One hell of a night

Beer and Tequila--$11.50 plus tips

Free shots from friends--$0

Putting an ice cub down a certain person's shirt and slapping her on her arse--priceless.

So my half birthday was fun, almost as fun as my 30th. I guess we'll start with me getting autographs from some of the Miami Dolphin cheerleaders when I was working that evening. A nice gift for myself.

I head to Mona's pretty pumped about getting wasted and letting off some steam. A beer and tequila shot started off, as the bartender, who I know, was wondering more than likely "what the hell? Is that for him?"

I got a shot from one of our new photogs, and one more after that I was getting pretty happy. I did sing, and yes, I can sing and rap drunk. I did dance drunk as well--not coordinated, however, walking was an issue. Standing ovation for the worm. I did do it without falling on my face.

This woman hit on me a little, who said she was only in town for another month. I told her to come back in and I'd more than likely be there. Very cute. I wish I had gotten her number. She did kiss me on the cheek and I kissed her on the hand. It was cool.

I must have had two or three more shots and I was wasted. I was happy, which one bartender said today she never really saw me smile until last night. I was hugging people, drunk dialed a few peeps as well. All and all, a very good time.

A friend did drive me home (thanks for the lift Eazy E). I didn't hurl in his car--but did on my driveway and doorstep. Thank god it rained heavily this afternoon. (At least rain had a purpose today.)

Quote of the week from today:

"I told him 'I know funny, I have screwed funny, and you're not funny!'"

--New person from another station

One week until my vacation. It'll be good to leave this place for a little while.

Laters.

Thirty and a half

Okay, time to reflect on the half year that was...

I gained ground in my work life. Made a few friends. Traveled a little. Worked a lot.

Love life is still null and void. But according to the psychic that read my fortune earlier this year...

"You will have a good financial year and have success in your business life."

"And my love life?"

"You will have a good financial year and have success in your business life."

I have been promised I would get a woman from many peeps, but none have come through. Maybe it's just gonna have to be me.

I am okay health wise, although I do need to lose some weight. The roller coaster stress in my life has been something that has wreaked havoc on it.

My life is in order to an extent. My roommate left for a better more respectable job, while I learned I could have been chief photographer at my old station if I was still with them. (And making less than I am making now.) My old boss got fired, while my new boss has been taking my current station to moderate success. I am going to change to weeknight shift in a few weeks.

So what now for the next six? Stay put for a while, contemplate my future employment, and try to enjoy the area more. Go back to Montana and relax for a week. Travel to see my friend get married. Maybe get a girlfriend. Maybe.

So, I will give you the 4-1-1 on the half b-day party tomorrow. Should be a blast.

And it just turns ugly....

A lot of times we have to work with law enforcement, but sometimes you get a dept. is just are a hassle.

We were sent to a standoff on sat. night. (Ironically enough, Mona's called me to cover a few minutes before.) So we were off to the scene. We initially went to a organizational scene, which we found out wasn't the scene. Then we went to the actually scene. We tried to find a spot, and we were moved four times. Father and further away from the scene, until there was no way of seeing it. The said they were "worried" that the lights would set the guy off, and we were way out of the way in the second two spots.

As Murphy's law often does, the live truck had a few problems that need to be fixed when we got back. It was just a disaster. A cell phone interview was all that we could get.

Just yet another reason why I need party Sunday.

Do I have a "kick me sign" on my back?

It's like getting an ice cube down your pants. Irritating as hell.

They raised my salary, but...only enough to match the rest of the photogs. They considered it a "mid-term raise" because they felt that I needed to be paid more. They are obviously covering up the fact that they saved money by not renegotiating my salary in the first place. And no retro-active active pay either. Not even for the two months I waited for them to get back to me. But the good news of all this is I'm getting another raise in two months at my anniversary date.

Then the bad luck came. I got a speeding ticket, and someone stuck a piece of ice down my pants. ugh!!!!

After all that, it's time for something interesting. Check this out:


http://www.wlky.com/video/9276690/index.html

Talk about a lucky photog.

I can't wait for my vacation. I serious need to get out of the state for a while. But before then, I need to blow off some steam. And that will happen on my half birthday on July 22.

That's right--I am celebrating my half birthday. Why you ask? Because I need an excuse to get drunk for once. This all came about after one of the reporters I work with frequently jokingly said he wanted to get me a lady of the evening as a b-day gift. But obviously, it's little more than six months away. So he said "why don't we celebrate your half birthday?"

Things fell in place for it. I had to swap a day for another photog that I was covering, and I decided to do a sunday, because I would have a three day weekend and I could drink saturday and sleep it off sunday.

I feel it also fitting since it is my half way mark at being thirty. I will more than likely overview the past six months and look ahead to the next six.

Laters.

Shoot or not to shoot

An ethical quandary of sorts...

After coming back from a live shot on Saturday, I was rushed out the door again to a hit and run fatal. (The assignment desk didn't contact us in the field on the way back, which meant I was wasted valuable time and missed the Shamrock-Ortiz on ppv. I was angry about it, but let's get back to the story.)

I got there just in time to catch the body (which was completely covered) entering the coroners car. I came back with the video and we didn't get to air it that night. I had told my producer what I had, as well as the reporter the next day about it. Both seemed fine with it. We used it the following newscast in a story.

I was given a call Monday morning (on my day off) from the reporter saying that everyone was sent an e-mail regarding "not showing body bags on tv."

Now, here is the ethical question...

If the body was completely covered, is it airable? Now, given the current state of tv (CSI, Law and Order, ect.) this is airable. However, it is more real, and it is a corpse.

Now, you may ask why I shot it. In my job, I have not very much editorial control. But I am told to shoot what I can and if it is questionable, it is up to the reporter and producer to decide. I did let them know what I had, and it was their decision either way. I am not saying this as a cop out, just saying that the censuses at the time was to show it. And now I know that it is something we will not air. If the other stations decide to, then that is their opinion and right to do so.

So, there's my ethical rant of the quarter.

Went to see Superman Returns and had a lot of problems with it. I could rant about it, but those of you who want to see it, I don't want to ruin it for you.

Laters.

A little fun between the drops

I finally had some fun for once. Well, kinda.

I was able to get to see some movies over my weekend. "Click" was kind of an emotional roller coaster. Different for an Adam Sandler flick. And "Pirates of the Caribbean"--let's just say they are trying to be like "Empire", but good none the less.

It was an interesting fourth at least, with the peeps from work showing up to the bar while I dj-ed-ed. I did duets with a few of the reporters that night, which was more than interesting.

I also went with the peeps at work to a local club, which I was not impressed by. The music sucked. When I asked the dj for Run-DMC, his response was "people don't usually dance to that." My god, am I that old? lol

Besides that, just more and more rain. It's sort of making me depressed. Gees. The parents have the their plans finalized for their New years visit. And I can't wait to get back to Montana for some sunshine. Hopefully I can eck out a trip to the beach when god is done showering.

Rain Rain Stop it I'm going Insane

What a mess!

It's suppose to be summer and we have had nothing but rain for the past few weeks. We were in a drought, but now we are in a swamp. (In my opinion, Florida needs to learn how to conserve water during the winter season.)

I headed out to the beach today to cover several stories and got drenched. It was literally sheets of rain. It didn't fair well for my camera, which did have it's rain jacket on. Two of them. It turns out I need a garbage bag and even after that, not in the drenching rain.

My camera went crazy after a while, although I could shoot. It lightened up and I was able to get some disgusting video of dead fish who died because of red tide. (Prepared to be grossed out--I got some shots of maggots eating a dead fish--didn't use it for air thought.)

My camera eventually went to a screen full of color bars and nothing else. A replacement was sent, but we ended up finding out the new camera had audio problems back at the station.

Torrential rain days like this always seem to be bad days. Especially on camera. No matter where I am too. I had similar experiences in Indiana. It sucks.

Let's hope we can get through this week.

It's Like De Ja Vroom all over again

What are the odds?

June 2003

After a long day of shooting a fire and an accident, we get the call at my old station that a car chase was happening on the highway heading towards the station. We get there just in time to get a quick shot of the chase, which ends in downtown Great Falls.

Fast forward...

June 2006

After a slow day for me (I was shooting something for next month) I hung around, and one of the producers was wondering why I was still there. I said, "What if breaking news happens?" She said she would "look the other way" if I left.

I stayed for the first few minutes of the show and began to unload my car, until I see about a dozen cop cars rushing pass the station. I quickly head in and ask the assignment desk about it. While she was trying to get a hold of the local cops, I heard over the scanner "He has a flat tire, we just past Cultural Park and he is on his rim now."

This was nearby, so I went off and followed the trail until I get to the scene a few miles away. The cops had stopped the van they were chasing, and confirmed a car chase happened. I get the video back to the station in enough time to edit it and put it on air. I tell the producer, "Didn't I tell you we'd have breaking news?"

Later.