I’ve only had to deal with unemployment once in my life. I was only out of college for about six months and the freelance gig I was working dried up.
I tried searching for a job for about a month. My meager savings dried up quickly and I realized I had to do SOMETHING while I searched for my next job.
I ended up waiting tables while I continued applying for jobs at small market television stations. The restaurant gig helped pay the bills and funded the job search. But, it was frustrating.
I applied to dozens of TV stations before I landed my first gig at WRBL in Columbus, Georgia.
Since then, I’ve been fortunate. I haven’t had to deal with unemployment.
In my current job, I’ve been tasked with covering the employment beat. My goal has been to maintain a positive outlook in the clichéd “tough economic times”. I try hard to only do stories that provide real, actionable information for folks who are looking for jobs, rather than focusing on the latest unemployment statistics and trends.
While covering the jobs beat, I have been amazed by the different perspectives I encounter.
Some people are understandably frustrated. They’ve been out of work for months. Every time they apply for a job, they either get rejected or they never hear back from the employer. They’re beginning to think job fairs and “networking” are a waste of time. They seem to think getting a job is a matter of luck, be in the right place at the right time.
But then there are others who somehow maintain a more positive perspective. They brush off the “no’s” and the failed applications. They try to learn what kept them from getting the last job they applied for and try not to make the same mistake again. These types of people know that by staying upbeat and refusing to give up, they too will soon be employed.
I was starting to get dejected during the summer I waited tables. Nothing was panning out for me. I happened to pick up a freelance job as a grip (a low-level, low paying job) for a televised women’s soccer game.
While working that gig, I met a guy who was also working freelance. Turns out that guy was Cyle Mims, the then News Director for WRBL. I chatted him up for about ten or fifteen minutes, then we went back to work. The next week, Cycle called me and invited me to Columbus for an interview. I ended up getting the job and two weeks later I was in Columbus.
While my experience with unemployment was not nearly as dire as many others, I understand how frustrating it can be. But, I learned a valuable lesson from that experience: If I’m ever unemployed again, I’ll need to maintain a positive attitude. Networking works, even when you least expect it.
I had only fifteen minutes to network with Cyle. I tried to make a good impression by being positive and excited about the opportunities he may have for me right away, or down the road.
I’d like to think my positive attitude paid off. I doubt he would have called me if I had acted depressed and dejected.
I hope the job seekers of today can maintain a positive attitude themselves, despite frustrating circumstances, because you never know when the next opportunity is going to come your way.
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
This is part of a new web report. I run local 5Ks and 10Ks (with an occasional half marathon). You can follow me on race day on Twitter @JulieWolfe. I’ll post my race reviews on 11aliveblogs.com. E-mail me with any ideas jwolfe@wxia.gannett.com.
The Southeast Brain Tumor Foundation’s Race for Research is a cause that hits close to home for our 11Alive family. So, when Meteorologist Chis Holcomb and Anchor Ted Hall sent out an e-mail asking the 11Alive crew to participate in Saturday’s 5K, it was an obvious choice for my next race.
Atlantic Station has quickly become a go-to place for new in-town races (or older races looking for a new location). Just remember to bring money for parking. I forgot my wallet, so I ran straight from the finish line to my car. I drove it out of the parking deck, and then made a U-turn right back in. That way, I got the 2-hour free parking twice.
COURSE: 5K (3.1 miles) around Atlantic Station. Because the start line is on low ground, the first mile is mostly uphill. From there, it is a series of short hills. Very little of this course is flat, so it’s a little harder than I anticipated. I ended up chasing Fred Kalil for the first two miles. His red shirt was easy to spot and continued to mock me until I finally passed him in the final mile. There was also a 2K for walkers and strollers. Most 5K’s do draw a lot of walkers, but it takes a while to finish 3.1 miles at a stroll, so I thought the 2K was a great idea. There is a tough spot where the 5K runners jog across the 2K walker route, and it gets a little dicey. The walkers were good sports, though, and tried to stay out of the way and cheered the runners as they cut through.
FOOD: When in doubt, stick with the basics. The bagels were fresh; the bananas were not brown; and the PowerAde and water were cold. There was plenty to go around, so two thumbs up.
T-SHIRT: bright blue cotton T-shirt with a SBTF logo and lots of sponsors on the back. As a runner, I always prefer technical running T’s, but I know these are too pricey for most small races. I generally donate all my running T-shirts to the local homeless shelter or turn them into cleaning rags. This one is nice enough, I might wear it. . . just not running.
CROWD: while waiting in line at the porta potties, the man next to me said he ran in the SBTF race 5 years ago with just a few hundred people. I would estimate Saturday’s crowd at well over 1,000. We had a great showing of 11Alive folks, so that was a lot of fun (I’m taking the picture, so I’m not in it).
UP NEXT: Still looking for some August road races. Any ideas? E-mail me at jwolfe@wxia.gannett.com.
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
Well not that all of you know but my brother was hit by a car about 5 weeks ago, it was rough for a while, his surgery was postponed, then he had complication during surgery (lost a lot of blood and had to have transfusions). Well he finally went home, started feeling better and looking forward to rehab and counting down the next 7 weeks. Well yesterday my sister-in-law, yes his wife, went riding (her bicycle, they both race) to relax and get out some stress and well, some jerk left his dog out loose (a dog known for biting and chasing people) and the dog ran after Cheryl and attacked her while riding. 911 was called, the blood was everywhere, the punctures (from several bites) were so deep they had to xray her to be sure no teeth were embedded in the leg. She now has the full radius of the dogs mouth clearly framed on her thigh. But here is the best part, the guy swears the dog is not his, even though he has a chain in the yard for him and a shelter and the dog ran right to him and he took it in the house after the incident…nice that is showing us kids how to act responsible. He was cited for dog at large and having a dog without vacinations, yes he has no shots…so it is a wait and see if the dog gets sick. He is in quarentine for 10 days and then his fate will be decided. The sad part is it really isn’t the dogs fault, it is those that choose to train them this way and then not retain them in the proper manner on top of it. So now we have 2 of them unable to get around and their 3 month old son, being so great through it all…so my other news will wait until next time as I take all this in, which all happened while I was away on my summer gym retreat. We did have a blast and I will post a pic or 2 to share with you…have a great day and I hope you come back to join us for the season….best to everyone.
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
School starts in about 2 weeks, I don’t know about you but summer has just gone by so fast for me. Between work, training, work (yes I meant to say work twice) and life, I feel like May was only yesterday. Well I am ending my crazy summer on a fun note, we are headed to TN, all 30 of us plus our coaches for our option team retreat. I can’t wait, it has been a fast yet long summer. With my brother’s accident things got a little crazy, he still has a long road to go for recovery but each day is a little better, gym has been tough as I missed several days of practice for work, my brother and illness, not good for working on new skills, but after the retreat it is back to getting more serious and no down time (except Sunday that is, or maybe not I still have to work). Well I will post pics and let you know about the fun we had in TN. Then I will let you know about a huge decission I made that effects every aspect of my life and the direction I am headed…until then stay well, be happy and enjoy each minute of each day…very profound don’t you think….later gator…
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
I love the Peachtree Road Race. It’s the only 10K where you can get doused by holy water, win a T-shirt, eat a donut, do the disco, wave an American flag… and still finish in just over an hour. For 55,000 runners, it is a 4th of July tradition.
As I was sitting in my 5’s group, waiting for my chance to run, I glanced up and saw that huge American flag at the start line. The sun was shining and I was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with my fellow runners, my fellow Americans. I got a little teary eyed. This is why I love the Peachtree.
It’s not about the finish time, it’s about the experience. If you keep that in mind, you will learn to love this 10K like I do. Kudos to the Atlanta Track Club for pulling off another amazing race.
COURSE: 6.2 Miles from Lenox Mall to Piedmont Park. Even though the hill at mile 3 has gained a reputation as “heartbreak hill” and “cardiac hill”, it only goes up 150 feet in elevation. I don’t think this tough reputation is earned. The combined mostly-uphill run through mile 5 is what gets you. But then it’s downhill to the finish line! AND everyone was thrilled to be back at Piedmont Park this year after the drought re-arranged the 2008 race.
FOOD: The food was better than I remembered from previous runs (maybe with Publix as a sponsor? Not sure if that was new this year). I especially appreciated the ice cream sandwiches and the volunteer that yelled with a smile, “Have a cup of nice warm water!” since the gallons of drinking water had been sitting in the sun all morning.
T-SHIRT: Good design. Glad to see it was white and not some crazy lime green or peach.
CROWD: Awesome crowd. Seven different bands along the route were a blast. I always love giving high-five’s to the kids lining the sidewalk. I think the crowd is THE defining factor that makes this race so much fun!
UP NEXT: The Southeast Brain Tumor Foundation’s Race For Research Saturday July 25th 7:30 AM Atlantic Station. Follow me on Twitter @JulieWolfe.
This is part of a new web report I’m starting. I’ll run local 5K’s and 10K’s (with an occasional half marathon). You can follow me on race day on Twitter @JulieWolfe. I’ll post my race review on 11aliveblogs.com. Know of a local race you want me to run? E-mail me at jwolfe@11alive.com.
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
My brother is still in the hospital due to bleeding complications he will need a blood transfusion, so we will have to wait and see what happens
over the next couple of days. He is holding on to his spirits and really looking forward to going home. His pain was really bad yesterday and for
some reason just didn’t get under control but he is much better today (as far as the pain in concerned). Once his blood count gets back to a safe
level, they will try to get him up again and get him using the crutches. I have some other news to tell as well, but that will have to wait until
tomorrow..stay well all
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
My brother’s surgery went very well, they say he should make a full recovery, although that will take a long time. He did have excessive bleeding
during the operation so they are going to be watching him real careful for the next 24 hours. He is in a lot of pain, but glad it is over and he can
now look towards the road to recovery. It was a long night as I stayed at the hospital with him, but it was good and I was able to be there when
he woke in the middle of the night and just needed someone to talk to. I am home for a little while and then going back to see him later tonight.
He needed some rest after the surgery. I will keep you posted on his progress and then back to focusing on gym and my skills, he would not
want me to loose any more gym time for this. Thank you everyone for their prayers and support.
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
I spent the day at the hospital with my brother Todd today awaiting his surgery, which was pushed off until tomorrow, Friday, June 26th. He
was in good spirits most of the day, although he says he is a bit scared about going under even more then the surgery. We watched Twilight, played
cards and just talked. He had a lot of visitors and got a lot of fruit baskets today, the chocolate covered strawberry’s were the best. They say that
he won’t be able to put any weight on his leg for about 10 weeks. I am glad that I will be able to be there for him like he was for me back when I
broke my leg. I will be spending the night at the hospital with him so that he is not alone, because Cheryl, his wife, has to be home with their son
Preston, who is only 12 weeks old. My mom and dad will be here tomorrow morning before the surgery as well as Cheryl and I. Thank you to
everyone who has visited and for all their well wishes…until tomorrow..have a good night. See his stories on these links.
http://www.forsythnews.com/news/article/2806/ and http://www.atlantabike.org/node/1165
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
The summer has been somewhat uneventful, work, school, gymnastics, family time and time with friends. But yesterday life became eventful.
My brother, who lives in Cumming, GA was hit by a car while out for his morning bike ride. The driver either did not see him or something, the
driver was sited in the accident. My brother, who races bikes and was to carry the tourch for the 1996 Olympic tourch relay. Never saw it coming
As he was making a turn the driver rear ended his bike and sent him flying. You see my brother has been an inspiration for me. When I broke my
leg he was the one I talked to, because you see hit was hit by a car in 1996, the night before he was to ride the tourch, an event that changed his life,
so he knew what I was going through or about to go through emotionally and physically, I had no idea if all of it would change my life, and he did…
thank you Todd. I am hoping now that I can be there for him as he moves forward in his recovery, you see he broke his hip in 3 places
and they are deciding today if they should do a hip replacement, try to pin in back together or what. So the operation should be today or
tomorrow, depending oh how his body is from the trauma and if his body is ready for it. Well off training, because he would not want me to miss
that, and then work….Thank you to my friends as they kept my mind off things with a TWILIGHT PARTY….thanks everyone..
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
These tweets are from when I was covering the Silver Comet Trail trial. They’re in reverse time order. If you want to follow me on Twitter, click here. I’ll post more tweets a little later in the day, too.
***
Michael ledford will go to crime scene, since it’s part of his trial. Will not be on trail w/ jury. Defense said he’ll stay in car.
about 1 hour ago
School bus is waiting to take jurors to crime scene after lunch break. Defense atty tells me he really wants to do closing arguements today
about 1 hour ago
Jury going home to get shoes, etc. For trip to comet trail. Back in court at 11:35.
10 minutes ago
Trip to crime scene will show where body was found, were items (clothing, etc.) were found, where trail meets nearby dirt road.
21 minutes ago
Media pool camera will go to scene with court & jury with limited access (50 to 100 feet from jury- will not show jurrors).
24 minutes ago
Judge: Jury WILL go to scene of silver comet trail murder.sheriff’s dept. Getting site ready right now. Removing memorial for jury’s trip.
30 minutes ago
1991 rape victim testifies for state in silver comet trail murder case. ‘he grabbed me and lead me into the woods’ she says of Ledford.
35 minutes ago
Lawyers conferencing with judge on request to take jury to site of silver comet trail murder where 53 yr. Old jennifer ewing was killed.
about 1 hour ago
Silver comet murder trail: judge ‘mulling over’ state’s request to take jury to crime scene. DNA expert on stand now.
about 1 hour ago
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
My series “Keeping the Faith” has popped up in our “most read”, “most commented”, and “most watched” categories on 11Alive.com. It’s the online “trifecta” for news at 11 Alive (at least among the web geeks… and me). Obviously, some of the comments will be negative. In response to Tuesday’s story, I received a viewer e-mail that read:
I was sickened by your “Faith-Based” story this morning concerning the way that muslims are directed by the koran to live within their means. Your reporter actually quoted chapter and verse from the koran. You have never done the same with Christianity and the Bible. You have turned away from the majority of believers that have supported your station in favor of highlighting a minority cult. Shame on you. I’ll find another station to watch.
I sent this viewer the following response:
This morning’s story focusing on an Islamic Mosque in Alpharetta is part of a series all this week called “Keeping the Faith”. We’re looking at how various religious organizations are responding to the economic slowdown, including specific religious teachings that influence the way they spend money.
Of the five part series, two of them are Christian churches (Baptist and Methodist), one is Muslim, one is Jewish, and the fifth is a wide-view that will include all of the above.
Monday’s story focused on a Baptist church in Atlanta. The pastor cited Jesus as his example. I did not cite a specific text in that because the pastor did not; he instead talked about Jesus’ overall example. In that story, I clearly referred to both God and Jesus, because that’s what drives Pastor Eddie Love to do what he does for his community.
Also, Thursday’s story will focus on a mission in one of Georgia’s hardest hit areas, Rome. It is supported by the United Methodist Church. The volunteers there DO quote a specific text in the Bible, and so that text will be included in my story.
I agree that the majority of our viewers are Christian. It’s one reason we’ve devoted more time to Christian organizations than any other in this week’s series. In your e-mail you wrote: “You have turned away from the majority of believers that have supported your station in favor of highlighting a minority cult.”
I don’t believe we’ve “turned away” from our Christian viewers since the positive feedback I’ve received this morning has come from Christian and non-Christian viewers alike.
Also, my research suggests characterizing Islam as “a minority” is incorrect. According to a 2005 Encyclopedia Britannica survey, 33% of the world’s population is Christian; 20% is Muslim (the second largest religion).
Robert, thank you for e-mailing us. Your e-mail implies a sense of passion for God that I admire and respect. In that same way, I respect the beliefs of our entire community, including those that hold views different from my own.
Instead of the shame you suggest I feel; I am proud. Proud of the amazing things our churches, synagogues, and mosques are doing to help people through this time (including those from other faiths). Proud I get to share their stories, and proud I work at a station that allows me to do it.
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
Here’s the challenge: Find a place to live in a city you’ve never been to before. You have two days.
I’ve been in that place, and made a few mistakes along the way. In my 28 years, I’ve moved 13 times. Sometimes across the country, but often across town. I may not be the Obi Wan of moving, but I’m pretty close. Now, I’m using all those miles to help a former co-worker.
He’s headed to Atlanta next month under the 2-day scenario. I tried to steer him in the right direction, to save him a few mistakes. I forgot one big thing: bring your own water.
The day after our detailed discussion of Atlanta’s layout, I woke up and went to take a shower. No water. It wasn’t the first time. Almost any given day in Atlanta, there is a water main break somewhere. Sometimes it’s just a trickle . Sometimes, it’s a gushing river. Three times in the last year, it means no water for me.
It means running around frantically, dumping every source of water into a big pot (tea kettle from last night, Britta pitcher from the fridge, ice cubes from the freezer, half empty water glass on the nightstand), heating it up a little (to melt the ice), and shampooing my hair in said pot.
Now, I keep a big jug of emergency water in the fridge.
There are many reasons for the water issue: old pipes, fast growth, constant construction. But trust me, when you’re washing your hair in a pot of water, you’re less concerned about the why and more concerned with where you put that jug of emergency water.
Maybe my welcome to Atlanta gift should be a plastic jug. At least I know he’ll use it.
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
I’ve been reading a lot of graphic novels lately (“graphic novels” sound more grown up than “comics”). As a photographer, I love the framing, shading, and colors. As an avid reader, I like the complicated plot lines. Even if you’re not a comic reader, you’ve probably heard the line “With great power comes great responsibility.”
I think it should read “With great trust comes great responsibility.” I believe media plays an important role in our democracy, and we take that power seriously. But as an individual journalist, I’ve never felt “powerful”. Instead, I feel the weight of responsibility because of your trust.
Our viewers trust us to tell the truth, to remain objective, to hold our politicians accountable.
Sometimes, our viewers grant us a much deeper level of trust.
I first met the LaSalle family in November. Margie was fighting breast cancer and had a poor prognosis. A family friend wrote and illustrated a children’s book based on their story to help kids deal with terminally ill parents. It’s called “Always and Everywhere”. Proceeds from the book would help the LaSalle family buy a one-story house since Margie was having difficulty managing the stairs in their small Cobb County home.
The story set off a flood of viewer e-mails; people were touched by the story and wanted to do something to help. I e-mailed back and forth with some of Margie’s friends and family to make sure they received those offers of help. That was in November.
Since then, I’ve often thought of Margie and her family. She mostly popped into my head when I was having a bad day. Through furloughs and car troubles, when I was wearing a frown, I’d remember her family and chastise myself for wasting even one day sweating all that small stuff.
Two weeks ago, I got an e-mail from one of Margie’s friends. I have to be honest. When I read the subject line “A follow up on Margie LaSalle”, I braced for some bad news. Instead, I found a simple request. Margie was in hospice; her daughter was having a birthday party. Could I do tape the party since Margie couldn’t go?
Originally, we thought about trying to set up a live web camera so Margie could see the party as it was happening. After consulting her family and friends, we decided watching 3 hours of a blurry video wouldn’t work for Margie or 8-year-old kids.
I talked to my news director and we agreed: I would go to the party because it was something we wanted to do for this family. I wasn’t sure if I would even do a story on it. That’s not why I was there.
About half-way through the night, Chris LaSalle said he wanted to do an interview. So we sat down (in an only slightly quiet corner) and talked about Claire and Margie. He was open and candid… and heartbreaking. Soon, I was interviewing Margie’s mom and other friends.
I asked Chris where I could drop off the DVD, and he asked if I wanted to watch it with Margie. Every step of the way, still unsure if I would turn this into a story, I kept asking “Is this OK?”
The LaSalle family said yes, because they trusted me. And that was a great responsibility. I feel so lucky that I’ve been able to spend some time with Margie. She is an amazing woman. I hope the weight of responsibility I felt came across in the story I told about her and her family.
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
Five pennies should equal a nickel. But, clearly, all change is not created equal. My top three reasons for using change are: (1) Tolls, (2) Parking meters, and (3) Vending machines. None of them take pennies. (Actually, one time I did have to pay the toll cashier in pennies and came to better understand the phase “if looks could kill”).
So, that means I need to put my change to work when I buy other stuff. But I’ve noticed, people just don’t like to wait for you to count out pennies. Dig around for a quarter? OK. Count out nine pennies? Not so much.
If I can’t use them, what’s the point of having a penny?
Woa! Hold on there. That kind of talk could have people throwing rotten tomatoes at me. There are 13,3000,000 results on google for “save the penny”. 1,710,000 for “penny lovers of America”.
According to Americans for Common Cents “eliminating the penny is a losing proposition because it will result in rounding to the nearest nickel and higher prices for America’s working families”.
It also would be a blow to American charities. Even 8-year-old Ronnie Freeman knows that. He just collected more than $3,000 in pennies for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It was part of Woodward Academy’s “Pennies for Patients” campaign. Ten million schools have raised millions since the fundraiser started in 1994.
If you think pennies are underrated, they are. So are most 8-year-olds. If you spend a morning with Ronnie Freeman like I did, you’ll walk away a little wowed. And a little more appreciative of those pennies.
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
“Go cover storm clean-up.” It’s a command we often hear as journalists during severe weather season in Atlanta. In our walk through the wreckage, we often uncover stories of survival, sadness, and sometimes even humor. Thursday, my trip to Brooks, Georgia veered down the lane of dark comedy. The day started at 3:00 AM.I drove out to Brooks (where? I asked the assignment desk) to meet our overnight photographer, JoJo.
Live shot troubles lead us to meet in a gas station parking lot (the nightmare of any local news reporter– but what can you do?). Except JoJo (who is always punctual) left me waiting. I thought this would be a great time to use the gas station restroom. It was motion-sensitive, but apparently not that tuned into movements. It plunged me into the darkness and left me waving my arms frantically around inside the stall. I promptly jammed my hand into the corner of the paper dispenser and now have a weird shaped bruise on my hand.
It turns out JoJo was late because he got stuck in the mud after shooting some storm damage. Industrious as he is, he gathered up downed branches and pine straw, shoved it under his wheels, and made it in time for a 5:00 AM hit.
JoJo's pointing to the mud splatter!
It wasn’t until our 6:00 AM hit that things started getting really weird. Our light was blowing around and almost tipped over. Jojo looked a little confused. It turns out, a stray dog stole our bright orange sand bag and was happily chewing on it nearby. When my IFB wouldn’t work (it’s how we hear the anchors and producers talk to us), I checked the cord and was astonished to see the dog and chewed right through it. Despite all of this, JoJo still gave the stray his breakfast left-overs.
Later that day, my camera went on strike (refusing to shoot for more than 5 seconds at a time), and our second live truck AND our satellite truck got stuck in the mud. Thanks to all those nice folks in Spalding County for towing us out — 3 different trucks, 3 different times. In fact, that’s what stuck with me the most. Despite getting almost no sleep after a stormy night, everyone (from neighbors to police officers to utility crews) went out of their way to be nice. A big storm helps us put things in perspective: what’s really important? Some crews might have lost it out there, covered in mud. Personally, I thought it was kind of funny.
Like this entry? Share it with your friends:
