Thursday, November 12, 2009
Changes
The tornado of change has torn through the St. Clair house. Time for rebuilding, and making some new choices. More to follow.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Treat others how you want to be treated...even in cyberspace
The idea that disrespect is okay…needs to stop NOW. I’m absolutely appalled at the events of the past week. When a respected congressman, shouts at the President of the United States during his address, what does the world think? The man might as well have punched Obama in the face on national television. When children who see figures like Serena Williams and Kanye West as role models for how to make their lives better, and then see them behave in such a manner and think that it’s allowable, what are we losing from our future? I read an article that the events of this week are going to start some nasty undercurrents of racist talk, and I agree with that to a degree. Do I think that these people may be racist? Very possibly, and especially in Kanye’s case. He has a history of outbursts related to the man keeping him down, and black people not being able to get ahead. I think Serena’s outburst was probably frustration because she was losing, and it was just another bad thing happening to her and she lost her temper. Still inexcusable. There are other ways to vent your frustration that doesn’t involve being watched by millions of impressionable people around the world.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Oatmeal at 5am
I've finally been hired on full time, so I figure I should show up at a reasonable hour, rather than an hour and a half to my show in the mornings. Thus, I am eating my oatmeal at...5:17 am. Fully awake right now, but just give it till after the show, and I will definitely be in need of an IV of coffee or straight caffeine.
So the grass seed I planted is pushing its way up through the peat moss. I love how green new grass is, before it's full grown and damaged by the elements. Still a pain because I have to water it at least twice a day. I'm really not looking forward to seeing our water bill this month.
Charlotte and Ham are both staring at me with the "will you finish your GD breakfast already or else give us the rest" look, so I best be finishing it and get ready for work. My goal is to be there before 630 today!
So the grass seed I planted is pushing its way up through the peat moss. I love how green new grass is, before it's full grown and damaged by the elements. Still a pain because I have to water it at least twice a day. I'm really not looking forward to seeing our water bill this month.
Charlotte and Ham are both staring at me with the "will you finish your GD breakfast already or else give us the rest" look, so I best be finishing it and get ready for work. My goal is to be there before 630 today!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The end of the rainbow
Despite all the pains that come with being a homeowner, there are definitely rewards.
We’ve had a string of good news at the St. Clair house. Yesterday, Luke, DeeDee and I put in our yard. Our backyard is now green, and half of our front yard is also green. Turns out we over-measured our backyard, and had half a pallet of sod left, so we put down some in the front as well! Now, once the seed on the side of the yard grows, we’ll actually have an attractive home here on 5th East. It was tiresome work. Not really hard, it just took a lot of time and there was a lot of bending and lifting. It was so worth it. I’ve been saving for this moment, and the money is definitely well spent. Check out my facebook for photos of the backyard. The only thing that sucks is we’re keeping the pets off the grass for a while as the roots establish. So we’re walking them out front to go pee. The bad part: Charlotte will NOT go to the bathroom on a leash unless you take her for a walk. Not real convenient in the mornings. I have a feeling they’ll be peeing in the back, we’re just going to have to go out with them to spray down their spot and pick up after them. That, or else I’ll be getting up pretty early and getting a lot of walking in during the day!
Next, I’m finally getting some news with work. I was FINALLY made a full time real person, with a raise, on Monday. This helps us out immensely, especially since we haven’t yet heard if Luke will get his job back with Amex. I was so happy at work yesterday I wanted to throw a party. This has been such a long time coming. I think I started training to be a producer in October of last year, and I’ve had my own show since March. Now, I’m finally paid to be a producer.
With that upgrade, my schedule will be changing. With the departure of our 5pm producer, and another of our producers going to Sports, we’ve got some holes to fill. So, starting in mid-September, I’ll be continuing my KJZZ morning show three days a week, but also be doing the 5 and 10pm shows on KUTV on the weekends. Yes, it sucks to be going back to weekends, but I consider this a stepping stone to get where I want. I’ll be writing a lot more. Also, there are no managers here on the weekends, so I’m ultimately responsible for deciding which news gets aired. That’s going to help a lot in building my news judgment and allow me to take on the bigger shows one day. It’s a sacrifice, but I’m not going to be on weekends forever. I’m still interested to see who gets the 5pm. I really would have at least liked to be considered, but what’s done is done. I’ve got a new adventure to take on.
We’re still waiting to hear about Luke’s job, and it’s driving us a little nuts. But, they should be announcing second interviews in the next week or so. From what he hears, if you get a second interview, it’s extremely likely you’ll be hired back. We’re crossing our fingers that our run of luck will continue through September. So far it’s shaping up to be a pretty good month!
We’ve had a string of good news at the St. Clair house. Yesterday, Luke, DeeDee and I put in our yard. Our backyard is now green, and half of our front yard is also green. Turns out we over-measured our backyard, and had half a pallet of sod left, so we put down some in the front as well! Now, once the seed on the side of the yard grows, we’ll actually have an attractive home here on 5th East. It was tiresome work. Not really hard, it just took a lot of time and there was a lot of bending and lifting. It was so worth it. I’ve been saving for this moment, and the money is definitely well spent. Check out my facebook for photos of the backyard. The only thing that sucks is we’re keeping the pets off the grass for a while as the roots establish. So we’re walking them out front to go pee. The bad part: Charlotte will NOT go to the bathroom on a leash unless you take her for a walk. Not real convenient in the mornings. I have a feeling they’ll be peeing in the back, we’re just going to have to go out with them to spray down their spot and pick up after them. That, or else I’ll be getting up pretty early and getting a lot of walking in during the day!
Next, I’m finally getting some news with work. I was FINALLY made a full time real person, with a raise, on Monday. This helps us out immensely, especially since we haven’t yet heard if Luke will get his job back with Amex. I was so happy at work yesterday I wanted to throw a party. This has been such a long time coming. I think I started training to be a producer in October of last year, and I’ve had my own show since March. Now, I’m finally paid to be a producer.
With that upgrade, my schedule will be changing. With the departure of our 5pm producer, and another of our producers going to Sports, we’ve got some holes to fill. So, starting in mid-September, I’ll be continuing my KJZZ morning show three days a week, but also be doing the 5 and 10pm shows on KUTV on the weekends. Yes, it sucks to be going back to weekends, but I consider this a stepping stone to get where I want. I’ll be writing a lot more. Also, there are no managers here on the weekends, so I’m ultimately responsible for deciding which news gets aired. That’s going to help a lot in building my news judgment and allow me to take on the bigger shows one day. It’s a sacrifice, but I’m not going to be on weekends forever. I’m still interested to see who gets the 5pm. I really would have at least liked to be considered, but what’s done is done. I’ve got a new adventure to take on.
We’re still waiting to hear about Luke’s job, and it’s driving us a little nuts. But, they should be announcing second interviews in the next week or so. From what he hears, if you get a second interview, it’s extremely likely you’ll be hired back. We’re crossing our fingers that our run of luck will continue through September. So far it’s shaping up to be a pretty good month!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Blisters, Sod, and Random Acts of Kindness
When we bought our house, it had been sitting vacant for about a year. As a result, the yard was overgrown with goat head sticker weeds, and all grass had been erradicated. We've picked at it all summer, but I decided we've got to do something about the weeds and grow some grass in the front before the cold weather hits. This way, we'll have nice grass when spring comes again.
So Wednesday afternoon, I came home from work and got out the shovel, and started hacking away at the strip of weeds between the sidewalk and the driveway. It was hot, and the work was hard. I don't know why, but I forgot to put on gloves. Soon, after clearing only a 2'x3' square, I got tired and got a monster blister. I threw down my shovel and went inside to rest a while. Eventually, I started reading a book and fell asleep on the couch.
Well, as I was working earlier, there was a guy with a backhoe across the street delivering some rock to the neighbor's house. We talked a little, he asked if I was putting in grass, and if he wanted me to have him scrape the yard for me. I told him no, but thanks. When I woke up from my nap, I looked out the window, and the entire side yard of my house was swept clean of weeds, with three piles of dirt and tortuous stickers. I couldn't believe it. Out of the kindness of his heart, he scraped my yard once he'd finished his rock delivery.
It was just such a wonderful thing. Luke and I have experienced a lot of roadblocks and hardships in the past few weeks with his layoff notice, and all the crap going on at my work, and barely scraping by to pay the bills. It was just so nice to look out and see I don't have to work my tail off for once. All I can say is God is good, and does help you out from time to time.
Luke and I spent the rest of the night moving the remaining dirt to under the pine tree out front, where it will progressively get dumped into the trash. But it's done! It would have taken me a lot of time and hard labor to get those weeds gone. So this weekend, Luke and I are finally going to put down grass seed in the front and our house won't look like the scum of the neighborhood. The dogs will now be OK with jumping out of the car on the driver's side, with no fear of landing on stickers!
Tonight, I'll finish prepping the back yard for sod. We decided that the dogs would tear up seed, so we're biting the bullet and putting in sod in the back. It'll be nice to actually have a nice yard where the dogs can lay down in cool grass, and I can sit on the deck and look out on a nice green turf, rather than a dirt pit dotted with dog poo. It's going to be a tough, laborious weekend, but it's going to be such a great workout, and the finished product will be so worth it!
So Wednesday afternoon, I came home from work and got out the shovel, and started hacking away at the strip of weeds between the sidewalk and the driveway. It was hot, and the work was hard. I don't know why, but I forgot to put on gloves. Soon, after clearing only a 2'x3' square, I got tired and got a monster blister. I threw down my shovel and went inside to rest a while. Eventually, I started reading a book and fell asleep on the couch.
Well, as I was working earlier, there was a guy with a backhoe across the street delivering some rock to the neighbor's house. We talked a little, he asked if I was putting in grass, and if he wanted me to have him scrape the yard for me. I told him no, but thanks. When I woke up from my nap, I looked out the window, and the entire side yard of my house was swept clean of weeds, with three piles of dirt and tortuous stickers. I couldn't believe it. Out of the kindness of his heart, he scraped my yard once he'd finished his rock delivery.
It was just such a wonderful thing. Luke and I have experienced a lot of roadblocks and hardships in the past few weeks with his layoff notice, and all the crap going on at my work, and barely scraping by to pay the bills. It was just so nice to look out and see I don't have to work my tail off for once. All I can say is God is good, and does help you out from time to time.
Luke and I spent the rest of the night moving the remaining dirt to under the pine tree out front, where it will progressively get dumped into the trash. But it's done! It would have taken me a lot of time and hard labor to get those weeds gone. So this weekend, Luke and I are finally going to put down grass seed in the front and our house won't look like the scum of the neighborhood. The dogs will now be OK with jumping out of the car on the driver's side, with no fear of landing on stickers!
Tonight, I'll finish prepping the back yard for sod. We decided that the dogs would tear up seed, so we're biting the bullet and putting in sod in the back. It'll be nice to actually have a nice yard where the dogs can lay down in cool grass, and I can sit on the deck and look out on a nice green turf, rather than a dirt pit dotted with dog poo. It's going to be a tough, laborious weekend, but it's going to be such a great workout, and the finished product will be so worth it!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Time for some steadiness
Yet another weekend interrupted. We went to Wendover for some fun time before Luke went back to school. It started great! We got a comped room at Montego (which has been nicely remodeled) and gambled till 3am. Then, about 9am, I get a call. It's work, and one of the producers has called in. *sigh* So we get all packed up and drive right back to Salt Lake, where I end up working one of the most action packed nights of my life thus far at KUTV. An officer-involved shooting, a police chase of 4 wanted escapees from Wyoming, and then, 30 minutes before the 10pm show, some guy knocks on the door of this house and blows away the father and wounds the mother in front of their kids.
I've just been super stressed out the last week or so, and it's showing in my attitude. I desperately need some steadiness, especially at work. I think everyone does. All the producers are up and down and here and there. Practically no one is working their own show while we wait for a decision on who the 5pm producer will be. Everyone is super stressed, and the newsroom doesn't feel like it used to. I think everyone's a little jaded at the changes that have happened over the last year, and it's showing. It's high time things got settled, and we could get back into the regular routine of work. I think it will make things a lot better.
In the meantime, some good news: John is coming to visit! He's flying out for a week in October, and we're taking him to Yellowstone. Luke and I had booked a room at the Old Faithful Inn, kind of as just a nice, cheap getaway for the two of us a couple months ago. Then Mom hinted to John that we were going, and he asked if he could come visit and go with us. Of course we said yes, and so now he's coming and we're going to have a great time. Lots of pressure with this visit, because he's also checking out SLC as a potential new home. He's kind of tired of TN, and has considered coming out here for a change, since Luke and I are here as a support system. Now I've got to find lots of things for him to do to show that he'd have a good time living here. Any ideas, let me know!
I guess with John's impending visit, and Luke at school a few nights a week, I have a lot of time to myself to get the house all fixed up. I had a dream last night that I was prepping the front yard for seed. I guess I should work on that tonight after work, so that I can start getting the seed in soon and it can grow before it gets too cold. I can't believe it's almost September! I may cheat and see if I have the money to go get sod. Perhaps I'll call for some quotes today. I'll still have to hack away at the weeds before I can lay sod, but then I won't have to wait for the stuff to grow. I suppose it's good exercise.
I've just been super stressed out the last week or so, and it's showing in my attitude. I desperately need some steadiness, especially at work. I think everyone does. All the producers are up and down and here and there. Practically no one is working their own show while we wait for a decision on who the 5pm producer will be. Everyone is super stressed, and the newsroom doesn't feel like it used to. I think everyone's a little jaded at the changes that have happened over the last year, and it's showing. It's high time things got settled, and we could get back into the regular routine of work. I think it will make things a lot better.
In the meantime, some good news: John is coming to visit! He's flying out for a week in October, and we're taking him to Yellowstone. Luke and I had booked a room at the Old Faithful Inn, kind of as just a nice, cheap getaway for the two of us a couple months ago. Then Mom hinted to John that we were going, and he asked if he could come visit and go with us. Of course we said yes, and so now he's coming and we're going to have a great time. Lots of pressure with this visit, because he's also checking out SLC as a potential new home. He's kind of tired of TN, and has considered coming out here for a change, since Luke and I are here as a support system. Now I've got to find lots of things for him to do to show that he'd have a good time living here. Any ideas, let me know!
I guess with John's impending visit, and Luke at school a few nights a week, I have a lot of time to myself to get the house all fixed up. I had a dream last night that I was prepping the front yard for seed. I guess I should work on that tonight after work, so that I can start getting the seed in soon and it can grow before it gets too cold. I can't believe it's almost September! I may cheat and see if I have the money to go get sod. Perhaps I'll call for some quotes today. I'll still have to hack away at the weeds before I can lay sod, but then I won't have to wait for the stuff to grow. I suppose it's good exercise.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The Wanderer
Sometimes, life is blissfully dull. The routine of daily life becomes a welcome change from chaos and stress. I’m not one of those who usually welcome the boring, repetitive life (with the exception of my last year of college), but I find that sometimes I wish I could be content to live simply.
It’s really frustrating to want so much out of life, and to have to continually work hard to get what you want, and you don’t always succeed. Sometimes it takes a REALLY long time to get where you want to go. Sometimes, you give up for a while, because the wanting of the thing isn’t enough to override the stress and heartache of not having it. But you always pick it back up later, because it’s worth it. I have such wanderlust in me, that staying in one place seems impossible.
Restlessness of spirit seems to be one of my very core characteristics, that isn’t ever going to go away. And so, while I struggle to get where I want, get the job I need so I can afford to go the places I want, I settle. I find the joys in the routine, and try to relax.
It’s time for another trip already.
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