Padd Solutions

Today was the Annual Mass Communication Christmas party at Mike’s house. I get lost pretty easily when I’m driving in a part of town I’m not used to, so yesterday Andrea, Miguel and I decided we would all go together to Mike’s house. I thought we should leave for the party around 11 because it was supposed to start at noon, but I had a feeling we’d get lost, because neither of them had ever been there before and I had just been there twice. So, I figured we would all take one car to the party.

We decided to meet in the parking lot by Parcells Hall a little after 11:00. Around 10:40 Miguel called me and said he had to go get a haircut and that he will be at AC at noon. I didn’t want to sit in the parking lot for an hour so I said that was fine and told Andrew about our new plans.

I left my house at noon to go to AC and right as I was stopped at a red light on 27th Street, I got another call from Miguel asking where I was because I was late and Andrea was looking for me. I was trying to get there as quickly as I could and I asked him where he was because I was visualizing both of them waiting for me in their cars in the parking lot…no, not the case. He wasn’t there either! I get there and neither was Andrea, so I didn’t feel so guilty for being late.
Miguel got there not long after I did and then Andrea pulled up. I got in the car with Miguel and Andrea followed behind us to Mike’s house. We got there and pretty much everyone else was already there.

Yesterday before we went to Announcing for Radio and TV, Jill was making a blooper video to show at the party. They were bloopers from the videos Miguel, Bill and I have made throughout the semester. There was a lot of footage of me fixing my hair during my stand-ups and just a lot a lot of funny stuff! So, hopefully we can put it the Ranger website soon, for everyone to see!
Miguel and I had to leave the party early because he had to go to work, so we missed out on the gift exchange and the rest of the festivities. I took cream puffs to the party and Mike told me to take them with me. So, when I went to get them off of the table, I dropped the lid in Nancy’s banana cream pie, so I got whipped cream all over it.

I didn’t realize until I got in Miguel’s car, how much of the whipped cream I had taken with me…I had it all over my purse, my new jacket, Miguel’s jacket, then he put some in my hair and I even managed to get some on a little car ornament hanging from the rearview mirror! It was like Gelato on 6th Street all over again!

A few weeks ago in my Fundamentals of Photography class we were given the assignment to take self-portraits of ourselves using black and white film. I borrowed my mom’s camera from 1982 and Mr. Cavanaugh provided the film. Miguel and I partnered up for this assignment as well and we decided to go to the Lynn Library to take some photos. We went up to the fourth floor and took his photos. We ran out of time before our next class started so I decided I would just take mine later on that day.

The next time we met for photography we were going into the darkroom. So, Mr. Cavanaugh brought in some reels and some rolls of film that we could practice with before we actually went into the darkroom. He told us to practice rolling up the film on the reels with our eyes closed because that’s how dark it was going to be in the darkroom. I knew it was going to be dark, but I didn’t expect it to be THAT dark!

So, Miguel and I practiced unrolling the film without touching it to our fingers and attaching it to a reel and twisting the sides until the roll of film was all the way rolled up. Miguel was having a hard time getting the film onto the reel so we decided my job would be taking the film out of the cartridge and getting it attached to the reel and he will twist the film onto the reel.
So, after waiting 45 minutes on the first group that went, it was finally our turn to head into the darkroom. We had a small group there was only four of us but only two people can fit in one room, so you have to be pretty comfortable with your partner! It would be really awkward if you didn’t know them.

After making our way through a dark hallway with about 15 little closets, Miguel and I settled into a room. We sat everything down on the counter, both rolls of film, two reels, a light tight container and a pair of scissors. Mr. Cavanaugh told us to make sure we knew where everything was because he was going to be turn out the lights and we won’t be able to see anything.

He finally turned out the lights and it was pitch black! Like I said before, I wasn’t prepared for it to be THAT dark! So, since I couldn’t see anything I started to feel around on the counter in front of me so I could get a roll of film and get the process started. I found the first roll of film just fine and I didn’t have any trouble at all getting it to pop out of the cartridge, but as soon as I got it out and started to cut the end off, I dropped the whole roll of film on the floor! So, Miguel got down on the floor trying to find this roll of film in the dProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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kness. While the two people in the next room were laughing at us.

After Miguel picked up the roll of film I cut the end off, attached it to the reel and handed it back over to Miguel so he could do his job of twisting the film onto the reel. I started working on the second roll of film and this time I didn’t drop it so that was good, but I did rip part of the end off, which ended up being okay because there was nothing on that part. Before we knew it we had both rolls of film on the reels and we were ready to get started the development process.

That was the part that took the longest because there are so may steps you have to take and everything is timed, it’s just really time consuming. It also smells really gross…kind of like rotten eggs mixed with chemicals and it takes a long time to get the smell off of your hands. But getting to develop my own negatives was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. I just hope next time I remember to fix the flash my camera because most of the film had a stripe down the side because the flash went off too quickly!

This past month has been so busy! So, I haven’t been able to actually blog for quite some time now. But I have been writing stuff down as it happens so I can blog about it later, so in the next couple of days you guys will be bombarded with blogs! You’ll get to hear about me getting to meet Nando Parrado, getting to meet Elmo and Cookie Monster, my first plane ride, the Journalism convention, my first time in the dark room and some other stuff too!

Bonjour! These last few weeks have been crazy for me, tests popping up like daises and just alot of events happening around school. Nando Parrado came to talk to AC this past week and it was pretty awesome.
So in the spirit of Halloween, I have decided to write about some of the scariest movies I have yet to see. As well as some good old classic non-scary Halloween movies. The very first scary movie I ever watched was the ever famous "The Ring" staring Naomi Watts and let me tell you I was scared for 7 days of my television.
A terrific classic is "The Shining" staring Jack Nicholson, based off the novel by Stephen King. It combines all the elements that a scary movie needs- shrieking music, ghosts, and a crazy story. Nicholson is fantastic and who can forget "Here's Johnny!" If you are just starting on your scary movie endeavor, I would recommend this be your first. King is a master story teller and the movie is fantastic.
And now on to the scariest movie I have seen yet- "Paranormal Activity." Let me tell you, that movie is crazy scary. When I went to see the movie, there were people walking out because they were so scared. I am not going to ruin it for anyone who has yet to see it, but it some sort of freaky.

I will leave this scary movie subject with a list of movies that will dare to scare you:

• Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 with Donald Sutherland)
  
• Jaws
• Psycho (the Alfred Hitchcock classic)

Now on to some good old Halloween classics that are there not to scare you. One of my favorites that is on every year is "Hocus Pocus." Yes, it shows itself every year on the Disney channel as well as ABC Family, but it is just a good classic.
I also enjoy "Interview with the Vampire" starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. But I do not reserve this movie just for Halloween, it's a good all-year movie. It is a wonderful movie based off the novel by Anne Rice. It's a good vampire story if you are looking for one.
And last but not least is "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." I have been watching this every year since I was little and it has become tradition to watch this once every year. And the Peanuts cast never fails to impress.

I hope everyone has a wonderfully awesome Halloween!

And those of you who are free this Thursday, Jonny Zavant is coming to AC. He is a mentalist, meaning he can read minds and do some crazy tricks. The (free) event will begin at 7:00 pm in the AC Concert Hall Theater, but free food and coffee will be avaliable at 6:30 pm.

Last Thursday in my Fundamentals of Photography class, we were given the assignment to go on Sixth Street and find certain items listed on a sheet of paper our teacher gave us before we left.

Miguel had an interview for The Ranger he needed to get done before we left and since I’m not too familiar with Sixth Street, I stayed with him to help out so we could go there together. After the interview we got in my car and headed for our destination.

When we got there we immediately started taking photos. After we walked about a block or so, we found some of our classmates and asked them how many items they had found. While we were talking to them, I turned around and there was a man in a Gorilla suit standing at the other end of the street wanting us to go over there.

So, Miguel and I go over to him and take a couple of photos of him sitting on a bench, waiting for a bus, then we both posed for pictures with him and as we were trying to leave, he kept motioning for us to follow him.

I kept thinking to myself “I’m not following this crazy Gorilla guy! Where is he going to take us?!” But we followed him anyway and he opened the door to one of the shops on Sixth Street and motioned for us to go inside. At this point, of course I knew it was a stunt to get us to buy something, so we went inside and realized it was a little restaurant and when we walked toward the front. I saw Gelato and remembered seeing a feature story about Cowboy Gelato on the news a while back.

There was a guy standing in front of us wearing a red jacket tasting all the different flavors of Gelato so Miguel and I joined in the tasting. I had never had Gelato before but my friend who always used to go to Italy told me how phenomenal it was, so of course we had to get some!

The lady who was serving us was having a hard time getting the cones out for our order and she apologized for taking so long because she said they weren’t open yet. So of course, without even thinking, the first thing out of my mouth was “we followed the Gorilla and he told us to come in here…I’m sorry we didn’t know you weren’t open yet…the Gorilla made us do it!”

While we were waiting for my order of white chocolate Gelato and some concoction of two flavors mixed together that Miguel ordered, I realized more and more people were coming in this little restaurant and they were all wearing red blazers, I guess they were official taste testers or something.

After we got our Gelato, I made the suggestion that we should stay there and eat it so we wouldn’t get it all over ourselves. But we didn’t and we started off on our scavenger hunt again…Gelato in hand.

At the time, it didn’t seem like such a bad idea, until the Gelato started melting like crazy! Miguel had most of his eaten while I was still working on the top part of the cone. We kept finding more and more of the items we needed but it was harder to take photos now that we had our hands full.

Then Miguel was finished with his Gelato and mine was completely melted inside my cone. The paper with all the items on it was all sticky because I kept spilling Gelato everywhere. I looked down at one point and realized I poured Gelato all over my pant leg and shoe and when we got in my car to head back to AC I looked at my right shoulder and noticed I had it there too! I have no idea how I got Gelato all over me! So, as it turns out we should have just stayed and ate our Gelato at the restaurant like I suggested because I knew it would be messy…I just didn’t know it was going to be THAT messy!

 

This past week has been pretty busy, having some of my first tests in some classes. Have you ever realized that tests always come in twos and maybe three? It's like they cannot be taken alone and must find a buddy from another class.

Anyway, this weekend I went to Arena Cross. Talk about intense. I did not know much about the world of motocross outside that really, really old Disney movie "Motocross." It was pretty cool, they do all sorts of races for all ages. When the pros raced, it was awesome, it was very fast and very cool. And then there was a monster truck that did a flip, complete 360. That was neat to watch. And the announcer was entertaining and excited about every little thing, I thought it was pretty hilarious. Overall, the event was pretty awesome and I learned a heck of alot. Like whoops, I thought that "whoop" was just a used in describing a sound but turns out its also the small hills on the track. Just think of Mario Kart for all you gamers out there, think of Wario Stadium and you have a dirt bike track. If you are able to go to Arena Cross next year, go.

Last week, the movie "Away We Go" finally came to dvd. This movie was one of my favorites from this summer. It stars John Krasinski (Jim from The Office) and Maya Rudolph (SNL star) as a couple trying to put down roots before their baby is born. The movie is very sweet and touching. I highly recommend "Away We Go" to anyone looking for a good movie and the soundtrack to the movie is amazing as well.

Some upcoming events around AC:

• Johnny Zavant- He is a mentalist, which is a guy who can read minds and play tricks on the mind. He is going to be here October 29th. I am getting some posters and flyers ready.
• Nando Parrado- The author of Miracle in the Andes will be here October 20th. This is going to be awesome, he is coming up from Uruguay. The book is amazing and anyone who can go should.
• THIS WEEKEND LEADERSHIP RETREAT: October 9th and 10th. Its going to be neat, its going to be based on the book Miracle in the Andes and if you can go, go. To register go down to the CUB Basement and talk to one of the student workers down there.
  

At the end of October, the Journalism Department is planning to go to a convention in Austin. This is a huge deal! There are going to be thousands of colleges and Universities from all over the United States. I’ve only gone to one other Journalism convention because we took a van to Dallas and every other time; they fly to wherever they’re going. Out of fear I’ve always opted out of the plane ride and I’ve gotten teased for it every time. They know if we’re taking a plan, I’m staying in Amarillo.

So yesterday, I read an e-mail saying we MIGHT take a plan to Austin or we MIGHT drive! At the bottom of the e-mail it said something like “Maddisun, if we go by plane, we’re talking you into it.” Road trips don’t bother me; I just sleep the whole way there anyways. But, I’ve never ever stepped foot on a plan and that’s what I’m having trouble with. I’m just scared I’m going to get thousands of feel up in the air and want off the plane and I can’t just get off because I’m scared.

When I was in the 5th grade, my friend Mandy and I thought we wanted to ride the Pirate ship at Wonderland. So, we got on and at first everything was fine. About 45 seconds into the ride both of us were down in the seat screaming and my mom actually had to get the boy controlling the ride to stop it and let us off.

I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine, but there’s this little part of me that says I’ll freak out as soon as we take off and I’ll want to get off. I couldn’t get to sleep last night because all I could think about was the ride to Austin. My friend Miguel might also be going on this trip and he said the flight won’t take long, so I’m hoping it won’t. He’s making me feel more comfortable with going on the trip…I have to say whether or not I’m going for sure by Thursday, so I have a couple more days to come up with a definite answer…wish me luck convincing myself!!

Hi, my name is Kaitlyn Banks and my major is Physician's Assistant for Pediatrics.
I have been going to AC for a year now and love it!

For my first blog I thought I would let you know a little bit about me with 30 random things!

1. I was born in Mobile, Alabama.
2. I have 2 yorkshire terrier pups.
3. I want to travel the world.
4. I have a younger brother who is about to graduate high school.
5. The beach is my favorite place to be.
6. My favorite superhero is Batman.
7. I have played the clarinet for 9 years.
8. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite movie.
9. I am currently in ceramics and it proved to be much harder than I anticipated.
10. I have always wanted to sky dive.
11. My favorite actress is Keira Knightly and my favorite actor is Brad Pitt.
12. I went to England this past summer and fell absolutely in love with the country.
13. I love art and film. My favorite painters are Michelangelo, Renoir, Da Vinci, Titian, Jacques Louis David, Seurat, and Van Gough.
14. The Office and Gilmore Girls are my favorite shows.
15. I would like to meet Clint Eastwood. He is fabulous.
16. I drive a Chevy Aveo, it's pretty awesome!
17. I love reading, I try to read at least 2 books a month.
18. I adore Italian food, I can eat it all day.
19. Yoga, swimming, sailing and skiing are my favorite forms of exercise. I like watching tennis but I cannot play it so well!
20. I want to be an extra in a movie, I think it would be neat.
21. I love coffee.
22. Losing my cell phone is common.
23. Zelda games are my favorite video games of all time.
24. Summer is my favorite season.
25. I have always wanted to go to Vermont in the fall to see all the leaves.
26. My favorite comedian is Demetri Martin.
27. Some of my favorite bands/singers right now include Coconut Records, Fleet Foxes, Alexi Murdoch, Cut Copy and Phoenix.
28. My favorite clothing stores are Jcrew, Gap, and Threadless.
29. I am currently the publicity chair for the Student Government Association.
30. I love shoes of any kind.

That's me in a nutshell! Hope everyone has a great week! I will keep everyone posted on what is going on around campus!

Chao, Kaitlyn

About three weeks ago, my Public Relations and Publicity professor gave the class an assignment to get a Twitter account, follow five people and post five PR related tweets by the following Wednesday. We were also supposed to write a paragraph about our Twitter experiences and turn it in.

I wasn’t all too excited about the assignment mainly because I didn’t really find Twitter to be as amazing as people carry on about. My desk buddy Zack on the other hand was ecstatic. He immediately gave me his user name and told me to follow him. I wasn’t familiar with Twitter at all. I first heard about it last Spring when I had to make a wrap about Social Networking for the AC Report.

I’ve had Myspace and Facebook accounts for three years now, but I hadn’t had the urge to get a Twitter, even though my friend Joey harassed me all summer to get one. I’ve heard from several people that Twitter is basically status updates like on Myspace and Facebook. But my status updates usually consist of random song lyrics I have stuck in my head. So, I didn’t know how to incorporate PR in there for the assignment.

So, I basically promoted the AC Blog in my first tweet. That same day I kept thinking about what my next tweet was going to be and when I was going to be able to post it. I couldn’t wait to get to a computer so I could tweet. Then I found out that I could send tweets from my phone by texting them to my profile. So, of course I was Über excited about that, because this meant I could tweet at Wal*Mart if I wanted to!

I started to feel that song Andy Milonakis sings “Let me Twitter Dat” was about me. However, I don’t get document EVERYTHING that I do throughout the day like he does…“I just woke up…Ayy, let me Twitter dat. Just took a hot shower…Ayy, let me Twitter dat. I’m feeling real crazy, I might get a haircut…Ayy let me Twitter dat.” The song is pretty hilarious!

One day, I was trying to get a hold of Joey so I could interview him for a package I was working on for The Ranger and I couldn’t get in touch with him, it was like we were playing phone tag! So, I posted a Tweet that said something to the effect of “Joey!!! Answer your phone, I need to talk to you now!!!” Within five minutes, he called me. So, I guess that proves Twitter isn’t just my new best friend.

Why is it that reading a textbook is the quickest way to fall asleep? I can feel 100% wide awake, open a textbook and BAM! drowsy as a drunk.

Quite frustrating when you're trying to get homework done. If nothing else, textbooks are good sleep aids at least.

So it's halfway through the first week of classes and so far so good. Although busy, I've managed to stay on top of things between yesterday and today. I know what you're thinking... "Yeah, uhm, it's only been two days..." but you don't understand. Every day is a victory when I get this busy. If I'm not behind on doing something it's a very huge accomplishment!

Today's practice was pretty rough for my girls. They really really struggled. Hopefully tomorrow will go better. We're having a terrible time with serving and serve receive. It's either on or it's off... there seems to be no in between. Alas, things aren't always what they seem. We will learn how to be consistant servers and passers if it kills us... and it just might.

In other news... Sen. Ted Kennedy died of brain cancer. The Kennedy family left a ridiculous political legacy. Check this out: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27440144/?gt1=43001 Also, this is a pretty good article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32572683
Read up. He pushed for some really awesome things for the people in our country. Specifically women, disabled, and elderly. There is a pretty good video summing it up that is on the same page as the article. It's only a couple minutes long, go watch it.

Chris and I went to the second to last Dillas home game tonight with his grandparents.
It was really fun except for my stupid allergies. They have been out of control since I came home from Corpus. I can hardly stand it! The only thing I've tried that really works is Benadryl and that knocks me OUT. I mean out cold. I could sleep for about 14 hours straight after taking just one Benadryl... yes, it's that ridiculous.
Anyway, back to the baseball game. We left in the bottom of the 8th when the Dillas were up 12-4. It was a close game until the 7th inning when the Dillas decided they really knew how to play baseball. hahah Even though I'm a die-hard volleyball fan (woohoo for indoor sports!) I enjoy the occassional baseball game. And football game. Actually, I really want to go watch WT play football Friday. WT football games are always a blast. :)

Anywho... well now that I've been on the computer for a little while I'm good and awake so I think I'll get back to reading my textbook. Goodnight!

Argh. Back to the grind of classes again! I really enjoyed what little break I had from classes this year. Now it's over until Christmas. Sheesh.

I do really enjoy taking classes... I DON'T really enjoy trying to find a parking spot at AC! I went up there today to finish up buying my books (which they still don't have one in stock) and there was quite literally NOWHERE to park. It was insane! I think that is the most packed I have seen it... ever. I wonder what enrollment is at for the fall semester? I bet it's high. Last year was higher than the year before and I bet this year is even higher still. I'll have to assign a story on that. :)

So I'm really excited about starting up with The Ranger again! Anyone out there reading this needs to be sure to read The Ranger... even if you just do so online (I know the statistics people).

OH GUESS WHAT?! I can't believe I forgot to blog about this...
I GOT AN APARTMENT! Yaaaaaaaaaay! I am so pumped! I move in on September 11th. The most awesome part of it all is that I have almost all my furniture, I just have to pick it up to move it in. Yes, I'm extremely excited!

Well, my little break from the world of news is over. I know, shame on me for even having one. But honestly, I've barely had time to breathe let alone keep track of anything in the news. I will officially begin catching up tomorrow.

Want to hear something funny? One class I'm taking this semester is Fitness Walking I Online. Bahahaha! I mean, the words fitness and walking to me are funny to begin with (I know walking is excellent exercise it's just too boring for me and doesn't say "I'm getting in shape") but when you throw in the 'online' that just cracks me up! I'm not too sure how it's going to work out (no pun intended haha) but I'm guessing I will have to just log my walking hours everytime I go to the gym. Guess I'll find out!

Okay so I have a million and one things to do... here's to another great semester! Good luck everyone!

Well, got back from Grandma's yesterday evening--btw, I made a 5 hr drive on 3 hrs of sleep. Not recommended, boys and girls!--and saw that my Summer term grades were ready. Made A's in Radio Production I AND Media Internship! [Media Internship is blogging for this site. :)] That makes all A's for me since I started at AC last Fall. I'm really psyched about that, because I want as good a GPA as I can get for when I transfer to a four year university after next Spring! It makes me feel good, because the first time I went to college, I didn't do so well, not because college was hard, but because I was lazy and didn't apply myself. Now I have a definite goal in mind, and I'm motivated. This is something I want really bad!

No rest for the wicked tho--Fall starts Monday. Ready or not, school is here!

What a slacker I have been on this blog last week up to now. To my loyal readers... I sincerely apologize.

LoL

That's right, I just laughed out loud at my own humor. Anyways, things have been crazy as of late! My life has thrust me back into a serious torrent of time crunching, and in a few short days it will get severely worse.

Classes start Monday. Monday. MONDAY.

Dear summer: Why did thou art evade me so?

Sad times bro, sad times.

Well, my volleyball teams are really improving! Our missed serves were absolutely out of control these past couple weeks, and we're slowly but surely reigning them in! We are officially missing less serves, serving more consistantly, and successfully serving to the zones I call on the court. Let me just say... hallelujah! hahah My Freshman team won the Silver bracket at the River Road Freshman Tournament this past weekend. It was a fun Saturday!

This past Sunday I decided to take the day off and go to the lake with Chris and friends. It was a blast! We tubed and wakeboarded. And by we I mean, well, I definitely can't get out of the flipping water on a wakeboard. It's quite annoying really. My competitive nature won't let me let go. I have to do it. I have to prove to myself that I can do it. Yet time and time again I fail. And then I get mad. Oh yeah, that Italian temper kicks in and I get frustrated with a capital F. Sometimes that capital F gets a few choice letters behind it.

Like...

Why the Freak*ng crap can't I do this?!?!

Yeah, you just thought.

So definitely didn't get up on the wakeboard. Even my mom can wakeboard. And she's over 40 (still looks young and is a hott mama, but still!). Argh. It's supremely annoying. I did, however, tube like a pro. I'm proud of myself. And I have the sore muscles, aches, and bruises to prove it. Lordy am I sore! It even hurts to put my seatbelt on in the car! hahah

But yes, definitely a fun day on the lake, soaking up rays of sun with friends.

Now here I am, at 2 a.m. I just finished planning a couple volleyball practices. Tomorrow I will be in the gym for almost 7 hours. Phew. It's tough, and I'm beyond tired, but I love it. I love my job. I love what I do. I love doing what I like and I like doing what I love. It's a pretty sweet deal if you ask me!

Well, off to Grandma's house for a few days. I try to visit her a couple of times a year, and I always enjoy it! She lives in Ft. Stockton, which is about an hour south of Odessa, so I have a 5 hr drive ahead of me. This is my dad's family, so I'll also see aunts/uncles/cousins that I don't get to see too often.

Sorry if this vacation sounds boring! I was actually thinking of spending the week in Austin, where I have other friends and relatives, but I have some chores to do this week before Fall semester starts; also, my budget is a little tight. So, relaxing at Grandma's house for a few days is just what the doctor ordered!

Gotta go. See y'all in a few!

Just want to chime in briefly on the ongoing healthcare debate.

I'm very troubled by what's coming out of the White House and the left in this debate. Those of you who've read my blogs this summer have figured out that I lean conservative, and I do on most things. I like to think of myself as moderately conservative--not far right, like the idiots who think President Obama isn't a natural-born citizen. In fact, there are some issues where I would lean somewhat to the left (such as the environment, civil rights, welfare, etc.) if it were not for the incredible arrogance on the part of liberals. You can see that front and center in the debate about healthcare.

You may have noticed media coverage of town hall meetings across the country usually portray those who strongly disagree with the President's plan less than favorably. Prominent Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid dismiss and demonize opponents as Nazis, fascists, and quite frankly, as stupid. It's this arrogance that turns me off on liberal issues. To me, their attitude to the people of this country is: Just do what we tell you. We know what's best for you.

Thank God we live in a democracy, because the increasing opposition to healthcare reform is lowering the President's popularity in all major media polls; and, in fact, has caused him to shift tactics, from pushing government takeover of healthcare, a la Europe and Canada, to health insurance reform, with a public option for those who can't afford it. As I stated in a previous blog, most people (85% in fact, say most polls) are happy with their insurance. It's not access, but cost, that concerns people. The public is increasingly aware that President Obama's plan would lead to some sort of rationing; and, the Congressional Budget Office has repeatedly stated that, far from reducing cost, government involvement would add about $1 Trillion to the national debt!

If liberals truly wanted to reduce health care costs, they would do three things: first, allow insurance companies to sell in every state, not just the state they're based in. We can buy auto, home, and life insurance from anyone, anywhere, but we can't buy health insurance from another state. Lifting this restriction would increase competition and lower costs; second, enact tort reform. Limit medical malpractice to the actual damages sustained, not punitive damages. Every study and poll of the health industry documents quite clearly that doctors order unnecessary procedures and tests for the sole reason of preventing lawsuits; however, many doctors are sued, anyway, and most settle out of court, and these costs get passed on to the consumer; third, allow insurance co-ops, where insurance companies or small businesses can share their costs, especially for those who can't afford it on their own. Insurance regulations would need to be tightened, to protect the consumer, but it works in the Auto and Home insurance industries (ex: Texas Windstorm Insurance Association).

Unfortunately, most liberals aren't considering these options. Many Democratic leaders, such as Barney Frank, are on record as favoring a complete government takeover with a single-payer system, such as in Canada. If anyone objects, they are demonized, patronized, and dismissed. Well, most people haven't attended Harvard, but we can tell when we're being condenscended to, and I think this is a large part of the reason the public doesn't trust government to make health care decisions for them.

In closing, a short observation. My condolences to the Shriver and Kennedy families over the recent death of Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Also, her brother, Senator Ted Kennedy, is battling cancer. Mrs. Shriver is a hero to me for her work witht the Special Olympics. I don't necessarily feel the same towards Senator Kennedy, but I do respect his decades of public service. But consider this: they live in Massachusetts, which has a single-payer government run insurance plan (signed into law by former Republican governor and former Presidential candidate Mitt Romney), but has bankrupted the state and has led to a cut in services. Did Senator Kennedy and Mrs. Shriver use the Massachusetts health system? No! Did they go to Canada, Britain, France, or anywhere else liberals hold up as the ideal health care system? No! They paid for their health care with private insurance paid for either by the public, in Kennedy's case, or out of pocket, like Mrs. Shriver.

Actions speak louder than words.

Took my Radio Production I exam on Tuesday, and I aced it! Found out I got an A for the class. YEAH! So far, since I started AC in Fall '08, I'm batting 1.000 -- straight A's! I want to keep that up this Fall, so next week I'm going out of town for some badly needed R&R! I'll probably head to Austin for a few days, then visit Grandma--hopefully, she'll have her world famous banana nut cake ready, which, believe me, is enough to KILL for, much less die for!

A short week and a half break until the Fall semester. I've got a lot on my plate, as usual. 7 hours of classes (News Reporting and Writing, Meteorology, and Weight Training and Conditioning) plus 2 jobs, KAMR-TV and Cumulus Radio (Rock 108, 95.7 The Kar, 1440 AM ESPN Radio, etc). Also, I found out today that there's a good chance I can get on the air to call some high-school games this fall. This is a double YEAH YEAH!

Btw, as I'm writing this, I'm watching Paul McCartney perform on the marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater for the Late Show with David Letterman. Too cool! 45 years ago, four lads from Liverpool came to America...and the rest, as they say, is history!

Wish me luck! Final exam for Radio Production I is tomorrow morning. I've studied hard the last few days, and finished my paper writing a consultation for KXGL-FM. I feel very confident--I'm gonna knock this one outta the park!

I had a lot of fun with this class over the summer. Brian Frank is a great instructor, and although there is a class element, he puts most of the emphasis on how well I did as a DJ for FM90. Don't get me wrong, I learned a lot in class. I learned how a radio station operates, the duties of the Sales Manager, Program Director, Promotions Manager, Chief Engineer, General Manager, etc. Also, how and why radio works--differences between FM and AM, formats, promotions, the history of radio, things like that. But the part I liked best was cracking the mic and entertaining the listeners. It just felt natural. I haven't decided yet if I'll return to FM90 for the fall--I need to see how my work schedule at Channel 4 and Cumulus works out--but I would have lots of fun if I did!

Radio Production I is available in the Fall and Summer semesters, so if anyone is looking for an elective that you'll have a lot of fun doing, this is your class!

So AC isn't requiring parking permits anymore. Yay! No more tickets when I forget my parking pass!
Check it out: http://prod.campuscruiser.com/PageServlet?pg=home_annboard&tg=AnnBoard-detail&annId=464271&cx=22.291

Cool huh? I'm excited. Although no parking passes definitely won't help parking space issues. You know, the fact that there isn't ever anywhere to park. Haha

Well I am so busy already! Holy cow! My lessons have started back up, season is in full swing and I am tired. Tired mode will be my main operative switch all semester I'm thinkin'. But that's okay, because I love what I do.

I'm excited to get started up with The Ranger again! I can't wait to use everything I learned this summer. I definitely have a lot of experience under my belt now.

Speaking of my summer... my story made the front page of the Caller today! Which was really cool considering I'm not even there anymore. I haven't actually seen it, Natalia called to tell me. It made my day!

So I cannot believe how many people are getting married these days! Every time I turn around someone new is engaged. It's crazy! I guess it's just that phase of life eh?

I have still been somewhat avoiding the news. I know, I really need to get over myself and find the time. A reporter can't not pay attention to the news you know what I'm sayin'? hahah I've just been spending most of my time in the gym lately and have hardly even turned my laptop on, let alone turned on the TV.

Season is going great so far. I have a really good group of girls and they're all very athletic. Very respectful as well, and athletic! That's a good combo. As long as we can get the basics down we'll be doing good!

Alright so I just decided to turn on the TV for the first time in forever and the Animal Planet show "Eaten Alive" is on. It's about people who have parasites and are being eaten from the inside out. As disgusting as that is, I just can't change the channel! i'm hooked! So I'm going to go finish watching it. Adios!

Well, it's about 11:30 Friday night, and many are out partying and having a good time, I'm sure, I'm stuck on my computer doing schoolwork!

It's my own fault, really. I have a paper due for Radio Production I on Tuesday, the same day as the final for that class. My assignment is to pick a radio station here in town, write about it's format and target audience, it's promotions, music, on-air feel, analyze how well it does, then make recommendations for how to do better.

I chose The Eagle--KXGL-FM 100.9. (I was not allowed to do this paper for a station I work for, so that eliminates any of the Cumulus stations like The Kar, Rock 108, The Beat, or KPUR). The format is Classic Hits, and is aimed at the baby boomers with songs mostly from the '60s and '70s. The Eagle is pretty good at holding contests, like large cash giveaways and concerts. The Eagle is the #2 radio station in the Amarillo market, behind only KGNC-FM, which has a country format. You'd expect country music to be #1 in the Texas Panhandle, but I was a little surprised that rock and roll from the '60s and '70s would be #2.

And, tonight was my only chance to do this paper, anyway. I'm super busy this weekend--I'm working at Rock 108 Saturday morning, then my other job at Channel 4 Saturday evening. Sunday, since we're getting into football mode, I'll be at Channel 4 from 2-11. Monday, I need to study for the final the next day, so I thought I'd better get this paper out the way tonight.

I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow morning--I will learn how to run the board at the radio station for a live remote show. I've asked to be a DJ for either Rock 108 or The Kar, and this is one step in the process. This will get me on the air, and another step toward fulfulling my ultimate goal of calling play-by-play for football, baseball, etc. It's just that I have to get up early on a Saturday--YUK!!!--so I'd better behave myself and stay in tonight. So, this seemed as good a time as any to do this paper and get it out of the way!

The end of Summer term is almost here! Thank goodness, because I need a break!

Tomorrow, I have an exam in my Radio Production class. I feel pretty confident--I've knocked the other two exams out of the park, and this one should be fairly easy. After this, final exam is next Tuesday, my term paper is due also next Tuesday--I have to pick a local radio station, figure out its format and the intended audience, and make recommendations on how they could do better--and my final aircheck as a DJ on FM90 is this Thursday. Please be sure to listen to me on FM90 every Wednesday from noon to 4, either on your radio or streamed live on the web. Check us out at http://kacvfm.org/.

The week after next, after school is all done, I'm taking the whole week off from work. I need a break from there, too! Don't get me wrong, I'm learning a lot about the news and television business at KAMR, but too much of anything is not good! Plus, one of the directors is really getting on my nerves with his drill sergeant act, so I just need to get out of town for a few days and recharge my batteries. With football season just around the corner, my weekends are about to get SUPER busy! I haven't decided where to go yet--I might go to my Dad's farm in Tennessee, or I may visit my aunt/uncle in Austin, then go to my other grandmother's house.

Also, I need a breather before Fall semester starts. I'm taking News Reporting and Writing with Mike Haynes, a weightlifting class for my PE credit (I'm a little uneasy about that--I'm afraid if I get anymore buff, the ladies won't be able to take it haha! :P), and Meteorology online for my science credit. BTW--there's still time to register for Fall! Please go to http://prod.campuscruiser.com/q?pg=home_welcome&cp=291 for information on how to register, or drop by any of AC's campuses and visit the very nice academic advisors who will be more than happy to help!

Well, wish me luck on my exam tomorrow. cya! :)

Well, I'm home! Friday night I had an awesome welcome home party. It was so great to see my family and friends again! I've been able to spend lots of time with Chris, which has been wonderful. It's so great to slip so easily into our routine again.

However, I'm exhausted! Two-a-days started yesterday and boy have I been getting my fill of gym time! Tonight was also my first volleyball lesson of the month. I really missed being in the gym but it sure takes a lot out of you! hahah

Our first scrimmages are Friday. Yay!

Anyway, I have been pretty out of touch with the world lately outside of volleyball! I haven't even had time to sit down and read caller.com or get on facebook! School is going to start before I know it...

Okay I know this is short but I will post more later. I'm really really tired.

Yesterday, the House of Representatives took the next step towards setting up government-run health care. The House will vote in September, and the Senate is also working on its version. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/01/health-care-showdown-looms-house-panel-passes/?test=latestnews

The problem for President Obama and the Democrats is that the more people learn about the details of government run health care, the more people don't like it. The turning point came when the Congressional Budget Office said that, far from reducing the costs of health care, President Obama's plan would increase the federal deficit by $1.1 Trillion. Uh, that's Trillion with a "T" folks. Talk about sticker shock!

The latest Rasmussen polls show how people are starting to turn against Obamacare. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/july_2009/just_23_believe_health_care_costs_will_go_down_if_reform_passes_congress
As of Tuesday, July 28th, while 47% favor Obama's plan, 49% now oppose. More significantly, while 76% of Democrats support and 76% of Republicans oppose--no surprise there--among Indpendents, 35% favor while a whopping 60% are opposed. In other words, if you remove the ideological factor, more people are now opposing Obama's plan than support it.

In my opinion, the reason is that Obama's plan is designed to guarantee access to health care for everyone. While most people sympathize with people who can't afford health insurance, far and away the most important issue is the cost, not access, of health care. Most people want to choose their own health care, and realize that if cost is reduced, more people would have access to it. Also, the truth about Euro-style government health care has come out: although everyone in Europe and Canada has access to health care, there are huge waiting times if someone actually needs medical care. In Britain and Canada, people sometimes have to wait years to have surgery! This explains why, although many Americans go to Canada to buy medicines, Canadians by the droves come to America for medical procedures.

Full disclosure: this opinion is written by someone who does not currently have health insurance.

Amercians are starting to realize that if Obama and the Democrats pass a health care plan that puts government in charge, health care will be rationed, just like in Europe and Canada. For all its shortcomings, America has the best health care in the world, and people want it to be more affordable. Also, Americans are already frustrated with HMO bureaucrats making decisions for them; they sure don't want goverment bureaucrats doing the same!

One thing Obama and the Dems can do that would take a huge chunk out of the cost of health care is tort reform. It is well known that doctors peform tests and procedures not because they are necessary, but to protect them from lawsuits. I used to date a doctor, and she showed me all the things she had to do on even minor illnesses, just in case she was sued. Also, she charged someone with health insurance much higher than someone who had none, in order to balance out the cost of running her practice. Now, there are incompetent doctors, but placing limits on lawsuits, and limiting payouts to actual, rather than punitive, damages would lower costs for everyone. Of course, Dems won't do that, because one of their major constituancies are trial lawyers, for whom a significant part of their income is suing doctors. See John Edwards.

Another idea I like is the concept of a co-op--insurance companies or small businesses who band together to offer lower cost insurance. I think most people would look favorably on that.

Realistically speaking, as long as conservative Blue Dog Democrats go along with it, Obama has the votes in Congress to pass health care reform. It was one of his central campaign themes, and there is pressure for him to get it done quickly. However, if more of the public turn against his plan, then he will have to water down his proposal, or postpone it. It goes to show that the real power in America rests with the people, after all!

Wow. It's here. My last day in Corpus.

What a weird torrent of emotions. I'm so sad to leave everyone and what I have here... yet I'm extremely excited to see my friends and family!

You know, looking back over these last couple months, I have grown so much in so many ways. I realized a few things as well. Here's my top 10 list:

#10: I can live on my own and make it work, even though it's not always easy
#9: Taking a moment to enjoy where you're at, to really look around and take it all in, can make a world of difference in your outlook on things
#8: If you let yourself be open to things, it's amazing what you can learn
#7: Criticism, even if it's harsh, makes you better at what you do
#6: Even seemingly untrainable dogs can be trained (this is regarding Sugar, Susan's puppy who I am going to miss dearly!)
#5: Even an oddly matched pair of people can become really great friends (this one's for Natalia, my intern buddy who I will also miss SO much!... Donna and Eric! hahah)
#4: A simple act of kindness or thoughtfulness can mean more than you ever imagined possible (Susan, my roommate, is the one I will miss the very very most)
#3: Growing thick skin takes living through a few frustrations, some stress, and maybe even a couple tears
#2: In a world full of terrible terrible things, just breathe. Find the positive stories that bring a smile to your face and hold them dear to your heart... they will get you by.
#1: No matter where you are, God has a plan. He always, always has a plan.

Goodbye to everyone here who I hold so dear to my heart. I will miss you all so much and I promise to come back and visit.

My next post will be from home! Amarillo by morning...

The geek from within.

I made the Scholastic Honor Roll list for Sping '09. Woot! hahah 12 hours or more with at least a 3.6 GPA. Yay! http://www.actx.edu/collegerelations/index.php?module=article&id=276

That won't be happening this semester though, because I'm only taking 6 hours. Don't let my small school schedule fool you. I'll be ridiculously busy starting Monday.

I'm the Arbor Academy Freshmen and JV coach this year (yay!) and our two-a-days start Monday morning. From then until the end of October/beginning of November will be nothing but volleyball volleyball and more volleyball... WOOHOO! I'm so excited! I've missed it so much!

I'll also, of course, be in the newsroom working for the Ranger. So anyone reading this - READ OUR PAPER. =]

So here's something crazy. Just when you thought all fruits are good for you... BAM! Check this out: http://www.caller.com/news/2009/jul/29/know-fruits-before-you-eat-them/ It's not that fruits are bad for you it's just, well, read the story. haha

I can't believe tomorrow is my last day at work! It has gone by so fast! I know I've said that a million times but seriously, I still can't believe it. I'm super SUper SUPer SUPEr SUPER excited to see my friends and family!
Alright well that's all my interesting mumbojumbo for today. :)

This probably hasn't escaped many people's eyes and ears, but in case it has, click here to read the story I am going to talk about (please note that the story is highly disturbing, which is an understatement but the best warning I can give): http://www.caller.com/news/2009/jul/27/police-woman-accused-killing-newborn-ate-brain/

I don't understand. I just don't. How can something like that happen? How can a mother do something like that to her child? It's beyond sick. It's beyond words. It's beyond comprehension really.

As I stood there watching this on the news I instantly thought I was going to vomit. My gag-reflex didn't take more than a second to respond once the news seeped its way into my brain. I hate to even spread this story around, as it is so vile and repulsive and disturbing and twisted... but talking about it out loud, well, it hasn't even been discussed in the newsroom if that tells you anything. There's just no way to say, "Hey, you hear about that lady who killed her baby and ate his body parts?"

See, it makes you cringe just reading the words. Maybe even makes you puke a little in your mouth. So saying it aloud... well, let's just say I'm beyond glad this was in San Antonio and not in Corpus Christi. There would be no way I could make it through interviews and writing that story without getting so upset I couldn't function.

It's one of those situations where you like, can't cry. It's a horrible sad awful terrible ridiculously gut-wrenching situation but you just, can't cry. It's almost as if my emotions go on lock down. I think if I really mulled over the case, over the details of the entire gruesome story, I would fall to pieces. My tears would flow so hard and so fast... I don't know that I'd ever be able to put myself back together again. So I keep a safe distance to some extent, almost subconsciously. I keep the switch off. I only acknowledge the story to the extent my mind will allow me. I just can't stomach it. No one can.

Terribly sorry to write about this topic, truly, I am. I just had to get those feelings out.

If I write more I think I'm going to break down my "can't cry" wall and fall to pieces. So I'm going to drop it.

Please, with all your heart pray for everyone involved.

The only comforting fact I can think of is that little one is up in heaven with our Father... safe, protected, loved more than any of us can possibly even fathom...
and in the arms of angels...

Sorry, don't have pix ready yet. I will post 'em when I get them.

In the meantime, I'll tell y'all about the second part of my trip to the Cowboys stadium. Brad Fralick, KAMR-TV Sports Director, needed to put together the story packages and get them sent back to the station in time for the evening newscasts. The problem was finding a reliable internet connection.

The solution was about a quarter of a mile away from Cowboys Stadium: Rangers Ballpark. Why not, Brad said, take in the Rangers/Red Sox game while putting the stories together? After the game, we can do player interviews and make a story out of that also?

So, we got our media credentials at the gate (my first media credential--how cool is that!?!?) and headed up to the pressbox.

In a day of a lot of firsts, this is one I will really remember. I've never been in a pressbox before. I didn't really know what to expect. I kinda thought it would be full of cigarette smoke and loud, with the sportswriters chattering with each other.

Brad was the first to burst my bubble. He's an outgoing and friendly guy, but before we got there, he pulled me aside, got really serious, and explained the etiquette of a pressbox. The main message: no cheering or rooting for a team. First and foremost, the pressbox is a workplace, so no "homers" allowed.

When we got up to the pressbox, I saw how right Brad was--the place was as quiet as a tomb! There were broadcast and print journalists from all over the place, both from Dallas and Boston. Nearly everyone was hunched over a laptop, and a lot of them had earpieces to listen to the broadcast. Next door were the TV and radio broadcastt booths. What little conversation existed was in hushed tones, almost a whisper.

The press room itself was very wide, with three levels. The room itself was pretty sterile, almost like a corporate conference room. Each level had long tables like the one you might find in a university lecture room. You pick out a place with a chair, hook up your laptop, and start typing!

Behind the pressroom was a small cafeteria. The choice was grilled chicken, hamburgers, or a salad bar. I had the chicken--it was pretty dry. Sodas were free, but you pay for the food. Oh, one other assumption that was wrong--no smoking, and absolutely no alcohol! If you wanted beer, you have to go outside to the concessions and drink it there.

The pressbox sits above and to the right of home plate, so we had a really good view of the action. Basically, we were right on top of the players! This game, Rangers vs Red Sox, was very important--this was the third of a three game series, and the Rangers had won the first two. ESPN was there to broadcast the game nationally, and as an additional treat, my future wife, Erin Andrews, was there--she just doesn't know we're engaged yet haha! ;) Guys, take my word for it, she's even more gorgeous in person than she is on TV!

Meanwhile, Brad is putting together his stories on his laptop. The really neat thing is that once he was done, he can forward the packages on an in-house website directly to the station back home in time for the newscasts. KAMR uses Avid, which we AC Mass Comm students are familiar with! So, people back home didn't have to wait--we can show them the footage we shot that day. How cool is that?

After the game, Brad and I went down to the basement of the stadium where the Press Conference room is. The Rangers manager, Ron Washington, gave a statement and answered some questions. The neat thing about this was there was only one microphone in the room. Nowadays, a camera is attached to a wireless mic, with the receiver on the camera and the transmitter on the base of the mic. Instead of sticking a whole slew of mics in someone's face, the mic transmitter is plugged into this big box at the back of the room, which is then hooked up to the microphone at the front. So, whatever Washington said was transmitted directly to the receiver attached to Brad's camera. A heck of a lot more efficient than a room full of wired mics!

After the press conference, Brad and I went into the clubhouse for player interviews. Brad operated the camera while I held the mic up to the player. Again, another first--I'd never been in a major league clubhouse before! The process is haphazard--pick a player, walk up to him, shove a camera and mic in his face and ask questions! Sometimes there's a horde of journalists around one player, sometimes only one. Hip Hop music was blasting, and players were in various states of undress, relaxing after the game. Since the Rangers won, the players were in a good mood and willing to talk.

Finally, our day was over! Brad and I packed the camera into the KAMR vehicle and spent the night at his mom's house in McKinney. Next morning, about 8 o'clock (we decided to sleep in, Thank God!), we hit the road and got into town about 1:30. Rest for a few hours, then time to go to work. It was a very long day, but well worth it. I had to skip class Wednesday and Thursday to do this, but as Brad told me, I learned more on this trip than I ever would have sitting in a classroom. It was my first real introduction into sports journalism, and enjoyed every second of it!

The sea turtles this morning were ADORABLE! There were 115 total, if I remember correctly, that made their way, inch by slow inch, across the sand to the water. It was so cute! When we called the hotline to verify the release was still on it said no cameras allowed so I didn't take mine. Once we got there they said they were allowed but no flash! So that was a major bummer. But we did have a Caller-Times photographer there so check out the cute little guys here: http://www.caller.com/photos/galleries/2009/jul/24/sea-turtles-released/23165/

So my friend Natalia, also an intern at the Caller, sent me these hilarious links today! If you're a journalist or know a journalist, check them out... they're so true!
Interns: http://www.stuffjournalistslike.com/page/25/
Lunch Break? Hardly.: http://www.stuffjournalistslike.com/page/5/

Today I met a 20-year-old artist. He has Down Syndrome. His art is gorgeous! Very abstract, colorful and different... which I love. I think I'm going to try to buy one of his pieces. If I do, I will post a picture of the one I get on here! He was a top 12 finalist in a national art competition for upcoming artists with disabilities. His piece will be showed in the Smithsonian! Very cool. I'm writing a story about it, I'll post the link to it once it's finished.

Anyway, I am so ready for my government class to be OVER. Have I said that already? Probably, but it needs to be said again. I'm almost there! Except for the fact that I'm at that point in the class where I'm wholly UNmotivated to finish up. hahah I have 3 chapters, 1 discussion question, 4 practice quizzes and a final to go! Hallelujah!

Tomorrow I am going to a dinner with some people from the Caller. It's a "dinner with the interns" dinner. hahah Word got around that we're hungry I guess. ;) So that should be fun! I'm also going to the beach for the last time! So sad! Looking forward to a fun day tomorrow... then I work Sunday-Friday. Somewhere in there I need to do ALL my laundry and pack up ALL of my stuff... my car will be loaded down! Phew, it'll be a long week!

Got back today from my trip to Arlington to tour the new Cowboys stadium with Brad Fralick, Sports Director for KAMR-TV. The picture above gives some idea of how massive this stadium is, but you have no idea until you're actually inside! I'll have some pix for y'all in a day or so.

Basically, my job was to shoot Brad's stand-ups. In a TV news story, a "stand-up" is where the reporter appears on camera. Brad shot the vast majority of the footage, but he needed someone to shoot footage of him. Brad put together a few different packages--here's one that is on myhighplains.com...http://myhighplains.com/content/video/?cid=68371

This was my first time shooting footage for real with a camera off-the-shoulder. I think I did a good job for a beginner.

There were about fifty media types there for the tour. They were sports reporters from the region--Amarillo, Lubbock, Wichita Falls, Oklahoma City, Waco, etc. We got to see areas of the stadium never before seen. For example: the players' locker room. Very spacious! Ironically, the showers were high school gym type--I would have thought they'd have individual stalls with their own attendants haha! We got to see the luxury suites and clubs. The club on the field level, where the players will enter the field, is SUPER nice! The clubs on the main concourse level were disappointing--the first level looked like a luxury hotel lobby, and the second level looked like the concourse at an airport, where the bars looked like aiport gates!

We then got on the field itself. Here's where you fully appreciate the massiveness of this stadium! The retractable roof is overhead, also the 80 yard long scoreboard, suspended by cables. In fact, our tour guide says Cowboys stadium is the largest enclosed structure without any columns, and it's true.

An added bonus: I was shooting a stand-up for Brad on the field when one of the PR ladies tapped us on the shoulder and pointed to the owner's box. There was Jerry Jones followed by...ROGER STAUBACH!!! OMG!!! Seriously, I almost fainted! Never in a million years would I have thought I could see one of my childhood heroes up close and in person!

After this, we left so Brad could put together his stories. We decided to do this at Rangers Ballpark across the street. That was the second half of our day, watching the Rangers play the Red Sox! I'll blog about that tomorrow...

So tomorrow morning at 6:30 a.m. Susan and I are going to watch the sea turtle release! Those little guys are so adorable, I'm so excited!

Today my feature was in the paper! It's a total feel-good story. It's about this 80-year-old man who just found his family... pretty crazy stuff. Check it out: http://www.caller.com/news/2009/jul/22/reunited-across-years/

Honestly, that's probably my favorite story I've written so far!

Anyway, I'm really enjoying the stories I'm getting these days. Lots of features, which I love. I really like those feel-good and put-a-smile-on-your-face kind of stories.
...Much more than the stories about stabbings and shootings and people blowing up people.
I can't wait to bring all of my experience to the newsroom at AC! I'm so excited! I obviously still have alot to learn, as I've only been here 2 months, but still, I couldn't have asked for more hands-on experience. And such a wide variety of it at that!

Funny thing is, I used to think having only a week to write a story was a short deadline. Well, not anymore! That feature up there was done in 2 days. There have been some days where I've written multiple stories in one day.
So a week long deadline? Pssshhh. hahah

I think I'm going to go make myself some dinner and read my government homework. HALLELUJAH that class is almost over! 4 more chapters, 4 more practice quizzes, 1 more discussion question and a final in between now and Tuesday and I'm DONE. Yippeee!

(I'll try to take some pictures of the turtle release tomorrow and post them on here... I'm so excited!)

When I first went to work at KAMR-TV, one of the first things someone said to me was "if you're here long enough, you'll get to do a little of everything." For about the hundredth time, I found out today that's true!

Brad Fralick, Channel 4's Sports Director, decided on the spur of the moment to go to Arlington tomorrow to shoot some video of the new Cowboys stadium, which will air on Thursday evening's newscasts.

The problem was he needs a photographer to go with him to shoot his stand-ups. His friend was going to go, but that fell through. After the 10 o'clock newscast, he was in quite a bind and was talking to the news anchors, Andy Justus and Faith Miller, about what to do, when guess-who just happened to walk through the newsroom on the way out the door to go home?

Yup! You know the old saying "Johnny-on-the-spot?" I overhear Brad saying he wishes someone would go with him, and I jokingly said hey, what about me? Never in a million years did I expect him to say yes, but that's exactly what happened!

So, at 5:45am tomorrow morning (yeesh!), Brad and I are on the road to Arlington. We'll take a tour of the stadium, shoot some video, stay the night at his parents' house, then back home early Thursday. I'm bringing my camera, so I'll have some great pix to show!

This will be my second visit to Cowboys stadium. I got to go in April for the Texas Intercollegiate Press Associate convention. Several AC Journalism and Broadcast students went to Dallas, and I entered the TV Sportswriting contest. I got to tour the stadium, then write a story about it. I placed third, which I'm very happy about! This time, the stadium should be more complete, so hopefully I'll get to see more of it. I was astounded the first time, and I can't wait to see it again!

I'll blog again Thursday night or Friday morning. cya! :)

Today I feel it's time to give a little peek into who I am... here are 25 random things about Madelyn. :)
NOTE: These are in no particular order

1) I was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
2) I have 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 2 birds, but my baby is my cat, Marco
3) I'm Italian (those who know me know this by my temper...hah)
4) I have been dating my boyfriend, Chris, for 6 years and still find myself falling deeper in love with him everyday
5) I love Jesus
6) Try as I might to change, deep inside I'm terribly unorganized
7) I have to write things down so I don't forget them... birthdays, special dates, things I need to do... you name it, I'll forget it if it's not on paper
8) I'm not so great at paying attention... it takes a lot of effort... maybe a little ADD? Who knows
9) I'm a volleyball coach. It's my passion, I love it
10) I have one sibling; a younger brother (almost 18) named Thomas
11) My all-time FAVORITE TV show ever is Friends. I have every season on DVD and watch it regularly... and yes, I still laugh hysterically even though I can quote many of the episodes
12) My major is journalism and I'm currently working at the Corpus Christi Caller-Times as an intern after winning the Journalist of the Year award
13) I love food... seriously, looove food
14) I can't cook to save my life. Ironic considering my love for food..
15) I really love to curl up with a good book and read for hours
16) I'm the editor of the AC newspaper, The Ranger
17) My favorite season is fall... it's just so peaceful and beautiful
18) I don't believe in soul mates. I believe that love is a process, and you have to work at it everyday
19) I am extremely goal-oriented. If I set one, I have to make. That's just the way it is
20) I played volleyball super competitively for almost 9 years. Lived it, breathed it. Miss it sometimes, most days I don't (the playing part of it anyway... I love coaching)
21) I am ridiculously scared of tornados, spiders, and the newly added pests to my list, cockroaches
22) I think anyone who abuses children, women, or animals deserves a punishment so severe I will not put it in this blog
23) My parents are still together after more than 20 years... oh and my family means the world to me and I love spending time with them
24) I like to snuggle up on the couch with my boyfriend and watch TV (House and Lost are two of our shows)
25) I love big rings, earrings, and bracelets

So there you have it. Not that that covers even 1/100th of me but, well, it gives you a pretty good picture. =]

(CAUTION! Movie spoiler!) So Harry Potter was great, but I believe I think that more or less because I love the books. Truly, I would probably give it 3 out of 5 stars. Compared to the books there were waaaay too many important things skipped. Like Dumbledore's relationship with Harry. In the 6th book they develop an even closer bond than they've ever had before. Dumbledore tells Harry things and shows him things that strengthen their bond beyond mentor, head master, or even a father. Dumbledore and Harry really become friends who depend on one another. I think it would have served the book far better for the movie to have been split in two. Then more of the relational aspects in the book could've been covered. At the end of that movie everyone SHOULD have been bawling their eyes out when Dumbledore was killed. When I read that book (and when my bestfriend finished it) we both cried like babies when he was gone. It left this large hole in the entire series that no character could fill like he did. But with the movie, that relationship wasn't portrayed. It almost seemed like Dumbledore was this distant figure, instead of close to Harry and the other students at Hogwarts. Aside from that, the movie was very enjoyable. Lots of action and a fair share of laughs. The on-screen chemistry between those actors is undeniable. You can tell they have spent a lot of time together and work very well together in the scenes. Yet again, Snape, Professor McGonnagal (sp?), Malfoy, Hagrid, Harry, Ron, Hermione and many many of the other characters were portrayed in perfect alignment with the book. I'm amazed that they found actors who so precisely fit the bills! A definite thumbs up for this one and well worth the money to see it, but it would have done the book more justice to split the movie into two parts. Then the audience could've had an accurate feel for the strong relationships between the characters.

In other news... I just got back from dropping Chris off at the airport and I'm feeling really down. The upside is that I will see him in 13 days when I get home. The downside is... well, I'm lonely. I already miss his laugh, and even though I won't admit it to him, I already miss his teasing and picking at me... (driving me crazy is one of his many strengths and I do believe he thoroughly enjoys it hahah)

I had the most amazing time with Bekah and Chris while they were here. I'm very sad that they're gone. It was great to reconnect with my bestfriends. Particularly Bekah. This was most likely our last just-the-two-of-us girl time before she becomes Mrs. Rebekah Cates. Crazy.

You don't realize how much you miss the old days until you reminisce about them you know? Bekah and I stayed up late and giggled like when we were little. We talked about everything from weddings to love to school to our futures. And we watched stupid TV shows and made fun of the people on them... like The Millionaire Matchmaker (I mean seriously, what kind of guy refers to himself in the third person CONSTANTLY calling himself, "Jimmy D" LOL). It was so much fun. Memories I will hold onto forever, especially because I know how fast the times are changing. Luckily for me, I know I have a forever bestfriend in Bekah. Someone who will stand by me no matter what. Something tells me we'll be little old ladies making mischief and causing havoc wherever we go.... still together, still bestfriends. :)

As for me and Chris, we had a blast! It was so great to get to cuddle and talk. It's amazing how easily we fall back into rythm with one another... as if we were never apart. Thursday, after an extremely stressful day at work, we ordered pizza and watched TV. Friday we went to the beach... we left after he got stung by a man o' war jellyfish. hahah Chris and beaches just don't mix. We went to the lifeguard who said he was the second man o' war sting that day. She put some stuff on it, said there's nothing more you can do other than that, and off we went. We swam in the pool at my apartment after that and then got ready for our date! We went to Aka Sushi and it was delicious! Then we went to see The Proposal. Very cute movie! Saturday flew by in a blur. We hung out, swam, went and got dinner and then watched my all-time FAVORITE TV show EVER, Friends. Today came much too fast. We went and ate breakfast, spent a little time together, and off we went to the airport. I miss him already.
Six years and I am still head over heels in love with him...

Anyway, I've tried to stay as distant from the real world as possible these last few days. I just didn't want to focus on anything but my time with my bestfriends.

Tomorrow I won't have a choice though. Awwell. Only two more weeks of work... crazy.

I'm fairly homesick at this point. I really miss my family, my friends, my cat... 13 days and counting! :)

I had a supremely horrible awful no good very bad day yesterday.

But I don't want to talk about that because today will be better. I'll make sure of it.

Bekah and I are going to go to the beach when I get off work for one last time while she's here. Yay! I love the beach. I could lay on the sand and listen to the waves for hours and hours. I also love the sun. It makes me happy.

You know what else makes me happy? My boyfriend will be here TOMORROW. WOOOOHOOOO!!!!

So, I just read a story about Obama's proposed $12 million budget for community colleges (http://www.caller.com/news/2009/jul/14/obama-wants-12-billion-2-year-colleges/). This might possibly be the first thing he's done that I've agreed with. The importance of education is far greater in an economy like ours right now. Many people who have lost their jobs or received a drastic cut in pay are going back to school to learn another craft. And who can afford education at state universities these days? Community college is definitely more practical on the financial side after losing your job.
I really wish I could just get my entire education at AC. Although if that were the case, alot would be different anyway so I might not like it as much!

At this rate, I'll be at AC forever so I might get to enjoy Obama's proposed plans. haha
Not really. I was planning on having my associate's by this December, but that plan fell through. So I'll have it in the spring. I definitely can't wait to have that milestone come and go, but I have no idea what my next move will be.

Being a student is an interesting position. On one hand, you have the entire world at your fingertips. But on the other, you're quickly sliding into the "real world" and need to make a decision about where to take your future. Oh dilemmas dilemmas.