Local Gym Discriminating or being Polite?

These signs may or may not be familiar to you. They're posted all over an Abilene gym. To some, it might be a polite reminder and to others an act of discrimination. I have talked about it with several people and I have heard fair arguments for both sides.

I definitely don't consider myself a weakling in the gym, however I can admit that there are some weights that are too heavy for my own comfort. In those cases, I would hope that the person using a fitness machine before me would remove a weight that I may be unable to lift off.

On the other hand, people have suggested not posting a sex on these signs. Instead, could the gym employees plainly said, "Please re-rack weights after use."

To some, this may be a non-issue, however I think it's topics like this that are worth a discussion. How do you feel about the pink signs that decorate one of your local gyms?

Is it the Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

So they call it the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year," over the winter holidays.

I agree with this statement for the most part because it's filled with quality family time, good food, and occasionally a day or two off from working (I do love my job, but everyone needs a day off right?). Plus, I am also a big fan of Christmas Lights, Christmas Movies, and Christmas Music.





While I am sure there are many that do feel the same as me, I have heard a lot of people saying it's the opposite. A lot of people seemed stressed out with gift-buying and complain about too much family time.


What are your thoughts on the holidays? Any unique traditions?

Calling all Reality TV addicts

Okay, so I as much as I hate to admit it I watch hours of reality TV. Do I know that most of it is garbage and watch it anyways? Yes. Why? Who knows.
While, I have enjoyed the Real Housewives of most seasons (excluding D.C.) I never thought I would be one to watch Bridal Plasty. After watching previews for it, I almost convinced myself that I wouldn't watch it, but sure enough I did. The concept of the show in my opinion is absolutely ridiculous and so sad that these bride-to-be's are obsessed with altering their bodies. The fact that a show is making money off of these girls is also pretty sad. It also made me sad to see how beautiful these woman are, and yet it's not enough. As a woman, I know about insecurities but to want to basically change everything about yourself breaks my heart.
But fact of the matter is, the creators and producers of this new show likely have a new hit show before them. I still cannot figure out why so many people could get sucked into the whole thing.
There was one line on tonight's premier that really bothered me. The host says to the first bride that gets eliminated, "Your wedding will still go on but it just may not be perfect."
Are you kidding me? You don't have to be on reality TV, have plastic surgery, and have your wedding paid for, in order for it to be the perfect experience. Although, I am sure most couples would appreciate having the wedding paid for and honeymoon too. That's besides the point in my mind.
I'd love to hear from my fellow reality TV junkies. Anyone else feel as crazy as I do for watching all this? Which one is your guilty pleasure? Did I really just blog about reality TV? Yup, sure did.

Puppy Suffers Serious Injuries

It breaks my heart any time I hear about an animal cruelty case, and seeing pictures only intensifies that emotion.
Today, KRBC news uncovered an on-going investigation that several rescue groups and authorities are trying to track down who is responsible for the serious injuries.
In case you missed the story, a dog was found roaming near Interstate 20 and FM 60. But, it's what authorities found that was so shocking. A cable was lodged inside the puppy's neck, so much that the dogs skin had grown over it in some areas. The President of Rescue the Animals, Paul Washburn says that the growth shows that the cable had been embedded for some time, showing that the dog was likely left uncared for while it physically grew. The dog was also emaciated at the time. Washburn believes that the cable needed to be surgically removed from the dogs neck, but is said to be recovering well.
Rescue the Animals is offering a $500 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible.

That's a fortune?

Hey All!

So who doesn't like Chinese food? I know, I just get in those moods when I just crave it. Today was one of those days. I ordered take out and as always, I get excited for dessert (the fortune cookie!!!) to find out what my "fortune" will be.


Over the years, I have had some amazing fortunes; ones that just put you in a great mood and make you think you'll have good luck! But, I have also had some pretty dull ones. However, tonight's fortune is in a league of its own. Here's what it reads: Foot: A device for finding furniture in the dark.

At first I thought I was looking at the back side of the paper; where it teaches you how to say a word or phrase in Chinese. But, it was definitely the front. In fact, the back might have been a better fortune because the word that it was attempting to teach me was "exciting". But Foot?
How is telling me how to find furniture in the dark predicting my future? While this is really no big deal at all, having a fortune like this I am just wondering if anyone else has had strange fortunes inside of their dessert after a Chinese meal. Or if anyone knows a hidden meaning by my fortune reading, please share.

P.S. Does anyone else think it would be a cool job to be the person that writes the fortune to put inside the cookie? I'd like to talk with the person that was in charge of predicting my future by telling me a Foot is a device for finding furniture in the dark. haha...

Gang Sign or Kids Being Kids?

Have you ever seen shoes hanging by their laces from electrical wires?

It's a story I looked into yesterday, but I know that there are plenty more opinions about this symbol. I wanted to give everyone the opportunity to let me know what they know or even what other rumors there are out there.

One thing that I still haven't received answers on, is who is responsible for taking the shoes down. AEP representatives tell me that on a case-by-case basis they have removed them at the request of customers, however they also told me it is not their responsibility.

I doubt that anyone has been fined for throwing shoes over an electrical wire, but do you think it is a form of litter?

In case you didn't catch the 6 pm yesterday on KRBC, here's a link to my video.

http://bigcountryhomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=309787

BeetleJuice Runs the KRBC Studio Cameras

The KRBC crew is like one big, for the most part "happy" family. We spend a lot of time together, perhaps more time than with our biological ones.

Anyways, with Halloween right around the corner today was the station's designated day to dress up in costume. Most of us on-air people couldn't exactly get decked out in the Halloween spirit, but we lived vicariously through our co-workers.

KRBC production is made up of a great group of people. Tonight, as you can see in this picture, Beetlejuice was in charge of running our cameras during the newscasts. Tell me, looking at him doesn't make it difficult to focus on the news. Creative costume, isn't it? As you can see the two ladies pictured with Stephanie Harris and I were also dressed up for the occasion. As for Steph and I...we're letting our reputation with Wayne and Garth of Wayne's World live on.

Happy Halloween!

Goodbye Trick-or-Treating?

Okay, it hasn't been too long since I was going door-to-door trick-or-treating, but boy over the years, the Halloween activity has changed. I know that Abilene and surrounding Big Country towns host trunk-or-treat events for kids to dress up and get candy. However, do many Big Country residents still go door knocking with their kiddos, collecting candy from their neighbors?

Last year, I had very few people ring my door bell which was kind of a bummer, since I love to see all the fun and unique costumes. I like to live vicariously through them, since I am too old to go trick-or-treating, myself.

I am curious to hear from parents about their philosophies on this holiday tradition. Are there really too many risks associated with the old-fashioned activity? Or are people just opting for trunk-or-treats and fall festivals because that's the thing to do now-a-days. I don't have children of my own yet, so I haven't quite formed my own opinion on it. But I can remember growing up, looking so forward to going to as many houses in the neighborhood as possible; filling up a pillow case with candy.

Is trick-or-treating a think of the past?

Jamba Juice in Abilene

Hello Friends,

Okay, so I know I told you about P.F. Changs in Abilene (well in a bag in United Supermarkets), but now I found Jamba Juice in Abilene (in a bag at Walmart)!

I wasn't too crazy about the P.F. Changs dinners after all, but I am a fan of this Jamba Juice.

It makes 2 8 ounce cups, and it costs less than $3.00. If you've ever been a Jamba Juice store, you know that it costs more than that for just one shake. Not a bad deal to enjoy a great taste if you ask me.

Pick one up and let me know what you think. Also, if I am missing out on some other popular restaurant chains that come in a "bag" at a local grocery store, let me know. Thanks!

The Secret Inside the Lion's Den

After getting a first glimpse at the five African lion cubs at the Abilene Zoo with their Mother...I couldn't help but wonder, where is their Dad?
If you've been to the Zoo before, you typically see the Lion and Lioness inside the exhibit together. Today during the media-preview of the cubs, I had the opportunity to ask, where is he?
Apparently, he is in some caging inside (where zoo patrons cannot see). He has never seen his lion cubs. I imagine he'd be territorial and could pose a danger to the cubs but, I couldn't help but feel a little bit bad for the fella.
The Lion cubs will be making their debut for the public this Saturday. When you go to check out the Lion exhibit, you'll get to see the mother and her five cubs, but you won't be seeing the father with his beautiful mane.
The cubs and Mom will be on display from 9 am until 4pm, which means, the Daddy Lion won't be able to roam free in his den until after Zoo operation hours. I was assured however, he is let out, alone in his exhibit at night.
It's understandable that zoo staff make these decisions based on what they know about these magnificent animals.
I coach PopWarner cheerleading in Nelson Park (which is right in front of the Abilene Zoo) nightly and every night at practice, I can hear the Lion Roaring and Panting. He sounds frustrated. I think I would be too if I had to be alone all the time.
Needless to say, I think the Abilene Zoo is extremely lucky to have five baby lion cubs in captivity.

Fluent in Mumble

This isn't the first time I have noticed or anything, but after getting some cavities filled today I thought I'd bring up one of the many talents dentists have.

First and foremost, only here in Abilene do I actually semi-enjoy going to the dentist. I absolutely love my dentist and dental staff. In the previous states, I have lived in...I avoided the dentist at all costs. Here everyone makes the experience a lot less painful; full of distractions! : )

Anyways, most of us when we get fillings for cavities, we're awake (even if we get laughing gas) which means we have some interaction with the dentist and assistant.

No matter how numb your mouth may be or how many tools and cotton balls are inside it, when the dentist asks a question, you try to answer. Sometimes, the response is not a yes or no and uh-huh's and uh-uh's won't cut it. But no matter, what they could understand everything I was saying. I am talking phrases and full sentences that were coming out of my mouth, that even I barely could understand what I was saying. It's an impressive quality these dentists and assistants have.

The reason for me writing this blog is, we all know that dentist's are smart and have academically had a lot of schooling, but I think understanding "mumble" is another admirable quality.

Rescues and Runways

So this past Saturday, I helped out with a local fashion show with a better purpose than just trying to sell clothes. Maurice's and Rescue the Animals teamed up to help find shelter dogs permanent homes.

We were outfitted in their latest fashion trends and then given a pooch to walk the runway. I was the last one to "model," and the cute little Schnauzer that was supposed to strut his stuff with me, was not in the mood. Of course, he had already walked the catwalk several times during the show (There was only a handful of dogs at the Mall of Abilene). So poor pup, had enough of the spotlight. I tried to pull him in my direction,

but plain and simple...he was not having it. So, I decided not to bug him and another volunteer for Rescue the Animals handed me another pooch. This type, I thought I'd play it safe and carry him in my arms instead of walk him on the leash.

He was comfortable as can be and I had fun walking with him down the runway. Obviously, I didn't quite have the model strut going on, but it was fun. My second dog was adopted moments after the show ended. The Great Dane in the show was also adopted, as well as another Great Dane that was still at the Rescue the Animals shelter.

Knowing about the adoptions made the whole day that much better. Fashion and cute puppies...not a bad way to spend a Saturday in Abilene!

Plastic Surgery Open House in Abilene

Have you ever been to an Open House for Plastic Surgery?

If it sounds like something that interests you, you might consider one going on this evening from 6 pm to 9 pm. It will be held inside the medical Mall Atrium which is located at 1665 Antilley Road.

The pamphlet I found inside an Abilene gym says to RSVP, but it doesn't have a date. For additional information you can call (325) 793-5128.

Image Sculptures, Plastic Surgery and Medical Day Spa is hosting the annual Open House.

Dr. Laura Bennett and Dr. Peter Grothaus will be there to meet with people and to ask questions.

There will be a raffle, give-aways, gift certificates, and to top it off food from Copper Creek Catering.

Make a Muscle Make a Difference

This was my first year directly being involved with the MDA. It has been an eye-opening experience. This year was my first year to participate in the annual Lockup and I really enjoyed my time as a "jailbird". I felt so good raising money for something so important.
After hosting the 2010 MDA telethon with Stephanie Harris and Randy Turner, it made me realize just how much I have taken for granted.
I met the most inspiring people that day at the MCM Elegante. They helped me realize how vital money is to providing medical care for those with MD and other related diseases, the importance of a fun-filled week at camp, and above all putting money towards research to ultimately finding a cure for those that have MD or other neuro-muscular diseases.
The Big Country and the Concho Valley together helped to raise over $165,000 dollars for the MDA. It made me proud to live here to see so many generous people that opened up their hearts and wallets to make a difference in so many peoples lives.
The MDA Telethon was an amazing thing to be a part of. This year's theme was "Make a Muscle/Make a Difference". Thank you Big Country and Concho Valley for making a difference.

Oops...I forgot to put on my microphone

Nearly every working day, I am in a rush. I am rushing to get all of my assigned stories done, while preparing for the 5 pm news as well. This week was no exception. I got back from a week of vacation and returned to all new cameras and editing equipment. I picked the wrong week to go away. But, of course I was rushing through my day and by the time I sat down to anchor First at Five...I forgot to do one of the most (probably the most) important thing...put on a microphone. Here's a short clip. You'll notice you can still understand what I am saying, but only because the microphone I should have been wearing was hanging over the back of my chair. Oops. Hey, I'm human...I make mistakes.

Ugh Mosquitoes!

Something we can all relate to...pesky mosquitoes and mosquito bites! I went to sleep away camp in the woods in New Hampshire for years growing up and have had my fair share of camping experiences, so I know all about mosquitoes. I'm really not a fan of the insects, and I think it's safe to assume that most people aren't.
The weather changes from rainy to hot and muggy have definitely contributed to an increase in mosquitoes around the Big Country. One of the worst scenarios is when they get inside your house. While, I have been busy killing mosquitoes inside, it's where one mosquito got me tonight that is a nuisance. Of all places, the bottom of my foot was where the mosquito decided to bite me. Scratching any mosquito bite is annoying, but the bottom of my foot "takes the cake" for most frustrating mosquito bite.
I am sure many of you have had your own run-in's with mosquitoes, so share the worst place you've gotten bit by one before.
Also, does anyone have any good techniques for stopping the itch after the bite? Mosquito repellent works well to prevent the insects, but who wants to spray that inside the house and keep it on at all times?
I used to press my fingernail over the mosquito bites and make an "X" shape, because I was told that takes the itch away. In my experiences, that is not the case. Has anyone else heard of that?

Father & Son Buy Dinner for Dyess Couple

I was eating dinner at the Beehive in Downtown Abilene Wednesday night and noticed something "suspicious-looking". A father and son were sitting nearby enjoying their dinner, when they started gossiping with the waitress. Being, the curious reported that I am...I was determined to find out what they were talking about. I later found out.
Sitting to my left, a Dyess airman and his significant other were dining. The waitress much later into the meal, told them that their meals and drinks were "taken care of". It immediately clicked...the Father sitting with his son bought them dinner. : ) What was even nicer was that, I heard the waitress say..."the person wants to remain anonymous but wants to thank you for serving this country and to let you know you're appreciated!" How classy! It immediately made me smile to see people doing such selfless and kind things for others. What I was also impressed by, was that the father did it with his sons knowledge, teaching him kindness. It was one of those moments that just make your day, and seeing the look of happiness and shock on the Dyess couples face was priceless.

Medieval Times: Dallas

While we are only a couple of hours, I rarely spend much time in Dallas. However, I went to a college friend's baby shower there, and decided to make a weekend trip out of it. So, we went to Medieval Times.

This was the second time, I have been to a Medieval Times restaurant (first time when I was much younger). It was much different than I remembered...more adult-friendly, I'd say. There were still plenty of kids but I thought the atmosphere was more grown-up.

Even the exteriors of the building, makes it look like a cool place to be, and of course no one's complaining about the paper crowns. You get to play royalty for an evening. ; )

The staff (or wench's...as they refer to themselves) are really nice and the service was great.

While I didn't think the food was amazing, I did enjoy it. Any food (feast) you get to eat with your hands is fun. The meal was actually pretty filling (we ate like Kings and Queens).

And then of course, the entertainment value of the event. It's not every day that you get to see live theater that involves horses, or such skilled riders. The story line is both child and adult-friendly...making it a fun event for the whole family.

It's also fun to be silly and enthusiastic about cheering on your color. A good excuse to shout for fun.

What's neat is that there aren't too many Medieval Times around the country and yet, we've got one close by in Dallas, Texas. I am guessing many of you have already experienced it, but for those of you that haven't...it is something you should consider. Here's a link to their website if you want more information. http://www.medievaltimes.com/dallas

I'm Not Selling Anything

One of the funny parts of my day, (as a reporter) is when people assume that I am trying to sell them something.
For many of our story assignments, we seek your opinions...which means going out and finding you. Sometimes that can be in grocery store parking lots, in neighborhoods, at the park, etc. Despite the memo "Not to talk to strangers," my job requires talking to strangers. While comedic, it is also one of the best parts of the job because I get to meet knew people every day.
However, almost every day when I approach someone, by introducing myself, they start to back away or turn their heads. If they know, I work for KRBC, they could be equally fearful of being on television.
For the most part, I know that my potential interview subjects are just not in the mood for a sales pitch. We usually laugh together about it, after they find out I just wanted to talk to them.
Most times, they agree to do an interview and sometimes I can't help but to assume that they do it because they feel bad about initially giving me the cold shoulder. Either way, I am not out to bother people in the community (certainly not selling anything), merely just wanting to listen to the likes, gripes, and concerns of residents within the community.
When this happens, I can't help but to feel bad for the "real"salespeople that get shut down, when they are just trying to make a living.

Do's and Don'ts When it Comes to Strangers

Every day we run into strangers, new people that we haven't seen before. This is where some common courtesy questions come into play. Do we have the responsibility to tell people we've never met that they've got a piece of food stuck in their teeth or that they've got toilet paper stuck to the bottom of their shoe?

I'm more curious to hear what other people have to say about this subject and whether or not they act out what they believe is right.

Personally, I always feel obligated to tell people when I notice something such as those two things, because I would want someone to tell me. I think if I noticed it, I can do someone the favor of telling them, regardless of if I know them or not.

Now, I have been on the receiving end. I've had something stuck in my teeth before, had a bug in my hair, etc. and have been told about it by a complete stranger. While, it is initially embarressing, I'd rather be embaressed once about it...rather then get home and notice in the mirror (hours after lunch) that I had a piece of lettuce in my teeth, that many people likely saw throughout the course of the day. In some cases, the food or bug could already be gone by the time you look in the mirror, which means you'd never have to know if it was ever there, therefore no embaressing moment.

I just think things like that are part of our everyday life, and that it's no biggie to help a stranger out.

If you want to share your experience and how you handled it, feel free. I'd love to hear about them.

Bee Sting Free

So occasionally, reporters do stories involving bees, which often requires getting up close and personal with a hive of bees. Otherwise, it is kind of difficult to put together a story about bees (for tv) if there aren't any bees.
Today, it was my turn. An Abilene family keeps having a bee problem outside their home, and it's gotten so bad that the bees even started getting inside. They contacted me in hopes of talking about their mistakes, trying to get rid of the bees (that so many people make-as would I) and how a bee keeper is the only way to take care of a bee infestation.
Of course, when the beekeeper and myself showed up the home in South Abilene, the bees were gone. The family says within 45 minutes, a swarm of thousands were buzzing outside their home (and then like that they were gone). I learned from the bee keeper today, that this is the business of bees. They travel from hive to hive and that they are very territorial, hence why they sting. The stinging only comes as a result when the insects feel that their Queen is threatened. Visting with an Abilene bee keeper, I learned a lot about the nature of bees. It's pretty fascinating...even the family with the infested home, thinks so.
As the bee keeper is about to leave the house to go on another bee call, he notices in the distance (across the street) the enormous hive. He pointed it out to us and said it was the same swarm at the Abilene residence. So over to the hive we went. I tried to keep my safe distance because as much as I am all for good video, I wasn't looking forward to getting stung.
Fortunately, the bee keeper, Melvin Williams was generous enough to get right up to the hive with my video camera to show you the bees hard at work. Then he returned my camera, and got to work. I can tell you this much, I do not envy the responsibilities of a bee keeper. Truthfully, I was in awe of how brave he was (and how unconcerned he was about getting stung). Within moments, he captured the majority of the hive, which included the Queen...packing it in his container to take back to his place of observation. The remaining thousands of bees went everywhere, even circled around my head and another nearby man. This man helped swat the bee from my head, which then attracted the bee to him, but fortunately we both got away from the scene sting-free. I guess you'd call that pretty lucky...getting that close to bees.

Role Reversal

What many of you don't get to see is all of the hard work that goes on behind the scenes, here at KRBC. For the most part, I don't even get to see it, which is why I decided to learn about it through a little assignment of mine. Morgan Bond and I decided to take on the production booth (as the Director and Audio Operator). KRBC's "real" Director is Ruth Cost (who is awesome) and Audio Operator is Pamela Langford (and she too is awesome). Those two gals decided to give the anchor desk a whirl.


The video you're about to see is silly and not meant to be taken seriously. However, after trying to understand all that Ruth and Pamela do, I can truthfully say I have a new appreciation for their jobs. As you will see in this video, we all did a little bit of acting (to reflect each others identities here at KRBC). The little bit of sass that you see is all in good fun and we really are like one, big, happy family.


Hope you enjoy our sillyness and can kind of get the idea of what it takes to put on a newscast. P.S. I think I'll be sticking to my job as well.

Icecream Truck Comes to KRBC/KTAB

Is our boss cool or what? Every day at 2:30, the News Department meets to discuss the stories of the day and in the middle of the meeting, our boss starts telling us to go outside. And there was the ice cream truck! : ) Talk about a nice surprise.


We just completed Sweeps (rating-time), which means we've been working extremely hard to bring unique and investigative stories to our usual local coverage (not that we don't always work hard), but basically there's a little less time to breath during Sweeps months. Now, we're back to breathing and even eating ice cream!


Apparently, our boss must be proud of us, by treating us all ice cream. Thanks boss. Great surprise.

P.F. Changs in Abilene

P.F. Changs is in Abilene. Okay, maybe not the restaurant...but you can still enjoy a variety of their cuisines here in the Key City. The other day I was grocery shopping at the United on South 14th and in the freezer section of pre-packaged means, the P.F. Changs label caught my eye. I can't recall how many different types of meals they offered, but there were at least a hand full. I bought the Shrimp Lo mein to try and it was delicious (definitely restaurant quality). So for those of you that drive to Fort Worth to go to P.F. Changs, you might be happy to know that you can still enjoy one of their meals and in the comfort of your own home! : ) I'm not sure if the other local supermarkets carry the P.F. Changs brand or not.

Remembering the life of an Abilene Police Officer

Tragedy falls over Abilene today, as an honorable police officer was killed in the line of duty. Officer Rodney Holder was trying to stop a speeder, and was hit by another vehicle, while on his motorcycle.
Officer Holder protected the citizens of Abilene since 1982. Since 2005, he was a part of APD's traffic division, as a motorcycle cop.
Abilene police witness horrific tragedies within their line of work, but we cannot even imagine what it must have been like for Holder's fellow officers to witness one of their own.
Having worked with many Abilene police officers in my career, even other employees from the department, I feel so sorry for the pain they must be feeling. My heart sincerely goes out to the friends, family, and of course the department during this time of grieving.
After talking to several of Holder's fellow officers today, nobody had anything but positive things to say about him.
I'd love to hear from others in the community about the memories they've shared with Officer Rodney Holder.

Vampires in Abilene?

I have to admit I am a little "behind the times" in the Vampire craze, both in the TV series and in the movies. I am talking about "Twilight," "New Moon," and "True Blood."

Unfortunately, I haven't read the Vampire books. I usually love to read things before seeing them on the big screen. But, I figured since I was so behind, I'd skip the books and watch the flicks. After watching, Twilight, I was instantly hooked. The story is so creative and I envy the author for being able to think it all up. Edward is an amazing character, and because of that it was difficult not to be intrigued by him (and to have a somewhat crush on a Vampire character).
There were some creepy parts to the film. Just to name one, when Edward watched her while she was sleeping...I don't know about anyone else, but I wouldn't like anyone watching me sleep.

For you Twilight lovers out there, I am sure you are just as anxious as me for the the third movie to come out. Are you for Bella getting bit by Edward and becoming a Vampire? I am mixed about it. Her family would be devastated, but it would be awful if Edward wasn't able to control his urge and resorted to biting her. I think it would make for a much happier ending if she chose her ending, rather than having it determined for her. And then of course, that brings up the argument of her only being a teenager in High School. And perhaps, the most frustrating part of all, that if they (Edward and Bella) chose to keep things the way that they are...she would one day die and he would go on living forever.

Now to the TV series, "True Blood." These shows were also very creative, but a lot more gruesome, vulgar, and explicit than the Twilight movies. Yet, they still kept my attention. What I love about True Blood is how easy it is to connect with the characters of the town, where everything takes place. It's full of characters that I feel are honest to how people would react if Vampires did exist. I think it is genius how the film writer invented fake blood to tide Vampires over from drinking (ultimately killing humans) for human blood and ultimately allowing the two species to coexist.

While these Vampire stories have proven to be successful, I am most curious what people of the Big Country think of them? Think it's a great way to use our imaginations or silly to think of coexisting with Vampires?

That's Not News!

"That's not news," and "It must be a slow news day," two of my least favorite phrases that I've heard from time to time as a news reporter in Abilene.

The first phrase, "That's not news," makes me laugh because in most circumstances the person that says this is usually hiding something. On several occasions, we'll (as a News Department) get calls in from viewers that are either witnesses, customers, patients, etc. that see or hear something going on in the community. As a journalist, it is my responsibility to check up on it. Granted, in some instances it turns out to be nothing, but in others it can turn out to be a big something.
When we seek out information about something, it is not our goal to shine someone or something in a negative light. We never gain anything from that. It is our job, as Abilene's news to bring viewers information that reflects what is or isn't going on in the Abilene community.

The other one, "It must be a slow news day!" On the outside, it would appear that some newscasts are filled with more crime events, rather then other current events happening around town, whereas some days, there may be little crime reports and more political stories, etc. This is what I love about the News business. You never really know what you're going to get. On most work days, I dig and develop my own stories after talking to my sources here in Abilene, and try to create a story that shows and tells you about it. And then on other days, we have to react to whatever is going on (ie a fire, a riot, or a drug bust).
Back to the phrase,"It must be a slow news day," I have also heard this from people when they don't want a story to be done on whatever it is that is happening or happened. Especially, when people decline to do an interview about it or don't want to give up any information, in my eyes it makes them look guilty. Is there something that they are hiding? People, businesses, and yes (journalists included) make mistakes, but in my mind not owning up to them is the worst.

For the most part, people in Abilene have been more then willing to do interviews or give information, regardless of the circumstance (and I for one, am very appreciative of that). I have found that people tend to be more open and honest here, then other places I have visited. But, with all jobs...there are just some things you come across that bug ya. Don't get me wrong, everyone is entitled to their views and opinions and I respect that. My opinion on "That's not News," is that's not true. If the story is reflective of something happening in Abilene, "It's News." And "It must be a slow news day," well...there really is no such thing. Again, in most cases we really have no control of the stories that happen in Abilene, it is just our job to find them and bring you the facts.

Lucky Sunglasses

Okay, so normally I buy a pair of $5-10 sunglasses from Target. However, living in Miami for four years and having a great need for sunglasses all the time...I invested in two pairs (over time) of designer sunglasses.
At first, I didn't see the point in spending that much money on sunglasses, but I realized the amount of times I was replacing the cheap ones was adding up. So, I gave in. I've got a pair of Versace sunglasses that cost about $200. That was a big expense for me, but after I splurged...I really wound up taking better care of them. There was no way I was just going to throw away two hundred bucks. So, needless to say nearly four years later the glasses are still in pretty decent condition.
Today, that almost changed. I was out shooting a story and for whatever reason, I took the sunglasses off my head and put them on the back of the news vehicle, while I was shooting video. I got in the car and started driving away and went to look for my sunglasses...nowhere to be found. While, I started preparing myself for the worst...that's they'd be run over...I had to go back and at least check.
Several blocks away, I back tracked and walked for awhile, near where I had parked. No glasses. I decided, I didn't have time to search all day for them, and that it might be better to just move on and try not to dwell on it. So, as I am taking off...in the middle of a busy intersection on the North side of town, I see my sunglasses.
I was shocked. I couldn't believe how lucky I was that, despite being in the middle of a busy intersection for at least several minutes, they were still in one piece. I was also lucky that by the time I pulled over to park and run into the intersection that no one drove by. That probably would've been even worse had I witness someone run over my shades. I was lucky. While they are just a pair of sunglasses, I sure was glad to have them back in one piece.

TV Personalities and Cheerleading

It doesn't come as a surprise to me that many former cheerleaders would take interest in a field of Broadcast Communication, but it tends to be something many of us have in common.

While I am now a "retired" cheerleader, it still remains a passion of mine and unfortunately, I am reminded of my collegiate sport pass time any time I do something athletic. In my junior year of college at Barry University, I tore my ACL in my left knee. Not a pleasant memory of mine to say the least. However, even after having reconstructive knee surgery and going through intense rehabilitation, it still swells up. As many of you know from previous blogs, I am a diehard rollerblader. No matter how long I rollerblade for, the knee aches for days. I have just come to accept that, but it makes miss my pre-injury cheerleading days when I was entirely mobile. haha...Here's a few pictures of my favorite college cheerleading days.

And...my not so favorite cheerleading memories. This was the crazy contraptions that helped me get my knee back to normal mobility.

While my cheerleading days are over, I still help coach teams and am hoping to coach my own team in Abilene. Anybody know of any leagues needing coaches?

Killer Whale Kills

So, chances are you've heard about the recent Killer Whale at Sea World that killed one of it's trainers. I have mixed feelings about this tragic accident, as I am sure many of you do too. Hearing the stories from various people that knew "Tillicon," the whale now at Sea World Florida, it seems strange that he was even allowed to perform in their shows. A former trainer, from Canada says Tillicon was only supposed to be used for breeding purposes and never to perform. That is a huge red flag right there. Also, "Tilli" is blamed for two additional deaths in the past.
While I do agree that whale trainers are taking a huge risk, and should be aware of the dangerous possibilities....it's an all together sad situation. Fact of the matter is, a whale is a wild animal and unlike some domestic animals, there is no telling how they will behave.
It's amazing to watch the shows that the trainers orchestrate with the Whales and Dolphins at SeaWorld. I'll admit that I do enjoy watching them and am always amazed at how responsive they are to their trainers.
However, it comes to a point when you have to decide, when is enough? It seems trainers will continue risking their life for their passion for performing with the animals. Of course, there would be no letting "Tilli" back into the wild, as he is a captive whale, now but don't you think maybe he's had enough performing? Sounds to me, like he should just be taken care of there and maybe not in the spotlight.
While I clearly feel awful about the innocent life that was lost in a Whale tank, I also don't think you can just hate "Tilli," the whale. But, in addition, I do not think that trainers should continue pushing the whales buttons (for lack of better way to say it). Another huge topic for discussion is that you run the risk of traumatizing people in the audience, little kids even if a tragedy like this happens. They come to watch a show and all of a sudden they witness a death in the whale tank. That is certainly not what they came to see.

Surviving Without A Cellphone

It's amazing how far technology has come that we often forget what it was like without some of our "now" every day necessities. Such as a cellphone, email, facebook, even a car.

Recently, our boss put some of the KRBC team up to the challenge of giving up one piece of technology for a week. If you didn't catch my story, here's a link. I had to give up my cellphone!

No cellphone for a week, is it possible? Initially, I didn't think so. However, keeping so busy with my daily assignments at work, the time went by pretty quickly. Once I got home, I was exhausted so there was no need for phone calls.

The few things that I quickly missed were having my alarm clock set on my cellphone. That might sound sad, because yes I have an alarm clock just never use it. I guess I always assume that the clock won't go off and I'll be late. My cellphone has never failed me, so it's my crutch for waking up in the mornings.

Then there came the winter weather days, which made me paranoid that if I were to get into an accident, I wouldn't be able to call someone immediately for help.

While life did exist without cellphones, I like better with them.

It was a unique challenge though. I am happy to say that I passed the test of living without it too. While, some people doubted me. My competitive nature kicked in and I relied on using a land line and a computer.

The other great thing about having a cellphone is that it holds all your phone numbers for you. Without my cellphone, I didn't know too many numbers by heart (except for Mom, Dad, and Grandparent's). It's kind of sad that I honestly don't even know most of my close friends phone numbers! Fortunately, for this experiment...I planned ahead, and wrote majority of my close friends and people that I thought I couldn't go a week without talking to. So I had that covered.

Some friends and family were probably more frustrated with my assignment, not being able to get a hold of me for a week.

Like I said in my story, plenty of good things came out of the social experiment. I became a better driver...not using my cellphone at all in the phone. It should be that way anyways, unless you use a blue tooth device. But, I am guilty of talking on the cellphone while driving (not through school zones, of course). Now, I don't feel the need to talk on my cell in between each interview of the day. The radio makes the time go by quicker.

Perhaps the most important thing, though that came out of this whole task was that I pay more attention to the people I love and care about! Even when I am not at work, I am glued to my cellphone! Whether it is texting someone or updating my facebook/twitter status. Which really can wait until after dinner or another time then when I should be enjoying quality time with someone. Now while I do have my cellphone back, I am still trying not to be permanently attached to it. And those that are close to me are noticing and liking the difference. : )

Also, a New Year's Resolution of mine was to deactivate email on my phone. I felt it was just consuming too much of me, so now I just frequently log onto the computer to get my email. I am still easily accessible that way, as I check it all the time. But, I figure if it's really important, someone would just call me. It's also nice to not have my phone buzzing and chirping every time I get an email.

Winter Wonderland in Abilene!

A winter wonderland here in Abilene, and all throughout the Big Country. Are you loving it or hating it?

Since 7 am, the snowflakes starting falling and Chief Meteorologist, Randy Turner tells me that it isn't expected to stop until 7 pm tonight. That's a lot of snow. Here in Abilene, we have seen between 3 to 5 inches of snow, and so far we have heard that Albany has had the most snowfall...reporting 8 inches today!

With the Winter Olympics starting tomorrow here on KRBC...it's funny to hear that Vancouver is having to ship in artificial snow for the games, when it just keeps on coming...here in the Big Country. Clearly, we do not have quite enough for the skiing and snowmobiles in the Olympics, but lots of people have found fun things to do with the Snow.

I found road conditions to be a little slippery this morning, but as more and more drivers traveled them, they weren't so bad. However, it's a little scary how the temperatures are expected to drop overnight and all that pretty white snow is expected to turn to ice.

How are you preparing for this storm? Stocking up on supplies today and calling into work tomorrow?

The KRBC team will be at work in the wee hours of the morning, letting you know about road conditions and what you can expect around town, if you do have to venture out on the Abilene roads. Be sure to watch the KRBC newscast throughout the night and into the morning tomorrow! Be safe everyone!

Do Nightmares haunt you???

So, from as far back as I can remember, I've never really had a good night's sleep. I'm not complaining or blaming anyone but myself for that. I think I just constantly have too much on my mind, all the time and I never allow my brain to have a rest...which could explain why I have had terrible nightmares for years.

I used to have this reoccurring nightmare when my parents were in the midst of a divorce, and after talking to some dream analyst, that could have played a roll. After the officially divorced, the nightmare did go away but several years later, I had the same exact one...always with the same ending. Waking up in the middle before something really bad happens.

I've always been fascinated by what goes on when you're asleep, such as dreaming and nightmares, which is why I found a story that centers around abnormal sleep disorders.

At first, I called some places in town that held sleep studies...but after talking to a local doctor that specializes in Sleep medicine, Dr. Amelia Yeh...she told me about an interesting yet scary sleep disorder, called Rem Behavior Disorder.

She started explaining that this type of disorder runs the risk of the person sleeping injury themselves and/or others. Then she mentioned she had a patient who had seen significant improvements since he started seeking treatment, but initially he almost killed his wife in his sleep.

I thought, wow...that is really interesting but more scary than anything. Fortunately, he was willing to share his story with me, hoping to help others (who might be suffering from Rem Behavior Disorder as well...without even knowing it) which Dr. Yeh says is common. One thing I thought was especially interesting was that many people notice other problems while sleeping and it isn't until talking with her that they realize that they have RBD (which can be very serious).

I want to say thank you to C.W. "Charlie" Chandler for his willingness to share something personal in his life. I hope that his story will raise awareness and get others that suffer similar things the help that they need.

Since I am so interested in dreams or nightmares, feel free to share some of yours! Also, if anyone has their dreams analyzed or knows what certain dreams mean...I'd love to hear about it. Here's a link to my story on Rem Behavior Disorder!

A Gloomy Day in Abilene

A gloomy Thursday for the City of Abilene...for those of us that ventured outside, that was easy to see. However, for 1200 Abilenians, it was a "gloomy" day aside from the weather.
Three days without pay for all city personnel. While some employees may have seen something, like today's news coming for some time now, it's still not what anyone wanted to hear.
City Management says they hope to save $600,000 from the furlough days, only problem being that $600,000 can only be saved if ALL 1200 employees actually have those days off. City Manager, Larry Gilley implied today that some City positions might not be able to have those days off because the City of Abilene is focused on providing the Citizens of Abilene with the highest quality of service. As the City states in its mission statement,"We work together to build a community of the highest quality for present and future generations."

While, we say 1200 employees are affected by the City's financial situation, it's really much more than that. It's 1200 people plus all of their family members. It's hard to imagine just how many people will feel an impact from the pay cuts. It's unfortunate to know that for so long, we said Abilene was safe from the state of the nation's economy, but as City Councilman, Robert Briley said in my interview earlier today, it was basically just a matter of time until we felt the effects here in the Abilene community.

It's easy to speculate being an outsider, not a City employee but I also got to thinking how difficult it must be to be on the City Management end. I cannot imagine having to tell 1200 people that they'll have to take three days off this year and they won't be getting paid for it. It couldn't have been easy, and while it's been described as a "bump in the road by some," it does make you wonder if things can get worst.

When I read about other cities throughout the country, many have already had to fire City employees to put a dent in their communities debt. In that sense, it sounds like we are still pretty lucky here in Abilene. But, at the same time because it doesn't sound too likely that the City will save the hopeful $600,000 (because some employees will have to work) on those furlough days, the City could be facing some future problems.

City Management says that a reduction in force would only be a last resort for the City of Abilene, as they've expressed before. However, it wasn't too long ago that the City of Abilene issued a "hiring freeze," where some retiring positions were not filled by new personnel. Instead, other employees were forced to step in to fill the job requirements. And we can't forget the Abilene Police Department and Abilene Fire Department, who agreed to postpone their pay raises for six months.

What do you have to say about everything?

Behind the Scenes:Video Blog

I finally tackled the video blog. It's been a long time coming...but I figured what better video blog from me...than a "behind the scenes" post. Of course, there is even a lot more that goes on behind the scenes than this video sequence...but I think you get the idea. Enjoy it. If you have any questions or anything more you'd like to see inside the wonderful world of KRBC News, let me know. I'd love to do another video blog.



P.S. I did the taping for this video blog during lunch hour, when the newsroom is actually a pretty quiet place. Had we shot this around 4 o'clock, you'd have gotten the true chaotic, adrenaline-pumping experience.



I just want to give a special, "THANK YOU," to our Chief Photographer, Andrew Carlson who shot this whole blog for me! : ) He's pretty awesome!

"Looking for some Late-Night fun"

"Looking for some Late-Night fun," that's the status update that was posted to my grandmother's facebook account.

Yes, I am bringing you another grandmother story, (if you haven't already read Stephanie's blog post...then you have to take the time to do so...that tops the list).

But, I decided to blog about my recent facebook finding. Now, if you're a true facebooker, like myself you find the time to check people's status updates...you know, you want to know what your friends and and family members are up to. Well, I got quite the shock when I saw, "look for some late-night fun" was posted next to my grandmother's name on facebook, for all the Internet world to see.

First off, my grandmother (no matter how technologically savvy she is) does not post status updates...nonetheless would she ever type something along those lines for everyone to see. So, I gave her a call to ask her how facebook was treating her. And she was like, I haven't been on in weeks...and I said, well...your facebook status says you've been looking for a little late night fun these days. She was pretty shocked but laughed off the whole thing.

I decided to blog about it because it made me sad to know that someone must've gotten into her account, and just in general about these computer hackers and Internet virus' sent out all of the time. My Grandmother's case is obviously a very minor one compared to all of the hackers that get passwords to bank accounts and steal identities.

While most of my Grandmother's friends (via facebook) know that she would never post a comment like that, on a smaller scale...it still had to have caused some embarrassment. After all, she does have grand-kids, nieces, nephews that are a lot younger and might get the wrong idea. My grandmother of course took the whole thing lightly and laughed about it.

It really got me to thinking though, how scary of a place the Internet can be.

Burrr...it's cold in Abilene!

Brrrr...it's cold in Abilene!
"Feels like 7 degrees," says meteorologist Chris Whited from the warm KRBC studio this morning. I was standing by outside at the intersection of Southwest and Clack, I'll tell you it felt colder than that, Chris.
Each time, we bring you live coverage in the early morning hours to warn you and help you prepare for your day...I'll run into people around town last that day that say, "I was watching you on TV and I felt so bad watching you stand there in the cold". I really do appreciate how caring viewers are. While, we do have to stand outside in the below freezing temperature for a few minutes at a time, we are happy that (thanks to technology) we can bring you the the latest road conditions and scenarios around town...in hopes of keeping you safe.
In between each LIVE shot, we are getting warm and toasty inside of our LIVE truck.
Days like today really make me wonder what it's like being a reporter in even colder states and crazier weather, such as hurricanes. I really admire those reporters (that sometimes even risk their lives) to keep their communities informed and safe.
While I spent most of the morning talking about road conditions around town, I still want to stress the importance of dressing warmly. Sometimes, when you first walk out of the house...it doesn't feel too bad. However, after being out in the cold, even walking in and out of store...it is brisk. I stocked up on warmers for my hands and feet last night at Walmart...and they worked like a charm. I highly recommend them. Also, I recommend packing blankets and other "keeping warm" items so that if you ever were to get into a car accident in this frigid weather...you'd be able to keep yourself warm until you get help. May seem like a little over-doing it...but the way I look at it is better safe than sorry.
Anyways, I hope everyone stays nice and warm over the next few days! Thanks for visiting my blog! : )