SAVE my guy Mike

My Guy Mike

Today I received some bad news... I hate getting bad news. Today I learned that my favorite weatherman was on the way out. Goodbye, adios, see ya around. My guy Mike was having his hours reduced at the station where he worked.

Lately I have been living in southern Ontario, Canada. This was a big change for me coming from Arizona. I was miserable with this change, ever so homesick, and for the life of me I could never figure out Canadian measurements. Canada is metric.

The worst was weather... I never knew if I should dig out sweaters, boots or shorts until I actually went outside. Just how hot is 29 degrees Celsius anyway?

But God is good and He sent me to Buffalo... not physically but through the wonders of the universe I could access Buffalo TV stations on my TV. Yeah!!!

I was always an early riser and happily watched the ABC affiliate Channel 7 WKBW station. I loved Ginger Geoffrey and my guy Mike... my wonderful weatherman Mike Randall.

One day this past summer, Ginger moved on. Shortly after that the station announced a "whole new morning show redesign"... so instead of replacing Ginger with seasoned pros they brought in kids from school. Oh I know kids have to start some place and I was willing to let them settle in, learn the ropes and grow... but little things began to irk me. I hate irks.

The irks were minor at first but grew until I actively began to dislike the juveniles hired as morning anchors. The final straw came one morning when the kids were discussing birthdays... that particular day it was Kelly Rippa's birthday. Kelly of the Live With Kelly Rippa and Michael Streahan show.

"Gosh... she really, really looks good for her age," said the teenybopper anchor.
"I hope I look as good when I get to that age."

Well that was it... I had had enough. Kelly Rippa just turned 42.

I was disgusted but held on for there was still my guy Mike... Mike told me things about the weather I never knew I wanted to know, he told me when to wear shorts and when to wear boots. He told me the real temperature not this Celsius stuff. He was funny, charming and I surely did wish he had a single brother. I was a happy clam when he was on.

Last month WKBW celebrated my guy Mike's 30 years at that station. Hooray... he needed to be honored. He was "chief meteorologist" so let the world know... but then something changed. 

I first noticed one morning when the teenyboppers signed over to him saying "senior meteorologist" instead of "chief"... hey what's up here... hmmmm

Next a new meteorologist appeared... another "baby" to break in.

Then he began disappearing from broadcasts... missing out reporting at noon, missing days. Ohhhhh something was up for sure. I became suspicious.

Today I saw a posting from the Buffalo News... a print newspaper with an online service. A long story told the grim tale... my guy Mike was having his hours cut... his pay too probably... my guy Mike after giving his all for 30 years was being officially relieved of duty... whether he wanted it or not.

Now this hits home on another front for I am the victim of age discrimination. I have been struggling to live in this "youth obsessed" world since my hubbies passing. I was forced into the work force after watching my official retirement disappear in a sea of wall street greed and corruption.

Now my guy Mike was facing it too. 

Well I have had enough... I am tired of the world thinking because you have a little age that you are useless. I can do more now than I could as a kid. I am better in every way. I survived the long road to get to this age, survived great loss, great disasters and great suffering and yet here... I... am. I am strong, intelligent and ever so creative.

OK I admit a few things changed... maybe I'm not as fast but I use my noggin and make up for it. Maybe I'm not as nimble... but here is a use for those teenyboppers so let them be nimble. I'm great on the computer so who cares if I have 2 million friends on Facebook... the ones I have actually mean something, they are "real" friends.

STOP trying to put me out to pasture... I don't like grass! Stop trying to put my guy Mike out there too!

It is time the world stopped glorifying youth. It is time that business stopped chasing them and the superficial lives they are now leading. Yeah kids may have a little more spending money these days... ours is tied up in mortgages, college funds and caring for the family. We don't waste what we have, we worked too hard to get it. We don't glorify violence, we fought the wars and know it first hand. We don't ignore people, we talk face to face. WE ARE THE REAL WORLD.

So ABC WKBW Channel 7... wake up and stop the age discrimination. Look at who your real viewers are and what we stand for. Give my guy Mike back his slot on morning/noon weather and remember greytoppers outnumber teenyboppers AND remember who really puts the bucks in your and your advertisers pockets?

WKBW bring back my guy Mike!