every now and then i'll watch tv and something will trigger some emotion i'm not ready for... kind of like when you cry at the end of a sappy movie and don't even realize it. i'm sappy. anyone i know will tell you that. i get all broken up over things like american idol... or figure skating championships.

but tonight.. it was different. i still let a tear or two drop, but this time i think it was because i was witnessing the future... or the beginning of a new age in tv news. Katie Curic "debuted" tonight. it seemed like all of amercia was waiting in the rafters wondering if she'd shine or flop. i happen to tune in near the end of the broadcast... but it was just in time for me to watch Katie sign off from her first national tv news broadcast. i was witnessing the new age in tv news reporting.

she ended her broadcast with a look at past news casters (both fictional and non-fictional) say goodnight. And there he was, Walter Kronkite!!! he was THE news when i was growing up. i knew that my evening tv shows were coming on soon when i heard him say goodnight. i also knew that it was finally time for Mom and Dad to be mom and dad. Dinner was finished. The newspaper was read and the news was over.

Walter had finally put and end to the day......... i would be going to bed soon. Dad would finish grading his papers... Mom would do something interesting... she was always changing things around in the house. she really should have been an interior decorater! whatever they were doing, i was off finding my own thing... i'd play piano for hours (at least it seemed like hours). or i'd settle down to my tv shows. mostly i remember Monday night baseball.. i'd get some paper out... make my own score book... get out my baseball cards to see if any of them were playing in the game that night... i'd just settle in for the evening. occasionally my Dad would play chess with me - no, he never-ever let me win (he still doesn't - as proven by the ass-kickin' i got playing him a game of pool last weekend!).

good ole Walter would say goodnight.... he was part of my day! i still feel something inside when i see clips of him here and there. yeah, all was well when he would say goodnight. i wonder if Katie will be someone's Walter!

goodnight all! talk soon!