Tag: #ConnecticutBlogger

Before my entry into the media Industry

In my latest blog post Back to Broadcast Media Sales! of the Broadcast and Media Industry series,  I ended with how much the media industry has changed over the past 35+ years and how it continues to evolve due to the impact of  the internet and streaming channels.  You should really read the aforementioned blog post before you continue with this one…

 

 

But I need to back up now because my real beginning in the Media industry was at the tender age of 22 at a community led public broadcast TV station in Bridgeport, CT.

I graduated from college back in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Media Studies from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT.  Media Studies was an interesting field because we were taught a little bit about different media industries such as Public Relations, Television, Radio, Newspaper, Magazines and Photography.  It was just enough to peak your interest in what you might want to pursue further.  In my case I was fascinated my both Broadcast Television and Broadcast Radio.

However, once I earned my college degree, I continued to work the next 3 to 4 months in the same sales support position I held in college.  It was at a Bridgeport, CT financial services firm.  I also continued with my internship from the Summer before where I worked at a Bridgeport, CT Public Broadcasting TV station for a Minister from a local African American Baptist church.  Minister John and I collaborated on this gospel TV show called Lifeline Gospel Videos.  He was the host of  the show and I was responsible for interviewing gospel artists over the telephone, writing up and editing their biographical stories and broadcasting these stories on air in 2 to 3 minute increments.  My segment was called Bio-Line Gospel Videos. And it took me all week long to write, create, produce and serve as the talent for one segment.  This was back in the 80s so the videos stories were saved on Betacam and converted to VHS for home use.  Working on these video stories with the gospel artists was truly a labor of love.  I am particularly fascinated by everyday peoples’ stories and I also love to share them with others so this opportunity was Win/Win.   What wasn’t Win/Win was that this was an internship so I did not get paid one thin dime and as much as I loved my job, it did not pay the rent or the bills so consequently when it came time to put in my notice to the financial services firm so I had time to devote to the field I just earned a degree in, I quickly shed the public broadcasting TV station internship as well.

In my mind I was still on the right track though as the goal post college was to gain as much experience in the media industry as possible so by starting early with the Public Broadcasting TV gig, I had a little leg up on building my resume.  I called myself being “paid in experience” so I could command a certain salary for when I entered the field of Media.  In my opinion, back in the 80s, the media industry was like a closed fist.  There were lots and lots of people looking to get in and very few openings.  So it took a lot to pry open that “fist” and receive an open position (and this was both behind the scenes and in front of the scenes) as the demand exceeded the supply.  And this was at a time where the pay scale in Media (especially for behind the scenes positions) was extremely low but this did not deter people from trying to get into what was perceived as the “glamour field.”

 

 

As I mentioned, post college was when I discovered that living in Bridgeport, CT was not working for me anymore as I needed to be closer to a TV station and the closest,  WTNH “Action News 8,” was located in New Haven, CT.  As luck with have it, my sister Casandra and her husband Alfredo were living in New Haven, CT at the time.  They had not yet purchased their forever home in Ledyard, CT so they were living in a large 2 bedroom apartment in the Edgewood neighborhood.  I asked Casandra (since my plans of moving to the Washington, DC area after college and working in Media recently imploded) if I could stay with her and Alfredo until I got on my feet and they both graciously agreed.  I stayed with the two of them all Summer long rent free while looking for work as well as looking for an apartment.  Casandra was instrumental in finding me my first apartment, a Studio apartment on Whitney Avenue in the East Rock neighborhood of New Haven, CT.   The rent was $375 a month plus utilities for essentially one large room with a teeny tiny kitchenette, a teeny tiny dining area and a separate full bathroom.  I bought a tiny dining table and chairs for the dining area, a daybed for the living area because it served the dual purpose of a couch in the daytime and a bed at night.  The kitchenette was way too small to fit in any furniture.  Oh and yes, housing was very affordable back then and this unit was perfect for me (smile).

My apartment was located right on a bus line which was ideal because my car had died on the Merritt Parkway earlier that Summer and I really had no other way to get around.

As far as work, I chose to register with an employment agency so I could make money while focusing on finding a job in Media.  Right after registering, I was sent by the agency the following day to Easter Seals Goodwill Industries in New Haven, CT to work as a Job Coach.  As it turned out, the supervisors and Administrators loved me so much that they tried to convince me to stay and make a career of it.  I made it clear to them that I was on a mission to break into the Media industry and nothing was going to get in my way (smile).  I liked everyone there and I believed in their mission but not working in media was not an option (double smile).

 

 

As luck would have it, a few months down the road I spied a Want Ad in the Classifieds section of the New Haven Register newspaper for a Local Sales Assistant at WTNH Action News 8!   I was overqualified so of course I got the job (smile).

 

 

I was elated.  This was my first entry into Broadcast Media as well as my first real paying job in the Broadcast Media industry so life was good – for reference please read My Entry into Broadcast Media Sales.

 

 

In the next entry of the Broadcast and Media industry blog post series I will chat about the differences between working in the sales departments of Print Media, Broadcast TV and Broadcast Radio stations.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

TVFL

 

Don’t Call Me A Senior!

We are roughly one month away from the end of the year – another year flying by way too quickly.  And, as it turns out, my birthday (Valentine’s Day which falls on the second holiday of the New year) is quickly approaching.  So I will turn 64 years old on February 14th, 2026 God willing.  Which brings me to my dilemma.  I don’t consider myself a Senior Citizen.  And I say it with a straight face (smile).

 

 

Technically speaking  I am not yet a Senior Citizen since the state of Connecticut defines a Senior Citizen as a state resident who is 65 years or older in terms of program eligibility like Social Security, Property Tax Relief, Medicare and other state aid.

 

Don’t call me a Senior!

 

There are, however, some programs and/or services in the state of Connecticut which consider 55 as the starting age.  As a matter of fact 13 years ago when I turned 50, AARP had the nerve to send me an unsolicited membership card!   I tossed it in the trash (smile).  Clearly they had confused me with my next door neighbor who, at that time in my life, was most certainly a Senior Citizen (smile).

 

I am not my next door neighbor

 

Another thing.   My name Le Jeune means ‘The Young’ in French so that might have something to do with my age obsession (smile).   True story:  While reading Jet magazine, my late mother Jean found my name attached to a very popular African American model who had just won an award in Cannes, France.  The model’s name was Le Jeune Hundley and, as it turned out, she traveled to France because it was easier for a black woman from the United States to find modeling work in France then it was in the U.S.  At any rate my mother loved the name, but changed the first E to an A, dropped the capital in J, closed the letters together and Voila! named me (her 5th daughter) after this model.  Here is a picture of Le Jeune Hundley on the cover of Jet magazine:

 

By the way her name was misspelled here by Jet Magazine…

 

Another concern of mine is that scientists have identified the 5 stages of the human brain and 66 (or the mid-60s) is when the so-called Early Aging phase begins.  This is the phase when people face increased risk for a variety of health conditions that can affect the brain, such as hypertension.  Hence why I wake up 5 days a week at the crack of dawn (430am) to work out from 5am to 6am at  Orangetheory Fitness in Hamden.  I’m usually one of the oldest members in my class but I can still keep up with everyone (smile).

 

I am truly an Early Bird

 

And also why I (as of the Covid Pandemic of 2020) completely cut alcohol (in my case – Wine) out of my life and continue to work very hard to eat clean and nutritious meals.  It can be harsh (especially around the holidays) so I allow myself to cheat from time to time. Like the other day when I went with my girlfriends Sherry and Thais to see Wicked 2 at the Cinemark movie theater and  treated myself to a Medium popcorn with extra movie theater butter (smile).

 

 

I truly believe life is for living and I have reiterated it as much in more than one of my previously written blog posts.  I will continue to not act my age and just enjoy life to the fullest.  So unless I am getting a serious Senior Citizen discount, you will not know when I am in fact a Senior Citizen.

 

I will be a selective Senior Citizen (smile)

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

 

“Southern Girl”

2024 has been a ‘Southern Girl‘ year of travel for me – and I mean that in the best way.  For instance in April I was chasing waves on Florida’s West Coast at Clearwater Beach: Baby Blues

 

In July I met up with my niece and twin nephews (all siblings) in San Antonio, Texas for the sole purpose of family bonding and fun in the sun: SAT, A surprise to me!

 

And now here it is August and I just returned from a 5 day 4 night mini vacay to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina or “MB” as it is affectionately known (smile).

Me and my boo decided to try something new this time around in regards to our aircraft – we flew Avelo Airlines out of Tweed Airport in New Haven (a first for both of us) and we booked our stay not at a hotel resort but rather at an Airbnb. My girlfriend Sharon’s son Brandon owns a 1 bedroom condominium on the beach in MB called Rosey Retreat so that is where we stayed.    

 

It felt different staying at an Airbnb condominium as opposed to a hotel resort because we missed out on the daily maid service, the convenience of a hotel restaurant and the front desk information gathering station.


Cozy albeit quirky rose interior

 

But what it lacked in hotel amenities it more than made up for as it had the perfect view from our balcony to the beach, the cozy, albeit quirky rose interior and beachy touches inside the unit such as beach chairs and a beach umbrella complete with a sand anchor.

 

Can’t beat this view!

 

Our morning view to Paradise

 

We spent the majority of our vacay mornings and afternoons enjoying the surf and sun at the beach (did I mention that the temps averaged 85 degrees Fahrenheit all 5 days!) and almost pinched ourselves for picking the right week of the month to travel.

I think this is when I lost my Fitbit!

 

Since we left on a Sunday of the last week in August, most people with children were already in full ‘Back to School’ mode so the beach felt somewhat secluded and a little private.

It feels so good to be on the beach when its not wall to wall people…

 

Our condominium had a galley kitchen with pots and pans and stuff so we went shopping for food, snacks and adult beverages at the Piggly Wiggly (smile).

 

Love that name!

 

And afterwards we had breakfast at Shoney’s – I remember this restaurant from a couple of Summers I spent in Fayetteville, North Carolina with my big sister Dana. I was 15 years old at the time and Dana was 23. She was serving in the Air Force and had recently purchased her own home and it was ‘my turn’ to spend the Summer with her.  Dana took me to Shoney’s as they were legendary back then for their huge Southern breakfasts. However, on the day me and my boo went, the managers were cooking (never a good sign) as they were short on wait staff so the food and service were not quite what I expected.

 

Shoney Bear


The breakfast was just okay…

 

Speaking of food, the best meal in MB that week bar none was the Jamaican take-out restaurant we discovered after leaving the Piggly Wiggly. It was across the street from Piggly Wiggly and to their left. We both luvvvv Jamaican food so we ordered 3 plates to go – 2 plates of Oxtails with rice and peas and cabbage and 1 plate of Jerk Chicken with peas and rice and cabbage.

 

3 plates to go please!

 

I inhaled my oxtails, peas and rice and cabbage poolside back at the crib

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a lively conversation with the owner and his wife around the U.S. dominance in track and field at the most recent Paris Olympics which was precipitated by Usain Bolt’s picture on the wall… 😜

 

Usain Bolt

As for lunch and dinner ‘dine-in restaurants,’ we surfed online and found at least 3 or 4 that were decent and within walking distance. We did not rent a car – in all honesty South Myrtle Beach is easy to navigate on foot as everything is relatively close by.  The Uber ride from the Myrtle Beach airport to our condominium took just 15 minutes!

 

The first restaurant where we ate was recommended by a hotel concierge named Will whom we met on the street – he said it was popular with tourists so he knew we would like it. Will was not wrong (smile). It was named River City Cafe. I had a delish veggie burger with cheese and a side salad. Before our meal came we were served salty roasted shelled peanuts in a cup and afterwards we got to throw the shells on the wooden floor😀. It took me back to my days growing up in Groton, Connecticut when we ate at The Ground Round 😀.

 

The license plated wall of the River City Cafe
Delish veggie cheese burger with a side salad

Cool ice water with salty roasted shelled peanuts and yes, we gladly threw the empty shells on the floor (smile).

 

For dinner that night (really apps since I was still full from lunch!) we chose RipTyde Rooftop Bar because it overlooked the beach and it had a cool indoor/outdoor vibe. I had a delish Frozen Mango Margarita Mocktail that froze my brain every time I took a sip (smile). There was live music playing and from our seats, we could watch the hotel guests enjoying a game of Corn Hole on the beach.

 

 

We had the best view from RipTyde indoor outdoor restaurant

The following night we headed back to the Myrtle Beach boardwalk to check out Pier 14 Restaurant but while walking on the boardwalk we met a friendly middle -aged couple from Washington state who had just arrived in town to attend NASCAR.  We exchanged our respective life stories and went on our way 😉.

 

The beautiful and well-lit Myrtle Beach 1.2 mile long boardwalk

We ate that night at Pier 14 which was known for their seafood and specialty drinks. It was late for dining (9pm) so I ordered something light – Poke Tuna and it hit the spot ☺️

 

Pier 14 Restaurant

 

From there we went to The Arcades (old school gaming) which really took me back in time…

 

The following evening (after once again spending all day on the beach) we dined at LandShark Bar and Grill where I had a Caribbean Chicken salad before people watching along the Boardwalk.

Perfect photo op inside Landmark Shark Bar and Grill retail store

 

And we couldn’t leave MB before riding on the SkyWheel – it was truly a stress free ride – more observational than anything else – as we checked out the city lights and carnival rides.

 

Could not miss the SkyWheel on any given day, it was literally always in our sight

Entering the Sky Wheel to buy our tickets

Felt no stress whatsoever on this wheel 😜the ride lasted about 14 fun-filled minutes.

Our 5th and final day was spent in our condominium- eating, packing and admiring the view from our balcony…

 

The view from our balcony was impressive

So long MB 😘

For those of you who are wondering why we did not golf, well we figured that just gives us another reason to head back 😜 ⛳️

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

 

 

 

My Clean Living Life Part VII

It’s been a minute since I blogged in TVFL about anything – 10 months to be exact – call it the ‘Pandemic Blues’ but I’ve been feeling pretty unmotivated when it comes to writing about my life.

 

 

It could also be because I’ve been having GI issues of late which are more annoying than painful.  Between doctor’s appointments, getting my Vitals checked, eliminating certain foods from my diet, it’s not been a fun start to the New Year…

 

 

One thing’s for sure, the issue is not related to alcohol since I stopped drinking anything but Mocktails at the onset of the Pandemic.

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The silver lining is that my GI office is real close to figuring out what’s wrong with me so that they can prescribe the correct course of action.

 

 

And I can try and get back to a more normal way of living which includes a positive mindset and healthier version of clean eating.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

My Current Situation Part VIII

There was a small window in time at some point in July of 2021 where life was beginning to feel a little normal, albeit, the “new normal,” as masks were flung off, dressy outfits were put back on and baseball caps were sent back to the ball field.

 

 

 

Then along came Delta, it sounds like a movie title but instead it’s the name of the new variant that is quickly turning our everyday lives into a mini nightmare.  The medical doctor on the last WTNH News 8 segment I watched explained that even if you are fully vaccinated, you can still catch and/or transmit the COVID virus –  Yikes!  It’s no wonder that it’s spreading like wildfire.

 

 

 

And now the Connecticut Department of Public Health recommends that all state residents go back to wearing masks inside public buildings.

 

 

 

Yes.  Again…Wait, Really?!?

 

 

So as of today, me and my fellow News 8 Account Executives continue to work (masked up outside our cubicles) in the same hybrid fashion we started about 14 months ago.  Call me crazy but I happen to like working 50 percent from home and 50 percent from the office.  I have even created a cozy home office in one corner of my dining room that easily fits my desk, office supplies, desktop computer, office chair, printer and work files.  I can’t lie: I’m not looking forward to going back to work in the office 100 percent of the time.  Especially since I’ll have to face those crazy, unhinged drivers every day as opposed to just half the week.

 

 

Being the Optimist that I am though, I take a deep breath and remember what I am truly grateful for: I am truly grateful that me, my family and my loved ones are all healthy, fully vaccinated and presently living Covid- free lives.

 

 

 

And I certainly hope and pray the same for all of my TVFL readers.