Help Wanted

It has been a while since I have blogged about anything.  I have to say for everyone, myself included, the last few years have been challenging.

Who would have thought there would be a global pandemic that would change everything?  When the pandemic started, I stopped working at my job as a barista at Biggby Coffee.  I had fun at that job.  It is an easy gig.  But what I really wanted to do was find something in my field of expertise.

The challenge: I live in a small town.  I worked at the local radio station for 12 years as a master control operator for local and national sports and more recently as producer of several talk shows.  We started podcasting our talk shows long  before it became the trendy thing to do.  When the station stopped doing live talk shows, I was downsized.  Needless to say there isn't much in the way of producing,  podcast editing or audio editing when you live in this small town.

I think this is the longest I have been out of work since actively looking for work.  I am surprised that I have not found a job yet, although I have only been actively looking since August 1st.

This is the first time I have been looking for a remote position, and I feel like a fish out of water!  I look on all the major job hunting websites, linkedin, indeed etc., and it's hard because I know I rock the in person interview, and when I used to send resumés out I would be able to connect with the person hiring right away or have a networking contact who could connect me.  Now it feels like when I apply I am just shooting a paper airplane into the dark, hoping it lands on someones desk  and gets noticed above all the other paper airplanes.

If you are interested in working with me, email me at producermel@gmail.com.

If you are a fellow paper airplane looking for work and looking to have great conversation pop over to Radio Soup on soundcloud.com/radiosoupshow or on Itunes.

Crossing Jordan

Crossing Jordan was the last successful television show that I worked on before I left California.  I only worked on two seasons of the show before I left, but it made a lasting impression.

I had worked on other shows before, the longest one was Walker, Texas Ranger, that show shot in Dallas, and post production was in Los Angeles, so I didn't interact with the actors as much as I did with the Crossing Jordan actors.

I talked hockey with Jill Hennessey, (we never did get to go to that Oilers vs Kings game.) Asked Jerry O'Connell if he was going to audition for Miracle.  Always had a good time talking with Steve Valentine, Ravi Kapoor and Kathryn Hahn.

Miguel Ferrer.

Miguel Ferrar was in one of the first productions I worked on when I moved to LA.  It was Jack Reed: A Search for Justice.  Not surprisingly he played the bad guy.  Below is a copy of the DVD cover.  I found it on the internet.  (credit to the production company of the movie)

It is hard to remember everything about a show you work on.  Even harder with chemobrain.  I remember being in awe of Miguel.  Seeing him in movies and tv shows such as Robocop, The Stand and Miami Vice.

I remember being in Lake Piru, I had driven there in my little Dodge Omni to go to the set for some reason (that is what PA's do, go here go there,  take this to the director, get coffee, drop off scripts etc. had to find my way around with a Thomas Guide and no GPS.

That was 1994, a few months after I moved to LA to work in the film and television industry.

2001

Crossing Jordan.

I finished working on Walker Texas Ranger, the show ended after a successful 9 year run.  I really don't remember who recommended me to work on CJ but I am grateful that I was a part of the show.

I told Miguel we had worked on Jack Reed together, I know he didn't remember me, who would? Honestly would you remember someone you worked with in passing 7 years ago?  I wouldn't. He said he enjoyed acting in that movie.

Facebook.

I usually find out about people passing away on facebook.  I have found out about dear friends deaths on facebook.  I found out about Miguel Ferrer's passing on facebook.

He died of throat cancer.

There were rumors he was ill because of how he looked on NCIS LA, I don't watch the show, so I didn't know how bad he looked.

I am glad the producers kept him on working while he was either going through cancer treatment or just while he was ill.  Nothing is worse than being in treatment and having nothing to do.  It can be isolating and depressing.  Everyone wants to help, but those who have not had cancer don't know what to say.

It was a gut punch when I found out that he died.

When you work on a TV show or film, the cast and crew become your family, some you stay in contact with, some you don't, but they are still family.

Goodbye Miguel, and thank you for your kindness and your talent.  You will be missed.

I hate cancer.

Check out my podcast The Cancer Warrior on Empoweradio.com available on demand, on ITunes, IHeart radio, and the podcast app for Iphone.

Staying healthy all year round

I try to stay healthy all year round.  Cancer survivors have to.  It isn't easy.  I play hockey for 6 months out of the year and bike the other half, and try to get a workout in at the gym when I can.  That is what I do. 

Now I don't recommend hockey for everyone, especially if you are in treatment, but I have some advice for fellow survivors, and well, everyone to stay healthy all year round.

First of all listen to your doctor, if you don't have one, find a good one, this is a great resource for finding doctors in your area.
If you don't like your current doctor, find another one, remember they work for you, not the other way around.

Once your doctor is ok with you doing exercise then find exercise that you enjoy and if you can find someone to exercise with!

When we think of exercise it doesn't have to be in the gym doing a gazillion reps with dumbells or training for a half marathon, it can be as simple as walking.

When I was going through radiation my radiation oncologist said walking for at least 30 minutes a day would cut down on fatigue and help me get through it a lot better, and he was right!

I like to use an fitness bracelet to track my steps.  I use the jawbone, some people use fitbit. ( I am not a paid endorsee of either product)  if you are not a tech junkie like me a pedometer is less expensive and will get the job done just as easily.


If it is walking or bike riding or a similar activity where you will be by yourself make sure you tell someone your route and have your phone charged up.  Fatigue is one of the top issues for cancer survivors and patients and it is always  good to have your friends know where you are going to be if you get tired, get a flat or get stuck in an unexpected rainstorm.

You can always get into a team sport that you love, like I do such as hockey, and get a friend into it too.  There is nothing better than talking about the teams victories or defeats after the game.

Now that we all agreed exercise is important, we have to talk about what you are going to eat.  Open up your cupboards and look at what you have in there.  I have junk food too.  As survivors we have to try to eat healthier than others to stay healthy, and encourage others in our family and circle of friends to do so as well.

I am not saying go out and toss out your favorite box of twinkies or doritos or other indulgence, just less of the snack foods (Twinkies photo copywrite Hostess Cupcake)

Find a nutritionist in your area, get a good cookbook for cancer survivors, order a big healthy salad and investigate your options. Find foods you like to eat.  Not everyone goes for the Kale chips (Yuck!)  as part of their everyday diet.  The main thing is is get rid of the processed food,  don't be afraid of cooking your own meals, buying local produce and if you are leery, take a cooking class, or find a recipe that looks tasty and try it, if you don't like it, try something else, ask other survivors, they may have some good recipes or suggestions.  Your diet doesn't have to be all skinless chicken and steamed broccoli.  Once again check with your doctor if you can't find any options.


Now that we are eating well and exercising what is the most important thing we have to do.  It happens once a year.

You guessed it. Your physical.

No one likes going to the doctor.

Anyone who tells you they do is lying, and anyone who says they don't have time to go is just fooling themselves.

When I was diagnosed I felt perfectly fine and was in the best physical shape of my life then my life got interrupted.  However, I am fortunate that I did have my physical and then mammogram(s) and  biopsies  that detected my cancer.

Not everyone gets a mammogram and biopsy on the same date.  It is completely normal to have them scheduled on a different day.  Here is a great infographic by my friends at Amino to show how often this happens.  Try not to stress out if you have to have a biopsy.  Stress is bad for the body and worrying does nothing but make you forget about the good stuff in your life 

You may think, well I am too young to have a mammogram.  Government guidelines are changing all the time so depending upon your family history and genetics you might need one, or even ask for one (this is the part where your doctor works for you, remember that.)

I was 37 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and that shocked all of my doctors that I had breast cancer at a young age.  Women get mammograms at different ages in their lives.  Here is another handy infographic to show you this (thanks again Amino!!)

Anyone who has breasts can get breast cancer, including men!


So we have established you are exercising, eating healthy, and seeing your doctor.

Don't forget about your self exams.  You know you better than anyone, so if you feel something weird or a lump or anything see your doctor.  No one has come out of seeing their doc's office happy that they have something, they come out happy that they are healthy.


I will leave you with this final thought.

Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live. Jim Rohn
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jimrohn147499

Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live. Jim Rohn
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jimrohn147499

Take care of your body, it is the only place you have to live ~ Jim Rohn

  

Check out my podcast The Cancer Warrior on Empoweradio.com available on demand, on iTunes, IHeart radio, the podcast app on your iPhone and on stitcher.

What season is your favorite? Mine is hockey

This is my winter season team, during our last game of the season, needless to say we were short a few players.


Hockey.

I have written about it many times.  It has helped me get through a lot of things.

Sports.  One thing that helps cancer survivors survive ( I hate the word thriver or thrive, just my personal thing.)

Some people run 5Ks, half marathons, marathons.  Never understood the excitement about that,  maybe I just don't like running, after all marathon comes from the legend of a Greek Runner who was sent from Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon, and supposedly dropped dead after he relayed the news of the victory.



This does not make me want to run a marathon.

Back to the ice.

We draft two seasons: Fall (Oct-Dec) and Winter (Jan-March)

Fall season I was Co-captain of Apple Tree Inn.  We were last in our 5 team league, with an abysmal 3-8-1 record.  We didn't win either of our two playoff games and well we finished.  

We didn't win the season, however we didn't lose it either.  My fall team, team Apple Tree Inn (seen below)

short once again, without our Co-capt who was out of town on a job, had fun.  We had a game where we got totally blown out by another team 8-0 and my team was in great spirits, because we were having fun (well I am not a goalie, I hope he had fun, even though we lost, sorry Zach.)  I think I missed one game in the fall, I was going to participate in a bike race and, well that didn't happen.  We didn't do great, but when one of the best players in the league tells you it was the most fun they had playing hockey, then you know, as a captain you did your job.  ( I did a good job drafting the team, the hockey gods deemed it a non winning season.

Winter season.

New sponsor.  It happens, businesses decided not to renew sponsorships,  We have had several businesses do that.  Since my co-capt and I had gotten 2 sponsorships, we decided to captain Trish Hartwick Coldwell Banker.  Doing so we became the first all female sponsored and captained team in the league.  Unfortunately once again my co-capt. was out, this time with an ankle injury.  

So we had more jerseys ordered before the season and then we drafted.

I think I drafted pretty well, but again the hockey gods were not favoring us.  We had a 4-6 season and we made it to the semi finals of the playoffs, if you look at the photo at the top of the blog you will see why we lost, most of our team was gone that day.  Most people didn't expect us to make it that far.  I am thinking our team didn't expect us to make it that far.  

I never doubted us.  Not for a second.

You see, every season that you draft, you draft not just people, but your team, that team becomes your family.  For 13 games those player were my family. 

Family.  if you have played hockey you understand.  If you haven't, then it is difficult to explain.  

I don't like missing games.  Most people don't.  I really hate missing games.

I know what it is like to not be able to play.  

I know the feeling when your body hates you, and you can't lace em up, step out onto the ice and skate with your team.

I missed 1 game in the winter, I had bronchitis, I was coughing so much my doctor, who was also on my team, told me to come see her that week.  

I missed a game, 

I wasn't able to play.

I coached from the bench.  (Yelling probably wasn't good for my throat, but I am not the quietest person out there when I am at the rink)

Having bronchitis reminded me of what it was like when I had to stop playing after I was diagnosed.  It is weird how things can take you right back into that moment.  

It was a moment I will never forget.

It was a moment I do not want to repeat.

I may not be the fastest player out there, or the best, but when I am out there I will give 110% every game, because I know that any game you play could be your last.  That is a scary feeling to know about the sport I love so much.

So if you see me play, you will know why I skate hard, yes I like to win, but there is more to that sheet of ice that most people can see.  

That is why to me every game is a victory.

To some it is just a game.

To me it is a whole lot more.

That is why I will keep skating.

 Check out my podcast The Cancer Warrior on Empoweradio.com available on demand, on iTunes, IHeart radio, the podcast app on your iPhone and on stitcher.

Carpe Diem

(Photo from www.sowhateverhappenedto.com about Pam Dawber)

I found out about Robin Williams passing after waking up from a nap.  My fiancé told me he committed suicide (at time of the writing of this blog that is what the news is saying).  

Anyone who is my age or older remembers Robin Williams from Happy Days and Mork and Mindy.  Yes the younger generation knows him as Mrs. Doubtfire but I will always remember him fondly as Mork.

In the 70's and 80's the comedy boom was happening, and many of the sitcoms would hire comedians as guest stars on their shows.  

In 1983 or 1984 I went to California on a trip. My parents knew some people who worked in the TV and Film industry.  We were able to see a few shows on the Paramount Lot.  We had front row seats to see Laverne and Shirley and Mork and Mindy.  He was hilarious and quick, and yes I owned a pair of rainbow suspenders.

 I think this trip was what started my long love with Hollywood, and was one of the reasons I wanted to work in the industry. 

Depression.

It is silent, it is painful, and you feel like you are completely alone.  It can skew everything around you. You often feel like you cannot talk to anyone about how you feel.  It is difficult, and mental illness still carries a huge stigma.  

I have written and talked about my battle with depression often.  It is not easy to get out of the darkness and think that you can talk about it.  

You can, and you should.

There are others who have felt like you do.

With mental illness you are never alone.

There is always help.

There is always hope.

I will remember Robin Williams for the laughs he brought me, not for his tragic death.

I hope you will do the same.

If you think you are depressed or suicidal please get help.

Here are a few links:

Bring Change 2 Mind

National Alliance on Mental Health

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

I'll leave you with this quote from Robin Williams:

What's right is what's left if you do everything else wrong.

It's been a while part 1

 Image courtesy Stacey Reeb

Wow. It has been almost 8 months since I have written anything on this blog. I guess I didn't really have much to say. I was busy playing hockey and enjoying every second of it. We didn't have a great year, but it is about having fun and improving, winning is great too, but we all know that doesn't happen all the time for everyone. It is strange that I enjoyed Winter so much, this winter the snowfall record was broken. It was endless. Usually that kind of thing would bother me, but for some reason this year it did not. I am just happy to be here!!! I did have surgery in March. At the end of last year I had an ultrasound and my OB/GYN saw that a small polyp I had grew. He looked at it and did a biopsy. I have known him for many years and he wanted to be straight up with me. "Mel, I have seen this many times, and I have to tell you that I believe it is cancer." Silence Shit I thought. He can't be right, and deep down I knew he wasn't. We brought my fiance in to discuss it. He was nervous. I still wasn't convinced. The doc was surprised how well I was taking it. I never believe anything until I get the results. At least this is what I tell myself (and others) It is hard to imagine having cancer again. You hit the 5 year mark and you think everything is ok. A few of my friends had a recurrance and passed away after their recurrance. Needless to say I was a little scared. Fast forward to a few days later. Doc texts me to tell me it isn't cancer. But we should remove it. I agree with his advice. He recommends a gynecological oncologist/surgeon to remove it. Oncologist just in case, when they do the surgery they will do a frozen section, in case the biopsy didn't get anything. The surgeon was cool and strictly by the book. A no nonsense doctor. Someone for me to have a little fun with. We talked about having a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) and he started to talk about statistics about removing the ovaries, (oopherectomy) and before he could finish I said, take em out! I'm not using them! Probably not what he was expecting to hear. After the surgeon left the nurse came in to schedule. I wanted to postpone the surgery because we had playoffs, and even though my team wouldn't win the trophy we could have secured 3rd place. My fiance Doug shook his head at me and the nurse's body language told me that would not be a possibility. So surgery was scheduled for a day after our championship game.

This is part one.  It is later than I thought, and there is more to the story, so I will say goodnight for now.

Jaclyn Murphy: Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel Clip (HBO)

Frank Delford checks back in with pediatric brain tumor survivor Jaclyn Murphy, who inspired the Northwestern Women's Lacrosse magical 2005 season.