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Back Again

I'm back, and if anyone's still around reading, please say hello and accept my apologies for not having been around in awhile.

I've had plenty to say, but little time to do it.

I'm writing about 3-5 stories per week. My first week I wrote 2, and another week I wrote just 1, but it was a big one. I'm also taking my own photos for stories.

It's a challenge I enjoy. I have a scenic drive to work everyday. My bosses seem to like what I've done so far, and I feel like I'm improving as a writer and reporter. The women who work in my office are really nice, if not feisty.

I'm using an outdated Mac to do my work, which makes viewing webpages interesting.

It gets lonely up there at times, though. My fiancee isn't up there. My friends aren't up there. And, my apartment is empty when I get home at the end of a long day.

I did get to spend my Thanksgiving with her and her family in Michigan. I went with them the day after to watch them cut down an 11-foot Christmas tree. I've never seen that done before.

We drove through the state of Ohio on the way up there and if not for the fact that we stopped for gas, there would be no proof of us having ever been there. The fog was thick. For almost the entire state, I couldn't see more than a few feet in front of me. I was thankful for cars that had their flashers on so I could see them. I had mine on also.

Oh, and wedding news?

I have two best "people." My second cousin Cassie is going to be one of them and a very good friend of mine, Mark, is going to be the other. I'm honored to have both of them standing up for me.

We're going to Monticello at UVa tomorrow and then wedding cake tasting Sunday. I hope to make it back to church to visit with my friends there. Our pastor is leaving at the end of December. I haven't made it up to a UCC church in the area where I work.

Between moving, traveling and working, it's been a crazy month. But just you wait, before you know it, I'll be a Pulitzer Prize winner. If not that, I'll be a better writer and reporter, at least.

Here For A Moment

I have a day off from my new job today--not sure what to do with myself. Well, I've got plenty to do, but I need to unclutter my head for a moment.

It's also odd to go to newspaper vending machines in the county where I work and find my pictures, articles and byline for all to view. It's surreal, and yet I like it too. I'm doing something different almost everyday.

On Monday, I was wrapping up a story on a citizen's governement watchdog group and interviewing a World War II veteran.

Tuesday I spent going around polling places in a diary-type piece and yesterday I spent over 12 hours covering a trial. Two other newspapers, including a daily, was covering it as well, but they thought things were over for the day when the jury was dismissed, I stuck around, and ended up with the scoop on a plea bargain--though because we don't publish but once a week, the daily still had an article up before us, but it was still a day after I learned what happened.  And, oh yeah, I also got an interview with the defense attorney in the moments after the plea agreement.

Still, it was funny to read the daily's story on the trial and seeing the last line of the article saying the trial would continue the next day. And it's funny to read the article where it finally got wind of the plea. It's not going to have near the level of detail as mine.

So the reason I'm off work today is because I piled up hours the first three days of the week, so because I'm not supposed to get more than 40 hours, I worked less than 3 yesterday and won't work again until next week, though the beginning of the week will be busy for me again. I'm hoping I'll relax some, but with a lot to do, we'll see.

A Hitch

I think this may be the first post I've done with a cat on my lap trying to read what I'm writing. ...

There's been a hitch in my moving plans. Seems the people from whom I lease my apartment wants four months' rent for me to get out of the lease. Sixty days' notice, and then two months' rent. In other words: nearly $3,600. Now, guess who doesn't have that kind of cash? Ding ding!!

Now, I do realize I signed a year-long lease in April, but I didn't anticipate I'd be leaving the area to take another job. I was told to talk to one particular person--the apartment manager--to work something out. However, on three separate days, I've been told that a) she'd be in the next day; b) on that next day, that she was on vacation and wouldn't return until Thursday; and c) today, being Thursday, she's out at a doctor's appointment. I've talked to three other people in the rental office in those three days, and all have said that there are no exceptions to the rule, even if due to job relocation, I have to break the terms of my lease. The only out I'd have is if I served in the military and I was being transferred.

My sister, who along with her husband fixes up and rents out property, said she and her husband would look at my lease and see if there's any recourse for me. She also offered me a place to stay at an apartment in a town outside the county where I'll be working, but within 20 miles of my office, so that might be a possibility. I'd have to pay utilities, but I wouldn't have to pay rent on it at all. I'm still looking for a place, but realistically, if I have to pay rent at my old place for the next four months, I'm not going to be able to pay two rents. My net salary at the end of the month, even if combined with part time income for my old boss, wouldn't add up to paying for two rents.

As it is, I'm already late on several other payments, and I have to go to these businesses--or call them--and ask for some kind of leniency until I can get myself back on my feet financially.

I guess in retrospect I could have signed a short-term lease (month-to-month or six months), but I would have had to pay more, and as it was, I was stretching my dollars pretty thin. A reason for me to move to where I am was the lower cost of living.

I guess (again) that I won't have any money to even pay for a honeymoon in early April.

I hope I can work something out.

My Obsession With Freezing Water

I have this obsession, it seems, about photographing water and freezing its motion. Not sure why that is, but here's my latest--this one from a fish pond outside a farm my fiancee and I went to over the weekend to pick pumpkins.

The Church

Here's the church where my fiancee and I will get married in. It's a Gothic-style church that dates back to 1875. We went out there this past weekend to imagine March 31 and what that day will be like. I know with her it'll be wonderful.

I'm Moving

I've talked for a long time about finding a new job. Well, I've got one.

I'm going to work for a small, weekly newspaper in the Virginia mountains. It's a little over two hours from where I live now, in a beautiful part of the state--a valley between two mountain ranges, lots of small towns and rural countryside, and even a ski resort in the area as well. Not bad, eh?

I had been sending out resumes for over three months now, and interviewed for this job last week. In the last week, the editor I interviewed with called all four of my references. Today, I found out they want me.

I wouldn't get paid a lot to start out, but I'll still be able to work part time at my current job, because I can do that remotely, and I'm free to take freelancing jobs that don't conflict with my work schedule or are in a competition with the paper I'm going to work for. It's also going to be more friendly to my wallet.

The most important thing about the job itself is that I think it's a good opportunity and one where I can learn a lot, do well and ultimately advance to bigger and better things.

What it means, though, is that I'm moving, which means that, at least for a little while, I won't be living in the same area as my fiancee, so that means I'll only get to see her on weekends, and, even after we're married, she and I won't get to live with each other right away because she won't be able to get out of her contract for another nine weeks after that. That part isn't cool, but on the other hand, she'll most likely be able to get work up there with me, and she, unlike me, won't have to take a cut in salary to do so. Also, there are two UCC churches up there for us to check out, so that'll be good too.

She also loves the area up there, like myself, so that makes taking this job a lot easier on my mind and heart, though I will miss her terribly when we're not together.

I'll keep you posted, but I'm excited for this new chapter in my life. Lots of changes going on.

The Proposal

I had it in mind for months, how I was going to propose to her. I knew the where, and how. She can quote Shakespeare almost by heart, and one of our first dates was to see Romeo And Juliet.

Magic School Bus

Found at the National Book Festival Saturday. The amazing thing is that I got a shot with no one walking in front of it, though if you look at the bottom, you can see some feet waiting to get in the bus on the other side.

Job Interview

I got a call today about a job.

We set up a phone interview, and then after that, scheduled an in-person interview for the next day. The pay is decent, the job has benefits and there is some travel involved. The job seems up my alley, and I'm hoping it'll work out.

I've sent out about 35 resumes in the last couple of months, and still plan to send more out. I can't count on having a job until I've actually received an offer and started work.

It would be good timing if I end up with the job. We'll see...

Bruce The Cat

Here's my new 'son', so to speak--Bruce. My fiancee and I are referring to myself as Bruce's papa. He's adorable, but also gets into much trouble.

When he's up to something around her apartment, we refer to it as going on a Brucetigation, to find out what he's doing. And, when he's truly evil, he gets adorned with the Brucifer nickname.

Honestly, though, I love this cat. I've never had a pet before, and this 2-year old, when he sits on my lap and falls asleep and I'm petting him, is quite peaceful.

Bruce Feiler

I got to hear Bruce Feiler (shown in my picture holding a child) speak Saturday at the National Book Festival on the Mall in DC--really interesting to hear him talk about his journey through the lands of the Bible. I hadn't read any of his books, but I picked up one--Walking The Bible--during the festival. He has a new one called Walking With God. My fiancee picked up three other books, one of which she bought for me. OK, she was nice enough to buy my other book too since I'm still trying to find full time work. Anyway, I'll pass along more notes from his talk, and from the rest of the day in another entry.

Bye Bye Civil Liberties

I'm finding myself a bit more opinionated on world affairs lately, as I see our current president, his administration and his party's doers in Congress continuing to erode civil liberties. A federal judge already overturned a law on warrantless wiretapping. So what happens, we get a new wiretapping law. Oh, and $3 billion a day's getting wasted in Iraq. But that's nothing compared to the lives lost in a place where we shouldn't be in the first place.

Taliban: stronger than ever. Osama: still at large. Iraq: as unsafe as ever, and with a massive US presence, disrupting far too many lives at home, and, like I said, not to mention sending men and women to die to protect us from a country and a person that had nothing to do with 9/11.

Again, Congress abdicated its responsibilities, and the president, sorry to say, has eaten away at our civil liberties and spent billions, if not trillions, of dollars, all the while people dying for what? And the media isn't doing any better.

Iraq hasn't been the top story on a nightly newscast for most of the past two-to-three months, and next to no US media is in Afghanistan.

Darfur? Anyone talking while a genocide ensues. The only one I've seemed to heard is George Clooney. Over quarter of a million dead.

How about the Gulf Coast? Sure the Superdome's been repaired, but what's happening in the Gulf?

If Democrats can't take over Congress this term, and the White House in 2008, there might not be a future for an opposition party.

Oh, and in my state's Senate race, let's not talk about any issues when we have to deal with whether one candidate's a racist or not. And there's a ballot amendment that would add to the state's constitution and subtract from the rights of the state's citizens, and not just those who are gay. Virginia's already got laws against civil unions and gay marriage without putting forth a constitutional amendment. This editorial gets to the heart of it better than I have. And there may be consequences for those in heterosexual relationships suffering domestic abuse.

I'm off the soap box, at least for the moment...

Just A Thought...

Watching a quick clip of Larry King asking Clay Aiken whether or not the singer is gay, what difference does it make whether he is or not, and why should it matter to me or anyone else?

Joining

My fiancee and I are officially joining the UCC Sunday by Affirmation of Faith on our church's sixth anniversary. It's then that she and I will announce that we're engaged. It's only appropriate, too, since we met at this church on January 1 and began dating two weeks later.

I'm excited and looking forward to joining, as I feel comfortable in this church and in this denomination.

If I get a job, I can start to save to get bills paid and help more with the wedding costs. 

True Joy

I'm getting married to the most wonderful woman in the world.

I proposed to her Sunday afternoon and she said yes.

I now know what true joy is.

We're planning for a March 31, 2007 wedding.

I love her with my whole heart and can't wait to spend the rest of my life with her.

Rocky

Insert Title Here

Stay tuned for an important announcement...

Waterfall

It wasn't a nature photo, but I sold a photo the other day. Someone wanted a picture taken of him with someone else at an event I was covering in my part time work, so I'll be getting a $50 check from it.

I think this year for the holidays, I'll be making prints to give away to friends and family.

Images On The Trails

Time, And Lack Thereof

I begin the new phase of my work career.

No job yet. I feel like I'm floating somewhere toward Job Land but don't have the steering mechanism to get there.

Of the resumes I've sent out applying for writing and editing positions, I've received two rejections and nothing else. I haven't even gotten a call back for an interview.

I made rent this month, but I'm going to miss a car payment. I'm missing on my dental bills, and the part time work my old boss is having me do for him will pay me less in a month than I made in a week.

I guess beggars can't be choosers.

Today is September 6. I figure I can go another 10-14 days if need be. I've got a $75 check coming for a freelance assignment I did for a newspaper about 10 days ago. I'll get weekly checks in the $130 range. It won't, however, be enough. And that doesn't even take into account that there are no benefits either.

If I don't get work soon, I'm going to have to go to the creditors and let them know I can't pay them this month, something so I can buy time. I'm good on rent until October 5. At that point, if I haven't started making money, I'll have to look at another living option.

My family, friends, other journalists and girlfriend all say I have talent, but talent isn't getting me in the door--yet (I went back and added that word). I've been crafting and recrafting my resume and cover letter. I've been going through articles I've written for the web, and over the last nine years of work, in an effort to find suitable clips for the portfolio.

It's a drain on me emotionally. My cell phone rings come only from my mom and girlfriend, and my home phone rings with people calling the wrong number.

No calls, no e-mails giving me good news.

I'm running out of time.

Dark Hollows Falls

My girlfriend and I walked along Dark Hollow Falls, just off Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. It's a 1.5 mile roundtrip hike to the falls and back. The falls cascades 70 feet over greenstone. With the ascent up being about 400 feet over .75 mile, it made for a pretty steep climb. She had some trouble with it, but came through it fine.

Here's the new cover shot, and I'll toss in some more, as we took two trips here in the space of a week, taking advantage of a 7-day pass.

When we can save a little bit of money, we plan on getting a year-round National Parks pass.

The weekend before, we went to Horton Winery in Orange County, Va. and picked up a wine that will work well with an apple pie, once we get/make one. I can't believe that's my second wine tasting thing this year.

We tried several wines, and after we bought a bottle, left for Shenandoah National Park, where we drove from the Swift Run Gap entrance station east of Elkton to the Thornton Gap entrance station,  which is a few miles east of Luray.

We walked part of one trail last week, climbing over numerous rocks before deciding to turn back, and then, after having spotted the Dark Hollows Falls trail last week, decided to walk this one last Saturday, the day after Tropical Storm Ernesto came through the region.

You could see some places along the drive where the storm had an effect, but after an overcast and misty morning, the sky cleared and it turned into a beautiful early September day--clear blues and whites above us, clear views for miles around and a nearly crisp day in the low 60s, which cooled down to the mid-50s by the time we began our hike here.

We saw one large group of about 10 people on the trail with us, and numerous couples making the trek down and back too, and we weren't the last to come back out of the trail, even though it was getting dark by the time we got back to the top.

We'll probably make a few more trips up here this fall.

What I love about this, and most other national parks, is that you can go to the same place many times and it'll be different each time.

We're also looking at visiting some western national parks in the spring of next year.

We plan to get the most out of the year-round pass.

One day, I'd like to do the drive starting at the top of the park and drive on through the Blue Ridge Parkway, which begins where Skyline Drive ends.

Some Nuanced And Well-Thought Out Commentary

MSNBC's Keith Olbermann yesterday offered up some nuanced, and well-thought out commentary reacting to comments by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

I read Rumsfeld's speech, and have heard the litany of things President Bush has said to justify going into Iraq, but I haven't heard a compelling reason to have so many U.S. soldiers die when there were no WMDs in Iraq in the first place. Osama and the Taliban were not in Iraq when the U.S. decided to end Saddam's reign. I'm not going to say he wasn't an evil man, but there was nothing to suggest that he had anything to do with 9/11. I understood bringing those to justice who had something to do with the 9/11 attacks, but now the administration is floating the idea of a military response in Iran. Where else? Where does it end?

Olbermann, in his astute commentary, said:

The man who sees absolutes, where all other men see nuances and shades of meaning, is either a prophet, or a quack.
 
Donald H. Rumsfeld is not a prophet.
 
Mr. Rumsfeld’s remarkable speech to the American Legion yesterday demands the deep analysis—and the sober contemplation—of every American.
 
For it did not merely serve to impugn the morality or intelligence -- indeed, the loyalty -- of the majority of Americans who oppose the transient occupants of the highest offices in the land. Worse, still, it credits those same transient occupants -- our employees -- with a total omniscience; a total omniscience which neither common sense, nor this administration’s track record at home or abroad, suggests they deserve.
 
Dissent and disagreement with government is the life’s blood of human freedom; and not merely because it is the first roadblock against the kind of tyranny the men Mr. Rumsfeld likes to think of as “his” troops still fight, this very evening, in Iraq.
 
It is also essential.  Because just every once in awhile it is right and the power to which it speaks, is wrong.
 

Rummy and the Bush administration seem to want to quell dissent, and think that if we don't believe hook, line and sinker in their policies, or the usurping of our freedoms, that we're somehow aligning ourselves with terrorists. We're not; we just want to know why U.S. citizens, and others, are dying in Iraq. 9/11's aftermath was to find the perpetrators of the heinous terrorist act, Osama and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

And, by the way, I'm still waiting for a formal declaration of war. I keep hearing we're in a war on terror. Funny, Congress hasn't declared war. Isn't it supposed to be up to them to do so? I keep feeling that the majority of our so-called leaders are failing us, but I wonder how much we're aiding our government's complacency by not holding them accountable enough.

Tropical Storm

Well, Ernesto is coming up the I-95 corridor and should be where I live sometime in the middle of the afternoon Friday. It's supposed to dump a lot of rain and winds are supposed to kick up to around 40 mph. ...

Still looking for work, and it looks like I'll be doing some part time work for my old boss to tie me over until I get something full time. It means I'm going to be on a tight budget if that's the case. ...

My girlfriend's birthday is Saturday, and I hope the weather will have cleared out in time for us to get out where we want to go--Shenandoah National Park. ...

I've got a lot of things on my mind, but I'm not articulate enough at the moment to get it all out of my system.

Great Falls

'Thinking'

I swear you lose brain cells watching any Jessica Simpson video....

Oh, right. The job hunt?

I've got resumes out and have more to sent out, but I don't have a new job yet. I received one polite rejection and another letter saying the evaluation process for applicants could take awhile.

This is supposed to be my vacation time. My sister spends hers by renting an $800K beach house. I spend mine trying to find work and spending as little money as possible.

I'm optimistic. I mean, people like Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton think they have talent, and they're rich.

I think I have talent too.