Not A Fan of Thanksgiving

I don't know for some reason I'm just not a fan of Thanksgiving.   That may be why I didn't object when they told me I had to work today.   So I'm writing from the station where I'm helping out on the assignment desk answering phones and such and then writing for the 5pm and 6pm shows.   So back to the reason for this post.   Some people find it hard to beleive that I don't jump for joy when Thanksgiving and Christmas come around.   I can't remember ever being a holiday person.   O.K. maybe when my grandmother was still alive because I enjoyed her cooking and just being in the kitchen when they cooked.   But I'll put aside my slight disdain for the holiday in order to say I am thankful for life, for family (even though by tomorrow I'll be ready to escape them), for friends (especially the ones who remember to check in on you when normally you do all the checking), and for the promise of tomorrow.   Happy Thanksgiving.

The Obamas Speak Up

I'm currently watching "60 Minutes".

It's coming on half an hour late due to football.

It'll be interesting to see what the Obamas the President-elect and First Lady in waiting have to say.

7:31: Neither Barack or Michelle knows if it's suck in yet though she says after his name flashed on the screen election night she says she turned and said," You are the 44th President of the United States of America, wow, what a country we live in."

7:34: Steve Kroft looks so gangster he knows he's the man.

7:36 Barack goes right to family Michelle "roaming about" in the A.M. and the "girls jumping in the bed."

7:37 "Surprisingly enough, I feel right now that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing."

7:38 Is Obama's disposition representative of a calm before the storm, given as he puts it our "challenges".

7:40: Obama shows what he wants to convey that he's in on things but not controlling things as far as bailout and Henry Paulson.

7:44 "Consensus" think that'll be one of Obama's keywords.

7:46 Obama says he'll move early on Guantanamo and on new American interrogation tactics to shure up the world's confidence in America. Also says we'll move back towards the search for Bin Laden.

7:47 "Soon" in response to when he'll name his cabinet and that they'll atleast be one Republican in his cabinet.

7:48 Of the advice for former President's the all see "there's a certainly loneliness to job."

7:49 The President-elect says he's reading Lincoln who he finds wise and he's reading the new book about FDR's First 100 Days. Makes me thinks about Time's interesting "The New New Deal" cover.

7:51 Obama points out that there are similarities to the past, but that recreating the 30's alone will be "missing the boat."

7:52 Obama doesn't know about making a lot of speeches, but says he'll work on communicating what he's doing as he done things. Wonder if that'll last with the Washington press corp going at him and his Press Secretary?

7:53 Obama says he wants to,"recreate a bond of trust between the Presidency and the public that [he] think has been lost."

7:58 Michelle's laugh is sooo funny, so short, but it's consistent so I know it's her real laugh.

7:59: Barack will never just go there with race he takes it and he spins it and makes it a "moment", a poignant and telling moment. He's always going to be inclusive. Election shows "Progress ...core deciency...generosity of American people."

8:01 Michelle on Malia's first day back "That's embarrassing." Wonders if someone tried to burn down the apartment?

8:02 LoL near the "Harold's Chicken Shack". O.K. So the President-elect had a hoopty so I feel better about mine.

8:03 Michelle paints at the presidency as a reunion, and homecoming.

8:06 Michelle might be a hybrid of Jacque O., Hillary, and Laura Bush as First Lady. It'll be interesting she strikes me as the type that doesn't like boredom.

8:07 Barack goes back to his girls and wanting them "to remain the great joys that they are."

8:08 Barack complains about not being able to take a walk and having to his barber having to come to an undisclosed location.

8:09 Steve asked what I wants to know what's Michelle going to do or going to want to do?

8:16 Michelle says the "dog" after the move is settled.

8:17 Barack on the "First Grandma" she can move in if she wants.

8:20 Barack started talking about something IDK about college football.

It's Been So Long

Hello world.

I hope I hasn't been gone so long that I've been forgotten.

The work before the election and right after kept me hella busy.

I've also been trying to find my blog voice on that other blog.

Other than that I'm trying my best to find that ever illusive thing called contentment.

So yeah that's me right now.

Oh and these last few days I've been feeling under the weather.

Monday I started having a sore throat which got worst in worst.

By Thursday I'd developed a sore throat and a bad headache so I called in sick stayed home, ate soft foods, drank lots of tea, and also drank an apple cider vinegar, honey, and water concocoction.

Friday I went to work, but wasn't a hundred percent.

Thanks to Twitter I got another tip boiled water with ginger root and scallions. So I drank a big cup of it this morning. I'll drink more later, and probably again tomorrow.

I so need to be well like a lot of others I don't do well sick.

What a Week?

Hi all.

So I haven't blogged since Election Day, probably because it was so busy. Between working at the T.V. station and blogging for B I've been busy.

As I noted in my previous entry after voting I went straight to work. From 9:15 to about 3:15 on Tuesday I manned the assignment desk with my boss, the station's managing editor, making sure we were set for the stories we were doing, making calls to the different local boards of election, and finding locations to send photographers to get video. It was a busy day. Then I wrote for the 4pm and 5pm shows. Then at around 7pm I headed downtown to the location where I was to field produce.

My assignment was to work with one of our reporters charged with covering the slots opponents. As you know every state has different ballot initiatives that citizens have to vote on. In MD voters had to decide whether to bring slots to MD. The reporter, two photographers/satellite truck operators, and I were stationed in downtown Baltimore, in a neighborhood called Fells Point. My job was to round up our reporter who was celebrating his birthday make sure he was in front of the camera for his live shots, let him know when VIPs had arrived so we could do interviews, talk to the station and find out the latest information, and keep our techs informed. It was a good experience.

The funniest thing though when everyone was reading the copies of ourelection plans they weren't 100 sure of my full name. Whose "C.N.?" they'd ask. As one of the junior staffers I was the only non-producer to actually serve as a field producer the others were our 4PM producer, our 5PM producer, and our two special project producers.

After all was said and done I worked from 9:15am Tuesday to 12:30am Wednesday.

Where was I when they called the race? I was sitting in our live truck watching the monitors to see what our station was doing. At 11:00pm I saw Katie Couric call the race. Unfortunately, I didn't see all of the President-elect's speech because we were headed back to the station as he spoke.

Now like everyone else I'm wondering what will happen next?

One Is The Magic #

Listening: One Is The Magic # by Jill Scott

Hoping: There aren't long lines at the polls (just before 8am, so I can get to work on time).

Praying: Nothing goes wrong today especially on the live shot which I'm field producing. Cause ya know they'd make me a scapegoat.

Hello all.

It's Tuesday November 4, 2008. No matter how you slice it, we're on the verge of making history. For the first time in our nation's history either an African-American or a woman will serve in one of the nation's two highest elected positions that of President or Vice President.

Politics aside as a journalist this is one of those days where I am reminded that journalists provide the blueprint for what becomes history by reporting things as they happen. Today I'll be doing my part when I go to work.

I've been up since just after 4 a.m. I know crazy right? Well consider the fact that I fell asleep around 9 p.m. last night. It happens on a regular basis. My mother always says you're about to fall asleep and then I do.

Today is going to be a very long day though. I'm working a double at the T.V. station. I'll be working the assignment desk dayside helping my boss the managing editor manage the stories which we're covering from 9a.m. til about 3 p.m. At night from probably 4p.m. til we're off the air around 11:30 p.m. I'll be on location field producing for one of our reporters who is covering the outcome of the ballot initiative which could bring slots here to MD. It's a big story for the station because slots is one of those compelling issues which has been debated for over a decade. Now we'll see if they finally come to Baltimore.

Well I'm excited I've been voting since I was 17 (Baltimore held one of its elections in an off year so 17 year olds who would have been 18 by the time the election should have been held were allowed to vote). The summer before the election I also spent time registering people to vote. I believe voting is important because it's a right that many in this country for not so solid reasons were prevented from having.

Remember when you're in that voting booth that one is the magic #.

If you haven't already, GO VOTE!