Friday, June 26th

Well, well, well. It's been a little while! I took Wednesday off because it was my birthday (Yeah being legal!) and today was my first day back since Sunday...it's weird being gone for so many days. Last time I switched a Wed. I hadn't worked here very long so it wasn't weird, but I've been here for oh...a month or so now, so I have gotten used to my schedule.

Anyways...today has been pretty crazy, and I still have just over 4 hours till my shift's over. This morning I got the delicious job of hunting down info from a livestock fat and bone rendering plant to ask them about the hundreds of NE cattle that have died from the heat. I called the local plant, who directed me to regional, who directed me BACK to local. Then I called the headquarters, and I'm still waiting for a call back. Come ON - dead cows aren't that sketchy! THEN I called the Nebraska Department of Agriculture - Animal Industry branch PR lady, who said she knew nothing.

So that was a bust...then I got sent out on an outdoor festival thing, and as we were shooting that, we got a call about a body in a dumpster. So, I spent the next 2 1/2 hours behind a shopping center, in 91 degree heat, watching some poor lady dig around in a trash dumpster. Forensics isn't as glamorous as CSI makes it.

Anyways, I just got back. We'll see what else happens today. Hopefully nothing, so I can RELAX - I'm tired and my feet hurt.

A bientot. Tara

Sunday, June 21st

Oh, what a day. I went out on nothing, yet the day was not without it's moments. Here's what I did: answered the phone, called the dispatch office a bazillion times, repeat the address of a terrible boating accident to producers and reporters who couldn't remember where they were headed, google said address each time to give directions, will myself to NOT eat the last brownie that the anchor brought in today, laugh at callers.

Best moments:
-Crazy "where [producer/anchor] at guy called again. I sense the beginning of a beautiful friendship, where he is drunk/high/crazy and I am totally amused/slightly annoyed.
-dispatch offices that know LESS about an accident than we do (thanks random tip guy, you are quicker than they are!)
-Best phone call of the night: our mayor wants to raise taxes. Always a big deal, and duh - who would like that? Certainly not anyone WHO GETS TAXED. Anyways, the story included comments from angry people, and the following fact: the $_____ shortfall is EXPECTED in 2010. EXPECTED. Meaning it's a guess. We don't KNOW where that will come from EXACTLY. So this guy calls me. Ticked off, of course. Blames the media and says we're worthless because we didn't report where that shortfall is coming from.

Dude. We don't know. Last I checked it was NOT 2010.

Anyways, I attempt to explain, he calls our station/the mayor communist, says the taxes are our fault (don't know how that one works) I continue to explain - I'm an intern. I don't know if the guy who wrote the story is crazy/didn't get told where the future money is not being saved/etc. He is not pleased, but okay to hang up because he now knows that I am an intern and therefore, stupid.

I cracked up more than any other call ever after he hung up. I almost started laughing mid-call.

Ciao. Tara