Monday, Monday

Boy, was today a stereotypical Monday.

Usually Monday is just another day in the sequence of days....no specific order, you just keep plugging along, and fortunately, all days are upbeat for me.

I never think of time in terms of 'Monday' or 'hump day' or even 'Friday.' Honestly, every day engages me in an interesting way.

I like to think of it as the 'lead off hitter syndrome.'

In the great scheme of things, the only time there is a lead off hitter is the very first batter. After that, whomever comes up to bat is just following the last guy. No one is first, no one is leading off anymore.

Same thing with Monday. The first Monday is long gone and now each day follows the next.


With all of that mumbo jumbo jargon, today WAS Monday.

WOW!

I've been 'strongly advised' to keep this blog as upbeat as possible. And, since I am an upbeat person, not an unreasonable request or difficult task to follow.

However, I also vow to roll with the directives 'Report the Facts, Respect the Truth.'

I'd be lying if I shared only positive scenarios in this blog about life on a news assignment desk and in a news room.

Today WAS Monday. From the get go, a very frustrating Monday feeling as if I was behind the 8-ball.

I enjoy solving puzzles and making everything turn out right.

But, I must admit, part of my shift E-X-A-S-P-E-R-A-T-I-N-G!

When I walked in I was asked to shoot a few stories, which is what I do. However, we had a few sick-outs, crews on vacation, and compounded--Cleveland Browns Training Camp is in full swing and we are required to attend each session (if possible). Today, Sports Director Jim Donovan and his producer requested to go LIVE.

It was quite the challenge, which I proudly say, I conquered!

I never got and still don't get how folks can request a long laundry list of items knowing the staffing constraints. Maybe it's because I usually come through and pull a rabbit out of my hat!!!!?!?

As soon as I walked in, the phone rang. I never even imagined it would be the elderly drunk veteran calling ALREADY! Sure enough, he was ranting and raving incoherent language screaming at the top of his lungs. Not a good way to begin the day, especially since he never calls just once --rather once every few minutes. Cue in the head pounding.

And then you have crews who sometimes check in and sometimes don't. I don't get that at all. It is such a huge help to have crews either check in 'in person' or by phone when they arrive, when they are heading out to a story, when they arrive at the story, and then when they are inbound from their story and arrive back at base.

This request is more for efficiency purposes rather than 'reigning power' over the crews.

Fortunately, I had intern Kelsey on the desk to at least field the phone calls while I waved my magic wand and cleared up all of these conundrums!

And 'poof,' everything WAS cleared up and we came out smelling like a rose!