Rockefeller Finally!

I finally got to see the Rockefeller Christmas tree the other night. It is beautiful. I went to Rockefeller Center at 11:30pm and it was still packed with people! So here are some great pictures...and I'm in one :)


















Again, let me know if you would like me to send you a link to my online photo album.

Rockefeller...well, almost

The lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas tree was this past Wednesday. I went into Manhattan intending to see it. The weather that night was so beautiful...but that brought out a lot of people! It was so crowded at Rockefeller Center, so a friend and I decided to go to Union Sqaure instead. I'll share pictures of the Rockefeller tree after I go to Manhattan again in a few days. Here are some pictures of other Christmas decorations in Manhattan:

NY Palace Courtyard

Star in the middle of 5th Ave.

Cartier Building "wrapped up" for the holidays

This is how one shops for a Christmas tree in Manhattan

If you want to see more pictures from Thanksgiving, let me know and I will email you a link to my photo album.

Thanksgiving

It was rainy and a bit cold on Thanksgiving. I met up with some friends from California and we took shelter in a cafe. We had a great view of the parade. Here are some of my favorite floats:































While I was in Manhattan, I checked in on David Blaine's latest stunt:















And Radio Center Music Hall and Rockefeller Center:

Friday...

This Friday (Nov. 17) will be my first day line producing a show on my own (the 8 and 8:30 am newscasts). Yikes! I am so not ready for this, my co-workers have even told me this. But they need me to do it. I've been working about 3 days per week for the last 4 weeks learning how to be an associate producer and how to line produce. An associate producer writes the anchor's stories and picks sound bites to compliment the story. When line producing, you have to choose all the stories for the newscast and then time the show live to the very second (28 minutes, 0 seconds). I feel OK about timing the show, I'm just not sure about setting up the stories ("stacking the show") in the time I'm given. Everything is on a deadline. So, it's basically do or die, baptism by fire.

Updates

I apologize for not updating my blog sooner. I didn't feel like I have much to share but I know a lot of you have asked how things are going, and I suppose there's always something to share.
As some of you know, I have a "job" which is a great praise and a foot in the door. I'm a freelance associate producer for News 12 Connecticut. The job title sounds great, right? Actually, the job is pretty cool...but my schedule is uncertain. Since I am a freelance worker I am not permanent and I am not full time. I get called in to cover other people's shifts when they are sick or on vacation. It could turn into a permanent position but only time will tell. What I do when I'm there is write the news stories for the newscasts based on information from the Associated Press or information gathered on the scene. Then, if needed, I edit in natural sound, an interview, or video that will support the story. There are usually about 3 or 4 Associate Producers working during a shift. The shifts are really weird but that's the business of news broadcasting. I have been working 2-11pm but next week I get to work 3:30am-noon! And the week after that I get to work 1am-9am! So, I have a lot of prayer requests for you.
1) Pray that God would provide enough work days for me to be able to make ends meet, or that another, more stable job would be available for me.
2) Pray that I could be a light in the midst of a very worldly business. I am surrounded by a lot of bad language while I'm there and I want to show Christ's love to my co-workers.
3) My housing situation is really lacking in quality. I feel as though I've received confirmation from the Lord that I really need to get into a different apartment because I just found out that rent is increasing as of December 1 by quite a bit! Pray that the right place would open up for me quickly.
4) I still deeply desire to do voice over work but so far no doors have opened in that area. Pray that the right person would hear my demo and want my voice. Voice over work would be another way to make ends meet.
5) Overall, pray that I would have an attentive heart to the Lord's voice and that I would follow where ever He leads me.
I'd love to hear from you any prayer requests that you have.

Hurry Up and Wait!

I've been going on a number of interviews lately and receiving phone calls from various potential employers. I interviewed with News 12, a local news channel, for a position as a director. The man I interviewed with felt I'd be better suited for a position as a producer (I agree) so he's sending my resume to the production department. I'll check in on that tomorrow. I interviewed with A&E for a position as a library technician. I'm waiting to hear back from them. In this business, the saying "Don't call us, we'll call you" applies. I've called people that have said that, and they aren't kidding. "NO PHONE CALLS!" and they hang up. I received a call from a local radio station about an unpaid internship. I can't accept that position because 1) I don't want to work in radio and 2) I need to be paid. Although, I feel obligated to take it. I've done things under obligation before and it never turns out well, so I just have to say "No" and trust that I'm doing the right thing. Also, I received a call from WWE (yes, that's World Wrestling Entertainment) and they didn't have any positions suited for me at the time but asked me to send in an "audition tape". I asked my director what that meant exactly and he admitted that he shouldn't have sent them my resume because they usually expect the women that work there to end up scantily clad in the rink. Gee thanks! So, I guess the WWE is out. I've sent my resume to NBC. They are definitely a "Don't call us" company. I've even emailed and snail mailed them and they don't like that. Submit your resume and be done with it. So, who knows if I'll ever hear back from them. I've sent out my voice-over demo to a number of agencies in Manhattan and nothing. Are you feeling as frustrated as me yet? I am also going to send my resume to the YES Network (home of the Yankees). I want to put together a demo tape for hosting but so far the people I've contacted to interview have dropped the ball. I'm trying to be persistent and not lose my determination. Please pray for me in this. That I would press on and trust that God has the right job out there for me and that He would provide it at the right time. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for me and encouraging me--I really appreciate it. Hopefully, the next time I write I'll have more positive news.

A Day to Remember

I wasn't really sure how I wanted to spend today. Part of me really wanted to go to Ground Zero (New Yorkers now prefer to call it "The Sight"). Part of me didn't want to go there. I think I waited too long to ask someone to go with me and I did not want to go alone. But I still wanted to do something to remember all the people who lost their lives in such a terrible event. Living in California I didn't know 1 person who had been in either of the Twin Towers, or the Pentagon, or on any of the planes. Having lived here for just 2 months, I've met a handful of people who had a loved one who either made it out alive or didn't. It's makes me think everytime I go anywhere around here that I may be brushing shoulders with someone who was directly effected by the events of that horrific day. New York City always has a more heightened level of security (you know the red, orange, yellow scale) than anywhere else in the country. So, for the last 2 months, everything has become more real to me. Signs everywhere that say "If you see something, say something" and the number for Homeland Security. So, back to Ground Zero, or The Sight, I didn't go there today, but I was just there last week. I knew of a 9/11 Memorial in Westport, CT (where Martha Stewart lives by the way). I decided that visiting that memorial would be more private and I had never been there.

It was very solemn. The memorial looks out into the Long Island Sound toward Manhattan. I just sat there for almost an hour people-watching, wondering who was like me and just there to see. Who was there because their loved one died? Who was visiting because they had survived? Some people just stared at all the names blankly. Some broke down and wept. Some only shed one tear. But everyone walked to the edge of the Sound and stared toward Manhattan as though they were looking for the Twin Towers.
















The Twin Towers were once visible from where the Memorial now sits, and 9/11/01 visitors to the park could see smoke from the towers. This map gives you a general idea of where the CT memorial is in relation to Manhattan. (Blue circle= memorial, yellow circle=Manhattan)

People today are a little more jumpy when they hear a plane overhead. But they are also a little kinder than usual. After I walked around the park for awhile, I sat in my car and prayed and read the Bible. Here are some verses that stood out to me.
Psalm 10:14 "But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless."
Psalm 5:4-6 "You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors."
Lamentations 3:32 "Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love."
John 16:22 Jesus said "So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."

New Month, New Phase

I graduated from CSB last Thursday. We finished our TV final and it turned out really good. CSB has 4 phases.
Phase 1- Class instruction
Phase 2- Creating demos
Phase 3- Interviews and getting a job
Phase 4- Keeping a job and growing in your career

So, I'm in phase 2 and since I already have a voice demo, I can send it to agencies to get the ball rolling. As a graduate of CSB, we are expected to make top notch demos. It makes sense. If you put a little extra work and time into a demo, yours will stand out above the lesser quality ones. So, I'm going to be putting together at least 2 demos...one for infomercial work and one for hosting. NY has a television station sponsored by the mayor's office. The shows are really informative and a bit cheesy but they are always looking for fresh talent so I'm going to give it a shot. Also, I have an interview set up with A&E on the 27th. A&E is the company that has the History Channel, A&E Network, etc. So, please pray for all these avenues I'm pursuing that something would pan out and God would show me the right path to follow. I'm really wanting to stay here in NY because this is where the opportunities are, and this feels like the place I belong, at least for now anyway. California is great for radio and on screen acting, NY is the place for what I am interested in. Tomorrow I am going to a live taping of Montel Williams. I'm trying to take advantage of every possible opportunity that will allow me to meet people in the broadcasting industry.

Beyond, broadcasting stuff...I had a nice visit with a friend over the holiday weekend. We battled Hurricane Ernesto as it ripped through NY. It poured! I'm learning about sample sales. Fun times! And it's really starting to cool off so all my winter-type clothes are on their way out here. Thankfully, I do have my job with Sylvan and they are willing to give me as many hours every week as I need. So, until I get a steady job in broadcasting or some voice overs, at least I have Sylvan.
That's it for now. Thanks to everyone for reading my blog postings, I love reading all your comments.

Ch Ch Changes

So to catch you up on things...I did meet Andy Phillips at Ridgeway Church a few weeks ago. He has a very touching story about how his wife became pregnant, then was diagnosed with a type of uterine cancer, and lost the baby. His wife spoke at the church also. As of June, she is in remission. The church provided cards for you to fill out your information and a message to Andy, he would read all the cards, and sign them while he's on the team's road trip (which is right now). I put my info on the card and explained that I want to interview him for broadcasting school. Unfortunately, Andy was placed on the disabled list last week so I don't know if that effects his chances of returning to New York but it's all in God's hands.









The week before last, I went to a Yankees game with the other girl from class. I was surprised when we drove to Yankee Stadium how close it is to where I live. It's only about 20 minutes. We had a lot of fun even though the Yankees lost :(









This past Sunday I went into Manhattan to scope out a field near Chelsea Piers for my news story. Manhattan is an amazing place...when I walked out of Grand Central I could hear a lot of noise. It sounded like a protest but it turned out to be an East Indian pride parade. I walked a block over and they were doing a photo shoot for what I think is an ad campaign.









Things are wrapping up quickly at school. I have one week left. This past week we had to do our sports and news finals. The instructors said I did really well on both finals. I also went to Randall's/Ward's Island to interview the NY Women's rugby team. Randall's/Ward's Island is a tiny plot of land in the East River on the north end of Manhattan. This is a picture from the island toward Long Island.









This upcoming week I have a radio show final with a group of 3 guys (which I've done most all the work), and our TV final where the entire class is creating a news program. A guy named Chris and myself have been chosen by our instructors to be the producers. This just means that we are in charge and responsible for everything. Actually, I take it as a pretty big compliment that I was chosen and I hope it means my instructors see potential in me. It feels a lot like The Apprentice lately. Everyone is working on a huge project, Chris and I are the leaders and the other students are either very cooperative and easy to work with or total slackers. Some listen to you because they know you're the leader and others just don't care. I guess in the end it will be like The Apprentice when some of us actually get jobs and the rest are left scratching their head about what went wrong. We took a class picture, so when I get a copy of one, I'll post it on here.

On September 7, we are going on a field trip to a taping of the Montell William's show. And we are planning a field trip to ESPN studios.

Please be praying for God to lead me in the right direction. I have no idea what I'll be doing after September 7! I'm waiting on God to provide a job that will allow me to pay my bills, I'll need to find a place to live, and this all should be figured out by September 7. I feel like there's not enough time between now and then to get things figured out. I need to trust God and realize it's His timing, not mine. I don't know if God wants me to stay here in NY (I'd like to stay here and pursue some of the networks I've made). Maybe He wants me back in Cali or somewhere else entirely, in which case, I'd still need to find a job and affordable living.

The Ugly Side of Broadcasting

The whole point of going to the Connecticut School of Broadcasting (CSB) is to learn by doing. This means that we learn how to use all the equipment in staged situations inside the classroom. However, this also means that since CSB is well known in the community we get calls regarding news tips and the teachers send students out to get raw footage of the event as it occurs. Today, one such event unfolded while we were in class working on our final projects. We received a call that someone had jumped off a bridge less than a mile from the school. The teachers asked for at least 2 people to go and tape some footage of the scene. I did not want to go but I also did not want it to look bad that I was unwilling to go. Would it jeopardize me being recommended for a job because I hesitated to go? I didn't go...I just couldn't handle a scene like that. I mean, my stomach just dropped at the words that someone jumped. I don't know if I was more surprised that hardly anyone volunteered or that 2 people actually did volunteer. So, the 2 volunteers grabbed a camera and headed down the road. When they returned they shared their stories and then we had to watch the footage of the scene. I didn't want to. It was pretty graphic and it was real. It wasn't a movie, it happened less than a mile away. The way the teacher was talking about the camera work, how he should have gotten a different angle on this shot or the lighting was wrong on that shot, like it was all staged. The teacher has been a camera man for a long time and I'm sure as a reporter or camera man you have to have a thick skin to handle situations like that. I just don't think I want to be that thick-skinned. I mean, a man was so hopeless that he felt he had no other choice but to end his life. I can't imagine that. And now his family has to hurt and grieve. I don't know the reasons why the other students didn't volunteer to go. I'm just wondering if my instructors will tell me I'm too sensitive for this business. I think if I ever lose my sensitivity, that's the time to get out. Just give me the stories about the kitten being rescued from a tree.


*Side note: Some of you have asked about the Andy Phillips interview and other things. I will update you on that in my next blog.*

This Week's Updates & Info

A lot has been going on in the past couple weeks. I have been super busy with all my assignments and classwork. So here's a rundown of things I'm filling my time with in case you're interested.

In the last 2 weeks I have learned about radio programming, copywriting, linear editing, digital editing, RCS, and automation. I did a morning show with another student (not real, just practice), wrote and created a commercial, filmed a news report, rewrote copy, and created a news log. Also, our class managed to get a teacher fired. I have been putting in studio time every week too so I can practice what I've learned outside of class. So, I know most of that probably didn't make a lot of sense but at least you see what I've been filling my time with. We have 3 weeks left in the program which means it's crunch time to get our final assignments completed. I have to do a TV commercial on Monday. I have a sports final coming up where I have to rewrite newspaper stories to air on ESPN and prepare to interview athletes from those stories (of course the interview is pretend), News final where I have to do a 90 second segment. I'm currently trying to arrange a meeting Andy Phillips from the Yankees to interview him for my demo package. He'll be at a church on Sunday and I'm trying to work up the nerve to talk to him. My final will be a news story on a local landmark. I have to rewrite a news story to air on the radio. And my group has to produce a radio show for the final project. Yes, it's a lot of work but most of the time it's a lot of fun too. Next Wednesday I'm going to a Yankees game with the other girl in my class. She has season tickets. It should be fun. This weekend I'm planning to visit Central Park. I've heard that there are a lot of movies being filmed right now so perhaps I'll get a cameo :)

God has a Purpose

So last time I posted an entry, I explained the drama that was unfolding in my family in California. My great-grandmother passed away July 19 at 4:45 am. I flew back to California on Friday (the 21st). Her funeral was yesterday (the 24th), and I fly back to California tomorrow morning (the 26th). What a week! Not one of the better times in my life but I keep reminding myself that God has a purpose for everything and His timing is perfect. I don't understand why He allowed my grandmother to live in pain and confusion for almost 4 years, and ended up calling her Home last Wednesday. Inside I feel like pointing out how inconvenient it was for me to miss a week of classes, and fly back to California just as I was feeling settled in NY. That's obvious but I don't feel bitter about that, I just don't understand God's timing. Why did He wait until my Mom was out of the country to cause her to enter a state of unresponsiveness? That was inconvenient and painful for my mom, too. I don't understand His timing. Now it's even harder for me to leave California than it was 2 weeks ago. I have to believe God has a purpose for His exact timing to everything. I don't see it now...will I ever?

I Needed a Break!

So after I wrote my last blog, some things started to go wrong...but they were big things! First, I went to Sylvan to finalize the details of being transfered. I was told on this end of things that there should be no problem getting me teaching hours here. I just needed to meet with the director to talk about salary and availability. When I met with Eddie, the first thing he told me was that the center was just sold the night before to a new owner. (The Sylvan's in NY are franchises) As a result of the center being under new ownership, he was out of a job. He had planned to hire me on the spot and give me what ever hours I wanted but now he didnt want to hire me without being sure the new owners would keep me on staff. I completely understand! But it's still disappointing. He's going to talk me up to the new owners and hopefully they'll call me to come in. But only time will tell. I'm also going to look into working at Kaplan Learning, which is only a block away from where I'm staying and the same idea as Sylvan. That was Thursday.
Friday...my uncle called me frantically trying to get ahold of my mom who is in Mexico. My great-grandmother has slipped into a state of unresponsiveness (kind of like a coma but not as severe). She hadn't eaten or drank anything for 2 or 3 days and she was turning blue. I can't believe she's been in the hospital for 4 years and has been in pain and sometimes very confused. I've prayed for 4 years that Christ would take her home to glory and that she would be able to walk again...with him. And now that I'm on the other side of the country and my mom is out of the country, she's doing really bad and I can't even tell her I love her. I feel so helpless and very alone. I still haven't met anyone in White Plains. All my classmates live in Connecticut or New Jersey. So after 2 days of sitting in my apartment and waiting to hear from my family, everytime my phone rings, I cringe. I went into Manhattan. I walked and walked...for 6 1/2 hours. You know how Forrest Gump ran and ran? Well, I walked and walked. It was a great day in Manhattan...a bit too hot (about 95 degrees) but very clear. The people in Manhattan are very encouraging. One guy told me I was pretty (granted, he wanted me to buy a t-shirt) but it made me feel wonderful. The stories you hear about New Yorkers being rude, I've never really encountered that. I think they are very friendly. Customer service, now that's another story!! As of now, my Grandma Esther is hanging in there. Her color is back to normal but she's still not eating or drinking and basically unresponsive. Since I'm not there, it's hard to understand what's really happening but I guess she's just sleeping. I wonder what she's dreaming about. So here are (finally) some pictures of things I saw today.




<-- Weekly street festival. Madison Ave. was closed off and there were people as far as you could see.






<--The Apple store on 5th Ave. Open 24/7









<--Inside the NYC World of Disney store. You can create any Mr. or Mrs. Potato Head you can think of!








<--Inside the Trump Tower where I had to stop for Starbucks. I didn't see Donald though.











<-- Such a beautiful day. The Empire State Building looked great!








<-- The Flatiron Building






I went to Rice to Rickes and Magnolia Bakery in SoHo. Oh my goodness...the cupcakes at Magnolia are so delicious. No wonder they have been around like forever!
Tomorrow it's back to school. I have my first Studio session which means I get to spend some time in the studio producing things. Spending time in the studio has led to jobs for quite a bit of people.

My 1st Tornado!

New York doesn't get many tornado warnings, and there are even fewer tornadoes that actually touch down. Well, yesterday there was a tornado warning. The news kept telling people to take cover in their basement or inner rooms. I kind of laughed about it and didn't take it seriously. I wanted to watch out the window everything that was going on. I'd be one of those people that gets sucked out the window and everyone calls stupid. Well, the tornado actually touched down...right in the next town over! No damage occurred here but buildings were damaged or destroyed, and cars flipped over. Pretty serious stuff.
Check it out here: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WEATHER/07/12/ny.tornado/

Besides weather anomalies, everything is going well. School started Monday. I'm in a class of 10 people...8 guys, 2 of us females. I'm learning a lot! We have production assignments due in almost every class. On Monday we'll start doing sports broadcasting. I've really got to get some pictures to post! I'll get right on it.

NY NY

Well, I made it. I am in New York!! I arrived last night at 7:30. Usually when I fly into NYC, the plane flies over New Jersey, south of Manhattan. This time, though, the plane flew right over Manhattan. I looked out my window and we were directly over Central Park. It was awesome! I could see the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and everything! I wish I could have gotten a good picture of it but plane window pictures don't turn out very good. So, I got a car and got to White Plains about 10pm. I am super tired! I'm not used to sleeping in a city, so any noise and light disturbs me...and there's a lot of noise and light where I'm staying. It's downtown White Plains and there's a club right across the street so I could hear the dj and music until about 2am. I think I'll adjust though. Today I took a trip up to the school in Connecticut. It's a nice drive but I'm not liking how New Yorkers drive. They don't know how to merge and they don't know that the right lane is the slow lane! Now, I'm going to find a grocery store and get some food.
Here is a picture of my room, it's nothing special and it looks like a hotel room. There's a little kitchenette to the right.
OK, I'm super hungry so I'm going to find some food. I will post more when exciting things start happening. :)

Bumps in the road

What would a trip be without a few bumps in the road? Well, it would be really smooth and I suppose maybe a little boring. Planning my move to New York has been a bit bumpy but I am still on target to arrive at my destination. I found out a little over a week ago that the dates of the courses have been changed. The classes now start on July 10, the date I was originally flying out on. So, I had to scramble to rearrange my flight, my housing, and everything! Now, I flight out on July 7, yes, only a week from now! Yikes, I'm not mentally ready. I guess July 7 is coming whether or not I'm ready for it. I'm getting there, though. I need to reserve a car for a few days until my car gets to NY and pack. Those are the 2 big things. Everything else I need to do is a lot of minor details but I don't want to forget anything. Add to all this that I have been sick and slowly recovering since Sunday.
Well, this will probably be the last time I post a blog before I get to NY...so please remember to pray for me as I finalize all my preparations. Thanks to everyone for supporting me!

The Countdown is on

As you probably know, I have been wanting to live in New York for quite some time, and have been actively pursuing it for the last 2 years. First it was for my Master's degree in Psychology but because of financial difficulties, things didn't work out. To make a long and frustrating saga short, I decided to change careers and go to the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. I auditioned in February, got a call-back and interviewed in March. I was accepted to the school in April. Classes begin July 17.
So, here is my itenerary as of yet:
July 10: Fly to NY
July 17: Classes begin
September 11: Last day of classes

Obviously, there are a lot of gaps thus far but I am sure they will be filled in quckly. I am really excited about this endeavor but also a bit apprehensive about the unknowns. The 8 week program focuses on every aspect of broadcasting--from operating the cameras, to directing, marketing, and hosting. At the end of the program, I will be working in conjunction with a professional in the broadcasting industry who works in the area that I am interested in (primarily, sports broadcasting) and that individual will help me find jobs or internships. Here is where the "unknowns" come in. I have no idea where I'll be by the middle of September. If they can hook me up with a job that allows me to live in NY, I will stay there (though this option is unlikely). If I can get a job or internship in the Bay Area, then I will move back here (more likely). At this point, I don't even know what I want! So, pray that I won't stress out and that God will lead me to the perfect situation. He already has that situation set up, I just have to let it come to me, and be patient!
I really want to keep in touch with all my family and friend while I am away, so send me emails of encouragement, keep me up to date on your lives, and check my blogs often. Go Yankees!