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!

WHY?

A rhetorical question, at least in my mind.

I can laugh now because the day progressively got better, and believe it or not, I solved all the curve balls whizzed my way.

The ice breaker--when my shoe almost fell in the toilet as I flushed with my foot!

I know what I do, how important the assignment editor position is in a news organization(or at least used to be), how much I accomplish, how many 'fires' I put out, and the numerous solutions I enact on a daily basis.

Some days are easier than others.

This is not one of those days.

One of the worst parts of this puzzle-solving is when the octopus arms start coming from all angles suffocating the life out of me....

When others do not cooperate to the extreme of making my job impossible....

When staffers think that their story is the most important (which is a strong attribute) but also think that they can utilize every crew for the duration of their shift....


From the get go today, staffers, though standing right next to their phones were NOT answering them. Hmmmmmm?

I have no problem telling our viewers or PR people, or good contacts, 'so and so is standing right next to their phone, I don't have a clue why they never picked up!'


Then, it was a treat when multiple sources simultaneously convened at the news desk vying for crews, which we just did not have. Heck, I did not even have a crew to check out a fatal crash on I-480. But what brings it on home is that priceless blank stare beamed back my way as to say, 'what do you mean, there is not a crew available? I gave you a 5 second notice!'


I make sure I am out of the way when food enters the newsroom. Half the time I can not find my crews, yet there must be some type of newsroom table sensor or hidden camera. Dave Summers and his crew, Mark Smilor, brought back a plethora of food from their story. It was not down on the table 5 seconds before the masses made the mad dash our way. Very telling!


And the final blow, which I guess is one of my pet peeves is when the work is not down, but folks start winging the footballs and frisbees about (not sure where they find the time, there IS NO free time anymore).....yet they can't pick up a phone when they start ringing off the hooks! HMMMMMM.


As usual, I've staffed all the wish list requests (except mine to cover that fatal crash)....confabbed with editing to make sure they are covered.....still had time to join in on the 7pm show web chat for a while.....and continue making headway in this bustling major market newsroom!


Overall, it may turn out to be a good day, though it was like pulling teeth to get to this peaceful place!

Like pulling teeth!

I am currently in the midst of a very frustrating afternoon.

As an assignment editor, your disposition determines whether you have these days every day or once in a blue moon due to the nature of BEING an assignment editor!!

Assignment Editor = Problem Solver!

Fortunately, I let days like these roll off my back day in and day out or my co-workers would be carrying me out of here on a stretcher and loading me into the nearest ambulance!

Today's dilemmas (and there are many) revolve around Printer #1 and Printer #2 being busted again. You can track my whereabouts in the newsroom by following the movement of my black ink-covered hands! I feel like I am in an episode of Law and Order CI as they dust for prints!

Being alone on the news assignment desk, and trying to run a very efficient desk makes it counter-productive to continually traipse over to a working printer!


The next dilemma: I'm gathering we are trying to get a talkback or at least sound on tape for one of our night reporters from the convention. However, I am odd girl out on this one. I keep getting calls on something that I know nothing about! And when I try finding out, I get a bunch of "your call has been forwarded to audix...." responses! Very frustrating when you can not reach the people who supposedly know!?!?!


But, wait --I'm not the only one snake bit. I can not tell you how many calls I have fielded from folks INSIDE the building who were looking for someone who supposedly was INSIDE the building --to no avail!!


I just love when you answer outside calls and the person on the other end demands you find a reporter or staffer, saying it is very very important! I see the staffer standing before my very eyes, and say "I have a very important call for you" and the staffer continues talking on their cell phone or doing what they are doing......

So IS the incoming call really important or not?????? I guess I will never know!


Honestly, it has been a good day! I personally have been kicking BOOTY! I have been successfully conquering everything on MY PLATE. I have been as organized as can be, communicating to a tee and cranking out fresh story ideas, fresh updates and hopefully making our next newscast as interesting and new as it can possibly be!!


As long as I take care of my business, all is right with the world!!!!!!!


Thankfully, I don't let the frustrating dilemmas get me down! And I never will!

Out of the mouth of babes!

(photo courtesy intern Nicole Moyse and includes from left to right: Caitlin, Rob, Nicole, Lauren, Kate)

I was lucky enough to have Nicole, the intern, sitting on the desk with me a few days ago. We have a really good group of interns this term. They may not realize how valuable they are, but they are. They've been a huge help, even if they think they are doing 'busy work' at times!

Nicole, though not here very long, made an astute observation. She said to me, "you are the den mother of the newsroom!" Though, I would love to think of myself as the 'beautiful young lady on the desk' (ok, cease laughing!), she hit the nail on the head. At times, we have to be the 'mother' taking care of our children! After she commented, there were a number of instances that popped up, where she turned to me and said "see, knowing-all Mother of the newsroom!" Another problem solved, another question answered!

Every time we get a new batch of interns, I cherish the opportunity to learn from them and hopefully impart some wise words of wisdom on them! I remember my intern days at WEWS with their 'Live on Five' show as well as in their editing department! You work hard, and long hours to learn everything you can during your internship. I remember getting up at 315am to arrive at the station by 4am while I was an editing intern. I needed to set up the morning NewsOne feeds and roll on them. There were numerous tasks all day long. I then stayed through the 6pm news so that I could help feed the 'Live on Five' show and observe the 6pm News! It was great. It was hard work, but well worth it!

I am not used to having interns up here with me. This is the first time I've had interns helping out since the old Channel 3 News Building.

And then, I had one. One lone intern. But he was FABULOUS.

I bring up my former intern because I just received a very nice note from him! I must have done something right to still have this bright, young shining star as my friend!

Mark Zinni was my intern 13 years ago! Lucky 13!! He was a gem. He really ran the desk while he worked with me! A sharp kid who I knew would go on to bigger and better things, and he did!

Not only did he have an internship with us, but he also interned with the NBC Today Show! He brought back some GREAT stories!

One of the many memorable times with Mark was having the 1996 Olympics on NBC and keeping tabs on Bela Karolyi and his gymnasts! Having the Olympics on NBC is always an exciting time!

Mark made a number of stops along the way, rising up the ladder. He has made a nice name for himself at WPRI in East Providence Rhode Island. He's the weekday co-anchor for Eyewitness News This Morning. He's an Emmy and AP award winning reporter! I could gush on forever.

However, one wise thought to pass along: getting an internship in a field you think you may want to pursue is a must! Do it! Work hard! Learn as much as you can! It will pay off, even if you find out you really DON'T like that field. Then you have not wasted a lot of time and energy and can try something else!