It's good to be first but better to be right

I've waited a few days to post about the DEBACLE at the "networks" of CNN and FOX.  Shame.

Read more here.

Learn.

Never make the mistakes they made.

Flashback: Styx Fooling Yourself

I was helping read scripts today and came across one about a proposal to reduce possession of small amounts of marijuana to a non-felony.  I remarked (out loud) that when I was in college in the 70s, marijuana was decriminalized in South Dakota.  Less than an ounce = a $200 fine.

Everybody I knew smoked a little weed in the late 70s, I said.  Me too.

But then I said I didn't graduate from college.

There was a bit of silence for a minute or two and then we all went on with our day.

Bottoms Up! I'm a news director! Or am I....

On the way home tonight, for some reason, I was navel-gazing considering my job title.

News director.

And just at that moment the newest Sonic radio commercial played on the Royals pre-game show.  (The displayed Sonic commercial has nothing to do with this post, by the way.  I just like it because it starts with a Kansas City reference.)

The Sonic radio commercial I heard was a somewhat amusing riff on oxymorons.  Jean jacket, relaxing fuel, etc.

My job title is a contradiction of terms.  News director.  Bah!  I don't direct the news.  I have no control over the news.

I'm a news responder.

Most days, I feel like all I've done is respond (and react) to news.

(Everyone knows that if you make a plan for severe weather, it will by-pass us to the north or south.  But the second we don't have a plan, tornado warnings will strike without notice.  Floods, frogs, plague.  A certainty the one time you don't have a plan.)

How I love it!

Flashback: Grass Roots - Let's Live For Today

Ignore the over-modulated audio and appreciate this song for the message.  Plus it includes the fabulous Jimmy Durante who sings, as well.

What Is Newsworthy?

Although I am trying hard not to be a shill for HBO, I can't resist sharing the trailers/teasers they release about their upcoming series that starts later this month.

This is an interesting question that is not answered in this video.

For me, newsworthy means it affects a lot of people, may or may not include conflict although conflict is preferred or has a "holy shit" factor that cannot be predicted.  For me, most celebrity information is not newsworthy.  Most of the news releases emailed, faxed and mailed to the assignment desk as not newsworthy.  Most of the email tips we get from viewers are not newsworthy.

But.

We have to process each one.  And try not to make decisions based on our cynical views.

My new bucket list

50 Things Everyone Should Know

Reflections on a Career

John and I watched this movie the other day and this passage (part of the above clip) spoke to me:

I wouldn't have had it any other way. But there are times when suddenly you realize you're nearer the end than the beginning. And you wonder, you ask yourself, what the sum total of your life represents. What difference your being there at any time made to anything. Hardly made any difference at all, really, particularly in comparison with other...careers.

Leadership lessons in "Bridge on the River Kwai" are everywhere.  I wonder how many times my boss has watched this movie.  He loves movies and leadership and although I don't think he loves conflict, he definitely understands and appreciates Lt. Col. Nicholson's desire to build a great bridge and how conflicted he was, at the end.

We are building a bridge.  We want it to be the best bridge we can build.

But we can't be afraid to blow it up, if necessary.

Rushmore Mascots Hit the Road - Their American Journey

A fun thing happened at work today.  Four South Dakotans came to visit!  The Mt. Rushmore presidential mascots will be in KC all weekend.  Not surprisingly, the Secretary of Tourism knows my brother-in-law, Bob Drake.  Small world!

Welcome to KC, Len Jennings

Are you Larry's replacement?

Len Jennings Day at NBC2 - NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Naples, Florida

Juking the stats...as the May book winds down

"Shocking admissions"  "Big Announcements"  "Exclusive details."

Bleah.

Short term strategy doesn't equal long term gain.

Viewers cannot/will not be fooled more than once so avoid creating false anticipation.  Re-titling newscasts, producing 15 minutes of content when customers expect more will only work for a short time.

Only quality wins.  Quality equals investigative stories, memorable storytelling and never, ever making a mistake.

Not easy but it's the only true path to success.

Flashback: The Carpenters A Song For You

If iPods had been invented in the early 70s, the first 99-cents I would have spent on iTunes would have been The Carpenters.  I still miss this voice.  Gone too soon.

Random thoughts that keep me up at night.

Tip of the hat to DerpinaDurr

• Just read this week's issue of Sports Illustrated on Eric Hosmer.  We were at the K for five of his 0-for-7 at bats Wednesday night.  Time to send him to Omaha to get his head back on straight before he is completely demolished emotionally.
• Finally over the collapse of the Memphis Grizzlies AT HOME in GAME SEVEN against the Clippers.  Sorta.
• Feeling positive about our (41 Action News) chances to regain 2nd place at 5pm.  One week to go in the May book.  Ahhhh.
• Haven't watched any hockey since Charlie left and that's okay.
• I'm a judge for National Murrows and that will consume this weekend.
• Wondering when John and I will get a trip to South Dakota in.  I miss my family.
• Pulled a knife out of it's home in the wooden block too quickly tonight, lost the grip.  It flipped and  slightly sliced my wrist.  Wonder if that's a sign.  Ha!
• Seven of my 21-pack of Royals tickets have been used.  None of those games have been winners.
• Looking forward to the Chiefs season.  I get a jersey with any name, any number on it.  But they only allow for nine spaces/letters.  Awaiting permission from the front office to add two spaces to my "free" jersey as a season ticket holder.  I want the number to be 41 and the name to be Action News.  That could help me behave at the games.  Could.
• Got a message to call my doctor on Monday.  Four days later, I'm still trying to remember to do this during business hours.
• Not missing Charlie as much as I thought I would.  I'm very happy that he's so happy.
• My "farm" is growing nicely.  I've already harvested leaf lettuce.  Garlic, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, all in pots, are thriving.
• Thinking about Carly's upcoming we're-just-friends weekend with her former-boyfriend-Dusty-who-I-still-like.  Sorry Bebob, that's an overshare.
• Hope the Clippers lose in four to the Spurs.
• Playing five games at once of Words With Friends is awesome.
• Glad my Ford 500 is finally paid off.
• Sad I still smoke three cigarettes per day.
• Wish I could beat John at Gin Rummy more often.  He gloats.  Wish I could play the most formidable opponent ever, John's dad, even more.  We lost Bill almost a decade ago and I miss him.  He didn't gloat.
• Thrilled about my management team at work which is finally fully staffed.
• Still want a dog.
• Wish the Twins were better.
• It's been one year since we moved to South Kansas City and I love living here.
• John organized my side of the closet and did a really good job.  I still haven't thanked him.  I need to.
• Glad the Yankees aren't very good.
• Need more sleep.

Wisdom about any major life change (found on Pinterest)

Source: Uploaded by user via Aditi on Pinterest

Flashback: Hullabaloo

In our afternoon editorial meeting Thursday, Managing Editor Brooke Givens quoted a woman regarding this week's Time magazine cover photo.
"Oh my, that will cause a real hullabaloo..."
And I had a flashback to the NBC variety show I watched as a kid,.

Getting old is easier when all of my memories can be dredged up on YouTube.

I love this.

Meaning of Wiechmann Last Name - Surname - Family Name Wiechmann

Thanks Dad.  That's a good name.  I'll try not to mess it up.

The painted ponies go up and down.

If you have the six minutes to spare, listen to the BRILLIANT Joni Mitchell.  She's incredible.

I didn't come by my love of this song in the right way...I was old enough to appreciate Joni Mitchell when this tune was first released but I was probably too busy listening to Bobby Sherman and David Cassidy to notice.

The FIRST time I became aware of  Circle Game was when I was married to Carly's dad, Clyde, who had an incredible sense of musical beauty.  He taught me a great deal.

The second time I recall is when I was a news director at another station. The general manager "fired" a long time consultant at the TV station where we both worked.  The GM had preceded me by about a year, hired me and we both agreed that our consultant (who had worked with the station for more than two decades) needed to go.  He (the consultant) was a really nice guy.  Really nice.  But the station we were working at had slipped from a dominant first place to number two.  And you know how that goes:

1. Fire the consultant
2. Get new graphics
3. Build a new set
4. Hire a new news director
5. Lather, rinse, repeat

But I digress.  This particular GM sent an email to the consultant relieving him of his duties.  And the last line of the email was "and the painted ponies go up and down."

At the time, I thought the phrase was kinda heartless.  I know better now.

When Carly's dad died, we played Circle Game at his memorial.

And since our son Charlie moved from KC to Jackson, Wyoming, it is meaningful again.

USAToday has a story about how Boomers are helping their kids get along.   We have tried to help both of ours as they meander through adulthood.

How funny it is that both John and I have struggled so with Charlie's decision to move west when both of us did it decades ago.

John was the oldest of two, finished a stint at college and in the late 70s felt the need for more.  He and some friends moved from Connecticut to Reno.

I, the oldest of seven, dropped out of college in the late 70s because I wasn't a great student and felt the need for more.  I move from South Dakota to Reno.

Eventually we found each other and Charlie is the product of our discovery.  Yay!

Now our Charlie has jumped from the nest.  He graduated from college, spent some months with us and felt the need for more. 

Wednesday, he left for Jackson, WY.  He has a job.  He loves the outdoors.  This is perfect for him.

And the seasons, they go round and round.  And the painted ponies go up and down.

"Our Time..."

I bought it.  Hook, line, sinker.

My mouth should be sore from getting dragged from Twins Lake of Doom to the Royals Boat of Not-So-Much.

I've been a Twins fan all my life but this year, I considered trading my blue and red for light blue.  The Twins lost some of my favorite players (Kubel, Cuddyer).  The Twins stars (Mauer and Morneau) were big question marks after last year.  The Royals were going to be better.  The Twins, worse.  The Royals would not win the division but they would be contenders.  The Royals would win more games than they would lose.  And most importantly, the Royals would be juiced by the fact that the All-Star Game is in Kansas City this summer.

In the off-season, all the talk was of how this year's team would be better than the ones before.  Much. Better.  Yes, there were concerns about pitching.  Significant concerns.  But the big bats of Billy Butler, Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer and Melky Cabrerra...oops, he's gone.  Okay, Butler, Gordon, Hosmer and...uh...

Whatever.

I just finished watching the Royals lose their ELEVENTH STRAIGHT GAME.  At home.  In a row.

I am generally an optimistic person.  I look for the bright side.  I try to find the silver lining.

It's really, really hard to look forward to seeing the Royals go on the road against the Indians, Twins and Tigers followed by games here against the Yankees and Red Sox.

How did this happen?  What is wrong with this team?  I honestly have no idea.

I can, however, imagine how Ned Yost feels.  Sometimes being the coach of a professional team sucks.  Bad.

Being a news director involves lots of skills.  Some I am good at.  Some not.  One skill is coaching.  That's not something I'm especially good at.  I have to work at it and I fail more often than not.  I'm not very patient.

It is difficult to lose day after day after day.  The only way out of the abyss is to win.  And when you can't remember what that feels like or when it's been a long time since it happened, losing gets easier and easier.  Winning gets harder.  Harder.  And harder.

Continuous negative thinking equals insanity.  So the Royals have to battle the negativity/insanity and that's not easy.  Especially when the "Our Time" spots are still running rampant on sports radio.

One expert says it's a mind game.  Here's some of his advice:

When the team loses:
PRAISE individuals who have played well despite the team losing.
PRAISE particular occasions in games when a player has done something good.
PRAISE players who have tried to continue playing well despite being a lot of goals behind.
PRAISE the individuals who try and encourage the rest of the team to step up a gear even though they are losing.
The other thing to talk to your players about is that they have the ability to put everything right the next week. To think about how they played in this match and what they need to do to put it right in the next match.
Finally explain what went wrong in the game and how with hard work in training they can put it right.

Something to work on.  Go Royals!

Our anniversary...in pictures

Yup...he was surprised.  You can see more pictures of our celebration here.

25 reasons why I love John Phillip

I'm a list-maker.  

In what has become a series, here are the 25 reasons why I love my husband as we approach two and a half decades of commitment which will be celebrated in style on April 2.

1. I love how you always ask me the speed limit when we're driving somewhere and how you then brag about never getting a ticket.
2. I love that when I walk in the door at the end of a long day, you instinctively know if I've had a challenging day and STILL kiss me hello and ask me about it. Even when the answer might be long-winded and boring.
3. I love that you let me have two Christmas trees this past year.  I might go for three eight months from now.  You've been warned.
4. I loved looking for houses with you and I love the one that we (I) picked...even though it doesn't have a big deck and a finished basement.
5. I love it when I come home in the winter and the fireplace is already lit.  Even on a Tuesday.
6. I love how you made my brother Pat's 50th birthday special that made him feel special.
7. I love that you insist on hanging pictures of our kids in various stages of growth in a prominent place so everyone knows that our family is very important.
8. I love how you put up with my live-on-the-edge mentality.  Plans?  Who needs plans?
9. I love taking pictures of you in funny places (in front of signs proclaiming the locations of Tightwad, Missouri and Peculiar, Missouri).  Yes, you are a tightwad and peculiar.
10. I love going to Sonic with you and getting a giant cherry limeade with our hot dogs.
11. I love that you're becoming quite the handyman with your new tools.
12. I love how irritated you get when I call my veggies-in-pots-on-the-deck a "farm."  Get over it.  I'm a farmer's daughter.  Anything I grow is a farm.
13. I love how you insist we see fireworks on the 4th of July.
14. I love that you seem not to mind that I'm "husky."  And that you support me when I try to lose weight.
15. I love that you know every single dog on our weekend walking route and that you've adopted Curly- the-Great-Pyrenees.  Bonus Love.  I know you know Curly is not enough for me because I want our own dog.  (Tick tock tick, the clock is ticking for us to get another mutt...)
16. I love that you wrote down all the days we should OFFICIALLY fly the American flag on the calendar so we don't forget.
17. I love how you wear your political emotions on your sleeve and that incredibly, you're more liberal-leaning than I am.
18. I love how you put up with my mad sports obsessions...like the Chiefs, Sporting Kansas City and the Royals and enjoy tailgating almost as much as I do.
19. I love that you buy lottery tickets for me to scratch off and are disappointed when we don't win.
20. I love how you groaned about going to South Dakota last year when the floods disrupted our regular routes but did it anyway, even when it added hours and hours to the trip.
21. I love how worried you were when Carly got hurt in the bike crash and how you called every hospital trying to find her.
22. I love how you've figured out how to take pictures of any jackpots you win at the casino.  And text them to me so I can be jealous that I'm not winning too.
23. I love how you take Charlie golfing and gloat when you beat him.  Enjoy it now.
24. I love how there can be a million men in a room and that I only have eyes for you.
25. I love how you've tried and tried to guess what your anniversary present would be...and how you may have figured it out but won't let me know for sure.  And I'm not telling until I'm ready.

It's okay if you call me a 'douche-nugget' (or worse)

This blog about a book had me chuckling.  I don't work in HR but I'm always amazed at the employee-employer relationship...and how quickly it can go south.