Zaijian China…Goodbye China

 

The Hearst Argyle Olympic Team

 Two things happen when you spend 24/7 with eight other people.  You either love each other or you hate each other.  

I’m glad to say I’ve grown to really love working with the people you see in this picture.

From left to right:

Andy Ireland.  Andy is a weekend sports guy at KCCI in Des Moines, IA.  It’s the same station where I worked after college right before I moved to Sacramento.   Andy is hands-down the nicest person on our crew.  The Chinese loved to take pictures of us and Andy never turned them down.  I, on the other hand, would resort to telling them Andy was my mean boss who forbid pictures while I was on the clock. Like I said, he’s the nicest guy in show business.

Aixa Diaz.  Aixa is a Hello Kitty loving, Spanish speaking ball of Puerto Rican fire and she is hilarious. Aixa works as a weekend anchor and reporter at WESH in Orlando.    I’ve never seen her in a bad mood and that’s saying something because when you see people 24/7 you’ve seen fire, you’ve seen rain, you’ve seen fire once again.  With Aixa, it’s all sunshine.

Jaime Brassard.  Jaime is a photographer from WPTZ in NY.  He’s getting married in a month.  He made the girls practically cry when he took a morning off to buy his fiancee pearls at the Pearl Market to wear on their wedding day.  We offered to go with him, thinking he’d be freaked out at the responsibility.  He was totally cool and she’s totally lucky.

Travis Sherwin.  If I pity anyone, it’s Olympic Zone producer Travis Sherwin. Poor Trav had to sit next to me for the last month as he did at the Torino Games.  I talk to myself a lot.  I talk to myself out loud a lot.  Travis is either exceptionally kind or deaf in his left ear.  He’s a wonderful producer and an even better friend and I will missing talking his ear off, intentionally or otherwise.

Kate Amara.  Kate works in Baltimore and is one of the most persistent reporters I’ve ever met.  She brings a “why not” attitude to everything.   The Chinese don’t really do “why not” so it’s been quite entertaining to watch at times.  Kate has been sitting to my left for the last month.  She’s the yin to Travis’ yang.

Erin McManamon.  Erin works out of the Hearst DC Bureau and is the boss lady on these Olympic trips.  It’s rare to work for someone who is completely dedicated to their job and yet has a pulse.  Erin is obsessed with doing things the right way and has some of the best news judgement I’ve ever seen.   She’s a blast to work with and hang out with and the result is that the two blur while the clock is ticking.   A win for everyone.

(far right)  Kent Westberg.  Kent is a photographer at WDSU in New Orleans and has amazing stories of life post-Katrina in that city.  Actually, he has amazing stories period as he’s served in Iraq.  My favorite memory of Kent came about a week into the Olympic assignment when he called me at 10:17 from the lobby wondering where I was.  Our meeting time was 10:20.  Clearly, he’d never worked with me before.  Clearly, I’d never worked with a military guy. 

And finally…

 

Fitz & Domi

Mike “Domi” Domalaog.  Domi works with me at KCRA and we’ve now traveled to the last five Olympics together.  We’ve logged more miles with each other than we have with our spouses and he’s one of the greatest professional partners and friends I’ve ever had.  It’s a privilege, an honor and ridiculous fun to be in his company.  

I’m officially out of thoughts to think.  So, Deirdre’s Diary, the Beijing edition is officially over.

Ziajian (goodbye) from China!