Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Perpetual Tentativeness

My job is not the typical nine to five gig. I’ve had those jobs, I’ve enjoyed some of them and I’ve done quite well financially in the past, but one of the best parts of my job today is its unpredictability. Reporting the news requires a degree of flexibility and the willingness to make sacrifices. My hours are, in large part, dictated by events that I have nothing to do with. It helps that I am at a point in my life where I can go where the story takes me, but I really don’t view my perpetual tentativeness as a negative - I like it.

On the down side, the pay could be better. I am not starving, however, and the upward mobility at my level is huge. I am just starting this, my fifth or sixth career - I must be patient. It is a virtue I have become more adept at in my middle age and finding and living a dream job in every other respect goes a long way toward mitigating any financial stress. Furthermore, the qualities that make my job so exciting are also poised to expand and will, in time, make the experience that much richer - whether or not is does the same to my bank account.

I was writing a very dear friend just the other day about the wildfire in South Lake Tahoe. Although it does not fall within my newspaper’s coverage area, it is very close and our parent paper did have a reporter on the story. It reminded me of how exciting this job can be. Last year I had the opportunity to cover a fire at Rollins Lake, near Colfax, Calif. It was a much smaller fire than the one currently burning in Tahoe and fortunately no structures were lost. I told my friend that I would tell her the story of that experience soon. As promised, my dear…

I was on my way home from Colfax to Fair Oaks. I was listening to KFBK radio news when a story broke about a fire at the Peninsula Campground at Rollins Lake. Peninsula Campground is perhaps the most remote of all the campgrounds around the lake. I called my editor to find out if she knew about the fire. She didn’t, but she did call her boss at the Auburn Journal to see if they had anyone on it. They didn’t. My editor called me back and asked if I could cover it - we already had a photographer en route.

I had just arrived at my home when I turned around to go back up. The Auburn Journal wanted the story for the Sunday morning paper and it was already Saturday evening. At the time, all of my experience was at the Colfax Record, a weekly, with deadlines measured in days, not hours. It was about 5 p.m., by 6 p.m. I was on the scene interviewing evacuees before heading into the fire zone. I met with our photographer who was on his way out - he was done - and the public information officer for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection who took me on a tour of the fire area.

It was still on fire! Now, I am not so amazed today as I was then, but when they say a fire is contained or controlled, that does not mean it is out. We drove through a veritable inferno. I could smell it, sure, but I could taste it and feel it as well. Fortunately that day the weather was on the side of the firefighters and the fire was limited to just 30 acres (at last report, the Angora Fire in South Lake Tahoe stands at 3,000 acres scorched and more than 200 structures lost). It could have been worse.

I left the scene at about 7:30 or 8 p.m. By the time I got to Colfax, it was getting very close to my deadline - the presses were waiting and the photo was already placed - they just needed my story. The pressure was on like never before. I wrote like the wind… almost as though I was possessed, watching as my fingers flew across the keyboard. Shortly before my 10 p.m. deadline, my story was filed via email and I took a deep breath. In a matter of just five hours I accomplished so very much - and beat every other newspaper. The local TV news crews were there, but we were the only paper.

Fire season is upon us once again. It will be worse than last year and I hope that we get through it without any major fires. However, if one breaks out you can bet that I’ll be dropping everything to respond to the scene and write the story. It could be a story of triumph or tragedy, of heroism or arson, of tears and joy… no matter, I’ll be there to report it. I love my job!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was reading somewhere that the reason this one was so bad was over the past 150 years, we've been suppressing too many fires. I'm not the resident expert at fires though, so I'll just have to take their word for it.

michelle said...

i love reading about your passion for your job. it really just jumps off the screen. It is so nice to read how much someone loves their job instead of how much they hate it. great job!

Olyal said...

Gosh you have a great job Mike!! What a great story!
Long time no read... glad to hear your well and still living it up!
Michele sent me today!

Anonymous said...

Wow, exciting stuff!

Here from Michele's.

Cheers,
Heidi

Linda said...

funny I should read this today...for some reason, I have been smelling smoke for two days. No one else has, just me. (I think my sinuses are messed up!). But reading the "not just smell, but feel and taste", I can TOTALLY relate.

and funny that I should end up here because Michele sent me...since I was going to come and say thanks for visiting my blog...and I have NO idea what the going rate for teeth is...I gave my daughter $2 for each of her lower ones. I might give her 3 for this one, and then 5 when/if she loses a molar AND still believes in the tooth fairy, lol!

Michele said...

Stopping by to say hello....

Much like Michelle I love reading about the passion you have for your job. We are all lucky that you promised your friend this story, it is indeed a great story.

You remarked that the upward mobility at your level is huge, may I add that your gift of writing will no doubt also greatly enhance your upward mobility.

Sidenote: No one has ever said hello to me more than once (in one day) while playing the M&G, it inspired me to come visit to say hello back-at-ya.

Well, actually, it was one of the reasons I was inspired.

MsT said...

Last year we had 2 fires on the outskirts of our little tourist town, and we are all hoping and praying that does not happen this year. Exciting recounting of your nick of time scoop!

Alex said...

Some great writing. It is great to hear that you really enjoy your job - sometimes (only sometimes) that makes the less pay worth it :) Australia also gets some very bad bushfires in summer... mostly arson so its pretty discouraging that someone would want to cause so much damage to people. Michele says hi again!

Anonymous said...

Oh Mr. A., what a GREAT account of your whirlwind story!! Talk about being in the right place at the right time. I felt like I was running right along side of you as you rushed to get the interviews and write the piece.

And kudos to you! Not many people can say they love their job and I can tell, just by the enthusiasm that seeps through your writing, that you do indeed love what you do.

And lastly? Congrats on your (upcoming?) graduation!

carmilevy said...

Whatever you do, please be careful. The world needs your voice.

You speak so eloquently of the journalist's calling, of why the story matters above all. You've helped me remember my days as a beat reporter all too well. Thanks!

Michele thanks you, too!

Anonymous said...

Great story. Thanks for sharing that.

Michele says, "Cheers."

Marybeth said...

I can really connect with your 25 year plan. I've got one of those, too. Michele sent me but if you don't mind, I'd like to add you to my blog list. I'll be back!

shoeaddict said...

Mike,
Thank you so much for the fantastic words you left at my blog on my piece about my friend and his death. I was blown away by the compliment(s). You told me that I did exactly what I hoped to do with my writing.
Kristen