Welcome to Sunday

I've worked nearly every weekend I've been out here. While I get time off during the week to compensate, it has still been very exhausting. There's just something about having time off during the weekend that allows me to relax to a greater level. During the week--I always feel like I should be working.

Today, I'm in the middle of working a cops shift. When you work a cops shift, you have to go to the sheriff's office, police department, and the detention center (jail). It's kind of stressful, because it's my first time doing this. However, I remember an episode of the Simpsons where Homer screws up during war games, and he ends up having the sub surrounded by all of America's enemies.

He says "It's my first day," in about 10 different languages (even penguin!) and everybody starts laughing. I wish it could be that easy, but it isn't. If I mess this up, I don't even want to think about what could happen.

I'm writing the police blotter for tomorrow's paper. It seems simple, but it isn't. There are so many crime reports to sort through, it took me almost three hours to do it all earlier. Fayetteville is a less-than-safe area of over 300,000 people--so that explains it. You run across some awful things...I saw a couple of warrants for crimes I can't even talk about. I don't know how some people can be so bad.

I want to go somewhere cool for the Fourth. Problem is, I'd go by myself, and that's not fun. There isn't really anyone out this way that I can associate with--everyone I work with has quite a few years on me. I'm the youngest person in the newsroom.

Of course, that leads to natural doubts about my ability. It just means that I have to work that much harder and prove them wrong. Not any different than what I've had to do my entire life, it seems.

I'm looking forward to getting home. It seems like I just haven't seen much of anyone lately. I was hardly home during the second semester of school this spring, and I had about 3 days at home (spent packing) before I left again.

While I never thought I'd quote The Wizard of Oz in here, Dorothy is right.

There's no place like home.

-Jarel

PS: If you click my name, you can read all of my recent work. If you want something really funny, read my latest article, "Library has own renaissance". Make sure you watch the video--the humor is in that.

Also, I was "featured" on DCI.org. Click here to see it.