The Opposite of Snowed In
I blame myself, really. Our station (and all the rest) went nuts yesterday warning people of the "wintry mix"/"artic blast" that was on its way to end the world as we know it. "Don't forget to go buy your milk and bread," said one reporter/meteorologist.
Today I found about an inch of snow outside... an altogether tranquil looking picture. Tried to go buy a sandwich, only to find all the stores and restaurants (fast food included) were closed. Guess everyone went to stock up on milk and bread.

EAT MOR CHIKN
Yesterday I renewed my apartment lease for another six months and got a free Chik Fil A sandwich in return.

Opposites Attract
Love this story. Love, love, love it.
Good thing it doesn't include birds, my least favorite zoo animals.

Work Hazards
The stuff that happens that's driving me nuts:

The Rocker. That is, the dude who can't seem to stand still for an interview, making your video look like it was shot on a boat. A small boat.

The Slow Talker. The professor/doctor/octogenarian who needs five minutes to say something that can be summed up in five seconds.

The Pump-fake. "Yeah, you can come over for an interview." [Arrive.] "Oh, I didn't know I had to be on CAMERA! Well, I'm not comfortable being on camera, so, sorry."

BRB
Dropping in on the big D for the weekend.

Coupla Thoughts
I saw a woman today wearing a sweatshirt with a Boston Terrier airbrushed on it. Underneath the picture it said "Boston Terrier". I usually don't notice what people wear, but I realized I find those airbrushed dog breed sweatshirts quite annoying.

Advertisers are choosing some LAME music for their commercial spots.
For instance, why is the television-viewing public still being tortured with Kelly Clarkson's hit, "A Moment Like This"? And now some hair product features an Ashlee Simpson song. (I know this only becuase on the corner of the screen, a super reads "La La/Ashlee Simpson"). Booooo.

Jenna Represents!
Tune into NBC's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Search Wednesday night. (Oh, as IF you weren't glued to the show already.) There you'll find Jenn@ Spilde. She was just 14 when we got in tacky prom dresses together for her very first magazine shoot. Now she's ALL grown up.

A Little TV News/Lightbulb Changing Humor
Thanks to a worthwhile mass email from colleague Todd Glad-he-felt-her.

Q: What's the difference between God and a news anchor?
A: God doesn't think he's a news anchor.

Q: How many station department heads does it take to change a light bulb?
A: You know, this issue strikes at the very heart of one of our core competencies.
We need to think outside the box, and be proactive on this. Here is the bottom line: at the end of the day, we need to leverage our knowledge base and find a viable solution that fits synergistically.
All right people, let's put together a game plan that makes sense, and tomorrow we'll touch base and see where we're at on this.

Q: How many Promotions people does it take to change a light bulb?
A: If this light bulb isn't changed soon----your FAMILY, your HOME, even your DOG-may all be at risk! Change this bulb tonight or you may spend a lifetime in darkness!

Storm Stories
Had to do a bunch of live cut-ins as tornado was passing through the other night. So it is. Everytime the TV folks warn you to stay inside or evacuate the area, the TV people themselves go storming right on INTO the area.

Um, Sorry, WRONG Number
I had one new message. It went like this:
"Hi, this is the Chapman High School attendance office. We are calling to see why Yolanda is not in school today. Please call us at..."

Moving On Up
In Mateo's blogging absence, I'll go ahead and report he is in the process of moving from his green-carpeted, air-conditioning-challenged office space to a puke-pink pocket of paradise inside The Adolphus.

Men of the Weekend
I've been in Aiken County, SC since Thursday, after a train wreck/chemical spill. We can't get near the site, so I've lived at a command post or "staging area" for the past four days.
It felt like being stranded indefinitely on an island with strangers. Only, it's a parking lot, and every few hours there's a press briefing. Memorable males also on the asphalt island:

Matthew Wald
Photog Johnny Bates
Mich@el Cogdill
Aiken County Sheriff Mike Hunt (no, I'm not kidding, that's his name)

Bonus: A Matthew Wald story including Mike Hunt.

Major Bugaboo
What the eff? Hearing today in Spa-burg federal court for one Jose Padilla, held for nearly three years as an enemy combatant, even though he was born and arrested in the US, and the gov has yet to charge him.
None of this bothers me as much as how his attorneys insist the pronunciation of his last name is Pa-DILL-ah, and not Pa-DEE-ya.

Happy New Year
Again I have no resolutions. Mr. Reddy's one resolution is to spend the year developing a strong set of resolutions for 2006.

The Questions in German Were Tough
During my weekend in Dallas we got the posse to play Trivial Pursuit 90's Edition. I could have played better had I remembered more people and places from Beverly Hills 90210.