Back on the mother ship

One day of rest after returning from LA, and it's back in the battlefield again. Two days in the field, and it was the presidential inauguration. We were standing by at the north entrance from 5h40, and even with three teams covering the entrance, it was still a mess. We had to interview anyone who was anyone and also anyone who wasn't anyone. Business leaders, politicians, entertainers who returned from abroad to attend the event, actors who are on FTV's soap operas, people that President Ma Ying-jeou stayed with on his "long stay" tour... It was easy when the interviewees would stop and say a few words, but when they keep walking, we have to chase or walk backwards in front of them, which usually results in tripping, getting hit in the head by a camera (those things weigh 10 kg), etc. Mama stopped and let us interview her. She had a throat drop in her mouth, and seeing I was there, she took it out and gave it to me. With one hand holding a microphone and the other holding my bag, I didn't know what to do. With other reporters waiting, I guess she decided to just "drop" it. It landed on my hand, slid off onto my jeans and dropped on the ground. Gross... After she left, reporters close to me laughed, reporters not familiar with me thought I was her assistant and reporters with air in their heads said, "don't step on it! We can auction it on eBay!" Aigh.

Seven hours of running around like a headless chicken with a microphone and cameraman, I was completely pooped. After another four hours of standing by back at the office, they finally let us go home.

One night at the hotel with Mama and Oneesan, one day of rest for dying and cutting my hair, a facial and tea with Dominican friends who were ready to disown me for never showing up at gatherings, I'm back at work and on the night shift.

Pulled a supershift yesterday. Stumbled and stumbled and stumbled while anchoring. Agh.