LAS VEGAS -- "I love the job of being governor."

Given his first term has been inundated with challenges, Gov. Jim Gibbons still has a positive outlook on his career and the future of the state.

While working with state officials to remedy a $1 billion budgetary shortfall, Gibbons is also going through a rather public divorce from his wife of 22 years, Dawn.

"For all of the challenges for all the hurdles a governor has to deal with -- and probably the worst economic time in history, which I inherited -- I love the job," he reiterated.

One thing he's not too fond of is the negative headlines about him and his term in office are the negative headlines, which have led to poor approval ratings.

"We're an entertainment state," he said. "Isn't it great that the governor of Nevada can go and enjoy the product of the state?"

Part of enjoying the entertainment is finding someone to share it with. While he is still in divorce proceedings, Gibbons said plans on dating, but warns that every female friend he's spotted with isn't a girlfriend.

"I've tried to be very cautious," he said. "Where I go, who I'm with -- I've got friends, like we all have, (including) female friends."

Even with his personal issues, Gibbons maintains that he's still focused on the state. He continues to look for ways to combat the downturn in tourism and revenue without raising taxes.

"We don't want to do that," he said. "We don't want to push businesses out. We want to build up the economy. We don't want to decline an already low tax revenue base."

In the process of coming up with a resolution, Gibbons has called for some serious budget cuts from all state departments, including education. This has put him in a verbal sparring match with the chancellor of the University of Nevada, Jim Rogers.

In a memo to the Board of Regents, Rogers said the governor is trying to "muzzle" him by having one of his advisors phone regents to control what he writes in his weekly memos.

"I have never asked my staff or anyone associated with me to call on any issue," Gibbons said in his defense. "If someone does do it, it's on their own, because they are a taxpayer and concerned about what they see happening."

Gibbons will be headed back to northern Nevada Friday.