(an adventure just getting there!!)

I had it in mind to go to the Olympics for the past four years, and knew it would take a lot of time and planning. I figured I had a good chance because I worked at CBS and knew a lot of people who should be able to help me get into the loop. You see, it's a Catch-22, because you can't get into the loop on sports remotes and New York assignments because you haven't done one of their remotes, but then how do you get to do one if you have to be an insider to get called in the first place!! I figured, that since Norway, I had met a lot of New York CBSers and had cultivated relationships with them so it might be a little easier--my new boss had worked on several Olympics and said there could be some possibilities for me, and I just kept the thought in the back of my mind over the years past the Norway games.

Then, I started actively pursuing my dream to go to Nagano. I first approached one likely person, who told me to be patient and they would check on things for me (I won't go into a lot of details on the CBS contacts because they'd recognize themselves!!), so I waited and trusted. Time was passing, and so I talked to a couple other CBSers I knew would be very involved when I met them at a trade show, they smiled and said to be patient. I met some other people who might be in the know, and each time I would give the subtle hint that I had thoughts and dreams of working Nagano and I was not going to give up. I gave each one time to get it together, through various e-mails, phone messages, even writing a Top 10 list on why I should go and how all my job experience would be very important. It looked good for one BIG job at the Games, then it was given to someone else. Each time I thought, prayed, tried a new angle, until I realized others were being picked to go and I needed to think of my options. But how to proceed?? Surely my work ethic and strong desire and CBS contacts would put me ahead of the game (or Games, as it were), but nothing happened. Two very big bosses at CBS said "I can't imagine why you can't get in, you do a great job and have really unique skills, I had 5 different people separately looking into the mysterious loop in New York that I could not penetrate...nothing. One person that would talk on the phone forever to a friend of mine who was going, was never there when I called. I e-mailed, I left messages, all to no avail.

I realized I had to start thinking "outside the box", as I learned in a speech at a AWRT convention. I'll break it down, but briefly, as each attempt took a few days of e-mail or phone calls to find out what I needed to know. Thank heavens for e-mail and faxes anyway, or getting out my message, literally, to the world, would not have been possible.

I had one friend in Spain, whose brother-in-law was on the Olympic team, did he have a connection to get me some kind of credential or job? No. I figured all my foreign penfriends should come up with something, so I tried my Belgian diplomat friends, nothing...my Polish friend whose friend was on the Olympic volleyball team...nothing. My Uruguayan penpal works at a radio station, no luck. My New Zealand friend worked for a magazine, could I credential this way? No. My South African friend, my Estonian friend who is an official in the government, I was striking out everywhere. I would go home at night, and cry, and think, and even write down all my thoughts to give on the phone as I made my big pitch.

My good friend Shirley ended up with 2 great leads--in a phone message, she told me that one of our friends wouldn't be attending the next AWRT board meeting because she was going to be working at the Olympics and would be out of town--I immediately e-mailed this person, who replied that she would be stationed in Tokyo but I could definitely stay with her if I needed to. At least I have a place to stay now, although I had a friend in Nagano who would let me stay with them, but I might need some kind of credential to get to the area where they lived. Some CBS people were incredibly helpful, one said they'd try to get me tickets, I got some dinner and tour invitations, and they would all take me to work in a second but they were not at that level. I ponder and feel frustrated and write more pitches down to deliver to new people!!

Another time, Shirley told me of someone in her office who had been asked to go work on the Olympics--she didn't know his connection but gave me his name and number to call. Well, he knew someone at a venue who was looking for a runner, a gopher, and they remembered him. I wasn't picky, I would be a runner, do schedules, type memos, send faxes, I don't have to be a big manager or in charge of anything, just give me the chance. After my 22 years of experience in TV, I felt like I was back in college, and this guy who was going was just 22 himself!! It was frustrating, and he called people and was so sweet, but nothing available.

I also remembered, through my Pitcairn Island connection, that they had thought of sending an athlete to Atlanta but couldn't go because it was too expensive and difficult. So I called the Administrator for the island and asked if I could write Nagano and see if I could go as an Olympic representative from Pitcairn, since they might send someone to Sydney as it is so much closer. I wrote this great letter, faxed it off, and 2 days later got a polite return fax that I was not eligible and thanks but no thanks. Another obstacle in the path to success!!

One of my good friends is the related to a famous celebrity, so I asked for her advice, I kept thinking, if my name were Cristy Clinton or Cristy Letterman or something, I'd be sitting right up front with Richard Gere and Gen. Schwarzkopf at all those events!! While my famous friend tried, there was nothing they could do, but keeping my spirits positive and giving me ideas was really inspiring to me, just when I would almost break down in tears.

I still have some good friends at KCBS where I had worked years before and had proven myself, those who knew me tried hard to help but they had put in their quota and also, the people who were handling everything were in the news department and they were all knew since I had quit there. Another attempt failed.

I went to a DAR meeting and said I would not be at the February meeting because one way or another, I am going to get to the Olympics, but still needed some help, a lady there told me her neighbor was an official with the Olympic committee, maybe he could help. He was out of town but I resolved to try if nothing else came up.

Then, over the holidays, I got a phone call from a friend from CBS in Alaska who I had visited when I was there this summer. He was in LA and would like to see me and tour around CBS. Sure, come on over, I replied, and then inspiration hit me!! Why not work for the local station, they put me on their crew, I get my credential, I get to run around, all the things I want and need, I work for free, I take vacation from my own job, no conflict of interest, I am helping out another CBS station with my expertise!! He thought it was a great idea--I type up a letter about myself and he delivers it back to Alaska. They think it is a good idea, and so they apply for me to the people who do these things in New York. Put the brakes on--their allotment of credentials is full and they can't take anyone else. I am in despair again. I call the people in charge, in fact someone in that area in New York I knew personally, and was even related to another friend of mine--he was very nice but said someone else was handling it and there wasn't much he could do. I talked to the guy in charge, who was also very nice, he hoped to see me there but his hands were tied as well, he was so sorry, and I believed him. The Alaska people needed to call and push for me, but with the time change and it not meaning as much to them as it did to me, my options were slowly running out. I was feeling like I should give up, this is too hard, and I just cannot try anymore.

I called the Nagano Olympic credentialing number, I even had a fellow worker who is Japanese make a few calls for me, they told me I had to be sponsored by my national Olympic committee. I could also write for AWRT's magazine and go that way, I thought, so I stayed up late into the night and found who the USOC officials were, called an AWRT friend from Colorado Springs, she gave me a name to try, and so I called there. They were very sorry, they had given out all their credentials. I go home again, dejected and trying to focus on my next plan of attack.

I thought, from all I had learned, that I needed to pitch a CBS station who was not in the regular loop, who could credential me without going through New York, but who could do that? I needed to be sponsored by an olympic committee, but not the US one, someone small who I could actually talk to someone in authority. I looked on the Nagano web site for countries participating, trying to figure out who I could pitch my idea to, I mean, Uzbekistan or someplace where I am a stranger is going to pay attention to me, so I need to think of something else. I look through the list, just willing that the screen will jump out at me with a new idea. And then I saw it!! Guam!! We have an affiliate in Guam, are they going, do they need me?? Also, as a territory, they have their own Olympic team so their own Olympic committee!! I write down all this information and get the phone number for CBS in Guam!!!! I look at it for a couple of hours, thinking I am a fool, I have put so much effort and gotten rejected so many times, and focusing on this as well as my job, which was getting busier and more demanding, and that it was only a very few weeks and even a very few days before the event, I thought, is this worth the trouble!!

But I had to try, the worst they can say is no, who are you, are you crazy, who is this stranger calling us from LA?? I thought a bit more, then made the call. The guy I needed to talk to was out, but I could try back. With the time and day change, etc, it wasn't easy to find them, but finally I did!! Their sports director, Shawn, said they had just been talking about needing someone to cover since they couldn't afford to do it and a small team was actually going, so they needed to cover it. Well, I can do it, I told him, and I will send you my resume and whatever you want, I will call whoever you need!! But I don't get excited, experience from some of these encounters mentioned above is that people get excited about the idea, then come back and say no. So he said he'd call the officials and see if it was too late, what I could do for them. I waited, didn't sleep, waited, for two days. I don't want to be too pushy, but I am getting nervous!! So, I called him back, and he said he was glad I called, their phone lines had been down and they couldn't call me back, it will be all right!! I am still dubious, he tells me what they expect me to do, I fax a letter and bio and everything about myself to their committee, and called them, they said they would fax me forms and I could Fed Ex them to Japan, I will spend anything at this point!! Unfortunately, just as I was starting to get my hopes up a little bit, they paged me, I called them, and bad news-the Guam bosses called the IOC, talked to all their big people, talked to all the Nagano big people, and they cannot credential me because I am not a full time employee of the station and also because I am not a Guam resident. They said if they do it for me, everyone will be calling all the little islands and trying to get in that way.

I was so devastated, but I am just numb, in shock...then I listened to my phone messages and one came from my friend who will be staying in Tokyo and wants to know when I am staying. She says, that her other friend Gayl is coming and will be there later, she is working on her credential so in a flash, I call Gayl and ask how she is doing it, so she gave me a name of a lady in NY which I e-mailed, and never heard anything, but I got the name of someone else. Who also didn't help.

One of my best leads came from a DAR friend of mine whose neighbor is the president of the Figure Skating Federation. I didn't even imagine that he would talk to me, but out of desperation I called and he was so nice, he sais he would check and see what he could do when he gets to Japan, and when I arrive, to call him. It's always a hope!!

A lot of people said they would have given up by now, but you know me, I don't ever give up!! I can't stay home now, when I have done so much already, and after all, this is our last chance for the Olympics and I am not going to sit at home and watch it on TV!! Probably when I get to Japan things will look up, after all when you're actually there you can do more.

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