We spent some time in Las Vegas, a place where there is so much going on all the time. We drove there for a three day vacation. Its only a three hour drive so its the perfect escape. I’m amazed however how easy it is to find out what is going on in the world. You can leave your home town and still know all the happenings by the click of a button or a cell phone call. We got news of a horrible helicopter accident that crashed near the hospital in Flagstaff. Apparently there were 2 medical helicopters trying to land at the hospital but they hit each other. People said they could see people fall from the helicopters before they fell to the ground and exploded. How horrifying! I found out from our station manager who was on his way to Sacramento. Then I had to call another director and tell him the news which of course caused a ruckus in the newsroom. I’m sitting in my hotel at Treasure Island and told the people who live in Flagstaff what had happened before they even knew!

It just makes me think of back in the covered wagon days how long it took to send information across the US. During World War II, the west coast didn’t even know that we had joined the war until practically a week later. Now days people read the news right off their computers or on giant TV screens in the Vegas Casinos, or Time Square. Its all right there! Only thing is, there’s sooo much information….almost 2 much to comprehend. Was that bombing in Gaza or was it in Afghanistan? Are you talking about the murdering in Oklahoma or the one in Iowa who killed 5 people. There is just so much to absorb, and reading all that stuff can be depressing. All the stuff happening in the middle east, I have no clue about. A year after 9/11, I stopped following it because it was so depressing. Here and there I will read that insurgents did this in this city and Alkaid a did that. Even now I find it hard to understand what is really going on over there. Its sad, but I honestly think most Americans, unless they have a loved one in the military don’t really care what is going on in the Middle East. “Oh there was another bombing….Oh well, what can you do?”

I sit here and worry about gas prices going up and about Obama not being who I really thought he was. I wonder if we will ever get out of this recession. I don’t worry about being bombed. That is a luxury we have living in the US that so much of us take for granted. I guess when I celebrate the 4th of July at the end of the week I have a lot to be thankful for, despite the downfall of the American economy I still live in freedom. The only thing controlling me is my pocket.

I have to take 3 steps back. About a year and a half ago, people left the station and I was the only director for like 3 months. Now its happening again. Domenick left leaving the open commercial editing position, so of course Dylan ran for it. Now Zach is putting in his notice, and there you go, I’m the only director again. It takes 3 months to fully train a director. I do see Breana as a candidate for directing. I think she could successfully TD a show with supervision at this point due to her experience on cut ins and interviews. So I’d like to get her started on it and lessen the time when I’m the only one up there day after day. Just when you get used to your work support group, things change. Things always change, and rightly they should, you can’t get too comfortable in your own shoes.

So monday mornings I wake up at 5am, get ready for work and work from 5:45 til 10am, then go back to sleep for a couple hours and prepare to work the evening til 11pm. During the morning, the only time someone is here, is for 2 hours while I’m working. The Office Manager is usually here, but no one else til 9:30, 10am……except maybe some sales people.
Anyway, since I spend the morning by myself hitting stupid buttons, I don’t feel the need to get dressed for work when I’m only going to crawl back into bed later. So I throw on some thermal PJ’s since its always freezing in the control room, brew some coffee, grab an odwalla bar and head to work, waiting for the time my head will hit the pillow again.

Every now and then, someone will come back to production, pop their head in and scare me half to death. They think this is amusing! Me, not so much. But I usually hide in the mornings due to being in PJ’s and only having my hair thrown into a quick messy ponytail….no make up…I’ve also left my good morning attitude back in bed…and frankly I’m grumpy and not expecting visitors…..nor do I want visitors. Then when 10am rolls around I jump in my car, travel the 5 minutes it takes to get me back to my house and before I can even walk thru the door, my eyes start getting heavy and I sink into bed.

Then I go to work and I get the comment, “you looked like crap this morning!”

I say, “Thanx”, while I secretly hope they trip and knock some teeth out in the process.

When will this stupid split shift thing end?!!

Every year I do this, I find that less and less people read this. But I figure myspace is the best place to try, and I just hope that someone out there cares enough…….because one day you may want someone to care enough for you.

On August 17th I will be climbing 7 miles up Snowbowl Road for The American’ Cancer Society’s Climb to Conquer Cancer Event.

Last year I posted this bulletin to my friends on myspace about a dozen times and only got one donation from Mylinda Fine. Thank you Mylinda!!

Please If you know that cancer has effected your family or someone you know, the odds that it could affect you are much higher.

So here is what I ask, instead of eating out this wednesday for lunch, pack a lunch, and donate your eating out money to help fund cancer research!

I have 96 friends on my friends list, if each of you donates $5 bucks, I will raise $480 dollars!

Please will you help?

http://main.acsevents.org/goto/heatherlynjones

Every Penny Counts!