In three weeks, I will be home. I will be changing my last name. I will have a man I can officially call my husband.
Kind of a big deal.
But really, it’s just the beginning.
I’ve worked in Cleveland for nearly three years. It’s been an amazing journey. Will it end soon? I’m not sure. It’s a real tough call.
A lot of people ask my fiancé and I about our future. We’ve been apart this whole time, but we find our own ways to connect. With a slew of phone calls, our daily Skype chats, etc., we really have not lost touch.
No, it’s not the same as living together, but it’s the next best thing.
So here we are, trying to figure out what to do.
Tim is the lead sports photographer back at home in Wichita. He gets to go to the premiere college games and often works with the sports anchor on those stories. He has an incredible eye, and actually is pretty good at shooting news stories too.
I am a multimedia journalist at Fox 8 News. Basically, I shoot, edit and report stories every day. My job used to be filled by three or more people, but just because I do it all myself doesn’t mean the quality suffers. Much of my work is strong, and I often win news competitions.
We both are at a good stage in our careers. Having worked more than five years in the business, we could go anywhere.
I’m convinced Tim may have the better shot, if he finds the right connects.
Tim’s eye for sports is uncanny. He can photograph just about anything well, and he knows how to cut stories at an instant.
True, I have highly marketable qualities. As a social-media guru and an MMJ, I should not have trouble finding work.
But the big question: who leads the family? Are we depending on me for the first step in a possible job search? Or is Tim?
I like Cleveland. A lot. I’ve been in several movies here locally – more than 20, including a few that’ve been box-office hits (you know, like that small-budget film “The Avengers.) Cleveland is also a bigger market, with professional sports and a wealth of culture.
Our biggest problem: nobody is hiring.
In the three years I’ve worked here, I believe one station has hired a photographer, and as I explained to Tim, he would be miserable working there. The quality of that station’s news is terrible, or at least terrible compared to where he’s coming from.
So we’re in a rut. A job rut. It stinks.
Tim has an incredible opportunity shooting footage of the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament. He’s following Wichita State right now. If they drop out, he’ll probably be heading to KU, which typically does well in the tournament.
My hope is that this experience will introduce him to the right people. And maybe a potential job.
I’m not going to lie, Tim is the best sports photographer I know. Plus, he’s a no-fuss employee. He delivers a quality product without being a diva – yes, photogs can be just as diva-like as reporters.
I pray. Oh so hard that he gets a great opportunity.
I told him whatever God throws our way, we roll with it. Whether that’s a job for me, somewhere where we both can be together, or if it’s a big opportunity for him.
As I explained to him the other day, if I can’t find work in television, I hope to find something in radio or print. Though I like PR, I want to avoid it like the plague.
I have zero plans to leave this business, but I plan to support my family. If Tim gets to reach his dreams, I’m ready. If it’s me, I hope he’s ready.
For now, we’ll be continuing things “as is,” with a long-distance marriage.
In the next few weeks, everything is going to change, but one thing won’t: we’ll be in it together.