SZZLNG in San Francisco

It turned into a girl’s weekend getaway.

But the three of us were really there on a mission – to presumably pick up our regional Emmys in San Francisco. We were the only ones nominated in our respective news show categories, but none of us would accept or believe it until we actually held one.

My Saturday morning started early. I couldn’t sleep from the night before and I didn’t want to miss our agreed 8:30am start time.

I soon stopped for gas ($3.79). Some random woman spotted my Mustang and screamed, ‘oh my god, that is the most beautiful car I have ever seen!’ I did not prompt her reaction and it totally took me by surprise. ‘When my kids grow up, I keep telling myself I’m getting one.’

The drive over I-80 wasn’t bad; I freaked out when we hit the Bay Bridge. I still have memories of that car falling off the ledge during the ’89 quake.

We arrived at our hotel 3.5 hours later after some traffic and bad directions from my co-worker. “Take a left up here. It should be on this road. Ok, take a right up here. I know its close around here.” Sweet.

About an hour later we had obliterated our motel room with cosmetics, toiletries, extra clothes choices and alcohol.  

No time to screw around – we had to look pretty ourselves. I chose a black and white bustier thing with black pants. I was one of three women who wore pants, so I stood out inside the Palace of Fine Arts.

The show itself was horribly long – as usual and this year, there were many multiple winners in categories which meant more speeches and thank yous from people I don’t know.  

Basically Reno people see the San Francisco Emmys as one big inside joke, and we’re on the outside.

“Last year was a good year….except for some people at Channel 5.”

“Oooooooooh.!”

What does that even mean?

One third of the audience was from Univision, one third from the San Jose NBC station and the last third consisted of like random people like us and Hawaii.

Anyway, when we got to my station’s first show category, a giant screen showed the single nomination with my co-workers’ names. “I wonder who could win this. Come on down Channel 2.”

The group’s spokesman hovered over the mic to say, “We didn’t think we would win.”

And the auditorium laughed. No, we really didn’t think we would even though we all read in a newsletter the day before we were guaranteed. Rules state there could be one, more than one or no winners in one’s category.

Time passed on and many winners thanked their mothers, many of whom attended the ceremony.

And then it was my turn. I practiced my speech endlessly in my head for about a month. I knew what was I was going to do.

And then I walked up to the podium and started to shake and got nervous and could hear my heart pumping through my ears. “Hi. (Really?) I’d like to thank the academy voters, my wonderful co-workers, my family for their support and yeah…. I think that’s it. Thank you.” And I walked off.

Lord. I rehearsed – I’d like to thank the academy voters, my wonderful co-workers, my family for their undying support. I also think it’s important to recognize the journalists who came before me – the Edward R. Murrows’, Walter Cronkites, the Peter Jennings’… and lastly I’d like to thank the service men and women overseas because without them I would not have the freedom to do what I would want to do.

I could hear my co-workers and (some former one who moved onto bigger stations) cheer for me from within the audience. That was nice.  

I called my parents afterwards. “It’s real and it has my name on it.” They immediately called other family members.

The academy actually spelled one of my co-workers’ name wrong; they are making a new band and sending it to her complete with a screwdriver for her to use.

We ended up placing our Emmys around our motel room so when we’d wake up, we’d see one everywhere we’d look. Don’t have that many chances in life to do that so you have to take advantage when you can.

My Emmy is currently on tour to family members’ homes and places of work. My parents will keep it; I’m afraid my kitties will impale themselves on the wingtips.

I’ll pick up the rest of my adventure tomorrow.