Part of the Team

Well folks it has been about a month since I've arrived in Charleston, South Carolina.  What a month.  It has come with so many changes.  I've made friends, eaten southern food, OH and I saw this Turtle outside of my house today!

Ok moving on.  So I haven't talked about my job to ya'll as much as I would like to.  From the second I stepped into KSL back in my senior year of high school I knew this is what I wanted to do.  I love the adrenaline of breaking news, I love the kind of people that work in a news station.  It is basically the best.  It is also long and tiring and HOT! Not the best.  But when you combine them you get magic!

So I work for ABC News 4.  Officially it is WCIV.  I have a great group of people to work with. Today though, I had a realization.  I realized that after a few weeks of hard work I made it.  I think I've been initiated as part of the team.  Not as 'the new girl' or the young kid who doesn't know anything yet, but the girl who can do this job.  Let me explain.

Yesterday was an extremely long day.  To start I woke up at 5am to get to a shoot at 7.  The shoot went ok but I didn't get everything I needed and it got frustrating.  But oh well.  I didn't have time to worry about it.  So I went to church and then back to work.  At 11 I went out to shoot a nat pack and came back just in time to edit and make it to my next event, a Beer and Dogs event.  After that I headed 20 minutes out to a finale for a festival.  I got just enough video before heading back to the station to edit everything.  But I did it. And I even had some time to spare. To fill that time I volunteered to go to a River Dogs baseball game to shoot some highlight video.  It was after that that things got really interesting.

After shooting River Dogs it was about 7:30 and I was just about ready to call it a night when . . . Breaking news, 911 call requesting water rescue.  We got an address and I was out of there.  It was on John's Island, 30 minutes out.  I got to the scene just as police were arriving.  I immediately started shooting video.  I had only gotten about 13 shots when the family approached me and threw me off the property.  I didn't blame them, I actually had no idea I was on private property but respected their wishes and immediately left.  There was no reason to stay except to gather information.  I got a few details and headed back.  (PS that footage I got was the only footage gathered from any of the stations).

At about 9:30 I was once again finishing up and ready to head out when there was another 911 call.  This one was a fire out in Mt. Pleasant.  I headed out again and shot some video and grabbed a very quick interview.  It was about 10:15 before I left and I needed to get my video ingested and edited before the news at 11.  I got back to the station at 10:40 and quickly threw something together.  With a deep breath I looked at the time (11:00) and decided my day could officially be over.

So. The next morning I walked into the station, still a tad tired from my busy day.  The first person to approach me was Scott.  He is one of my bosses.  He told me I 'had achieved rockstar status'.  It was nice to achieve a little recognition for all the work I had done the night before.  Many people including the news director told me how much they appreciated all my work.  I even got a round of applause from the news team.  It felt really good!  But this was not the end to the craziness.

My reporter, Stacy was working on a story about an accident that occurred over the weekend.  Some firefighters and EMT workers were on scene of an accident when a drunk driver hit them head on.  it happened at 2am so we didn't have any footage but we were going to do a general story about worker safety.  We had an interview at 2:00pm and our story was going to be on the 7:00 news with a shorter story airing in the 6.  We had our work cut out for us.  While we were with the EMT workers we got an e-mail with the names and addresses of all the victims.  This made the time crunch worse because we were going to have to knock some doors to try to get an interview.  Except the EMT workers who were with us knew the EMT worker who was hit and gave us his number.  We called him and he was willing to talk to us.  We got a great interview.  So we arrived back at the station about 3:45.  Stacy quickly logged the video and I began editing.

About 5 I was all done with the VO/Sot and just waiting for the script for the package.  We were feeling prepared. But then we got copies of the dashcam footage from the scene.  It was really graphic, as in seeing people get hit head on by a car graphic.  We couldn't show some of it but there was a lot we could show.  This was the most recent stuff we had and wanted to lead with it.  So with an hour before air we had to get the footage from the disk to the drive, edit it and put together a new VO/Sot.  With minutes to air I was exporting.  But we did it.  This left an hour to edit an entire package.  I was stressing with a smile on my face.  Somehow with help from outside this world we got it done.  It turned out good too.  Take a look if you like.  I really like how it turned out. Especially considering the time crunch.

WCIV-TV | ABC News 4 - Charleston News, Sports, Weather
As stressful as it was it was the best too!  That is what this job is all about!  Deadline and killing it!  I'm having way too much fun.  I feel like I became part of the team after all this.  They like me, they know what I have to bring to the table!  It's a blast!

My New Life

Much like the actress Amanda Bynes I too have become a new person.  No I didn't shave half my head or get busted for Marijuana, that one belongs to Amanda only but I have in the last month, graduated from college, packed my life into a very small car, and moved across the country.  I then started a job, went to the beach almost a dozen times, and rapped for my ward.  My name is Emily Landeen and this is my new life.

I've got this feeling

It's the same feeling I got at Westland Elementary.  I remember we had one day towards the end of school.  It was field day.  We all got to go outside because it was finally warm.  We spent all day playing games from kickball to water balloon volleyball.  It was always one of the most anticipated days of the whole year.  There is a certain feeling you can get.  It is so tangible that you can almost smell it.  It smells like fresh air and mowed grass and joy.  It is the feeling of summer and anticipation.

When I went into middle school the feeling was the same but I got it when the middle school awards ceremonies were near.  It was less of an excitement to go play outside and more to see what awards I got that year.  I, being the smart-aleck over-acheiver I was, always came out with straight A's.  Let's face it, the 22 year old me would've beat the 14 year-old me up hard core; then taken me out for ice cream and bought myself some jeggings, taught me how to use a straightener, and explain what kissing a boy is like.  Anyway, middle school had the same feeling only with a tad more anxiety.

High School end of year time was still the same feeling only with a lot more stress.  I was yearbook editor so end of the year meant finishing everything and getting it to the printer and handing them out.  It was a big ol' deal.  By this point I definitely wouldn't say I was cool but I did have friends so end of the year meant parties, bon fires, and sleepovers.  It meant trips and camping.  It meant looking back at the tough year and saying, I did it, I survived and next year is gonna be so much better. Still it felt like hope and otter pops.

In College the feeling usually feels like finals, books, and long hours at the library.  It's not miserable though.  I loved being at the library all day.  I love making it my only priority.  I love getting to the library, neglecting my studying and watching Netflix all day.  Let's face it, that was the real finals week was like.  I love cramming until midnight the night before and waking up feeling uprepared and scared I'll fail out of college. I love when that last final is over and I get to walk away looking forward to the summer.

Today was the last day of classes, the last day of work, and the last day of ATV News.  I'm moving to South Carolina in two weeks to start a full-time job.  For at least the next five years I most likely won't be in school at all.  So that feeling was about 1000 times bigger than usual.  I've been doing this for the last 18 years of my life.  Now, I won't.  Now I start a new chapter.  Now I go on another adventure.  I'm gonna highlight some people in the next few posts.  People who have changed my life.  Without them, I wouldn't be who I am.  You already know who you are.  You are the ones that made me want something more than just happiness.  You wanted me to reach for the best, to be better, and to love more than I thought I could.

Until then, I'm going to hold onto this feeling.  The one that says, "Go out and play before the world comes crashing down, because it's field day, and you need a day off"

~Emily

Big News! I'm Growing Up!

There comes a time in everyone's life that they have to grow up.  Even Christopher Robin left the hundred acre woods eventually right? The Green Power Ranger eventually grew up and taught school, reprising his role in Power Rangers like 8 years later, fun fact.  And just as they grew up I get to take the next step in my life.  Are you ready?  Are you sure?  Ok . . .

I have been offered and accepted a job at WCIV Charleston, South Carolina.  It's a ABC affiliate television station.  I will be a full time Videographer for them.

There it is.  I'm moving across the country.  I move in two weeks.  I'm going to a place that I've never been, know no one, and is about 200% more humid than Utah.  Ok you can say it, I'm crazy.

The Fear
Am I freaking out?  About every third minute.  It'll hit me, the reality of the situation.  I'm going to be further away from my family and friends than I've ever been in my life.  This is my first job and I will have to really throw myself into it.  I don't have a place to live yet and have to move in about two weeks.  Yeah.  How can I do this!?  I might not be able to get home for Christmas.  It could be a while before I am back in Utah at all!  I have lived here my whole life.  I have never lived further away from home than Logan, Utah.  I have never had a full time job.  I have never lived in a sauna before.  Ok now that I've officially freaked you all out and you are sincerely worried about my safety let's move on.

The Fun
It's always been a dream of mine to have the courage to go out to somewhere completely new and immerse myself in my atmosphere.  Looks like fate listened.  When I initially applied for this job I thought it was a long shot.  Who's gonna hire a Photog straight out of college and help them move across the country.  But I applied because I was keeping expectations low.  I tweeted the chief Photog (basically the boss) and he gave me his e-mail.  I bugged and bugged him until he called me.  We interviewed, he called my great references, and two days ago I was offered a job.  The Chief Photog Dave MacQueen is an insanely nice guy.  He was willing to do whatever I needed to help me move out.  He said he could look for apartments for me, put me in contact with people, he made it very clear that I was valuable.  When I told my teacher, Brian Champagne, he was stoked.  My whole department was stoked. They have already been giving me contacts they know.  My roommates have been insanely supportive, jumping up and down with me and giving me hugs through the anxiety and waiting.  One not-roommate but boyfriend-of-roommate has visited Charleston and was one of the first people who made me want to live there, telling me how amazing it is.  It is a gorgeous city, right next to the coast. I'll be leaving the mountains but I'll send you all pictures of the beach.  Yeah. I've already looked up where churches are located and been working on getting in contact with potential Bishops.

Help!
Here's where you come in dear readers, friends, family etc.  For one: make sure you miss me a lot.  I will miss all of you I promise!  Skype and Facetime are definitely welcome.  Two: visit.  Um . . . now you have a reason to come to the east coast.  I'm doing you a huge favor here.  Most importantly, I need your help.  If you know anyone in Charleston, South Carolina.  I could use contacts.  If they are LDS it would be especially helpful.  Once I find housing life gets a little less stressful.

In any case, I'm moving.  I will be gone a week or two after graduation and be living and working in Charleston.  Wish me luck and give me lots of hugs and prayers.  I'll do a whole post about everyone who has influenced my life, especially at USU but thanks.  Thanks for eating cheeze its with me and taking long drives out to Tremonton, and taking me fly fishing.  I owe you!  Love you all!

~Emily Katrina Landeen.

Muddy Buddies v. Men

The other night I was sitting at home with my roommate and we decided to have a night in.  Ok ok scratch that.  It was a Friday night and neither of us had dates.  We were forced into staying in so we decided to make the most of it.  Dominos and a movie seemed sufficient.  We discussed if there were snacks to be had during this movie and it both hit us like a double-decker bus: Muddy Buddies!  Chocolatey Peanut Buttery goodness that take like 15 minutes to make but satisfy you for a lifetime!  Our game plan was sound.  Hit Lees to pick up ingredients and order pizza over the phone so we could pick it up on the way to the Hastings to get the movie.  Under an hour and we were all set.

 So we made these Muddy Buddies while discussing the pathetic-ness of our lives as single students.  But as we sat down to watch this amazing movie (Flipped, rated PG I give it 3.5 stars.  A bit cheesy but great life lessons) I thought about how much better Muddy Buddies are than an actual man.  Now I'm not going to made a Ven-diagram or T chart as much as I'd like to.  I am simply going to explain that night with Muddy Buddies and you can draw your own conclusions.

When we were all ready and in our Cozy Wozies as I like to call them we grabbed our blankets and got ready to start the movie.  Knowing I was all set I went to the kitchen and got my muddy buddies out of the fridge.  Bringing them into the front room we settled down onto the couch.  They of course didn't mind that I needed to move around a bit to get comfortable. It took a few minutes until I found the right position but then I was comfortably watching the movie.

Now Muddy Buddies are sweet and delicious.  However there was a point when I had enough and wanted to put them to the side and simply watch the movie.  I needed to stretch out and wanted some personal space.  It wasn't that I didn't like the Muddy Buddies it was just that I had had enough . . .for now.  So I put them on the table and guess what?  They didn't take offense or try to come back they were just content to sit and wait until I was ready for more, which eventually I WAS!

At the end of the night I was tired and full.  I had enough Muddy Buddies for one night and was ready to say goodbye.  Rather than overstaying their welcome they simply let me put them in the fridge knowing that I would come back if/when I wanted some more.  I got to go to bed when I wanted and everyone was happy.    There was no definite commitment that I would want to share another occasion with my delicious treat we just lived in the moment and enjoyed the sweetness of life.

Now I know your rebuttal here:
-You are just sad that you don't have a sexy Hugh Jackman in your life.
-You are scared of commitment and need to learn to share your life.
-Give someone else your attention, it's not all about you.
-You got to eat a tasty treat but did you get to make out with a hot man that night?

To all this I respond: What are you talking about, I just like Muddy Buddies!

A Fresh Start

You know what sucks?  A lot of things actually.  Let's list a few just to be on the safe side.

-Being Sick
-Breaking up
-Getting behind in school
-Crying
-The Cold

Ok, now just so you all don't think I'm a crazy pessimist (sp?) let's list some good things:

-Sunshine
-Laughing
-Hot shirtless superheroes
-Fruit
-Addicting Music
-Posters of cats dressed up as the seven dwarves 

Ok, so now that I think I've balanced my life out a little, let me explain.  That first list is the consistence of my existence in the last four weeks.  (I'm not sure if I used consistence right here?  I've been out of skool 4 a wile).  Now I know what you are thinking:  Emily if you didn't want to be cold you shouldn't have gone to school in Logan, if you didn't want to get mono you shouldn't have been kissing that random hobo, and if you don't want to break up learn to be a healthy adult who doesn't run away from emotional connections.  Geez stop nagging me already, can I at least get a chance to defend myself?

It started back right after Christmas.  I was working approximately 40 hours a week at this lovely little TV station called KSL.  You might have heard of it.  Yeah I'm just going to let you soak that up for a sec, just like I soaked up all the germs in that lovely office.  Now, I love that place with my whole heart but it is a freakin incubator for germs.  I was using a different persons equipment every day, using the phones, the GPS, the cameras (once again I'm boasting for dramatic emphasis), their wireless microphones, their sweet light kits, you know all that snazziness.  So one day I was not feeling so good but you know it's flu season so I don't really think to much of it.  Suddenly I am freakishly tired like every day.  For a person who prides herself on all night marathons this was a bit off. But, hey I was working a ton so maybe it's just that.  My eyes are also insanely swollen.  I looked like I got pepper sprayed.  But hey I sleep so much maybe it's just a bad combination of work and sleep.  I push through it working as much as I possibly can.  Finally I resign to that evil man in a lab coat they call a "doctor".  Two eye infections.  Gee thanks.  Still I'm exhausted.  My eyes unswell a bit but not back to normal.  I look like an old man.  You know how as they age the bottom lids of their eyes start puffing out.  Well that was Emily Landeen to a tee.  It was disgusting.   So fine I will go to another doctor.  After explaining all the symptoms I was told I had a sinus infection.  Ok bring it on.  Sure.  What the heck.  So I got new antibiotics and was sent home.

So I moved up to school feeling pretty disgusting but with hope that I may start feeling better.  Guess what? I didn't. No, in fact I felt worse.  I woke up the first day of school wanting to kill myself.  I made it to class, barely, then was sent home.  So I figure ya know what?  These doctors are getting paid for something, let's go wait an hour an a half in the InstaCare.  Yeah that sounds like a great use of my time.  I watched an episode and a half of "Switched at Birth" in the waiting room and I'm sorry but just not my type of show.  I mean it's ABC Family to start and I just do not see the appeal.  Ok back to my sicky state.  So finally these doctors were going to do some tests.  We did strep first then Mono.  And sure enough it was Mono!  Now upon first glance I was almost, how to say this appropriately, excited?  Mono is kinda a famous one.  Like, you get to sleep all the time, and you get a cool rep because it means you've been kissing, I was feeling kinda cool.  Bonus: They gave me a pink bandage from where they took the blood; always a plus.  So I got home, found a very kind person who drove to my house to give me a blessing and gave me some company.  Who knew it would be the only real company I would have for the next three weeks.  I've been soakin in for all it's worth.  I went to bed after e-mailing all my teachers and the next morning was Hell.

Now I have my own vision but I'll let you pick your own.  Imagine the worst torture scene you've ever seen in a movie (or in real life for all my Navy SEAL followers), it was worse.  I felt like someone had reached down my throat with a syringe and filled my tonsils to their limit with acid.  That's as descriptive as I'm gettin.  I couldn't move, I couldn't eat, I didn't even know what day it was.  Finally after a few days (I honestly couldn't tell you when) my lovely mother and brother picked me up.  I wasn't gettin any better at school and had completely lost track of when I last took drugs.  If the pain came I'd pop 4 more painkillers.  I got home and slept.  That's pretty much it, I just slept.  I dreamed about Narnia and Middle Earth, part of me still believes I was actually there for a time.  I would wake up, drink some food and go back to sleep.  This was my life for a week.  Then slowly I could move.  I could make it from my room, to the front room without taking a break half way.  I was healed!  I hurriedly grabbed my stuff and moved back to school!  Fun fact about Mono, just because your tonsils aren't twice their normal size and you can open your eyes doesn't mean your better. I went to one day of work and classes and I was back down.

Long story short I'm still here.  Still sick.  Still hating every second of my existence.  Ok that is untrue.  I am inside all the time.  I've made it to two classes this semester.  My teachers are great though and next week I should be back at 100%.  Let me make two more comments and then I'll get to my point I promise.

During this first round of Mono I didn't know what I had.  I was tired all the time.  That was about it.  New Years Eve was a bust, I fell asleep at 6:30pm.  Now I'm not going to get into my relationship and the break up but I'll say that Mono didn't help.  When you are trying to be a good employee, a good sister, a good daughter, and a good girlfriend and you get that sick, the things that can break usually do.  I'm not saying it wasn't right or that it wouldn't have happened if I was as healthy as a (name of animal that is healthy here) but Mono definitely didn't help.  Also I came back to school and it was so dang cold!  What the heck?  It is seriously like -13 degrees all the time.  So hating my life on that account too.  Ok so if you are still reading this (and I don't know why you would be, it's like the most depressing post ever) let's talk about me now, the post mono, single, person writing this post when I should be still recovering and sleeping.

I feel like this Mono thing changed me in a lot of ways.  I don't just mean my appetite (I don't like Cheeze-its anymore, it's a sad day) but a lot of things have changed. I think I appreciate simple things like walking, and talking, and opening my eyes.  When you lose things and feel like you are going to die, you start to count your blessings.  You realize the people in your life that are going to be there for you no matter what.  You know who you can rely on to help you out and who is ultimately going to leave you in your darkest hour.  Some amazing angels heart-attacked my door at college.  I didn't even realize they were thinking of me.  My roommates checked up on me, my mom babied me and nursed me back to health.  My wonderful sisters knew I couldn't hardly talk so they would IM me on facebook when they wanted to chat.  People prayed for me and called to check up.  I felt the love of pretty much everyone.  It was amazing.  I really want to live every day trying to be a better person.  I want to learn how to be more healthy, physically and emotionally.  I want to understand my wants and needs better.  I'm excited to do this.  I want to care for others the way I have been cared for in the last few weeks.  I want to do service!  I have a lot of work to do but I hope to do it healthy and Mono free.  I made two lists at the beginning of this post.  One was all the crappy terrible things that had happened to me in the last week. The second is all the fun happy things I've experienced in the last few days.  The good is always better than the bad.

My life is better than yours

As a new year begins I like to think about everything I've accomplished over the years.  I am only 22 years old so that isn't very much but I like to think there are a few things that I can be proud of whether I've done them myself or they have just happened.  Growing up isn't easy.  The moment I realized I couldn't sit on the couch playing video games and watching Justin Bieber music videos forever was indeed a sad day.  It occured in the future actually.  Probably sometime in the summer of 2013.  As for where I am right at this moment, well I am doing ok but I realize I have a lot of work to do.  Anyway Here is a short sweet list of 22 accomplishments of the last 22 years of my life.

22) Was born nuf-said.

21) Was alive for the gloriousness that was N'sync, One Direction: Suck it.

20) Got a free cupcake for being the one millionth customer at a pizza shop in Disney world.

19) Met some of the cast of Harry Potter, LOTR, Star Wars, and X-men

18) Believed in a lie about my wonderful Cat, "Shadow" for 16 years.  Yeah 'went to a nice farmer' my eye.

17) Flirted with a hot brown boy on the beach while on a get-a-way in San Diego.  That. Happened.

16) Read Pride and Prejudice

15) Fell in Love

14) Got my heart brutally broken (Do those cancel each-other out?)

13) Found Woman Empowerment through Songs by Florence + The Machine and things created by Joss Whedon

12) Completed 8th grade

11) Watched 5 seasons of the Office during one summer, consuming waaay too many Otter Pops with my Brother.

10) Memorized every great sexual tension moment between 'Tiva'.

9) Made a three and a half hour love montage which I have watched over a dozen times.

8) Held one of those huge checks with the number $5000 on it.  It was for . . . . My school but they got it because of me.

7) Caught 7 fish on one fishing trip when I was 7 years old

6) Consumed 10 boxes of Cheese-It Duos in less than a week.

5) Memorized the lyrics to Super Bass.  Not. Easy

4) Beat the entire Lion King game on Super Nintendo.

3) Worked for KSL TV News (Including flying in a Helicopter, small airplane, getting high off Marijuana (don't ask))

2) Over my four years at college I've made some amazing friends who I wouldn't trade for anything!  Unless you offer me Hugh Jackman . . . uhduh.

1) If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. - Mother Teresa
 . . . . Let's face it anything I put here was going to sound inadequate

It hasn't been easy. There has been blood, sweat, tears, bruises, fights, puke, hugs, cancer, the Holocaust, and that's just number 12.  So let's face it, I'm not far from being perfect.  A day, or two, maybe three.  If I don't show up one of these days it just means I have been translated.  I have some work to do but I like who I am.  I like what I've done with my life so far and I'm excited to look towards the future