TV Family

Last week I had a little extra time on my hands after work so I decided to stop by the TV station. I spent nearly 15 years of my life within the walls of that newsroom and the people became like family.

What a wonderful time I had catching up with old friends. I wasn't sure what faces I would recognize as it's been five years since I left. Fortunately, I knew most of the people that were working that day!

Working in TV was such a unique and rewarding experience. I truly loved my time at the station and the fun I had with the people. We worked as a team - sometimes under tight deadlines and pressures - but how rewarding when we pulled off a successful show. It was a great group of people to work with and have fun with. Countless potlucks, coffee runs, ice cream runs, Dutch Blitz games and even re-watching old bloopers together.

Some poignant and memorable moments happened in that newsroom:

• I found out I was an aunt for the first time
• I watched 9-11 unfold from a "behind the scene" perspective
• A few of my closest coworkers stayed after the late show to await news on my first-time house purchase
• During a 3 minute commercial break, I got a call that Dad had a heart attack. I had to keep it together for the remainder of the show and was surrounded by caring and concerned coworkers when the credits rolled
• I took a call from my sister Connie in the middle of the busy newsroom to discover they had just adopted a baby!
• I found out about the deaths of George Harrison and Ernie Coombs from the wire alerts 
• I excitedly sat through the noon news before picking up my first Beetle - yellow - my dream car! I promptly drove it back to the station for everyone to see since they were still a novelty at the time.

Thanks for the memories! A great chapter in my life and happy to have shared it with such amazing people.

Evening Perks

For so long, I pined for working "normal" hours. I wanted to get off the dreaded evening shift so I could have a "normal" life. Well, it finally happened and I must admit, I'm loving the new job and the hours that go with it.

However, once in a while, there are moments when I actually miss that afternoon shift.

Things I miss:

• driving to and from work with virtually zero traffic
• sleeping in
• grocery shopping during a weekday
• listening to Q on CBC radio
• leisurely lunch with friends

Of course, I also miss my friends from TV land and the excitement that goes with working in a newsroom, but I can always stop in as an observer!

25 Years - Built Ford Tough

Hard to believe but it was 25 years ago that my brother John landed his first job. He was in high school and started working Wednesday evenings at Grogan Ford. That job led to a career as a Ford Class A mechanic.

Before Christmas John was commenting to me that his 25th anniversary was coming up. After sufficient reminiscing, I asked what the date was so I could put it on my calendar. I knew that I wanted to mark the milestone but I wasn't sure how. Obviously if it was my sister, I would send flowers. However, sending flowers to the garage just didn't seem to be a good idea.

I decided on cookies. I just happen to have a car shaped cookie cutter that looks more like a VW Beetle, but I used blue icing to Ford-ify them. My friend Char helped me with the icing and Mom & Dad acted as delivery agents.

I'm super proud of my brother. Congrats on the hard work and dedication. Love you loads.

Sensational Send Off

I've said this before and I'll say it again. I have worked with some pretty fantastic people during my years in TV. Last Saturday I had a farewell party that was a testament to this fact. I had so much fun with my colleagues that have become like family.

In addition to all my friends that currently work at CTV London, some old friends showed up too!

I worked with Jo Ann for about 8 years during which, I started to call her my London Mom. This stemmed from a time when I had to get an immunization needle and I was scared. I said I needed to squeeze my mom's hand and she offered to substitute. Since then she became my confidant and advice-giver!

Another blast from the past was Richard! Richard & I worked together while he was the 6pm producer. The guy kept me in stitches constantly. He's hilarious. We also share the same taste in music and have had many great talks about the merits of different artists/albums. I'm so glad we have kept in touch over the past 7 years since he left. (can't believe it's been that long!)

And, making a surprise appearance...Mr. Lightfoot. The trickster told me he had to work. This didn't surprise me as he works most weekends, so what a great surprise when he walked in. It's been nearly 2 years since Scott moved on to Toronto but happy to call this talented guy my friend.

My friend Lisa pulled this event together. That's her thing...and she's so good at it! Lisa &I met on my first day when she was training me as a PA. She was also planning the company picnic and I was amazed at how she could multi-task and pull together such an awesome event. Since then we have gone on to be great friends. Friends that love board games, planning events, stalking celebs at TIFF and watching ER, Survivor and The Oscars.

So many awesome people (some of which I didn't even get pictures of!) were there to celebrate with me. Special thanks to the late-comers who had to work but came when they finished up. Norm, Lisa, Trevor and Laura - you guys showed stamina!

Possibly the best part about the evening was the CAKE. Special thanks to Cristina Howorun for arranging the most amazing cake ever. It was a VW beetle with Paul McCartney sticking his head out the window! How perfect is that? It was the most photographed item of the evening. LOL. And it tasted great too!

Thanks All! It was a blast.

Thanks For The Memories...

Since making my decision to leave the glamorous life of TV, I've been reminiscing the memories I have from the past 14 years. I've compiled a list that is by no means complete, but some of my favourite moments from The New PL/A-Channel/A/CTV.

• The Christmas Eve breakfast (with missing sausages)
• Alan's scavenger hunts
• Lisa & I inadvertently high-fiving in the back of a shot (I had just done the fastest graphic correction in time to go on air!)
• Bob Smith calling out my dad about promising me a car if soybeans hit $12/bushel
• "reporting" at Walkerton Watershed (I interviewed Great Big Sea, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Paul Brandt and The Watchmen!)
• Wingham elections
• working on the station's version of Survivor
• the day the audio board caught on fire and we had to switch control rooms during the news
• the many awesome stinger shots on the noon show
• running to the art department (on the other side of the building) every morning to fix the clock on the morning show 
• working with Trevor on the morning show. I swear he slept through most of it ;)
• election subs (the smell of Subway always reminds me of elections)
• Pancake Tuesday Potluck - frying up bacon right in the newsroom
• learning to speak the language of Doug
• sitting on a milk crate in engineering shooting the breeze with Scott and Mark
• lunch at the picnic table with Bruce
• countless episodes of That 70's Show, Friends, The Office and The Big Bang Theory with Scrappy
• appearing in a Leavens Volkswagen commercial
• witnessing historic events within the perspective of a newsroom - 911, The Bandidos Massacre, etc.
• learning that Mr. Dressup died from an "urgent" on the wires
• the day they cancelled the noon show :( so sad
• Nick Paparella incessantly telling me I'm "living in the past" and calling me Queen of the Furrow (this relates to when I was the Dresden Fair Princess at age 11)
• teaching my coworkers to play Dutch Blitz

Dagoberto

During my years at CTV I have spent many hours with Mr. Doug Assis. He has been my graphics guru, a constant source of technical know-how and endless patience to share his knowledge.

I must admit it was a rough start to our relationship. Our approaches are much different. Doug has all the time in the world to research techniques and perfect the end result. I'm impatient and need results NOW. (Part of that could come from working in the newsroom where my deadlines come fast and furious) And for this very reason, we did not always get along!

However, we have come to understand each other. Even like each other. :)  Over the years Doug has been an invaluable resource and we have spent countless hours together working on several re-brands, elections and general graphic needs for the newsroom.

He has helped me with multiple personal art projects that I have had the vision for, but not necessarily the technical expertise to finish. He has given of his own time to help me improve my skills.

The tables were turned on Friday when I, the grasshopper, had a chance to share my knowledge with the teacher, prior to my pending departure. It was a fun day as I showed Doug my tricks and secrets of the news graphics world.

I will miss Doug and the confusion that usually ensues when we have a conversation. I've mastered the accent but still have not deciphered the riddles that he always speaks in. Thanks Doug. For everything.

That's a Wrap

Fourteen years ago, I was a Mohawk College student looking for an internship. I landed at The New PL in London in the Creative Services department. Several months later I got a job in the newsroom and the rest, as they say, is history.

It's hard to believe it's been that long! When I look back at my time in TV, things have changed considerably. (I know I sound ancient saying such a thing, but it's true!) There have been cutbacks, downsizing and the working atmosphere has changed.

I have always loved my coworkers and we have become like family. I have certainly spent more time with them than my own family in the past 14 years. The camaraderie has been great in the newsroom and it will be really hard for me to leave that. Yes, I said leave.

For the past few years, I have been working on a transition plan. I returned to Fanshawe College and took the Corporate Communication & Public Relations course. When I graduated, I worked part time at The Achievement Centre and tbk Creative to gain some experience. It's been a wild 3 years of having zero downtime, but it is finally paying off.

In December The Achievement Centre approached me about coming back on a full time basis as the Visual Communications Coordinator. After a few days of consideration, I took the plunge and accepted. As much as I've been working towards leaving TV behind, it was a difficult decision when it came down to it. I'm sure my last day will be an emotional one but I'm really excited about this new opportunity.

Perhaps the best part of this whole process is that my hours will now be 8:30-4:30 compared to 3:15 - 11:45pm. Yes, that's a complete shift in my world. I'll be able to actually do stuff with people. Like a normal person. Woot woot.

Welcome back, social life. :)

Victoria

Last weekend was my whirlwind trip to Victoria. As mentioned previously, we were presenting at the CEP Media Council. A ten hour trip there and back with 40 hours spent in Victoria...exhausting! But the scenery was great. What a beautiful city. Here are a few of my favourite pics:

PREZI-riffic

For the past several months, I have been working on a presentation as part of a sub committee of my union (CEP). The committee had been formed in the fall to research and compile a white paper on the effects of multimedia/social media on journalism. My co-worker Scrappy is chair of the committee and brought me on board in February to design a presentation and website to display their findings.

The process has been such a great experience that is outside my every day duties at work. Originally Scott had been compiling their information into a Power Point. When I saw it, I had one word: Prezi. If you have not experienced a Prezi, you should check it out here. It's a pretty slick little piece of software for presentations. Once I showed Scrappy the demo, he was convinced. We have spent many hours perfecting our little Prezi and I must admit I am happy with the results.

In addition to building the Prezi, we have deposited our research and resources onto a website. And, as a value-added bonus to the web, we interviewed local tech analyst Carmi Levy about the current and future state of journalism. All shot on my iPhone and edited with iMovie, I am quite happy with the result. And, since I couldn't save our Prezi onto the website we whipped up a PowerPoint that contains the same info and is downloadable/viewable on the web.

So, everything culminates this weekend in Victoria at the national conference. I'll be making a mad dash there and back but looking forward to seeing the final product and its reaction.

Chill Out

I like my job because I don't work in a cubicle. I'm not stuck staring at the wall. I'm in a wide open space with lots of excitement happening all around me. Some days the adrenaline is pumping when there is a big news story going down. The open concept makes it easy for us to communicate with the rest of the team. It also means that when the excitement has died down and things are quiet, you have to listen to everything going on around you.

Sometimes I don't want to hear everything that someone else has going on. I have my own stuff going on.

Tonight I have my ear buds in and listening to my "chill" playlist.

My Sweet George

I can remember walking into the newsroom 10 years ago at 5:30am. At the time, I was working on our morning show and it was the beginning of my shift. As I signed on to my computer and started looking over the rundown, I saw a story called V-GEORGE. My heart sank as I read the script. George Harrison had lost his battle with cancer.

Having been a life-long Beatles fan, I was saddened that only half of the group was left. George had been my favourite for a long time. The quiet one. A musical genius in his own right that was overshadowed by the magic of Lennon/McCartney.

Hard to believe it's been 10 years already.

CHANNEL 10 ACTION NEWS TEAM

You  might have noticed a surge in the popularity of the moustache in recent days. Is it making a come back? Or is it all part of what has become known as Movember?

Movember, the month formerly known as November, is dedicated to growing moustaches and raising awareness and funds for men’s health issues; specifically prostate cancer.

• On average men live 4-5 years less than women
• 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime
•  25,500 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year in Canada

Everyone knows someone that has been effected by cancer and when it touches you personally, it increases your desire to participate in such campaigns. Although I'm not growing a moustache, I'm coordinating a team of men that are! I am proud to say our team has raised nearly $500!

I invite you to support our team by donating at http://mosista.co/actionteam10 
You can even go old school and donate cash or write a cheque payable to “Movember Canada”. All donations are tax deductible. We only have three days left to support these Movember moustaches, so please come along for the ride.

Funds raised will help make a tangible difference to the lives of others. Through the Movember Foundation and their men’s health partner, Prostate Cancer Canada, Movember is funding world-class, research, awareness, educational and support programs which would otherwise not be possible.

For more details on how the funds raised from previous campaigns have been used and the impact Movember is having please click on the links below:
About Movember  Prostate Cancer Canada    Global Action Plan

Thank you in advance for helping us change the face of men's health. Go the Mo!

Moustache Season. Now Open.

Bruce

I have a friend and his name is Bruce. (ok...singing a Johnny Cash song in my head...) Bruce and I have been friends for a long time but I don't actually remember meeting Bruce, he's just always been around. We work together and just clicked as kindred spirits do. We have spent many breaks together either at the picnic table or in the lounge at our corner table with a view.

During these dinner-hour conversations I have learned a lot about Mr. Bates. I've heard stories of his childhood and how he met the lovely Mary Ann. We've discussed family - the good, the bad and the ugly. He has offered up fatherly advice and I have entertained him with tales of my frivolity. We have laughed together and cried together and I dare say, at thirty years my senior, he is one of my closest friends at /A\.

I was devastated when he told me about his cancer and relieved that he seems to have kicked it. He had a very understanding ear when I discovered my sister had cancer. He was the first person I showed my MLS listing to and the first to see my home the day I got the keys. He is also the office lottery coordinator, sending out updates when there's a big jackpot and collecting funds for the pot.

Bruce will soon be able to retire and spend lots of time at his beloved cottage, so Mary Ann hosted a party to celebrate. The party was on my moving day and if it was for anyone else, I wouldn't have gone. But, how could I miss? The setting was perfect! Their cottage overlooks Lake Huron and is gorgeous. The day was filled with outside games, fabulous food and great friends. Dinner was served at a long family-style table overlooking the lake and I got to sit beside the guest of honour!

The day will come when Bruce and I don't share our breaks at the picnic table, but I know that we will always be friends and look forward to the day he calls to tell me to do my "happy dance" :)

A Rewarding Experience

In a previous post, I wrote about winning an award from IABC and London Life. Well, last week my friend Amanda and I attended the Virtuoso Awards. What a fun night!

When I saw that the ticket said "cocktail attire" I had planned on wearing a new dress I had purchased on a recent excursion to Great Lakes Crossing with Kim. However, the day of the event, the temperature dropped and I was reluctant to wear a sleeveless number. I tried on a few other options but just wasn't happy with them. I texted Amanda to complain about this and she suggested using a scarf/shawl. Great idea! I was all set.

I picked Amanda up and we headed for Museum London. It was a very funky atmosphere with being at an art gallery, swanky hors d'oeuvres, chill music and lots of people! We made our way around the room and saw a few familiar faces from Fanshawe. When it was time for the awards presentation, I was one of the first ones on stage. One of the instructors from Fanshawe presented the award and she was very excited for me. I got some nice hardware as well as a cheque for $500 ...sweet!

Here are a few pics from the evening...

What A Week!

So, they say that things happen in threes. To follow up on my last post about my new house, in the same week I also started a new job AND won an award!

"A new job?" you may say? I thought she still worked at the TV station. Well...I do. This is a part time job that more or less landed in my lap around the same time the house stuff was all happening. It started when I attended a "thank you night" at Fanshawe for all people/businesses that were involved with our program this year. As I walked in the door, one of my teachers was standing there talking to someone and said "Oh, there's Janice now." It turns out that Jackie was speaking with Marc (my new boss) about a position he had available and she thought I'd be perfect for the role. I just happened to walk in at that moment.

So, I spoke with Marc for a few minutes and he gave me his card. I followed up with emailing him my resume and after a few emails back and forth, I had landed myself a part time job! This works out perfectly for me as I can keep the security of my job at /A\ while I gain experience in the communications industry. The Achievement Centre is very flexible with what days/hours I come in so it works well with my existing schedule.

My first day on the job was the day I bought my house, so it was rather surreal! Since then I have been learning the ropes and will be facilitating a weekly newsletter and managing web content. Last week I was already designing a new brochure for them! I know there will be other duties added to this, once I am familiar with the operations.

On my third day on the job, I got an email from Fanshawe College that I am the recipient of The London Life Fanshawe College IABC London Award of Excellence for 2011. I wasn't exactly sure what the award was or why I was receiving it, so I emailed one of my teachers. She replied back that indeed, I had won the award which is for the student with the top marks. Wahoo! All my early mornings and long days had paid off...literally! Jackie informed me that the award comes with $500 cash. Perfect timing for "found money" with lots of things on the list to buy for my house.

So Long Lightfoot

When my friend and co-worker, Scott Lightfoot, told me he had a job offer in Toronto and was considering accepting...I was totally excited for him. For as long as Scott has been on-air with us, I have said he is our best reporter. He just has a sense for news and always portrayed a professional image on-air, yet was lots of fun behind the scenes.

There is just something about Lightfoot that make people immediately feel comfortable and open up to him. I've always told him this as he always knows the gossip in the newsroom first! People confide in him. Yet, he never betrays that confidence. He is a great listener and always has great perspective on life (despite his sarcastic and jaded persona) Scott is a talented photographer, creative gift-giver and keen on gadgets - he's taught me a thing or two about wii games and iphone apps. :)

So, I was happy for him that he was embarking on a new adventure. I remained happy for him until the night before his last night in the newsroom. We were sitting around talking and the reality hit me that he was MOVING to TORONTO! I know I will still see him occasionally, but friendships just aren't the same when you no longer work together. In fact, in that moment, I got a little verklempt.

I met Scott during my first year working at the station. I was filling in as Associate Producer on the morning show "New Day" while they searched for a new co-host. Part of my duties was to co-ordinate guests hosts that were either auditioning or making a cameo appearance. I clearly remember Scott remote-hosting from the front of Museum London to promote the "Flicks at the Forks". He's come a long way... :)

So...we made it through Lightfoot's last day - complete with a giant microphone cake. The newsroom was pretty quiet as he made his way out that night, carrying his box of desk contents. But, we haven't seen the last of Scott. As soon as we figure out his new schedule we will have a proper send-off and I'm sure it will be quite the party!

Life's Changes

I can finally say I have a few minutes to sit down and update my blog. Yes, my classes are finished and with the exception of one online exam, I am finished the Corporate Communication & Public Relations course at Fanshawe!

It doesn't really seem that long ago that I decided to take the plunge and head back to school. It was a year and a half ago that I started this journey - first with online courses, then part-time status in September and full-time status in January. The past four months have, by far, been the most challenging simply because of the schedule I've been keeping. Each day I was out of the house early in the morning (some days by 7:30am others by 9:30am) and returned after work at midnight. As you can imagine this was exhausting.

The last few weeks were filled with final projects and presentations and although the end was in sight, they were tough. I'm happy to say that I did survive and complete the course with honours.

Returning to student life after so long of being in the working world was a bit daunting. However, by easing my way back into it, I actually enjoyed the whole process. Along the way I met some great new friends and had some fantastic instructors as well.

I'm not sure the reality has hit me that I won't be waking up at the crack of dawn and driving to Fanshawe anymore. Perhaps in a week or so it will seem more real.

please click on photo for animation

OK...I know I've been missing for a long time, but I have been SOOOO busy. School is almost done - one more week. I have so many blog posts composed in my mind but haven't had time to write them. Soon.

In the meantime, enjoy this animated bobblehead I made for one of my classes! He he he.

Where is the pause button?

So I'm almost done week two of my last term at schoool. I'm exhausted. This schedule is getting the best of me. Mondays and Tuesdays are spent at United Way before heading in to work. Wednesdays and Thursdays I have class from 8am until I go to work. Fridays are a bit of a reprieve as I just have class from noon - 3pm. However, I think Friday mornings will be spent working on group projects as that is the only time slot available for such things. Augh!

I haven't even taken my Christmas decorations down yet. I have not yet sent a birthday card to my Grammie and her birthday was one week ago. If you know me, you know it is not like me to miss a birthday! So...I will probably disappear for the next few months and see you all in April. Seriously.

Let it Snow!

For the first time since the year I was born, London has had it's biggest one day snowfall. The snow fell....and it just kept falling!

Sunday afternoon was our kids' Christmas party for /A\ employees. I set out around noon to set up for the party and although it was snowing, it wasn't treacherous. As 1pm passed to 1:30pm we started to wonder where the party participants were. People started showing up and telling us it took an HOUR to get across town. The snow was coming down fast and furious and the roads were a mess. Surprisingly, there were only 4 kids that were registered and didn't show up. Perhaps a comment on how awesome our party was!

On Monday, the first day of my internship was cancelled and a test at Fanshawe turned into an online submission. It was officially a "snow day". Unfortunately, working in the newsroom means there never is really a snow day for us. I had to venture outside mid-afternoon, find my car and make my way through the streets of London to get the news on the air. As is typical, we took the story and ran with it. Our entire first half hour was coverage of the snow and every angle we could think of. My friend Lisa offered to drive me home in her 4 wheel drive Escape and I accepted the offer. I left the poor beetle buried in snow.

The snow just kept coming and Tuesday was also declared a snow day. Even city buses were pulled off the roads! I stayed inside and baked cookies while listening to Tony Bennett and Karen Carpenter croon the holiday classics. It was a great day until it was time to go to work :) Lisa picked me up and we headed in for day 2 of groundhog day. More of the same snow stories. It was getting really ridiculous...the snow was really piling up!

Tuesday evening, Fanshawe confirmed that classes would be cancelled on Wednesday. So, another day at home. It was great. I took advantage of this one to complete my InDesign/Writing assignment of a 6 page newsletter. I also took the beetle in to Autobahn to get my brakes serviced and ask about snow tires. I think I'm going to take the plunge and get a set.

Anyway...the snow has now subsided...for now. Ross says there is another storm coming on Sunday. Great!