Storm of the Century

Hurricane Gustav is just hours away from slamming the Louisiana coast and impacting the entire state. I can't help but wonder didn't we just go through this with Katrina & Rita?

I'll be getting some of the aftermath from the storm but for now it's staffing the OEP center and pick any craziness around the area. The usual spill, the storm is coming everyone should not take things likely.

Those words are not falling on deaf ears. Believe me everyone is taking this seriously. The Red Stick has been buzzing with activity since Thursday. Folks getting out of harms way. Everyone taking steps necessary not to let history repeat itself. Supplies flying off the shelves, generators being purchased left and right. People evacuating were walking up to me asking the best way to get going. I even helped a family reunite with each other after getting separated during their evac.

I got to think about my friends in around the impact zone of the storm. The Turdpolisher will blog when he can as he points the big dish in some bad conditions. Then there's Senator Drewry, of the North Rampart District. I know he'll be fighting the constant rain falling from the sky in the Big Easy. I've got a ton of friends and colleges getting ready for the long haul but remember I'm praying for you all. Guys be safe down there and when you get back the first round of drinks is on me.

Watch Out!!!!!!!!

As the 2008 football campaign draws closer the anxiety from players at every level is at a feverish pitch to hit something in another color besides their own. That is not what I think he had in mind when he turned and saw Emily Turner through the bars of his facemask.

From past experience that is not a good feeling to be in. We've all been there. Me, Turdpolisher, XRAY TED. Been there, done that, and it hurts.

What is that situation like you ask? You are set up ready to go and the ball is snapped. The play is motion on the field and in your head. You are thinking that this could be the one that makes the highlight reel for your show. This could be the play that sets it. The game winner. The shot of shots. And it's coming right at you. Now that feeling in the back of you head is begging,"Please don't let them hit me". They are not changing direction. The next thing you think, "Please don't let anything happen to the camera".

Things could have been worse, she could have badly injured. I emailed on how she was doing, no word yet but I'll keep everyone posted. As far as the camera goes, that why you have a good engineering staff at your shop. And some insurance on you camera doesn't hurt either.

Game Night

Game Night. The perfect cure after a long week of chasing news and feeding the beast at the Big Raggedy. But with football season and schedule changes this may be the last one for a long time. With that in mind nothing like a friendly game of "UNO" and some coffee to help past time and ease us into the upcoming fall season of games and elections.

Damn I got too many cards. I'm never going to win this. Maybe we should have played Monopoly. Then again that game usually ends in bloodshed. Lives forever changed by someone on the brink of bankruptcy then landing on Boardwalk with five hotels and a casino on the property.

At least the coffee was good. No beignets for me though, trying to lose a few pounds. Now to deal with the impending madness that is the fall season.

Watch What You Say

The studio. Each one is different. Each brings it own distinction to every news operation across the country. Some big. Some small. Some have the fancy wall monitors. While others continue their upgrades to show the news in High Def. The one thing that all studios may have in common is that when the air conditioner breaks down it gets real hot real fast thanks to the lights, more on that in a second. Now here at the Big Raggedy our newsroom is a part of the set. So our loyal peeps are watching us at work.

Now back to the lights. As I said earlier, they get hot very quickly. With that in mind the doors that act as a buffer between the newsroom and the studio must be open. That means we have to clean of the desks within camera shot and everyone watch what they say. Priority one, someone go find Meeks.

I think he knew we were coming. What's so funny Meeks?????

Meditation, The Key Is.

The only way to survive this one is deep meditation.

As I sit on the floor at the School Board office the constant verbal barrage continues in the next room. The fourth hour of the endless debate now goes into what must be done to improve the public school system. While the hot air is slicing through the cold central air I continue to meditate.

My reflection into how I came here starts to roll through my thoughts. My lovely assignment editor informs me that I have to do I live shot for the evening shows. But before that the Nubian Princess and I have to get a march of concerned parents wanting to present their proposal to the school board on how to improve their schools. No problem, I shoot the march, feed it back via the wok, do a couple of live shots, and go into cruise control.

Sirens roll past the building, no rumble from my phone to go check it out. So I continue to meditate as my fate handed to me by an earlier phone call. Turns out that their is another story involving the system getting additional money may come up. A long agenda is not in my favor. The item in question is near the end of the meeting. No point in both of us dealing with a drawn out meeting so show she was able to get out of there while I began to meditate.

More sirens roll by, this might be my ticket out of here. Spot news is better than school board but nothing to it. Eventually they get to the item in question. I very quick introduction followed by an even faster vote. Five and a half hours for a 2 minute story. So it goes.

Who would have thought the long days meditating at the Phallus Palace would come in handy. At least those meetings were more entertaining, did you know?

What Just Happened????

I hope he pulls through but this is why when Mother Nature starts talking you better be taking notes, did you know?

What's Your Definition

suc-cess, noun
1. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.
2. a successful performance or achievement.
3. a person or thing that is successful.

All of the above would definitely describe Maria Guerrero. I would love to tell you her life story but someone beat me to it. And they did a great job telling it.

I remember a young girl with great desire to make it in this field. She would hang out in the newsroom after working her shift in production. She would tag along with us to get experience in the field all while being a full time student. Now how she managed to get this done as well as get some sleep I'll never know. What I do know is that it got her ready. It got her noticed by the news director. It got her a chance to write for the newscast. It got her a reporting on the weekends. Simply put, it got her ready.

She wouldn't be afraid to make mistakes because of her confidence to learn from them got her where she wanted to go.

Where it got her was at a station in the Land of Cheese and on the cover of a local magazine. I'm pretty sure that same desire will take her to further places in her career as well as in life.

Maria, I'm happy for you. And if you need a photographer when you make to the big stage keep me mind, I'll be around.

The Photographer In All of Us

After lugging around the lens for nine years a lot of things come into sight of your viewfinder. It's always good to welcome a new member to the world of television photography. Let me be the first to welcome ....
....Kristy Davis. I knew it. I knew it. Deep down you always wanted to be a photographer. Now be careful, next you'll be asked to drive around town in a truck with a wok attached to it.

Why Couldn't This Wait Until After My Drink?

So after a day of slushing through some ugly conditions for our four legged friends and rolling after one of Pookey's homeys. Time to treat myself with a reward, a nice tall cup of sweet tea. So I hit the beverage stand and bring my reward back to the assignment desk and start to put the day in cruise control. Damn, I just jinxed my self.

My lovely 10pm producer takes a call from one of loyal viewers saying that a bunch of cop cars are near their apartment complex with crime tape surrounding the building. Now my photographer instincts are kicking in. I'm pretty sure that the building didn't do anything so that leaves me with one conclusion, stand off. Man I really hate stand offs.
Now some jack(ass, hole, leg, off - you chose the noun) has done something really stupid and taken it upon himself to put a barricade to keep the boys in blue at bay.
Causing distress to the residents who just want to go home and read the Forum. I'm just kidding but they do want to go home.

And force one photographer to leave his well earned sweet liquid reward back at the station to take pictures of the madness that is about to commence. I know what you are thinking, Senator why didn't you bring the sweet tea with you? Because I wanted to enjoy every drop while thinking of a successful day at the Big Raggedy. So while it's becoming a watered down version of it's former self I have to deal with the jack(insert noun from above) of the evening.

As I ponder if I'm going to be here for the Morning Show, PIO walks up to me and says, "It's ended. No one hurt and he's in custody". Wrap up a few loose ends, like getting a shot of the you know who, with no luck. However I know back at the assignment desk is a nice refreshing reward waiting on me. So with that, Cheers to the wonderful negotiator. It was worth the effort and the wait.

Things Are Getting Busy

What's up ya'll. Sorry about the lack of blogging lately. Things at the Raggedy are picking up. Football season is within earshot. Not to mention that I'll be working on some videos for the blog later this year. Also my training for the upcoming Steel Cage match is taking some of my time. That's right XRAY I haven't forgotten about you. So for now everyone take care and keep tabs on The Forum. Things will get interesting, did you know?