Improvements

It turns out that I misread the shift list and thought I was OK to report. Good thing I have a very able partner and she handled things until I finally made it back at 18h30. Oops. I need to be more careful next time. But I must say, all that hellish "training" we had during the one-hour show with just two of us (sometimes 1,5) has really paid off.

There wasn't time to cut the stories when we got back, so I put the scripts into my editor's box and expected to see them back sometime tomorrow. I went upstairs to do a voice over and they were done. I asked if he'd seen it, and he said he did, and barely touched it. Yahoo! That means my writing is alright! I suppose it has to do with fact checking, or not having to, due to the nature of these stories. But that's still quite an encouragement.

When I was in Hsinchu (新竹) doing the Hash House Harriers story, I let myself get too involved. I used to be a hasher, so I found it pretty easy to talk to these guys. They're awfully rowdy, and some are worse that others. One guy was getting to me a bit and I shouldn't have led that happen. I need to remember to stay behind my line.

I enjoyed doing the story, though. This time, I was much better prepared, and my cameraman is very experienced, so he told me how he was going to shoot and I spoke and wrote accordingly.

I think I caught a cold. It's getting a bit chilly in the evenings and Hsinchu is known for its winds.

I may actually go to bed before midnight tonight. What an improvement. Then I'm going to start running again in the morning, even if like a lab rat in front of the TV.

Here's the script to a story we aired last Sunday. I think I'm all caught up with posting them now.

Slug: Lions Defeat Animals

Lead-in:
Turning to sports, a national soccer tournament played out by foreign players was held over the weekend. After a grueling two days, the Red Lions from Taipei took home the cup. Formosa TV's Michella Weng reports from Taichung.##

Opening stand-up:
I'm at the Taichung Fall Cup 2005. The favorites for this game are the Animals and the Compass.
記者來到2005年台中秋季杯.
最矚目的兩個球隊就是Animals隊和Compass隊.

Sound byte:
Michael Chandler
Treasurer
Today, we play in the quarter finals--the Taiwan Celts.
Should be a good game.
我們今天會打八強, 跟Celts.
應該會滿有趣的.

Sixteen teams are here for one of the four tournaments held each year between the country’s expat teams. They come from all over Taiwan to fight it out for the title of the best foreign team in the country and also to have some fun.
總共有十六隊來參加這個一年有四次的外國人足球比賽.
這些球員來自台灣各地 就是為了要爭奪台灣第一外國隊 還有好好的玩ㄧ玩.

These teams play a more physical brand of football than the average Taiwanese team, often making it difficult for them to find a game. These tournaments are a chance for them to go all-out.
這些人的玩法比一般台灣的球隊激烈一點 所以平常比較難找到對手踢球.
所以這樣的足球賽是個讓他們好好玩一番的機會.

And for family and friends, it's a great way to get some sunshine and fresh air.
親朋好友也可以借這個機會來曬曬太陽 吸點新鮮空氣.

Taichung Compass was squeezed out by the Red Lions in the semifinals, but the Taipei Animals went on to the finals to meet the Red Lions. The Lions took the championship after a controversial goal and a red card for the Animals, but plenty of awards were handed out to make almost everyone a winner.
台中Compass隊在準決賽輸給Red Lions隊 Lions接下來到決賽與台北Animals比
到了最後Animals也敗給了Lions 不過幾乎大家都有獎 所以也都開開心心的回家了.

Michella Weng, Formosa TV, Taichung.
民視新聞 翁郁容 台中採訪報導.