Live news is stressful. I learned that on my first day volunteering as a production assistant at the Wire. I walked in and everything was on fire. They did not even know if they were going to be able to put on a show. I was asked to do the hardest job, teleprompter. All I had to do was turn a knob and follow what the anchors were saying. You would have thought I smoked a whole pack before with how much my hand was shaking. I made it through the show, and the next one, and the next one and so on. They never really get less stressful as there is something new every day. 

I have been at the Wire for four years now. I started volunteering when I was a first-year and got hired as a production assistant the same year. I got promoted to production director when I was a junior. As a senior, I still fill the same role. Through those years I have gotten a lot of critiques and compliments. The one I hear the most is that I deal with stressful situations well. Producers always questioned how I stayed so calm (Especially Tim Littau).  

Every time the situation became stressful, I would think of a classic Irish quote written by Samuel Beckett “I can’t go on, I’ll go on.” No matter what happens you must go on. The next step might hurt, but you must keep walking so there’s no use in thinking about the pain. You just take the next step. 

I have been thinking about my next step. I do not know where my foot will land, but now is the time to think about the footprints behind me. I have done a lot of great work at the Wire and met a lot of great people. 

To Julia Jarman, thank you for hiring me, starting the Marquette Filmmakers Association and starting Team Ghost. 

To Mazie Baldus, thank you for being like a big sister to me. You technical directing for the first time in a year will always be my funniest memory at the Wire. 

To Alex Rivera-Grant, thank you for taking that SPARK call during critiques. 

To my production teams old and new – Ivy Wen, Mia Garcia-Morici, JJ Flippins, Luke McDonnell, Caroline Bennett, George Kane, Cindy Zhao, and Ryan Murphy. You guys made every day special and always supported me. I wish all the best for you all. I know you will all go on and do special things. 

The Wire will always be special to me. I wish I had enough time to list all the amazing people I have met while working here. The Wire is what made Marquette home for me. I will always be grateful for my time here. I wish I could stop and stay here, but alas I keep walking. 

I love yinz. 

This story was written by Richie Lyons. He can be reached at [email protected].