Happy New Year!

My resolution? I have a couple...

1. Dedicate time to blogging. (and exercise.)
2. Start the garden plants early enough.
3. Stop oversleeping.

I also found this suggestion for Kubes:

The dreaded check-engine light.

Oh no... it happened yesterday... the check engine light came on in my Mazda.  You never know if it's as simple as tightening up the gas cap or as expensive as replacing the transmission!

Luckily I called Rienecke Mazda and they told me mine was still under warranty so I could get it looked at free of charge, but I was seriously stressing for 24 hours until that got worked out.

I hate that feeling!

New-to-me Holiday Treats.

I can't believe it, but I had never had sweet potato pie until this Christmas.  And even more shocking... Csaba Sukosd hadn't had it either! (...and we call ourselves foodies...)

With Mindy Pauris raving about her mother's version I was getting jealous.  So they were nice enough to make one for the weekend crew here at WLIO so we could try it!

We had a first slice on Christmas Day and finished it off tonight in between shows... so delish!  It's creamier and less sweet than pumpkin pie.  I must say, I think I like the sweet potato more than the classic pumpkin.

So thank you to Mindy's mom for helping me with this milestone.  :)

My Latest Obesssion.

So every year there are those Christmas presents that are exactly what you wanted.  This year I didn't even have to ask for mine... Bryan hit it right on the head.

What was it?  A food processor!  Seeing that I am the member of my family that loves to cook, and the only member of the family without a food processor, things weren't adding up.  This will cut my time in the kitchen drastically, and make my time more enjoyable... nothing like a power tool to rev up your life right?

Now there was also a close second for my fav gift of the year... Mom bought me a badly needed couch for a living room that didn't have any furniture.  That was definitely a plus. :)

Tips To Live By.

I was getting my Hair done at Creative Images this morning... a highlight and trim... and was cathing up on some badly needed Lucky Magazine reading time.

The December issue was their 10th Anniversary special and had a great article about what they've learned over the past 10 years.  Some of these provide GREAT advice.  My favorites:

23. If you use face powder, apply it sparingly to your T-zone only.
26. Thong underwear is not a necessity under most clothing.
64. Crazy colors can be basics: We've had to resole our coral patent ballet flats a zillion times while barely wearing our black ones.

Check out all 100 at luckymag.com

Too Many Christmases.

Kubes and I made the trip home to MinneSNOWta last week and after celebrating Christmas with families and friends, it seems like the Holiday has already past!

Most of our 9 day vacay was spent with family, which is a good thing.  No compaints there. Swapping presents, eating big meals, drinking (of course)... all these things add to the feeling of the Holidays and we've already done it all!

We do have a Christmas tree up back here in Lima, and there still are presents to each other underneath it, but it's just a little odd.  By necessity, we celebrated a little to early.  :)

It's Live TV...

Besides a delay courtesy of Tiger Woods, the 6pm broadast today started out like any other.  And why should I assume anything differently for my weather cast?  Well...

The Quickcast went smooth and as planned, no issues there.  But the full weather cast had some technical difficulties!  After looking at the radar I pushed the button on my clicker and nothing happened!  I changed a setting on it and pushed the button again, nothing!

This is what went through my mind next... "OMG, what do I do?  Should I just walk back to the desk and go to commercial to figure out what's wrong?  Should I just keep the radar up and give my forecast without any additional graphics? Laura... tell Josh to get you the other clicker."

So I just said... "My clicker isn't working, Josh, could you get me a new one?  In the mean time, let's take a deeper look at this radar."  Or something like that.

Whew... catastrophe avoided.  Now I have that experience under my belt.  I'm sure it won't be the last time!

Free Shipping!

I was listening to the radio today and heard a great Christmas shopping tip!

If you haven't bought all your presents by December 17th, you're in luck!  It's free shipping day.

Hundreds of major retailors across the nation are participating in the 3rd annual free shipping day... I'm definitely going to log on for this!

FreeShippingDay.com

Thanks!

Last Wednesday Darren, Kyle and I received a great award at the Allen County Commissioners meeting...

We were awarded a plaque in honor of our 90 minute continuous coverage for the severe weather event of October 26th, 2010 in which at least 2 tornadoes touched down in the coverage area.

I know I can speak for both Darrenand Kyle when I say thanks to the Commissioners as well as the many Fire Cheifs from around teh county that also came to express their thanks.

It really helps during these severe weather outbreaks when we here at the station, the police and fire departments, the Emergency Management Agency and the many Storm Spotters across the area are all communicating to get the latest information out to the public.  That's what keeps us all safe!

Thank you so much!

Turkey Leftovers.

I have to admit, the turkey looked and tasted like Martha Stewart made it.  It was fabulous.  But of course, I forgot to take a picture until it was all carved up.  Here's what Tom looked like after the knife and fork got to him... 

And since it was 20 pounds... we have some left overs!

Today we make a cheesy veggie pasta bake with chopped up turkey in it.  That's recipe #1.

Tomorrow for #2 I'm going to dabble in some turkey chili.

I've found the November issues of cooking magazines to be very helpful in deciding what to do with leftover turkey... especially since I am not a fan of plain reheated poultry.  Something about the change in taste just doesn't suit my taste buds.  Put sauce on it though... then it has a chance.

And so it Begins.

Thanksgiving is my number one fav holiday... hands down.  All the cooking.  Trying new recipes and making old favorites.  It's net even the eating so much for me as it is att hte planning and preparation that I love.

One of the best days of the year is when the November edition of Bon Appetit magazine finds its way to my mailbox.  This year, I was a little underwhelmed with the recipes they featured, so I'm returning to last years turkey recipe... It was really good great.  This recipe features a turkey made on the grill.  I still roast it in the oven, but use the combination of coriander, fennel and black pepper for a perfectly seasoned Tom.

Since it's just me ands Kubes here in Lima without family, we're joining the WLIO family that has to work that day for a station meal.  I'm in charge on the turkey and gravy.  I don't have to work that day so I have the time to make sure Tom cooks up hot and steamy.

The 20 pounder is now thawing in the fridge... I can't wait!

Think, Think, Think.

So here in the newsroom we're having a contest... which reporter can develop the best enterprise story.  That means, it doesn't come from a press release or the police scanner.  It's about investigating and observing... getting the scoop!

Right now I think the front runner for the winner is Csaba Sukosd in teh sports department.  Check out his volleyball story here... it's very good, comical.  It kind of has a "Who's on First?" feel to it.

Anyone have a "scoop" or idea to pass my way? 

Crash.

I feel like I’m not helping the stereotype of women drivers recently…


Last Monday I backed into by closed garage door. I was in the garage.

I looked back before backing out but didn’t realize I was looking through the garage door windows, not an open door. Then SMASH, a ruined garage door and a car that needs some buffing and painting.

After a reluctant call to my landlord telling him of my seriously shameful mistake I called the insurance company. I have a new garage door now, but the car is another story. It’s in the shop and I'm cruisin' around in a Jeep Patriot. Ugh! What a hassle!

I think I was just so excited that Kubes was on his way that very day that my mind was not in the car with me at the time. That’s what insurance is for though right?

New Roomie.

Well we're going on a week now of the boyfriend living in Ohio with me... and I'm convinced that he follows me around leaving the toilet seat up!  :)

This might take some adjusting... so far so good.

My Jim Cantore Moment.

So you know those weather people that stand out in hurricanes just so you can see what's going on?  I had my moment October 26th, when some late season severe weather pushed through Lima bringing 70mph wind gusts and even a few tornado touchdowns across the area.

It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, after all... we do repeatedly tell all the viewers to stay indoors.  Still, it looks pretty cool!

It was cut a little short when my News Director ran outside waiving his arms, telling me to high tail it back inside.  To say the least...we got a little wet.

For the event Kyle, Darren and I were on the air for live coverage somewhere in the time frame of 1.5 to 2 hours.  Whew!  We had a bit of a system that worked out well...  Darren, as the Chief Meteorologist, was in front of the green screen with the main look at radar and warnings.  Kyle was in the forecast center helping Darren manipulate the radar imagery, add additional information, and relay safety information.  And I was mainly taking care of passing information where it needed to be, along keeping viewers up to date with damage reports that we were receiving.  Plus of course, my time outside.  :)

Check out this video of my Jim Cantore moment!

Lots of Potential.

So last time I was at the farmers market I was chatting with my favorite farmer, Rick Kabara, about fresh and fantastic restaurants in the area.  He tipped me off to one in particular that I had never heard of... Cafe Verandah  After looking over the menu online, I am so excited! 

I  like LOVE restaurants with small menus riddled with fresh, seasonal items.  This will be an exciting adventure that I'm sure will have to happen more than once, based on the varied lunch and dinner options.  I'll be sure to keep you updated on my assured visit south to Jackson Center.

Also coming up in conversation with Rick, The Inn at ONU.  Another front runner for the area's best place for fine food.  Check out their dinner menu...

You're Hot and You're Cold...

It's that time of year when it starts to get really cold at night...frost is practically expected now.  But it also is still fairly warm during the day.  Highs in the 60's are the norm.  It's because of this that I can't decided whether or not to turn on the heat!

I'd like to put off having a giant gas bill for as long as possible but I'm running out of blankets to put on the bed at night.  I've even resorted to sleeping with my slippers on!

Here's the deal I made with myself...when the high temperature is in the 50's...even if it's 59...I can turn the heat on.  I can't wait for 59! 

This morning when I woke up it was 56 in the house...brrrr!  But then again, that's what I grew up with.  We heated the house with a wood stove, so winter mornings were more than chilly after the fire had been out for a couple hours and the temp outside is at or below zero! 

The fam has since upgraded to heating with propane, but my mother still keeps the house at a steamy 64.  (That's the warm setting, not the cool!)

Busy Saturday.

My day began much earlier than usual Saturday with a visit to the farmer's market.  Yes, I had to pick up some veggies that included some butternut squash, sweet potatoes and fresh local honey.  But I was also there for the Farmer's Market Pumpkin Pie Bake-Off!

There were five pies in this year's competition and all were delicious.  My favorite was an Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie with a crumble on top.  The winner, was a heart shaped pie that featured a crust cutout of the breast cancer awareness ribbon.  This was a fitting winner considering the Bake-Off was a fundraiser for the "I'm Special Group," a breast cancer survivor support group here in Lima.

After my five slices of pie, I went home and took a nap!  Not only was I still tired from my trip home to Mpls, I'm not used to getting up early since I work evenings...the pie was worth it though.  I bid and took home one of them!

Then it's of course off to work for the afternoon.  But as a special treat, I was invited to appear on the WIMA 1150AM Tailgate Show for the Buckeyes vs. Badgers tonight.

Here's a pic of me and roomie Elise, last time we made the trip back to homecoming in 2009...I need to get back soon!

I am so excited for the game.  I think it's a pretty unpredictable one.  Hopefully it's close and the Badgers come out a winner!  ;)

Surprise!

So I have been dying to blog about my most recent visit home, but I couldn't say ANYTHING until it was over...I didn't tell my Bestie M that I was coming home until Kubes and I showed up at her work for lunch break.  She was very suprised to see my face waiting beside the car!

While I was home I had to get my fill of big city life.  That meant lots of shopping, eating, and even a few cocktails.  It felt good to see some sky scrapers again; and to eat at my abosulte, all-time favorite sandwich shop...Manny's Tortas, Mexican Gourmet Sandwiches.

A big thanks to Kubes' parents for their hospitality, as well as the Drugg household.  It was GREAT to see you all again.

I'm also very excited to travel to Chicago next "weekend" to see the Bestie family again.  We didn't get Oprah tickets, but I'm sure we can find some other things to do around town...

A Favorite Treat.

Dropping Mom off at the Dayton Airport today gave me an opportunity to pay a visit to one of my favorite restaurants...Culver's!

There isn't a Culver's in the Lima area, but Sidney has one.  My first job was working at the Culver's in Buffalo.  My whole group of friends, as well as my sister and her friends worked there so it was quite the social experience.

Along with the paycheck, they job had great benefits that included, all you can eat ice cream, all you can drink pop, half off all food and the best of all...a freezer full of ice cream toppings like snickers, chocolate flakes and cookie dough.  Does it really get any better than that.

My menu choice today was a classic...grilled cheese kids meal with a vanilla cone.  Only the prices have changed, the flavor was fantastic!

Hi Mom!

Mom Betker was here to visit for a few days and that means projects... All the little stuff that I had been putting off is now done.  Here's a list of just some of what Mom accomplished...i did help a little. :)

• Buying a new couch
• Hanging pictures
• Painting a thrift store sofa table
• Vacuuming in all the corners
• Washing the windows
• Changing light bulbs
• Cleaning the coffee maker
• Canning late season tomatoes
• Spraying for bugs with Home Defense

Thanks for coming, Mom!  Punchie and I very much enjoyed the visit.

The Best of the Best.

Pumpkin pie is a serious staple of the fall season...and I'm a big fan.  Although I must admit, at the end of Thanksgiving dinner, there usually isn't a lot of room left in my tummy for a slice.  I usually have to wait an hour or so between dinner and dessert.

The classic dish involves a few key ingredients: Pumpkin, eggs, cream, sugar and spices.  It's the extra secret family ingredients that can add that little something extra to make the pie stand out from the standard grocery store variety.

I'm very excited to try the best that Lima has to offer as a judge at this year's Farmers Market Pumpkin Pie Bake-Off.  It takes place on the morning of October 16th in the parking lot of the Lima Mall.  Money will be raised to support the I'm Special Group, a support group for breast cancer patients sponsored by Lima Memorial Health System.

I'm encouraging all you super chefs and super chef wannabes in the area to bring your best slice!  The more the merrier!  The pie entry fee is $5 and at the end of the day, pies will be auctioned off for the cause.

For more information contact Rick Kabara at 419.230.2195 or see him at the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings!  Good luck!

Solo.

It feels so good to have my space all to myself.  No more roomies!  Just me and Punch, living the dream.

Now all we need is for a certain boyfriend to find a Lima job and head down here!

Moving is one of my least favorite activities, and it comes with a long list of chores!  Vacuuming, wiping everything down, scrubbing floors...you name it!

God thing I have my new friend, Roomba, to help me with the vacuuming and sweeping.  He picks up buttons and dog fur in addition to the usual dirt and dust.  He also seamlessly transitions from the carpet to the linoleum.  Yay!  Welcome to my house, Roomba!

Punch was a little wary of our new amigo, but we'll just all have to learn to live in peace!

Sugar Rush.

You know that rule that you should never go grocery shopping while you're hungry?  Well I broke it last Saturday.  I was seriously craving some candy.  Not chocolate...but candy.

After an impulse purchase, I left the store with 300 Dum Dum Pops.  (The bag is HUGE!)  They have now found a home on my desk at work, and thankfully, my coworkers are helping me eat them all.  I think we have 250 left to go after 4 days of sucking.

My favorite flavors are the peaches, tangerines and oranges.  But what I like best is pulling one out without looking to get a surprise flavor.  It's a good thing 3 of the pops have only 59 calories because I've definitely eaten my share!

Fun Fact: The Mystery flavor has one flavor on the outside and another on the inside!  They are made when the machine is switching from one flavor to another...

Proud to be a foodie.

Finding new hidden gem restaurants in the area is one of my absolute favorite things to do.  If you look at my monthly credit card statements, 90% of the charges are for food.  I'm a total foodie slash wino and proud of it!

Each weekend night, between shows, Csaba (a fellow foodie) and I seek out any and all non-chain restaurants we can to find some unique flavors scattered throughout Limaland.

Tonight we tried Keith's Landeck Tavern, famous for their fried chicken.  I can speak for both of us when I say we LOVED it.  The entire menu was dotted with surprises such as sweet potato fries, toasted ravioli, fabulous burger combinations, and of course, fried chicken.  I didn't dabble tonight for obvious reasons, but I did check out the beers on tap as well, which consisted of Shock Top among other fan favorites.

We shared the a bowl of sirloin chili, fried chicken, a diablo burger and sweet potato fries.  All recommended.  It's for this reason that it tops my favorite restaurants of the area. 

Here's what my top 5 look like (so far):
1. Keith's Landeck Tavern
2. LuLu's Diner
3. Bankok Bay
4. Hunan Gardens Chinese Restaurant
5. Las Palmas Restaurant

Everyone's a Critic.

One of my favorite shows I Project Runway.  I love seeing what Michael Kors, Nina Garcia and of course, Heidi Klum have to say compared to what I think.  Sometimes I agree and sometimes I (or they) am way off.

Watching the interaction between designer's judging the work of their fellow competitors today reminded me a little of the environment here in the news room.

It's very easy to sit on the outside and point out the mistakes of others..it's a lot harder to recognize them in your own work!  It's because of this that the news business is one that requires a tough skin.  For me, it's important I take the critiques at face value, consider who they are coming from, and then either use them or dismiss them.

Either way, getting the opinions of others can do a couple things.  One, it can make your work ten times better...two heads are better than one right?  I think the flip side can also happen.  It can sway your vision to create a muddled story with no clear focus.  Too many chefs spoil the pot, right?

It was funny to me to see such a similarity in two very different industries.

One of Lima's Best Kept Secrets.

Csaba and I checked out the Warehouse Produce & Grocery on East Kibby Ave. this afternoon and were very pleased!  It's a discount produce market with fabulous products and prices!  Today I picked up some pumpkins, peppers, yams, green beans, bananas and onions!  Plus there was much more.

I think this may be a weekly thing for me.  The shop is open Thursday through Sunday with fresh produce each week.

Check out their website at warehouseproduceandgrocery.com.

Peppers - $0.77!

Hello Fall, Hello Summer.

Even though to day is the first full day of fall, it still feels like summer with a high in the low 90's today!  Punch spent her morning sun tanning while I hung some rugs out to dry in the sun. 

I have to say, I am ready to be done with summer...I want some cloudy rainy days...and something a little more interesting to forecast, other than hot and sunny!

Darren, Kyle and I put our heads together to comprise a fall seasonal forecast.  It aired on the Wednesday 11pm news.  In case you missed it...here's a link to the website. 

Check it out at hometownstations.com and let me know what you think!

Dog Day at the Beach.

Saturday afternoon for me was all about Punch.  It was the annual Dog Day at the Beach and Ottawa Metro Park just outside Lima.  the goal: wear her out!  There were so many puppies to play with, it was a little overwhelming for her I think at first.  We spent a couple hours splashing through the water and kicking up sand. 

When she started to spend her time with me at the picnic table instead of with the other dogs, we knew it was time to go home and take a nap.

Our favorite dog of the day?  (Besides our friend, Brutus, the yellow lab mix...)  The doberman.  He had lots of energy and Punch couldn't get enough of him!

I wish there were more days like this for the dogs...

Late Night Muffin Making.

So I had a bunch of kiwi's that I bought from Sam's Club .  When half of them started to get with every intention of eating too ripe I needed to find a recipe to use them all up.  Here's what I came up with, courtesy of Stolen Moments...Strawberry-Kiwi Muffins!  The batter was so good, I could barely bring myself to bake them!

1 c. butter or margarine

1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
4 c. flour
4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 c. milk
1 1/2 c. diced strawberries (about 1/2 a pound)
2 kiwis, peeled and diced

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter or margarine and sugar. Mix in the eggs and vanilla.

2. In a separate bowl, lightly mix the flour, baking powder and salt.  Alternately add the flour mixture and milk into the mixing bowl, stirring just until combined.  Do not overmix or your muffins will have tunnels through them!

3. Fold in strawberries and kiwi.

4. Scoop batter into greased muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

They also have a recipe for Bacon Cheddar Muffins that are on my list next...

Re-re-decorating.

Yes, it was only two months ago that I made a new headboard for a new look to the bedroom.  Yet, today felt like a good day to re-do the look again.  A couple new lamps and some faux fur for the faux headboard did the trick...add a new mirror over the dresser and I'm satisfied once again.  For now, anyway.

Here's some pics.  What do you think?

Speechless.

There's no excuse for not blogging...I'm just saying I took a good long birthday hiatus...and I'm back.

First order of business...cheesy potatoes.  Thanks to boyfriend, Bryan, for doing my recipe enough justice to get a shout out on Bestie M's blog.  Yay!

Sunshine Breakfast.

So I've been working the morning show this week at the station while Kyle is on his honeymoon...that means breakfast, a meal I am usually not awake for. But seeing as my day starts at 3am this week, I need some breakfast. While coffe and a string cheese will hold me over until my break at 7, I need something more than that to continue the day! This is what I've come up with...very yummy!

English muffin, toasted
Apricot jam
Siracha sauce
Tomato, sliced
Egg, over medium

Put it all together in a sandwich and viola!

Officially.

Well, I'm adding another title to my name...Official Meteorologist of the Allen County Fair Concerts 2010.  Yay! 

Darren and I are officially in charge of recording any and all rainfall during the Bret Michaels and Jason Aldean concerts August 27-28th.  The Fair has rain insurance so it's important that such qualified people as Darren and I make accurate observations!  Plus we get to go to the concerts...total bonus.

I'm seriously looking forward to some Jason Aldean.

Jigsaw.

Sister and I randomly picked up a puzzle to tackle on a trip to the dollar store the other day.  I forgot how much I like to do puzzles!  We thought this "Mother Russia" beauty would be a bit of a challenge and it was!  the 350 pieces took us about 2-3 hours spanned over two sessions.  Loved it.  And at the bargain price of a dollar, I can go back and get another to try on my own!

A new cookbook that the BF gave me for my bday..."Gourmet Game Night" should help make the festivities if anyone happens to join me.  It had great recipes for groups of all sizes from 2 people to a roomfull!  Number on on the to-do list...rasperry cream cheese puffs!  Thanks, Bryan!

I've actually seen this ice cream cone building in Red Square, Moscow, Russia.  That advantage must be why I put more pieces together than Jenna did...!

Birthday fun.

Yay, another year older!  This year was a little different with the birthday situation because I didn't have my core friends and family to celebrate with.  My sis, Jenna, came to visit which was great.  She hadn't seen the Bean Town yet! 

What did we do?  Boring stuff just because it was great to spend time together.  We went shopping in Dayton, out for sushi in Findlay (spider rolls are always so good, but too big!), and then to Pappy's in Lima for a few too many drinks with my new crew of friends.  Another birthday in the books. 

Random insert...while we were in Findlay for sushi there was a severe thunderstorm so Jenna snapped a great picture on her iPhone and emailed to Darren at weather@wlio.com for him to use on the air.  He did!  That was a nice little random perk added to Jenna's Lima trip.  :)

We'll miss you, Tyger.

So Erik Tyger and clan have moved...sad.  Out newsroom relied on his grammar skills hardcore.  :)  We will surely miss him but wish him the best of luck teaching future journalists how to write! 

Erik, be sure to keep in touch.  Things change fast at WLIO.

Here's a few pictures of his last day, a testament to the sense of humor.  Thanks for the smiles and laughs.  the full white suit, gotta love it.

Fresh and Fantastic.

I had to call Grandma Helen when my garden started producing both dill and cucumbers.  Dilly green beans are one of my favorite recipes that grandma has continued over the years.  The beans aren't quite ready yet, so I'm starting with Deli Dills.  Pickles! 

Grandma said this particular recipe was one of her favorites so how could I go wrong?  With fresh picked cucumbers and dill, I went to work this morning with freshly washed quart size mason jars...  In my natural style and favorite way to cook, strict measurements aren't necessary.

Here's the recipe I followed: Deli Dills

For each jar:
Cucumbers Sliced Length-wise
1 Garlic clove
Chopped Onion
Fresh Dill
1/4 cup Pickling salt
1/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Vinegar
Cold Water

Layer cucumbers, onion, garlic and dill in a large, clean jar.  Add salt, sugar and vinegar.  Top with more dill in there is room.  Fill jar to top with water.  Screw cap on tight and shake until salt and sugar dissolve.  Let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.  Place jar in fridge and leave for 2 days.

After that the pickles are ready to eat!  Can't wait!

Good Eats.

So it's a bit of a weekly tradition that Csaba Sukosd, weekend sports anchor, and I hit the town to try some new restaurants.  We're both self-described foodies and are seriously missing our hometown favs that we left whe we came to Lima.

We have a running list of places to try...tonight it was Lonbardo's Cafe on Main St, downtown Lima.  And the verdict?  Fabulous.  We both opted fo rthe all-day breakfast.  Me with a bacon and egg sandwich and Csaba with a veggie omlette.  Both recommended.

Next on the list is Daryl & Daryl's Pizza & Wings on Harding Highway for some chicken.  Also in the discussion is Casa Lu Al on North West Street and Vivace Cafe on the Town Square.

Any other suggestions, Limalanders?

New New New.

At a small market TV station, I am learning the faces change fast, while other changes take some time.  Whitney Scott and Erik Tyger are no longer employed at the station.  Whitney, who is also my roomie, remember, is still in Lima, but looking to possibly get out of the TV biz, or find another station.  She is moving on! 

Erik has left to pursue a career in teaching journalism.  He's going back to school at the University of South Dakota, closer to his wife's family.  Everyone will miss him and his abilities quite a bit.  He's the guy that corrected all our horrible grammar and spelling...good luck, Erik!

In their place, Jessie Irby and Stewart have started.

Adaptations that take a bit longer to implement at WLIO...a brand new website.  And it's not just a change of name.  A web team consisting of people from every department have been building the website from scratch...I'm one of those people.  Andy Young and I are the main newsroom website contributors.  We're responsible for not only building the site, but making sure everyone else knows how to post their stories, and maintaining the look of it.  It's a big job.  There was a lot of overtime and lessons over the past few days in order to wear this new hat, but I like it!

I'm getting addicted to the designing and creating aspect of it all.  I always was one who got a high off "learning"...this is a challenge I am very excited about...can't wait to show you the launched product, hopefully by the end of August! 

Quiet Time.

It's still golf season as August kicks off and for us here at WLIO, that means no 6pm newscast tonight.  What am I doing instead?  Looking for some new graphics ideas.  Darren and I are looking to give our weather segments a new look, for both the FOX and NBC shows.  It's hard to think of new stuff!  I'm watching meteorologists' online videos form all over the country to spark the light bulb in my own head. 

Any ideas?  What do you want to see on the weather?

Guilty Pleasure.

What happened to the #2 meal at McDonald's?  I have to admit, I'm a sucker for the Golden Arches.  I can't stay away for too long.  Every couple of weeks I need a cheeseburger.  But my fav meal is no longer on the menu!  I guess I have to settle for ordering a la carte...cheeseburger, fries and a coke.  The perfect meal after a night of too much wine, or an empty cupboard, or a bad mood.  It's a cure-all.  :)

Hot and Hotter.

Day two in the mid 90's for Lima and much of Ohio.  Mindy Pauris, the weekend anchor, sent me this picture for some comic relief from the heat... **chuckle**

Routines.

Every morning holds the same routine for me.  I don't use an alarm clock, but usually wake up in the realm of 10am to noon.  (One of the perks of an evening shift.)  Then I let the pup out, feed and water her and hit the laptop.  There used to be a cup of coffee involved here but I try not to get too addicted to caffeine so I am on a break, summer feels like a good time for that...it's hot!

I visit the same set of websites every morning...pretty much the same order too...  It's kind of my way of waking up and getting back into the real world.  It involves chatting, weather, shopping, email and blogs.  The shopping ones are my favorite, even though I rarely make purchases.  Today I couldn't resist though with a huge sale at Ideeli. 

See what I mean at Ideeli.com.

Another fun one that always offers some surprises is Woot!

And I just learned of this one from Sam, a videographer/reporter at WLIO: Software Giveaway of the Day

Lasagna Fever.

Lasagna is hands down, one of my fav foods.  One of the best things about it is that you really can't screw it up!  There are so many variations...they're endless!

My Bestie M blogged last night about a new combo she just tried...zucchini and yellow squash are definitely on my shopping list for this weekend's farmers market!  Check it out on Cocktails & Cashmere.

One of my favorite lasagna's is Giada De Laurentis' Butternut Squash Lasagna.  It's a little labor intensive, but well worth the extra work.  This is probably secondonly to mom's lasgagna made with Ed's Special Spghetti Sauce (which I am continually learning how to make).

Birthday Presents.

So it's a month away and already I've been getting the question...what do you want for your birthday?  Hmmm, I don't know!  The best presents in my mind are things that someone thinks up on their own.  Big or small, doesn't matter.  I'm a huge..."it's the thought that counts" kind of girl. 

My favorite present ever was a Tiffany Lamp (Picture) that my mom got for me one Christmas when I was in college.  For years, we had admired one like it from the window of Godiva Chocolates at Ridgedale Mall.  I had no idea was was in the huge, heavy box until I opened it.  Love it still to this day! 

This year my sister is visiting me...that's a great present!  She hasn't yet been to see the Bean Town, so I'll be sure to show her all the sights and sounds of Lima.

If I had to choose some gifts this year I would pick a pait of pumas like these or a unique piece of funky jewelry!  Hint Hint. :)

RibFest.

Between shows Csaba and I thought it a good idea to visit RibFest.  We shared a smapling from two different vendors.  The Carolina Rib King had the best ribs hands down.  We also sampled his brisket, cole slaw, baked beans and corn bread.  All Fabulous.

The Smokin' BBQ stand's pulled pork was hands down my fav item of the 'Fest.  Delicious! 

This might be in the top five meals in Lima so far!  They sure are proud rib makers!  Check out the trophy signs...

Dreaming.

Ideeli.com is one of my daily shopping sites.  I usually tell mysself I am just looking for work clothes, but today I can't help but almost buy a cocktail ring from Clyde & Co.  I definitely need to spice up my jewelry box with oneof these beatuies!

Smokey Vermeil Quartz Ring

Green Technibond Oval Ring

Grey Oval Moonstone Ring - My Fav!

Red Oval Checkerboard Ring

Blue Diamond Band - Splurge!