Reporter's Notebook: May 2005

Memorial Day

I used the occasion of my last night anchoring the weekend, to give you a look behind the scenes. I've included pictures of things that aren't normally covered in the official tour. I also decided to change the background for one day. Hope you enjoy and have a nice Memorial Day.

Just before the 5pm show starts.

Chris doing weather at 5pm. Where are the maps?

What I see from the anchor desk while Chris is doing weather. Basically a bunch of monitors with Chris on them.

After the 5 show.

All by myself, trying to get the 10 show together.

News conference area. That's where the morning and afternoon news editorial meetings are held. I call in to the meeting on that speaker phone on the table.

Erin(editor), Slate(audio) and Cameron(Camera Operator) Slate actually runs audio from the couch. Not really.

David "Tater" Terry. He's the weekend director.

A long hallway. The building really is huge.

Master Control. It bascially runs itself.

The Kalypso Switcher. Very nice and very expensive. That's the best in the biz right there.

Prop Storage and the Stormcenter.

Garage/Construction Shop. That's a set being built for the Kids Count Expo.

Our tape archives. It goes back to 1980.

The Motherload. Andy Griffith fans are drooling. Those are the Andy episodes in the tape room.

Photographer Area. I don't know a single combination to those locks.

Trying to finish up the show. That's Claire in the background. She came in to "booth" the show. Basically she keeps us on time.

The Channel 19 Break Room. Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi or Coke? Darn, I can't decide.

Fun Time. The dreaded makeup session before the show.

Me taking a picture of me in the monitor.

After my last Weekend 10 Show.

Got to Thinking

I got to thinking, when I did my little standup in the water, at least I had my shirt on right? Although the guy who used to email me and ask if I wear leather gloves in the winter, might have liked it.

Never Thought I'd Do It

This week is finally over, oh wait, it's not. I've got Saturday and Sunday and I get Memorial Day Duty. That's ok.

Today I did a stand up, wearing swimming trunks and a t-shirt. I was in Lake Guntersville. The story was about being on and in the water, so it seemed to fit. The station wanted me to do it on Jet Ski, we couldn't find one.

I never thought I do that. I'm pretty sure you won't see it again anytime soon. I'm not sure about being in that lake anyway. I've got splinters in the bottom of my feet. It hurts.

One More For the Road

First, over at Live From the Shoals, Jeff mentioned that he and Carter seldom get time to sit down and eat lunch. I'm not sure if we're doing something wrong or something right, but Brad and I almost always find time to sit and eat. Interesting.

This weekend will be my last filling in as anchor. Saturday, June 4th, Amber Moody will take over those duties. She's coming from WAKA in Montgomery.

Next week, on Thursday and Friday, I will make my final appearances on the sports desk. John Pearson will arrive on June 6th. My services will no longer be required.

The week of June 6th I will be on vacation. So when I return on Monday, June 13th, I will once again be your full time Sand Mountain Bureau Chief.

More Memories of '95

I got to thinking that I didn't have a single piece of anything from high school at my house. I was off today, so I went to my parents and got my yearbook. I've included some of the pictures from that year below. I snapped them with my digital camera, so they're not the best in the world. I've spared you the agony of having to look at my senior picture.

1995 Brewer Yearbook. The first in the country to have one of those crazy 3-D pictures on the front that were so popular in the '90s. I never have been able to see it.