I always hate this time of year. I just don’t want to work anymore. And it is wayyyy worse this year than ever before because of SENIORITUSSSSS! I’ve been fighting it off all year but I just can’t do it anymore. I’m weak. And tired. Nothing motivates me and, unfortunately, this is a time to really be motivated. We’ve got a big show coming up that we want to enter for the STN excellence award, the BUZZ-A-THON, and our spring trip. And that’s just HTV stuff. I basically have 3 months until prom and all I want to do is work out. THAT is my priority. ANNND I need to earn some money so I can go to Mexico with some friends PLUS music festivals this summer. OH OH OH and I need to apply for college. That’s a biggie.
I’ve never been this much of a slacker before. I am definitely done with high school. And WHERE ARE THE SNOW DAYS??!! SERIOUSLY! This is ridiculous. Finally, I am a senior which means I do not have to make up snow days and- NOTHING. I’m just mad. Sorry that I ignored the blog topics just to complain, but I’m pretty sure no one reads these.

For blog topics this month we have to choose from:
1)Talent I wish I had
2)Phobias
3)Movie I want my money back from

Well since I have impeccable taste in movies and fear NOTHING I’m going to confide in you, dear reader, a talent that I wish I had. I want to dance like a black girl. African American female. Whatever, I want the dance moves!

Now don’t get me wrong, there are many White, Latino, Asian…um..Shakiran.. and other races that have displayed some very impressive skills on the dance floor but you just can’t beat the African American’s consistency. And they seem so natural, so graceful, so effortless. They say a duck knows how to swim at birth. I venture to say the same for black girls. But dancing. It’s an INSTINCT! I just can’t compete with that.

Strives I’ve made to achieve this life-long dream:
-The purchasing of “Apple-bottom” jeans
-Extensive everyday work outs of popping, locking, and dropping “it”
-Trying to increase the mobility of my “it” to pop, lock, and drop

Even after all these efforts I’m still an embarrassment to myself and to my people. I wonder if there is anything cool about white people to be envious of… Who am I kidding?

Ohhhhhhh well. Happy Holidays!

It was the morning of October 7th. A rainy morning that begged me to stay under my cushy covers and sleep in…but I could not. My partner in crime, Sarah, and I were off to Dexter, MO for a shoot. Initially we thought the drive was going to be 2 and a half hours (well, knock off an hour for Sarah’s driving)…but we were wrong. Now, a normal broadcast student out there would think that even that is a bit far for a story, but we were eager to take on the challenge! Until we found out THAT MORNING that is was more like 4 hours away…not so eager any more. But too late to back out. A quick stop at Panera and we were off!
We were making really great time (May I remind you- Sarah was driving) and the first 2 hours flew by. But the next 2 hours….dragged….on….and on……and on……………………and………………..on…………..forever. And we took the wrong exit! Twice! And we were going to run out of gas! Possibly before reaching the next gas station!- Because BELIEVE ME, we were in the middle.of.nowhere. And finally….. we were there.
But how exactly do we get to the school?? Something we didn’t ask ourselves until we were IN DEXTER! Great planning. But our brief moment of panic was soon relieved once we recognized how incredibly easy it was to navigate our way around the small town which apparently had great BBQ.
In a nutshell, the shoot went smoothly. And if it hadn’t… OH WELL because we were not coming back for anything! So we shot everything. And we must have gotten a bit slap happy from the trip because the commentary behind our footage is more than entertaining. heee! And now our biggest concern was getting out of there so we could get home at a decent hour.
Ohhh the drive home. All went well for a while, LOVVVVE the open road. Until the rain. And the fog. And the dark. And weak windshield wipers. And curvy one-lane highway roads. And scary truckers. We could not even see. We were so scared, we turned the music off and I told Sarah to pull over whenever we got a chance so we could wait it out. Well that chance never came and it went on like this for about twenty frightening minutes……And then we were freed from the stormy highway hills! We survived!
After all this we could only hope the final product of our story would make it all worth it. After watching the show today, I believe it was. And the drive wasn’t that bad…at least I was in good company!

Wonderful to be back! Not really. I wish I could believe my own words. It is awful here at school. The on-going construction has set everything off and a lot of people can’t handle the chaos. I feel so sorry for the teachers and…sure, I’m going to go ahead and feel a little sorry for myself too. It is so important for me to get things started off right! For example, I have to start any new diet I’m trying on a Monday…or If I’m timing something on the clock I always have to start at the beginning of a new minute. I guess I’m a little OCD about it but…take it up with me later. It has been very rough for HTV to function in an organized manner with this mess and smelly men all around the school!
The new science wing as well as the main office isn’t done. Until those projects are finished they can’t work on the new HTV studio. For the time being we are temporarily set up in our classroom that has new, hospital-feeling white floors. Last week during deadline I truly felt like I was in an insane asylum. And after watching our first show, I believe it!! Everything being out of place has really got the staff down…and I don’t mean like we’re sad but…more like.. (dare I say?!)…bad.
Looking back, I realize we have been pampered from the very beginning. We’re so used to our happy little edit bays, camera kits ready to go, our encouraging wall of awards, everything easy to find…and the couch! We don’t know how to handle roughin’ it! Well I mean SOME of us don’t know. I think some of these juniors need a little “Sweet Sixteen” experience. THAT is rough.
For readers (forgive me for being so arrogant as to assume people are actually reading my blog) out there who don’t know what I am talking about, the “Sweet Sixteen” is an STN challenge where you have to put a show together in 16 hours themed around one word. For example, last year our show was based on the word “adjustment”.
Anyhooo, that was as unorganized and hectic as it gets…but it was also the most fun I have ever had working on a story. HTV needs to be successful and all that…but staffers should still have fun. I don’t think many people did this last show. INCLUDING ME! I’m not saying I am an exception, but I am disappointed and I KNOW IT will get better.
I am a senior. I am not planning on going into any broadcast related field, so this is my last chance to do something like this. I want every story, every show, every minute to count. Eff construction, We’re HTV! We’re bigger than that!

SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER
SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER!!!!
Summer time and the livin’ is easy!

It is so close. Yet so far away. Like no one’s ever said that before, but seriously I have never felt the meaning of that phrase more than I do now. And I just HATE that the seniors leave before us! I understand why but… they shouldn’t be allowed to BRAG about it all the time making the rest of us more miserable! And it is bad enough having to say goodbye (given you’re close to the senior class) but SO SOON!? arg.

This year Spring Break came at the perfect time. School was really boggin me down and the cold weather was just depressing. Luckily I had signed up to go to Hawaii with the HTV staff! We actually had a countdown on the assignment board, I think all of us were really ready for this vacation.

It was a week of pure bliss! We spent the first couple days with Waianae, which I would like to refer to as our “sister school”. We are allies in the competitive world of high school broadcast. Everyone we met from students to teachers to the locals could not have been more kind and welcoming. And you always hear how the people in Hawaii are soooooo nice and laid back… I was always a little skeptical. I went in thinking that they’re not really that nice, they’re just putting on that “I’m-Hawaiian-so-I-have-to-act-nice-and-laid-back” front BUT THEY ARE! Just genuine. Something you don’t see too much of on the mainland.
Waianae is also one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The biggest waves and practically no one on the beach, it was really intimate. And O-M-G the lunch that they cooked for us. We took pictures just to document it. ‘Nuff said. We had a day filled with activities that I may never have the opportunity to do again in my life, and at an awesome price- FO’ FREE! We did this like… kayak-surfing thing and it’s pretty hard, but my little team (Me, Curt, Mehleena) was…and I quote..”UNREAL!” We were awesome, we caught the wave first try and rode the biggest wave of the day! (Keep in mind that the beach we were on is used for the national surfing competitions..heh). I remember looking back behind me and just seeing this wall of water chasing me, then ahead of me we were flying towards shore. It was so exhilarating.

Then we left Waianae to check into Waikiki Beach Resort Hotel on the other side of the island. It was still gorgeous, but very commercial. We walked to the nice shops and restaurants that surrounded us, and spent hours everyday laying out in the sun. I was not going to come home without a tan!
….Yes yes. Home. I did bring my tan back home, along with many souvenirs and delectable treats to share. But all those mementos can’t bring me back to the fun and sun that Hawaii gave me. I’ll just have to make another trip someday! And soon…

FINALLY! It was scheduled for December 15th, then February 16th, and we weren’t even sure we could make it happen on February 23rd… but we did.
As much fun as it is to make new features, anchor, and perform in Studio B, it is a lot of work. ESPECIALLY for students. No one seems to recognize that, even some staff members. I will be the first to admit how useless I am when it comes to technology, that’s why I appreciate the people who seem to make it all work. It’s like magic to me. Ohhhh and we had soo many problems with getting cable, too big of screen, no audio feed, no graphics, no roving… but we made it work

This was my second buzzathon, something new for me was hosting an hour. I hosted hour 14 which was from 11-midnight. I was so nervous! I am a pretty big talker and loud person so that worked in my favor, but that doesn’t mean viewers will like you. Also my co-host (Lillian/my sister) and I spend every second together, bantering back and fourth and amusing ourselves so people kind of got a taste of that. I know we were obnoxious but I think that it is so much better to be like that rather than silent and dull, as many anchors were. It was seriously like the fastest hour of my life, I can’t wait until next year! I think I’ll do more planning, like make more new features. It’ll be my last one so I have to go out with a BANG!

Now I have to go study for this ridiculous science test I have next block.
…..Here’s me blog coachy!*(British accent)

Disneyland!!! The most magical place in the world! Well, I guess I can’t justify that because I haven’t been to every place in the world, but this one is pretty great. I was lucky enough to spend a whole day there a couple weeks ago during the STN convention. It was the first day we had in California, and I can’t think of a better way to spend it.
So many people think that it’s just for little kids, but they are wrong! Wrong wrong wrong! I am seventeen years old and had the time of my life! I was surrounded by those I love (my fellow HTV-ers and favorite disney characters) doing lovely things.

Think back to when you were a little kid. It was so easy to be pleased. You’re absolutely devastated that you dropped your cupcake and cannot even speak through your choking sobs, then someone hands you a balloon and you’re the happiest kid on earth. Being at Disneyland felt like that.! Not the tantrum throwing, but the easily pleased, happy-dappy, giddy part.

There were princesses and pirates! Fun, clever rides! Yummy food! Classic music playing overhead as you walked down the beautifully paved road!(And CLEAN! Disneyland is the cleanest theme park there is.) Mickey! Minny! Goofy! Pluto! Aladdin -HOT! And the lights! The sun was smiling down on us all day, but when it set and the colorful disney lights filled the sky it was like you were in another world of childhood splendor! I could seriously go on and on digging up words trying to describe just how magical and special it all is, but I can’t. One simply has to experience it on their own. But I promise it would take a lot to slap that silly grin off your face! And it helped that it wasn’t crowded being that it was on a Wednesday in January.

What’s more is that we stayed at the Disneyland hotel, so the fun and magic never ended! One time I came out of the elevator and Pluto was just chillin out in the lobby. Nice guy. I really miss it. It’s cold here. And there are no princesses. And I’m in school, not competing in fun contests. Blahhhhhh

“This time next year…” Fran under normal circumstances would say, “I would just be sitting in front of a mac in the HTV room, reluctantly writing the monthly blog, just as I am right now.” But I don’t really think that is going to be the case. You see, my older sister is graduating this year, as my older brother did 2 years ago, thus making me an only child. Yes yes sad Fran without Lillian, what will she do? How can she replace her most loyal companion of 16 years?!

Trust me, I’ll be juuuuuuuuust fine

This is going to a fantabulous. I will FOR ONCE be running the show. Now the love and attention that would have been evenly dispersed between us will all be going to ME! My parents, aunts, uncles, family friends, and dogs (the kitties already prefer me) will simply treat me like a Queen!- which I definitely deserve after being the youngest, in shadows, on the back burner….overlooked….forgotten. Well, not anymore!!!! I’m assuming I will get all the privileges that the normal “only child” does. You know… instead of doing laundry my parents just buy me new clothes to wear, we cater in five-star restaurant food every night for dinner, I get a new ipod everytime apple decides to update, I possess all TV and computer rights, my friends can come over whenever and stay for however long, and I will have my own household staff to clean up after me and do my homework…..basically what ever I want.

So this time next year I will not be writing a silly pointless blog… “my people” will do it for me.

I love all the seasons for different reasons (ahaha! always amused by a good rhyme) but I especially love these late fall and early winter months because of the holidays that come with it. You have Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, (and then My birthday.) But sometimes our festive spirits get dampered by people who like to say that Christmas steals the spotlight from all the others, making us feel guilty. But lets face it- who doesn’t love Christmas? I DO!!! I cannot wait! I have made the ultimate Christmas playlist on my ipod, I wake up to hot coco, I go gift shopping any chance I get, I baked Christmas cookies, I’m boiling cinnamon sticks in hot water, decorating my house, listening to Delilah every night, and I’m wearing mittens even if it is arguably warm! I am ready and counting for December 25th.
As much as I want to be fair to all the others, Christmas is my favorite holiday……………………………………………………………. wait!
BEHOLD: I have thought of something brilliant!
Christmas is my favorite HOLIDAY (I feel alright choosing it over New Years.) But Halloween and Thanksgiving are FALLIDAYS! Because they take place in the FALL! Now we don’t have to feel like we are leaving the rest out by preferring one, they have been split into two incredible categories! YAY!
I hope that everyone has enjoyed their fallidays, and I wish them the happiest of holidays.