Journal Entry for the week in review for August 8-14, 2016

This past week, I completed my first full week of writing stories and learning how to produce for the 11PM news for CBS46.  I hope to continue this string of success in the weeks ahead.  My goal is to show my fellow writers and producers that I'm improving steadily on a daily basis.

Most of the day that I was home, I played with Ben both inside and outside.  Here's Ben playing with Legos.  I'm building things and Ben is destroying them.  It's a game that he and I play.  I let Ben win.

When Ben, Blake, and I play outside, I let Ben play with the hose and water the garden and some of the backyard.  I love to splash the water with the guys on their water table out in the backyard.  I will even let the guys splash me from time to time.  They scare me with bits of water coming right at me.  Ben will get me in small buckets while Blake will splash me with toys.

I hate leaving the guys at work, but I know that I'm doing something good for them.  This night will mark the sixth night of writing for the CBS46 11PM News.

TUESDAY was play LEGOs with Ben in his diaper day.  I love building towers with him.  Actually, he likes to tear mine down and he can build one for himself.

Work was OK again tonight.  I wrote for the 7th consecutive night.

 




                                              


WEDNESDAY was more arts and crafts time at home.  My boys know how to draw and play with markers.  They're better at being messy than they are at artwork.  That's OK though.  I love them a lot.

Boys in a Box

THURSDAY was a fun day too.  So was Friday.  I spent time with the guys before I had to go to work.  I wrote for the ninth and tenth consecutive days at work respectively.  Monday will be a challenge as I get ready for jury duty at the Cobb County Superior Court.

The above pictures show me how much fun they had with me (and the last two...maybe not so much).  I love them more than you know.

The above pictures show me and my boys having fun at McDonald's on Saturday.

The remaining pictures above show the boys having a lot of fun on Sunday.  This is the final day that I've ever lived without ever serving on a jury.  In the back of my mind, I was scared about serving on a jury.  For whatever reason, I worried that I wasn't going to be smart enough to serve on a panel like that.  

I tried to distract myself from whatever was bothering me by chasing my boys around in the back yard and in the living room.  By the time they were in bed, I tried to relax by watching my Sunday staples on TV:  "$100,000 Pryamid" and "Match Game."  I was too wound up and worried that I was going to oversleep and miss my assignment, so I slept during the game shows and went to bed early that night.  

I could only dream about good things and hope that my jury service would go smoothly.

Zach Irwin Sports Writing Samples for October 26, 2016

GAME TWO OF THE WORLD SERIES FROM CLEVELAND.  THE CHICAGO CUBS LEAD THE CLEVELAND INDIANS 5-1 IN THE TOP OF THE SEVENTH.  CUBS PITCHER JAKE ARIETTA HAD A NO HITTER THROUGH FIVE AND A THIRD BEFORE FORMER SUN DEVIL JASON KIPNIS BROKE IT UP WITH A DOUBLE.

THE ATLANTA HAWKS' SEASON DEBUT HAPPENS ON THURSDAY AT PHILIPS ARENA.  ATLANTA SIGNS POINT GUARD DENNIS SCHRODER TO A FOUR YEAR 70-MILLION DOLLAR EXTENSION.  HAWKS OPEN UP 2016-2017 AT HOME AGAINST THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS.

FLORIDA AND GEORGIA BATTLE IT OUT AGAIN IN JACKSONVILLE ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON.  BULLDOGS RUNNING BACK SONY MICHEL MAKES A GUARANTEE, SORT OF.  THE MIAMI NATIVE SAYS IN PART, WE'LL LEAVE IT ALL OUT ON THE FIELD.  GEORGIA IS TRYING TO RECOVER FROM LAST YEAR'S 27-3 BEATING AND THE 17-16 LOSS TO VANDERBILT NEARLY TWO WEEKS AGO.

Dreaming of the LA Coliseum, CNN, and the loss of my friend

About two weeks ago, I had a dream where I was happy, really happy, and sad, all in the same dream.

My first of three dreams put me in the place of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.  I was attending a nighttime Los Angeles Rams game.  I was sitting high up in the famed stadium early on in the dream.  Later on, I found myself outside of the stadium and I was on someone's lawn near some columns overlooking a neighborhood street.  Before I knew it, I was sitting on some luxurious lounge chairs outside on someone else's lawn in Los Angeles.  It looked like a nice street sit outside in.

My second of three dreams took be back to CNN.  I was working so hard and so good, I got an offer to come back to work there.  I would be welcomed back with open arms and a guaranteed salary that matched the one I had when I got laid off five years ago.  I saw some of my old supervisors and they seemed happy to see me there again.  I felt like I could walk on air and edit the night away.

My third and final dream saw me lose my friend and former co-worker Jeff.  I wanted to hang out with him or something.  I would have liked to work with him one more time.  That would have given me more time to share some more Atlanta Braves stories with him.  We could have hung out at a Braves game at the new ballpark.  In the dream, I learned that he died, but I didn't know how.

In reality, I have never been to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, I have never gone back to work for CNN, and my friend and former co-worker Jeff is still alive.

ZJI Practice Track - Screen Time Guidelines - October 21, 2016

ZJI Audio TrackPRACTICE oct 20 oct 21 (NY: Trump and Clinton at the Al S...

Journal Entry for the week in review of August 1-7, 2016

MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2016
     I came up with this sort of dating my entries concept in a dream that I had last month.  The dream happened when I visited my wife's family in Sandersville, GA along with my two sons.   Midway through my day at home, I had to play the fashion dad by putting my son Blake in a sheriff's hat.  He looks so handsome in that.  I know that I do (and Ben) too.  This trumps anything I did at work today.

 At work, today marks the first of many consecutive days that I would write stories for the 11PM news for CBS46.  I have to do this in order to get to where I need to be and to do better for my family.  My goal is to become a better writer and to become a producer.  I want to be more than just a video editor and I want to do that here in Atlanta.  Starting today, I'm saving my writings on a flash drive.  I'm going to compare them to the final written product that the anchors will read on TV.

My first day of writing went as well as I could have hoped it would be.  I'll get to do it again on Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016.

The 2nd hardest part of my day is trying to go back to sleep after getting home from work and trying to wake up in the morning.

The best days for me are when my entire family is with me during the day.  TUESDAYS are usually that day.  I'd prefer to have my family all day with me, but having my family from 8a - 1:30p before I have to go to work will do for now.  Today was not one of those days.  My wife had to work, so I was tasked with taking care of the guys by myself.  Don't get me wrong.  I love taking care of my boys alone during the day.  I spend quality time with them.  I like to play water toys, the hose, and the soccer ball outside with them.  I love building LEGO buildings with the guys.  Ben loves it too.

Ben was worn out after taking part in the LEGO tornado with me.  I don't remember what I built, but I think Ben tore it down.  Blake crawled around the living room with his big beautiful blue blanket.

After the guys had their yummy lunch of Chicken Nuggets, well, I snuck a couple of them in me too.  I hope that doesn't come back to bite me.  I need that chicken energy in order for me to do my work at CBS46 tonight.  I'm going to be editing videos for the newscasts, taking notes on how to do a craft edit for special projects, and write stories for the 11PM newscast for CBS46 news.

I don't remember anything from Wednesday.

Thursday was a special day for Ben and I.  I got to take him out to lunch and play at McDonald's while Blake got his one-year check-up at the pediatrician.  I had fun playing with Ben.  I had to chase him back into the playground area as he had a desire to run out on me.

 

I'm up high in this playground toy

I love how Ben climbs these toys

Blake got his goodies after his doctor visit

After Blake got done, I bought Blake some food and helped him feel better.  After that, I had to go to work.

Friday was a fun day at home.

Ben was eating one of the new big, round crayons and Blake got me to wear a silly piece of headgear on my head.  I love playing with these guys.  Blake (next to me) looks more grown up at age 1.  Before I know it, the guys will tower over me.

Saturday was the Soccer Tots Summer finale for the two-year-olds, and Ben.

These final pictures of Ben showed his happy side as the five-week session neared its end.  We even game him a sucker for being a good sport and playing along with what I wanted him to try to do.  I wanted him to participate in the drills and listen to his instructors.  I had a hard time getting him to do that.

No matter what happened, I had the pleasure and honor of taking Ben to his five sessions on Saturdays.  He won a medal for his participation.  I was amazed and happy that he got his first ever medal.  Ben is going to get better at group participation in the coming months.

My hope is that Ben will have a fun week in the next seven days ahead.

6 October 2016 Zach Irwin 4pm edit Cold Open -- HURRICANE MATTHEW

Ben Irwin on "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "The Price is Right"