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.

Last week was homecoming week here at HHS. For many people it is just a countdown to the dance. Their big concerns consisted of where to get their nails done, buying new makeup, and planning post-dance acivities. I did not enjoy such luxuries. Being a cabinet member and on the HTV staff, there was a lot more going on. It was deadline week. There was a homecoming assembly to plan, deorate for, and participate in. Not to mention actually decorating for the dance and going through all those preparations. ANNNNND the blood drive was on the following Monday, and III am the one who coordinates it.
Starting with HTV, my story was about lowering the drinking age to 18. This wasn’t especially difficult, but getting ahold of credible people to interview was time consuming- so when it came to editing the thing it was crunch time. I had to miss a lot of class to shoot and put it together so I am now behind in Trig, Earth Science, Lib & Law, and English. Oh- and the end of the quarter is Friday. Fun time for me to get caught up!
Next is cabinet. I really like being on cabinet, I just wish there wasn’t SO MUCH that we had to do falling on HTV deadline week. And I couldn’t even dedicate my extra time for cabinet to homecoming festivities because I was planning the blood drive! It was truly madness. And my StuCo committee was no help because the majority of them decided not to show up when I recruited them…they have yet to be punished.
I couldn’t even enjoy being a total girl about the dance, gabbing about what I was wearing and or how to fix my hair… It didn’t really sink in that I was junior attendant until the game on Friday!
One might ask me, “Hey Fran, despite the stressful week you had, did you at least enjoy the dance?” to which I am pleased to reply “YESSSSSS!”
I’ll be the first to say that the dance had its shortcomings (the ever popular but smaller-than-expected circular box and freezing cold east gym) but because it was finally happening and I was finally there, how could I not enjoy it? I had a great time.
The blood drive was yesterday, and it was quite a success. Another weight lifted. Now I’ve just got to get my grades up by Friday and I can breathe again!!!

For a topic this month we are writing about embarrassing things that have happened to us. Now, this isn’t too difficult for me because those kinds of things like to happen to me all the time. My struggle was trying to pick one I wouldn’t mind posting.
Let’s go back a few years when I was a stress-free 8th grader. I was one of the first out of my friends to get a cell phone, so i was feeling pretty cool, pretty adult. I loved “feeling adult” like drinking coffee or wearing hose, strangely appealing.Plus in 8th grade your the top of the crop so you feel all big and bad.
ANYWAYS With this new gift of technology I discovered I could do so much more than call, text, and take pictures. (And I know all the crazy cool functions cell phones have these days, keep in mind this is years ago.) But no, this special power the phone gave me was that of…..(anticipation)… faking conversations.
You know when you’re at the mall alone or waiting to meet a friend somewhere you feel kind of insecure and have the urge to create some sort of business for you to do? Well in those times of need I would either call someone or just fake a conversation. That seemed to work for me just fine but then i took it a step further… a step too far.
On a field trip I was stuck on a bus with none of my friends so I was pretty bummin… but then I saw him, in all his glory, my crush at the time. We were friends and all so he sat by me and we talked and stuff and then it hit me! Knowing he would hear, I secretly pushed a button making my phone ring and then I pretended to answer and was creating the most interesting fabricated conversation of my life. I was so cool. I was such a rebel havng my phone out when I wasn’t supposed to, ANNND I was making myself seem so desirable! Pulling lines from Billy Madison “No I will not makeout with you!” (Or similar) just giggling away, having the time of my life. I don’t understand my early adolescent thought process, I guess I was wanting to convey just how fun I am and how he should fall in love with me simply after witnessing this amazing conversation I was sharing with someone else which COULD be him someday. Riiiight. But then it happened…(more anticipation).. MY PHONE ACTUALLY RANG! Right when I was in the middle of my masterpiece! I was dumbstruck. Silent. Stunned beyond words. There is no recovery for a tragedy like this. It’s safe to say I never faked a conversation again. Ever.

My name is Fran Olive and I am a new member on he HTV staff this year. One of the biggest changes for me coming from Broadcast 1 is that there is a constant pressure for finding a story that just never leaves. I am currently without one and deadline is on the 19th. See? And when I finally get one and shoot it and edit it- that weight should be lifted, but it won’t… because there is always next month. However, I do have a dream story. I have a few actually…
Starting with the annual dog swim at Fassnight Park. Those playful pups frolicking in the water, and for a good cause?! Can it get any better?!?! Think of all that b-roll. Mmmm. Or an inside look at Bailey High School. Its an alternative to the other public schools in Springfield and I think there just may be more to it than what meets the eye. Or maybe my friend from church, Minda! We shared the back row in choir together-good times. She has an amazing story. She has overcome incredibile limitations to become an accomplished artist.
I just long for doing a story that will get some real recognition. And my life’s dream come true would be to get flown out to Washington D.C. and meet Ethel Kennedy when she hands me my very own RFK award! *sigh*

My name is The Fran. That’s all.