Trump, Pneumonia, The Hill, and Other Random Thoughts

Random thoughts on a Friday morning while Lola is waiting for her morning walk…
(I did this on the Dwyerwire blog back in the day and thought it was a good way to wrap up the week).

Driving back from Clarksburg yesterday, I was flipping radio channels and landed on President Trump’s news conference.  When one station went to a commercial break, I had to search and find it somewhere else.  When it was over (wearing my “newsie hat”) my thought was, “Where do you start?”  Now, don’t even try to read anything political into this because that’s not my point.  It’s just that after 29 years in TV broadcasting, I’ve covered a news conference or two and typically there’s a story line or two to fill your report with and that’s it.  In TV news, there are these black spaces of air time that are filled with news content (inventory).  Some days there’s lots of inventory and sometimes you have to air a water skiing squirrel.  Well, regardless of your political slant you can’t deny that President Trump gives news outlets an overload of inventory.  The media can be bruised for the scolding he gave it, but the media can’t deny he gives it plenty to fill those black spaces with, especially the 24-hour cable channels.  It may result in more eyeballs on a channel, and that means account executives can sell commercial time for more money.  He’s good for a media company’s bottom line.  Just don’t expect them to send any thank you cards (except from Fox & Friends).

Clarksburg School JTG Class 2017

A quick bit about my visit to the JTG class at Clarksburg School in Carroll County.  When I entered the room every student stood up, shook hands and introduced themselves.  Eye contact.  Firm handshake.  Most already have college plans and and a major picked out.  One girl is going into the Army.  Another young man wants to own his own construction company one day.  Impressive group.  JTG isn’t the only school influence on these seniors, but I’m telling you it’s a big part in giving them an edge over their peers who aren’t exposed to JTG.  Take a bow JTG specialist Jeannine Stokes.

After spending most of January in the fetal position with a fever that morphed into pneumonia, you would think it would be gone.  Nope.  I still have a “catch” in my breathing.  I suspect this is what is closing school districts or at least a close relative to it.  Anyone else going through something like this?

I have had numerous appointments with state lawmakers the last couple of weeks trying to convince the state to reinvest in Jobs for Tennessee Graduates.  If you’ve never been on the hill during session, it’s a hoot.  Such an energy to the place.  Walking through the crowded halls, there is so much wheeling and dealing.  Deals cut.  Networking.  Advocacy groups wearing the same buttons or tee shirts to be noticed.  Eyes shift as you walk by and you can almost see the wheels turning through the person’s forehead thinking, “Do I know that person?  Do I need to know that person?”  It’s just a fascinating place to people watch… or to be watched, I guess.

Lynley and I don’t take in many major network TV shows and almost didn’t take someone up on this suggestion but glad we did.  Do yourself a favor and check out “This Is Us” on NBC.  We binge-watched on Hulu.  GREAT (yep, in capital letters) writing and plot twists.  Anyone else watch this show?  Thoughts?

70-degrees one day.  Frost on the car the next morning.  I love living in Nashville but February is the longest, shortest month of the year.

Sign on Mad Donnas/Wylee’s door.

A restaurant just around the corner from us closed.  (It was flipped in one week and TV crews were filming the grand reveal in the middle of the night.  We know because we heard it.  “That was good and loud,” a voice barked over a megaphone.  “But next take, do it louder!”)  I had lunch with a buddy there a couple weeks ago after it went through the facelift.  Food, service was good as always.  Boom.  Closed.  I read in The Tennessean recently that 92 restaurants were planning to open in the Nashville area in 2017.  It would take nearly two years every Friday night to try them all.  I know we are foodie town now but this seems unsustainable.  Are there enough good chefs and perhaps more importantly, good wait staff to fill the jobs?

Feel free to comment.  Have a great and safe weekend and I’ll be back here Monday morning.