home sweet home

it's late, it feels like a friday night, and i've got muddy waters playing in the background (soooo right that guitar feels in my ear0. dawn's asleep and i really should slip into bed, but i'd best post this now.

phillip snyder made it home. dennis and i made our way to the airport as mentioned. there was a delay. he came in at 2 instead of noon. so after getting up early, i returend home, chillded, then left. we got there and joined the other media folks. there were three tv stations there and the GR press (shondra m. reported for them).

after some waiting, milling, the family arrived. we met up with uncle denny, amber's mom and the kids. the kids are cute little things. i eased my way to talking with the oldest child, got a quick comment from one of the little ones and a few others before snyder came towards us.

its' funny. the tv folks with their cameras knelt down and crowded, as usual, in front. they usually take up a lot of space with the cameras and mikes. one of them made a stupid move forward and all of them jerked forward. i don't understand since they have great capacity for zooming in. they could have been standing 20 feet away from him and still gottena nice close shot. instead, it becomes frenzied with snyder surrounded by his children and media looming over him like vultures (one of the photogs actually voiced that sentiment). and i guess it's true. we are vultures of sorts, except instead of carrion we crave words, sentences, information that will garner the makings of a good story.

which brings me to this point: do we really care about our the people we interview or is it wham, bam, tahnk you ma'am? i believe that a good reporter cares about the person heor she is interviewing, truly feels some sympathy for an individual. when i interview someone who's just lost their belongings in a fire or loved one in a car carsh, i genuinely feel bad for them. i do my job, thank them or give condolences, pat them on the shoulder or shake their hand, and leave. it's never rough or rude. theat will never get you anywhere. you go in be sympathetic, listen to them, and then i go write the best story i can with what i've got.

soap box time is over.

snyder spoke briefly and then it was over. he'll give a longer, more-depth interview later afte he's rested. i won't be able to do it because i won't be working friday. oh well. someone will do a capable job of it.

ok, i've really got to off now. i feel this entry is a failure and, despite my intent, pointless and rambling. although, isn't that what i am suppose to do with this blog? heh heh