And to all, a good night...

Well, it's Thursday morning. We've got a ton of stuff to do before we hit the road this weekend, so I'll close out this ol' blog until next week or next year.

It's been a roller coaster of a year personally. We hit the ultimate low with our miscarriage back in March, and we hit the highest of highs watching and feeling our new baby grow. On a side note, our little girl is due two days after the anniversary of our miscarriage.

It's been a pretty good year at work, too. I've had a lot more positives than negatives. I'm very thankful for that, and I'm grateful for the people I work with. You guys make every day a pleasure.

To all of our friends and family, we love you all. Thank you for being there when we've needed you, and thank you just for being you.

With that said, from my family to yours, have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We wish you all of God's blessings and mercies this holiday season.

In a flash

Just a very quick update to say things are good again... so far. I've been a little preoccupied with things, but it's all good.

Just gimmie next week, and I'll be doing well in '06.

:-)

Ugh... Monday's coming.

This weekend, I finally applied the second coat of paint for the nursery. I just have to touch up the edges and corners, and I'm done. I also finished stripping the wallpaper down from our main bathroom.

I'm glad it's finally Christmas. Only one more week to go. I'm in desperate need of having next week off.

I never mention negative things (at least I try not to), but I'm not happy Monday through Friday right now. Read into that what you will, but things have been different for the last two or so weeks. It seems I'm only happy on the weekends.

I'm not going to say that anyone in general is the cause of my dissatisfaction. I would put it squarely on my shoulders. Plus, there's not one single factor. I can tell you exactly what's eating at me, and it's several things related to those five days of the week.

I'm just Burned out. Yep, that's with a capital "B."

Whattaday!

That kind of reminds me of those ugly Whattaburger restaurants. I haven't seen one since I was stationed in Texas.

Anyhow...

It's been an awesome day so far. I got up, met Paulie (our chief photog) at the bureau around 8:30, and we shot the first of my February sweeps story. It's a three-parter, and I'm not going to reveal anything else about it here. It should be a good one, though. :-)

We finished up, and I talked to my boss about what to do the rest of the day. Part two of my story will be shot out-of-town this week, so he gave me the rest of the day off! Working 11 hours yesterday didn't hurt, either.

And... WE HAVE HOT WATER! The gentlemen came this morning, and we have a brand new water heater courtesy of our home warranty people. I really think we would've renewed the contract for another year if it wouldn't cost so much this close to Christmas.

We paid $339 when we bought the house, and we've had to replace the furnace and the water heater. So, for less than $340, we've had more than $2,000 worth of work done. Not bad, huh? They now want almost $500 to renew the contract, and most of our other appliances were new with the house.

So, what's a man to do today? I'm about to leave and finish Christmas shopping for Amy, and I guess I'll come home and finish putting the touches on the painter's tape. I should be ready to paint the nursery by this weekend.

It's a good day. :-)

Good Weekend, except no hot water...

Friday night, we went to see "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion , The Witch and The Wardrobe" with my siblings-in-law. It's an incredible movie! It's beautifully done, and it's very kid-friendly. There is a big battle scene, but it's not violent in terms of blood and all. Best (and most shocking) of all, Disney kept the Christian themes intact.

Our water heater has been out since last Tuesday. We've been taking showers over at my sister-in-law's house (Thanks, Mel!). The plumbers are supposed to show up Monday morning to install a new one. The biggest problem is our homeowner's warranty runs out on the 22nd, so we're trying to get the last big item for free while we can. Plus, we're sick and tired of not having hot water.

We had a great time Saturday night at the WTVM Christmas party. Thanks for the gift certificate, and I picked a $50 Home Depot gift card off the tree. I spent it on the way home, too. :-)

Here's to hopefully only one more cold water morning. Have a great night!

Thursday Mornin'

I must say yesterday was a much better day. I wasn't (and am still not) 100% up to par, but I am feeling a lot better. My voice is almost back to normal, and work went very well.

To answer a comment on a recent post, our baby girl is due March 5th. Yep, it's a date that is fast approaching. I got a lot done in the nursery yesterday, and I'm watching the clock countdown to work. I really need to get in there and finish putting painter's tape around the doors and baseboards.

It's hard to concentrate on other things knowing our little girl will be here in less than three months. She and Amy are all I think about most of the time. I'm not scared at the thought of being a dad. I'm more proud than you can ever imagine. I'm just preoccupied knowing I'll soon get to hold a little life in my hands that God has given to us.

Her kicks are a lot stronger now. It's funny seeing Amy's stomach move, and it's incredible to feel those little arms and legs moving around. We're marking off the days with joy.

Do you ever have one of those days? That's a rhetorical question, I know. Yesterday was one for me.

Normally, work goes very well. Private life goes very well, too. Not Tuesday, though. I felt bad (as in stuffy and hoarse).

It all began when our water heater went down for the count. Then work happened. I'm not going into details, but let's just say it wasn't the happiest of days for me. Heck, I'm still waiting on something good to happen this week.

I'm normally not negative, but sometimes you just have to jot down a quick line or two to make yourself feel better. Please don't think work is bad. It's certainly not, and I'm happy with everyone.

It's just one of those days.

Week in Review

Ready for this lengthy recap of last week? :-)

Monday-Wednesday: I don't remember anything extraordinary, so there you go.

Thursday: I went to the station in Columbus early in the day to say "see ya later" to Casey, our assignment manager and 5:30 p.m. anchor.

Friday: Felt like absolute crap. I called in sick because my throat was on fire and closing up. It was also Casey's last day, and some of us made up a montage of well wishes for his new job in Savannah. He's still a Raycom employee, so we'll be able to communicate through our work software to him. Why did I mention him so often in a not-so-long piece? He was the backbone of our newsroom, and he is a great friend. We will all miss him, but he moved for family reasons.

Saturday-Sunday: Still feel miserable, but we went to visit Dad and Mary for the weekend. We enjoyed seeing them. We're home, and we're going to bed. Work comes early in the morning, and so far I don't feel like going. I'll see how I am in the morning. I've worked while sick before, so 99.9% says I'll be there.

I'm going to take some pictures of Amy soon. She's getting bigger in the belly with our little girl! She's very beautiful pregnant. She disagrees, but seeing her like this and knowing it's our child she's carrying makes her glow.

I'm a blessed man.

Sad Monday

Everything was fine today. I had a good day at work, I got more stuff moved so I can paint the nursery and Amy and I enjoyed a quiet night together. In the middle of it all, our next-door neighbor died.

Mr. Wood was 88-years-old, and we had just checked on him Thanksgiving morning. He seemed to be doing well, but he had been in the hospital a few days before. He was happy and looking forward to turkey and football.

His family is all at the house right now. We stopped in to bid our condolences after work. We're certainly going to miss him.

Raindrops keep falling...

It's a dreary Sunday night here in East Alabama, but it was a good holiday weekend all around.

We spent Thanksgiving morning until Friday afternoon with Mom. She had a big ol' dinner that lasted us three good meals. I hereby declare turkey to be off my craving list for another year.

We left for Niceville, FL, Friday afternoon to be with Amy's side of the family. We ate at this little hole-in-the-wall seafood place, but it was awesome! We stayed the night at the Holiday Inn Express (no, I don't have one of those "smart because I stayed there" moments to share), and we went to Uncle Bob's Saturday morning.

We haven't seen them in a couple of years, so it was good to get down there again. We left Saturday afternoon, stopped by Mom's again to eat, visit and pick up our dog. Then, it was back on the road heading home.

I always go to church on Sunday morning, but I was completely whipped by this trip. I slept in and Amy went without me. She came home and was completely fine, so I proceeded to move some stuff out of my former office so I can turn it into the nursery.

Around 5:30 this afternoon, Amy started crying. Not one of those emotional pregnancy cries, but "I'm in pain" cries. She apparently stepped off the curb awkwardly at church, and her ankle started hurting after a five-hour delay. She was in a lot of pain and couldn't walk, so I took her to the hospital.

How long did we wait? Can you say, "Over four hours?" I knew you could. The doctor gave her some pain medicine that won't affect the baby, a foot brace and a pair of crutches. She should only need them for a couple of days due to a light sprain.

Anyhow, that was our weekend. I had planned to start painting the nursery today, but I was only able to get the computer desk moved and set back up. Work comes early, and I really wish it didn't. Good night!

WHA??????

C.O.D. and SportsLady are outta here?!?!?!?!?!?!? BAAA! I've got a flurry of mixed emotions on this one! First Casey, now you guys!

Congrats on the move, though! I know you've been wanting to move on for a while, so I pray this is a great move for you. I will certainly miss you guys a bunch.

**********************

By the way, Happy Thanksgiving! This blog will resume after the weekend! Turkeys 'n travel for us!

Bama lost to the better team

Even this Bama grad can admit when Auburn simply performed a lot better. I almost hated being on the sidelines Saturday, but I had two things happen that made up for the loss.

I got to interview both Don Shula and Charles Barkley.

Let's just say I broke the ice, and both gentlemen were receptive to a talking on camera to little ol' me. Both men are class acts, and I was a fan of both for years.

I really don't have much more to say tonight. I'm tired, but I didn't want you to think I was cowering about Bama losing. As I've always said... 9-2 beats the last two years hands down. At least we lost to two powerful teams.

Next year, Bama. Roll Tide! Go get that bowl win!

Iron Bowl Weekend

Tomorrow is the Iron Bowl. Yep, I'll be on the sidelines doing a story on fans while the game progresses. I'll also be doing post-game interviews with the Alabama coaches and players. SportsDirector will handle the Auburn side.

Am I looking forward to it? Yes, but not on the gung-ho level I'm usually on. I think it's because I'm working it and not enjoying it as a fan. I'm also tired as rip right now. My boss gave me the day off since I'm working the game, and all I've done is yard work.

My lawnmower died on me this afternoon, but I think it's because too much pine straw got wrapped up in there. Stupid me didn't rake before I started. So... I spent the rest of the afternoon raking pine straw. I'll work on the lawnmower later. I don't feel like dealing with it Sunday. I just want to rest that day.

I say that, but I won't be resting. I went to Lowe's today and bought all the paint and stuff I'll need to finally work on the nursery. That means I'll be moving things out of my office Sunday and prepping the room for paint. I'm not looking forward to that, but I'm giddy that I'm getting my daughter's room ready for her. We couldn't be happier or excited.

I've been kind of bummed the last couple of days. My web server took a dive, and I haven't been able to get to my personal e-mail since Tuesday. I've contacted the web host, but no response. That's a first for them. Usually they get back to me same day, but their sites took a hit, too.

That's it for now. I'm sleepy. Have a great Saturday, and ROLL TIDE!

What a game...

I think I was the only person in my group of Tuscaloosa friends not surprised or upset at Bama's 16-13 overtime loss to LSU. I kind of expected it, just like I'm not overly confident about this Saturday's game against Auburn.

Like I said earlier, a 9-2 or a 10-1 regular season suits me just fine. It's better than the 2003 3-9 season, or the 2004 6-6 season. We'll go to a good bowl because of this year.

Chins up, fellow Bama supporters! Roll Tide!

WOOOOHOOOO!!!!

A big "thank you" goes out to my SportsDirector tonight. He told me since I've been so willing to shoot high school football and go to Tuscaloosa and shoot...

He got me a press pass to this year's IRON BOWL!!!

YES!!!!!

Forgot to mention...

...Bama is 9-0. Sounds good, right? Not really. No offensive performance again since Prothro was injured. You know, here's the difference between most Alabama and Auburn fans I know:

-Bama will probably go 9-2 in the regular season because up next is LSU and Auburn. My opinion? Great season! Let's improve next year! Get the offense working better, but we've had a great year.

-A number of Auburn fans I know have done nothing but complained about Alabama's season because they're once again Bama's redheaded step-child. They can't concentrate on the good year they're having, and all they could do was complain about last season.

I know if we somehow (by a MIRACLE) go undefeated this season and don't play for the national title... The best teams will. Try again next year instead of whining about it. At least we're somewhat on the right track.

One last thing: Miami jumped ahead of Bama in the AP poll even with a loss. I cannot stand Miami (or any Florida team for that matter), but they deserve it after the pitiful performance by Bama's offense and the whoopin' they put on VA Tech.

How many Bama OR Auburn fans would be willing to say that???

Weekend Happenings

Not too much going on this weekend. We took a trip down south to see Mom. It was a great trip, and I finally felt our daughter kick! It was so incredible!

On the way home, we stopped in Troy, AL, at the Wal-Mart. By the way, I don't despise W-M, but the crowds you have to fight make me never want to step foot in there. That's why I go late at night most of the time. Anyhow, we bought our baby bedding. Amy finally decided on a pattern. Now I can move stuff out of the nursery and begin painting it.

We stopped at the Troy McDonald's on the Hwy. 231 bypass. Fair warning... If you ever visit Troy, NEVER stop at this McD's. We ordered our food, sat at the window for 10 minutes, were asked to pull up and waited for another six minutes. A hamburger and fish sandwich were all we ordered, and everyone else behind us got their food at the window and left. Then the girl brought us our food and didn't say a word or make eye-contact. Plus, the order was halfway wrong!

I've already registered a complaint with corporate McD's. Worst service I've ever had at one of their places. I don't eat there often, but when I do, I get treated somewhat decently.

Beam another one up

Man, it's like every time I turn around another person with a Star Trek connection dies.

Michael Piller, 57, executive producer of my favorite series (ST:TNG) passed away November 1, 2005, from cancer.

Thanks for the great shows, and rest in peace.

Halllllloooooo!

Amy and I completely avoided Trick or Treaters Monday night. We opted to go out with a couple of friends instead. We ate out at Applebee's and then hit the theater.

We saw Dreamer. You know, it really wasn't a bad movie. Usually, I'm not up for those types of flicks, but I really enjoyed it. I recommend it if you want a clean movie you can take a kid to. A couple of "everyday" swear words, but not bad. Thumbs up!

Our weenie boy, Chopper, decided to play around one of our pine trees with poison oak on it. Needless to say, he passed it along to us. We both have spots that are driving us crazy on our arms and legs. Thanks, boy.

On top of that, my back has been in a lot of pain these last two days. I stood up Monday night to turn off the T.V., and my back just froze on me. I couldn't move or breathe until Amy came and started rubbing it. I'm not having pain in my lower back, but right below my shoulder blades in the middle. It's a little better tonight, but the morning is quickly coming.

I guess I'll close it down for the night. I hope all is well in your world! The ol' TiVo is calling before I hit the hay. G'night!

Sunday, Sunday

Wow... What a Saturday in college football. Georgia lost to Florida 14-10, so that basically proves a team really does need that "one guy" at times. Shockley was out, and they lost. I'll agree with Kirk Herbstreit from ESPN College Gameday last night. Without Tyrone Prothro, Alabama may not win against LSU. He is our "one guy." I know we still have Brodie, but D.J. Hall really needs to step it up in two weeks.

Phillip "Great Pumpkin" Fulmer's season just gets worse. They lost to South Carolina by one point. They showed two UT fans with bags over their heads during the game. I'd be wearing one, too. Heck, now you guys know how we've felt the last few years. It's good to see Fulmer lose, though.

I can see Bama ending the regular season 9-2. They're 8-0 with Mississippi State next week. After that, it's LSU and Auburn. If they can end with that record, I'll be happy. They beat Tennessee, and I would like to see them beat Auburn for the first time in four years. However, if they don't, at least we got one rivalry win out of the year.

Who knows? Maybe they'll do well against both teams and head to the SEC Championship game. At least they'll be going to a better bowl than the Music City.

They should be number four after the new polls are released, so Roll Tide!

I hate news like this...

In this business, you get used to wrecks, shootings, people dying, etc. Sometimes, though, you hear of stuff that really breaks your heart. Today was one of those times.

A local police officer responded to an accident shortly after noon today. He drove up on the scene to find his wife was killed in the wreck.

I can't find the words to finish this.

I won't boast...

...but, I will give a big "ROLL TIDE" to my Bama brothers and sisters! I just got home from the Bama/Tennessee game. It was a good game... check that... it was a good second half. The first half was extremely boring on the sidelines. We were all down there asking where the big plays were.

I'm very happy my alma mater is 7-0. They've already got more wins than last year, so I see them at least going 9-2 in the regular season. If they beat LSU and Auburn, that's icing on the cake.

Speaking of, LSU beat Auburn 20-17. *Snicker*

Amy said Liz's wedding was beautiful. Again, Liz, I'm sorry I missed it. :-(

Aww, man...

The boss sent out an e-mail this afternoon saying a prominent member of our team is leaving in a little over a month.

I'm quite saddened by this, but I'm happy this person will be closer to home. Gonna miss ya. I've always believed you are the backbone of our newsroom.

Rammer Jammer

I didn't want to say anything until tonight because I'll miss my EAB co-worker's wedding, but I'll be on the sidelines yet again for the Alabama/Tennessee game tomorrow! Thankfully, my wife is going to the wedding for me.

I'm sorry I'll miss the tying of the knot, but when it comes to my alma mater and football, it will take something drastic for me to miss it.

Best wishes, and ROLL TIDE!

Say it ain't so, Leo

Well, the Atlanta Braves are saying goodbye to Leo Mazzone. No more rocking in the Atlanta dugout.

Saturday Madness!

Okay, so it wasn't madness, but doggone it... Bama doesn't need to give me anxiety attacks like they did today. They beat Ole Miss 13-10 on a last minute field goal. I guess losing Prothro and having an off week really did something to them. However, I dare say most of them were focused on next week's rivalry game against Tennessee. Nonetheless, they're still undefeated! 6-0!

Batman Begins arrives on DVD Tuesday! I'm very excited about getting this. This has to be my numero uno Batman movie to date. I loved the '89 version, but this one looks like it will kick off a great series of films unlike the '89.

Speaking of, all four movies from that era are being released in a special edition anthology Tuesday as well. Yep, I'll have to get them even though I hated Batman and Robin. I've not respected George Clooney since then.

Not much else going on today. We're firing up the BBQ this evening, so that should be good. I enjoy that. It's been a day of mowing the lawn and trimming hedges and trees. I'm looking forward to a good steak.

Our baby is...

...healthy! :-) Okay, I'm sorry about that one. We've alerted all family members and work staff, so here's the answer to our four and a half month question:

We're having a girl!

I'm going to hold off on publishing her name here even though we've told everyone so far (I need to e-mail you, Your Saltyness). You never know if we'll have a last minute change in the decision. However, we got to see her kick her feet and legs during the ultrasound. She moved around quite a bit, and we even got to see her yawn. I admit it... we cried when we saw that.

Thanks for your continued prayers throughout this pregnancy. She'll be our first child, so we'll update you more as the March 5th delivery date draws near!

Bliss... complete bliss!

Wow, and a baby's secret revealed

I thought I'd check back in. My head is feeling a little better tonight.

As advised in the last post's comments, I checked out Blog de Chris Davis. Kevin Osgood was fired from WHNT today. I'm not familiar with the entire situation, but it certainly seems interesting. That's all I'll say on that matter.

I'm going load up on medication again before heading to bed. I have to get up early in the morning. No matter how I feel, I'm walking out the door before 9:00 a.m.

Why? We find out if we're having a boy or a girl around 9:30. I can't physically show it, but I'm jumping up and down inside with anticipation.

My next post may let you in on our little secret. :-)

Yuck

I can't seem to shake this bug. I was able to go to work yesterday even though I still didn't feel well. Today, I'm worse.

I got up from a nap a few minutes ago, and I have more drugs in me. I know several people who are sick, so maybe I caught it from them. My head is spinning a little, and I'm still dealing with a slight fever.

Lovely day. I hope your day is better. I've got to get away from this screen...

Feeling a little bit better...

...because...

Yankees lose! Yankees lose! Yankees lose!

Feeling like sludge

Well, another weekend is about to wind down. However, I'm not so sure I'm going into work tomorrow. I feel like a total mess. I ache all over, and I feel very cloudy. I have a slight fever to boot.

Enough complaining. We'll see how I feel in the morning. On to sports stuff...

I just finished watching the Astros beat my beloved Braves 7-6 in the longest postseason game in history. If it were up to me, I'd fire every last relief pitcher in the Atlanta bullpen. They have stunk all year long. Tim Hudson was up 6-1 late in the game, and then Farnsworth came in and blew it all to Hades for him.

The game went 18 innings, and Atlanta choked again thanks to relief pitchers. How I long for the days when they had the best bullpen in the majors. Check that... the best pitching staff. Well, all I can say is... Go Cards!

Bama was off this weekend, so I had to settle for other games. I watched Penn State beat Ohio State. I was happy to see that because OSU already had one loss. In my mind they didn't deserve to be #6. So, Joe Pa took care of them. I'm not a Penn State fan by any stretch, but anything that makes Bama higher in the rankings is fine with me (the Tide are now #6).

Speaking of SEC teams, Georgia took down "The Great Pumpkin!" Fulmer ate it again for the second time in conference play. What does that mean? It means I won't have to stare at Fatty Phil in the SEC championship again this year. Color them done. Georgia should take the East and Bama should take the West if all goes well. Auburn is doing well in the West, but they've played high schools so far. We'll see.

I think I'm out of energy. I'm going back to the couch. I just feel yucky.

A sign perhaps?

I TiVo'd "The Apprentice" tonight. What was it about? Setting up a tech expo for retirees. The first thing mentioned? Get a TiVo from Best Buy.

This past Sunday, I did.

Hmmmmm...

One last thing...

Geez, as soon as I posted that last comment I got a couple of spams. From here on out, you'll need to verify a word when you leave a comment. Sorry, but I'm tired of it. :-)

Rainy Day

I'm about to head into work, but I thought I'd leave these two random thoughts with you:

1. What has happened to SouthTVNews.com? It suddenly disappeared.

2. Copyright infringement is a very bad thing...

May your day be dry!

Pardon me, but did you score three?

Well, it's after midnight in the eastern land of Alabama. I just finished the drive from the western side of the state...

WHERE MY BELOVED CRIMSON TIDE WHOOPED THE FLORIDA GATORS LIKE A DISOBEDIENT KID!!!!!

Ahem... I was there. All four quarters on the sidelines... all 31 points #15 Alabama scored. All... ummm... three points #5 Florida eeked out.

Thanks to my gracious SportsDirector, I was there. I was in the middle of the field when Mike Shula and Urban Meyer shook hands. I was there when Prothro snapped his leg in half (poor guy). Point blank... I was there.

I can't begin to tell you the feeling I had when I first walked back into that stadium since I left it two years ago. I was home. I got to see Shula get his first signature win... To hear a crowd on its feet the entire time during and after the game... It was deafening in Bryant-Denny today.

I left Tuscaloosa tonight feeling like I haven't felt in a long time. No worries, no cares, or no concerns. Just a feeling of the old Crimson Tide we knew so well. I'm not sure if this is a sudden return to our glory days, but I know one thing. It felt like it.

So, I close this post with two of my favorite words: ROLL TIDE!

p.s.--You picked who to win? By how much? :-) 'Nuff said.

Oh, man...

How awesome is this? This week keeps getting better!

Andrew (fellow WTVM'er) was supposed to go to the Bama/Gators game with me. He's already got a full work load this weekend, so he can't make it. I asked La'Qunta, one of our fine producers, because she wanted to go earlier in the week. She's now made plans, so it looks like I'll be making the trip alone. This is not the "getting better" part...

...This is! After hamming it up with the SportsDirector tonight, I told him I knew of someone over in T-Town that might be able to help. I received an e-mail from Clayton, my old cohort at WVUA, saying he'd love to see the game inside the stadium. He even asked if there were extra credentials. Well, after everything else fell through, I called him tonight.

Clayton is a heck of a camera guy. He and I were a team for quite some time, and I love his style. He told me tonight it's a go! He's going to help me Saturday! SportsDirector told me he trusted my judgment, so have fun!

C-Note and B. Rock back together for one day only! Get your tickets now! :-) I'm more pumped than you can imagine right now! I get to see Bama, Clayton, Justin and who knows who else.

Roll Tide!

Mama, I'm coming home

Sweet Home Tuscaloosa!

My sports director is the best! He asked me today if I had plans for Saturday. I finally have a weekend where I won't be going anywhere, so I told him I was free. He said he wanted to ask me first if I wanted to work. I got curious, then he told me he had credentials for the Bama/Florida game!

My response? "I'm going home!"

I'm getting to see my beloved Crimson Tide take on the Gators in person! Two unbeaten SEC teams at Bryant-Denny! I'm so happy about this trip.

Yeah, I've got to work it. So what. I'm going back to my heartland.

Reflections of Katrina: 9/9/05

Finally! Part 2!

Ashley and I woke up Friday morning around 7:30. She had to call into a radio station for an interview, and I got a shower and dressed. All the other guys also got up, and we all left the house around 9:00.

We filled up in Mobile, grabbed some breakfast and headed back to Biloxi. The Columbus guys went back to Georgia, which means a quicker trip back to Mississippi. We didn't have to follow trucks and trailers, so we made decent time getting back.

We first went to Highway 90 on the eastern side of Biloxi. We shot some more footage where a bunch of houses used to be. There were stairs in several places that should've gone up to front doors. They instead went nowhere. We'd stand on the top and look out over just piles of rubble.

We did some of our on-camera stuff, and went inside one of the houses. As we were coming out, the owner drove up. He told us while the downstairs area was trashed, the upstairs looked untouched. Not even a picture out of place.

We then shot some more in the surrounding neighborhoods, and then peeked over the wall at Keesler AFB. I barely recognized my old stomping ground. New construction was mixed in with total destruction.

The neighborhoods surrounding the base gave a better picture of the damage. We saw signs that read "You loot, we shoot." We also saw a refrigerator covered in rope that ready "Do not open. You will regret it." Red and black X's marked the houses with dead or injured people inside.

We made our way out of Biloxi and into Ocean Springs. Jimmy, one of my best friends since before high school, is with the National Guard unit out of Tallassee, AL. He was deployed down there, so we decided to do some stories.

We drove up to the municipal airport where the NG was set up. Jimmy was working in Vancleave, about 45 minutes northeast of there. We met several soldiers from our viewing area, and then headed to Jimbo's hideout.

We stopped at the Ocean Springs mall where the Phenix City unit was handing out water and ice to a long line of cars. Ashley did a story there, and then we went to Vancleave. It was longer than 45 minutes, I think. :-)

We drive up to the high school, and there's Jimmy guarding the gate. Never in my life did I think our jobs would bring us to the same location in another state. It was awesome to see him and his unit loading food, water and ice. Those people were very grateful, and they even helped the Guardsmen by loading cars and giving them food.

We wrapped up our final story there. We left around 5:00 that afternoon, and headed back to Opelika. We stopped by my house, and Ash went on to Columbus. I got home around 10:00 that night, and that wraps up my Katrina memories.

I described the destruction better in the previous post. It's late, and I don't feel like getting into more detail. Thanks for reading it, though. Once again, here's a link to some pictures from the trip.

Follow me

I received a great e-mail today! Lee is a guy I graduated high school with. I lost track of him after graduation, but I ran into him one day while we were at Bama. He was working in Finacial Aid, but I never got to hang out with him.

I always made it a point to stop in and see him, but then we left. I e-mailed him a couple of times when we moved here, but they bounced back. After 16 months, he e-mailed me today.

He saw me on the news yesterday, and it turns out he's now living in Auburn. He's a speech teacher at the local community college. It's great we live in the same place again.

It's been a great day!

Phantom of the Football

Amy's birthday is Tuesday, so I took her up to the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta Saturday. We went to see "The Phantom Of The Opera." We had both seen it growing up, but we needed a refresher. That's part of my present to her. Good time, AWESOME performance!

I had a good football weekend, too. Alabama got its biggest win under Shula, a road trip to South Carolina. Steve Spurrier, one of my "Hated 3" of college coaches, was thouroughly whipped by my beloved Tide 37-14. It's still not his signature win, but things appear to be on the right track finally.

As fas as the other two in that trio, Dennis Franchione won big. I was sorry to see that happen, but... the Godfather of the "Hated 3" went down! Phillip "Great Pumpkin" Fulmer lost to Florida in a very good game! I've normally despised Florida because of the Spurrier aftertaste, but I really like Urban Myer now. I was impressed watching him at Utah last year, but now even if he beats us in Tuscaloosa this year, I like him. He took down Fatty Fulmer. Anyone that does that is A-Ok in my book.

If you care, I'm still getting up the patience to write about day #2 of our Biloxi trip. I just don't feel like sitting here that long again and writing.

With that said, it's off to play some World Series of Poker.

Crossing the divide

I was checking out some blogs tonight linked over at SouthTVNews, and I stumbled upon Chris Davis. He's a meterologist up at Fox 6 in Birmingham.

He used to work at WHNT, and he was searching for some stuff when he happened across this little blog o' mine. He's reprinted my rant on Kevin Osgood (found here) over on his site. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one K.O. has "K.O.'d." He's at a good station now, though.

Thanks for the mention, Chris. I hope all is well in "The Ham." :-)

The growth continues

We heard our baby's heartbeat for the second time today! It's very strong, and the doc is happy with the progress. Amy is starting to show a little, and she's at 15 and a half weeks. We find out four weeks from today what we're having!

As far as the concluding Katrina Biloxi update, you'll have to wait one more day. I'm way too tired, and I just want to watch the World Series of Poker. :-)

Good night!

Reflections of Katrina: 9/8/05

Sept. 8, 2005: Ashley and I went to Biloxi with the guys from Knology Cable and St. Peter United Methodist Church from Columbus. The mission: Drop off supplies, cook food and take a family home.

I met Ash around 4:00 a.m. Thursday at the Spectrum on Hwy. 280 in Opelika. We hopped in the "9-Mobile" and trucked on down the highway. I was very surprised that after just three and a half hours of sleep I was coherent. Thankfully, she was awake, too.

The group gathered two 30-foot trucks worth of supplies, and they had a trailer with a huge grill and an ice cream cart from Bruster's. We caught up with them just before dawn south of Montgomery. That's when I got to meet everybody for the first time. Hey, it's lonely in East Alabama.

Fast forward to 10:30 a.m. We're on I-10 near Pascagoula, MS. Traffic is at a stand still because the bridge leading to Moss Point is a two-way mess. Katrina messed up half the bridge, so everyone was merging. By this point, we'd topped off the gas tank at least three times. You would think gas would be more expensive down there, but gas in Opelika that day was $2.89 per gallon. It was only $2.54 along the coast.

We arrived in Gulfport to drop a family off. They were staying at The Ralston in Columbus, and we thought we were reuniting them with their brother. However, they were going home.

Their complex had limbs everywhere. Inside, a table was set up at the back of the lobby where people were getting bathroom items and so forth. They took two grocery carts of their belongings up to the third floor.

When they opened their door, a horrible odor crept out into the hallway. Their apartment was a mess. Food was everywhere, and the gentleman quickly disappeared around the corner. He quickly returned spraying an air freshener while we interviewed him. It had to be old food, mold and mildew.

We left the complex, and headed to a Red Cross staff shelter. We drove down Hwy. 49 through Gulfport, and it was a complete mess. Power lines were down, traffic lights were either out or missing and USAF Security Police and National Guardsmen were directing traffic. Some restaurants were running limited hours, but most were closed. Buildings were either boarded up, damaged, or just complete rubble.

Probably the most haunting images were a bank and post office. We saw about 50 people standing outside a bank waiting to get their money. At the post office, a sign said there was no regular mail, but they had a big basket out front where you could drop things to send off.

We arrived at the Red Cross shelter where the Columbus group quickly set up a tent and grill. Red Cross volunteers quickly came outside, and the first thing they noticed was the Bruster's Ice Cream cart. They couldn't beg for cones quickly enough. Many workers told us they hadn't had any dairy products in a week and a half. Vanilla ice cream suddenly became worth more than gold.

They had enough hamburgers and hot dogs to feed about 1,000 people. They needed them, too. Not only did volunteers come out to eat, but a low income neighborhood next to the shelter got the word. Parents and kids came out to eat, and they were certainly not turned away. There was a big pile of debris between the shelter and homes, but that didn't stop anyone. It was an incredible sight.

We finished up our part at the Red Cross and headed to a the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd near Keesler AFB in Biloxi. I was stationed at Keesler back in 1994-1995, so I knew the area pretty well. I wasn't prepared to see everything I knew in complete shambles.

At the church, we shot another story and then helped clean out the first truck. As we were taking stuff into the shelter, a number of people came in and brought it right back out. They were families who lost everything. During our breaks, we'd talk to them a bit. I've never heard face-to-face stories of how people survive without anything. They were so grateful to the group for bringing all the items. Baby items, clothes, toys, food, water, toiletries... Everything under the sun was in that truck.

A group of guys from Virginia Tech showed up at the last minute and helped unload probably over 50 cases of water. My back was killing me, but just thinking of those in need made the pain go away. Ash was completely tired, as was everyone. Most of the people helping at the church were from San Diego, Oregon and other places.

The second truck showed up not long after we finished the first one. Ashley began going through the phone book trying to find a hotel for us. She was told, "Try Houston or Arkansas." We should've known better. :-) As she worked the phone, I jumped in line to help the VT guys unload the next truck.

When all that was finished, the Columbus guys went back to the Red Cross shelter while Ash and I drove down to the Gulf Coast. That's when I almost lost it.

We pulled up to Hwy. 90, directly across from the Treasure Bay casino. Granted, unless you were familiar with the area, you had no idea what the place was. It was a big boat-shaped casino, and it was a beautiful sight when it was upright. The bottom was torn out of it, and I was surprised to see it was still floating.

Across from Treasure Bay stood a hotel where Dad, Mary and I stayed on their first trip to Keesler to see me. The front was gone. Next to us was a Waffle House, but only a few steel beams remained. Ash and I did our on-camera bits, and she spoke with some Alabama Marine Police officers at the intersection. They cleared us to drive down Hwy. 90 and told us the looters were really bad the night before. They also said bodies were still washing up on shore earlier in the day.

We drove down 90 for a bit. The road itself was dangerous because most of it was just missing. We then happened upon a casino on the wrong side of the road. Mississippi law says casinos must be on water. This thing, barges and all, was on another hotel across the road.

I used to know every inch of this area. I couldn't recognize a third of it. I was fighting back tears seeing what, if any, was left of the stores and places I used to visit. A city where I spent one fourth of my Air Force career is in utter shambles.

We finally got in contact with the group, and we decided to meet them at Bay Vista Baptist Church near the base. We were hungry, but the one place that was open at 7:30 at night was blocked off. After taking in more of the scenery, we made it to the church and waited.

A very foul stench was in the air. There was an apartment complex right behind the church. We were told the smell was that of decomposing bodies they hadn't retrieved yet. That is an odor we'll never forget.

After chatting with members of the Pennsylvania/New Jersey Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief Team, our guys finally showed up. They unloaded Buck Ice, and we said good night to Biloxi. Well, almost. As we were headed back to I-10, we were stopped by Biloxi police officers with semi-automatic weapons drawn. A curfew went into effect at 8:00, and our group was told to disappear for the night.

We made the drive to a group member's house in Orange Beach, Alabama. Around midnight, a hot meal was waiting on us. We ate, got showers and fell asleep for the night.

Part Two of the trip is coming up possibly Tuesday night. Pictures can be found here. I'm sleepy. :-)

Safe and Sound

Ashley and I made it back into town tonight. I have a lot to say about our two-day trip to Biloxi/Gulfport. Expect a detailed report maybe Sunday night. I'm going to bed, and we're going back south for Mom's birthday in the morning.

I'll also provide you with pictures from the trip, and we'll be presenting our stories on-air soon. I'll give you two different perspectives about this area. I was stationed at Keesler AFB 10 years ago, and this was the first time I've been back.

Let me say this much... You can see all the images of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath you want. See it in person, and your perception of life will drastically change.

Here we go!

Ashley Nix and I are heading to Biloxi in five short hours. I just got home from work, so I'll get about three and a half hours of sleep. Gotta love working night side sometimes.

We'll share our stories on the air when we get back. We've got some good stuff lined up already. I'm excited about the trip! We should only be gone a couple of days.

Pray for safety and the people we'll be seeing! G'night!

Conspiracy Theories

We had a great trip to South Carolina over the holiday. Got to see our new nephew! He's very handsome!

I was listening to the guys on from WANI 1400 this morning, Ben Taylor and Andy Burcham. Andy is the station manager, and Ben handles news and sports. They're also both part of the Auburn Network.

On a side note, Ben likes to use my stories from my station's web site. Usually, if I write it, he's reading it almost verbatim the next morning. Do I ever get credit? No. That may be an issue at a later date. After all, it is my work he's stealing.

Anyhow, Ben cheerfully pipes up this morning that ESPN is completely against Auburn's football team. How? Their set during the game is decked out in black and gold. The announcers are wearing gold ties. He says it's pretty obvious they're pulling for Georgia Tech.

Well, let's see... the new graphics for ESPN College Gameday are predominantly gold and black. Over the last couple of years, they were orange and blue. Maybe they were just ready for a change...?

Andy agrees with Ben.

I don't want to even remotely know which part of left field this theory came from.

Death comes three times...

I've always heard famous people die three's. Aside from the two mentioned below, Bob Denver also passed away Friday. He was "Gilligan."

Sad weekend

Ok, one more thing before I go to bed. I just saw these couple of articles. Sad weekend to end an already heartbreaking week:

From Friday: Former ESPN reporter Adrian Karsten found dead

From Saturday: Chief Justice Rehnquist Dies of Cancer

I bumped into Adrian Karsten at a Bama game a couple of years ago. He was a really nice guy.

Sad week for millions of people...

Sorry, guys...

I had to switch comments over to "Registerd Users Only." On that last post tonight, I got eight anonymous spams. If the spam continues, you'll have to go through word verification to yell back at me.

Off to bed, then South Carolina! Here's hoping we find gas on the way home!

Saturday Night Fever

Thank goodness it's football season! This weekend began with a lot of fun. My thanks to The SportsLady and The SportsDirector for letting me participate in Sports Overtime. I shot video for the Opelika and Lee-Scott Academy games, and I did live highlights for them. It was my first time doing sports on the tube, and I really enjoyed it.

I used to broadcast with a minor league hockey team in Texas on the radio. I miss doing sports, so it was certainly a treat for me last night. Dave called me after the show and was very positive about the highlights. Thanks, guys.

Amy and I took a break from college football this afternoon to watch The Transporter 2. It wasn't as good as the first one to me, but enjoyable. The biggest thing wrong with the movie is the blonde girl. If you see the previews or the movie, you'll understand what I mean. She's way too freakish-looking for me. But on the upside, I'm starting to really like Jason Statham as an actor.

As far as college ball, #7 Oklahoma lost 17-10 to TCU. OU is one of my favorite teams because of Bob Stoops and tradition, but it looks like they're picking up where they left off last year. Georgia dominated Boise State, Alabama is currently leading Middle Tennessee State 23-7 and Auburn is losing to Georgia Tech 10-0. I'll update those last two scores when their games end.

And where would I be without talking about Tennessee: They barely beat UAB 17-10. Andrew, a new reporter at our station, is a UT grad. I'll say it here as I told him: I'm not anti-Tennessee, but I'm anti-Fulmer. Some of his "secret confessions" helped get my Crimson Tide on probation. They weren't the only reason, but they didn't help. Now he seems to be more hated than Auburn by the Tide faithful.

As a Labor Day surprise, my bosses gave me Monday off. My sister-in-law just had her baby Friday, so we're heading to South Carolina for the day tomorrow. We'll be back Monday afternoon. Just six more months, and little Lucas will have a cousin with our precious bundle making his/her debut. Now that will make me excited! :-) By the way, Amy and Baby are doing well!

Well, I'll update the Bama and Auburn scores later, but I'm calling it a night. May your weekend be blessed!

Score update:

• Bama over MTSU, 26-7! Roll Tide!
• Bonus! Dennis "Franchi-Phoney" and Texas A&M lose to Clemson 25-24!
• Georgia Tech wrecks Auburn's win streak, 23-14.
  

"Sole" Patrol

Ever had "foot-in-mouth disease"? Courtesy of NewsBlues, blowhard Chris Matthews has:

"In a live interview, MSNBC's Chris Matthews asked Texas Governor Rick Perry how he "got the Astros out of the Astrodome" to make way for storm refugees.

The Astros left the Astrodome in 1999."

Now get that shoe out 'cho mouth!

Everybody! Sing along!

"Mass Gas Hysteria" is over for the day. I didn't realize how many stories we did on the supposed gas shortage. I came into work with a different game plan all together, but I was told to be on "gas patrol" in Opelika.

The rumors turned into reality when at least two stations here ran dry. It's like the shepard leading the sheep. I stopped by a gas station tonight on the way home from work, and it was reasonable for all the hoopla. I paid $2.69 for regular. Not bad, but yet not satisfying.

I refuse to do a gas story tomorrow. I've already nailed down my plans, and they're not changing. It's timely on three fronts, so I'm doin' it. :-)

On another note, one of my best friends just got back from National Guard summer camp three days ago. In about six hours, he'll be heading to Biloxi to assist others.

Be safe, Jim. Hope to talk to you while you're there, or at least within a week.

Man...

I feel for the people down along the coast. I called Mom. She's fine. She wasn't directly in the path this time.

Time to get some much needed sleep. I was up all last night watching the storm. Kudos to all my fellow reporters who covered it and are doing well.

Brace Yourself

Pray for New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. That's all you can say with Hurricane Katrina.

Stop! Merger Time!

Wow... I worked late tonight at an Opelika city council meeting. Holy moly. These things are becoming a circus lately. They're trying to privatize the Public Works department. Two entities becoming one...

Speaking of that, I got back into the office tonight and read a press release from our company (Raycom Media) president. They've just bought Liberty Corporation. That gives Raycom another 15 TV stations, bringing the total up to 52.

What's funny about this is they've bought WSFA in Montgomery. We have kind of a bone to pick with them, especially the three of us over in the East Alabama bureau. There are three stations that broadcast news in Lee County: WTVM, WRBL and WSFA. Out of the three stations, WSFA dominates the ratings. They're not even in our market (technically), but more people here watch them.

I grew up watching them myself. WSFA has a heck of a coverage area. All the way up here, back down to the Florida panhandle and then out toward West Alabama. Bob Howell, one of their main anchors, and I went to the same high school. We've often talked in passing, and I do like the people there.

The difference is they're an Alabama station. We're not, so people more concerned with Alabama news watch them. To me, it's sad because they never show up here. They'll pop their heads in occasionally, but we've got a two-reporter bureau in Auburn-Opelika.

I would bet money we have twice as many stories about this area than they do per month. However, when East Alabama news is over, it's back to Georgia news. Folks here don't really care about that.

I guess if you can't beat 'em... buy 'em.

Hooray!

David and Wendy had their baby girl! Congrats! David was a photog at our station. He and Wendy recently left to pursue big city life in Nashville.

Make us proud, and raise the baby on Music Row! :-)

Hindsight is 20/20

Please note: This is not an "ego" post. Those who know me know I try to be humble about what I do for a job. Believe me, there are a lot of better reporters out there. Keep reading. You'll see the point very soon.

As noted in a previous post, I received the 2003 Alabama Associated Press Best TV Reporter award for some work I did in Tuscaloosa (I tried out for student AP awards, too. I was later told I'd been chosen for the pro award, so they passed me over). I was in my first year of television, and this honor was noticed by a couple of gentlemen in Huntsville, AL.

I was approached at the AP banquet by Kevin Osgood and... ummmm... I can't remember his name. Osgood is the news director at WHNT-19. The other guy is... ummmm... all I can remember is he interviewed me after Osgood did. It's neither here nor there.

Anyhoooo... I was invited to Huntsville. I was two months from graduation at Bama, so naturally I was testing the waters. The interview went very well. Osgood finished his interview with me, took me around the station, introduced me to the GM and even let me give input at a meeting. After all this, the other guy sat me down and grilled me. I must have made a good impression because Osgood took me back into his office and said, "I have the perfect spot for you. I have two tapes on my desk. You are one of my two finalists."

I was to be assigned to the Shoals bureau in Florence, AL. The plan was laid out from Osgood, the GM and everyone else. Everyone that met me that day said, "We'll see you in a couple of months! Welcome to 19!"

Those two months passed. Phone call after phone call, e-mail after e-mail... It was horrible. I was closing in on graduation and Osgood still hadn't given me a straight answer since my trip to Huntsville. I had two more job offers come in, so I pressured him. Still... no straight answer. Finally, the week before my interview at WTVM, Osgood calls: "We have an applicant from a sister station. I have to give him first shot."

Like that, my first chance at Huntsville was gone. No problem. Four other job offers came, and I decided WTVM was the best fit for Amy and I. I've not been disappointed since.

Why this long post on Huntsville? Read this article: WHNT report on WAFF makes interesting subject.

As I mentioned in the title... hindsight is 20/20. I'm glad I didn't go to WHNT. In my opinion, that's pretty low. It's a childish jab. There are ways to do business, and that's not one of them.

The fact WAFF is WTVM's sister station is beside the point. I have friends I worked with (both in Columbus and Tuscaloosa) at that station. They're very good people. It's just like here. I like everyone I've met from WRBL and WSFA (I used to work in production at WRBL many moons ago, too).

They try to make a living just like I do. Yeah, we compete. Doesn't every company? But, keep a good relationship with people. You never know who you'll work with down the road, or who you'll need. Most importantly, you never know who you'll call "friend."

Movie Thoughts

First of all, thank you to everyone for the kind comments on our baby. I'll be sure to keep you updated on the progress. Most of you know we had a miscarriage back in March. We seem to be out of the woods this time, but nothing is ever certain.

I'm watching the NASCAR race right now. They keep showing the commercial for "The Transporter 2." I don't know if you've seen the first one, but I really liked it. I'm kind of a sucker for movies like "The Transporter" and "The Italian Job." They're just mindless action. Sit back, relax and enjoy the movie. Forget your cares.

With that said, I'm counting down the days "Batman Begins" comes to DVD. I know it just left the theater, so I'm hoping it will be out in time for Christmas. Time to start making that wishlist. Microsoft just announced pricing plans ($299 & $399) for the new Xbox 360. Kind of pricey, but it will certainly be on that list, too.

That means I'll have to buy it for myself. :-)

Ok, now the big news!

Let's see...

Seen the doctor? Check.
Seen the picture? Check.
Heard the heartbeat? Check.
Made the appropriate notifications to the family? Check.

:-)

Yep... Brock's gonna be a proud papa around March 5, 2006!

Cast your vote!

I just found this site. If it's a parody, it's brilliant! They couldn't have picked a better man! :-)

Christopher Walken For President 2008!

Edited for those who need more cowbell!

News Blues

What's the one thing I hate about being a male reporter?

Make-up.

That is all for now. :-)

Oh! Before I forget, Eric is now on Blogger. Check out His Saltyness in the links.

Say who?

Just sitting here at work waiting for my story. I ran across this on Drudge:

S.Korean man dies after 50 hours of computer games

What really caught my eye was this line:

"Lee had recently quit his job to spend more time playing games..."

Wouldn't that be the cat's behind? :-) I just got Madden '06 and NCAA '06. I'd love to play those more than I've been able to.

Farewell, Peter

I saw the alert around 11 p.m. Sunday that Peter Jennings passed away. I have to admit, I was not a fan of his even though I work for an ABC affiliate. I didn't appreciate the political views he would throw into his reporting. You should be unbiased, but he managed to interject his personal thoughts into his broadcasts.

That being said, it is sad to see him go. Peter, thank you for the years of dedication to our industry.

See ya later

Eric came back down from Norfolk, VA, today to get his wife and things. Amy and I helped them load everything into their truck, and his mother-in-law is even spending the night with us.

He's been gone from the station for about a month now. I miss him, and it was great to spend today with him. He's one heck of a cool guy, and a great photog. I'm thankful to have him as a close and dear friend.

I've got to get to VA sometime to visit.

Perks of the Job

I covered a charity golf tournament back in May. It made me realize how much I miss working in sports.

One of my life heroes, Gene Stallings (Alabama)

Tommy Tuberville (Auburn)

Lee Corso (ESPN)

Mark Richt (Georgia)

Mike Shula (Alabama)

Rammer Jammer

You know, I've been thinking a lot about my college days lately.

I graduated from the University of Alabama as I mentioned in my Lions Club speech. Football season is right around the corner, and for the second year I'm not in Tuscaloosa. Alabama's not had a great past couple of years, but that's still my alma mater.

It's still the home of 12 National Championships. It's home to thousands of my dollars. It's still home to my heart.

The picture above is my wife, Amy, and I. It was taken at the 2003 Bama/Tennesee game. I didn't miss a single home game while I was there (Save for the 2003 Southern Miss game. I had my high school reunion.).

Tuscaloosa and Auburn are completely different. Bama's campus is prettier than Auburn's, but the towns are reveresed. I like Auburn as a town better than Tuscaloosa, but I still miss the place.

I've only been back to T-Town once since we've lived here in East Alabama. I almost cried tears of joy when I went back onto campus. Seeing the crimson and white everywhere is a stark contrast to seeing orange and blue. Bama's colors are more soothing than Auburn's. I've never liked orange to begin with. Orange and green are the two ugliest colors ever created. Tennessee's version of orange, though... Whoever thought that up should be ashamed of themselves.

It's late, so I'm going to save my Tuscaloosa stories for later. I just wanted to say how homesick I am.

Roll Tide.

Sorry for the lack...

Well, I've neglected you for the last few days, Dear Blog.

-There's really nothing going on at work that I'd care to discuss. We've got a dirtbag murderer going under the needle Thursday. He and his wife killed an Opelika police officer in 1993. She fried back in 2002.

-I'm home a little early from work. My big story for the day fell through until tomorrow. That aggravates me when I can't do what I'd like. The circumstances were out of my hands, so it's okay. Tomorrow! You shall be mine!

-I work with a lot of good people. I just want them (and you) to know that.

-That's all for tonight. I'll try to be more talkative later. :-)

Auburn Lions Club Speech--6/7/05... or "Get To Know Me!"

To begin, I would like to thank you for having me here today. I count it an honor and a blessing, and I hope I can adequately explain the television news business and how I do my part to bring you information.

Mr. Newkirk asked if I would speak for 10-to-20 minutes, but in my business we have a tendency of taking a 15 minute interview and condensing it down to 30 seconds. I'll try to make it a little longer than that. Also, please forgive if I look down to read. I'm used to speaking into a camera when no one else is around.

I'll give you a little extended background on myself to start. I'm 28-years-old, and from a little town called Coffee Springs, Alabama. It's almost on the Florida line and an hour from Georgia. Most small towns have at least one red light, but mine is lucky to have a stop sign.


Mom was a banker, and Dad was an Alabama State Trooper. How I wound up taking an interest in the news is something that baffles all of us. I guess it's because I was an only child growing up 15 miles out of town, and I had to entertain myself. But, it was during high school when I started my first radio job at WKMX in Enterprise, Alabama. After a year, I got my first speaking position at WGEA in Geneva, where I went to school.


Shortly after graduation in 1994, I found myself in basic training for the Air Force in San Antonio. The next four years kept me in Texas at Fort Hood working in satellite communications. How I joined the Air Force and spent my short military career with the Army is something I've yet to figure out. However, I had three great things happen to me during my time there. First, I met my wife, Amy, on a visit to Georgia. Secondly, I got the opportunity to spend a few months in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. And finally, I got to continue my broadcasting career by doing color commentary for a minor league hockey team on the radio.


Those four years flew by, Amy and I got married in 1999, and we moved to Phenix City where I worked for 107.3, WCGQ. After seeing all my friends graduate from college, I decided to go for it myself. I spent two years at Chattahoochee Valley Community College, graduated in May, 2002, and then committed what most of you might call the ultimate sin... and went to the University of Alabama. I spent two years there, and graduated a little over a year ago with my Bachelor's Degree in Telecommunications and Film.


While there, I ended my 11 and a half year radio career and picked up a new one in television. I've been in TV for over three years now and was blessed with the 2003 Alabama Associated Press Best Television Reporter award. As a person who's traveled a bit, I was thinking about giving a new city a try after college, but my wife persuaded me to send my tape to Channel 9 because she's from LaGrange, and Columbus is perfectly centered between our families.


Needless to say, here we are. My boss thought it would be a great joke to stick this very faithful Alabama graduate in Auburn at the East Alabama Bureau. But I'm the one who's had the last laugh because Amy and I have fallen in love with this area, and we're very proud to call it home. More so, I'm grateful to spend my days letting others know what's happening in East Alabama.


Before I get into the mechanics of the job, let me give you my personal news philosophy. I live by this everyday, and it's a simple and moral thing to do: Tell the truth. Go to the source and get the truth. Even if someone won't go on camera with you, ask them to tell you their side of the story. If I don't get both sides of a story, I don't pursue it. I do everything I can to be unbiased in my reporting. Yes, I have strong political and religious views. However, you won't see them on the air. My stories are about the people I talk to. They're not about me.


I'm the kind of person that likes lighthearted and positive stories. I'm not crazy about covering accidents, deaths, or extremely sad situations. However, I know they need to be told. You've all heard how there's nothing but bad news on TV, but I try to change that for the most part. I'm a sucker for fun stories. I'll give you a quick example. I did a story last year on a gentleman who uses horses to clear out construction sites, especially when he wants to preserve the trees and natural beauty of an area. If it's visual and fun, call me.


With that out of the way, I don't really know if I should call what I do a job. It's sometimes hard to imagine doing something you love and getting paid to do it. But, I'll give you a typical day for our station.


We start the day off with our assignment manager and reporters gathering ideas. We usually try to come up with three or four story ideas per day. Usually they're things we see on the wire, things we've dwelled on, community events, or our best source, which is the general public. You wouldn't believe how many of the best stories I have come from someone just calling, or stopping and talking to me.


After we have our meeting, we then begin making calls and getting interviews lined up. We also make our beat calls, which is a list of law enforcement agencies and other authorities to see if anything has happened during our off-hours. If nothing major has happened, we continue to get our other stories in place. Sometimes we get lucky and people are willing to cooperate with us, or like a lot of times, people don't want a camera in their face. I can certainly sympathize with them. While I don't mind a video camera in front of me, I'm not the craziest about taking still pictures. In my family, all we have to do is show up at the door and someone starts taking pictures.


Of course, people who are supposed to be in front of the camera, the police, the mayor, usually help us out. I find the toughest part of this job is getting John Q. Public to make a 10-second comment. But when they do, what they have to say is worth more than gold to us. Not only are we letting their voice be heard, but they're giving us a story in return.


After we get our interviews, we get the video we need to complete the story. That includes getting footage while chatting with people, going to different locations, and then we have to do our part on camera. When that's all over, we go back to the station, listen to our interviews, write down the best things people say, and then write the story. As I mentioned earlier, a 15-minute interview has to be trimmed down to just a few seconds. I would say 99 percent of the time I'm given a minute and 15-seconds to tell my story. When you have a visual story, or an insightful interview, it can be aggravating. We sometimes wish for more time, and we occasionally get it. But we have to remember there are others asking for time as well. So it's basically give and take.


After we get our scripts approved, we go to the back of the station and edit everything together. That's one of my responsibilities I really enjoy because that's where everything falls into place. The voices and the video are made into one, and the story is complete... at least for that day. We may have to follow up on the same story the next day, or as I'm sure you notice, for a few days after that.


After we finish putting it all together, we go on the air live if it's called for, and then we post our stories to our web site. In my opinion, that gives me the freedom to go into more details on the story. I don't have a time constraint on the web site, so if there's a local story for which you want more information, I encourage you to go to WTVM.com.


All-in-all, it's a fun job, and I can't think of doing anything else. We, the media, are not looked upon favorably sometimes, but at the end of the day, it's rewarding to know we did the best we could to provide you with your daily dose of information.

The Day After

Now that I think about it, it's not the day after my birthday anymore. I'm almost 20 minutes into July 28. I turned 29 on the 26th, and I spent it away from the news biz.

I've not had my birthday off in 10 years, so I figured I needed a break. However, I got back into the swing of things today. I decided not to hang around the bureau, but I went to the main station in Columbus. I don't get down there too much, so I always enjoy seeing everyone.

It was a fairly light work day. I grabbed two interviews with our local state politicians and a generic bite from a Governor Riley satellite feed. My story was basically a wrap-up package on the special session. It wasn't anything awesome, but nothing else was really happening.

I think I'll post a speech I gave to the Auburn Lions Club about a month ago. If you'd like, it will give you a chance to get to know me a little. It also outlines what I believe about this whole media occupation.

What the heck. I'm up, it's late, and I've nothing else to do. Check the next post.

First Professional Entry

Welcome! This is not my first blog, but it will be my professional one. That being the case, all of my personal life events will be featured in my other one. However, I am careful to keep them seperate. You won't find links to it here. I'm private like that. :-)

I hope you enjoy this look into the life of this East Alabama TV reporter. I may post my stories from the day here, or I may jot down notes about the business. It's not guaranteed to be updated everyday, but I'll do it as often as I can.

Speaking of... it's time for me to get ready for work! I might just update this tonight!