Let's Go! Hokies!

So for the past few days, I've spent the weekend at Virginia Tech with some friends from college- Becky, Missy and Elizabeth. We try to get together at least once a year and this year we decided to go back to our stomping grounds in Blacksburg. It was the first time since April 16th that they had been there and I hadn't been there since my week there in April for work. It seems like it's gotten back to normal, or as normal as it can be. There aren't that many physical reminders of the shootings. They are replacing the makeshift memorial with a semi-permanent one at the base of Burruss Hall and the construction machines were in high gear. But other than that, all that remains from the events of April 16th is the tremendous sense of Hokie pride that I think was there all along.

This weekend at Tech, we had a blast hanging out together- from hanging out in our room at the Inn (actually the exact same room I was in during April) to going to the Hokie Wine Festival at Chateau Morrisette- we always laugh soooo much when we're together! Since it was Hokie Day at the wine festival, we took bets on who would be the first person to see someone in the crowd of thousands who they knew. I'm proud to report that I won! Not only once but THREE times, people recognized me!! I'm sorry to report that we weren't all dressed appropriately. We were probably the only people there not dressed head-to-toe in Hokie garments. Maybe that's what made me stand out so much!

The other highlight of my time in Blacksburg was a quick meeting with Larry Hincker who is the university spokesman (the one who did all the press conferences back in April). I had never met him in person and he took time out of his busy schedule to say hello and we just had the nicest conversation. I told him that I was just amazed at how he kept his poise and wits about him under the most stressful conditions while dealing with the worst mass shooting in US history. He told me stories about the media from his perspective and I told him stories from mine. One of the things we talked about was how universities rebound after huge events like this. We talked about Kent State and the University of Texas. No offense to any Golden Flashes fans, but I hope that in this case, we can be like the Longhorns and not have this event define my school. Hokie! Hokie! Hokie! Hi! Tech! Tech! VPI!....

Viva Nashvegas!

So there's not a lot of competition for this week's best moment at work. Granted I did only work four days this week but I'm really digging deep here. I did take a quick trip to Nashvegas, I mean Nashville yesterday. No, I didn't see Kenny Rogers or Dolly Parton around but we did work out of the Opryland Convention Center. The last time I was in Nashville with the Pres, we were at the same place and worked out of the old Hee Haw studio and the event was actually in the Grand Ole Opry. There's nothing like picturing Minnie Pearl sitting at the exact spot of your desk! :) But this time we were in a boring ballroom of the convention center where it was approximately 45 degrees. Even though it was a humid 94 degrees outside, I had to take the tablecloth off the table to wrap it around me for warmth. The Pres made a stop at the Nashville Bun Company (NBC the bun company, not the TV network) and he seemed to enjoy checking out Nashville's buns. (Technically, I think he saw the English muffin splitter machine but that's not nearly as catchy!) Later on in his ooooh soooooo long and boring budget speech, he had to get in the line...."You can't make a lot of buns if the Democrats take all your dough!" What a brilliant speechwriter he has! :) Beyond that, he didn't make any actual news and we got to be home to DC by 5pm!! I just love days like that!

Opening Day!

I know, it's not opening day of baseball or any other sporting event. Today was opening day of the new briefing room at the WH! The POTUS and FLOTUS (hopefully you can figure out what that means) came by and cut the ribbon in a brief ceremony this morning. It's supposed to be high-tech. To me, it sort of looks Star Trek-ish in person but it's definitely an improvement. Before they redid it, the place was falling apart!

The highlight of the day was when I'm sitting in our new booth in the basement of the West Wing and talking with a colleague (thankfully about work) when I noticed a slight commotion outside our glass door. The next thing I know in a matter of seconds, the FLOTUS (Laura) was standing over my shoulder and commenting on how much space we have compared to others. I immediately jumped up, punched another colleague to tell her that the First Lady was visiting and somehow made small talk with her. I have no idea what I said. I think I invited her back anytime to just hang out. I was just thankful that I had actually been doing work and not engrossed with my crossword puzzle!

We've been in our new workspace in the basement since Monday but today the whole place was officially opened. Previously, we've been across the street at Jackson Place which I admit, I grew to love. The walls between the booths didn't go all the way up to the ceiling and you could talk to folks at other networks even though the door was closed. I liked the proximity to the other nets. But we have a ton (figuratively speaking) more space in our new booth even though we're with only other network. We're getting used to it. Honestly, I'm surprised it's come together like it has because on Monday morning, we had about ten people finishing and fixing things all around us (in a fairly small size booth) while we tried to work. I've tried to keep a positive attitude about things and come to terms with the whole idea that change is good. However, I am going to point out one thing (well really two things) that I'm having difficulty coping with. We have about ten TV monitors in the room, most of which are hung approximately seven feet off the ground. You can't really see them so much when you are sitting in your seat. To those of you familiar with my vertical challenges, please no short jokes here. But I can't reach any of them without a step ladder. Bringing out the ladder to change the channels or volume seems like entirely too much trouble. Why not use the remote, you say? Which brings me to my second issue. Oh, that's because one remote changes seven out of ten TVs even if you hold the remote right up to the TV you want to turn (obviously I'm talking about one I can actually reach.) It turns into a frustrating game of trying to control the TVs and it changes the meaning of the term "remote control" since there really isn't any control involved. My network's engineers told me that I just needed to put a tape on the TV's sensor and just rotate the tape to another monitor when I want to change the channel. Again, too much effort just to change the channel.

Ok, I'll stop complaining now. I guess it's really not that bad. We did get a new mini-fridge for our space and a printer that works perfectly (until it doesn't). Of course I can't reach the supply of paper but that's another story! :)

God Bless Amurika

That's how our president says it! I spent the morning with him in Martinsburg, WV to celebrate the 4th. He's been to that state four out of the past six years for July 4th. I guess nothing says Happy Birthday America than a quick trip to West Virginia. They say it's wild and wonderful and I have nothing to dispute that although it was a rather tame day. I actually had to drive out there myself (no press plane and it wasn't my day on AF1) and although it was really early, I really enjoyed my drive. My mapquest directions took me through the countrysides of Virginia and West Virginia. I saw America for real. At one point on back country roads in WV, they didn't have any street signs so I just had to hope I was on the correct road or there would have been nothing I could have done except cry. I didn't have a cell phone signal and it was 7:00a and I didn't see a soul around. But I made it and then the speech was about as patriotic as it could be. Heck, Lee Greenwood sang "God Bless the USA" so not much can top that! :) I also listened to the band play Stars and Stripes about 30 times in a row as the President shook hands for longer than he actually spoke!

This evening I was at a cookout with friends which was a lot of fun until the thunderstorm took place! I don't enjoy sitting through lightning as much as other people. I also have learned through the years that going down to the mall for the fireworks is not for me. There are simply too many people (mostly tourists) and too much traffic and it just drives me crazy. So last night, some other friends and I went to the dress rehearsal on the mall which got me in the patriotic mood. Tony Danza was the host of the show (I think he had gotten off a plane from LA minutes before he had to do a tap dance number that lasted 5 minutes). The funniest part is that some of the stars didn't show up for the rehearsal. So there was a black guy singing his heart out, pretending to be Elliot Yamin. And then some white guy was standing in for Little Richard and he was really very good! I watched a bit of the real show tonight on PBS. I admit it- I'm extra lame-o for the fireworks this year but I do have to work really early tomorrow morning. Hey, there's nothing wrong with watching on TV, especially when you get to hear the cheezy songs that PBS plays which included Neil Diamond singing "America", which to me, nothing is more American than Neil Diamond! :)

Beck Beck Sillygirl

So I have to go back to work tomorrow after being off work for the past ten days. You can feel sorry for me if you want to. But I am spending this evening trying to read my 2000 e-mails for work that I've missed or largely ignored in the past week or so. I just got back from South Carolina for a quick visit with my parents and my sister and niece. Cayton is absolutely one of the cutest kids on the planet. I know I might be a bit biased but she is honestly one funny kid with such an imagination and she just says the darnedest things! I really think she thinks my name is Beck-Beck Sillygirl. When I try telling her I'm really a Rebecca, she says that I'm not and my real name is Beck-Beck Sillygirl. She came up with that on her own almost two years ago and won't let it go. And she's absolutely 100% adorable to top it all off!

I also enjoyed spending quality time with the rest of my family. I even played a violin-oboe duet with my mom at my parents' church on Sunday. I haven't played very much lately which was very obvious when I was panting and breaking a sweat after one verse of "America the Beautiful". But luckily, the crowd didn't know better and thought it was the greatest thing ever. They said they were taping the service and sending it to our military overseas. I hope my playing doesn't do anything to lower morale in foreign lands. I apologize up front. It was not my best playing! I also enjoyed playing cards with my dad and sister. We are wild people, I know!!

Now I have to get back into the swing of things by actually going to work for four days this week. I might even have to work an entire eight hours tomorrow!! Go ahead, feel REALLY sorry for me now!

P.S. Keep on praying for Joe and Katie and Ella. She's made a lot of progress (relatively speaking) in recent days but has apparently had a rough day today so keep the prayers coming!

Baby Ella is a blogger!

She's got her own website, including pictures and video! Check her out!

https:teamjoella.blogspot.com

Partial week in review

So in the grand scheme of things, my week wasn't all that exciting. I did have to actually work for five days in a row but don't worry, I survived. Besides the world peace issue, there were a couple of highlights to work this week.

On Thursday, I visited my first nuclear plant, Browns Ferry in Athens, AL. We were in the middle of NOWHERE, but I guess that is the only place people will let you put a nuclear plant. Driving onto the plant, I felt like I was getting ready to go visit Homer Simpson at work. It was very cool. The place where we were did our liveshots was in a nuclear control room simulator. They let us push all the buttons we wanted. At first when I went in there and saw my camermamen Mark and Burke messing with computers and pushing and pulling levers, I'm not going to lie to you, my heart skipped a beat. I had to keep reminding myself that even though I was at a nuclear plant, this was only pretend!!!

Then on Friday, I was back at the WH and on my way into my office, I was harrassed by about 1000 Vietnamese protestors. They were really angry at Bush for something but I couldn't tell what they yelling about. He was meeting with the Vietnamese president at the time so that's why they were there. But they got upset with me when I refused to join their protest!

The highlight on Friday was the Celebration for Black Music Month in the East Room of the WH. Who knew June was Black Music Month? Well, I do now! I am positive the WH has never been rockin more than it was on Friday, especially since the Clinton years! Maybe even more so! It was such a great little concert! And to see Dubya doing his white-man head-bob thing was worth the price of admission (albeit that obviously no one had to pay). There were three groups that performed- a 15 year old named Karina Rashin or something like that; then KEM, a man who was formerly homeless and now makes millions by singing with his band. But the highlight was the last group, Nuttin' But Stringz, which is two brothers who were classically trained Julliard violinists. They played the violin but also danced and rapped and sang, all at the same time. It was actually quite entertaining and Bush really enjoyed it, especially the part when one of the kids was sort of breakdancing while still playing the violin!

So I survived my full week at work. Now I'm on vacation until July 3rd just to recuperate!

Keep on praying for baby Ella and her parents!! They definitely still need it!