Girl Power!

I've always loved breaking the stereotypes that, "only a guy can do this," "only a guy can do that," and "guys can do it better".
Even from an early age, I loved competing with guys in sports and academics. In Elementary School, I can remember being the fastest runner and at beginner times tables (I say that loosely because now I am not a big fan of math).
My grandmother also played a large role in motivating me to seek equality in all that I do and to defend women's rights. She really put things in perspective for me growing up, that women weren't always allowed to do the things that they now are today.
Despite, the many accomplishments women have made over the years, women still continue to fall victim to sexism.
A recent story of mine highlighted three women from right here in the Big Country that are also, all about breaking stereotypes.
Rayetta Dorman works as head maintenance at the Abilene Zoo, Diana Hartmann helps construct and sell parts to race cars through her company Art Carr Performance Products, and Pamela Goodrich, works for O'Reilly's Auto Parts.
It was empowering meeting with all three of these women, hearing the obstacles they've had to overcome and their motivations to keep going.
If you didn't get the chance to see the story air, be sure to check it out online.
I'd love to know what you think about it, so I welcome your comments! : )

Abilene Midday Debut

You've probably seen the promo's running on TV, "Big Changes coming to KRBC April 20th".
Hopefully, it got your mind racing and that now you've discovered those big changes. I am one of the big changes; anchoring our new and interactive show, Abilene Midday.
It's been a secret that I've been excited to spill for awhile. I am very excited to take on the challenges of a full-time, week-day anchor, as well as a full-time reporter.
I am even more excited about this show's format. It's an interactive newscast, and the only one in Abilene.
It's going to be a lot of fun interacting with you, the viewers. I look forward to hearing what you think of certain stories and other things you'd like to send to me and Chris Whited, who is Abilene Midday's meteorologist, as well as Abilene Today.
If you haven't already, add us as a friend on Facebook! You can write on our wall, make comments, and even post pictures.
For those of you that haven't quite jumped on the Facebook bandwagon, it's really simple. Go to http://www.facebook.com/ and create an account. Once you're on, just look up Abilene Midday!
I'd love to hear what you think of the new show. This is a first for me and I've got a lot to learn. But, I'm learning from the best (our other anchors here at KRBC : ))
It's going to be a fun journey, so come along with me (yes, I'm a cheeseball) and watch either on TV at 11:30 am every Monday through Friday, or for your convenience you can even catch it LIVE on the internet at http://www.bigcountryhomepage.com/. Look for the Abilene Midday LIVE button.

Home Sweet Home

So, I recently took a vacation to Florida to visit with family and old friends. I'll admit that as soon as I landed in Miami, I couldn't get over just how gorgeous everything was; from the green grass, the flowers, and of course the turquoise waters.

Now don't get me wrong, I took advantage of beach days any chance I could, while I lived in Florida. But, somehow when you live there, you don't actually have as much time as you'd like to spend it on the beach or in the ocean. Since I have been away from that setting for so long, this trip really made me realize how lucky I was to live in such a tropical place.

Another thing I loved about my Florida get-away was how convenient the hours for nearly everything were. Shops and non-fast food restaurants are open in Miami until the wee hours of the morning.

Being in Florida was, without a doubt; a breath of fresh air, but I truthfully missed Abilene while I was gone. Texas may not be the most aesthetically pleasing state, with the dryness and lack of color around, but the people here are really incomparable. When people ask you how you are doing here; they genuinely care. Where as in Miami, many times you won't even get a "hello" or a "how-are-you" at all...or if you do, it's only because someone feels obligated. Of course, this isn't how everyone in Miami is...but the community here in Abilene is definitely much friendlier overall.

Just for the record, no one is paying or making me say these things. That's what I love about blogging...it allows each of us to share our thoughts without any outside editing. ; )

This Florida-Getaway was much needed after a busy week in March, but by the week's end, I was ready to come "home."