Drinking and Driving Course

I recently did a story on drinking and driving over at ACU. The week before Spring Break, ACU's Peer Health organization puts on a week long event called, "Making Good Choices." One of their events was an obstacle course that included duck tape and cones...that looked rather simple to complete. However, students had to wear a pair of goggles that blurred their vision; confusing their depth perception.
Watching the students sway from side-to-side and trip over cones and veer far from the duck tape, I thought that they were just goofing around. So that's when I decided to give it a try. And almost immediately after putting the glasses on, I felt disoriented. I couldn't even stand before the starting line without being directed to it. Then when they said, "Go" and I raced in my heels, I not only was way off of the tape but I stepped on cone after cone.
In the end, the "police" (students) wrote me a ticket for 6 violations in 6 seconds. Violations are given out for not stepping on the duck tape and for stepping on cones. My ticket frustrated me because without the goggles, it looked so easy. So, I gave it a second try to prove to myself that I could master this course. I went for a different strategy this time, thinking slow and steady could win the race. It didn't work out that well for me, I wound up with more violations in more time.
I think the drunk driving course serves as a good reminder of how not only alcohol effects your decision making, but even something that looks so simple and harmless is really not. I think it had a pretty good effect on students at ACU and hopefully they'll remember that while they're on Spring Break and throughout the year.

Utmost Respect for Producers

Last week, I got the opportunity to learn the ropes of producing and anchoring, shadowing West Texas Today anchor, Stephanie Harris.

Instead of coming into work at 9 am, like a normal day for me, I was coming in at 2:30 am. Now that's a time, I usually never read on the clock. However, in order for Stephanie to teach me how to produce, and still having her show ready by 6 am show time, that's what time we needed to come in.

There are so many little things that a producer needs to remember. And as for functioning at that time in the morning, it's certainly difficult. That's where 3 cups of coffee comes into play.

After finishing the show by 5 am. That's when Stephanie hits the makeup room.

I learned how to produce over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday. On Wednesday, Stephanie also let me do the morning webcast and the Today Show cut-ins. That was my first real anchoring experience.

Then on Thursday, I co-anchored the morning show with Steph, which was a lot of fun. Except for the fact that I didn't get the memo that I didn't have to wear a suit jacket. So while, Stephanie was pretty in pink, I wound up looking like a Hillary Clinton. Getting ready for the show was especially fun because Stephanie had to teach me how to have the anchor hair, which requires some serious teasing.

Then on Friday...I was on my own. Stephanie decided not to come in even to supervise until 4:30 am. So, instead of the 2:30 am time I had been coming in all week, instead I got into work at 1 am. Which means that I got up, showered, and blow-dried my hair at midnight. Friends were wishing me good luck on my solo anchoring debut, as they were going to bed and I was going to work. I went into work so early to allow myself plenty of time to triple check everything and still have time to relax before sitting at the desk.

I feel good about my anchoring debut, but boy was I exhausted after a week of crazy hours. I respect the morning crew so much for their ability to function at that time in the morning.

Wylie Jr. High Career Day

Today, I went to Wylie Jr. High's career day, where they invited all kinds of people within the working world of Abilene to come in and speak to students about what they do for a living.
Before the students even started showing up to class, KRBC's Chief Meteorologist, Randy Turner and I were sitting at the small desk chairs, reminiscing about our middle school days. When the bell rang, I had to snap out of my daydream and realize my middle schools days are long gone.
Speaking to all of the classes was a lot of fun. Although, many students did seem interested in my job, they did not ask too many questions. I guess I might have been a rare middle school student because I can remember having guest speakers and asking them a million questions...which could explain why I continue to ask people questions for a living! ; )
I think it's a great experience for students, even if they're far from entering the working world to hear from people about how they got to where they are today, after sitting in a classroom just like them years ago.
So, I just want to thank those that organized Career Day at Wylie Jr. High for inviting me to be part of it. It was a lot of fun and I really hope the students learned a thing or two from me!

Why don't Texans Rollerblade?

I'm well aware that rollerblading was popular in most places during the 90's. I remember rollerblading with my parents when I was still in Elementary school. Back then my rollerblades were bright blue with hot pink laces. In Florida, we'd rollerblade to get ice cream. A few years later, my cotton-candy-looking rollerblades no longer fit and then rollerblades kind of went out of style.

I didn't think much of them until a guy in high school asked me to go again, saying that I could use his sister's pair. It ended up being so much fun rollerblading around our tiny town in Massachusetts. Then, I realized just how good of a workout rollerblading was and decided I needed a pair of my own. As I was heading to college in Miami, I knew investing in a pair of rollerblades wouldn't be a bad decision. So I bought a pair and rollerbladed all through my tiny High School town, Harvard Massachusetts. I got a little ahead of myself, skating uphill not realizing that I had to go back down. Clearly, going downhill creates even more speed, and yeah pretty much had an ugly wipe out shortly thereafter. I gave rollerblading a rest for awhile...until I left for college in Florida.

Luckily, with Florida being so flat there were really no hills to worry about. So, I picked up rollerblading once again and even encouraged friends to get a pair to come along. It was definitely fun rollerblading by the beach and being able to get a workout in before going for a swim in the ocean.

Now in Texas, you'll still find me rollerblading. While, I often rollerblade in my apartment complex, I have neighbors looking at me like I have eight heads. Once I meet them, they usually say to me, "you're that girl that rollerblades, aren't you?"

Which is why I have to ask why Texans don't rollerblade? It's a great way to make exercising fun and be able to enjoy the nice weather by being outside. I encourage those that gave up their rollerblading days in the 90's to pick it back up and give it a whirl again. A great place to go rollerblading in town is the track around ACU. ; )

Winter Weather Fun

Although, I am a Florida girl at heart and absolutely hate being cold, reporting in winter weather can actually be fun.

The fun all started when I got an email Monday night, telling me to be waiting for a 5:30 am wake-up call and that I'd need to be LIVE shortly after that. I'm not usually "a-LIVE" at that time and I don't particularly enjoy standing out in below freezing temperatures. However, there's something about being the first to tell viewers something that gets the adrenaline pumping and makes it really fun. Although, I could see my breath and barely feel my nose; I felt like I was really doing something good for the community by warning people about the icy driving conditions before they left home. Monday's fun continued until the six o'clock news for me, where I continued to inform viewers of what was happening on the streets.

Tuesday's fun began even earlier, when there were no wake-up calls and that I was to be ready for LIVE shots at 5:30 am. Today was even colder too. I think it marked the longest time I have ever stayed outside in weather that was just barely thirteen degrees. Now don't be fooled, when you didn't see me in front of the camera, you can bet I was warm and cozy in the LIVE truck with a blanket and all.

We don't have to stand outside for hours at a time in freezing temperatures. But, there's a bright side to being cold on camera. It allows us to accurately tell viewers what is going on because we were experiencing it firsthand.

Another thing, I think most reporters would agree with me that being LIVE is one of the most fun things about the job. On winter weather days, as you probably saw for yourself, everyone had plenty of LIVE shots. By having so many LIVE shots in a row, it allows us reporters to be creative with what we show and tell you.

Nevertheless, I am glad that the sun is back and that the winter weather is gone. But, I'd definitely do it all over again!

4 o'clock Stress

Everyone has their moments when they find themselves engulfed with "stress."

I have those moments on a regular basis; specifically around 4 o'clock most weekday afternoons.

Why 4 o'clock?
For a reporter, it's when you know there's barely enough time to get all the work you've done throughout the day complete for the 5 and 6 o'clock newscasts.

It's amazing how fast the morning goes by, and how convenient it is that most interviewees are tied up in the mornings; only having free time to meet in the afternoon cutting it close to deadline time.

My co-workers always know when I am stressed because instead of sitting at my desk typing up my stories, you'll find me standing up typing at my desk.

For some reason, standing up makes me feel like I am able to get everything done faster and more efficiently.

Standing up does help me get through the 4 o'clock stress but it also gives me a backache by days end.

Anybody else have strange ways of dealing with stress?

Austin-Over and Out

Day two in Austin started bright and early, when we had to get our press credential passes at 7:30 am. The passes allow you, as the media to go on the floor with a camera (in the House) where the Legislative session takes place.

The "floor" was packed with State Representatives, sitting in their assigned seats with their family members, friends, or guests sitting alongside of them. The balcony was packed with fellow Texans showing their support for the state.

Afterwards, I mingled with other reporter-photographer teams from larger markets. They were impressed that KRBC was there and that our crew on the assignment was doing this for the very first time.

Because of all the technological problems we ran into, much of our day consisted of sitting in our hotel room, editing and sending multiple downloads to Abilene.

Picture this, we had three computers going. We'd be writing our scripts for the newscasts, for the web, and then we'd be blogging.

It was definitely different working outside of the newsroom. While, we only had one specific topic to cover, "the Legislative Session" it felt like more work than on a normal work day. For example, when I am busy working on my daily, "package" the longer stories (where you actually see me), and a couple of "vosots" (when you see video and sound from an interviewee) that all have absolutely nothing to do with each other, it felt like much less work then the we've done even as a team the past two days covering one topic.

The phone conversations you might have heard with me on the newscasts were quite interesting. While, I am sharing a hotel room with KTAB's Katherine Lane, who also had a "phoner" (as we call a phone conversation on air) for KTAB at about the same time. Instead of having us both talk from the same room and drive our photographer, Danielle (and probably each other crazy) I had my phone conversations in the car. It was neat though because I could see the Capitol building from the car as I was describing what I'd seen and done throughout the day.

While our trip is coming to an end, and our final story for the ten o'clock newscast has just about transferred, I definitely would do the experience all over again.

It was overall a great learning experience. It really taught me how to think on my feet. There was a lot of pressure to compare to all of the professionals that have been in the business for years that were all around me.

I think the work that I put in here, after just two days will definitely impact a higher-quality product from me as a journalist for KRBC to you as a viewer. Thanks for sharing in my journey to Austin.