If nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do.

10:35am: Stuffs
I almost got that four-day weekend I was after; Hampton University closed on Thursday because of the tropical storm/nor'easter that decided to camp out in Hampton Roads and the North Carolina shoreline. Despite all the flooding and wind -- and the fact that almost every other school in the region closed today too -- HU opened a whopping two hours late.

Yippee ...

Our office, despite being on the second floor, is flood-prone. Gotta love roof leaks, which now infect the entire building (our volleyball match on Wednesday was pushed back a week because of water leaking into the gym). Maurice has a massive garbage can in the corner of his office for just this occasion; this morning, that trash can is completely full. Sitting here this morning, I feel like I need a boat.

You ask me, that's reason enough not to come into work today.

Speaking of, I applied a little over two weeks ago for an editor's position with the website change.org, where I would focus on four causes the site fights for, maintaining blogs and other website content, among other things. I finally heard back this morning -- one of those really polite "thanks, but no thanks" things. It wasn't entirely unexpected, since I have no professional experience in anything remotely political, but I'm glad I took the chance.

I also took advantage of my day off yesterday and applied for a job at Ohio University. The school there is looking for an Assistant Director of Media Relations (essentially, Assistant SID). The job description is right up my alley, and they're offering $29,000 a year, $1,000 more than Hampton would've paid me for the same position -- had they decided to actually pay me.

There would be logistic issues to consider if I were to get this job; how to move there, trying to find a place to stay if they hired me, etc. ... but how can I honestly expect my situation to improve if I don't actively try to make things better? The only way I'm gonna make things better for myself is to jump on opportunities when they come my way; sitting on my butt and letting things pass by out of fear or doubt won't do anything but depress me.

If I want things to get better, I need to do what I can to make sure that happens. If that means applying for jobs in other states, then so be it.

And if I don't get the job, I don't get the job. But at least I stuck my neck out there and applied for it.

12:11pm: Community
I know I've bitched and moaned a lot about how frustrating it can be at times to work here at Hampton University; between policies and the low pay and general disorganization within the university infrastructure, that's all true. But another thing is true, something I've been reminded of over the last two days.

The people who work here, practicularly those who work here in the Department of Athletics, are wonderful, caring people who act as a family, particularly in trying times.

The last few days have certainly qualified as trying times; on Saturday morning, men's basketball captain Theo Smalling was the victim of an accidental shooting, and for a few days was listed in critical condition. Last night, he died -- just days after his 22nd birthday and just three weeks before the start of his senior season. He was set to graduate this spring, and he was the basketball team's only captain, because of his maturity and his self-awreness.

Theo was also a kind young man and something of a cut-up; he always left you smiling and laughing. I didn't know him particularly well, but every time we came across each other on campus, he made a point to say hi. He also made a point to call me sir; the first time he called me sir, I laughed and told him that he didn't have to call me that. At 28, I'm far too young to be called sir, and I told him he could just call me Jeff.

Theo kept calling me sir. That told me what kind of person he was. That was why I decided to join a lot of my co-workers -- and both basketball teams -- last night at the hospital to see Theo and start saying our goodbyes. We all held out as much hope as we could, but realistically, we all knew the inevitable.

What I saw last night, aside from upset and grieving teammates and friends, was a university community coming together. Half the people there didn't know me by name, but no one ever asked why I was there. They were just glad I was, and I was glad I was. For all of Hampton University's imperfections, for all the frustration this place gives me at times, the people are second-to-none, and I'm glad to be part of the Pirates family.

I grieve for Theo today not becuause I lost a close friend, but because this family lost one of its members. The senseless nature of the tragedy makes it even harder -- the school reverend made mention of that in his prayer to us last night -- but the bottom line is we all lost a family member, and I wanted to be there last night to help anyone I could with the grieving process.

There'll be another tribute to Theo tonight at the Hampton Holiday Inn; I'm going to that, too, because this is about family. For better or worse, I'm a member of the Hampton University family, and I always will be -- even when I move on to do other things. That became especially evident to me last night, seeing all the familiar faces and noticing how they lit up and smiled, simply because I showed up.

When something like this happens, the entire community comes together. It wasn't that long ago that the University of Connecticut football team lost one of its players, and it touched me the way everyone rallied around that team and that school. Even rival West Virginia came together in solidarity before its game last weekend against Connecticut.

Now, I know exactly how that feels.

Theo Smalling will be missed by everyone here at Hampton University; even those of us who never truly knew him. And even in the face of this horrible campus-wide tragedy, I find a little solace knowing how tight-knit and strong this community is, and I'm glad I'm a part of it.

Our release on the tragedy: http://www.hamptonpirates.com/news/2009/10/26/MBB_1026091958.aspx

10:28am: Updates
Wow, has it really been over a month since I last updated this thing? I guess that's what happens when you're knee-deep in either work or desperately trying to find something else to do.

-You know what pisses me off? Other people calling the office inquiring about Ebonee's old job. Way to rub salt in the fucking wound ...

-I've been talking off-and-on with a guy named Matt White, who does radio for Hampton. We've briefly discussed the idea of giving me a sports talk show. I'd schedule it so it doesn't conflict with my job, and I could talk about whatever I want ... it wouldn't pay anything, but if I could just get back on the air, that would be great (especially since I got dicked over by the other radio station I worked for).

-Matt also does TV stuff on Cox channel 11, broadcasting high school football games with a guy named Chris. Chris is out of town this weekend for another gig, so tonight I'll be doing play-by-play for a high school football game. It won't pay much (about what covering a high school game for the paper would cost), but again ... I'm back on the air.

-This school is horribly ineffective in several ways; of this, I am convinced. Don't tell me flu shots are going to be given from noon til 4 on Oct. 8, only to show up at 1:00 without the actual vaccine. It's a good way to get people to waste an hour of their day and piss them off.

-Good God, get me the fuck out of this place.

-I think that's it for now; if there's anything else, I forget. I'll be back if anything else comes to me.

4:38pm: ... Huh
On its website today, The Virginian-Pilot had a small photo gallery from last night's town hall meeting with Congressman Scott. The second picture apparently depicts me sitting in my chair, pinching the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes and wearing a frustrated smile. If I recall, that was when the guy who brought up Hitler was speaking.

Anyway, I just find it kinda funny that I wound up in the paper. Or at least on its website.

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/09/rep-scott-defends-healthcare-position-cheers-and-jeers

10:38am: Odds and Ends
-Still no word yet from CNU or ODU. I'll give them a few more days before the endless pestering begins.

-Football season starts this weekend. Whoever decided both Hampton and ODU would open at home in the same weekend is so not my favorite person right now.

-Went to a health care town hall last night held by Rep. Bobby Scott. It was more civil than I expected, frankly, with a large crowd that was roughly 60-40 in favor of reform. It wasn't the abject disaster that we see on TV, but I have to question the moron who brought up Hitler. Hitler? Seriously? Boy, someone brought their Rush Limbaugh talking points ...

Still, glad I went. I'd never been to anything like that before. Then again, there's never really been an issue I cared about quite this much.

-Odd side effect of going to the town hall? It wound up being a mini-reunion of ODU Student Ambassadors. I ran into Kenisha, who used to be our advisor in the Alumni Office (back when SA was still affiliated with that office), Hugo (who was SA Vice President after I was) and Andrew, who was another fellow SA with me.

It was kinda weird and cool at the same time -- especially since I won't be able to make the RA/SA Reunion at ODU on the 26th. Thank you, Hampton ...

11:27am: Only a Half-Fail
My laptop needs a new motherboard.

Fortunately, I extended my warranty on the computer, so Dell will replace it (and fix whatever else they might find) free of charge. That's really good, because if I remember correctly, motherboards aren't cheap. And considering how much money I've poured into my car in the past two weeks, not having to pay for my computer repair is a nice little bit of relief.

Yeah, it sucks I won't have my laptop for as much as two weeks, but I keep going back to the fact that it's being repaired free of charge. That takes care of a lot of ills and inconveniences right there.

My sunburn is finally starting to peel. Moral of the story, kids? Use sunscreen, even if you think something like pool water will protect you. It won't, because the sun is an evil little bastard.

The more I think about that CNU opportunity my newspaper colleague told me about over the weekend, the more I like it. If it pays roughly what the Assistant SID position at Hampton should have paid (and every indication so far is that it does), I would gladly jump at that. I already know how to do most of the work, and finally being able to afford health coverage would be really nice.

I wonder, though ... if CNU is a public school (and I can't for the life of me remember if it is), would that make me an employee of the state? If so, even better! I mean, working at ODU would be nice, don't get me wrong. But deep down in my gut, the CNU thing just seems like it would be a better fit.

I actually caught myself drawing last night ... something I haven't done extensively in a few years. I'm obviously rusty (which kinda sucks, cause I didn't think I was all that good to begin with), and I'm not really sure what prompted me to do it. Maybe it was the fact that I found myself with all this time on my hands without my laptop.

I've also felt a surge of creativity since plowing through my Dollhouse DVD set. Problem is ... what do I direct that energy toward? A novel? A screenplay? That fanfic series I never got off the ground? Another project entirely? I'd like to use this creative energy before it whilts away -- it's so fleeting anymore, I need to use it whenever it actually decides to grace me with its presence.

12:41pm: Updates
-Got back from the grandparents' on Saturday. Had fun, swam a lot, got horrifically sunburnt. Grandma's doing fine, just working on getting her energy back. She has a full head of hair again. All in all, a pretty good vacation.

-My laptop is trying to die on me. Again. I try to turn it on, I get the little green power light ... and nothing else. Except for this one time I tried to turn it on yesterday ... it beeped at me. I am so calling Dell after work today.

-Volleyball season starts this weekend, football season next weekend. Looks like I got back from vacation just in time ... let the insanity commence anew.

-Doing the whole grad school thing doesn't really work when you can't get the schools to email you back. I wrote to five schools inquiring about graduate programs ... I've heard back from one. Which is fine ... they don't want to answer my questions, I'll take my nonexistent tuition money somewhere else.

-I put in two resumes this morning: one to ODU and one to CNU. A colleague of mine at the paper called me over the weekend to tell me the Assistant SID at CNU had left and the position was open ... so I'm applying. I'm also putting in a resume to ODU because I know their Sports Information office just had a shake-up and there's a chance there's an opening there too.

-Finished up season 1 of Dollhouse on DVD ... including the never-before-seen ep "Epitath One." That will fuck your shit up. Seriously. I can't wait for season 2. I really need my Joss fix.

11:56am: Gettin' Things Done
Considering the amount of downtime one gets in the summer when working in Sports Information, I've been able to get a lot of other things done -- specifically, applying for jobs and looking into the possibility of grad school.

Thus far, I've applied for four jobs, all more or less related to my background. I put in an application for the station manager position for WHOV, and I've also sent out resumes to The Huffington Post (Internet "newspaper"), VirginiaPreps (high school sports website) and The Associated Press (shot in the dark, but hey ... you never know). I'll be applying for a few more in the coming weeks.

I've also begun looking into potential grad schools. So far, I've found four possible schools (all in Virginia ... staying in-state to keep costs down if at all possible) with programs that might be to my liking -- assuming my suck-ass undergrad GPA doesn't get me laughed out of the application process.

So slowly but surely, I'm getting the wheels turning. If nothing else, it keeps me busy and productive -- and I often feel better about myself when I'm actually able to get things done. Inertia and the status quo do nothing for my psyche.

Oh, I might be going on a bit of a vacation next week. If my leave gets approved, I'll be heading up next Tuesday to visit the grandparents. It'll be the first time in forever we've seen them in the summertime ... I can't wait to swim in their pool again.

5:27pm: Options
Some things I might be able to pursue now that my hopes of being the Assistant SID are gone:

-The radio station at Hampton, WHOV, is looking for a play-by-play voice for football and basketball, as well as general manager of the radio station. Given my background in radio from ODU, this would be a great chance to take, depending on pay.

-Start looking to get back into sports writing. I can still do freelance work for the newspaper, but a full-time gig in newspapers is ... worse than iffy. However, there is writing online and for magazines, which I could pursue. I have a lot of experience in this, too.

-Start looking for sports information jobs at other schools. There are a lot of local schools to try, and a few other schools who are friendly with Hampton I could look at. Almost a year and a half of working in sports information, I have a general idea of what the deal is.

-Become a political journalist. Full disclaimer: the only way I would do this is if I could first get a master's degree in something like political science or humanities or the like. My background right now is in sports, not politics, so I'd need to get something in that vein. I think a poli-sci master's would nicely compliment my bachelor's in communications.

So I have options; there are a couple ways I can go with this. And it's worth noting, in case a few of you don't get it ... I'm not leaving my current job until I get something else. Yeah, I'm bummed and pissed my promotion didn't work out. But I'm employed, and I get paychecks to pay my bills, so I'm not going to dump that without having another plan in place.

I'm not stupid, people.

4:00pm: ...
Well, so much for virtual guarantee ...

I'm not getting the Assistant Director of Sports Information job. Apparently, there's this school policy where if you go from one job within the university to another, you can only get a pay raise equal to 10 percent of what you made in your previous job. Since my current position only pays me $17,000 a year (and no pay raise this year, thanks to the economic tank job), the new position would bump me up to ... roughly $18,700.

If that seems rather pointless, that's because it is.

Maurice said there is no way he would ever ask me to take a job with such a large workload (Assistant SID here handles the media requirements of seven sports, including media guides, press releases, statistical upkeep and frequent travel) on such low pay. If this office is to have an Assistant SID again, things are either going to have to improve to the point where the school can relax its pay raise policy for me (which Maurice and the school's athletic director have been fighting hard for the past month and a half), or they'll have to hire an outsider (and we see how well that worked last time ...).

I really wanted this job. Not just because of the massive pay raise (though that would've helped with my expenses tremendously and finally allowed me to get quality health insurance), but because it would've represented the idea that all my hard work here over the past year and five months hasn't all been for nothing. To work my ass off for so little money ... it makes me feel kinda unappreciated, even with this latest development. I know my two most immediate supervisors appreciate me -- considering how hard they fought to get me the same salary Ebonee had -- but to be told no because of some stupid, half-thought-out school policy is ... way to make me feel wanted, guys.

I'll keep writing freelance newspaper stories whenever I can, because that's extra cash, and I guess I can see if there's any programs that can help low-income people find healthcare, but ... what the hell? Whatever happened to the idea that if you work your ass off and show initiative that it'll be rewarded? Whatever happened to advancing yourself through solid work ethic and trustworthiness?

One of the most petty, immature and irresponsible people I ever met spent a year making $11,000 more than me in a job she absolutely hated, treating everyone with disrespect along the way, and she gets to walk away and prance along to graduate school. Me? I keep my head down, do my work, take the high road every chance I get, and the minute I think I might be getting somewhere, I'm told I have to keep my crap salary that's barely keeping my head above water right now.

What the hell kind of message does that send?

Whatever ... I'd love to walk away, but I can't. Even though my paychecks are the size of mouse droppings, at least I have something. Hopeless as it might seem right now, I guess I'll start looking for something. Should Hell freeze over and I find something, I'm gone. Should Hell freeze over and they decide to give me the raise and the position after all, I'll take it.

But fuck it all. What the hell does a decent, hard-working guy have to do around here ...?

11:10am: Just Random Thoughts
-Maurice told me the other day I'm almost guaranteed the position -- the only thing yet to work out is salary. When I was first hired for the job I have now, he said the Assistant SID position was $34,000 a year. Ebonee made $28,000 a year (probably because of how much experience she didn't have coming in). I'm not sure if they're trying to determine that based on my experience level (I've been in this office for almost a year and a half), or if the economy has something to do with it. Whatever it is, though, I'm sure it'll be a lot more than I'm making now.

-With my new job, I'll finally be able to afford the health insurance the company offers. Since any real reform seems to be a long time coming (if at all), I might as well just bite the bullet and take the benefits once I get the promotion. At least then, I can afford my heart check-ups, I can afford my glasses and (theoretically) anything else that might come up. Not tickled at the notion of having for-profit health insurance, but I don't live in Canada, so ... I guess I gotta deal until the fogies in Washington get their heads out of their collective butts.

-Speaking of which, I wonder if my Senators and House Rep. are tired of me yet. As often as I write them, they probably are. But you know what? They're there to do the bidding of people like me, and someone needs to remind them that if they don't, we'll just throw them back out when the time comes.

-Have I mentioned how peaceful it is around here now that Ebonee's gone? It's so much quieter, the mood in the office is lighter, everyone's just in a generally better mood. Not to mention, things get done a lot faster in the office now, and it gets done right the first time. I honestly hope she succeeds at whatever she's doing now, and I hope she eventually grows up to lead a productive, fulfilling life, but I'm glad we don't have to put up with her shit anymore.

-Every Tuesday I go to the driving range to hit a bucket of golf balls. Every Thursday I go for a jog/walk. It's not much, but it feels good being physically active again -- even if it means my upper back and neck sometimes feel sore. If I can find more time, I'll probably look to add some light weights. Not looking to bulk up, just have some physical activity in my life. Trying to prevent the great ballooning gut my father got around this age.

-My 10-year high school reunion is next month. No one bothered to tell me until after the registration deadline passed, It just reaffirms my belief that no one cared about me in high school. Well, a few people did, and I already keep in touch with them anyway, so why would I want to go to some bullshit party to reunite with people I never really liked, anyway? I know I promised Kat I'd take her, but I don't think either one of us are in a position to go anyway.

-Rest assured, everyone ... I am not running for political office. At least, not any time soon. First of all, I would want to at least get a master's in law or political science -- which, in turn, would afford me the opportunity to study and learn the laws within this country. Not to mention, learning all about the issues (beyond what the media or the Internet gives us). Long story short, I realize how much work I'd have to do just to even have a chance at running for an office, so at best, it's one of those "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if ...?" things. I guess I just want to get more involved in politics than voting and then writing my elected officials every other day.

-Little tip: if you fail a drug test, vehemently proclaim your innocence and manage to get a court to agree with you, don't turn around and fail a second drug test with the exact same drug! That just makes you look like a moron. Then again, what do you expect for someone who allegedly took meth, like NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield? Boy never was the brightest bulb in the socket ...

-The biggest win in Hampton University basketball history came in 2001, when the Pirates beat Iowa State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It was only the fourth time ever that a No. 15 seed had beaten a No. 2 seed, and it was Hampton's first-ever trip to the tournament. Does our office have any press clippings or the like from that story? Nope! I had to contact the basketball office itself for that sort of thing. The biggest hoops win in school history, and the Sports Information office doesn't have anything on it ... pathetic.

-Am I sad to see City Limits go? Yeah, a bit, but I think personally, it was time. I don't want to say I outgrew it, because I have a lot of memories from that time, and I'm thankful for the friendships I made and still love my characters to this day. But considering where my life has taken me professionally and personally -- and the fact that I've had to deal with a lot more writer's block than usual of late -- I think the timing's right. I'm sorry to see it go, but glad I was a part of it for as long as I was.

2:14pm: Really Important
Hey, don't think we need health care reform in this country? Read this:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-rescind17-2009jun17,0,3508020,full.story

and see if you don't change your mind.

I've already written my Senator urging him to support true health care reform, in the hopes that we can put an end to this sort of practice and get back to what health insurance is supposed to be about; giving us, the hard-working American people, the peace of mind in knowing that if something should happen to us, how we're going to pay for our care will be one thing we don't have to worry about.

My mother and grandmother have been dealing with serious, life-threatening conditions over the past two years; according to the above article, they could both lose their healthy insurance coverage. We cannot let this happen; if you haven't done so already, contact your representatives in Washington and tell them you want true health care reform.

It may not be much, but we need to do something.

10:36am: Updates
--My grandmother is out of the hospital after a two-and-a-half day stay. They put her on about four medications designed to reduce the swelling in her legs and chest, as well as to slow her pulse rate. She's already lost roughly five pounds of fluid, and she says she's not short of breath nearly as much anymore. I'm glad she's home, and feeling an odd sense of deja vu, because all the medications she's taking, my mom is either taking or has taken for the past almost two years.

--T-minus 19 days ... I've been hesitant to talk about this, but Ebonee is leaving June 30 (turned in her resignation and everything ... including showing up at 10:30 on the days she bothers to show, only to leave two hours later). Maurice said he wants to give the position to me when she leaves, he just needs approval from the higher-ups. I hope they do, because I want the increased responsibility -- as well as the relatively large pay increase. Then again, even if I don't get the job, I'll just be glad to not have to deal with her anymore. If I ever leave a job, I now know how not to handle it.

--I'm not sure where my creative juices went, but I wish they'd come back. The only writing I've been able to do for the past couple weeks relates to work (press releases and the like). If I try to write something for CL or one of several other side projects I've got, I just freeze. I'm not sure what it is, and I hope it passes soon. Maybe I'm so focused on my work right now, trying to give them every reason to promote me, that I'm leaving myself empty creatively. Whatever the case, I'm annoyed.

--My friend Munchie has been accepted to the University of South Florida; he wants to study to be a history teacher. He's grown weary of being a chef in the restaurant industry, and he's trying to find a new career path. I'm happy for him, and I hope it works out. As odd as he can be, I know him well enough to know his work ethic will allow him to succeed at this. I hope it does, too, because he really deserves it.

--That is all. I think ...

11:46am: Which Do You Want First?
Good news: my grandmother's last radiation treatment was last Thursday, and she is now officially cancer-free.

Bad news: They think she might be developing congestive heart failure. Between her fatigue, shortness of breath and the swelling in her hands and legs, they think the chemo took a toll on her heart, and they're gonna put her through a battery of tests. It's the same thing my mom has to deal with, and while she's okay, it's frustrating and scary. Grandma just finished battling one life-threatening illness; does she really need another one?

As far as work's concerned, T-minus 27 days. Gawd, I can't wait.

10:32am: Overheard
Ebonee on the phone to God knows who:

"I don't care about that; you know I don't do any work here anymore. I'm just counting down the days until I get the hell up outta here."

Hey, guess what? I'm counting down the days too, you irresponsible, unprofessional child. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

On second thought, let it hit you. I think everyone around here could use the laugh.

12:50pm: Daily Press rant
I don't know who ultimately decided to move writers' deadline up from 10:45 p.m. to 10:20 p.m., but no one's happy about it. Not the writers, not the editors who work late at night in the office working on editing stories and laying them out on the pages. It makes all of our jobs harder, to be perfectly honest.

Last night was a perfect example. I drove to Yorktown to cover the semifinals of the Bay Rivers District girls soccer tournament. No big deal; I've covered soccer for a while, and I know it's usually a fairly quick game. The clock only stops for injuries and goals, so each 40-minute half passes quickly.

The first semifinal started at 5:30, with the second slated to start around 7:15. I figured I'd be out by 9, could go home and write my story with no worry of missing the new, earlier deadline.

Right?

Because of my time estimate, and the fact that there's no wireless internet at the stadium, I didn't take my laptop with me. That meant I would have to go home -- a 20-30 minute drive -- to write my story. Again, no problem.

Right?

Apparently not. The first semifinal, between Lafayette and Grafton, took forever. Tied at 0 after regulation, they went to overtime. Virginia high school soccer overtime rules are as follows: at the end of regulation, the teams will play two five-minute overtime periods. No sudden victory; even if you score in the first minute of the first overtime, you're still playing the next nine minutes.

After those two periods, if the score is still tied, they play two more five-minute overtime periods, though these are sudden-victory (or sudden death, or golden goal, or whatever you want to call it). This time, if you scored in the first minute of the first overtime, that was it. Game over.

But no. Lafayette and Grafton still couldn't score. We've played 100 minutes of soccer, it's 7:45, and there's still no winner. Moving on to penalty kicks. Each team gets five kicks, and if they're still tied after those five, the teams will keep kicking until someone misses.

The first five kicks came and went -- we're still tied! It took nine kicks for each team before Lafayette (finally!) won.

Then there was a 25-minute warm-up period before the second game between Jamestown and Tabb. That game didn't start until just after 8:30. Soccer games, with two 40-minute halves and a 10-minute halftime, usually take an hour and a half to complete.

That is, of course, assuming there aren't any time stoppages for injuries. Jamestown and Tabb had two of them, including a lengthy one after two played collided. The second game didn't end until 10:00.

Now, if I'd gone home to write the story, I would've gotten home around 10:20 or 10:30, meaning the story wouldn't be written until about 11:00. Under the old deadline, the desk would've understood and been fine with that. But with the deadline now 10:20 (for what they call "first edition"), there was no way.

No laptop, no wireless -- stuck 30 minutes from home and pushing deadline. What do I wind up doing? I dictate the story to the office. That's right, I blabbed into my cell phone while the guy on the other end tried to keep up on the keyboard. I could hear the keys tapping on the other end of the line.

This isn't the first time I've dictated a story; I've done it a few times for football games that ran late. But I usually already have the story written and just can't get online to send it. I didn't even have that this time, so I was formulating the story as I was dictating it. They wanted 500 words; they got 450.

The desk loved what I did, that I was resourceful enough to make deadline, even though I wasn't actually writing the story. They told me I "did a hell of a job getting this to us," but it was such a pain in the ass. I always prefer to actually write my story, even though by dictating, I still get my byline and the pay.

Still, without the earlier deadline, this probably isn't an issue. Whoever thought that up is a dumbass. The new deadline might not bother the news writers much -- most of their stories probably can be written during a normal business day. But sports writers? A lot of games happen at night, and they don't always end quickly. Such an early deadline does nothing but fruatrate the hell out of us.

I know they won't do this, but I would love it if the deadline went back to 10:45.

11:32am: Another Movie Review
To quote Harmony: "Ugh! Just ... ugh!"


( X-Men Origins: Wolverine review (SPOILERS WITHIN) )

10:08am: Updates
-Turns out grandma's radiation isn't to get rid of the rest of the tumor; it's to make sure the tumor doesn't come back. I was completely off on that one. She's actually cancer-free now. She's also about halfway through her radiation treatments, which means we can just about see the finish line from here.

-Still no real word on Ebonee, though she'd in D.C. today for an interview of some sort. What kind, I'm not sure, but maybe she will be gone soon, after all. Also, she's been well-behaved of late. It's weird, to be quite frank.

-Hampton University held this massive luncheon yesterday for the support staff (which is apparently everyone other than the professors). It was nice to get a free meal -- and the food was very good -- and it was cool of the President (of the school, not the D.C. big cat -- though that would've been cool) to thank everyone for their work now that the school year is over. Him letting everyone go at 3 was pretty cool, too.

-Last Friday was Isaac's birthday. He's seven now. Seven! I met the boy when he was two! That means over the past five years, Sarah and I have gone from best friends to not speaking to ... whatever the hell we are now. Five years! Not only does that make me feel old, it also kinda makes me miss being in college a little. Sure, working at one is nice, but it's not quite the same.

-I'd like to know how Shannon's first Mother's Day went. Ya know, considering she never thought she's ever have a kid, and yet not quite a year ago, she actually had a little boy. I would imagine it was a very special day for her, for which I'm glad.

-I'm heading to Princeton University in New Jersey this weekend for the ECAC and IC4A track meets. And yes, I actually made sure there was a hotel room for me this time ... no repeats of the mess we had at Penn Relays last month.

-Memorial Day weekend, I'll be in Charlotte, N.C. for the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race. This will be my seventh straight year going to this race, and I get just as excited today as I did that first time back in 2002. I cannot wait!

-I'm also going to the IndyCar race in Richmond at the end of June. Not only because I like IndyCars too (they kinda sound like a swarm of angry hornets buzzing around the track), but because after the Coca-Cola 600, we won't have another race to go to until September. We need our fix.

11:57am: Work Stuffs
All this time, we thought Ebonee would be leaving on June 1 to return to school (in fact, some of the coaches were literally counting down the days -- when they weren't going around asking everyone how she was still employed). I'd made mention to Maurice (when Ebonee was nowhere around) that if she did leave, I would apply for her position. A lot more responsibility, yes, but I'd make at least 12k a year more and I wouldn't have so many days where I'm literally in the office doing nothing.

Not to mention -- not having to deal with her anymore.

Now we're not so sure. She talked to me yesterday about us getting together in June to make sure we had everything updated for the women's basketball media guide. Then, when one of the volleyball players stopped by before going back home to Canada over the summer, she asked Ebonee if she'd still be here in August, and Ebonee's response was "I don't know."

Today, I overheard her on the phone talking about packing stuff up later this month, so I have no clue what's going on. I would ask her, but she's been relatively well-behaved this month and I don't wanna potentially ruin that. It's so rare when she's calm and in a good mood and responsible that I'm just gonna sit back and let it last however long it lasts.

I've said before she's the only problem I have with this job; I like HU as a school and most of the people around here are a pleasure to be around. It's not just me who feels this way about her, either; the aforementioned coaches don't like her, and even Maurice's student workers make comments about her attitude and general disposition. When the student workers who are rarely in the office notice, something's up.

Still, if she does stay, I'll try not to let it bother me. Sure, I could use the pay increase, and I would like the opportunity for professional advancement, but it's not like I'm in horrible shape right now. I can pay all my bills, my credit's actually okay, and I still have a little extra each month for whatever. I might even looking into getting a health insurance policy on my own, since I can't afford the one HU is offering me.

Having had a day to think on it all, I've decided to keep doing what I do. Come to work every day, be on time, stay until it's time to quit and show how responsible and hard-working I am. That way, if she does leave, I look good for the promotion. And if she doesn't? If I go after a gig somewhere else, Maurice might be more willing to give me a recommendation.

I'll keep my eyes open in case something else comes up, but I won't actively search. HU is too good a place, and I like the people far too much, for one person to ruin it all for me.

On a semi-related note, I have assignments from the newspaper again. I'm covering a high school soccer match tonight, and I'll be covering the races at Langley Speedway on a semi-regular basis starting this weekend. The extra cash will be nice, and even though newspapers are kind of dying, I still love writing for them.

Maybe I'll see if there's any sports writing gigs on the Internet. Can't hurt, right?

9:46pm: Or Not ...
Yeah, that trip to Philly I was gonna take? About that ...

Despite being told last week I'd be all set (hotel room, food and all that), turns out I ... wasn't. I didn't find that out until this morning, and when I finally talked to the person in charge of that sort of thing tonight, I found out there were no more rooms to book.

So, no trip to the Penn Relays for me. I'm kinda bummed, but kinda not. Dunno, hard to explain. I'll try again next month, when they go to New Jersey for the ECAC meet on the 15-17.

2:49pm: Cue Heart Attack in 3, 2 ...
Seeing as how I've started watching what I eat a little closer (a preventative measure; my father lost his fast metabolism around the age I am now and ballooned. I'd like to not do that), I've started researching tips on healthier eating and found an article on Yahoo today outlining some of the unhealthiest fast food items out there.

This one took the cake: the Hardee's Monster Thickburger. Here's what Yahoo had to say about it:

"It's got the caloric equivalent of almost six McDonald's hamburgers, the saturated fat equivalent of 43 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon, and the sodium equivalent of 84 saltine crackers."

Good. Fucking. God. This thing also, apparently, has 1,420 calories, 108 g fat (43 saturated), 2,770 mg sodium and 230 mg cholesterol. My arteries are hardening just reading that.

I don't count calories or anything like that, but I am starting to be a little smarter about what I eat. More fruit and vegetables, less red meat (though I still eat some), things like that. My job doesn't always allow for planned-out, healthy meals, though; sometimes, a trip to McDonald's or Wendy's is all I have time for.

I know one thing, though ... based on that up there? No more Hardee's for me.

10:35am: Random Randomness
-Guitar Hero: Metallica = Awesome. Then again, I'm a huge Metallica junkie, so of course I love this game. The fact that there's a System of a Down song in it is only icing on the cake.

-Yes, I'm a dork. But not a dorkfish; that's something else entirely. :P

-Part of me kinda doesn't wanna go to Philly tomorrow. Not sure what that's all about.

-Wow, my arms hurt. I've started going to the driving range to work on my golf swing and get in a little exercise once a week, and I can tell I haven't done that in a while. My muscles currently hate me.

-I know I did the right thing telling the Tribune Company they didn't owe me that money, but sometimes I just wish I wasn't so damn honest, ya know?

-Memo to Kat and Munchie: whatever the fuck your problem is with each other, fix it. Either talk it out or beat the shit out of each other or spend an hour dumping a bucket of worms in each other's pants ... I don't care. Just deal with it and leave me the hell out of it.

-That is all. I think. Not sure.

10:09am: o.O
Just received an email from the Tribune Company, telling me I have $100 coming my way on April 20 ... for an invoice dated Nov. 14, 2008. Only problem is, I never submitted an invoice on that date -- the only invoice I submitted in November was on the 25th, and I received payment for that last month (along with the December and February invoices I hadn't received).

Part of me was tempted to not say anything and just accept the money when it comes in on Monday, but I don't wanna take the money, spend it, then have Tribune come back asking for the money. Fact is, I've already been paid for all the work I've done for that company to date, so ... what's with the extra $100? A clerical error?

I dunno, but something tells me a company in the middle of bankruptcy probably can't afford to be doling out extra cash to people.

UPDATE: Finally got a hold of someone over at Accounts Payable, and apparently an invoice was submitted on that date in my name ... but not by me. I informed the payroll people over at the Daily Press about it, hoping to avoid such a thing in the future. The payment has been stopped, since I've already been paid for all the work I've done for them up to this point. The extra $100 would've been nice, but why take it if it's not owed to me?

10:23am: Odds and Ends
-A month and a half and counting. Everyone who knows me, knows exactly why I'm anxiously awaiting June 1. What a glorious day that will be.

-Heading to Philly next weekend for the Penn Relays track meet. I'll be traveling with the HU teams, going to that meet since I won't be able to make the MEAC meet the following week. Everyone says I'll have a blast, and I know the Penn Relays is one of the biggest, most prestigious track meets in the country. Looking forward to it.

-May 2, NASCAR race at Richmond. You know I'm gonna be there.

-Grandma starts radiation in about two weeks. She'll go for five weeks, five days a week, getting small bursts. From what I understand, this method will effectively remove the tumor from her bone while not adversely affecting her in any way.

-I'm hoping to go to Dragon*Con, but that depends on what this Vice President-type person at HU says. I put in my leave for the dates surrounding D*C, which my boss, Maurice, approved. Send the form to Human Resources, only to find out anyone wanting time off around a holiday (like, for instance, Labor Day) needs to submit a letter to the VP in question describing why they need the time off. I suspect my letter will involve a fair amount of bullshitting, highlighting the writing workshops and professional avenues and hiding the more, umm, geeky parts of it. I hope they buy it; I wanna go and see everyone and I don't wanna be out 60 bucks.

-Note to self: next year, get the time off before buying the pass.

2:51pm: Script Frenzy
12 pages so far! All written today!

Thank you, light day at work, coupled with sudden burst of inspiration.

Now, to just get the other 88 pages written ...