Lesson Two: Don't Get Starstruck

I'm writing this a day late, so I need to think back.

   Yesterday morning on my walk to the subway at about 7:35am, I realized it was only 6:35am back home and that the ABC-17 News This Morning show was still taping, so I called the producer Steve in the newsroom so he could tell everyone I said hi. We just kinda laughed and joked and before we got off the phone, Steve said, "Make sure you give Rob N a hug for us." Hah, now Rob N is a co-host, along with Peggy B, of 2 shows that air at like 4 in the morning. Those shows proceed the ABC-17 morning news show and we always have packages from them in the shows. It's been a running joke on the morning show that I love Rob Ne and think he's soo cute, and since everyone found out I was coming to New York, the plan's been for me to meet Rob, fall in love, and we'll get married and live happily ever after. So that's why Steve said that.

   So that phone call ends, and I talk to my mom as I make my way to the subway and try out the much faster route that I was told about. I took the G train to the A and then to the 1, which let me off almost right across the street from work. Perfection. And I wasn't nearly as hot and frizzy/curly-haired as I'd ended up being the day before. Then I got the studios and my security ID isn't done yet, so I had to get a temporary one. I got that, swiped it, and as I started going up the escalator, I looked to my left and there, coming down the escalator was THE Rob N! He looked so suave and debonair in his suit, pulling out his cellphone to make a call, and like a putz, all I could do was stare. It had caught me so completely off guard that my jaw dropped and remained in the lowered position until I could regain composure and make sense of who I'd just seen and what had just happened. And I felt SCHO SCHTUPID! 

Ground Zero

         Of course at that point I had to call the newsroom AGAIN, this time Lauren answered, and I had to tell them all about my embarrassing moment seeing Rob. Hahah, it made for a pretty good Friday morning laugh though. The rest of the day was standard, I learned more about videos retrieval from affiliate stations, the network that shares videos between different companies, and flipping videos, wah wah wah. 

   On my way home, although I was tired, I stopped downtown by Ground Zero and the Century 21 store there. Jenna had included that Century 21 store on her A-Z Guide of NYC, so I figured I might as well check it out now, and it's right across from Ground Zero. Then I went home and made spaghetti for the first time. Whenever I've had spaghetti for dinner, unless I was at home home and my mom made it, Megan's always made that, so I had to figure it out. 

   Then once I finished that and Sex and the City was over, Tanya, the girl I'm subleasing from, and I went to Black Swan, a bar that's not too far down the street. Tanya is going home to Canada for the summer but she doesn't leave until Monday, so it's been really helpful having her around to help me figure things out. Black Swan was pretty cool though. I realized that I was no longer in Missouri when I learned that they didn't sell Bud Light. HUUUH?!? So the bartender, Ben, helped me find a German beer that was comparable: 

Reissdorf Kölsch. It was pretty good actually, and just a babystep outside of comfort zone. The actual bar itself was really long and narrow, painted black and there were candles everywhere. It was a pretty dope place, and an eclectic mix of people. I liked it. So Tanya and I hung out there and had a few drinks and then came home. I was crazy tired and passed out.

    That was Friday night, I woke up this morning to the loud sounds of traffic and to feeling really hot. It's so hot here and it's not even June yet. I feel refreshed though, as I slept for like 14 hours. And who knows what today will bring!

Lesson One: The Subway & Metrocards

        My first day was a hell of one. I woke up to the sounds of traffic and car horns, something that doesn't seem like a big deal, but boy, is it different. Aside from that, I had a terrible time waking up. I snoozed controlled for about an hour and a half before finally dragging my butt up. And then I was in a rush. Perf.

Subway.

        So I took the subway to work. I knew that I needed to get on G, go up towards Queens, and at some point switch over the E to get into Manhattan. I figured it'd be easy enough, but that was the usual over-zealous Janai thinking too much. First, I had to buy a metrocard, easy. Then I had to go through the gates. Now, these gates are like those spinny doors, but they have metal bars on them instead of glass. I had to let a guy go ahead of me so I could figure out how to swipe the card, and then when I did it, I tried to go through the gate, but went tried the wrong section and ended up locking it again. So I had to double pay. But I was able to get on the right train headed in the right direction.

Subway again.

       Then, I was the clueless tourist on the train that had to break out the big gigantic map to make sure I knew when to get off and where to switch. I managed to switch trains fine by following the crowd. My next mistake was getting off at Rockefeller Center, near 49th, and thinking it wouldn't be too far of a walk to 66th. WRONG! It was a pretty hefty walk, and driving to each individual class this semester did not put me in a good position to be prepared for all that walking. I have shin splints like you wouldn't believe. And it was hot! Missouri gets balls hot over the summer, but I definitely didn't expect this place nearly as hot as it is.
       But while those rookie blunders behind me, and after meeting with a lady in HR, I was no sooner overwhelmed with the vivacious newsroom. Starting a new job always sucks because the first few days you're thrown so many new names, directions and jargon that it's hard to make sense of any of it. I remember four or five people that I met, and could still probably get lost in the huge building. But it was a pretty awesome first day.
        Diane Sawyer and her studio is like down the hall on the same floor, so I got to see that. I was told that it's pretty common to run into her in the bathroom, hah, and since I'll be working nightside after the first two weeks, I'm looking forward to an awkward post-potty encounter. Besides that, I got to watch the sports intern do a phone interview with Danica Patrick and we had live feed of her responding and stuff, which just kind of caught me off guard at first. We also had live feed from a Florida affiliate of the Casey Anthony trial, so I was able to watch a couple of witnesses on the stand. And then we had a live interview broadcasts to all of the affiliates of a journalist that was held captive in Libya for like two weeks. His story was incredible, but he told it almost nonchalantly. And then I learned how to provide affiliates with file video that they may request and post video to Pathfire, and blah blah. I've learned from talking about work with friends and family that half of the things I say/do are kind of confusing unless you work in a newsroom.

Passed Radio City Music Hall at some point.

      After work, I lollygagged through Times Square and mozied around. Luckily, a guy in the newsroom lives near me and helped me figure out a much more efficient route to take to and from work. So I gave that a try on the way back home, and it proved to be a lot better. Now, I'm laying in pain from shins and watching the Bulls go to work on the Heat :)

Settling In

Music: Sky's the Limit - C. Wallace

Drive from LaGuardia to Brooklyn, looked to my right and caught this :)

I arrived in one piece early this afternoon. I had like a six minute layover in Philly, and the flight from there to LaGuardia was significantly shorter than I'd expected. I thought I'd be able to catch a quick cat nap, but I tried...and opened my eyes and saw the Statue of Liberty! Literally. It was sooo cool!

Then I got the apartment. The girl I'm subleasing from will be around until Monday, so she showed me where the subway is and around the neighborhood and I did some grocery shopping and stuff.

      Anywho, I didn't do much else today besides eat and take a fatty nap. Getting up to catch a flight at the butt crack of dawn wore me out, and tomorrow everything begins! I have to meet with a lady in HR at 11:00am to do some paperwork, and then I start work--ooh boy!

Getting Out

      So my trip to the Big Apple will finally be completed after nearly a full 24-hour period.  Lord have mercy, Tuesday was one of the longest/most stressful days I’ve had in a long time—and I didn’t even really do anything. Megan and I left for KCI at about noon; my flight was at 1:55pm. I had a layover in Charleston, SC and would’ve arrived at LaGuardia at 7:26.
            The drive to the airport was pretty silent. Megan was preoccupied with the big, dark, ominous clouds that were looming above in fear of some tornadic activity. I was just nauseas and overwhelmed. As we were pulling into KCI, I finally just started crying and it only got progressively worse. I was aware of the amazing three months that lay before me, but at this point in my life, two things, amongst others, that I have yet to conquer are goodbyes and change. And I had to go toe-to-toe with both of them—and I was outnumbered. So, Megan and I said our teary-eyed goodbyes, and I went through the motions in the airport. Then, as I sat waiting to board, I just bawled my eyes out while listening to music. I was the kid sitting there alone that people walk by and think, “oh, she must be realllly sad.”
            So after the weather delayed our flight for just over an hour, we boarded. And as we were beginning to taxi, there was an acidic smell in the cabin, so we had to pull back into the airport in order for electrical maintenance personnel to check out the issue. This was going to make me late for my connection, so I called and had that pushed back. Five minutes later, it’s announced that the necessary electrical maintenance personnel isn’t in KCI and will need to be flown in, ergo THAT plane wouldn’t be flying out at all that evening. And just to add the cherry on top, there were no other flights that I could catch that evening, so I had to chalk it up as a loss and try again in the morning.
            Doing so ended up working out quite well. I got to spend another night with Megan and my BSMO family, and goodbyes aren’t nearly as bad the second time around! This morning everything went significantly more smoothly. I wasn’t using all of my power to hold back tears as I checked-in and went through security. So I’m on the plane now—the wifi-less airplane mind you. And I’m actually feeling pretty good. I’m just excited now. I have a layover in Philly and I’ll get to LaGuardia shortly after 12:30, pending no more setbacks. Unfortunately arriving at 12:30 means my orientation today had to be rescheduled for next Wednesday. Fortunately, that gives me essentially all of today to get settled in and accustomed to my new surroundings, and I’ll still start work tomorrow morning.
            As long as I get in smoothly and can relax, then I’ll be in good shape. Fingers are crossed. Hmm..I wonder how much a 12-pack of Budlight costs around there. That will be what I indulge in this afternoon after this fiasco…not the whole thing of course. Perfect!