A week to envy
It seemed not many people in the newsroom were terribly excited to go celebrity hunting with me. I begged and begged for weeks to go see him in Destin yesterday. No one talked about it. No one paid attention to it. Finally I just announced I was going regardless of whether or not I needed to tote a camera with me. I recruited a few others to come along and rushed to get everything done in time to take off from the station at 5 p.m.
So, after waiting patiently in the absolute disgusting heat and stickiness that is the Florida Panhandle… for more than an hour… the man of the hour arrived to raving fans while the media jockeyed for position. He walked right over to us. I tried to shake his hand with my left hand, hold my 20 lb. camera with my right hand, and simultaneously reach in my pocket to grab my cell phone to snap a picture of President Clinton. Needless to say I was a bit tounge tied and did not manage to get much accomplished in the three hundreths of a second that I shared with the once Commander-In-Chief.
But I still met a former President. One day I’ll be a part of the White House Press Corp. and this will be old hat. Perhaps future presidents and I will be on a first name basis. I can picture my Sunday brunches with the First Ladies now. I’ll teach ‘em all about how to charm the pants off the likes of Barbara Walters.
In other news this week: today we debuted our live web coverage blogs. Indeed another blog for Bree. I blogged live from the Bay County Commission meeting. It was a little stressful because I also needed to tape the meeting for show purposes this evening. But if there was ever a way to make a 4 hour meeting fly by, it is to blog it like it’s breaking news.
And at 7 p.m. I’m dragging Megan Albright out by her hair to ride along for a sweeps interview. For the next several days I’ll be primarily focused on putting together Thursday’s special report. Tune in. I hear there is a great promotion for it courtesy of the sultry sounds of our promotions director.
I leave you with some pictures from the week so far. Bill Clinton (naturally!) and some pretty funny bloopers from around the station. But don’t let the look on my face fool you. My blooper was clearly not my fault!
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Ever felt like your head was swimming?
Sweeps is kind of like a college exams. You do nothing but think about the story for days and days. It becomes your life. And when it’s all done all you want to do is sleep and never ever… ever… consider the topic again.
Whereas during most general education college courses you have the luxury of forgetting everything you learned when the test is over, (i.e. I have used absolutely nothing that I learned in European Government or Statistics in my real life), that is not so much the case in the world of journalism. Because after every great report comes… the follow up report.
So, in step one, we’re working to build a great report on the importance of Florida’s Greenbelt Law. Whether you agree with the law or not, it takes a dramatic toll on your taxes… here’s why…
The law was enacted in 1976 by a state legislature that wanted to help small farmers and cut them a deal on their property taxes, so long as their land is being used for a “bona fide agricultural purpose.” There have been, in recent years, a growing number of questions as to who should receive that exemption. Some people I have talked to feel the agricultural classification is being used by big development companies to skirt their taxes. And it’s all totally legal.
But is it fair? I’m hoping you’ll tell me what you think. If you wanted to say you owned agricultural property that you use something like timber farming, could you get that less pricey classification? Even if you only have one pine tree on your lot? It’s my job to find out.
And what a task it is to find out… I’m talking to legislators, state agencies, county commissioners, property appraisers, farmers, and most importantly, you the taxpayer.
I have a lot of research I’m still trying to wrap my head around. So if you would like to offer some perspective please do! Please?
No really… please?
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Columns
Oh yeah. That whole blog thing. Our webmaster (aka Web God Gene) was none too pleased with me for neglecting mine.
I try to convince him that I only did so because I was too busy working. Likely excuse, right?
Well let’s see… the past few weeks have been eventful to say the least. But I find myself more content with Panama City everyday.
There is a lot that is different about Florida. You see, in Virginia we have convenience stores. Particularly 7-11’s that serve Slurpees. My mother and I have a theory that Slurpees can solve any crisis. That was a time-tested theory with my college roommate and I. Arielle Nicole Walters I miss you like no other. Plus mark in the Virginia column.
But back to this whole adjusting to Florida thing… the weather. You can’t help but love the Gulf. I have this overwhelming sense of peace on Panama City Beach… though I do worry spending so much time out there will produce premature wrinkles. But the sun is always perfect and the water just right, so I can’t really help it. In Virginia Beach our water is typically cold, dark, and shark and seaweed loaded. Plus mark in the Panama City column.
My entire family is in Virginia. I have never lived more than an hour away from any of them. I could go on and on about how freaking cool my family is… one for Virginia’s column. Though I must add, my Great Aunt Binky lives here in town. She has been a God sent these past eight months. Did I mention she makes great cookies?
Perhaps I’m getting old but I have so much idle time on my hands down here!! Sad face. Not that I don’t find ways to fill it. For instance, I’m coaching a cheerleading team down here. Premier Wildcats. It’s an all-star team that will be traveling in the fall competing in national competitions. We just got their new routine, and let me tell you, they are some of the most amazingly talented high school kids probably anywhere. Right here in PC. So I guess they’ve earned the Panhandle a score in their column.
And, as we round out this little list… probably one of the biggest considerations is what wonderful friends I have. I grew up with so many people back home and I truly believe no one will ever know me as well as they do. And I don’t think I could ever be crazier about a group of people than I am about my sorority family tree. They just can’t be beat. But (and there’s always a but isn’t there?) I’ve been lucky here too. Particularly in these last couple of months. You see in the TV business its kind of like a sorority. You’re stuck with these people for the length of your contract.. But you didn’t really get to choose who you’re stuck with. So, fortunately, the Casual Historian has picked out some pretty neat kids for me to play with. Jessi Chapin just got here from Virginia too so its nice to have a fellow Ram sitting next to me everyday. And Megan Albright is more fun than you viewers could probably imagine. Its only drawback is that these awesome reporters tend to leave after their contracts expire. So boo to Jennifer Turk and Matt James, who have already left, and also to all the others that are outward bound.
Bonus though, one of my very best friends in the world, moved down from Virginia a few weeks ago. He’ll be in flight school in Pensacola for three years. That’s a tie for Panama City and Virginia’s columns. I suppose there’s no place like home. But thanks to the Panhandle for letting me call this home for the next 28 months! (But again, who’s counting??)
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About Me
I am a native of Chesapeake, Virginia. I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia in August, 2006. While there, I found time to be a cheerleader, a reporter for VCU Insight and the Recruitment Director for Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. I'm totally enjoying my life as a Panama City Beach resident and my job as a reporter for News13. Local politics just facinate me and I'd love to hear from you about anything.
Recent Entries:
- No place like Home
- Exciting Stories!!!
- Guitar Hero
- A week to envy
- Ever felt like your head was swimming?
- Columns
- Still Here :-/
- Just another Thursday
Other News13 Blogs:
- The Casual Historian - Larche Hardy
- Derby Girl - Enocha Van Lierop
- The Newby - Jessi Chapin
- Gainesville, Georgia's All American Girl - Tuquyen Mach
