Lawmaking

I don't follow politics. I vaguely know what's going on, but you push me on details and you'll be out of luck. Usually my scant knowledge of policy making is more than enough to get me through a day at the capitol. My reporter points out the people and I shoot the video. Besides, my new station staffs both a capitol reporter and a capitol photographer. We rarely ever need to be over there. That is unless it's a odd calendar year; a budget year.

Every year the state legislature drags it's feet and puts the budget together at the last minute. In fact, they haven't made a deadline since 1999. This year is no different. The lawmakers spend hours upon hours at the Capitol; debating bills, making bills, voting on bills, you get the idea. Basically they have these marathon sessions going late into the night where nothing ends up being resolved. Thrilling. All this "policy making" doesn't effect me, unless it's a weekend.

The point to all this rambling is this. On a rare Sunday session, I spent 10 solid hours at the state capitol. 10 solid hours. 10. Hours.

Most of it was spent here...

with the other TV shooters, paper shooters, radio guys and the occasional reporter "camped" out in front of the Governor's office. I was prepared... snacks, books, and a charged iPod. The most important distraction from the clock was the 3 other shooters hanging out. We all sat around sharing "war stories," waiting for someone important to walk by, hoping one of them would talk to us. They never did.

Every once in a while, the capitol reporter would grab me and we'd shoot and interview, or head to the basement to edit a VOSOT. If it wasn't for him, I would have been totally lost.


My favorite part about the capitol is the press room. It's a small hallway in the basement with around 10 tiny rooms. Sure, you see other news people out on stories, but it's neat to actually see them all down one hallway. You've got all the affiliates - ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX - Public TV, both papers, the AP, public radio, etc. Everyone's there.

So yeah. Things went well. Time passed and I actually enjoyed myself. And as a bonus, I took a photo that I liked - Dual live shots.