Nomadic Adventures

Billie Skye's Intro

2010-08-05T13:46:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe this video was taken more than a year ago.

I really am the luckiest.

Farewell 4 Now

2010-03-29T11:23:00.000-07:00

This is the clip of my farewell interview with Scott Birmingham on "4 Your Review" on my last day at News 4. Thank you, Scott, for having me on the show.
It's the only interview I've ever done, and I must say, it's a bit strange being on the other side of the camera.
I've thoroughly enjoyed my time at News 4. I am venturing into the world of public relations and social media in Reno and look forward to serving this community in a different capacity.

Click here to view the clip.

Watson Lake

2008-10-12T21:31:00.000-07:00

4th Annual Reno Tahoe Odyssey

2008-06-08T22:02:00.001-07:00

Several times during the Odyssey I turned to team captain, Justin, asking why we sign up for the race in the first place. The delirious question was typically prefaced by a mere 20 minutes to a lucky 2 full hours of sleep. Despite the pain of sleeping so little over a 28 hour period, the Reno Tahoe Odyssey is an incredible experience.

RTO 2007 was a different beast. The second half of the race was cancelled due to the Angora Fire, so the team actually had time to sleep for about 4 hours. This year it was nonstop the moment we started 8:30 Friday morning...but this year the team had the opportunity to run through Tahoe.

Mother Nature was a doll and delivered gorgeous weather, perfect for running. Sure, there was a bit of breeze during the first part of the race, but when you're running several miles (and not against the wind) it's a welcomed cool down. Temperatures were in the mid 70's during the day and in the low 30's overnight - nothing a few extra layers couldn't handle.

Unfortunately, I can only recount the adventures of Van 2. Many of us on this team knew each other very little prior to the race, but after 24 hours crammed into one van (and for a small period in one motel room) we developed great friendships.

As a runner in the Reno Tahoe Odyssey you have the opportunity to see the Reno-Tahoe area like you've never seen it before. You start in Wingfield Park, run through Verdi, Truckee, Squaw - through Tahoe, up Geiger and Kingsbury Grades, along Virginia City...and back to where it all started.

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Prior to the Reno Tahoe Odyssey of 2007 I didn't consider myself a runner. In fact, I really disliked running. But the idea of taking part in the event with 11 strangers through one of the most beautiful areas I've ever seen was an opportunity I could not pass up. Having participated in my second Odyssey, I can't imagine running and this team not being a part of my life.

Congratulations to the Buckbean Brew Crew and all of the people who made RTO 2008 an unforgettable experience.

Nostalgic Form of Travel.

2008-05-31T20:59:00.000-07:00

The California Zephyr was built in 1948 to serve as the elite way to travel from Chicago to Oakland...and it's still running! The owner of the train car we rode on - The Silver Lariat - has poured more than $1.5 million dollars into restoring it to its original condition.

I never did find out exactly how pricey the trip is, but I'd expect to dish out a few extra dollars seeing as you get treated like royalty. The staff is dressed in their Sunday best and are the friendliest crew I've ever met. They are absolutely delighted to have you on board.

You get a full course meal, prepared entirely on the trains tiny, tiny kitchen. We started our morning with delicious coffee, chocolate covered strawberries and pumpkin coffee cake. For lunch we had crab cakes and beef balls, followed by a salad, warm bread and then our main course - prime rib, potatoes and spinach, topped off with a Kahlua Cheesecake! And yes, I ate everything.

The view is breathtaking. It's about a three hour train ride from Reno, Nevada to Colfax, California - a charming town worth taking a special trip out to explore. Unlike the hurried drive you'd take along I-80 West bound, you're completely relaxed on the Zephyr. So relaxed in fact that you should only do this trip if you are not on a tight schedule. We left two hours late because the Amtrak we were hooking up to was caught behind freight.

This tour of the Zephyr winds you right along the Sierra. We happened to be on board when we were still in the middle of our rainy weather. The Silver Lariat has dome tops that allow you to see all the way around...so we could watch the raindrops hit the top of the rail car and the green, lush forest all around us. It was gorgeous and well worth our time.

Another reason it rocked - you are only allowed to stand between cars on private cars.

You can't get away with this on an Amtrak.

2008-05-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

If you want a quick, enjoyable read pick up "Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex"

I heard oodles of goodness about author Mary Roach in magazines and on NPR and decided to check her out for myself. In this book she takes a look at the science of sex throughout time. It's both informative and hilarious and I recommend if you have the time and are curious about the origins of sex toys and the many misconceptions folks have about the body - namely the female body and what gets her going. Maybe more men should read this...

I digest.

I'm going on a train ride tomorrow from Reno to Colfax in a report for alternative transportation. I'll have to explore how much you actually save by not driving yourself...
It's sure to be a gorgeous trip and hopefully, equally gorgeous story. We'll be traveling along the Truckee River through the Sierras, following several days of stormy weather, so I'm envisioning a green, lush, breathtaking ride.

I only wish my novio was joining me.

I'll post pictures and a review post-trip.
Eventually I'll get around to writing about the Pac N-Dub.
Happy Travels.

Dream Date.

2008-01-12T22:47:00.000-08:00

Ciao, 2007

2007-12-30T18:50:00.000-08:00

As the year draws to an end, many of us reflect on 2007.

Attempting to look back on '07 each month would not only be so boring but nearly impossible, because unless I documented it in my trust journal my memory is of no use.

Like every year that passes, 2007 was filled with heartbreaks and life-lessons. I dealt with a very significant break-up, reentered the dating world and met some really great guys and after getting sick of it for a while, finally met someone worthwhile.

Some people say we need to get fired at least once! and this had best been the only time for me! ... at least for a long time!

I've lived at three different addresses in time in Reno and have held at least three different jobs (I nearly forgot about the coffee shop).

Through all of my experiences - at work, out on the town and via all the interesting folk I met, I have no regrets for 2007. I hope 2008 will bring more adventures to my life and keep my family and friends healthy and happy.

I hope everyone can look back on their year with a smile - despite all of the horrible things that may have happened. They're all in the past now! We've survived another year and hopefully all grown stronger and smarter.

Though I recognize it's a slow-moving process, I know as I enter 2008 I'm much prouder of the woman I'm becoming.

Lots of love and happy wishes for everyone's new year.

This Just In.

2007-11-09T22:27:00.000-08:00

I will be home.. in the comfort of my mother's bed [that sounds weird, but I dont have a room anymore at home...] in SIXTEEN days.

Less than 20... and that's a hell of a lot less than never.

My life is pretty much schedule for the remainder of 2007 which is actually really creepy. Two thousand seven is ending... very soon. And I pretty much know what I'm doing [work wise, at least] through January fifth.

Crazy, man.

But blah, blah. All that matters right now in my little world is that I am going home!

Priceless

2007-10-28T16:12:00.000-07:00

I can't enough of this commercial.

Hip Attitude.

2007-10-27T21:19:00.000-07:00

I appreciate each season for their distinguishing features.
Summer is killer because it's like an ongoing party, sun, tans, beaches...etc.
Spring is gorgeous, the cliche of new beginnings are abundant. Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping. . . continue the cheese.
Winter NOW kicks butt because of snowboarding. I have a few friends who are absolutely pumped for the season and I can't wait to get up on the slopes again. In fact, I finally bought myself a snowboard and new bindings so I'm ready to go!

But I'm starting to think Autumn really blows all of them away. Going along with the cheese of Spring, it's signifies a time of change, the change of colors are absolutely breathtaking and it's the beginning of a series of awesome holidays. Yes, I am still very anti Hallmark Holiday, but I LOVE the holiday spirit from Halloween onward.

So, the award for favorite season goes to Fall.

But the abundance of feel-good-holidays this time of year is just making my heart hurt more. As I made note in my calendar that my boyfriend is going to be out of town for most of November (really bummed about that) I realized I actually have Thanksgiving night off. . . but no one to spend it with. My man friend will be with family over yonder Nor Cal, but thank goodness he's coming back for Friday to spend time with my achy, breaky heart. But what will I do Thursday night? As the seconds tick by I grow increasingly homesick and sad and the thought of NOT having to work breaks my heart. This isn't a "boo-hoo, feel sorry for me rant", just a sad realization that part of growing up and moving away includes having to deal with lonesome holidays. And I can't exactly invite myself to someones house, I CAN however shamelessly hint at my lonliness.

On a completely random side note, I'm obsessed with LA Ink. I can't explain my fascination with tattoos and my growing desire to get my Stargazer Lily tattoo'd on my hip. I'm thinking Tax Returns are paying for that one. I could create an incredibly heart-felt reason for choosing that particulare flower as my tattoo ...
"It symbolizes a time of growing into myself... beauty... " Blah. Bladdy. Blah.

The truth is, it's my favorite flower. Period.

Guitar Lessons. Going.... slowly. My buddy showed me a lil riff I should "cherish" and his advice to me was "You really need to learn to be retarded with your hands". Sounds simple enough! I'm still learning to switch chords and am trying to learn Jewel's "Who Will Save Your Soul". I actually don't like this song one bit, it just happens to use several chords I know well. One day I hope to be able to jam with my ooberly hot guitar man friend.

Yes. Ooooooberly.

Assume the position. . .

2007-09-29T20:34:00.001-07:00

Just a little more than one month since my last blog I'm happy to report that life is grand. That's right, GRAND.

This marks my fourth week on the air as NBC's weekend weather anchor and I couldn't be happier. I've wanted to work for the company in one form or another since my internships in college, so I feel as if I've reached a significant milestone. One of my coworkers tonight asked me what my dream job was, and for the first time I didn't answer "Working for Network news." This right now is my dream job. I constantly preach about living in the now, and that I never plan more than a few days ahead, because who are we to assume we'll even be around in a few hours? So, after a rough August I can finally, honestly say I'm really happy where I am.

Five days ago I reached my one year anniversary in the Biggest Little City. As I reflected that day, I thought back to my hopes and fears one year ago as I sat in a tiny motel room with my mom, Joey and with no place to live. At the time I thought my then-boyfriend would soon be joining me in Reno and I would work two years as a VJ for my new station. Twelve months later, I've sinced moved onto a bigger, better station with an incredible job, and after several months of singlehood I've finally settled into a healthy, happy relationship with a wonderful man. Oh yeah, MAN. Ha! No more boys, thank you.

I frequently journal so as to not forget notable moments or thoughts in my life, mainly because I have a horrible, horrible memory. And each time I sit down to write (about every other day) I'm convinced I'm stronger and just slightly wiser than the day before.

I've done and seen things here I never thought I would do; I moved to a new city solo - SCARY. I officially started my career, went through the humiliating experience of being fired, struggled to establish a healthy social circle outside of work and thus far, I believe I've been successful, I've flown over Reno with my beau- twice, camped on the desert, saw my first bald eagle, wakeboarded, white water rafted, hiked, joined a running team, loved singledhood (finally), visited Colorado, snowboarded! ... the list goes on.

Of course I grow ridiculously homesick by the minute, but still psych myself up with the idea of sometime "soon" escaping to see Kathy and my family.

Meanwhile, to maintain my sanity and boost my morale... I've vowed to learn guitar - at least the basics- by the end of 2007...

Tonight begins lesson number one.

Karma Makes My Heart Smile.

2007-08-22T11:16:00.001-07:00

Have you seen the commercial where people are going about their day and see and do random acts of kindness? Domino effect? This is that kind of story.

Last week sometime as I sat in a daze while working in the coffee shop, I felt like a complete failure. I thought to myself, "I have a bachelor's degree and I'm sitting here making coffee and sweeping floors for minimum wage." As I sat there going through my forced early life crisis, a gentleman walked in, just a few years older than me. Somehow we started talking about life and how unexpected it is. He told me about his job and how although he holds a degree in a different profession, he's happy doing what he does so long as his daughter is well-taken care of. We both sort of laughed at the ... beauty of life and how we just have to roll with the punches. I was amazed at how perfectly that conversation fit into my recent self-criticism.

Yesterday and today have been replays of that event. Yesterday afternoon a young mother and her four-year-old adorable son walked into the shop. They sat and had bagles and a shake. He was absolutely adorable. I made them a piña colada smoothie and had he not been so shy, he would've sang me a rendition of my favorite karaoke song to go with his drink. His mother and I got to chatting, as I do with most of my customers, but she left a lasting impression others don't always. Let's back this up. She left a positive impression, because we all know crabby customers stay on your mind longer than welcome.

She said, "Want to hear what should be a sad story about something that just happened to us?"

Of course I did.

She proceeded to tell me they were just stopping in Reno on their way to Colorado to help her father in a traveling carnival. On their way here from San Francisco, she met a young man on the bus who said he was from Reno and could tell her where to get a good cup of Java. He took her just around the block from where I work. As she ordered her coffee, this stranger took advantage of her little boy and stole his iPod and $10 from the four-year-old's pockets. Another customer caught sight of what was happening and said, "Lady, that guy just stole your son's iPod and money". So two other guys jumped the thief, took back the little boy's gadget and gave him $20 back. The little boy excitedly added his details to the story as his mother shared it, completely oblivious to the horrible thing that had just happened. I treated them to some biscotti samples and enjoyed their company. It amazed me how happy this little family was and how blessed they felt, despite just having their trust violated. She and I talked (again) about life and how we have to treat things as blessings in disguise and hope things will get better. I can't imagine they were extremely wealthy, but she gave me a nice tip and asked me to share the wealth.

Just one day prior I had helped out a guy who had no money to some coffee and computer time so he could listen to his favorite CD. The other day on a bike ride, I came across a stranded pooch and walked him back home to his owners.

I'm not sitting here recounting my random acts of kindness in an attempt to make you think I'm some wonderful person. I just hope we can all take a little time out of our days to help another person smile, because you just never know when you too can be in their situation. The catch is, however, never do something kind expecting in return because that negates the act.

Earlier this morning a gentleman in town for business came back in for a cup of joe. I met him yesterday morning after one of his meetings was cancelled and we got into a pleasant conversation. For some reason or another, we talked about my career and my job search. When he came in today he asked how it was going and I told him I had an interview today I was extremely excited for. He asked me for a pen and I went on to attend to other customers. As I finally made my way back to keep chatting with him, he handed me his email address and $100 bill. He said, "please keep in touch and let me know how the job hunt goes. And don't worry about the bill, I'm not expecting anything in return. You're a good person and you deserve it". And he walked away, leaving me stunned and nearly in tears.

I could care less about money, but now, with just one job and very few hours, I'm in need of it. I know God is taking care of me, and in turn I'll try to do my part to take care of others. My only wish is that one day I can leave a nice gift like this man did to someone in need.

Pass it on.

Silver Lining.

2007-08-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

Two thousand seven was going rather smoothly until Sunday, July 29th. In a matter of only four days, my world fell apart. Mind you I still have my health, family and friends- which are the most important elements in my life, but mi vida as I knew it that fateful Sunday morning felt as if it were collapsing.

Within that now infamous four day period, I was forced to make a decision about my best pal Joey -find him a home and lose him or find us a home and get the hell out of my current living situation. That plan was going somewhat dandy until Wednesday, August first, I was canned.

Terminated. Let go. Fired.

However you choose to describe it I was now jobless. I suppose my employer thought it best to let me go to ponder my "poor attitude and poor work ethic" and hopefully improve it for future employers. It's like breaking up with someone you feel needs to grow up, learn from their mistakes. It hurts but in the end, you hope they stop being a liar/cheater/sleeze and future romantic prospects will benefit from your sacrifices and life lessons you instilled in that once lost individual.

Right.

It's okay. I'm not trying to convince myself or anyone else that that was the vision of that poorly run corporation. It's just never too early to find the humor in things!

At any rate, these last two weeks have forced me into a slump. At least I thought so initially. I was constantly upset, crying, frustrated - just not my normal self. I never let myself stay in funks longer than comfortable and lately I just haven't been able to shake off the funk. Crying myself to sleep is not my favorite way to pass out. Nor do I enjoy griping, whining and feeling like a total loser.

Although I was finding little ways to get myself out of the funk without trying to nag anyone in my life, my ability to overcome these emotional obstacles is greatly due to my mother, my best friend, Kathy, my numerous friends that have reached out to me,and my favorite misanthrope, Mateo. As I sat wallowing in my own misery, I nearly forgot that life could be so much worse and even more importantly, I'm quite possibly one of the luckiest people. I have a fantastic support net. My madre pointed out something extremely humbling as well. I've always mentioned to her how blessed I've been in life. Everything I've ever wanted; jobs, college, internships - I've gotten them. Very rarely have I experienced rejection. So I have little or no reason to complain about this recent blessing in disguise and should embrace the first of many let downs in life. Someone once told me that maybe I view my accomplishments as having come easy because I never focus on the negative.

Perhaps I should keep that up.

Women versus Girls

2007-07-18T19:20:00.001-07:00

Girls leave their schedule wide-open and wait for a guy to call and make plans.
Grown women make their own plans and nicely tell the guy to get in where he fits.

Girls want to control the man in their life.
Grown women know that if he's truly hers, he doesn't need controlling.

Girls check you for not calling them.
Grown women are too busy to realize you hadn't.

Girls are afraid to be alone.
Grown women revel in it-using it as a time for personal growth.

Girls ignore the good guys.
Grown women ignore the bad guys.

Girls make you come home.
Grown women make you want to come home.

Girls worry about not being pretty and/or good enough for their man.
Grown women know that they are pretty and/or good enough for any man.

Girls try to monopolize all their man's time (I.e., don't want him hanging with his friends).
Grown women realize that a lil' bit of space makes the 'together time' even more special-and goes to kick it with her own friends.

Girls think a guy crying is weak.
Grown women offer their shoulder and a tissue.

Girls want to be spoiled and 'tell' their man so.
Grown women 'show' him and make him comfortable enough to reciprocate without fear of losing his 'manhood'.

Girls get hurt by one man and make all men pay for it.
Grown women know that that was just one man.

Girls fall in love and chase aimlessly after the object of their affection, ignoring all 'signs'.
Grown women know that sometimes the one you love, don't always love you back-and move on, without bitterness.

Girls will read this and get an attitude.
Grown women will read this and pass it on to other Grown women and their male friends.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I got this from Kawata Monster and absolutely loved it, and seeing as all of my friends are "grown women" I knew they would appreciate it.

As you may or may not know, I firmly believe that age is merely a number and that not all females can fall under this category, but it's wise and strong and wonderful and it made me smile :)

I must skiddadle now ;)

Doodle. Doddle.

2007-07-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

I am hours away from hanging out with my favorite person on the planet.

My loser sister Lissette.

I'm beyond thrilled and have been takling about this for weeks and now the day is finally here! The only downer is that I am extremely exhausted. I've gotten very little sleep in the last few days causing me to literally fall asleep while driving mid-afternoon.

MID-AFTERNOON! C'MON!

It's my own fault for staying up as late as I do at times and now working two jobs, but a gal has to do what a gal has to do.

The two jobs are going well, in the sense that I'm not burned out quite yet. Unluckily I attract some weirdos at the coffee shop, particularly because I'm there so G'damn early (5-6am) and often close as well. Otherwise, I enjoy have a low-stress retreat that occupies my time. Yes it cuts back on a social life, but then there's no time to think and be lonely and when I do have plans it makes life that much more exciting.

Before I forget to rave about them, I must. *Pink Martini* is one of the most phenomenal bands I have seen in my life thus far.

Go see them if you get the chance! And if you don't, get their music! They are a brilliant fusion of Cuban Jazz, Brazilian Funk and intelligently laced lyrics. They are by far one of the best shows I've been to and another great night to add to my favorites here in N. Nevada.

(I may as well continue my media review)

I saw "Knocked Up" last night. Granted many parts made me tear up and I cried during the credits, but it is very funny, clever and though I can't say I can relate, it seemed incredibly realistic - in terms of the couple fights and the madness and irrationality that usually surrounds them. Go see it.

Finally, I interviewed Connecticut Senator and (D) Presidential Candidate Chris Dodd in Spanish this afternoon. Really exciting, but not as thrilling as the day I hope to meet Barack Obama. Move over Edwards, I've got a new favorite candidate!

Jelly in a Jellyfield: The Happy Dozen

2007-07-02T21:16:00.001-07:00

I have a new descriptive to add to my personal resume.

I am a runner.

Lissette literally laughed at me when I told her this. When she realized there was no laughter on the other end, she knew I was serious.

I was part of a special dozen by the name of Team Donut this weekend. We ran together in the 3rd Annual Reno Tahoe Odyssey - a two day adventure through Reno, Tahoe and back. Except because of the devastating fire in South Lake Tahoe in the last couple of weeks, the second legs were cancelled. So though we missed out on running through the middle of the night, I think us first timers still got a fairly clear concept as to what the Odyssey is all about.

It was absolutely amazing how fun it was to be crammed into a van with five strangers and come out of it within two days with new pals! To explain how it worked a little our team was split into two vans; Van 1 and Van 2 (quite clever, right) and that's how we split up the race, the first of us doing the first six legs and I'm sure you can follow the rest. The legs are broken up in different mileage and levels of difficulty. My first leg was 5.8 miles, described as Moderate. It was a pleasant run. I was attacked by three side cramps but I kicked their ass. I ran that in 54 minutes which put me at about a 9 minute mile! That's huge for me! Granted it was a lot of downhill but don't kill my thunder, please.

My second leg the next day was 3.4 miles which I thought would be a breeze, but it was dubbed "More Difficult" and by that they mean mostly uphill and "will kill your calf muscles". My left calf is still sore and I finished running that Saturday morning at 7:40. So early you say? Well, yes. We kicked started the second half at 4:30 am. Needless to say we got very little sleep but somehow pushed through.

This entire experience has not only added positive and inspiring friends to my life, it's also taught me I can do anything I put my mind and spirit to. Not that I didn't realize it before but I believe this is the first time I've committed to something by myself and gone through with it.

We (Donuts) are already planning a few half-marathons and 10Ks for the upcoming months.

Who knew I had it in me?

Huge thanks to Team Donut and the unforgettable experience they've added to my book.

Stickin' It to The Man

2007-06-19T17:04:00.000-07:00

It's been quite some time since I posted any updates. Since the crap out of my computer, the Internet serves only as work tool and of course the means in which I stay in touch with my pen pals. (insert Kathy laughter here)

A lot has changed and happened since my last entry. I've picked up a part-time job at a really kick-ass coffee shop downtown. Yes, I'm a barista again and I can happily say whippin' up drinks is a talent one never loses so it's extremely exciting. And if I stick with it, within a few months I'll learn how to whip up beverages with our good friend Alcohol and then drinks all around for everyone!

Without going into detail since there is always the chance Big Brother is reading, I got an inside and rather disappointing view at the inner workings of "The Man". Heartless, two-faced and very unprofessional. I went through a long, dark period where I questioned my role in this town and life and was just caught in this crappy mood for entirely too long. I've slowly snapped out of it and now consider my work for myself and the people and no one else, and I hope along the way I'll find meaning in other things.

Someone asked me yesterday what it is I'm searching for. Though I haven't given the question as much thought as they may have hoped for, I have spent some time pondering and at this point in time I've concluded that my answer is : Nothing.

I'm not looking for anything. I think moments, people, experiences - they have been finding me. Granted I was in the market for more $$$ so I found a job, but the experiences within the job are an added bonus to my findings.

Ugh.

I have to run to a live shot and I've been distracted from my inspiration.

Cheers.

Regurgitation.

2007-05-20T22:28:00.000-07:00

"In truth, maybe timing is just an excuse we use to make ourselves feel better about passing up on opportunities because we are scared."

I thought this was an appropriate quote to bring back. Recurring theme in one's life you say? Why of course!

I really need to quit whining to my best buddy about how "annoying" and "unfair" life is. I'm the first to complain about people griping about superficial things and here I am complaining about great people in my life.

Slap.
me.
now.

I felt like I had so much more to write about but I'm distracted and tired. So, reflect on the quote.

It's neither a road nor an island.

Discuss.

Attachment Not Included.

2007-05-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

My computer has once again called it quits.

Apparently the hard drive is a goner and according to my tech savy friend it may not survive.

I'm not particularly attached the computer. I don't like to think I'm attached to any material item, but what does break my heart into a gazillion pieces are the hundreds of photos that damn hard drive contains. You know, every so often I'd think to myself "Man, I should back these up". Yet I never did.

It's like this feeling of immortality many of us carry around.. like "Man, I should really call that person to say hi or I love them.. but I have tomorrow".

WRONG.

Just like Dell's crappy computer, our days are limited, friends.

So back up your hard drives!

Well, You Know What They Say . . .

2007-05-09T00:50:00.000-07:00

I had the most phenomenal weekend.

It was hard to return to the rush of life (though Reno is much calmer than LA).

I slept in a van down by the river the entire weekend.

That joke never once got old.

I white water rafted for the first time in my life, partied like there was no tomorrow, went on a gorgeous hike and met some super fantastic people.

The more I do things like this the more I fall in love with Reno.

It's true, people. I love this town, I really enjoy the company I have here -though I'm still so extremely homesick it hurts sometimes.

I still dream of living in big cities like Chicago some day, but living here is helping me realize I need Mama Nature in my backyard, and I don't mean a house plant. I love being able to escape the monotony of life and sit, drive, raft - you name it - in Mama's beauty.

Below are just a few of the shots from the trip. I'll post more when I get back to my home computer.

This fellah wasn't having the best day. Lea spotted him on our way to the trail.

This is a view of the majestic Sierra Buttes on the drive home. My van mates were super awesome about stopping for Kodak moments for me.

Great couple and weekend mates.

Trail we hiked.

These people are the reason it rocked. :)

Here Comes the Fuzz.

2007-04-23T00:39:00.000-07:00

Isn't it the greatest when you're pleasantly surprised?

Today serves as a prime example of such. . . an unexpected phenomenal day.

Ironically, on this Earth Day, my best buddy was not allowed at Idlewild Park as part of a city ordinance. Well Boo, you, Reno. Since when does Earth Day not acknowledge man's best friend? So because of said ordinance, I only wandered about the Earth Day festival for a half hour, mingling and plugging Community Correspondent.

As my psychic powers were off (it's Sunday, a day of rest) I had no idea my day would only get better!

Kenny and I chowed down on Sushi, and by chowed down I mean 8 plates of Sushi later we were perfectly full and content. Satiated, one might say.

There was incredible build up to this day as Ken and I have been talking/planning for a sushi fest for quite some time now. A few weeks, maybe even more than a month! So we mosy on over to Blades of Glory and are not suprisingly let down by the poor, poor film. After a quick powder room break we snuck into Hot Fuzz! Who sneaks into movies?? The only other time I'd done this was back in the day when Jen and I snuck into Varsity Blues.

We bought tickets for Patch Adams.

Don't ask.

Anyway, without exaggerating (as Kenny knows I hate to do) Hot Fuzz is by far one of the best movies I've seen all year and I am adding it to my top 20 favorite films.

I highly recommend it. It's clever and witty and the cinematography is great.

This reminds me, I still haven't seen Patch Adams.

Dear God. . .

2007-04-11T01:09:00.001-07:00

http://d21c.com/Inchey2/Incheys/links3f.html

Ponytail Parades.

2007-04-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

It happened in the last few minutes of The Good Shepherd (starring Matt Damon and DeNiro...Good flick).

You remember that feeling you'd get on the first day of school? Or how about when you got caught doing something you weren't supposed to be doing. It's as if you can feel your body lose color and you just got a swift punch to your gut.

That's how I felt.

It really had nothing to do with the movie. Well, maybe some of the murder scenes, but definitely nothing to do with the plot.

I was overcome with the fear of death. And the more I've thought about it I'm not so much frightened about the idea of death, so much as how I'm going to die.

Morbid, you say?
I'll admit it is, a little, but the gut-wrenching feeling spiraled into a series of thoughts: What am I doing with my life? Am I really happy? If I died right this second would I go to Heaven? Have I done or said all that I've been given the opportunity to do thus far?

Most of my answers were "no".

It's scary how immortal we think we are. Our grandparents will go first, then our parents, then us, right? Wrong. We could all die in the next few minutes.

Maybe if a part of us maintained this morbid thought a bit longer we'd appreciate the "small" things in life that really aren't so insignificant and take more risks. I honestly feel I've accomplished everything I've wanted to thus far - professionally: I'm working on a career that makes me genuinely happy, and which at times even makes me feel like I've contributed something to society.

But I wish I could spend more time with my family and friends, and stop wasting time with people I don't love and focus my strenth on those I do.

But therein lies another problem, if I focus all of my attention on the important figures in my life I'll end up ignoring potentially great additions to my life as it evolves. As life always is, it's a balancing act, and I guess our purpose is figuring out how to do that on a daily basis, without forgetting what's truly important.

Only we, as individuals, can dictate that. No one else.

My friend just left for Iraq on Friday and called me about a week before to make sure I'd be at his funeral should anything happen.

Shouldn't we all be planning the same?

Lost.

2007-04-04T08:36:00.000-07:00

When most of us end a relationship -romantic or not - and whether it's our decision or not - there's no doubt it's one of the most difficult life experiences.

You grow comfortable with the person and accustomed to their mannerisms and it's extremely difficult to readjust your life without them by your side.

I'm realizing that despite how hard it is to deal with the separation, there's a little bit of comfort in knowing where your friend has gone. Even if you can't communicate with them, or have chosen not to, it's comforting to know they're not in harms way and so long as you're not bitter - you'll find that you're happy they're prospering and smiling.

Now. . . how do you deal with the loss of one of your best friends if you don't know where they are or if they're okay?

You can't deal. At least I can't.

I've Fallen In Love.

2007-03-29T22:24:00.000-07:00

It's quite literally love at first site.

It does exist, you doubter. And you would've fallen in love earlier this afternoon had you been in the car with me.

Lake Tahoe is breathtakingly beautiful. Though I'll have to come up with a better description because I can't say I gasped. Actually, I smiled and laughed .. a LOT by myself in the car and had "Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens on repeat as I drove around the lake... singing at the top of my lungs.

It was the greatest day ... and ironically I've been alone for more than half of it.

Unfortunately I was unable to stop for Kodak moments because I was on my way to interviews about an hour's driving distance apart... but this is just getting me way more pyshced for the warming weather.

I hope this e-mail has enticed all of you to visit. ;)

Separation Anxiety.

2007-03-22T23:21:00.000-07:00

He loves me more than anyone in my life.

No doubt about it.

Well, except for God. But even God doesn't whine or cry when I leave, at least I don't think so.

Joseph Stanley Banks is beyond attached. He suffers from severe separation anxiety and I feel like a horrible person every time I leave for work. . . or the shower . . . or basically any time I have to be somewhere he can't.

That morning after Katie and I took some runs up on Mt. Rose (which literally kicked my ass) we can home just in time to find Joey Banks roaming the street. The little guy managed to find the smallest wedge in the wooden fence, wiggle his way out and venture out to search for his momma.

I swear my heart stopped beating, I stopped breathing and I'm quite sure I became pale.

(insert transitional phrase here)

I had a really great time doing the WET Team (Water Entry Team) story today with the Reno Fire Department. I know I've had the opportunity to shoot some incredible stories, but the backdrop and framing on Mattie's interview was incredible.

Northern Nevada is breathtaking beautiful. . . as are a few of the men.

Iggy Iggy, Oh.

2007-03-20T23:53:00.000-07:00

It's true.

I've neglected the online world. During my absence I've wondered if people "give up" the Internet during Lent. It wouldn't be a bad idea.

I gave up swearing. Hasn't gone so well. Moronic citizens test my patience and I always seem to fail miserably.

Life keeps on whizzing by. Just a little after five P-M today, 2007 welcomed Spring. Ironically it's been colder today in the Truckee Meadows than it was all of last week.

I'm catching a few rides up on Mt. Rose tomorrow, which I'm really excited about. Saturday I move into Katie's house, and leave behind the apartment world for a while. Joey will have two new roommates: Josie, a lab about his size, and Marmaduke, a Great Dane about the size of a small horse. If taking him to the park didn't help him become socialized, this new living situation is the equivalent of learning a foreign language through complete immersion.

I learn something new every single day at work. I absolutely the continued education I'm receiving in the "real world".

I keep dreaming of the multiple careers I'd like to pursue once this one is "finished". Luckily, each time I do so, I float back down to Earth and remind myself that instead of trying to rush through each day to get closer to my next goal, I should cherish the time I'm living through now and do that - LIVE it. Breathe it. Enjoy it. Cherish it.

I miss my family so much more each day. My dad has aged ten years in the last month. He's so thin and fragile and helpless. My mother and sister are the only ones caring for him every day. How dare I say "only". They're his strength and energy and love. He can't do a thing for himself anymore. It is the saddest progression any person will ever have to endure. To see the strongest person you know whither away and lie in a bed, unable to live anymore. I feel so helpless living eight hours away. Unable to contribute financially or physically. I try not to let my feelings of guilt and frustration tug at me each day, but each time I flip open my phone and see the picture of my dad smiling in his hospital bed not too long ago, I have to fight back tears.

It seems the ongoing theme in most of my blogs is about life and the mercy time lacks.

We're three months into 2007. I'm sure most of us have neglected our resolutions, and slipped back into our routines.

Do me a favor. Tomorrow - No - right now, call someone you've been thinking about. Write that e-mail you've been putting off, write that journal entry, read that book, watch that movie - whatever it is you've been putting off for tomorrow - it can't wait.

Not to be a Debbie, but our world as we know it can come shattering down as we know it. Wouldn't you rather be smiling than toiling through your laundry lists of things to do?

Leave a Trail. . .

2007-03-02T01:55:00.000-08:00

"when the patient's body has betrayed them, and all the science we have to offer has failed them, when the worst case scenario comes true, clinging to hope is all we've got left".

Running in Place

2007-02-28T01:18:00.000-08:00

". . . and each modest step forward was no more effective than running place." -David Lamb, The Africans.

Life is what happens when you're too busy planning the next step in your life. Suddenly you're caught off guard by someone you meet or an exterior source forcing drastic change in your life.

An anonymous friend of mine just shared some incredibly wise words with me, and I can't think of a more perfect time to have received them.

"In truth, maybe timing is just an excuse we use to make ourselves feel better about passing up on opportunities because we are scared."

It feels like I've been slapped in the face with pristine, white glove. . . in a good way, I swear. I've used the idea of timing getting in the way of life my entire life. I will not go back on my belief that everything happens for a reason - because I sincerely believe it does, but I've used "poor timing" as an excuse for many things, namely relationships. I constantly preach to people "Don't go through your life wondering 'what if' - just follow your heart and your gut and you'll be fine." Maybe one of these days I'll take a step back and listen to myself. . . escape my dome of denial and face life head-on.

Whomever you are anonymous friend, know two things: It's driving me a little crazy I don't know who you are. . . and I miss you, too. . . though I don't know who you are.

. . . and kudos to you for keeping a journal. I'm a firm believer in journals - writing, expressing yourself - any means necessary to release your emotions.

I'm not sure if you'll ever realize how much your words mean to me right now.

Thank you.

Words to Live By

2007-02-21T19:08:00.000-08:00

A Story To Live By
by Ann Wells, Los Angeles Times

My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and
lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. "This," he said, "is not a slip.
This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It
was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The
price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached. "Jan
bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years
ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. Well,
I guess this is the occasion." He took the slip from me and put it on
the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His
hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the
drawer shut and turned to me. "Don't ever save anything for a special
occasion. Every day you're alive is a special occasion."

I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that
followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores
that follow an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane
returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister's
family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or
heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without
realizing that they were special. I'm still thinking about his words,
and they've changed my life.

I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on the deck and admiring
the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden.

I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in
committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of
experience to savor, not endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments
now and cherish them.

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every
special event-such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the
first camellia blossom.

I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. My theory is if
I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of
groceries without wincing.

I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware
stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my
party-going friends'.

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my
vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and
hear and do it now. I'm not sure what my sister would have done had
she known that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for
granted.

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew
that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good friends
whom I was going to get in touch with-someday. Angry because I hadn't
written certain letters that I intended to write-one of these days.
Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough
how much I truly love them.

I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that
would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I
open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special. Every day, every
minute, every breath truly is...a gift from God.

Cocktail Party Conversation Starter.

2007-02-18T19:50:00.001-08:00

http://jesuitnola.org/upload/clark/lkfacts.htm

Trust me.

Reno Gazette Journal.

2007-02-18T11:46:00.000-08:00

Chris Walker runs the teleprompter as KREN anchors Katie Nielsen and Mike Dinow tape some promos for their nightly newscast on Jan. 31. (DAVID B. PARKER/RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL)

On the air and in the mall: TV station broadcasts news from Meadowood

Forrest Hartman (FORREST@RGJ.COM)
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
February 16, 2007

Amid the retail stores, eateries and salons on the west side of Reno's Meadowood Mall, a glass-fronted establishment stands out. It has no merchandise nor clerks -- just a slick assortment of computer terminals, television screens and bustling bodies.

At first glance, the facility looks like a high-end home theater store. But a closer look reveals the truth: This is a television station, home to local newscasts at 6 p.m. on KAZR Channel 46 and 10 p.m. on KREN Channel 27. The facility is designed so the public can see a television studio in action.

"A key word for us is transparency," said Leo Ramos general manager of the stations. "We're about letting the entire process be totally available to people who walk by our facility. We've had school tours coming in here, and we're always happy to kind of show off the place."

Both outlets are owned by Pappas Telecasting, which has stations around the nation. The group moved KREN (Reno's CW affiliate) and KAZR (a Spanish language station) into the mall in September 2006.

"Mr. (Harry) Pappas said why don't we look to the mall," Ramos said. "The intention in the design is that you should be able to look over the shoulders of the operators who make television."

Cutting Edge

The KREN/KAZR studio once was a 7,000-square-foot Sam Goody music store. Pappas refurbished the space, adding a balcony that provides another 1,500 square feet. Even 8,500 square feet is small for a television studio, but Ramos said the use of high-tech digital equipment allows the stations to streamline production and deliver a signal with fewer employees and more compact gear than normally needed.

"The idea was to take a room full of spaghetti and make it into a neat, clean presentation and operation," he said. "What we are doing here is testing equipment and technical applications that are going to be commonplace in TV stations for the next 10, 15 years. And, as we perfect our system, we are deploying this technology to other Pappas Telecasting companies."

In that sense, KREN and KAZR are guinea pigs for the rest of the company. Ramos said that presents challenges, but it also means his crew gets to work with state-of-the art equipment.

"It makes Reno a pretty exciting place to be if you want to be part of the 21st century broadcast world," Ramos said. "We have people who have come here from all across the country to work with us because they recognize that the equipment that's being used here and the training that they're getting here is without peer and they have access."

Nose for news

Along with moving to new digs, KREN and KAZR have invested in local news. KAZR had been producing a pre-recorded Spanish language newscast for the Reno market for years, but in October, the station began broadcasting a live 6 p.m. newscast in high definition.

Since that broadcast originates at the Meadowood Mall studio, shoppers can watch through the window as it's beamed to viewers around the city.

On the English language side, KREN kicked off a locally created 10 p.m. news broadcast shortly after Christmas.

"The only people we're up against is the Fox affiliate," Ramos said, "and they're rebroadcasting a San Francisco newscast that isn't remotely local."

KREN's 10 p.m. news hasn't been on long enough for the station to see ratings results, but Ramos said he is hopeful, especially since the CW network had good ratings in Reno during the last period.

"What we've heard from most of the people in the community is they just love the fact that they have a local newscast they can tune in to at 10 p.m.," said KREN news anchor Katie Nielsen. "Besides that, we're also giving them a different type of newscast. We're a lot faster. Because we have an hour. We can cover more stories and we can go in depth on more stories."

Because CW viewers tend to be young, KREN has tailored its news to that demographic, Ramos said.

"News traditionally skews older, but what we're finding is that if you create the right product, you can get young people to watch the news," he said. "If you watch my newscast, you'll see unique features, like our Techno Cast or CommunityCorrespondent.com that are designed to appeal to a younger audience."

The Techno Cast portion of the news focuses on technology, and the CommunityCorrespondent.com segment directly relates to a Pappas Web site in which community members share their stories and expertise. The best of those stories, Pappas said, make their way onto the news.

Double duty

The news operation at KREN and KAZR is also unusual in that the Spanish and English language broadcasts share reporters.

"We have bilingual video journalists who go out and report on the news and then present it in two languages," Ramos said. "They're young and they're well-trained and they're doing a terrific job."

Vanessa Vancour's job at KREN is her first since graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in broadcast journalism.

"I hadn't found another place yet, at least in my job search, that offered the opportunity in both languages," she said. "That's why I took it. I've wanted to do that (broadcast in both languages) more than anything, but I thought coming out of college I had to do one or the other. So finding that I could do both in one job was awesome. It was phenomenal."

In some cases, Vancour will present the same story in both languages, and in others she will limit a story to one newscast or the other.

"Our challenge is always to come up with material that is relevant and timely for the Latino community and then also for the general market community and then find those areas where it's of interest to both," Ramos said. "The newscasts are very different and distinct from one another."

A dip in the pool

Another unusual element to the KREN and KAZR newscasts is that Pappas has developed a partnership with Reno's ABC affiliate, KOLO Channel 8, allowing the stations to assign reporters differently than they might otherwise.

The agreement between the stations allows for a video pool, so footage shot by KOLO can be used by KREN and KAZR and vice versa.

"They're obviously a news leader in this marketplace and we're the new kids on the block, and we've been able to forge a relationship of mutual benefit," Ramos said. "We share video. The trick is that we have to write and create our own stuff, but the raw video is shared."

KREN also gets its weather forecast from Chris Larson, who never sets foot in the Meadowood facility.

"Chris will do four weather breaks in our newscast, and it all looks like it's coming out of here," Ramos said. "But it's really coming out of the KOLO studios."

For newsroom employees, life at KREN and KAZR is unusual. Most broadcast journalists are used to doing the off-camera portion of their jobs in relative privacy. But the glass walls at the Meadowood facility make that impossible.

"We've joked about putting signs up on the glass that say, 'Don't feed the anchors,'" Nielsen said. "This is journalism outside the black box."

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Stolen.

2007-02-10T03:33:00.000-08:00

La Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizarraga has stolen my heart.

I get a kick out of life. You really have no flippin' clue who you'll get to meet next.

You may be familiar with the new hit ABC series "Ugly Betty". Well that spawned from a super succesful South American soap opera, which then launched a Mexican one and then Ms. Salma Hayek was wise enough to introduce the loving character to the anglo audience and lo and behold we all know the Ugly Betty. This all to say that I'm a somewhat avid viewer of La Fea Mas Bella (the Mexican version). The theme song is quite catchy... and La Banda el Recodo happens to be the band who sings this. Except I did not this when I accepted to act as camera woman in our first local entertainment segment for Azteca America Reno. It was one of the greatest suprises of my night, the greatest surprise being the boys in the group. They are a spectucular group of guys that my friend has known for 8 years. She's talked about how phenomenal they are but I hadn't realized exactly who she was talking about. (Ugly Betty theme song!) C'mon! And also one of the oldest bands in Mexico's history... the Fathers of banda music.

It was an honor meeting the guys and getting an all access pass to the concert. I hate entertainment news, but for some reason I love it when it comes to the Latino population. I can't wait to keep in touch with El Recodo and see them at another concert!

But really, I'm presently most excited that I smell like cologne.

Man those guys sure pile it on.

http://www.bandaelrecodo.com.mx/

Timing.

2007-02-08T08:13:00.000-08:00

Throughout college, as my professors shared anecdotes about their careers, I found myself repeatedly asking them "How do you balance a family or relationship as a professional reporter"? I got the same response everytime - "Simple. Find a spouse who is understanding of your work demands and schedule"

Simple. Riiiiight.

I'm not rethinking my career at all. I can't imagine doing anything else in life at the moment, but at what point will I say "okay, I'm content and I'm ready to stay"? At what point will I decide it's time to stop moving around the country and start moving towards a stable future. . ..i.e. family.

I'm super thankful for the people I've met along the way that have shaped the way I view my world, I just hope I don't suddenly wake up in a few years and wonder where my world and love have gone. I don't want to go through my career emotionally guarded either because what fun is life going to be if I try experiencing it sans any emotion? But on the other spectrum of things, the second I get emotionally attached to a person, I'm reminded of why I told myself in the beginning that may not be such a good idea.

I suppose like most things in life I'll "just know" when to hit the stop button. But for now, I refuse to be numb and guess I'll just have to deal with letting spectacular people and opportunities slip by.

All things grow.

2007-01-18T23:33:00.000-08:00

friend [frend] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun

1.	a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

2.	a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter: friends of the Boston Symphony.

There are places I remember in my life.
There are songs, scents and colors that bring me to those places.
and in all of those places I'm surrounded by the sound of my loved ones' laughter.

Some of those faces are gone now.
Either a failure to connect, a failure to comprehend or a natural life proceeding.
I don't believe in tearing out any page from my book of life.

Whether my memory is joyful or sorrowful it shapes who I am and who I become.
How I treat others and how I treat myself.
Most importantly, how I see my world.

No one person's world is "perfect". There's no such thing.
Even if all our cards are falling into place, we are always capable of finding some thing out of place.
Some one thing that didn't go as "planned".

We're fairly pompous, don't you think?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - -- - - - - - --

Are you fortunate enough to have a "best friend". The one person you can count on for anything? The only person you can share the silliest secret with and trust they won't give it away to a nasty tabloid?

I'm lucky to not only have Kathy in my life, but a handful of close friends that despite the distance/time that separates us - our hearts are connected. Granted we all have acquaintances, people who come and go when convenient and forget about you when you suddenly have "life" to deal with. But there's always that someone (s) who sticks around no matter what.

I want to dedicate this moment to the reasons I smile. My family: mi madre, my papa, my loser sister and my older brother. My small group of college friends, who without them I'd feel lost, and quickly run out of comical material to make my Reno friends think I actually have a sense of humor. And to the few high school buds who have stuck around.

The truth is, this blog is inspired by Tiff and Sufjan Stevens. To all my friends, you know who you are.

I adore you and love you and just want you to know how incredibly blessed I feel to know you and be a part of your lives.

"if I was crying
in the van, with my friend
it was for freedom
from myself and from the land
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go "

. Love.

2007-01-07T01:48:00.000-08:00

I miss him and the way things used to be. I miss my family and wish pursuing a career didn't mean having to be apart from them. It seems like of all a sudden we grow up. Our parents have aged, and time is merciless. I wish I had the appreciation for life and family that I have now when I was 10, 12 years old. That would of course defeat the purpose of growing up and maturing, I suppose, but what I wouldn't give to go back for just a few minutes.

If you could only choose between looking into the future to see what awaits you or stepping into the past to make changes, which would you choose? I don't want the surprise of life to be ruined, so I'd opt against the glimpse into the future. Instead, I'd choose to go back to my youth and hug my dad much more, and talk to him. Take notes even. Take more pictures of my family and stay home on all those nights I chose it was more important to go out.

I miss it all.

Resolution Revolution.

2007-01-01T19:42:00.000-08:00

I don't make resolutions so as not to disappointment myself. . . but this year I've decided to make one, or two... which I'm keeping to myself, so as to only disappoint myself.

Strange how quickly time passes and you have no idea whatsoever what you'll be doing in a year from now. What were you doing last new years? I was drunk with my boyfriend frolicking the streets of Carlsbad. I kicked off this New Year with a nice dinner and a random party, which was nice because I had some good bonding time with my coworker, but otherwise incredibly lonely. I wanted nothing more than to be home. Strange how you can feel so lonely in a crowd.

On that note, I'll leave you with Reno's first baby... and some wise words from one of my favorite group of brothers... Hanson.

Bon apetite.

Check out Reno's first baby!

Young Wisdom.
"Weird"

Isn't it weird.
Isn't it strange.
Even though we're just two strangers on this runaway train
We're both trying to find a place in the sun
We've lived in the shadows, but doesn't everyone
Isn't it strange how we all feel a little bit weird sometimes

Isn't it hard.
Standing in the rain.
You're on the verge of going crazy and your heart's in pain
No one can hear but you're screaming so loud
You feel like you're all alone in a faceless crowd
Isn't it strange how we all get a little bit weird sometimes.

Sitting on the side.
Waiting for a sign.
Hoping that my luck will change.
Reaching for a hand that can understand, someone who feels the same.
When you live in a cookie cutter world being different is a sin.
So you don't stand out.
But you don't fit in.

Weird.

give me the taste, give me the joy of summer wine.

2006-12-26T21:01:00.000-08:00

These are the days that bring new meaning,
i feel the stilness of the sun and i feel fine.

sometimes when the nights are closing early,
i remember you, and i start to smile.

even though now you dont wanna know me,
i get on by, and i go the extra mile.

these are the times of love and meaning,
ice of the heart has melted away, and found the light

these are the days of endless dreaming,
troubles of life are floatin away like a bird of flight

these are the days

i thought you said our love would last for ever
believing that the tears would end for good
i told ya that we'd get through any weather
maybe that didnt work out
but we did the best we could

these are the days that ive been missing
give me the taste give me the joy of summer wine

these are the days that bring new meaning,
i feel the stilness of the sun. . . and i feel fine.

It was so nice to get home and see my family for Christmas. It was the sweetest trip, but entirely too short. Two days isn't long enough to soak in the family love. Nevertheless, I'm grateful. I used to get bummed out about the fact that we're a small family, with minimal family friends and absolutely no clue as to how to arrange a family get-together, since our family is so spread out. And as dumb or selfish ( or whatever word you choose to fill in here ____ ) may sound, it finally dawned on me that this was it. This is the family I was blessed it and I'm so fortunate to have at least them. So a table of four at Christmas is *perfect* and I'm happy to have them.

I just feel so helpless seeing my dad like that. Unless you've ever had a parent in the hospital, you really have no idea what it feels like, or what it does to the other parent. It's heartbreaking.

Despite the size of my family, the love we share is greater than we could have ever imagined. We sure have a funny way of showing it, but what fun would it be if we were "normal" and life were "perfect". These are the days that I've been missing. . .

Fuera de onda.

2006-12-15T00:46:00.000-08:00

I was sitting at my friends house tonight and I erupted in uncontrollable laughter.

Inexplicable.

I sat there, on her couch, watching " A Walk in the Clouds" (don't ask) when I started laughing. As some of you may know, my laugh gradually ascends... getting louder, cacklier and what-not. I tried covering my mouth but that would simply make me laugh harder. Everyone there sort of just took a step back and really didn't question me. They let me laugh it out for a good five minutes. It was the strangest sensation. I can't explain it, nor can I explain why in the middle of my laugh fest I also felt like crying hysterically, but somehow- and thank goodness- the tears were repressed and I managed to look just like a loony toon.

It felt strangely good.

I just hope the uncontrollable tears don't hit me anytime soon.

Pedacitos de Sabiduria.

2006-11-20T23:12:00.000-08:00

Instead of attempting to reflect on the last 24 hours, I'll attempt to post some reflections from the wise women in my life in a logical manner.

What I can say is that I'm truly blessed to have these people in my life.

I love you, and thanks for your undying love.

"Of course, it doesn't take a natural disaster to destroy our lives and our worlds. The death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, the loss of a career, the contraction of an illness or a disease-- these are many ways in which we can feel that, for us, heaven and earth are passing away. It is an awful feeling of desperation and loneliness. When our worlds end, we realize in an unmistakeable way that we are not in control of our lives"

"The pain of being betrayed is so consuming it can become your obsession. But the pain of regret is by far the worst fucking pain in the enitre world. "

"...listen, bounce, laugh, rage"

"i'll tell you some good fart jokes"

"sadness flies on the wings of the morning and out of the heart of
darkness comes the light." -jean giraudoux

"never let your inner fire and spirit fizzle out. i'll have jose bake
you a cake and have it fed-exed over or somesing :)"

"we are all at a point in our lives where we need to focus on ourselves and grow into the women we'll be the rest of our lives."

"...I'm glad Joey can be there with you as I can't"

And as I read over these, I am able to smile and laugh.. and find the light in this darkness.

Love yourself first, and everything else falls into line.

2006-11-19T17:29:00.000-08:00

Poor Joey.

As we were pulling into the driveway just now, some dooms stepped out in front of the car, causing me to slam on my brakes. Joey, who was not wearing his seatbelt (more than one lesson to be learned here, kids) slammed his cute, little face onto the dash. Of course very startled, and in pain, he regained his balance, pushed himself back in the seat and looked over at me and smiled.

I could learn a thing or two from my little guy.

Minha Primeira Neve.

2006-11-16T21:59:00.000-08:00

This day Mt. Rose was hit with the biggest snow storm yet. Not sure it's open to skiers yet, but isn't it gorgeous?

Although I'm genuinely excited I'm being snowed on in this picture, it seems so lonely. There should be someone standing to my right.

Hooray! Nieve!

Can you see it??

Thrilled.

And they say "She's so lucky... "

2006-11-09T18:58:00.000-08:00

She's a star.. but she cries, cries, cries... okay. I'll stop.

But yay for Britney, right? Finally dumping K-Fed.

Onto my point. Allow me to explain the phenomenon known to Pat and I (and Lucky Larry... and thousands of gamblers) as "Lobstermania". [Although the gamblers have no idea what it really means]

You see, about three years ago I was having lunch with my very best friend Kathy. We were exchanging (or perhaps I was the only one rambling as usual) stories about boys, namely Patrick. As we do in nearly all of our conversations, I referenced Friends so as to better explain myself and told her Pat is my lobster.

Flash forward three years (or so). The idea of Pat being my lobster resurfaced and is now in full effect. ( Yay!) Second visit to Reno I surprised Pat in the airport lobby to great him. Seconds after embracing for the first time in about one month, something caught our attention from the left corner of my view (his right). Low and behold there stood the Lobstermania slot machine.

Coincidence? Oh, no.

Fate, my friends.

Fate.

Ridiculous laughter ensued. That was as blatant a sign as we'll ever get.

there are places i remember. . . in my life.

2006-11-06T21:39:00.000-08:00

I have had a spectacular week. Within this seven (or so) day period I was visited by three wonderful people. I'm going to say it. . . I am one of the luckiest gals alive.

My stud and I celebrated our one year anniversary the weekend of October 28th! We fine dined and danced/drank our night away (amidst other fun activities) ;) It could not have been more perfect.

It was spectacular and entirely too short. I don't normally tear up. Wait. Who am I kidding, I'm an emotional mess just rarely show it. Saying goodbye to him was terribly hard and I burst into tears as I drove away. It's the worst feeling so happy for one weekend and knowing I won't get to see him for at least three more weeks.

*Photo courtesy of Patty B. Simply brilliant. Joey at his happiest.

Within less than 48 hours of my media naranja leaving me, along comes Robert, good bud for six years now! Even he couldn't believe we've been friends that long! We mosied on over to the El Dorado for a night of gambling. Along the way, however, we ran into the awful Mizpah fire. At the time it was a breathtaking blaze- like nothing we'd ever seen so close before. So sad to find out the blaze we witness claimed 11 lives. (so far)

We finally settled down at the El Dorado for a night of Blackjack and free drinks. We were with our fourth dealer when we finally thought to ask how often they rotated. "Ever hour" , she replied. Robert glanced at his watch and yes, it was 4 am. Time flies by when you're breaking even and having fun. It call came crashing down when on our fifth hour we were dealt the shittiest hands of our night and decided to save some money for breakfast.

Deep down, he's hurting after that last dealer.
Breakfast of champions.

Finally, my best gal pal graced me with her presence this past weekend. Man was it exhausting. We hadn't partied together for a while so by Sunday evening we were completely drained of any energy. So, we sat and watched Animaniacs, as we always talked of doing. Having Kathy here was so nice. Everytime I'd look at her I'd think , "Man, if only everyone had a friend like her." If you don't know her, she's spectacular. She listens to everything you say, no matter how miniscule it may seem and she is the best tag teamer ever: getting drinks, dancing forever and laughing at everything. I mean, she held my hand as I whispered I was hungry and got me McDonalds.

She's wonderful. I'm a lucky, lucky girl. (I wish I'd gotten a picture of that tweeker though)

Appetizers.

2006-10-26T23:31:00.000-07:00

Videos of some of the work I've done. Please critique.

Creed.

2006-10-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking of adopting a soldier. Is that weird?

I came across a Web site called "Soldiers' Angels" (www.soldiersangels.org) where you can essentially "adopt" a soldier and commit to send him or her a letter each week and at least one care package per month. A lot of soldiers that have been deployed don't get love from home, which seems really sad. And really, how time consuming can it be to send a lil' something every week and perk up someone's day? So, it's something I'm considering personally and also pursuing as a story.

Along the same lines... of family, sort of, I found a Vancour on facebook! Inspired by Pat's search of Brause's, I found some cousins which is beyond exciting! I've never met another Vancour, let alone one my age so it's so super neato that I found some family. Hopefully we'll keep in touch and I may be able to visit them soon.

Hooray for open arms and hearts.

overlap.

2006-10-21T13:40:00.000-07:00

I had an amazing morning following a what could have been a bad night, but as always, love conquers.

I volunteered myself for the Meadowood Mall job fair today. Due to poor advertising and our placement in the mall we didn't get much traffic. But, the jobs we have available have very specific needs. Boy, did I have absolutely no clue what I was getting myself into today.

I shared our well-organized but lonely table with Margaret, our receptionist... conference room supervisor... costume designer... basically, our saving grace. She is a remarkable woman.

When I showed up I noticed she'd brought her book and realized I hadn't even thought to bring Anderson Cooper with me, so I though "What am I going to do for 2.5 hours?"

Time flew by. We talked the entire time and learned so much about each other. She was an English professor for 36 years - taught 6th grade and college level- after which she went to work for the government to help victims of natural disasters, namely Katrina and now she's working for Pappas Telecasting. As I sat there and listened to her talk about her daughters, her mother... her outstanding career and life journey I found myself thanking God I had chosen to volunteer to help because I would not have otherwise gotten to know her this well. We're running around the office all day that there's no time to sit down and get to know eachother.

Margaret and I learned we have a lot in common and related on very personal things, which proves that age, race, religion and upbringing are merely statistics and that age does not equal maturity. She reminded me a lot of Pat's mother, which made me love her more. I can't even describe how happy I am that I've made a new buddy. We're planning a dinner date for next weekend and I'm pitching a series idea for our newscast and web page-- Taste Test. It would be a review of local, hole in the wall places where newcomers to Reno can find a good bite. I'm so excited! and if the idea gets killed, Margaret and I decided we're going to lend ourselves and test out various restaurants on our own time. Darn.

God works in mysterious ways and you just never know what life is going to throw at you. I'm very thankful for my morning with Margaret and a friendship that has already begun to blossom. We're so consumed with the chaos in our own lives that we often fail to realize how wonderful the stranger next to us may be. Take a breath today and take some time to at least smile at someone. Full grin and all! What a difference it can make.

Drivin' Down the 101. . .

2006-10-16T23:39:00.000-07:00

I'm homesick.

It's the first time I've actually felt it since I arrived in Reno. I attribute my mood to three things: primarily the movie Friends with Money, secondly to my hormones (ha!) and lastly to the pictures of all the people I love that surround me. I've decided to decorate my new home with photographs. No artsy farsty art, rather photos I've taken or others have taken. I want to surround myself with the faces that make me laugh and love myself, and while I have quite a ways to go with the apartment decor, I've got a good start.

Friends with Money got so-so reviews from friends at work. But I decided to give it a shot anyway. I'm really thankful Heather let me borrow it. I absolutely loved it. I think the combination of girlie moments mixed in with the LA backdrop made me tremendously emotional and homesick. Sitting here watching the movie I found myself wondering what my married life will be like (though I have a pretty good idea), then that though drifted into a fantasy of sitting around with my closest girlfriends. Namely I saw Kathy and Lissette- and that doesn't suggest I didnt imagine everyone; Court, Morgon, Majida, Alex... the SC boys ... the whole gang was there. I saw Pat too, of course. And as the movie ended, I turned back as if to say something to someone. Maybe I was going to call Joey since I think he's still out on the balcony... but as I did that I realized there was no one there and I felt so alone. You know, I don't want anyone to feel bad for me. It's just, I have this way of numbing off any emotion until it gets to the point where I can't ignore it and it just attacks me in this sudden wave. And that's how the tears came. and ya know, it felt good.

I miss my family, I miss my Pat and I miss my girls.

Reporters sure do lead lonely lives. But I can't imagine being happy doing anything else. And I guess I'll just count my blessings. I have an incredible family and group of friends that love me and support me through it all. And without that, I'd truly be lonely.

Lazy Sunday

2006-10-15T00:22:00.000-07:00

These are some photos from Virginia Lake with Joey last week. Will probably become a Sunday tradition. He seemed really excited as I told him about it tonight.

Ya Learn Something New Everyday

2006-10-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

I just got home from shadowing a reporter at KOLO. I didn't really learn anything groundbreaking, aside from a neat editing trick. I missed the whole part about going out in the field which sorta defeated the purpose. However, the reporter and staff were really nice. After he edited his piece for the 5pm newscast, he made me a copy of the footage so I could write my script. Not surprisingly, I chose to write it in Spanish, as a) I felt more comfortable doing so and b) I was heavily influenced by his writing I had just read. The news director said that if things went well maybe I could end working for them, which wouldn't be so bad considering they're the number one station in Reno. I'd get a nice pay increase, but I wouldn't be reporting in Spanish. And that, my friends, is why I love KAZR/KREN. Sure we have some-- well, several things to work through, but it's a great opportunity. Who knows, in a year a two maybe I could transfer over to ABC Reno or better yet, San Francisco as I dream of doing one day. (And by one day I hope in a couple years) After San Francisco, maybe network?

One thing at a time, right?

I placed my first bet on football tonight. You didn't know I knew that much about rankings, scores and the game? Yeah, neither did I. Since gambling is legal in Nevada, why not! Of course I do not feel the same way about prostitution here, so don't worry.

Since I'm a new-bie, I only bet $5 on USC, Fresno State and the Saints. They had USC at an 18.5 point lead for Saturday, and while I have faith in my Trojans, I'm not sure they'll beat Arizona by that much. We shall see. Fresno State is the underdog for the weekend, they're playing Hawaii, but since I was so impressed by their performance last year I'm rooting for them. And since they are the underdog, even if they win I win! and finally, you should already know why I'm rooting for the Saints. Apparently, another good bet to place. So if all goes well, I'll become a regular contributor to the KOLO Friday night tradition. And by "goes well" I mean win $.

So watch the games this weekend and keep your fingers crossed!

Anderson Has A New Set

2006-10-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

For those Anderson Cooper fans out there, it appears he's reporting from a new set? Does it make him more dashing and charming you ask? Why of course.

Today I worked on a piece about a Northern Nevada high school student that posted a message on his school's computer server threatening to do "bodily harm" to students and teachers. It's really sickening how every day there's a new account of a student or neighborhood loony causing harm to innocent people. And in what should be the safest place for people-- schools! Luckily a lot of the school lockdowns have been false alarms or detected before the person could do anything. And sadly there really is no way to properly prepare for anything. Sure, administrators can run their kids through a Code Red drill, but how much can you really prepare for the unexpected? I don't know if you heard about the legislator in Wisconsin who proposed teachers and staff carry guns to school, but that is just a crazy proposition as placing metal detectors in school. I don't think that's the answer. We're supposed to keep our children safe, and doing that only scares them and heightens the risk of a violent act.

Of course I don't have ideas on how to correct the problem, I can only hope and pray nothing else happens.

Tomorrow I'm going to shadow a reporter from KOLO, Channel 8. I'm really excited. We have an agreement with them to share video and stories. Meaning that we work with their assignment desk so as not to double up on stories and extend our area coverage. Which also means we're exposed to more people in our field and may have opportunities to do live shots in the field!

This all providing we maintain our agreement with KOLO following some miscommunications with the Sheriffs department. Ask me about this if you care to know. Today's events just highlighted the importance of our job and how we can impact the community.

And as Anna Quindlen once wrote, they can't teach you that in J-school.

Chicken to China, Chinese Chicken. . .

2006-10-11T21:30:00.000-07:00

So, tomorrow marks one week on the job. Seems like I've been here a month already because I've been so busy. And you know, the only thing that's changed since ATVN is our viewership- we actually have an audience here! But the experience with ATVN is invaluable. With Pappas Telecasting we're still shooting and editing our own stuff, which I actually don't mind.

I produced my best story yet today. Mariposa Academy is the only bilingual institution in Reno, if not Nevada, but I'm not completely sure about that. Last week I wanted to do a profile on the school more than anything but realized last Friday they had been unavailable to interview because they were preparing for the first annual Irish/Mexican Alliance Dinner. (Oh yes, it's as awesome as it sounds)

Anyway, today they were offering free physicals for their nearly 200 students. It was lots of fun to shoot, the women I interviewed were great and it reminded me of getting my eyes tested as a second grader. So, today was a perfect example of the benefit of shooting our own material because I was able to produce the story in my head as I shot it. After the newscast, we all sit around with the general manager to critique the show and tonight was the first time my package wasn't stopped and critiqued! I did a good job! I felt that prior to facing the jury, because I was actually proud of my piece, but it was so reassuring to hear it from my peers and directors.

So today was triumphant. We'll see what tomorrow has in store. And that is the beauty of my job.

I really can't imagine doing anything else.

2006-10-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

It really bothers me that I couldn't spell endeavor.

An Attempt to Stay Current

2006-10-08T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hi, Pals.

I've decided to keep a blog to keep you posted on my daily activities/adventures. Much like keeping my journal, minus the juicy stuff I know you'd much rather read.

I'm off to run some errands, but I shall try to make this a daily endevour.

<3
Vanessa