Vacation To Doha

YES! This must mean I'm at least half way done here! The truth is I'm more than half way. I don't really know how many days I have left. Ollie and Maddy do. They have a cool paper chain they made. For me, I don't want to know. I keep my mind focused on work and staying safe. I feel the harder I work, the more focused I am...the faster my time will fly by. I'm pretty sure my replacement Dorlinda will be here in time for me to leave. So, until she gets here...I will just keep on...keeping on. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS POST IS ABOUT!


It's about my four days in Doha Qatar...I've been on hundreds of trips all over the world, and this one ranks right up there in the top 10. The R&R facility is staffed with some world-class folk and the place is set up just for folks like me to completely chill-out, or blast all over the place at max speed. I did a little of both.

Most of my military friends will tell you the best part of R&R to Doha is...BEER! Truth be told, the beer was pretty good! We're limited to three beers a day, and that turned out to be just right. 22oz Black and Tans times three times four nights equals...a pretty good time. The Top Off was the place to be every night from 6PM until 2AM. They had pool tables, darts, and my beloved FOOSBALL.

(Chris)
(Tom)

Every night I played Foosball with our little group. George, my roommate, Chris, and Tom. We met the two of them during in-processing. Chris and I were an unstoppable team. He destroyed everyone...and we didn't spin!

George and I went on several trips. Here is a quick slide show:

By week's end, I met several new friends, sang karaoke...even was asked to sing accompanied by a guitar, ate my fair share of great food, and was completely relaxed.

Of course all good things must end!
George's Last Beer!


My Last Beer!

Freedom Journal Iraq

Well, we hit the bottom of the barrel. Everyone on the team was busy, so I made a cameo appearance on FJI. This is right after I returned from my trip to Doha...so I'm uber-tan and super tired. Enjoy!

Marne Husky Update

I Am Alive!

The move into the News department has taken its toll on me and my addiction to blog. It appears it also had an effect on my friends and family. I want to first say, "I'M ALIVE AND WELL!" There was a two week period where there was only two folks in news. My team was only four-strong. Today, there are 9 of us! Last week I went on my R&R. One fantastic week in Doha Qatar. (Another blog to come!)

So do I fill my days and weeks with? Why haven't I been hitting the web? Mostly because I spend 12-14 hours in the office. I love being in charge of the news. I've had to break out every single organizational and leadership tool I have! Although I miss radio, I'm loving news. It doesn't hurt that I have a great team. When I do come home, I usually watch a show or two, then. I still get up at the butt-crack of dawn. Plus, I've decided to kick my workouts up a notch or two:



Although I'm not certified I've been leading these classes. It is a very different workout and it really forces me to stay on it. Breathing, teaching, and time management. The class is averaging 7 folks, but yesterday 14 showed up.

Stay tuned for pics and stories from Doha Qatar. There are also a few videos of me singing. Not sure if they'll make it in time for the post.

All Good Things Must End

My three month run as Kasbah on Freedom Radio...the station just for you...IS OVER! My team and I worked hard. We fixed an error causing us not to be able to insert local information while on satellite. We deleted 45% of the content on our automation hard drive. This was all old, duplicate, or junk. This was causing a 1-2 day delay in transfer time. Now content transfers in about 10 seconds. We completely refreshed the radio imaging library...completely refreshed the music library...deleted 75 crappy commercials and replaced them with 100 better ones. We developed four massive campaigns aimed at key messages...and designed an automation scheme that allows for immediate push of hot issues. Freedom Radio and Freedom Radio News are now "BRANDED." People are talking about them and the jocks! There is a longer string of "important" stuff we did, but here is the cool part:

WE HAD A TON OF FUN!
I've had the privilege to work with some really strong, professional broadcasters. Plus, I've made a lot of new friends in the Voice Over world. By my quick broadcaster, public math...they've donated more than $10,000 worth of time and content to Freedom Radio. I plan to keep these friends forever!!!! These folks have done just about anything I've asked...for free! I really think these guys will be friends for life. (Both VO and broadcasters) The list is too long to hyperlink all their names. Check out KASBAH RADIO for names and links.

We got to do two EPIC countdowns...The Memorial Day Countdown and the Firecracker 500. By the way...we're not finished. Over Labor Day we plan to do a Rock A-Z show. This will be the icing on the cake!!!

So what is next???

I'm now heading up a team of nine in the news department. Freedom Journal Iraq produces a nightly 10-minute cast and a daily 1-minute cast. News is a challenge for me. It forces a guy with ADD to have to slow down, read, and understand. Plus I have to be uber-organized.

My #1 goal in news is to be light, lean, and lethal. I'm all about streamlining and empowerment. To that end...my friend Mark Glaser over at PBS' MediaShift is apart of a real big project! The question (project)???? How would you build a newsroom from scratch?
Here is a blurb from his blog:

A lot of the brightest minds in journalism have been thinking for some time about how the newsroom of the future might operate as we move from legacy print and broadcast operations into a more converged, Internet-centric world. I’ve taken a couple stabs myself at how a “New Newsroom” might operate, both in a guest post on PressThink in 2004 and on a recent post on MediaShift.

And now there are a series of discussions taking place called Journalism That Matters , where various deep thinkers are trying to literally invent “the next newsroom” prototype. Here is the blurb describing what they’re going to try to accomplish in Washington, DC, in early August:

Our goal is to facilitate critical discussion on the future and sustainability of journalism. Our unique approach is to first assemble editors, publishers, writers, researchers, academics, entrepreneurs, public advocates, independent and citizen journalists for fast, focused discussion. We’ll then define the ownership, management, location and sustainability of a ‘next newsroom’ prototype in at least one U.S. community, to launch in early- to mid-2008.

We’re going to answer this call: Pick an ideal location, and start a news organization from scratch, using the best-available technology and ideas, and without the obligations or burdens of legacy processes or infrastructure. Where will it be, what will it look like, who will own it, and how will it run.

What a great question and project. This will be the empowerment question for my news team. Look out world...Here comes Freedom Journal Iraq...Your source for news that matters!


PS. Rosanne Barr's radio show lasted two months on XM...mine lasted three. HELL YEAH!

I've Been Promoted!

I was pretty bummed when I found out I didn't get promoted to E-7 this cycle. I studied real hard, but not hard enough obviously! Seems I wasn't the only one who felt pretty bummed. One of my new friends Ron Phillips (VO-BB), jokingly said he was going to get me promoted...one way or the other. I assume this is "the other" way he was talking about. All laughs aside, I'm very honored for this promotion. In fact, so was my Chief. He called everyone to attention and read the below letter.




I think if anyone, my Uncle Jim will be the proudest of this promotion. He's lived in Kentucky for like "ever!"

With this promotion comes the secret recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken and a lifetime supply of Kentucky Moonshine. I can only share the later with all of you!