12.5.2007 — updating my state of affairs

Sorry, folks, it’s been so long. And, no, I can’t even give the “I’ve been busy” excuse. A man who sleeps in until 2:36 p.m. on a non-descript Tuesday has no “busy” excuses.

And, plus, I’m not a man full of excuses. I tend to tell it how it is.

So let me get right to the juicy fat of my current situation. All of my free time lately — not including my sleepy time — has provided me plenty of opportunities to think about what I’m doing in life.

It’s an interesting thought process.

Currently, my life is like reading three hours out of boring textbooks each night with 10 minutes of stimulating novel reading sprinkled in.

Last Tuesday, I had the pleasure of covering the Wisconsin-Duke game for wral.com. Before the game, I sat in a press room that included ESPN commentator Dick Vitale and famous basketball author John Feinstein among other well-established writers. That right there made my night.

But it was only the beginning. Since there were numerous important media types at the nationally televised game between ranked teams, there wasn’t room for me on Duke’s press row. So I was relegated to the baseline of the court. Yes, I sat my ass on the wooden floor right next to the photographers.

And I was all over ESPN. Every time there was a scuffle under the basket for the ball or a fastbreak coming straight toward me, I prepared myself to be bowled over by huge, muscular basketball players. But, luckily, I never had to deal with this. Instead, when I retuned home later that night, I saw myself on SportsCenter’s “Top 10” plays twice.

Sure, I was paid a measly $65 to cover the game — not exactly enough to live on — but it still made my night. I’m banking on covering more games at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the days to come. It’s the best place to watch or cover a college hoops game.

The following night, I was scrubbing toilets for $7.50 an hour at the Hilton Garden Inn by the RDU airport. Boy, how I can go from the top of the world to its darkest dungeon in the course of 24 hours. While I want to cover sports for a living, the bitter reality right now is that with the intermittent stringing jobs I have, I need money on the side just to get by.

That means washing dishes four days a week at the Hilton for $8.50 an hour (and occasionally scrubbing johns). Not exactly a great job for a college graduate, but it’s what I gotta do, so I accept it. And — I must say — I’m the best damn dishwasher in the state of North Carolina. You got a pan you think isn’t cleanable? Bring it by my place and I’ll scrub it for you (at the cost of a six pack, of course).

While I’ve been encouraged by my opportunity to write game stories and features for wral.com and the Associated Press — I’m covering one of the high school football state championship games this Saturday — I’m resigned to the fact that I’m going to have to leave this area to procure my first full-time sports writing job. So every day I check journalism websites to see what’s available, to see if there’s anything worth applying for.

No luck so far, but it’s something I have to do if I want to achieve my goal of becoming a well-respected sports journalist.

While Thanksgiving in Chicago was fun this year — as it always is — it also was depressing. Every time I’m around my older cousins, Lou and Pete, I can’t help but feel inferior. Lou is now making $80,000 a year with the potential to make an additional $40-or-so K each year in Boston. Pete is in his first year of law school, all but certainly on his way to a bright career.

I know comparisons are ill-advised, but I can’t help placing myself next to them and their friends whenever I’m in their presence. Hmmm, let’s see. Law school vs. washing dishes. It’s like New England vs. Miami. I guess we’ll have to wait until Week 16 (but I’m pretty sure of the result).

But whatever. All I can do is move forward and live my life. One thing I’m proud of is my frugality. I know how to not spend money. I can make ends meet without a full-time gig despite $500-a-month rent and bills. And I own J-bo in tennis and chess.

In this cold world, you have to focus on the positives. If you don’t, the negatives will drown you.

All right, folks, I’m out. It’s getting late, and I actually plan on waking up before 2:36 tomorrow.

With peace and love,

Jake “Bloat” Lloyd