Most folks think I have the easiest job in the world. After all, I am on TV for only about 3 minutes a day during the 5:00, 6:00 and 10:00 newscasts, making for a nine minute workday. Needless to say, there is far more to the job than that. Yesterday was a pretty good example of how the schedule goes for me.
After sleeping for three hours, I got up at 2:00 a.m. to check on the winter weather situation. I then grabbed another quick nap from about 3:00 until 4:52 a.m. (my alarm goes off at 4:52 a.m. every weekday morning), it was back into the home office to produce a map discussion video for the Internet, along with a blog post. Then, I have live weather breaks on radio stations in Sylacauga, Anniston, and Gadsden from 6:00 until 6:45. Next I put on the “dad hat” and help our 8 year old get ready for school.
After spending some time with my wife (how in the world can she stand to be married to someone like me with such a strange schedule
and recording a podcast and afternoon weather cuts for 24 radio stations, it was off to Greystone Elementary in Hoover for a weather program for all second grade classes. Then, I drove in the cold rain over to Coosa Valley Elementary in Pell City to see the fifth graders. From there I cruised by a local “hot spot” to feed those radio cuts I recorded earlier in the day.
I arrived at the ABC 33/40 Weather Center around 1:30, where I prepared and recorded another map video discussion, wrote a blog post, prepared the graphics for the TV weather segments. I also worked the e-mail inbox; I had over 100 messages that required an answer. Most of them were about school weather programs, or people asking about specific weather information.
I then did the weather on ABC 33/40 News at 5:00 and 6:00, recorded a webcast video for the Internet, and started writing the forecast package for this morning. After a run home for dinner with my family, it was back for more radio, TV, and Internet weather. I arrived home around 11:15 p.m.... when I went through my nightly ritual of eating some ice cream and having a little personal Bible study and time with God.
I was in bed around midnight for a little sleep that will end with that alarm going off at 4:52 a.m.
Let me stress all days are not this busy; I normally only do one school weather program per day, and 2:00 a.m. weather checks are usually not needed. But you can see how fatigue becomes a factor by the end of each week. Sure, I don't sleep much, but I love the job and look forward to doing this every day.
I guess the biggest struggle is doing weather in a "24/7" world... instead of worrying about three weathercasts on TV we now are "on" at all hours of the day thanks to blogs, podcasts, and other Internet/digital products. We do the best we can, and I love being able to "talk" with our audience at any time during the day and night using outlets like this blog.
Gotta run and take a nap!
After sleeping for three hours, I got up at 2:00 a.m. to check on the winter weather situation. I then grabbed another quick nap from about 3:00 until 4:52 a.m. (my alarm goes off at 4:52 a.m. every weekday morning), it was back into the home office to produce a map discussion video for the Internet, along with a blog post. Then, I have live weather breaks on radio stations in Sylacauga, Anniston, and Gadsden from 6:00 until 6:45. Next I put on the “dad hat” and help our 8 year old get ready for school.
After spending some time with my wife (how in the world can she stand to be married to someone like me with such a strange schedule
and recording a podcast and afternoon weather cuts for 24 radio stations, it was off to Greystone Elementary in Hoover for a weather program for all second grade classes. Then, I drove in the cold rain over to Coosa Valley Elementary in Pell City to see the fifth graders. From there I cruised by a local “hot spot” to feed those radio cuts I recorded earlier in the day.I arrived at the ABC 33/40 Weather Center around 1:30, where I prepared and recorded another map video discussion, wrote a blog post, prepared the graphics for the TV weather segments. I also worked the e-mail inbox; I had over 100 messages that required an answer. Most of them were about school weather programs, or people asking about specific weather information.
I then did the weather on ABC 33/40 News at 5:00 and 6:00, recorded a webcast video for the Internet, and started writing the forecast package for this morning. After a run home for dinner with my family, it was back for more radio, TV, and Internet weather. I arrived home around 11:15 p.m.... when I went through my nightly ritual of eating some ice cream and having a little personal Bible study and time with God.
I was in bed around midnight for a little sleep that will end with that alarm going off at 4:52 a.m.
Let me stress all days are not this busy; I normally only do one school weather program per day, and 2:00 a.m. weather checks are usually not needed. But you can see how fatigue becomes a factor by the end of each week. Sure, I don't sleep much, but I love the job and look forward to doing this every day.
I guess the biggest struggle is doing weather in a "24/7" world... instead of worrying about three weathercasts on TV we now are "on" at all hours of the day thanks to blogs, podcasts, and other Internet/digital products. We do the best we can, and I love being able to "talk" with our audience at any time during the day and night using outlets like this blog.
Gotta run and take a nap!
Just reading that makes me want to take a nap!
on February 6, 2006, 10:03 pm
Keep up the good work!
Enjoy watching the severe weather coverage!
Very helpfull so when I become a Meteorologist in a few years I will already now a few things about severe weather in the south, before I even get in college.
I lived in Wichita, KS for about 14 years, moved down to Trussville, AL about 1 1/2 yrs. ago.
Severe weather coverage in Wichita, is very different than weather coverage in Birmingham!
Hopefully I will go to the University of Kansas.
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