Sunday, September 03, 2006

Well, Ernesto has come and gone... Although I wasn't in the thick of things and getting drenched, it was an interesting day none the less... Here's just a little rundown of my Friday...

9am - Show up at the station, as I walk in the door I'm handed 4 tapes fed in from the field. "File these" The AM editor says to me. I grab some file tapes and head off to an edit bay. Obviously this footage is going to be used ad nauseum for some time to come. Some will be fed to the network & The Weather Channel. The car floating down the street in Norfolk? That happened a few blacks from here...

10am - Relieve the AM editor in SkyCenter who has been rolling (or not rolling since most of the content was live) tapes all morning since 4:30am. Stand in SkyCenter and wonder when the pizza is going to get here. Press play on a VTR every few minutes or so.

11am - Still no food. I'm starving as is most everyone else. The masses are growing restless. Someone jokes that the little red car we saw floating down the street contained our Pizza.

11:30 - Pizza arrives. 12 large pizzas are scarfed down within 30 minutes. I myself have 4 slices.

Noon - Quickly glance at the rundown for the noon show. Realize that most if not all of it is going out the window.

12:30pm - Realizing the storm is winding down, toss back to network so little old ladies can watch their "stories." Continue wall-to-wall coverage on our website until the Governor is finished with his press conference from Richmond. Breathe for 2 seconds.

1pm - Photogs are coming in to dry out their gear. It sounds like a salon in here with all the hairdryers. Show at least 2 photogs how to break down their cameras to help speed up the drying process. Body count: 4 station cell phones. 1 inoperable (but still powers on) camera, and one camera that records when it feels like it, not when you want it to.

2pm - Wonder what the heck is going to happen for the 5. Go outside and gawk at the flooded street and intersection that separates me from both local convenience stores.

3pm - Gather up file video and start stacking the 5pm show. So far this is as normal as it's been all day. The pace as slowed somewhat from a frenzy to a run. Joke with colleagues about idiots that drive into floodwaters and wonder why their cars die.

4pm - Show's essentially done. Sit back, relax for a bit and wait for packages to feed in from the field.

5pm - Roll the show. Thank god that the day is almost over. Realize that I have to be back in at 1:30 am Saturday & Sunday to cover for a vacationing editor. Think to self, "That must be nice..."

6pm - Hit the door and head home. Avoid the floodwaters that seemingly surround the station. Zonk as soon as head hits the pillow. Realize I'm now almost halfway through a 10 day work week.

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