Busy, Busy

Back at work for the week and I'm feeling much better, albeit, a tad bit drowsy from the meds. I only had a couple flubs, so I consider it an okay start. But what I'm really looking forward to is this weekend. I got my first assignment from an expat magazine for the February issue and I'm thrilled to get started on it. Apparently they needed more music writers and a couple co-workers of mine that did some work for the magazine passed on my info to the music editor, and viola! My big magazine debut.

I pitched the idea of doing a feature on a little live music spot called 빵 for the music issue in March, but the editor asked if I could get it done for the February issue instead. This is fine with me, however, the deadline is next Saturday (Jan.15) which means I have to do all the work this weekend. Thank goodness it fell on my weekend off, otherwise I don't think I could get it done. Especially since the show starts early, around 7 pm, which is normally right in the middle of my work shift.

So, Friday night, I'm heading over to take pictures and hopefully interview the manager and a couple of spectators. The only thing is, I'll be missing my roommate's birthday party. I feel bad about this, but at the same time, she only mentioned it was her birthday after I had said I was planning to go to Hongdae Friday night. Plus, she said she had no plans yet. And this is a work thing, even though I don't get paid for writing the article.

I haven't told her yet, since everything just worked itself out in the last three or four hours while I was at the office, but I'll have to tonight. Or whenever she finally tells me what her plans are. I could possibly start out in Hongdae and then go wherever her party is after the show ends around 10pm, but I kind of want to stay in Hongdae and check out whatever bands are playing at the clubs that night since I've been out of indie loop for a bit and need to get back in if I'm going to be covering the scene.

We'll see what happens. I'm also on a kick to try and watch my spending this month since I'm 100% I'll get paid on time. It always happens at the beginning of the year with all the year-end freelancer tax stuff getting in the way...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

And feel like it too. The last two days have been below freezing most of the day. I lose the feeling in my toes on the way to and from the office...

But anyway, I was told today that the morning news show found another replacement for the weather girl, so I'm no longer filling in for her. She told me is that the TJ-nim and producer found someone on their own. But a friend told me they actually hired someone to replace the current weather girl last week and had been training her, then told the current girl two days ago that they're letting her go. I really think my company is sometimes sneaky-sneaky, and not in a good way. *knock on wood* Makes you want to refrain from any vacations for awhile...

Anyway, while I was kind of looking forward to doing the weather live, it's kind of nice that I'll have all day Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off so I can enjoy my holiday. Plus, I can go to the 2AM concert on Dec. 26 and not worry about having to get up at 4 am the next day for work (or at all, actually, since I now have that whole day off, too). I haven't told my TJ about it, out of fear that she'll ask me to come in and do morning editing since I won't be on TV. I know that I can always say 'no', but since I don't officially have anything planned during that time, I would probably end up saying 'yes'. (Remember... sneaky-sneaky...) And I'd rather sleep in than make extra money that they probably wouldn't pay me until February...

So, while I was looking forward to advancing my savings, I'm just going to enjoy the time off instead. And for now, I'm focasing on figuring out what to get my friends for Christmas. I think I've got my roommate's stocking figured out, and another friend that just moved here. But I'm having a hard time with my best friend... Maybe a new iPhone cover?? Ugh. I might just revert to cute jewelry...

Holidays Are Meant to be Crazy

I finally got my December work schedule nailed down, and the week of Christmas is looking a bit crazy. But I suppose it's okay since holidays are supposed to be crazy, and I'll be making extra money.

For about three weeks I'm covering the morning editing shift on Mondays and Fridays starting today. Unfortunately, I was already scheduled to do the evening shift, which means a 12-hour day with a tw0-hour break in between. I'll only have one other double shift day on the 17th, so this arrangement isn't too bad, other then I'll be coming in three times on my day off for three hours.

The real kicker will start on Dec. 24. I've agreed to cover for the morning weather girl for about two weeks while she goes on vacation. This means from Dec. 24- Jan. 7, I'll be coming into the office at 5:30 in the morning to write my script, do hair and make-up and then give two live weather reports for our morning broadcast. Which means during the first week, I'll be working 5:30 am to 10 pm with a two-hour break for three days, and the second for two days. That equals to five 14-hour days in two weeks.

I'm staying positive and trying not to let myself get overwhelmed three weeks before I even do anything. I get Christmas Day off. I get to go to a JYP concert for free on Christmas Eve. (Technically, I'll be working at it, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy it at the same time.) And it's extra money that I can put towards a number of things. A new camera. Or a new net book and external hard drive since I'm terrified my lap top could die any day now from old age. (It's working fine, a little slow, but okay.) Or a vacation. There is a possibility I could lose my Thursday morning appointment forever, but we'll see.

So, in short, my motto for this month is: Stay positive. I'm getting a fun opportunity to do live TV that I wouldn't get anywhere else. And I already had one person recognize me from doing the evening weather for a week. Maybe I'll get more from this. ^_^

It's... Over...

The G20 is officially over. *Cue confetti and ticker tape parade*

Well, it's not quite over for us here at work. There are still three more newscasts to go before the end of my shift, which at the moment consists of:

- Two packages (2-3 minutes long)

- 4-6 B-rolls (30-50 seconds)

Today is definitely way more low key than yesterday and the day before. No more reporters running around like chickens with their heads cut off or Boss Lady yelling. Even though we're still reporting, things are calm. Probably because there won't really be any fresh news from now on with all the meetings and such over with. We'll just be re-reporting all the news we put out throughout the day. Thus why I have the time to write this blog.

I'm so ready for this to be over. I really would love to just go home and sleep after work, but I've already promised a couple co-workers that we would go get a couple beers after work to celebrate the end of the G20... bleh...

Hwighting!

I think I can physically see the stress permeating the office today. I even had a freak-out moment myself when I got in at 2:06 pm and realized that there is a broadcast at 3pm (once again, no one told me the on-the-hour newscasts started at 3). Luckily, most of the b-rolls for the bulletins are rolling over to the next broadcast, but I've been getting so many random calls to look at packages for today and tomorrow that I'm afraid to leave my desk since there is no telling when the next call might come. Especially since they aren't putting up the cue sheets until an hour before broadcast and I'm not sure what to expect.

Which means I don't know when or if I'm getting dinner tonight. I'll probably have one of the reporters call down to the cafe and order me a sandwich to bring up, if they have a free minute (which most don't). Oi, the stress! I'm so ready for the G20 to be over.

And for the delivery guy to drop off my package from G-Market with my new sweaters... that is if I can find a kind soul to call and speak to him in Korean... I hate having a low Korean speaking and listening ability...

G20... I love you, but I hate you...

Is it bad that the G20 hasn't even started yet and I'm already feeling the drain? I'm about to start a baek won collection for every time a reporter uses the word 'cooperation'. It's already messing with my super editor skills (*hint* sarcasm).

All I know is, I'm so looking forward to my trip home to the States for Thanksgiving... seriously...

Back into Routine

So, I made it through my first day of work at The Korea Times. It was pretty uneventful, other than accidentally walking in through the back door instead of the front. But it's okay. I think I did okay, but I haven't got any feedback from the guy in charge. Basically, I go in and I edit like crazy and hope that I don't make any mistakes. I think I'm going to like the job, but I do have to be careful because it does have potential to get monotonous. Luckily, they said that I would possibly have the opportunity to write for the foreign community page or at least contribute in some way.

But I think I'm going to like the schedule. It's not that far from my house (definitely closer than Hongdae) and I don't have to get up really early. My day starts at 10:3o am beginning on June 23. And I'm finishing around 5:30- 6 pm. Right now I'm just part-time, which I'm enjoying because I have my mornings to run errands and visit friends. Today I'm thinking about going and getting a haircut. Tomorrow morning I'm going hiking down in Yangjae with my friend Linda and Thursday I'm meeting Se Won and Yong Sang for lunch.

I find that I'm already getting into routine. I wake up around 7ish or 8:30ish even though I set my alarm for 9:30 am. Today, I was pretty productive and cleaned up the apartment. (Mainly because I was woken by my landlady having a heated argument outside my window and I couldn't go back to sleep. Probably because I feared she would come up to my apartment next for something and I at least wanted to greet her with a sparkling clean apartment. Luckily it never happened...)

So, life is okay for now. I'm glad I'm kind of easing into the job because I know once I go full-time, life will be a balancing act between work, studying Korean, keeping my apartment clean (which is really hard with my dysfunctional kitten), and my after-work appointments, not to mention keeping up with my friends. I can already tell that I'm not going to be able to see my friends a lot, but that's what you have to do when you work 7-days a week just to pay the bills and hopefully save up some.

But, yes, that's life as of now. On June 29 I get official word if the Times is going to officially hire me and have me sign a contract (which I'm not worried about). Cheers everyone and hopefully next time I'll have something a little more exciting to write about.