swinging through the District….

Just finished another day on this merry-go-round I like to call “DC Broadcast.”

Luck, chaos, depression, pride, frustration, chills, thrills and more…I suppose it’s more like Russian Roulette. It’s been a busy week – press conference, house member interview and sorta spot story on the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima.

My professor asked me if I could handle two states, two stations on my own….the other girl covering Kentucky got a job at America’s Most Wanted….Sweet!

On top of that….we had our career center folks dropping into the newsroom, from Evanston. They looked over resumes and cover letters….our photog said when these ladies come up from Evanston, you know the quarter is almost over.

I should go home….I’m paying too much for parking. I need to get some sleep…the last two days started at around 4 AM…just enough time to consume a few articles from the Post and get my butt down to the newsroom. Today, I headed down to the Press Club to workout before the newsroom.

Last night….I went to bed so disappointed with myself.

Today…I had a chance to redeem myself….I didn’t screw up….I filed a nice piece on a Kentucky veteran….he gave me a hug at Quantico.

Last night….Mark helped me out on a shoot. He was awesome. He knew to hit the record button when our interview subject just started spilling gems of stories….I was the moron. I set the umbrella in the wrong direction, for the light kit…it looked like something out of the Blair Witch Project….totally not broadcast-ready video.

I went to bed upset with myself….I woke up two hours before my alarm…stressed…wishing for an accident…wishing for a miracle…I kept breathing…did some yoga….closed my eyes….sat down in front of a candle and prayed….

I accepted my mistake….it was totally on my shoulders. I called up my station and explained what happened.

Drove down to Quantico to shoot the re-enactment of the flag raising…CNN just ran the story a few minutes ago. As we set-up our camera and mic….I tangled up the cords….I was more of a moron but I became a lucky moron when I saw my interview subject from the night before. I managed to say hi! And he agreed to another interview, after the ceremony.

I also talked some Marine going “Huyah!” on camera. They rolled their eyes at me….and muttered that I should write into my script how the Marines came up with this battle call and how the Army copied them….and eventually screwed it up. I wonder what my bro would say to that.

Quantico is an hour from downtown DC. It took my an hour to drive there….and then another 10-15 minutes to get through security. Yes, I listened to the nice Marine with the machine gun.

Then I lost the mic and cord. Had to drive back to the Marine Base. The guard recoginzed me. He waved me through…boy do I feel safe.

Got back to the hall – searched for the mic and cord…couldn’t find it. Left my name and phone number with the office…

When I walked back to my car, I got a call – somebody turned in our mic and cord. Yeah! I thanked God and ran back….

Shot my classmate’s stand-up in front of an Iwo Jima statue.

Headed back to downtown DC…this time it took us thirty minutes. My classmate pointed out that we were speeding.

Untangled the cords in our camera bag.

Wrote my script in thirty minutes

Edited the package in 60 minutes.

Dropped off the beta tape at the feed….5:05pm.

E-mailed my script to the producers at my station.

Not bad for a day’s work.

That pix from above is from our last night in London…Europe feels like a dream. I miss London so much….it was home…still feels like home.