On Your Mark, Get Set...

    My only mission on Thursday night was to beat the rising sun back to Brooklyn. A bunch of people that I work with nightside were going out to celebrate the last day of a coworker. There were only a couple people that I actually knew, and I got off work a couple hours before them, so I was already hesitant to go. But I got home that night, showered, and although I was slightly tired, I decided that I needed to be social and take advantage of an opportunity to spend time with people from work outside of work. So I headed back into Manhattan at like 11, and met everyone at P D O'Hurley's on W 72nd. 
     Since I was already on the edge of my comfort zone, the first thing I did was head to the bar to get a Budlight for each hand--to ease my anxiety. And who knew that a girl double-fisting two beers would be so appreciated by the guys surrounded by girls drinking wine! I feel like no matter who I go out with, and what the occasion is, I'll always prefer a few bottles of beer over anything else. I think it's the sorority girl in me ♕
     So we were there for a few hours drinkin and carryin on. I got schooled on how the network used to be and all of the changes in the past few years, and insider info about others that I work with. Haha, basically I got a lot of gossip and funny stories, which was right up my alley! Once O'Hurley's was closing (yeah..closing in the city that supposedly never sleeps, pft!) we stopped by Gray's Papaya which was like right next door. There, as it started to rain cats and dogs outside, we stood and devoured the most delicious hot dogs. Hah, I realize that hot dogs aren't exactly a food that can be messed up, but after a few drinks they're always even better tasting. I only had one, but probably should've gotten three. Then, we all starting dispersing to go our separate ways home. Luckily, two of the girls were heading my direction back to BK, so I didn't have to ride the subway the whole way home alone. However, once I had to switch trains, that's when the second portion of my night began.
     The city does track maintenance for the subways on weekends and late at night, obviously to avoid inconveniencing as many people as possible. Unfortunately for me, I was completely inconvenienced. I ended up having to a take a train back up town, and catch the C that was actually running on the F tracks, and then take that into Brooklyn to Hoyt-Schermerhorn, and then catch the G, which runs, not only incredibly slow late at night and on weekends, but just shuttles between like 4 stops. Basically, it took me like an hour and a half to get home. The rain had subsided as I walked up the subway stairs from unground, and the sky was just beginning to hint that sunlight wasn't too far away.  As I walked to the front door of my building, and I saw the clock on my phone change to 5:00am, I felt like I was winning. I'd beat the sun. ...six hours later, as I struggled to get out of bed and get ready for work, I was doing little more than losing--bad. Lebron style: ZING!

Bigger Than Myself.

     So, this is completely random, but more important than myself and any silly little story that I can share in a blog. My senior year of highschool, a good friend of mine passed away and his brother has recently started a foundation in his name. I was nuts about the kid, he's the reason for my tattoo, but also a strong reason that my drive and pursuit of success in journalism is what it is. Anyone that knew us in highschool, and certainly anyone who had class with us, knew of our antics and journalistic competition. We had humanities, journalism, and creative writing together. And I was better than him in all of them..at everything :) lol I'm completely kidding.
     In journalism, either sophomore or junior year, (lol for the record, I'm sitting at the computer laughing just thinking about what stories I want to tell) we would play pranks on each other. And, it must've been junior year when I was a co-editor-in-chief, and thus one of the last people to see the paper, and on one of his by-lines that said "by: Ben Farber," I changed it to include his full name, "Benjamin James Gawrys Farber," lol and he was so pissed when it was printed and he saw it. And senior year, I was the lone editor-in-chief, and in each edition I had a column where I just wrote about whatever I wanted essentially. And one time in creative writing he told me that he was planning to write a letter to the editor (me) about why I shouldn't be editor of the paper, and why I wasn't qualified for the position lol.
     Senior year we went to a conference-wide creative writing fair where various pieces had been entered, and it was my pride and joy that the one category we were both entered into, my piece beat his. And it was a big deal because writing was his thing. He was amazing at it. There was something about him and his abilities to put words on paper that was far beyond his years. That morning though, we'd planned for me to pick him up and drive to the hs together, and he must've set his alarm an hour early or something because I was supposed to pick him up at like 6:30, but at 5:30 he calls me all chipper and excited like, "Hey Nans, ya up?!" (I was Nanners, he was Benners)and I was like just like dude, are you kidding me? But later, when I did pick him up, I remember driving into the DHS parking lot, both of us singing along to Big Pun's "Don't Wanna be a Playa." Lol and if you've heard the song, you know the beginning when the guy sings, "don't wannnnna beeeeeeee a playaaaa," and he was like hitting all the notes. Uh, funny stuff.
    Telling these stories don't give them justice at all. Like i'm sitting here trying to contain my laughter, but it's difficult to convey through text. Either way, Ben was a riot. Having him around, especially in those classes, was a driving force for me because I had to try to be better than him. And I remember later, in his absence, talking to a mutual friend of ours also into writing, about what journalism would be like without him. Point of all this is, Ben's brother set up a foundation in his name, and I told his mom I'd help spread the word! Go to the website, check it out, and donate. Trust, I know what it's like to be a broke college student, but it'd mean the world to me! The money raised goes to the Ben Farber Journalism Scholarship to benefit a student at the University of Illinois' Journalism Department. So go, donate/register, and then tell a friend!

http://www.thebenfarberfoundation.com/

   

Schmoozin'

     So the highlight of my day was schmoozin' a bit with reporter TJ Winick. He's right in our newsroom and a good resource, as he's been in a business for a while. There was some back and forth over the past few times in setting up a time for us to talk, but today we had a good hour or so. I was able to just ask any questions I had, from the career track he took, his future aspirations, and striking the balance between family and work. Actually, we even went through a few of the videos I had online from reporting I did back in Columbia last month before I left. (I included a couple here.)  But that was slightly mortifying, yet incredibly insightful and helpful. We just went through and he gave constructive crticism as far as what he would've done differently with certain aspects, what he liked and thought I could do more of, stuff like that. So, having the opportunity to sit down and go through packages I've done with someone at his level was incredible. He focused alot on me bringing my personality into the work more. He was like, "because the you that i see here (pointing at me) isn't the you that's on camera." So, that was some advice I could understand and hopefully work on in the future. But it's weird for me because I'm still getting used to the sound of my own voice when I hear it back, let alone having someone critique it--while I'm sitting RIGHT there!

     But he's pretty cool. He first comes off like he may be pretentious and a bit of a diva, which I can absolutely appreciate as I tend to sport both qualities myself. But he has this dry sense of humor which I reallly appreciate it, and I think makes it easier for me to gel with him. I hope I get the opportunity to do that more, schmooze with other people around the office. Calling it "schmoozing" sounds all corny and like I'm really just kissin' ass, but that's not--or atleast that's not compeltely it. I think when I can talk to someone on a one-on-one basis and in a chill setting, I'm able to relax more and crack jokes and vibe better with them...lol in other words, if you give me 15 minutes I can essentially win over anyone!

Sawyer Sighting Part III: The Day I Met Diane

     They say third time's a charm, and my budding relationship with Diane Sawyer is no exception. Today was the third time I've seen her, and today was the first time we spoke. Here's the story: So, the newsroom was, for some odd reason, crazy this afternoon. No breaking news, nothing special going on, just significantly more hoppin' than usual. So I was pretty busy, and continued to suppress my need to pee. Finally I gave in, pulled myself away from the computer, and decided to go. I was a little on edge and stressed because of everything I'd been doing and the phone was ringing off the hook, and as I was walked to the bathroom, there was a woman walking toward me, and then we both had to turn the corner to walk to the bathroom. I ended up being a few strides behind her. Along the way, I kind of thought to myself, "what if that was Diane," but I was too drained to put too much thought into it. The woman ahead of me was wearing some clunky, but comfortable, looking shoes and was noticeably shorter than I'd remembered. As she walked to the bathroom, two people came from around another corner, and one of them said "hello" outloud to her, but it was obvious that the she didn't personally know the woman ahead of me. So I wondered to myself, "why did that lady just say hi to someone she barely knows? Do you think it's Diane..." So I'd decided at that point that it probably was, but without makeup or anything. 
     So we get into the bathroom, and she chose the first stall. (I always try to get that one because they say it's the cleanest--she must've known that too!) So, trying not to be a creep, just in case it was her, I went into the third stall. Personal space. Then, this time trying to be a creep, I timed it so that we'd end up washing our hands together, so I could find out once and for all if it were her or not. So I'm at the sink washing my hands, and from behind she walks to the sink next to me, and our eyes meet in the mirror, and I realized it was her. Romantic, huh? 

Haha, so, quite calmly and enervatedly I said, "Ooh Diane, I always thought that our first encounter would be far more glamorous than this." To which she laughed and replied, "Doesn't get more glamorous than the bathroom."

    Bahaha, then we shared an intimate little laugh, and she welcomed me to ABC and said it was pleasure to have me. Lol, not exactly how I'd imagined meeting Diane Sawyer, but not too shabby!