So. I may have mentioned here that I recently joined a company nearby … as a Radio Broadcaster. Doing the weather across the US and Canada.

I mentioned that, right?

Right.

Helluva retirement job if you ask me.

So as part of the whole deal they had a three-day New Hire orientation type thing. Three half-days actually.

(And might I say this is a fabulous company? Unlimited paid sick days? Company matched 401K? And a mug. They gave me a mug.)

At any rate, FWIW for three days my schedule looked like this:

Monday
Work all night Sunday through till first thing Monday at part-time computer gig
Sleep two hours.
Drive 45 minutes to Wx orientation.
Three hours orientation 9AM to noon
A few hours doing “the weather is weathery”
Drive back 45 minutes.
Hear a strange whistling sound from the back tire.
Discover that the brakes need replaced.
Get new brakes and rotors.
Go home and collapse into bed
(Two hours sleep causes things like that)

Tuesday
Go to computer gig from 6AM to 8AM
Drive 45 minutes to Wx orientation
Three hours orientation 9AM to noon
Four and a half hours “weather is weathery”
Short break
NPR shift for two hours
Home and collapse asleep again

Wednesday
Go to computer gig from 6AM to 8AM
Drive 45 minutes to Wx orientation
Three and a half hours orientation 9AM to 12:30
Three hours “weather is weathery”
Short break
NPR shift for two hours
Home and collapse (noticing a repeating pattern here?)

and now … Today
Go to computer gig 6:30AM to 10AM
Go home to paint new custom kitchen cabinet doors
Collapse but don’t fall asleep
(after all it’s only mid-day)

Take a call from NPR station ala “You ARE coming up tonight to cover for …”

And you know what?

I LOVE it. 

Well, except for that whole “working all night Sunday night” thing. That I’m not so crazy about.

And I get to do more weather tomorrow (8AM to 4PM) … and Saturday 10AM to 4PM … and Sunday 10AM to 4PM.

For hundreds of radio stations and better gas stations everywhere.

(800 stations, plus 100+ general city forecasts for who-knows-what, times 3 to five forecasts per day … you do the math … and it’s a small team of folks who do this stuff each day)

But hey, I could have had to do the 4AM to 11AM shift Saturday and/or Sunday … so it’s all good.

TOMORROW … Hey I Know You … Part Two – The Forensic Meteorologist.

Yes. That.