When I worked in drama and comedy and reality, I was largely unaware of
what was going on in the world. Okay, that's not exactly true--I was
aware when things affected me. But if news didn't affect me directly,
there was a reasonable chance that I didn't know it was happening. I
entered a television studio building early in the morning, only to
emerge hours later. There were things I saw out of the corner of my eye
on control room monitors, but I have a feeling I missed a lot.
These days, working in news keeps me a lot more informed. While I
certainly don't know close to everything about anything, I am much more
aware of what is going on in a lot of places. I make my way home at
least a little informed about what has gone on, rather than oblivious to
the happenings outside the studio. Some days, it feels good to be aware
of the world outside my "bubble." Other days, it is exhausting.
Today, working in news was, of course, mostly about the 9/11
anniversary. As I strung together video and photos of all the parts of
that day and people's reactions to it, I was reminded of a day when even
the bubble of a soap opera studio didn't keep me from knowing what was
going on. As I edited a montage of people's memories of that day, I
thought back to my own, which was good, because it is important to
remember. And yet, today was one of those days when I headed home
exhausted from all the videos and images and assorted ways of telling
the story. Working in news keeps you informed, but it also tends to give
you more information than you are able to process. Particularly on a
day like today.
There may come a day when I go back to entertainment, when I no longer
have on my radar what is happening in Africa or Europe or the Middle
East unless it affects me directly. For now, though, I am happy to know.
Happy to be working, and learning, and being aware. Even on the exhausting days. And even on the days when we would all know anyway.
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