Job

I can put a new (and my only) notch on my rodeo belt.

The College National Finals Rodeo took place in Casper last week. I wrote a feature story and helped cover three of the night performances for our live blog. On my second night, I took some video with our new handheld camera and posted them to YouTube and in the live chat. People loved the video and I did more on Saturday night. They’re all still up on my YouTube page with the nickname I chose back in high school. (YouTube, if you’re reading this, please allow people to change their user names!)
Clint, our high school sports coordinator, did most of the play-by-play and I covered when he looked up stats. I also tried to pepper the blog with as much color as an amateur rodeo announcer could. Goats were our favorite, hands down.

Steer wrestling

The rodeo blog wasn’t the most popular of the sporting events in terms of hits, but on the last night we had more than 100 comments from people listening to the live audiocast and following our blog. Two of the comments were from the mother and grandparents of one of the contestants who we posted video of. They were in Texas and couldn’t make it to Wyoming.

That, I told Clint, made all the scrambling worthwhile.

I have not had time to write (sorry, Grandpa and Grandma!) because I’ve been, um, writing.

Writing for work, that is. I took a look back and I wrote almost 30 stories in the past 3 weeks. One of those involved a 12-hour day of driving and reporting. Another took a few days and a little trust-building.

Three stories were rewritten by the AP, then rearranged for an AP “update,” then rewritten in NPR reports — childhood obesity rate low in WY, state superintendent candidates meet, WY names lowest 5 percent of schools in the state.

Scattered throughout were quick hits — a cupcake sale and kids in court.

Next week looks just as busy with school board meetings and college and high school graduations coming up. For now I’ll enjoy the weekend. Don’t forget — Betty White is hosting SNL tomorrow!

Has it really been three weeks since my last post? Time flies when you’re having fun or working or, most days, both.

Since my last post…

• The snowboarding bruises got uglier and went away. I went out again, falling for the first time on my third run.
• I had a visit from a familiar face: MU professor Joy Mayer was in town to speak at the Wyoming Press Association convention.
• I went to the bridal expo… for free cake and people watching. Both were excellent.
• Culture! I went to the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra chamber concert.
• The ice skating story ran and looked beautiful in print thanks to our very talented designers.
• Pre-marathon training has begun. I’m running every other day, gradually upping my mileage. It seems I’m running faster and stronger than before. No injuries yet, fingers crossed.
• I got sucked into LOST. Thank you, Hulu, for making every season available online.

I’ve written mostly state stories lately, which makes me feel like I’m not pulling my weight on the city desk. The last week was frustrating because several times I could not get the information I wanted and needed. I hate not knowing things. I’m either in the right or wrong line of work then, depending how you look at it.

As good as I am about making plans, I’d like to think I’m just as good as changing with them. Plans for last week all but completely fell apart. This week can’t be worse. The only solid “plan” I have is to get as much done before I take some vacation next week.

New Orleans! It’s painfully close and it’s all I can think about when I don’t have anything else to do: family, food, friends, warm weather, food, music. I’ve been preparing by playing Cajun and Jazz in the evenings when I’m cooking dinner. And looking at pictures like this one:

11 days.

In the last week, I’ve driven to Fort Collins, New Mexico, Denver, Casper, Lander, Dubois, Casper and Denver and tomorrow Kansas City. Five states, seven beds, one suitcase packed and repacked.

We had enough dough for two houses.

My first Christmas away from home was low key and relaxing. I missed family and tradition, but I like stepping out of that box every once in a while. We baked and decorated gingerbread houses, ate good comfort food and went skiing — my first time in 10 years. A few minutes down the first run and I got my ski legs back.

I reported two outdoors stories for features on Monday and Tuesday — ice skating and snowshoeing — that took me to Lander and Dubois. Josh came with and took photos. Ice skating took a little longer to adjust to (it had also been 10 years since the last time I’d gone.) The packed snow wasn’t ideal for snowshoeing, but it was still a blast and made me think about buying a pair.

Snowshoeing in the Shoshone National Forest

Writing about something besides schools was refreshing. I’m lucky to work where outdoors stories are valued, where I can ask to go snowshoeing in northwest Wyoming and they say yes.

Wednesday was an office day. I thought I was going to get the shakes sitting in a chair for more than an hour at a time. After work, we headed south again. This time the destination is Kansas City for New Year’s Eve.

Our contract was extended through August, but I told my boss that I’m leaving at the end of next week. The job has been interesting and the money helped me feel better about dropping $60 in one night on dinner, drinks and great local music.

After Aug. 1, I’ll drive up to my mom’s house in Illinois to pack up my stuff to move to…

Wyoming!

I’m the new education reporter for the Casper Star-Tribune (pending a pre-employment drug test, of course.) Most family and friends knew I’d been offered the job, but I waited to make it blog/Twitter-ficial until after I tied up all other loose ends.

I start Aug. 17 and I cannot wait. I’m itching to report again, to write everyday, to learn a new place. I love the West: open space, outdoor activities, skiing/snowboarding and, most recently appreciated, drier air. I haven’t found an apartment yet, but I’m making calls and a few other reporters have offered to check out places for me.

I am sad to leave New Orleans but looking forward to making my next move.