DUH...

I just realized that the other day when I offered to do my little bit to help other recently-laid-off workers grab themselves a smidgen of free publicity here, that I never did give out my email address. To frustrate the spammers, I'll write it out longhand-ish: it's "knockatize", and then you type the "at" thing, and then "gmail.com". Once again, that's

MOTIVATIONAL CRAP

Normally the eyes roll at self-improvement topics, but this one from Reader's Digest wasn't half bad. I'll skip to the money parts:

8. Cuddle with your kids. Few things are more stressful in the morning than waking up an overtired fifth grader or a snoring high schooler. Yet this is one of the few times you can catch your child still vulnerable. Sit on his bed and gently smooth his hair as you softly waken him. Or, if you're dealing with a very young child, lie beside him and gently hug him awake. Such a moment will send a quiet surge of joy through your entire day and will become all too rare in all too short a time.

And then they flail out with their leg and kick you in the mouth.

18. Keep a wicker basket for yourself and each child by the front or back door. Into it go your keys, wallet, purse, and the child's backpack, papers, gloves, hats, etc. This will prevent that frantic last-minute scouring of the house as you look for lost items.

Replace "wicker" with "Kevlar" if your kids are anything like mine.

19. Split up in the morning. That means you use one bathroom and your partner uses another. Even if you are still madly in love, bathroom time should be private time. It makes for a calmer, less stressful start to your day.

You little people with one-bathroom homes can go pound sand.

The rest is just fine by me. Go read.

AS PROMISED, MORE DETAILS

Starting on December 8th, I'll be the new news director for Pamal Broadcasting in the Hudson Valley, so mainly you'll be hearing me on 100.7 WHUD, Classic Hits 92.9, and on the three AMs that make up the Hudson Valley Radio Network: WGHQ (920 - Kingston), WBNR (1260 - Beacon), and WLNA (1420 - Peekskill). And every so often I may pop up on K104 (104.7 FM) when they're in need of news as well.

It may be true that the "when's the first time he screws up the call letters" and "when's he gonna lock himself out of the building accidentally" pools are being constructed as I write this.

As for my former colleagues now turned competitors, my vengeance shall be swift and terrible, yea, like unto the feeding frenzy of a thousand ravenous sharks of the ocean deep, and Route 9 shall run red with the blood of--

Not so much.

So many people I worked with mutually enriched each other's work and saved each other's bacon countless times over 19+ years, and I am forever in their debt, although I can only buy so many drinks, okay?

If you were a listener of mine before, don't hold a grudge against my former employers. I don't. The combination of events and actions that left me out of a job for one whole month (egads!) doesn't have much of anything to do with anybody here in the Hudson Valley broadcasting business. My focus now is on doing the best job I can of providing news to a combination of listening areas, and to help spur the kind of consistency and innovation that can again prove local radio's vitality the way it was proved in the mid-50's after televison stole away so many radio stars of the day. (TV's not an option for me, at any rate. In my case the camera not only adds 10 pounds, it doubles the size of my bald spot and throws in some acne for good measure.)

And that concludes the job-search portion of this blog as it exists now...but...

I know that many people who read this aren't as lucky as I was and are still pounding the pavement. For whatever it's worth, I'll make this space available to whomever needs a bit of help telling their story. Drop me an email and tell the story. Again, I have no idea whether anybody in a position to hire in any business reads this blog, and I have no idea of my persuasive abilities. This is just me trying to do somebody a solid.

PAYDIRT

I've got a new job.

I'll tell you more about it once details are finalized.

As for this blog, my initial thoughts were to simply let it go dormant...but I know there are lots of locals who are nowhere as lucky as I've just been, so perhaps we'll use it to tell their stories and maybe get them back in the working world.

MY WORK TODAY?

Cleaning potty accidents.
Cleaning the litterbox.
Cleaning the rubbish bin.
Cleaning the toilet.
Cleaning up after something my son stepped in.

So now, before bed, it's a refreshing change-of-pace: putting antibiotic goo in Herman's eye. The poor cat looks like a "before" picture of Theoden in The Two Towers. Off we go to the vet for a status report tomorrow.

And so to bed (assuming there's no cat-gack in it).

SUPERSTITION AIN'T THE WAY

This is completely ridiculous, but I'm afraid that if I slow down on my posting here, the Job Gods will think I've gotten cocky and become displeased. And I missed a day yesterday. Uh-oh.

NO GIG, BUT A GOOD CONVERSATION

With a former colleague made good, exploring possibilities in the academic world. Oh, stop laughing at the prospect of me going all Paper Chase on the young minds of the Hudson Valley. All I'd need is a masters degree and...and...bloody hell, I'm tired and I forget what else.

For now, there's just the possibility of adjunct faculty work next fall, but that's fine in a way since it gives me time to bone up and a reason to keep my writing and performance chops fresh.