Lessons Learned?

I've obviously taken a lackadaisical approach in updating this blog. I could say I've been busy but I'd be lying. I could say there's been nothing to write about...but (despite the boring life I lead) that's not true either. I've just been lazy. Very, very lazy. However, in scanning some of the other blogs I read, I've noticed I'm not the only one. Several people haven't updated in a while either. That makes me feel a little better.

On to other topics...

I think everyone has an image of themselves they'd love to see. A picture, in their mind, of the kind of person they'd like to be. I'm sure there are a few people out there completely satisfied with the kind of person they are. But for the rest of us...there's this image. I have one. I tend to look at it like an ordinary puzzle. There are a thousand little pieces laid out before you and you're trying to put it together with the help of the picture on the box cover. That's the perfect "you." You're using it as a guide as you assemble the puzzle piece by piece. But, as with any big puzzle, reaching completion is no easy task. I've been able to put together some pieces...here and there. But there's much left undone.

I was reminded of that when I stumbled upon an old journal yesterday. I didn't write in it often but I wrote in it regularly...if that makes sense. It covers the time between my first summer in Glacier and my winter spent in Big Sky. That's 3 and a half years. Collectively, that time was a big learning experience for me. Luckily, I wrote down much of the important stuff that occurred. I also had a little forethought. Several times during those years I put to paper questions about what I'd be like in the not-so-distant future. Would I have gotten any closer to completing that puzzle?

In some ways...yes. In most others....no. I've still got to do a lot of work on myself. I need to focus on my puzzle a little more. That realization was a little disappointing. I wish I'd been a little more proactive.

But I think there's a silver lining. Too many people reach a point in life where they think, "I wish I'd done things differently." For me, there's still plenty of time. I've now noticed that there really is no time to lose. And I've noticed it when there's still, presumably, a lot of time left. Let's not waste it anymore.

A good first step in this process: writing a little more on this blog. I'm going to. Hold my feet to the fire if I don't.

Teeth Woes

I first wrote about my ancient teeth about a year and a half ago. We all know most dental insurance sucks. And with my whopping $18,000 salary, I couldn't afford the work my dentist said he needed to do. He basically patched things up a bit and said I should get my teeth fix when I could afford it.

Fast forward to now. I finally went to the dentist after almost 5 months in Boise. I remember my Bozeman dentist's reaction when he saw my teeth. He wasn't too good at hiding the shock. So I was interested to see how this latest guy would react. It was humorous. They sent in the 20 year old (I'm not kidding) dentist who'd just been hired at the office. I'm sure he was at the top of his class and felt like he could tackle anything. Before he even looked at my teeth I told him my history and what the last guy said needed to be done. This guy kept up appearances and basically said it was all wrong. Then he looked at my teeth. He couldn't hide the shock either. He took one look and said, "Okay...I'm going to have Dr. McRae consult with you." He was way out of his league.

So I met with the "real" dentist and things went much better. He's one of the top guys in the business and really knows what he's doing. But even he couldn't put a positive spin on what I need to do.

On the surface...my teeth look fine. I smile and they seem straight and white. But inside..they are severely worn down. I've been grinding and clenching way too much over the past years. I've lost several milimeters of tooth height and much of the enamel has been eroded away. They need to be reconstructed with crowns. It's going to cost a pretty penny.

I briefly considered taking out a loan and financing the whole project right now to just get it done. But instead, I'm going to attempt to buckle down and save. If I can save up a good chunk of cash over the next little while, it will make things easier.

So that's where I am. Take care of your teeth people. You'll regret it if you don't.

The River Wild....and stupid

I neglected to recount the most memorable moment from last weekend's trip to Bozeman. It definitely deserves a mention.

Beth invited me river rafting with the wedding party last Friday. There were more than a dozen of us crammed into two rafts. It was without a doubt the best raft trip I've been on in terms of conditions. I was there right as the Gallatin River was near it's highest level of the year. But in terms of overall experience, it was one of my least favorite outdoor experiences.

Our two raft guides seemed pretty cool. They were your typical young, funny, care-free river guides. They did the things tour guides aren't supposed to do (like stopping at a local bridge so we could do backflips off it). I was having a good time with them and the rest of the group.

At one point, we were about ready to cross under a bridge. The other raft was in front of us but we were close behind. The guide in the first raft, Raleigh, decided to grab onto the bridge as they went beneath it. Keep in mind that the water was moving pretty swiftly. I literally had no time to react. I see him grab a hold of the bridge, swing out of his own raft and BAM!!!...we slam into him as he's hanging from the steel beam. His lower back knocks my head back. My helmet slammed into Aaron's (the groom that weekend) face. It's over in a second. Aaron has a bloody lip. And my eyeglasses are mangled. One lens is gone...and the rims are seriously bent.

Pissed....me.....off.

Those who know me know how blind I am. It was awful. I couldn't see for the rest of raft trip. By some miracle of God, I had an extra pair of glasses in my car.

Raleigh felt like an idiot. My raft guide was too dumbfounded to even know what to say. I was wondering what to do about my expensive glasses. I told the manager about it. He asked me how much they cost. I said $200. I think I lowballed him. But he was gracious enough to give me a check for that amount and I didn't pay for the rafting trip.

The End.

There and back again

I went back to Bozeman this past weekend for Beth's wedding. It was awesome. The weather was perfect. The setting was gorgeous. I was among good friends. Who could ask for anything more? This first picture is my absolute favorite photo from the weekend. Congratulations Beth & Aaron.

They got married in Big Sky, Montana (about 40 miles south of Bozeman) at the Soldier's Chapel. Take a look.

It's a beautiful old church that sits along Highway 191. The mountain in the back is Lone Peak...the bulk of Big Sky Ski Resort. You walk into the chapel and the view looks like this:

I've been to several weddings and this one was right near the top in terms of how beautiful it was. The reception was just down the road at Buck's T-4 Lodge. The food was good (including my 3 pieces of wedding cake) and the company was better. Suffice it to say....I had a very good time.

While Beth was preparing for her wedding, one of my other Bozeman news buddies (and Beth's co-worker) was preparing to say goodbye. Although we worked at different stations, my friend Alyson and I started in Bozeman at about the same time. Now, she's moving on. This was Friday night in the studio as her station aired a goodbye segment for her.

And this is Alyson and I dancing the night away at the wedding reception.

Good luck Alyson. I feel a little better now knowing I'm not the only one that's moved on from Bozeman.

That, of course, brings up a good point. This was first time back in Montana since I took the new job. I'm a pretty nostalgic guy. You'll often find me reflecting on the good times in life I've already experienced. It's no secret that many of those good times took place in Montana. I was a little unsure of how I'd react....in light of the skeptical nature I still have for Boise. But it was fine.

Just over two years ago, I was in the same position. I was returning to Glacier for the first time since getting my job in Bozeman. This is what I said about that experience:

"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."


I felt the exact same thing in Bozeman. It's funny how you simply have to go back to a place you once called home...to realize it's not home anymore. This is an extremely nerdy reference but does anyone remember what Frodo Baggins said at the end of "The Lord of the Rings?" In the movie, he says, "How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart you begin to understand there is no going back."


That resonates with me quite a bit. How do you go on? I think the answer is to embrace where you've gone or where you're going. I took a big step in doing that this weekend. I decided to take the scenic route home. I drove from Bozeman west to Butte and then southwest to the Big Hole Valley. It's an extremely remote part of southwest Montana. Then I crossed into Idaho and headed towards Salmon, Challis, Stanley, Idaho City, and finally to Boise. I've got one word to describe the drive. Wow! Truth be told, the Boise area is not the prettiest part of Idaho. I realized that soon after I arrived. Unfortunately, I think I let it color my opinion of Idaho as a whole. Not anymore. There are so many parts of this state that are simply stunning. Now I just need to get out and explore.


It was a good weekend. I saw old friends and discovered new places. It was the best of both worlds.

"It's Not What You Think"

Um...I have egg on my face.

Remember this post? I talked about how incredulous I was when a drunk couple hopped on to the elliptical trainers next to me at the gym. I mean who goes to the gym drunk?

Fast forward to this past week. I was at the gym with a co-worker. We finished doing our cardio workout and I hopped off, grabbed my open backpack off the floor and walked away. As I did, a miniature bottle of The Glenlivet whiskey fell out and hit the floor. I know people saw it. I know they knew what it was. Obviously embarassed, I quickly walked back, picked it up and got the hell out of there.

The explanation: Remember when I wore a kilt for the morning show back in April? That was sponsored by The Glenlivet? When they sent me the kilt, they included the little bottle of whiskey. I remember putting it in my backpack and I just forgot about it. I swear. I'm not a drunk. But I'm sure people at the gym thought I was a lush.

Home Sweet Home

I'm committed.

Although I could probably find another nice apartment with a cheaper rent...I've decided to forego the hassle of moving. I signed a 13-month lease at my current place. It really is a nice home for me. It's right along Boise's highly touted Greenbelt. I'm close to downtown. It's the perfect starting off point for a bike ride along the Boise River. It's a good place...and I'm gonna be here for a while. For anyone who cares (mostly mom) here are some pictures.

The view from my backdoor patio

The Boise River

A squirrel in the parking lot; that's water he's licking up...not oil or anti-freeze

A week ago, the inaugural Boise Ironman Triathlon swung through my neighborhood. A large section of the race took place on the Greenbelt. I walked out my door and took a few pictures of the racers.

I had really good timing too. I walked outside just in time to catch this guy...a racer...on camera. He was competing in a prisoner costume. How metaphorical.

Overall, I'm liking Boise. And I think I'm ready to like it more now that I'm firmly planted in a decent dwelling...at least for a while.

Keep 'em coming

I pulled into a Chevron gas station this morning to fill up the tank. As I sat there pumping my $3.95 a gallon gas, I saw the gas station attendant walk outside with his price changing pole. I watched curiously as he begin to change the prices...wondering if I'd personally see $4 a gallon gas for the first time. My hopes were dashed. The prices went up four cents to $3.99.

Insane? I guess. But you know what? I hope the prices just keep going up.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a rich man. Paying for gas is just as painful for me as it is everyone else in the country. I remember when it was going for 99 cents a gallon. I think I was 19 or 20 at the time. I would love to be paying those prices again. But I think it's obvious to everyone that we need to wean ourselves from oil. And I'm not just talking about foreign oil. I'm talking about all oil.

Humans are ingenious creatures. We are perfectly capable of solving problems. Unfortunately, we don't do that in many cases unless we absolutely have to. Don't sit there and tell me the internal combustion engine is the beat all/end all of automotive power. There are people out there with good ideas about how to transform our vehicles. We just need the incentive to do so on a mass scale. I think some sky high gas prices will be the catalyst. We're going to reach a point when gas starts to seriously sink the U.S. economy...much more so than it's doing now. At that point, the lights will start clicking on. People will say, "okay...this is it. It's time for change." And then it will happen. The interim will be painful. But guess what? Serious change is always kind of painful. I think we'll come out better in the end.

I can't say whatever alternatives we come up with won't present their own set of problems and challenges. (I'm sure oil companies will monopolize new forms of automotive power so they can continue making money). But I think we have to go for it...no matter what.

I don't usually tackle "issues" on this blog. But I've been thinking about this for a while. So while I, like everyone else, will continue to wince at high gas prices (I have a 25 minute commute every day)...I'm smiling deep down inside.

Feedback

I'm all in favor of feedback. So imagine how happy I was when I looked in our station's public email folder and found this little gem.

"I have been watching channel 6 morning news for the past 12years- - -cannot watch any longer! The three commentators are the gooniest, dorkiest and most immature silly bunch on TV in Boise- - --especially Ms. Paul. Hopefully you are working to upgrade your personel. Thanks."

Some 60-year-old man sent this to us. Ah well. Don't really care. In all honesty, we've received many positive emails regarding our new morning show. So shove it dude. :)

I'm addicted to crack...

...and by crack, I mean these little guys.
I have a huge sweet tooth. Everyone knows it. But I turn into a vacuum when I get around these things. I don't know what it is about them. They're stocked in the vending machine at work and everyday I throw down a dollar (yes a dollar) and buy a package of three. Dee-licious. Scrumptious. Bad for you. I don't care. If anything makes me fat in life, it's going to be Oreo Cakesters.

I can only remember one other time when I was obsessed with a new food product. Does anyone remember Suddenly Smores? They were little, pre-packaged smore cookies that you threw in the microwave so the chocolate could melt and the marshmallow could puff up? They came out when I was a kid. I loved them. They disappeared off store shelves not long after they debuted.

Good stuff.

Comfy

My new couch arrived this past weekend. Take a look.

It's very, very comfortable. I even slept on it Saturday night. Me gusta mucho. And best of all, I destroyed that crappy $150 futon from Walmart...and threw it in the dumpster. It gave me a lot of satisfaction. So now I have a real couch. Maybe one day I'll grow up and graduate to a real bed and a real dresser. We'll see. By the way...any thoughts on the rug? I was unsure about it at first but it was cheap and thought "why the hell not?" Either way I'm done with furnishing my apartment. It's too expensive and too much of a hassle.

By the way, have you ever cut yourself with a piece of string? I was trying to tear some loose string off one of the pillows on my couch. I grabbed it, wrapped it around my finger, and pulled. That's some tough string. It sliced right into my finger. Hurt like hell.

One last thing: It was 94 degrees this weekend. I liked it. A lot.

Tough Times

When did I become such an adult?

In the past three months, I've paid more attention to my financial future than I ever have before. Let's face it. The economy sucks right now. Every day I read yet another story on the news about home foreclosures, high gas prices, the rising cost of groceries, companies going out of business, etc. It's made me think about where I am in this economic downturn. Never have I thought about that before. I was having too much fun in Glacier or New Zealand to worry about my finances. After that I was below the poverty line in Bozeman...what's the point of planning when you're making so little money? Now...things are different. I'm making a decent living but I feel unsure about my future.

I've now become a little obsessed with saving money. I finally enrolled in my company's 401(k) plan. I'm making huge payments each month to pay down my credit card debt. (not a lot...but enough to worry me given my newfound financial outlook). I'm thinking of moving to find a lower monthly rent. I've given up on the idea of having real furniture in my apartment. (Except for that couch I bought...but I'm okay with that purchase). I'm monitoring my bills and bank accounts more than I ever have. I'm taking responsibility for myself.

I'm okay with all of the above. But I'm worried about the next steps. I'm worried about what's in store. A new car is likely in my future. I'm eventually going to have to get a permanent fix for my worn down teeth. (Refer to this post for background). I need to start investing my money (once I pay down my debt and save some more) but I'm unbelievably intimidated by the prospect. Basically I need to balance saving money with spending money....and leaving some room for fun.

That's not the only thing I'm worried about though. Although my job situation is pretty secure, this is a tough time to be in the TV news business. I see co-workers around me struggling with pay raises, contract negotiations, and general work problems. It's discouraging. And it affects me. There have been industry layoffs across the country. Obviously, this is happening across the board...in all lines of work.

I'm just really thinking like an adult now. Thank God I only have myself to support and not a family. I can't even imagine that.

Polygamist

My roots are catching up with me. I'd like to introduce you to my 4th TV wife.

Now getting divorced and then re-married is nothing new. I went through two divorces in Bozeman. However, now I'm officially a polygamist. I have two TV wives...at the same time. We're a three person anchor team. I introduced the other one back in February.

So far, so good. We started our new, revamped morning show and I'm liking it. Getting lots of positive feedback too.

And best of all...it's warming up. I'm so happy summer is on its way.

Really?

There were three times today when I got annoyed and said to myself, "seriously? Is this really happening?"

The first occurred at 3:00 this morning. (That's when I leave for work...lucky me, huh?) I walked outside and saw frost on my car. It was freezing. May 1st...and it's freezing. "Yeah but it was the middle of the night," you say. I don't care. It's May and it should be warmer than that. I'm really ready for summer.

The second occurred when I logged on to CNN.com and saw this:

Notice the "Live Developing Story" banner. Really? A stuck pelican? Worthy of a such a news alert? I'm an animal lover but come on. I'm even okay with a local news station covering a stranded kitten in a tree. But this is a national news site...breathlessly announcing a....STUCK....PELICAN. Whatever.

The third happened at the gym. I hopped on the eliptical trainer for a little warm-up. A man and woman soon got on the machines next to me. BAM!!! I was almost knocked over by the overwhelming stench of liquor. The guy next to me was hammered. REALLY? Going to the gym drunk? I don't get it. He only lasted on the machine for about 2 minutes before he gave up...laughing as he dismounted. Idiot.

The world never ceases to amaze me.

Car Quirks

For those of us with older vehicles, the quirks are many. I drive a 1996 Toyota Camry and just wanted to give you a brief rundown of how my car behaves.

1. The radio antenna is broken. It's an automatic one that's supposed to rise and fall when the car's turned on and off. For some reason it won't rise. That doesn't mean it won't try. Because of that I'm treated to a very loud grinding noise every time the car is turned on. It lasts for about 30 seconds. The best part is seeing the reaction of people who get in my car for the first time.

2. The electrical lock system works...for the most part. Something happened with the driver side...meaning I can't unlock the doors from my door. But on the bright side, the passenger side lock button still works.

3. My odometer is malfunctioning. Instead of a mile turning forward on the zero...it does it on the six.

4. Perhaps 7 times out of 10, when I turn on the car, a thick, blue smoke puffs out of the exhaust pipe for about 30 seconds. Yes...my car burns oil...and lots of it. Great for the environment. I'm adding oil every month.

5. I have no right, front turn signal thanks to a car accident in Bozeman back in December. (Special thanks to the idiot who decided to run a stop sign causing me to run into him. On the bright side...you should have seen his car).

I guess that's it. Theoretically, I guess I could afford a new car. But when you have one that works fairly well, why spend the money. At this point, a Prius seems like the only good option because of the high cost of gas. However, I'm soon gonna need new brakes and tires. Come this fall, I'm going to have get the turn signal fixed so I can pass inspection. So should I put all that money into a 12-year old car that has 150,000 miles on it? I don't know. We'll see. For now, I'll keep driving the gold beast...waiting for the latest quirk to pop up.

Trouble in Dodge

Dodge being Bozeman...and boy am I happy I got the hell outta there.

Don't get me wrong. I love all things Montana. Overall my old station was very good to me. But there is some serious drama going on at my old stomping grounds. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a little gratifying to know things went to hell after I left. But I'd be delusional if I thought the drama was really caused by my exit. Things were set in motion long before that.

In the time I've been gone, my former co-anchor abruptly left and a reporter was fired...(unjustifiably I might add). Then they bring in a "big name" anchor from Billings to save the day. Turns out she was a diva who wasn't up to dealing with the realities of super small market television. So now she's gone.

Just two on-air people are left...the two sports guys. They're both good guys and I'm sorry they have to deal with all the crap there.

It really does make me sad. I had a lot of pride for that station and it's depressing to see how much trouble they've had recently.

Alas, it's not my problem anymore...and I'm just glad I got the hell outta dodge.

Food

For as much cooking as I do (extremely little), I can't understand why I'm so fixated on the Food Network. You know how we all have our favorite channels? The ones we check first when we turn on the TV to see if something good is on? Food Network is right near the top of my list. I love it. But I don't get it. Sometimes I think about making something I see, but I'm usually satisfied just watching.

My favorite shows:

Paula's Home Cooking - I wish she were my grandma (no offense to my current grandmother).
Everyday Italian - I have a serious crush on Giada de Laurentis.
30 Minute Meals - Some love her, some hate her...I happen to like Rachel Ray.
Tyler's Ultimate - Has anyone noticed how much weight Tyler Florence has gained?
Barefoot Contessa - Another woman I was was a relative of mine.
Nigella's Bites - I like watching her cook with "liters" and "grams."

One complaint of mine though...Rachel Ray is nuts if she thinks the rest of us can cook the meals she makes in 30 minutes. What takes her a half hour would take me an hour and a half. Don't deny it.

So while I may never make something I see on the Food Network, I will keep watching. I'm addicted.

Settling In

I have to admit something.

Over the past few weeks as I've woken up around 2:30 in the morning to get ready for work, I've thought, "why did I do this to myself?"

Of course, the ungodly hour has played a big part in my...oh, let's call it uneasiness. But there have been other little things as well. A lack of self-confidence at work, the annoyance of not really knowing anyone here, not knowing my way around, dealing with new and difficult personalities at work...it's all tiresome and frustrating.

BUT...things are getting better. I had a great day at work today. I've gotten some good viewer feedback. My boss handed out some decent compliments (something I don't get the sense he does all that often). We solved the glare problem with my glasses. The "new & improved" morning show starts in two weeks. Starting next week, I won't be alone anymore on the anchor desk. I'm getting into a groove. Hitting my stride my take a while...but I see progress. Oh...and I've done some cool interviews. Last Friday it was Ty Pennington.


Things are slowly getting better on the homefront as well. I finally bought a real couch. I didn't mind living sparingly when I was working seasonally. But now that I'm living permanently in a big city, I'd like some nice furniture. My crappy Walmart futon just isn't cutting it anymore. Here's a picture (sort of) of what I bought. It's the same style but my sofa is a little longer and a nice green color. (Unfortunatley, I have to wait about 4 weeks to get it delivered. It took me forever to find one I liked so I don't mind the wait).

I'm still on a mattress and box spring with no bed frame. My clothes are still being kept in milk crates stacked on top of each other. But hey, a new couch is a start...right?

And last, but not least...a dog.

I don't have one yet...but I feel like that purchase is coming soon. Although winter is stubbornly holding on here in the Treasure Valley (very irritating), warm temperatures (when they occur) are bringing lots of people out and about. I'm seeing all the people outside with their dogs. I really, really want one. I think it's gonna happen soon. Still, it's a big commitment, and I'm a little nervous about it. I don't necessarily need a big dog, but I want one that can play in the mountains with me.

Of course, you can expect pictures of said dog when he or she joins my single household.

80's style

I borrowed this from several people. I encourage you to participate.


1. How old were you in 1980? I was born in March of that year.
2. How old were you in 1989? 9
3. Were you a Toys R Us kid? Yeah, but we went to Kaybee's too.
4. Did you watch Transformers? No.
5. Did you see E.T. on the big screen? No
6. Did you own a Lite Bright? I can't remember if I had my own or if I just played with my sister's.
7. When someone says ' Who you gonna call? ' You think? Duh...Ghostbusters.
8. What was your favorite toy? Hmm. This is a hard one. Probably my Micro Machines.
9. Did you have a Pogo Ball? Yup. I think it was yellow and orange.
10. Did you listen to New Kids on the Block? No.
11. Which New Kid did you have a crush on? None of them.
12. Did you play M.A.S.H? Yep. Many times.
13. Did you watch The Care Bears? No...but I had one when I was little.
14. Did you have Jelly bracelets? No.
15. Did you have a charm necklace and/or bracelet? No.
16. Did you own a glo-worm? No.
17. Did you ever own a slap bracelet? Yep.
18. The Breakfast Club or Sixteen Candles? Sixteen Candles.
19. Did you have a crazy hair style? No.
20. What was your first bike? A yellow and black Huffy.
21. Name one thing you still own from your childhood? Nothing with me currently, but several items (including my Micro Machines) in storage in Utah.
22. Did you have a Cabbage Patch Kid? No...but my sister did.
23. Did you dress like Madonna? I hope not.
24. Did you watch Miami Vice? I remember one episode where one of the main character's wife or girlfriend died in an explosion.
25. Did you own a pair of Jelly Shoes? No...why are these questions geared towards girls?
27. Did you own a Trapper Keeper? Oh yeah...it was awesome.
28. Atari or Nintendo? Both...but mostly Nintendo.
29. Did you play Pac-Man? Yeah.
30. He-Man or She-Ra? Both.
31. What movie scared you the most? A Nightmare on Elm Street...I had many bad dreams involving Freddy Krueger.
32. Did you try to dance like Michael Jackson? I hope not.
33. What Is The First Thing That Comes To Mind When You Hear 'flux copassitor? I have no idea what that is.
34. What other colors did Pepsi come in? Crystal Pepsi of course. I really liked it...I don't know why it didn't catch on.
35. Roger Rabbit Or Howard The Duck? Howard the Duck...but only because I had a crush on Lea Thompson.
36. Did you ever beg your parents to have your school picture taken with the LASER background? No.
37. Do you know what the Ninja Rap is? No idea.
38. Favorite slang word(s)? i still (over)use? Dude, totally, and awesome.
39. Can you name the family members from National Lampoons Vacation movies? Hmm...I think the kids were Audrey and Rusty. I don't remember the parents names.
40. Did you have pump sneakers? No.
41. Did you own HYPER COLOR shirts? No.
42. Did you watch Smurfs? All the time. I wish it was still on.
43. What is the most annoying 80s style? Really high bangs.

Vexing Vision

I have never had such a problem with eyeglasses.

It started when I got to Boise, and my news director didn't like the glasses I had. I was okay with that. New glasses on the company? Why not? Unfortunately, they haven't worked out. They attract an enormous amount of glare in the studio...even with the anti-reflective coating that was put on them. Take a look.

I was immediately confused. I didn't have a problem with glare in Bozeman...and my old glasses seemed to avoid it in the Boise studio. Thus, I have become very good friends with the people inside Eyemart...a Boise eyeglass shop similar to Lenscrafters or Eyemasters. For the past three weeks, a woman named Shelly has diligently worked on the problem for me. She has watched every morning to study the problem. She's ordered 4 different sets of lenses...all with different types of anti-reflective coating...all to no avail. We just couldn't get rid of the glare. So we tried something new...different frames. Because my off-air glasses didn't have a glare problem, we figured the size of the frames (thus the size of the lenses) was the problem. I found some half-rim frames that were the same size as my off-air glasses. With much anticipation, Shelly put some lenses in those and we thought we'd be good to go. I wore them this morning. Still a lot of glare. Take a look.

We're trying one more thing tomorrow. Shelly adjusted the angle of the frames slightly. Seems like a minor adjustment, but I'm hopeful that will do the trick. If it doesn't, the next step is to adjust the lighting in the studio. That's sort of a problem because if they adjust it for me, there's a chance it could negatively affect the other anchors. We'll see.

If that's a no-go...I think contacts might be the solution. I hate contacts. I don't want to wear them. I like the way I look in glasses. But it may be the only option.

Stay tuned.

Now THAT'S a morning show

I took this job in Boise based in large part on the fact it was morning TV. Yes, there's some cheesy crap that goes on in the mornings. But it's free-wheeling and you learn quickly (that's my hope anyway) to be fun-loving, quick on your toes, and ready for anything. I'm still working on all that but at least I know the ingredients are there for the job environment I wanted.

This morning's show was packed. I've been anchoring alone for the past week or so due to the fact my co-anchor is ill. That said, it would have been nice to have some help but...it kept me moving.

First, an interview with two people on the dangers of online social networking websites and what parents can do to be more informed.

Then, I donned a kilt for "Wear a Kilt to Work Day." The Glenlivet Whiskey Company donated a thousand bucks to Direct Relief International for every on-air personality across the country who wore a kilt. I thought, "why not?" That's our main weather guy doing the bit with me.

And then...the best part of the morning: ice cream for breakfast. John Harrison, the main taster for Dreyer's Ice Cream was in Boise and he stopped by the show. This guy's a big deal. He's the man who invented the Cookies 'n Cream flavor...and dozens of other flavors over the years. His taste buds are apparently insured for a million dollars.

You can see the whole interview with him here.

It was a good morning. I'm still getting the hang of this thing but I'm happy with the progress made.

Oh...and tomorrow...we're bringing a live bull into the studio. Should be fun.