Radio Days #6

As my service learning is winding down, Michael has been letting me be on the air a lot more. He had me read an entire weather report last week and he's had me run the board a lot more too. Even though being on the air is scary and brain sort of shuts down when the mic opens, I really enjoy talking on the air.Working at the station this past semester has been really fun and I think I'll miss it over the Summer. If I wasn't so busy and in need of a break I would take one of the Summer internships available at 103.7, but I don't need a hectic Summer after a hectic semester. Anyways, I've learned a lot about radio at WUGA and I had a really good time. I'll always remember it.

Danger! Danger!

At WUGA there aren't a lot of dangerous situations I think I could get myself in, but I guess there's danger everywhere, if you look hard enough. Since I have asthma, and at the station I work in some confined spaces where the air flow is poor or restricted, that could pose a hazard if I ever got a bad attack. There is a lot of electrical equipment at the radio station too, and I'm sure it's risky to be around so much wiring and whatnot. I mean, I've seen an electrical fire before, and it was extremely scary. Really I think things are pretty safe at the station, they have the required workplace safety posters posted up all over the place (it was actually my job one day to make sure they were all up to date) and they don't let the equipment get run down or fall into disrepair. I think as long as you have your wits about you, you can remain pretty safe.

After reading some articles about potential workplace hazards I've learned, well, not a whole lot. The articles basically reiterated what I said in the paragraph above, except with more technical terms. A lot of the information didn't apply to my workplace either. The radio station is a pretty safe place, as long as you don't take drink into the control room, which is strictly against the rules anyways.

No one can do the things you do.

Alright, I'm supposed to write about skills that I possess that are unique to me, but I'm pretty sure there is at least one other person in the world who has some of the same skills as me. I watched Barney and Mr. Rogers when I was a kid, so I know just how special and unique I am, but there is no way I'm that special and unique. I do have skills though, and so I'll tell you what they are, regardless of whether or not I'm the only one who has them.

Well, I'm really good at figuring things out. If I am faced with a problem I will figure out the best course of action to fix things. I'm personable; I like to talk to people and I'm good at talking to all different types of people from different backgrounds. I have a good memory (most of the time) and can recall facts quickly from my head. I'm really good at multi-tasking and can think about multiple things at a time. Once I start a project I see it through to the end. I'm creative and have a good sense of what looks right and what doesn't. I can focus on what someone else wants and not what I think they need.

And now I feel really conceited...

Say what?

I think I have the ability to communicate well, whether or not I always use that ability is questionable though. I get distracted easily while conversing, and sometimes my brain just glitches and I can't find the words to say. Also sometimes I really have a lot of trouble speaking correctly, I have a lisp, you may have never noticed, but that's only because I concentrate really hard on not lisping. Also I went to three years of speech therapy when I was a kid to try and get rid of the impediment. My mom always taught us that how we speak and convey ourselves to the public is important, so she told us to use "ten dollar words", proper grammar, and try to think of more intelligent ways of explaining things, instead of cursing or using slang. I think I'm better at writing than I am at speaking, just because when you write you can analyze what your saying before anyone else gets the chance to see or hear it. Sometimes words fail me, and I sputter and stutter, but I think most of the time I do an alright job of getting my point across.

Mmmkay

My quiz results said that I was okay at cell phone etiquette, not good, but not bad either. I don't talk on my phone that much unless I'm at home, or if I really need to, I'll have a short conversation in public, or I guess sometimes when I'm really bored I talk on my cell phone in public. Something about having a private conversation in the middle of Target just turns me off. I don't text because I don't pay for my phone service and my dad doesn't want to pay extra just so I can text my friends when I can just as easily call them, which is understandable. I generally don't view my phone as my lifeline, I like to be unreachable sometimes. Much to my friends dismay, I frequently don't answer my phone. I don't want to be available 24/7. While I understand the convenience and safety of a cell phone, I kind of don't like them. It's just one more thing I have to deal with and carry around with me, also, people treat their phones as status symbols, I don't' care what my phone looks like, I've dropped it so many times I've lost count. Having a phone is good for last minute changes in plans, my mother keeping tabs on me, and maybe a couple of other things, but people treat them like extensions of their arms and like something they need; I know plenty of people without cell phones and they're doing just fine. So I guess when I am on my phone I'll keep in mind that the quiz said I could be a little more conscious of my manors, but it might be a while before I can practice.

Radio Days #5

Working at the station has been a very good experience so far. I'm learning a lot and getting more responsibilities. Michael has had me run th board while he talked on the air, and had me talk on the air while he ran the board, but he has recently started letting/making me do both. It's mildly terrifying, of course, but I like it a lot too. I still make plenty of mistakes, but I'm getting better (I just need to remember to BREATHE!). I've been learning a lot more about the automation and how a show is put together on the computer. The automation is what plays at night when there is no one at the station running the board, it's sort of a complicated process, but I got to put together the automation for three different nights last week. For a while I was only monitoring the board while we recorded the show African Perspectives, but this week I got to see what happens after the recording, when the cut the pieces of audio up, splice in music tracks, install faders, and do a number of other things. I'm enjoying all the new things I'm getting to do a lot, it's much better than just observing people and shadowing.

Written:
1. Text Messages: texting can often seem impersonal and since it is done quickly there can be errors. To avoid offending people, only send text messages when it's really necessary or when you're being very informal.
2. Letters: letters can be a good, thoughtful, and personal way to communicate with someone, but if you have illegible handwriting or if speed is of the essence you might want to consider a different form of communicating.
3. E-mails: E-mails can also seem impersonal and rushed, this can lead to misinterpretation and possible affront. When writing an E-mail you should take your time (if possible) and use your spell checker.

Verbal:
1. Over the phone conversations: When talking on the phone it is easy to get distracted and stop listening, also depending on your phone service and location the sound quality can be compromised. Phone conversations can be very useful as long as you use proper phone etiquette as well as good judgment as to whether the conversation should take place in person or not.
2. In person conversations: Well if you have a bad case of halitosis, in person conversations might not be for you; physical appearances can be distracting as well. When you know you're going to be having an important personal conversation you should definitely mind your appearance and you should always keep good dental hygiene, as well as all the other sorts of hygiene.
3. Speeches: Speech making can be daunting to many individuals, there is and added pressure to speak well and not make mistakes. If you make a mistake while making a speech there is a larger audience and your mistake may be hard to recover from. If you know you're going to make a speech you should be well prepared; have note cards in case you get stuck and rehearse your speech with a friend and ask for their opinions. Trying to relax and not making such a big deal of the event might help as well.

Non-verbal:
1. Facial Expressions:
2. Body language/demeanor
3. Hand gestures

Whistle while you work.

Well, my parents got into the habit of calling me Negatori (a play on my nickname Tori), but I think when I'm confronted with an unpleasant or bad situation, I react reflectively. You have to weigh the pros and cons in your life and adjust accordingly. Although I'm not usually very quick to be excited or happy I'm also not very quick to think negatively about something, I have to have all the information before I can react. In general though, I think I'm have a pretty sunny disposition. I like to keep on the sunny side of life.
I'm usually pretty happy to be at the radio station, so I would think that my attitude is positive while I'm there. I like the people there and they're very nice to have conversations with. I don't think that there is much room for improvement as far as my attitude is concerned, but I'm interested to see what my evaluation says.
My parents always taught me to do everything with a joyful heart, which as you can imagine, I still haven't mastered. I think the real lesson was to have a good attitude though. Complaining doesn't get you anywhere and there are always going to be things you have to do that you simply don't want to. Throughout my life I've seen people with bad attitudes as well as people with good ones, and I've come to the conclusion that having a bad attitude is a waste of time and really doesn't help one bit.

Morning Routine

1. 8:00AM – Wake up.
2. 8:00AM – Grope around till I find my cell phone and shut the alarm off.
3. 8:01AM – Get out of bed (try not to stumble over piles of stuff on floor) and turn off iPod dock alarm or sometimes I put on a song I want to hear.
4. 8:03AM – Stumble into bathroom and appraise face in mirror.
5. 8:04AM – Feed Aslan, my fish.
6. 8:06AM – Use bathroom.
7. 8:08AM – Take/inhale Asthmanex then hold my breath for ten seconds.
8. 8:09AM – Take Flonase.
9. 8:10AM – Brush teeth.
10. 8:12AM – Go downstairs and talk to mother.
11. 8:20AM – Go down other stairs and take shower.
12. 8:40AM – Fetch laundry from drier and take it up two flights of stairs to my room.
13. 8:45AM – Go through daily regimen of lotioning, potioning, drying, and straightening or curling.
14. 8:50AM – Figure out what to wear.
15. 9:05AM – Get dressed.
16. 9:06AM – Figure out if that’s actually what I want to wear and possibly change.
17. 9:10AM – Put on make-up.
18. 9:20AM – Find shoes.
19. 9:22AM – Find bag and all the things that go in it.
20. 9:35AM – Figure out who is giving me a ride.
21. 9:40AM – Run through the house and make sure I have everything, and if I have time grab something to eat.
22. 9:45AM – Grab lunch or lunch money.
23. 9:47AM – Leave house and lock door.
24. 9:47AM – Get in car and drive.
25. 9:57AM – Walk through front door of school.

Tick tock tick tock...

I seem to struggle with time management on an hourly basis some days. There just never seems to be enough time to get everything done. Waking up early is always a major help in the quest to get out the door though, and getting things done the night before is a good idea as well. I'm a slow waker, so the less I have to do in the morning and the more time I have to do it, the better. I still depend on my parents for transportation, and things always go smoother if I remind them the night before of where I need them to drive me the next day. Currently I am very busy and have a lot of obligations, and I'm at a point where I need to start making decisions about whether or not I can keep up with everything I'm attempting to do. I might have to cut a few things from my schedule in order to not start falling behind. I have to figure out what's important and what can be dropped.

Radio Days #4

So this past week I was able to start reading station IDs on the air. I can say with some odd sense of satisfaction that I TOTALLY botched it my first try. The thing with radio is that once it's done, it's really done. You can't suck your words back off the air, it's physically impossible. You just have to shrug it off and learn from your mistake; I'll never invert the station numbers again! I got to try again before the day was over, and I'm proud to say it was much better the second time around. I've yet to encounter anyone who has heard me on the air, so I have no idea what I sounded like. Michael says he never heard his voice on the radio until he'd been working for years and got to start recording his voice for promos.
Every week I'm astounded by all the new things there are still to learn and at how much I am actually learning and retaining. I've got most of the schedule memorized and I've stopped making as many mistakes when I check programs. I think a lot of the knowledge comes from just being at the station and being completely immersed in everything radio. The more I learn the more I get to do and the more I get to do the more interesting the whole thing gets. There are boring patches, but they are easily overshadowed by the crazy, exciting, and sometimes stressful events that take place every so often.

Radio Days #3

Well, things were very eventful this past week at the station. There was a student from the montessori middle school interning for the week and one of the board operators has an intern from Clarke Central who started coming in last week as well. It's a small station so with three added people running around the building things were slightly hectic. Also with three teen aged minions around ready to do whatever needs to be done there wasn't a lot for me to do. The girl from the montessori school won't be there this week though so I'll be back to running to a fro and back again. I didn't get a chance to run the board for African Perspectives last week because the host, Akinloye Ojo, has been sick recently, but if he's better this week I think I'll finally be able to run the board. My sponsor, Michael Cardin, told me he might let me read a station ID on the air sometime soon or maybe even read the weather report. Being on the air will probably have me shaking in my boots, but in an excited way. Last week I mainly ran around the offices and searched the internet for Georgia Labor Law posters that needed to be updated. I really wanted to find one that was out of date so that I could replace one, but they were all current. It was work that needed to be done though, Michael was really glad that it got done, and it was sort of gratifying to finish something; as soon as you finish something at the radio station you have to start on next week's work. Things are constantly moving at the station, you barely get two minutes to sit down before something happens and you have to rundown the hall. Even though sometimes there isn't a whole lot for me to do, the place in general is busy and I like that about it.

Radio Days #2

So I've been working at the radio station for three weeks now and I have to say, I was pretty bored the last time I was there. I wouldn't say that the thrill is gone, but I think the honeymoon is over. The building and the rooms in it are all familiar now, and I walk in with a sense of knowing what I'm going to do for the next three hours. Luckily I'm going to start learning about the technical aspect of radio in the coming weeks. My sponsor, Michael Cardin, told me I would be learning how to run the board this week by helping him record the show African Perspectives. By the end of my hundred hours he says I'll be running the board live on the air while he hosts a show called Afternoon Concert. I find this to be sort of daunting and exciting at the same time.

Task #2 Week Three

Taking Notes:
A lesson that's worth being learned.

1. Be prepared, have paper and pens with you when you walk through the classroom door.
2. Be attentive and listen for ques to write things down.
3. Learn how to abbreviate your words so you can write faster and keep up with what the teacher is saying.
4. Go over your notes after class to make sure they make sense and make any corrections that need to be made.
5. Check with you teacher and other student in the class to make sure you didn't miss anything important.

Procrastination:
It's the latest fashion.

1. Eliminate distractions that interfere with working on tasks.
2. Find a good place to work on tasks.
3. Commit yourself to completing a task once started.
4. Get help from teachers and other students when you find a task difficult.
5. Work on tasks at the times you work best.

Radio Days

For my service learning I am interning at the radio station WUGA, (The Classic 91.7 and 97.9 on your FM dial). I was lucky enough to be placed before last semester was over, so I have been working at the station for two weeks now. At the beginning I was skeptical as to whether working at a station that played mostly NPR shows would be very interesting or fun, but so far it's been a very interesting experience. The station is pretty small and I like all the people I've met so far. I do a lot of shadowing and busy work but somehow it still seems exciting. Mostly I've been checking programs and making sure things are ready to be put on the air, which is a time consuming process but it's sort of cool to hear the programs before they go on the air.

I am looking forward to learning more about how a radio station works as I go through this course, at this point my knowledge is pretty limited. I learn new things every time I go though. I'm becoming increasingly interested in the radio industry and am considering it in my plans for the future.

Many years from now...

When I'm 27...
1. I want to have a job that I enjoy and am successful at.
2. I would hope by this time that I'd be married or close.
3. I would like to live in a nice house or apartment.
4. I want to live in a city, most likely up north.
5. If I'm married by then I would maybe want to be starting a family.
6. I would want to have my degree or maybe my masters in Art History.
7. I hope I would be making enough money to live comfortably.
8. I want to have good friends, maybe even keep the ones I have now.
9. I want to have traveled and to still be traveling.
10. I want to be happy.

When I'm 17...
1. Pass all my classes!
2. Work super hard.
3. Stay on task.
4. Prioritize.
5. Be motivated.
6. Not get distracted.
7. Finish classes early.
8. Discuss moving on to other classes with teachers.
9. Not get overly stressed.
10. Set up Summer schooling.

Task #2 Week One

I think you guys pretty much have the bases covered, it took me a minute to think of something. The only thing I could think to add is that it's a good idea to have some sort of positive relationship with your teachers. Your teachers will be more likely to help you out when you need something if they like you and you've built up a good student/teacher realtionship.

Task #1 Week One

I've always had trouble with being self motivated, in fact, that's how I ended up here at PLC; I was homeschooled and just couldn't make myself get things done. Once I start something I'll see it through till the end, but the whole business of getting started is where I fall short. I think if I can just get myself into the habit of not procrastinating and being lazy right up until the end I think I'll be able to get things done faster and not be so stressed out when due dates come up.