I have a new blog now on the KWWL website :) Please join me there for the latest http://addins.kwwl.com/blogs/glasshalffull/

Steve-O!

What fun! Steve-O from Jackass came on the show today. Jeff and I had a blast interviewing him and I even got him to show us his back tattoo. This job may be crazy and stressful at times but nobody can deny how fun it can be :)

Birthday Time!

Sometimes it's the simplest of moments that is defining.

For me last night for my birthday dinner sitting at the table surrounded by the people
who love me most it came to me.

After months of confusion, uncertainty and a deep nagging feeling that perhaps I had made the wrong move leaving the comfort of Eugene, it all came to me that this was it.

Being able to spend a birthday close to home and be with the people who I love the most I suddenly knew that my decision was the right one. Sure I had many wonderful birthdays in Eugene and I will always cherish those memories ...but what was missing was family and now I have it.

Once the thought came to me it was easy to know what to wish for when blowing out my birthday candles...and that is exactly what I did..

Comfort

Working at Channel 7 feels more comfortable everyday. Today I planned a wonderful surprise lunch for our morning show producer Ellen. It was so nice to have several people from the station show up and wish her a great birthday. Things have changed so much in the last few months. I went from complete stress and sadness from leaving Eugene to finally starting to settle down and make friends here. It's a very good feeling. Tomorrow after the show I am going to head down to the Twin Cities to spend my birthday with my family. We are having a little get together at my house with some of my closest friends. It doesn't get much better than that. Now I have a job I love and am close to my family. I still miss Eugene a lot but things are starting to look a lot more hopeful :)

Happy Change

It's been a very long time since I have posted but I wanted to give everyone a quick update. I am finally settling here in the Cedar Valley and starting to feel more comfortable by the day. It's been a hectic few months with many emotions and changes in life. Though I miss Eugene daily, at the end of the day I know that I made the right decision for me both personally and professionally. I am proud of myself for taking this big step --one that feels like it will lead me to many new adventures in my life. I have faith this step will bring me something very exciting not just professionally. I plan to keep you all posted.

Looking Forward

It's late and I cannot sleep. Seems as though my schedule is still on Eugene time and I cannot bring myself to fall asleep even though my entire family is in dreamland. Next week I start my job! I cannot wait! It was very nice to have two and a half weeks to relax and spend with my family before starting work but now I am beyond ready to start my new adventure. My first day on air at KWWL will be October 24th which is just over a week away. This is a interesting time in my life. I am very excited to start at a fresh station with endless possibilities but I still miss Eugene and my old friends.

It's funny how I am not going to go back though it feels as though I am just on a vacation with my family and will hop a plane back to Oregon at the end of it. The last few weeks have been such a whirlwind and I must say I am proud of myself for being as strong as I have while saying goodbye to a place that I Loved with friends who I deeply cherish and care about.

Eugene was amazing and I will always hold a special place for it in my heart but I knew that it was time for me to go. I had advanced all I could at the station and had fallen in a very predictable pattern that had continued for too long. Comfort can be a very good thing but when you stay in it for too long you cease to grow. Despite amazing viewers, several people who cared for me greatly and dear, dear friends--I made a choice for me. I made the choice to go.

NO it was not easy. I had several moments of regret and many nights laying awake wondering if I had made the right decision. I think deep down I have come to terms with this--that you never quite know if it's the right decision but you must take the risk and the chance. I needed to do this for me or I would always wonder "what if"

Several people have told me they feel as though my life is going to "fall into place" very soon. I don't know if that is true or what exactly that even entails but I do know that I am proud of myself for taking this step and am going to continue to look forward..to what the future holds.

Waterloo/Cedar Falls and the in-between time

Life is good. I mean really, really good. Yes, these past few weeks I have had a range of emotions mostly sadness however, things have turned a page in the last couple of days ever since I got to Minnesota.

My last few weeks in Eugene were very bittersweet. I dealt with my final show with Seth, my final show EVER and saying goodbye to good friends who have become more like family. It is certainly not easy to leave a place you love so dearly behind but now that I have and I am back home in the midwest I am feeling like a brand new person.

I have so much to look forward to! I start my new job at KWWL on October 19th with my first day on air being October 24th! I also found out today that the "Today In Iowa" show I will be co-anchoring just won a regional Emmy Award! I am so excited to work with a talented group of people and a station with such talent and rich history.

These days at home are so rare for me. I have nothing to do and it feels amazing. My car is still in Eugene and I am waiting for it to get shipped here so in the meantime it's lots of relaxing, catching up on emails with old friends and eating my mom's delicious home cooking! I cannot wait to move to the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area and start my new life. I feel so very blessed for this opportunity and to have my family three and a half hours away makes it even sweeter! Please continue to follow my journey!