Vicenza... or Venice.

From now until the 18th I am in Vicenza... which is, essentially, Venice.

My command thought it would be appropriate to send me and three others up here to attend the National Press Photographers Agency Training.

I've only made it through day one, but it's pretty neat. A few photojournalists from actual news stations back in the states flew out here to train us on ways to better tell the story. 

I know it will be a crime if I'm here these 4 days and don't actually make it to the city of Venice, we are going to try to go tomorrow evening if we get done early enough. We were going to go on our day off on Sunday, but some problems at the airport came up(they lost our luggage, and wouldn't rent us the car we had reserved).

I've taken a few pictures here and there and will try to upload them later. I just thought this would be a good opportunity to let you know where I am and why. More to come...

2 months later.

All I have to say is... wow.

I honestly had no idea how many people read this. I figured it was my family and maybe two or three others. But in the two and a half months that I stopped posting, I've received about a dozen emails asking me not to quit posting, and a few others with just questions about the Navy and/or mass communication specialists.

I took the break because I needed it, and even though I'm back I still may not be updating as frequent as some like. 

I know this sounds like a lame excuse, but in my time here I've been pretty exhausted. I keep pretty busy at work most days so usually when I get home the only thing I want to do is eat dinner and go to bed. 

Since it's been so long I have definitely become accustomed to my job now. So I'll give a quick rundown of my daily schedule.

Typically show up to work at 8 or 9am(depending on whether or not it's a PT day. PT meaning Physical training.) Work on the newscast for the day, that includes putting together the morning newscast, the news update that airs throughout the day, and then the main evening report. There are three of us on the news team so ideally different people work on different parts of everything.

Usually this all gets done and sent out the door anywhere from 1p.m to 5p.m. Also at some point throughout the day scripts for the next one to two days' newscasts should be written, then we go and shoot the "in's and outs". Basically us sitting at the desk saying "Welcome to your AFN Sigonella Report, I'm [Name]" then introducing the stories that we are airing and putting out any pertinent news. 

Now add to that the fact that you may have a story to go shoot. So when one person is out of the office on a shoot that means the other two have to pick up the slack. And so, usually 1 of the 3 of us are working on shooting or putting together a story while the other two are working on putting together the newscast and preparing scripts and such for the next day.

this should be a link to the finished product. The Sigonella Report:

http://sigonella.afneurope.net/SigonellaReport/tabid/761/Default.aspx

and below is an actual story I put together on the local children going back to school.

(**NOTE** The quality is crap on that Youtube Video. You may be better off watching it on the AFN Sigonella website. www.afneurope.net/sigonella )