July 17, 2010 – New York, NY
Greetings from CPW
It has been a long time between Bulletins and yes there is much to report.
My pal Vincent had to return to the Philippines for a while. He parted company with his New York employer and is home helping his family start a taxi company, and looking for another multinational company to work for. He has a great resume, a Masters in Economics and a great track record at work, so we both believe he will be back to work very soon.
Some of Vincent’s in-laws are visiting New York, and they rented our condo for the month, which is the reason I am banging out this bulletin from dad’s library on CPW (many thanks to he and K for providing this housing, so I can get somebody else to pay the condo note and fee for a month.
I just spoke with Vincent by Yahoo messenger, which has a videophone, so we were able to enjoy each other’s smiles as they bounced from Manila to NYC via the magic of the web. We have had plenty of practice in the long distance relationship department as his recent job required lots of West Coast Travel, so we both view this trip as just a little bit longer and a little bit farther away—that’s all.
I will be looking to lease out the condo from time to time while Vincent is gone, and hope to squeeze in some visits to family and friends in New England, New Orleans and yes to Vincent in the Philippines—that trip will likely come in October. It will be my first chance to see his country. We also see this as an opportunity for Vincent, because up until now every job he took depended on a US company being willing to sponsor him, and that greatly limited the field of options. Now, he can look all over the world for a job he really likes, and many countries do not share this country’s increasingly crazy outlook on immigration, so the field should be a lot more open.
As for me, the work has been steady and over the past year I have been able to broaden its scope. I still produce around 20 radio stories a month for my main radio gig. On top of that, I have added work for a new service called Labor Radio, and just got word yesterday they have renewed funding, which should mean an assignment or two per month. And, then there have been occasional print assignments. So, despite the economy, things are going well, and I hope to use some of the extra time I have on my hands, to keep reaching out for new writing, reporting and investigative gigs.
The print review I wrote for Jarrett on the HBO series “Treme” really drove home, how much New Orleans is a vital part of me. Perhaps I will be able to figure out an assignment that brings me that way for work as well as for pleasure. With BP and the Danziger Bridge Police case, there certainly seems to be no shortage of New Orleans in the news.
No question this time brings new challenges—we go from a two income family to my income and still a pretty hefty condo note. And, I go from having Vincent’s smiling face to return to each night to living solo for a time. But, as I told my dad, It was six years ago last week that I walked out of the gate at Butner and made my fresh start on life. And at this very desk that I sent out the resumes that landed my first job---in telemarketing of all god awful things, and then back in radio, and now for radio, print and the web.
So, I am optimistic that both Vincent and I will come through this stronger and better, and hope to be in touch with all of you in the weeks ahead for a phone call—or who knows a visit, or maybe even a video call on yahoo messenger. Vincent made up my address it is Violong1301mango…kind of long, but catchy.
Current Reading: Just finished The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman-very funny short novel on the very believable charters who staffed a dysfunctional (aren’t they all?) newsroom in London.
