Random thoughts

-Please, guys, stop obsessing about finding openings. It's great to cruise places like tvjobs and nice when you do find an opening, but don't wait for one to send a tape. I keep getting calls from people who say, "I don't see any openings" but trust me, they're out there. One of my clients got a job last year and the opening was never posted.

-This past week I had a recurring headache. Then I realized the reason. I kept getting hit with chunks of sky. Yes, there were clouds in our market and some of the weather people were in their "Let's scare the heck out of the viewers" mode. One night I was attempting to watch something on prime time through the crawls and the squeezebacks while being bombarded with warnings to hide under the bed. Meanwhile, Bella the cat was stretched out on the deck, enjoying the evening. I wish some of these weather obsessives would dial it down a notch.

-RTNDA is just around the corner. If you're going there looking for a job, don't be surprised to see a thin turnout. Stations are cutting back and travel is often the first to go out of the budget. That said, be prepared to do an immediate interview if you cruise the venue looking for NDs. (I'll do a post later this month on this topic.)

-A car wreck is not a lead story. You should all know that. But this past week I saw a station actually promote a car wreck for their late news. Wow, that'll bring in the viewers. Remember, when writing a tease, you have to start by picking a story that will actually interest viewers.

-I'm impressed with the level of writing I'm seeing from young people lately. For years this was the biggest weakness among recent grads, but it has really changed. Kudos to those college profs who stress good writing as well as other skills.

-The most common phrase I hear from new clients is, "I don't want to be a one-man-band in my next job." So if this sentence is kicking around in your head, you're not alone.

-It's a new month. Time to do a story that makes the world a better place. Did you do one in March?