By Cindi Rinehart

I need you to know that in my entire life, I have NEVER been fired from any of the 30 something jobs I had before coming to Seattle.

There was about to be a first. During my career at KOMO TV, I did a lot of outside jobs and pilots. I did an entertainment segment for Great Weekend at KABC in Los Angeles.

They liked my work so we were able to do it out of Seattle. George, the producers hired me as the talent, Janelle (My, then KOMO producer) to produce it and we hired my husband Jim for finding location, lighting and well…just about everything else.

We worked on the weekends and I was thrilled because it was about a grand a week and Jim and I were eating beans dogs to try and save money. It was mostly stand ups at theatres and different places around Seattle. I didn’t know poop about contracts so Michael, my attorney handled that part. The show went hummingly along and Jim and I continued to house hunt.

We had saved around five grand which, as you know, won’t buy squat for a home. Jim called me one day at work and told me he had found our dream home. I asked how much and he said never mind, let’s just go look. We did and when I walked in, my knees buckled, he was right, this is our dream home, but we needed around 13 grand and we only had five. Honestly, I was sick to my stomach.

We all went back to work on the weekend show and I on Northwest Afternoon. About a week later, George called me and asked me if I was sitting down, I said yes and proceeded to tell me that Great Weekend no longer had room for me, but, oh, we’ll work together again soon because Cindi, you’re soooo talented. Right, blah, blah, blah.

I thanked George for the opportunity and stared to say goodbye when George interrupted me and said, so Cin..where do I mail the check?? I said, what check George. He said, to buy out your contract! (Didn’t tell him I didn’t know I had one) I said, oh, George just send it to the studio, by the way George, about how much is that check going to be? George said, well we had a 13 week contract and you did, what? Two? Okay, so you’ll be getting a check for around 10 grand or so! I said, George you have no idea how wonderful it was working for you, Thanks, chao. I slammed down the phone and screamed to the whole office, I GOT FIRED, I GOT FIRED AND I AM THE HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD!! I grabbed the phone and called Jim. I said, Jim are you sitting down? He said, what now?? I said do you want the good news or the good news. Jim said just spit it out, Cindi. I said, Great Weekend just fired me honey and they have to buy out my contract and it’s…Jim interrupted, it’s enough to buy our home, whoooohoooo.

I’ll make that call.

We bought that home, we got married on our porch and we’re still here loving every second.