a look.







Is that not some of the coolest crap you've seen on the internet? Go to YouTube, search "Will it blend" and waste away the day seeing anything and everything torn to bits in a blender.

Oh...and the marketing works. I really want that blender.

What I learned on my trip to Portland

The drive from Bozeman to Portland is soooooooo much longer than I anticipated. Driving 27 out of the past 72 hours is not cool.

When I drive for a long period of time, the area between my spine and left shoulder blade starts to ache and then goes numb. That can't be a good thing.

Have you seen "The Hills Have Eyes?" The terrain in that movie is fairly scary and creepy. Hot, dry, rocky desert. I found the strange, arid, brown hill country of southeastern Washington to be just as creepy.

Guess what else is creepy? A poplar tree farm. Rows and rows of identical trees in perfectly straight lines. Sort of like a forest...but way too uniform and organized. Kinda cool but a little eerie. Take a look.

What's with the speed limit in Oregon? 65.....on a freeway!? Are you kidding me? I thought it was 75 everywhere. The highways were even worse...coming in at 55 and 60. Not nearly fast enough.

Lewiston, Idaho and the Tri-Cities area of southern Washington (Pasco, Richland, and Kennewick) all sort of smell funny.

I used to think Montana rivers (like the Madison, Gallatin, Missouri, Yellowstone) were impressive. That's until I saw the Columbia, Willamette, Snake, Lochsa, and Clearwater rivers. Freakin' huge.

I want to own a boat. I want to be a part of the boating/waterskiing/sailing/anything having to do with water sports culture.

I first drove through Spokane two years ago and came away with a less than favorable impression. I won't go too into detail but I rolled through town about 7 a.m. on a Sunday and encountered many creepy people (including a drugged up prostitute swaying back and forth while sitting on the sidewalk). But on my second trip through the city...things seemed better. The city seemed cleaner and more pleasant. Perhaps the town was waking up from a drunken stupor 2 years ago. I shouldn't have judged it so harshly.

From what I saw of Portland...I like it. I've questioned my taste for "city life" for quite some time now but I liked Portland. It was overwhelming at times, but I'm not against living there.

For months I have wondered how to say "Champoeg" State Park in Oregon. (That's where the wedding was held). Never did I consider the correct pronunciation was "Shampooey." Go figure.

The wedding itself was great. It was a small Glacier reunion of sorts. Good to see everyone. Here are some pics.

The bride and groom; Shelly & Jason, otherwise known as Shelson

A picture of Tim...taking a picture

Great photo of Shelly. (Nice job Jessie)

The Glacier clan

I'm tired. I spent way too much money on gas. The drive probably wasn't good for my car. The trip was way too short. But....it was all worth it. Good luck Jason & Shelly.

Independence Day Musings

This isn't the best picture of a bald eagle. But it's the best sighting of one I've ever had. It was about a month ago along the Gallatin River in Montana. I thought it was appropriate for today. Happy Independence Day.

There's a lot to be said for how screwed up our country...and world for that matter...is right now. I'm not going to argue with any of it. We're killing the earth. The population is exploding. Species are dying off. My view of the future is not optimistic. At the same time, I was driving to Big Sky this morning for breakfast...with a grin across my face. It's the 4th of July. The weather is gorgeous. Montana is beautiful. At least for a moment...all was right in the world.

I leave for Portland later today. Friends from Glacier are getting married. It should be a blast. A big Glacier reunion. I can't wait.

And finally, call me egotistical but I love this picture:

It's a picture of Jeanette's daughter playing in her grandparents living room. (Jeanette is a sales representative at our station). The picture was taken at just the right moment...capturing me on TV. Good times.

Have a good holiday everyone!

Home sweet home

It was a great weekend. I returned home (in more ways than one) for a friend's wedding. It was pretty much a Glacier reunion. Dave, Audrey, and Danny drove down from the park, picked me up in Bozeman, and we continued to Salt Lake. I hadn't seen Audrey in about a year. In Glacier we knew ourselves as "The Family." Like most families do, we picked up right where we left off. I remember sitting in Dave's Explorer as we were driving to Salt Lake. Danny was reading. Audrey was sleeping. Dave was driving. I looked around and smiled. I felt "at home." It was actually strange to think I hadn't been living with these guys for nearly the past two years.

The wedding was at the Rustler Lodge in Alta. Wow. Gorgeous place for a wedding. Siri looked beautiful.

Nice wedding. Good food. REALLY good wedding cake. I had three pieces. Don't judge me. Afterwards, we goofed around on a ski lift.

For a while, I forgot I would be going back to Bozeman and they would be going back to Glacier. I just assumed we'd all be returning together. I miss those guys.

I also miss mom & dad...that was the second homecoming I had. I hadn't seen them since the Holidays. It was a quick visit but they took care of all four of us.

We headed back to Montana on Sunday...stopping along the Gallatin River for a little rest and relaxation.

Good weather. Good friends. Good times.

Wedding #3 is this weekend. I leave for Portland on Wednesday for Jason & Shelley's wedding. Should be fun.

My Savior

So maybe I'm not the brightest crayon in the box.

In training for the Bridger Ridge Run and doing my best to follow "boot camp" expectations...I've been running. Up until now...it's been hell. Whenever I finish a run, I feel like I've been hit by a truck. My legs hurt. My knees hurt. My ankles hurt. My body hurts. Until now, I chalked it all up to being a rookie runner. I confided in a friend and she said, "maybe you need new running shoes."

Duh Lincoln. You'd think I would have thought of that. But I just assumed that since my tennis shoes weren't smelly or falling apart...they'd do just fine. I was wrong. I went into a local shoe store and told the saleswoman I wanted a good pair of trail running shoes. I walked out with a pair of Montrail Hardrock shoes.

I went running right away. I expected blisters with new shoes and I got them. But my body felt much better. I'm still not the biggest fan of running...but these shoes have helped BIG TIME.

In other news....

I'm making the quickest of quick trips to Salt Lake this weekend. A friend I met in Glacier is getting married in Alta. Dave, Audrey, and Danny are driving down from Glacier, picking me up, and we're driving together. We'll come back on Sunday.

And finally...a confession. I've been horrible about blogging. My posts are infrequent as of late. I've been even worse about reading other blogs. I apologize. I'll try to be better.

You win some...

....you lose some.

Last night...we lost some.

As much as I wanted to win against our "parent station" last night...it wasn't in the cards. (See previous post for an explanation of what we lost and why it's depressing). Still, it was a good night. While I wasn't happy to see the Missoula station walk away with the award we wanted, it was nice to see them clean up in the other categories. I'd rather be a part of a winning company than just sitting on the sidelines.

The after party was awesome. It was nice to hang out with the people from Missoula. We see each other on television every day...but we're rarely in the same room together. They're actually pretty fun. Here are some pics from the evening.

The whole crew together at the after-party

Me and Christin ; the 2007 Broadcaster of the Year

Me, Christin, and our weather guy Mark; 2007 Weathercaster of the Year

Beth and I with the main anchors in Missoula; Heidi and Steve

All in all...a fun night. We'll get 'em next year.

Bring it on

I'm really not much of a competitive person. I don't LIKE to lose....but I don't whine or pout if I do lose. However, there's a competition this weekend which I'm a part of. I don't want to lose this competition.




vs.




I work for the NBC affiliate in Butte & Bozeman, Montana. Our parent station is in Missoula. There's also another sister station in Kalispell. The Missoula station is considered the flagship of our company. It's the biggest station in the biggest town with the biggest toys. We do a damn good job in Bozeman but in many ways....we're the child and they're the parent. Not that WE feel that way. But when it comes to office politics, Missoula is "mom & dad" and we have to listen to what they say. It can be frustrating.

All of which makes this weekend competition especially interesting. The annual Montana Broadcasters Association awards are this weekend. The Missoula station is up for quite a few awards. Good for them. I hope they win most of them. WE, however, are up for one award...Best Spot TV News Coverage. It was for a plane crash back in April of 2006. Forgive the ego, but we kicked some butt and took some names in covering that. I think our nomination is well deserved. In every category there are two nominees. In this particular category we're going up against....yep....our own parents.

It would be mighty satisfying to look at "mom & dad" and say "ha-haaa!" (Said in the voice of Nelson from The Simpsons).

Please, please let us win.

Money Woes

This post is all about money.

I don't make much of it. I never really have. Even before that, I was part of your average middle class family. We didn't have a lot of money (although we never went without anything). I've grown accustomed to not having a lot of money. And you know what? I'm sick of it. I'm sick of being poor.

They say money can't make you happy. How about I get a chance to test that theory? I remember working as a bellman in Big Sky for a season. I probably made the most money there than in any other job I've had. It was nice. I lost a cell phone and without hesitation, without thinking, "crap, can I afford a new one," I bought one. No worries. I went on road trips where I wasn't worrying about having enough money to pay for gas or buy food. I had money and I loved it. I want to feel that way again.

I don't see it happening soon. Even when I leave Bozeman and move on to my next job in broadcasting (wherever that may be) I don't anticipate making a LOT of money. Sure, it will be better than the meager wage I currently earn...but I won't be rich. But "rich" isn't even what I'm after. I want to be comfortable. I want to feel like I did in Big Sky. I want to be able to have fun without "money woes" even entering my mind. Is that so much to ask?

Speaking of money, I've noticed there are certain things certain people will spend money on...no matter how poor they are. You can hear someone say, "I can't afford it." But there is always that vice, always that luxury, always that little something that they'll fork over the cash for. For example, I love to eat out. I may whine about my finances or having to pay rent (which incidentally, is going up by about 60 bucks in August) but if I have the opportunity to eat out for breakfast, lunch, or dinner....I'm there. For some that I know...it's alcohol. I'm not implying that they're drunks. I'm saying I can try to convince them to go out to eat (go figure) or go to a movie. They won't budge. They won't spend the money to do it. But when Friday night comes along, money is suddenly no object when there's the prospect of hitting the bars all night and having a good time. It's sort of funny. For everyone, there is ALWAYS something to spend money on.

One last money story: I had a dream the other night that made me angry. My co-workers and I were at some kind of baseball game. Beth had a stack of lottery tickets she was scratching off. She handed me one and asked me to scratch it for her. I did. It was a winning ticket worth $135 million. I felt that because I had scratched it, I was entitled to some small piece of it. I wasn't saying anything though because I didn't want to be that kind of person. But in my dream, Beth was too caught up in the prospect of having all this money (the dream sort of went on for days) that she never offered me anything. I've never felt depressed in a dream before. Thank God it wasn't real. And I know Beth would slip me a cool million. Right?

Metro Moose

You gotta love Montana. This (not so) little guy (or girl) was on the loose in Bozeman for 2 days.

It was first spotted downtown (near our station) at 5:30 Friday morning. He crossed Main Street and disappeared for most of that day. It turned up again that night. I went out tracking it with a video camera to get it on the news. (Who knew Bozeman had so many nooks and crannies?) After wandering through thickets, dead end roads, and various trails, I finally got about 15 seconds of shaky video. Then he turned up again Saturday on a big tract of land between Home Depot and Walmart. The police and Fish & Game guys followed him around for a couple hours before finally tranquilizing it and carting it off to the mountains.

I've seen moose before but never in the middle of town. Good times.

Biting the hand that fed you

My former colleague, Steve Dent, made some headlines yesterday. Literally.

The local Bozeman newspaper did a front page profile of our old sports director. Since leaving us in March, Steve has become the voice of the Bozeman Bucks (a local baseball team). He's on the radio doing play by play for the games and apparently loving it. In the article, Steve took a few shots at his old station. (I know Steve. I like Steve. I support him 100%. I would say the paper was a little opportunistic in taking a few jabs at us). Regardless, some people weren't happy with the article.

Let me say this: Don't expect loyalty from your employees, current or former, when you don't show loyalty to them.

That said, I wouldn't have done what he did. My circumstances are different. Factor in everything and you'll find I'm overall happy at work. But not everyone feels the same way.

In other news...

I went to the other station in town yesterday to drop off some forms for my possible Blue Angels flight. Funny experience. I walked in and 6 heads turned, sized me up, did a little head tilt (like a curious puppy), and said, "wrong station." Then they all laughed. We compete with each other but it's all good natured.

Ever heard of steepandcheap.com. It's for those who love outdoor gear, clothes, etc. It's awesome. Very steep discounts. I've already bought a couple items. They post a particular item and put a new one up when it sells out. Check it out.

The second week of boot camp is complete. I'm doing well. I'm liking getting up early in the morning. (Okay I'm not liking "getting up." I am, however, happy when I've been up for a little while).

The first of three weddings in three consecutive weekends is tomorrow. Some I know are a little obsessed with me not having a date for it. My response: Mind your own business. I'm perfectly happy in my singledom. Worry about your own lives. (Said with the utmost respect and with a smile on my face).

That is all. Have a good weekend.

Take me higher....

Before you start reading...cue up the theme song to "Top Gun" in your mind. Ready? Press play. I, my friends, have a chance to fly with the Blue Angels. I'll be up front about this. It isn't a good chance. But there is A chance.

The Blue Angels are coming to Bozeman in late July for an airshow. Everywhere they go, 3 media representatives are chosen to fly with one of the pilots. While my station is a sponsor of the event, the other station in town signed on first. The station manager over there is also the guy coordinating the media flights. One for a newspaper reporter. One for a radio reporter. One for a TV reporter. My good friend Alyson (a reporter for their station) is the primary candidate. I, however, am an alternate. Somewhat disappointing...but hey, it's still possible.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Musings

I ran my first official race on Saturday. A 5K in downtown Bozeman. Certainly not a great distance, but for someone who has hated running for most of his life...I felt a sense of accomplishment.

You know what's annoying? When certain keys on your keyboard don't work that well. The space bar on my work computer is stubborn as hell. I basically have have to pound it as hard as I can when I'm typing. It makes a lot of noise...noticed by all of co-workers. The "z" key on my laptop at home is also having some issues. Luckily I don't use it that often.

My "Harry Potter" kick is starting up again. With the 5th movie and 7th book coming out next month, I've decided to re-read books 5 and 6. With that, I've dived into all things Harry. I've watched the movie trailer online several times. I'm such a dork. But I'm getting excited. I don't care what anyone says...Harry Potter is awesome.

Week 1 of boot camp is over. Week 2 starts early tomorrow. Looking forward to it. I should really go to bed.

Not too long ago, I was ready to give up on MySpace. Today, I feel like I'm defending it against Facebook. To me, there's no comparison. MySpace is far superior. That's all I'm gonna say.

I'm watching the E! True Hollywood Story on The Mickey Mouse Club. It makes you feel bad for the kids who didn't become as famous as Britney, Christina, and Justin. Sure...they've stayed out of rehab and are far more normal than the real famous ones...but still, I feel like there should be some equality there.

The exodus begins: Over the next several months, various people in the Bozeman TV world will start leaving. Chris, the ABC sports guy, is the first to leave. He's got a new job in Washington. After that, the contracts expire in a successive wave. I'm in November. But let's not think about that until August.

Gotta run.

Holy Hip Flexor

I'm in pain.

Muscles I didn't even know I had hurt like hell. There are two reasons for this.

First, I signed up for boot camp at my gym. I've been having some trouble motivating myself to train for this mountain ridge run I'm doing in August. So I decided I needed some structure. The woman who cuts my hair talked me into signing up for boot camp. She said it kicks your ass and gets you in shape. So I signed up. It's M/W/F at 6 in the morning. Monday was the first day. Not bad at all. In fact, I was disappointed. I didn't even feel challenged. But Wednesday morning was a different story. I wouldn't describe it as brutal. But I would say it's hard, exhausting, and challenging. Still, I like it. It's a good feeling. There's something strangely satisfying about physically punishing yourself early in the morning.

That's one reason why I'm sore. The other? I took the physical exam for firefighters in Montana. Every year, wannabe firefighters in the state converge on Bozeman for testing. The physical exam is a 10 minute course of various physical challenges (climbing a stairmaster with a 75 lb. vest strapped on, dragging a 185 lb. dummy across the floor, simulating the act of breaking down a wall with a sledgehammer, etc.) I went down to the testing center to do a story for the news. The guys down there were gracious enough to send me through the course. Brandon, our technical director, was there with camera in hand to film it. Again, I wouldn't say it was brutal. It was hard though. The good news? I actually passed....and literally without a second to spare. Applicants have to finish within 10 minutes 20 seconds. That was my exact time. Not bad for someone who didn't train for it at all.

So yeah, I'm sore. And there's still more boot camp on Friday, a golf tournament that same day, and I'm running a 3 mile race in downtown Bozeman on Saturday. Talk about baptism by fire when it comes to getting in shape.

In other news, congratulations to my wonderful colleague Beth Saboe. She just got engaged to her boyfriend of several years, Aaron. Good luck guys!

Back in the Saddle

For two summers I was a tour guide in Glacier National Park. My first summer was 2002...the same year that 33 historic Red Buses returned to the park. (Over the years they had deteriorated and Ford donated millions of dollars to restore them). This is what they look like.
Eventually, I moved on from being a tour guide to being a bellman, but driving the "Reds" will always be one of the best jobs I've ever had. I've missed it a lot. Luckily this weekend, I was able to get back behind the wheel. I look a little maniacal in this photo, but whatever.
These red buses have been a part of Glacier National Park since the 1930's. It was a big deal when they took them out of service for 3 years in order to restore them. When they were brought back, it was big new. Like Glacier, Yellowstone National Park had their own buses. They looked exactly the same, but they were painted a mustard yellow color. As those buses fell apart, Yellowstone simply got rid of them. Not anymore. I went down to Yellowstone on Saturday for a "homecoming" of sorts. The park paid to have 8 yellow buses returned and restored for touring use. I was covering the event for work. My old driving buddy (and now Glacier Transportation Manager) Dave, brought a red bus down for the event. It was awesome. After the party was over, we got a group of friends together and took an evening ride around the northern loop of the park. Dave was good enough to let me drive the bus for about 4o miles. It was great. We even saw 3 bears.
The picture sucks...sorry.

It was a great day. Beautiful weather, a fun media event to cover, good food, good friends, wildlife, a beautiful place, and most of all...the chance for me to get back behind the wheel. If this news thing doesn't work out I could always be a tour guide in Glacier or Yellowstone.