Work Stuff

Work has been crazy busy lately. It's a good thing I like my job so much.

Today, I discovered that I won an award for a video segment I produced on the local health department's STD clinic. It was one of my favorite stories from last year and featured a young woman who testified about living with HIV. Here is a link to the video. I think she is one of the bravest women I know.

I may be the new voice of the local city's 911 department, well, at least its answering machine service. I voiced a lot of messages today. I hope I never have a reason to find out if my voice is on the other line.

And, here's an example of weird timing. After a shoot today, I was turning off the studio lights when, as I turned off the last one, the fire alarm went off in the city building. Rationale told me that I didn't cause the alarm to go off but I think a late lunch and nutty long day added to my initial fears that I was at fault for forcing city staff into the cold.

So, let's just say it was a long day. Let's hope I have another productive one tomorrow.

Scenes from a Shoot

I had fun with Jack and two of his friends at daycare yesterday. I shot video of them trying to spell the word "FUN." As you can see, each child had a letter. The video captured them mostly goofing off. The above still is their tribute to "Say Anything."

This was Liam's first shoot. He held the exclamation point at the end. My little guy did an excellent job! He was thrilled to be a part of mommy's silly shoot.

The finished product will promote a Family Fun Fest held by the local Parks and Recreation.

Somebunny Loves You!

My wonderful friend Laura sent me this poem after watching a video I produced for work. Isn't she great! I have some of the best friends in the world!!

Remote in hand, what did I see?
A cute little bunny grinning at me.
Telling jokes but being booed!
No respect from the truly rude.

Don't they see those cute little ears?
The big big eyes, the cottontail rear?
The jokes fell flat, it's sad but true,
But you gotta know--somebunny loves you!


Here's a link to the video.

Silver Screen Shots

The following stills are from the video I shot this weekend with Jack. My tribute to the silent movies is titled "Damsel in Distress."

Our hero arrives as the train approaches.

 

"Don't worry. I'll save you."

But she was looking for a hero, not a silly squirrel.

"Never mind."

Trying My Hand at a Standup

We are back to producing short segments called the City Minute at work. In the past, we featured a theatre student from the university. This time, it's all me baby! Ring-a-ding-ding. Who's that calling? The Today Show. (ha, ha).

"To properly load a potato gun..."

Practicing my wrinkle reducing facial exercises.

If I hold my head just right, my double chin disappears.

And it's back.

The Easter Bunny Downtown

Here is the video link to my Easter Bunny jaunt downtown:
 
Leisure Times, March 15, 2011

Where Do You Work Again?

Tonight was the rededication of a city building. It's the building attached to the one where I work. So, what do you do if you don't want the public checking out your division's space? Put black paper on the door window and exchange the sign describing what you are with "Public Storage." Of course, there was little reason for alarm. I don't think anyone ventured down into our pit of despair (basement).

The Mascot Experience

I spent my lunch hour getting hot and bothered in an Easter Bunny suit. Okay, so I received a lot more positive responses than negative so I wasn't really bothered but I sure was hot. Sweat running in my eyes, burning - and that was probably only 20 minutes into the experience.

I've performed as a mascot before - as the NBC peacock at a local affiliate and a baby tiger at a local hospital. I even performed with Red Bird when he came to town for a now defunct minor baseball team's game. It's really kind of fun to slip into a mascot costume and do things you normally wouldn't do like shake your groove thing in front of the city building.

Most people loved me. It didn't hurt that I was handing out candy as I walked. One person said, "You've made me so happy." I saw a couple of people I knew so I gave them hugs and even let this next guy "punch" me.

I was punched in the gut one time when I played the peacock at a station event. A small kid punched me while one of their parents stood by and did NOTHING! Excuse me?

Being around the children is one of the best parts about the "job." Thankfully, this little girl was sleeping because sometimes the wee ones cry and you just wave and walk away hoping not to upset them more.

These crazy girls were on a caffeine or sugar high. My co-worker thought they were high. They were stopped at a red light and wanted a picture. I ran over, gave them some candy and then they took a picture. The blonde was way too excited.

Who can ask for anything more? Really. (Had to hold the helmet so it didn't fall off!) Love that form.

Goodbye India

I am worn out. Over the last couple of months I have been working on a video promoting the local university and city to India. Yes, India. Turns out they have really smart people there who have money. Well, we want some of those smarties and their money would be nice too. And, while you're at it, why don't you send your kids to college here? Anyway, after 9 interviews, 22 pages of transcribed interviews, several script revisions and a multitude of skipped lunches, the majority of the 10 minute video is done. Three people viewed it today. A few more will view it on Monday. Hopefully, there are no more changes so I can move on to a different project. I felt exhausted this afternoon, like my brain had checked out for the day and was replaced with fog. To celebrate the almost-end of this project, my husband took me out for dinner tonight. And guess what we had for dinner? Mexican! And you thought I was going to say Indian.

A Spine in Time

I am working on a video that will promote the city and local university to India. The primary objective is to attract the minds of the country's students and researchers while also attracting money and jobs for the community. We interviewed the Dean of the School of Medicine today. The interview took place in the "Rare Books" room of the school's library. The spines on the old books looked amazing. One book's title caught my eye and made me chuckle.

"A short description of the human muscles chiefly as they appear on dissection together with their several uses and the synonyms of the best authors."

Really - short?

Brain Numbing

It's been a slow week at work. Our editing systems are down so we're left trying to find things to do besides our usual production. And, while I should be enjoying this slow time, I am bored to tears. And I feel like my IQ has dropped. Why is it when I'm bored I feel dumbed down? Is this why older people do crossword puzzles and other activities that test the mind?

The Epic Battle

A few weeks ago, I produced a Parks and Recreation promotion about a Princess Dance Party. Well, I decided to have a little fun with it and turned it into an epic battle: Pirates vs. Princesses. The following link takes you to the video. The first segment is a game show that features me having an emotional break down. That was a fun shoot, but the second segment after an event slate will show Jack as the terrifying pirate and my niece and her friends as the princesses. Very cute!


Leisure Times, November 1, 2010

Pirates vs. Princesses

What a fun, busy weekend it's been. Part of my weekend was spent shooting video for an upcoming Parks and Recreation promotion. I turned a Princess Dance Party promotion into an epic Princesses vs. Pirates battle.

At least one pirate had to sit down for a rest.

But the battle must go on.

With one pirate landing himself in jail. Security was a little lax.

Later, Princess Meaghan joined forces with the pirates.

A special thanks to my family and family friends for bringing their daughters and son to my princess shoot. And a very big thanks to my parents who let me turn their kitchen into an ocean.

The Critter Getter

Not too long ago, in a break room not too far away, an innocent person bought an item that had a small hole in it. Soon, specks of food were scattered inside the vending machine. Turns out a mouse had found the EZ street food buffet. The food was removed, the machine cleaned. Still, someone decided to play a little prank on the vending machine guy.

Notice: no mice were harmed during the shooting for this blog post. It's only a paper mouse.

Work

I've been under the weather lately. I guess it's that time of year when things start making their rounds. So, I'm trying to catch up with the posts that I've had in my head for a while.

I spent last Thursday afternoon and part of the evening at the local airport (probably where I started getting sick). The FAA requires airports to have mock emergency drills in order to prepare them for the real thing. The airport crew and surrounding units practiced on a stainless steel plane that cost a little more than a million dollars.

I spent half of my time on the ground getting close to the action and the other half of my time on a mobile tower/ladder thing, huffing and puffing up and down it (a steep stair master) so I could get some aerial views. My story is due tomorrow and I'm very proud of what I've accomplished with it.

Week in Review

What a great week! First, it was short. And it ended with a fun lunch with some girls from work. In-between I did a stand-up for a story in which a butterfly floated through the middle of it. And I said my lines without flubbing them. My college journalism teacher would be so proud of me. Also, I helped a co-worker with his PSA shoot featuring a couple of police officers. It's fun meeting these individuals on shoots, but I'd still freak out if they pulled me over.

Strange Sites at Work

A massive renovation has been going on in the city building next to us which means loud noises during the day when my co-workers and I are trying to work. Can you find the mispelled word?

What I non-fondly call the cattle guard. Meant to keep people from wandering down to the basement. Makes a real loud noise when it bangs on the stairs. Don't let it hit you on the way out.

Highway to massive annoyance.

My Work

I only have a few more days left to finish my Forensic Evidence Team story. Today, I spent a couple of hours on the shooting range with officers from the Police Department's FET. They were studying the bullet holes left by different guns on paper, drywall and car doors. It was pretty interesting and hot. I felt cooked when it was time to go home.

Rosebo

Move over Rambo, Rosebo is here. My co-worker is promoting a Bow Hunting for Ladies program offered by Parks and Recreation. Knowing how much I just hate acting silly (yeah, right), he asked me to get serious with a bow and arrow. Check out the lipstick war paint under my eyes. Rubbed it in and had ruby cheeks all day.

After we finished scaring people who drove by the local park, we shot lab scene video at the police department. They send most of their stuff to the Highway Patrol, so we pretended to take prints off a seargent's gun and they performed chemical tests on marijuana and crack cocaine. Yep, they were real.

I spent the rest of the day with another co-worker assisting with interviews for his Adopt A Spot story. It was a busy, hot but fun day. I'm relieved that my farmer's tan isn't going anywhere fast. :)

Man Juice

Recently, my boss has become a health nut, joining a gym and drinking what we refer to as "man juice." The stamina solution consists of fruits and vegetables like broccoli. And it looks, well, disgusting. He had a 1/2 jar of the stuff in the fridge this morning. Looking at the jar would prompt some folks to produce a substance of the same color. E-gads and heavy on the gross.