Winner, Winner....Chicken Dinner!

I love that line. John Bucigross from the 4-letter (ESPN) uses it all the time. Today, I'm borrowing it.

Finally, my short-term goal has been achieved. I got a full-time job. It's been 8 months since I last worked a 40-hour week, next week I will do it again.

Without a doubt, this was the hardest thing that I've ever had to do. I learned, learned a lot about both the job search and even more about myself.

((The WTLV-TV Rally Dogs, Circa 1992 (media league champs)//Courtesy: Jeff Imperial))

I've always been very goal oriented and that really was helpful. You have to be. The hardest thing for me was the networking. I've said it many times on this blog, job searching is a total different beast than it used to be.

One of the first things I did upon arriving in Cincinnati was to get involved with a couple of networking groups. Through them I met some people who introduced me to a few more people. Will they be long term friends, I don't know, but without them I could never have gotten my name out there like I was able to.

No, I didn't search the "New" textbook way. Though I did apply some of the things that I learned in and through those groups.

I went back to one of those groups this past Tuesday. Mostly to thank Pat Frew, the moderator/creator of the group who extended me an unbelievable amount of courtesy and help.
Pat spent some time in the TV business and is perhaps one of the most connected people in the greater Cincinnati area. I will never be able to thank him enough for his help.

I've always been one who is willing to help others. I always will. I want to know that people that I know don't go through what I did. I don't want them to take a demeaning job like I did for a period of time. I want everyone to find something that they are happy doing. I want, even if the national unemployment rate is hovering around 10%, for the people that I know, the people that I like to be happy. I want John Bucigross to look at them and be able to say "Winner, Winner...Chicken Dinner".

Enjoy your music clip. Cheap Trick doing "I want you to want me!"....

Restlessnessnessness.....

This is just kind of a random thought that I was wondering about. Ever since I started working again, my days at work go really fast and my days off go really slow. Why is this? It certainly didn't feel that way before I was unemployed.

Maybe I'm just restless. Maybe it is the excitement and newness of working again. Or maybe it is just that I am not spending all of my time when I'm not at work....looking for work. More than likely that is what it is.

((Extreme Close Up of Me//Courtesy: TLB))

The funny thing is I jumped right back into a routine. I started working right before we left to go on a short vacation. When I came back I had to work the next morning and then had 4 days of class once I finished my weekend. That got things moving at more of a normal speed.

Now I sit here anxious to do something on the days off. Granted, I did get some things accomplished today, but it has reeeaaaallly dragged out.

Sure, I posted a couple of stories to the OnlineSportsGuys website, I went to the bank, ran 3 miles, got the people who own the house we are renting to replace our broken microwave and arranged to go take a test. And I still have part of the day left. But Michelle will be home soon, we can have a beer or two, sit down to dinner and watch some TV tonight.

You know, as I write this, I'm beginning to think that it sounds like I am complaining, I am not. I do relish having time off and I am fully aware that I should be careful what I ask for.

This week will be better than last. I have a class tomorrow at the Computer school. Wednesday I have to go to the station and take my writing test (apparently I have to do this so they can promote me to full-time next week).

Before I know it, Friday will be here and I'll go back to work for three days. Next week I have 3 days worth of classes.

I'm about to go back to being a full-time employee. I'm going to have to drop a few of my classes, but not all of them. My time, even though it sounds like I'm complaining I have too much of it, will soon be gone. I relish the thought. I relish the challenge and I'm looking forward to doing much, much more than spending most of my day at the house...sitting in front of the computer.
(yes, I know i won't be able to post as much/that has slowed anyway)

Enjoy your STYX fix: Thanks Vevo and The You Tube

Long Nights...True Stories

We've finally begun to settle into a bit of a routine up hear in Southern Siberia and that is, I think a good thing.

This weekend I finally got cut loose and was on my own working the Assignment Desk Saturday and Sunday night. I can't say it was the greatest experience I've ever had...because it wasn't. Mind you it wasn't bad and I don't want it to sound like a complaint because I am really quite thankful for the job.

I never really had to work on the Desk much before this. Sure, I filled in on occasion...a shift here, a couple of hours there but never really had to do it regularly.

In some respects, its kind of interesting. You'd be amazed at the wide variety of people who call TV stations, particularly on the weekends.

My favorite thus far is Keith. He calls every Saturday and Sunday night, he's always drunk and he's always being chased by the KKK who are trying to beat him up. The conversation is usually quick, "I'm Keith (I can never understand his last name), I want to report that I'm bein' chased by the kkk and they is tryin' to beat me up". "Hi Keith, Okay, I'll look into it, I've gotta go, thanks for the call".

My other is the guy who wants to know why we aren't investigating the government making us a socialist state. Not "in the process of" for all my crazed republican friends but rather, "already done it". He also calls every weekend. "You do know that we've been taken over by a hostile force don't you?" "Why aren't you investigating them?" and "Don't you want to save Democracy?" . "Well sir, I can't start the investigation myself, but I will pass your concerns on to the I-Team, thanks for calling I've gotta go".

Love it. I learned a long time ago that when you get callers like that, you give them a minute and when they want you to say something...which they always do, you give them a long, run-on sentence that finishes with "I've gotta go" and hang up. Works every time.

Of course there a wide variety of others. I think that a lot of people believe that TV folks work 24-7. I got a call about 10pm this past Sunday..."I need to speak to someone on the I-Team right now". "Well, ma'am, they aren't here tonight, I can send you to their voicemail". "Why aren't they there?". "Well, they usually work during the week". "When should I call?". "Try after 10am on Monday".

There are other weird things that go along with this, most of the job involves either calling people or in a lot of cases police departments and taking calls from people.

This past Saturday, I had to try and get some information on a shooting that I sent a photographer to. He tried, but couldn't get much information. This happened in one of Cincinnati's smaller "Townships" (for those who have never been here, there are hundreds of them, some have their own PD's, some don't). I called the "Township" Police Deparment...not once, but seven times trying to get some information or at least someone who could tell me something. On the 7th try, I finally got a human being. "We can't release anything" "We'll be sending a release to you by no later than 2300 (11pm)". That release...showed up...at 2pm on Sunday.

Really, in some respects it is kind of fun. But it is also kind of sad. I always knew that people randomly called TV stations about pretty much every aspect of their lives, but over time you forget that. I never really understood it and I never really considered that a large view of the audience. It just I guess is a statement on people in general, there are always bad and strange, but I also know that there are plenty of good and normal...they are the ones you don't hear from.

Enjoy one of the truly great Classic Rock Groups...Styx featuring our Fav Tommy Shaw...singing about the "Blue Collar Man". Thanks You Tube:

Back to School....

I always wondered what it would be like to go back to school.

I was never a great student. Sure, I did pretty well when the spirit moved me...or if I was challenged. But more often than not I cruised by, did well enough to move along...but that was about it.

By now, you are probably tired of reading about me returning to work. I won't go into it, but I will say that part of my plan involves going back to school. No, not to get my masters. Quite honestly in the Journalism field...or more specifically the video world, a Masters Degree doesn't mean anything except that you are probably in debt.

((Computer picture//Courtesy: Clipartguide.com))

No, I am taking courses that would help me in what I do. Or at least something related to what I do. I am trying to get my Web Design certification. Partially because I just think that it would be good stuff to learn and partially because if I am decent at it, I stand a chance of making some money along with redesigning both this site and my production companies sites.

It isn't costing me a fortune and I'm not going to be in debt by taking the classes. Heck, I got a package deal at the Computer School that I'm attending.

The schedule is simple...sort of. I'm taking 17 one or two day courses at 8 hours per day. If you are thinking that is a lot you are right, it is. I'm doing this because the school offered a package deal that allows me to take as many courses as I can for 6 months at a set rate.

The 1st class was this week. Photoshop 1. You might be asking "You are paying for that?". Yeah, I am. I am because it showed me things that I would never know trying to learn the program on my own.

The classes are good. The 8 hours fly by. Rather than just listening to 8 hours of lecture, we are in front of a computer actually working with the software doing training exercises. Really, that is the best way to learn.

I think the last actual class that I took in College was in the fall of 1987. That's a long time ago. A lot of things have changed. Never mind the fact that I'm older, most of the things I want to learn didn't exist. That is what makes it fun though. That is what makes it a challenge. That is what makes this a worthwhile adventure; the chance to learn and the chance to apply what I've learned. It doesn't get much better than that.

In the spirit, enjoy a clip from the 80's classic Rodney Dangerfield movie Back to School. Thanks You Tube: