Year 3

I've been a reporter for more than three years now, not counting a short stint as a public relations account coordinator in Portland, Ore., a job that I not only hated but also really sucked at. At that job, I also continued to freelance for a magazine in Waco, so I count myself as a three-year veteran of the news business.

Today, I was reflecting on the past three-plus years. My very first week on the job at the Waco Tribune-Herald, I went to Cricket's for drinks after work with my new coworkers. I was quite intimidated as most of them had been on the job for a while. One girl (who quickly became one of my best friends in Waco) even went to the Mizzou school of journalism. I was scared of these people.

That night, I asked fellow Trib-er Thad what he loved about journalism. He kind of smirked and said, "Oh, I just have no other marketable skills."

Thad would later that summer cover the ongoing standoff between peacenik mom Cindy Sheehan and President George W. Bush outside the Crawford ranch. Dubya refused to speak with her so she camped out in a ditch for several weeks. Thad covered the story for days on end.

I would, at that time, have been all over the idea of covering such a national news event. But, cynicism had gotten the better of him. Today, it's trying to get the better of me.

I used to hate the Olympics

I have been watching every spare second of Olympics coverage I can squeeze in. I'm inspired. Last night, I even went jogging. And for lunch yesterday, I ate salad.

I wonder if Olympics season is similar to New Year's for fitness clubs. I wonder if they get extra business from all the people who have decided once and for all they are going to freaking get in shape and stop sitting on their fat butts. It makes sense to me.

Does anyone else just NOT understand gymnastics? I have no clue how they score all those back handsprings and flips and skills. All I know is that if you fall down, balance check, or fail to "stick" a landing, that's bad. Other than that, no clue. This is why I like the swimming competition. Whoever swims the fastest wins. Michael Phelps is part dolphin. I can't believe I ever hated the Olympics. The end.