 |
Monica Hannan mhannan@kfyrtv.com |
End of an Era
11-2-09
It’s the end of an era in the Hannan-Naylor household. This is the first year in the last 23 that Cliff and I didn’t take one of the kids trick-or-treating. I have to admit it makes me a little sad. Our youngest, at 13, was more interested in going to a party with her friends. That was probably the case last year, too, when the big attraction was the haunted house, but we did take a group of girls around our neighborhood as well. Not this year.
It’s the end of an era in another way, too. The Woodcox house has been sold. If you live in Bismarck, you know the house. It’s the one on Washington and B that for years has been decorated for every holiday. Halloween just kept getting bigger and bigger. So big, in fact, and so anticispated, that I’m guessing Jerry and Donna felt they HAD to move, just to get out from under the obligation. But they were good sports to the end, holding this year’s final extravaganza with the help of friends and family. It was great fun. But it happened without any of my children there to witness it.
This year Cliff worked, I drove our youngest to be with her friends and then I spent a quiet evening with my mom watching House Hunters. Now I’m turning my sights to Thanksgiving and the big family party that’s in the works. This year I’m going to be particularly thankful that this is one holiday you never outgrow.
What To Do When Your Child is Ill
10-15-09
Are we scaring you to death with our coverage of the Swine Flu? If you answered yes to that question, I’d tend to agree with you. My daughter is home sick with the flu, and even though she doesn’t seem that ill, I wondered whether I should make an appointment to see the doctor. I knew what he’d say. Give her fluids, give her something to bring the fever down if she’s uncomfortable, and give her time to get better. But here’s the deal: What about Tamiflu? We’ve reported over and over again the CDC advice that says flu is potentially deadly, and for an anti-viral to be effective, it must be started in the first 24 to 48 hours of the onset of the flu. That’s not very long. Add to that the reports on the news of the healthy young people who get the flu, and within hours, are on a ventilator. Scary stuff!
So I had a chat with our family doctor. Here’s what he had to say: that kind of thing is rare, despite how news stories may make things appear. If you have a medical condition that makes you more susceptible to serious illness…such as asthma, heart disease, lung disease, an immune disorder or a chronic condition, or are pregnant, call your doctor at the first signs of the flu. If you’re an otherwise healthy person, you probably don’t need Tamiflu, and it probably won’t lessen the severity of your illness enough to warrant the cost or the risk of exposing others in the clinic, including your doctor and his or her staff to the flu.
Here’s what the CDC actually says you should you do. We know you’ve already heard it…but it bears repeating in light of the sometimes frightening news you may hear:
Try to prevent the spread of illness by washing your hands regularly, with soap or use a hand sanitizer when soap is not available.
If you are ill don’t go out, especially to school or to work.
Stay home until you are fever free for 24 hours without medication. Get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids.
Signs that you should call your doctor:
Always call about a child under five with flu symptoms
If you have difficulty breathing
If you have a fever that lasts longer than three days or one that seems to go away, but then comes back
Your symptoms seem to get worse each day
If you are vomiting to the point where you can’t keep any liquids down
If you have a severe headache or a stiff neck
Get a flu shot if you can, for your peace of mind as well as to prevent illness. But in the meantime remember, people have been getting the flu since time began, and most of us get over it. So don’t panic.
Cookies on the Island
10-14-09
I promised a week ago to share the chocolate chip cookie recipe that Cliff and I picked up on Prince Edward Island two weeks ago. First, though, a bit more about our trip to the east coast of Canada.
I wanted to take the trip because, as a child, I was a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables. For those of you who aren’t familiar with these wonderful stories by Lucy Maud Montgomery, they are set on Prince Edward Island in the early 1900s. Back then, the only way to get to the island was by boat. Today, you can also get there by driving across the Confederation Bridge from New Brunswick. We did that aboard our tour bus and we were lucky. We crossed in the sunshine, but chasing us was a fairly nasty wind and rain storm. They tell me that they hardly ever close the bridge, but I much preferred being able to see where we were heading.
On the island it’s easy to revert to childhood, which is probably why I allowed a man singing a song from Anne of Green Gables, the Musical to talk me into donning the Anne costume (complete with red braid wig) for a photo opportunity. Cliff, on the other hand, could not be talked into wearing the Matthew costume. (I know, it surprised me, too).
One of the main reasons to visit P.E.I., besides its pastoral beauty, is to tour the Anne of Green Gables house and property. Anne was fictional, but the house is real enough. It’s almost like a movie set in its authenticity, and was the home of Montgomery’s cousins. The author herself grew up with her grandparents in a house nearby. Lovers Lane is there, as is the Haunted Wood, complete with stream and bridge. During the Haunted Wood walk, you can continue on to the author’s grave in the nearby cemetery. Of course, you’ll have to share part of the path with golfers, but it’s still beautiful and quiet, save for the sound of the club striking the ball. P.E.I. has 20 some world class golf courses, yet another reason to visit, but that’s for another blog.
If you’re a fan of Anne, don’t miss the island. And don’t miss these cookies, which were prepared by a young man at The Islander Guestrooms and Suites in Charlottetown. They were available in the breakfast room from 3:00 to midnight every day. I confess I had more than my share:
2 cups of butter
1 ½ cups of brown sugar
1 ½ cups of white sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
5 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. of salt
2 tsp. of baking soda
1 ¼ cups of chocolate chips
¾ cups of white chips
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cream butter and sugars
Beat in eggs, one at a time, and add vanilla
Gradually add the dry ingredients.
Add in both white and chocolate chips
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Lobster "Tales"
10-7-09
My mother had a poster hanging in her office for years that showed a hand reaching up through a mountain of mail, holding a sign that read, “Help!” I know just how that feels. I returned from a wonderful vacation in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island in Canada to find a mountain of paperwork awaiting me. But I have much to share about this latest trip, so I’m going to push the rest off to the side and do this instead.
I’ll start out by saying we had a great group, as always, and I made some new friends along the way as well. You get to know people in a whole new way when you watch them eat an entire lobster for the very first time. First there’s the donning of the bib, and then there’s the shining moment when the bright red crustaceons come steaming from the kitchen. Having never been faced with one in quite that way before, I couldn’t get over the fact that they looked like giant bugs. There were buckets in the middle of the table to hold all of the shrapnel that goes with eating lobster, but few in the group knew just what to do with the nut crackers and diggers they also received. Lobster in North Dakota usually means lobster tail. What we found out is that eating the tail is the easy part.
Fortunately, the server was well-versed in the trauma of the first-timer, and stood by to help. Before you knew it, lobster claw juice was squirting all around. I quickly saw the point of the bibs. The lovely young lady server was flying around the table cracking and peeling and flinging bits and pieces of shell (do lobsters have shells, is that what they’re called?)…usually into the bucket, but occasionally into the rolls. Here was one conversation I overheard.
Diner: What’s that green stuff there?
Server: That’s the roe.
Diner: It’s green.
Server: It’s a delicacy.
Diner: Uhhhh
Server: Males have green, females red. That’s a male.
Diner: Uh huh.
Server: Well, let’s work on the legs, shall we?
Most agreed afterward that it was an “experience,” but probably more work than it was really worth. Bring on the lobster tails.
And I’ll have more about my trip, including a delicious cookie recipe, in my next Blog.
Positive Changes at KFYR-TV
9-18-09
The phrase, “I’ve been busy,” is so ubiquitous these days that you probably don’t hear it when somebody says it. Nevertheless, here goes. I haven’t written a blog in a while because…you guessed it… “I’ve been busy.” Actually, I should say “we’ve” been busy, and you may have noticed the changes.
First up, we’ve made significant changes to our morning shows. Ashli Kimenker now produces and anchors First News Morning Edition from 5:30 to 6:00, with weatherman Cliff Naylor. Together, they’ll let you in on what happened while you were sleeping, and what the day ahead will bring. Country Morning Today continues the process from 6 to 7, produced and anchored by Marilyn Mitzel and Kevin Gribble (formerly our weekend co-anchor and producer), with Cliff on weather, and Ashli as the feature reporter.
Marilyn joins us from Florida, but she’s not new to North Dakota, having grown up here.
Our weekend news is changing too, and will be anchored by Marie Arceo and Scott Westerberg, a team we think you’ll really like. Additionally, we’ve added to our reporting staff, bringing in Dickinson reporter Andrew Keller to work weekends, and photographer Jon Peoples to help gather all of the events that happen while most people are off. We’ll be hiring a new Dickinson reporter as well to replace Andrew.
You know what they say, change is hard. But it’s also growth, and it’s worth it. We think you’ll like what you’ll be seeing.
Reaction to our Midwives Series
8-28-09
If you want to get a group of women talking, bring up the subject of childbirth. It’s endlessly fascinating to those who have been through it. Women particularly seem to like to share their scary stories with women who are pregnant. That’s a topic for another day. But reporter Anne Kelly did receive some comments recently for a series of stories she did on home birth and on using the help of doulas who are trained to offer assistance to a laboring mother. I thought I’d share some of those viewer comments with you. Here they are:
Although I appreciate you bringing a variety of stories to the public, your story in regards to delivering at home with a midwife makes me a bit frustrated. I am a licensed Registered Nurse and Childbirth Instructor that works on a Labor/Delivery unit here in Bismarck. Although I practice within a hospital with physicians, I fully support a couple’s decision to have a natural birth with a midwife or a birthing assistant (doula) whether it be at home or in a hospital IF and ONLY IF those people be trained in the areas they are serving…I hope for the sake of those people that have considered hiring a midwife that they are fully informed as to whether their midwife is trained and licensed or just a "lay" midwife.
***
It`s not often that you see a more positive HB story in our area, so I was glad to see this one. I`ve worked with Paulette in the past and know first hand what a skilled practitioner she is. As more and more hospitals are being forced to close their maternity wards, it`s good for families to know that there are a few of us still out there providing services and quietly taking care of the families that come our way.
***
I also have a homebirth planned…. (any time now!) and cannot wait for the experience to deliver my baby at home!
***
This story warms my heart. Last year our son was born at home with the care of a wonderful midwife. Next year to birth at home will make us and our midwife criminals. The Australian government is passing a law that will be $30,000 & 2 years jail for having a home birth with a midwife. I know it is just a minority as in the case of this story but it is infringing on the rights of a family ( women in particular) to have safe choices over their own body.
Being Rude - Just Not Cool
8-27-09
I learned from reading our Twitter page that Oprah had a quiz on her show that asks the question, “Are You Rude?” Interesting timing on that one, because I was saying to my boss just yesterday that something seems to have happened to our society. These days, more people seem to feel that it’s okay to be rude.
I blame talk radio and 24-hour news. We’ve made a habit out of listening to entertainment in which people feel free to scream and rant at each other, talk over each other, insult each other over differing points of view…and lest I forget, to denigrate individuals based on their physical appearance.
We’re all PC these days, but we are no longer nice. Chances are you wouldn’t insult somebody’s race, but it’s okay to insult their beliefs. But wait, it’s not really enough to insult the belief itself. Instead, the person who has the belief is an idiot.
Perhaps I have a Polly Anna attitude, but I still think it’s okay to be kind, to be “nice,” to be polite. In fact, it’s more than okay, I still think it’s required. And frankly, if you have to take a quiz to find out if you’re rude, you probably are.
Disappointed Twilight Fans
8-20-09
I’m writing this one on behalf of all the young Twilight fans in North Dakota, my daughter among them.
First a little background, for those of you who aren’t into the vampire series of books and movies. One of the actors in the Twilight film, Kellan Lutz who plays the vampire Emmett, was born in Dickinson, but left during childhood, eventually moving to California. He promised to return home to appear at the Mott Tractor Festival on Saturday. But, alas, he cancelled due to a “conflict.”
Come on, Kellan! We’re all busy. This is not like canceling a lunch date or a dentist appointment. These kids were seriously excited, had planned for months to see you, even saved their own money to buy pristine copies of the book for you to sign. How often do they get this chance? They couldn’t believe it when they heard you were coming. When weeks went by and you DIDN’T cancel, they actually started to have hope. And now, they aren’t surprised, but they are very disappointed.
Reconsider. Seriously.
James Iverson Release
8-13-09
James Iverson is out of prison after 40 years; time served for strangling two women in Grand Forks. It’s a crime that he was convicted of, but has not actually admitted to. He says he can’t remember the events of that night. He agreed to talk with us after his release, and told our reporter that he isn’t the same man he was when the crimes happened. That interview upset some of our viewers.
Here’s what one of them had to say:
“Guy got way to much pub. He killed 2 girls and that story was not told. Don`t care if he was released. I am amazed you can kill 2 people and get out of prison!”
And
“I only want to know why you are insisting on making a TV celebrity out of a murderer. While he may be "rehabilitated", I still don`t believe it is appropriate to glorify the fact that this man, who has taken much more than the freedom of another human being, is now out of prison after serving less than half of his original sentence.”
There were several more along the same lines. I have nothing but sympathy for the families involved, some of whom I’m sure are still grieving today. And seeing Iverson on television can’t help but be heart wrenching. However, I don’t believe we in any way “glorified” the man or the outcome. What we did was inform the viewer, which is our job. If we had ignored his release you would be minus several important facts that we believe you want to know.
What is his mindset today? We felt we gathered insight by hearing him speak. What does he look like? Where will he live? In this case, did our criminal justice system work the way you wanted it to? If it didn’t, don’t you want to know about that? Do you feel safe knowing he’s out? Would you feel more secure if you had not known? Everyone has a different answer to these questions, but it is our job to offer you the information you need to make your own informed decisions.
Health Care Reform and Your Responses
8-06-09
My family and I have been blessed with relatively good health, but when I really stop to think about it, I don’t think most of us would be here today if it weren’t for good quality medical care and modern medical equipment and testing. And all of that costs money.
There are questions I hear people ask when we discuss health care…questions that don’t have easy answers. For instance:
When a doctor spends thousands of dollars and thousands of hours to be trained in his or her medical specialty, what is fair compensation? In other words, do doctors deserve to get rich?
As our premiums rise, is it okay for the insurance companies to offer incentives for executives who perform well, if in the end it means he’s saving money for the company, and therefore the subscribers?
Should a doctor rely on her training and intuition when it comes to a diagnosis, or should she order expensive tests to confirm it in order to avoid a lawsuit?
And are some of those tests pushed on patients because they’re revenue enhancing?
My mother spent 30 years in the medical field, and she makes an observation that may be too simple, but which makes sense to me. It used to be that when you were sick, the doctor came to your house and when he was done, you paid him. Nowadays, the doctor doesn’t deal with anything as distasteful as money, and chances are, couldn’t even tell you what a procedure costs. Perhaps this disconnect adds to the problem. And it certainly adds to the monumental paper-pushing that it takes to administer our gargantuan health care system. I wish I had the answers. But I do know, based on how many comments we’ve received on our special health care reform series this week, that you have strong feelings on this issue. Here’s some of what you had to say:
*******
…I just lost a very close family member in London due to gross negligence on the part of the treating MD in their "FREE HEALTH CARE" system. If our administration is using that as their model, their needs to be exhaustive research to ensure a system that actually provides effective and efficient care to patients and in particular senior citizens
....I believe this country can do anything including devising a health care plan that will satisfy the needs of all Americans, but there has to be a political will. As a physician I live it on a daily basis, and I lived through it as patient where I was denied to see the best doctor for my surgery simply because my insurance denied to pay up. There has been some form of safety net and a limit to the power of insurance companies. It is unacceptable that physician reimbursement has remained static but the premium for health care has more than quadrupled in the past 3-4 years. Do not say it won`t happen to me, it will to your mother, son or neighbor.
…. another concern among the doctors is that healthcare for everyone won`t save money, but cost money, because doctors practice defensive medicine. That means they put patients through unnecessary tests out of fears of being sued if they miss something. The Dr. is obviously under BCBS influence . If there is longer lines at the docs office then it will show that there is a demand and need by people for their services that were previously unobtainable ..
....Your comment on "get it right" is the key. There will always be people who are "not covered" as they simply will not go through the paperworks, etc. to get on the plan. There will always be people who loose their jobs and health insurance through their employer, there will always be people who drive a nicer automobile than should in their income bracket but don`t pay for health care. why not let the government put all those on their plan similiar to the medicaid, if you qualify, and see how that works. In the meantime, as a beginning reform, leave the rest of us alone. We like not having the government making decisions on our health care. The issue with those that do not have health insurance is really the option to call a dr. if sick or to get wellness care so give it to those folks. These same folks get free care anyways if they are sick enough to go to the hospital because we pay for them anyways. Or here is an idea "congressmen if you want to reform health care, be honest, set an example, you go on the plan too".
….This co-op idea is going to be a flop. Health care co-op`s are untried untested and not regulated which is part of the whole problem .Each insurance company has their own UNREGULATED system. From the year 2001 to 2008 there has become fewer and fewer health care insurance companies whom become part of bigger companies WHICH are FOR PROFIT Corporation`s .. Is our senator going to rely on ONE ( 1 ) state in our country as an example of a co-op health care plan ? We need a single payor - aka - public option NOW . That’s what medicare and the Veterens Administration is right now and their system is working . And those who like seeing their insurance premiums & policies go up can keep their plan . I am tired of paying for the uninsured and NOT in favor of a co-op plan .
I have not in my lifetime seen any government programs that were successful including Social Security, and Medicare, why would we now want the government to be in charge of our healthcare??? They should be putting all this effort into cleaning up Social Security and Medicare and save thousands of dollars right there. Have some Americans been blinded??????? including the AARP!!!!!!!!!
Electronic Responses to Electronic Cigarettes
8-3-09
We touched a nerve with Anne Kelly’s story last week on e-cigarettes.
http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=32593
The comments all seemed to be of the same nature…don’t tell me what to do!
Here are a couple of examples:
Man am I getting tired of people in this country trying to STOP anything they don`t like. No wonder companies take business outside the country when they can.
----------
"Anyone, including teenagers, can legally buy E-smokes." Almost all sites check age requirements! When were tobacco cigarettes proven to be safe? Right, they are not safe! I sense some double standards here
----------
“…the FDA states not to draw conclusions. Yet every anti smoking group has jumped on the same bandwagon. To me its all money. What would every local, state and now federal government do, if nobody bought cigarettes? Look at how much they all make off smokers. Not just the tobacco companies. If you smoke these ecigs, and not real cigs. WHERE’S all the money gonna come from?
There was also a suggestion that I’ve passed along to my health reporter. A viewer writes:
Everyone has been fixating on the FDA warning for the e-cigarette. How about letting the public see a chart of the findings on ALL of the options. Cigarettes, versus e-cigarettes, versus patches, gum, and all other fda approved nicotine replacement products. Let`s look at all of them and see which ones are the most dangerous!
Thanks for taking the time to write!
"A Crime is a Crime is a Crime" Viewers Wade In
7-30-09
Vandalism is such a stupid crime. But when it targets, or appears to target a specific group of individuals, it seems to say something about the community that people don’t want to face. Could we be harboring racists right here?
The answer of course, is “of course.” Racism exists everywhere. Not talking about it, or being afraid to look it in the face and call it what it is won’t make it go away. The only thing that will do that is open discussion, education and understanding. A little bit of courage would also help.
I wanted to share some viewer comments on the stories we’ve done so far on the vandalism to the Rising Eagle sculpture in Pioneer Park.
“I wonder if these were african american sculptures or hispanic sculptures nobody would touch them. Since these are native american sculptures they get vandalized because we are not as accepted in ND as other races. Since I am a native american who has lived in the dakotas all my life can see that most natives are looked at like they are all bad people because of stereotypes and racial profiling. It has to stop before it gets worse for all people that get involved with protecting what is right and wrong.”
Another writes, “Hate crime, huh. A crime is a crime is a crime. It doesn`t matter what it is or who it is against, it will always be a CRIME.”
Bad Advice Your Professor Gave You
7-21-09
I’m conducting job interviews this week for the morning anchor position vacated by Chris Gallegos (one of my best hires ever, by the way), and I have some observations about how not to get a job in television -- especially when you’re right out of college.
Here is my list of things you should not ask in your first job negotiations:
Is it really cold there? Come on, it’s North Dakota -- you have Google, use it.
What is the job again? Okay, I know you applied for a bunch of jobs, but what kind of reporter will you be if you don’t know the answer to that one? Can I get an “out” clause in my contract? I suppose your college professor told you to ask that one. After you’ve been anchoring here for five years and you’ve got what it takes to get to the Network, you might be able to talk a news director into that, but it’s certainly not a good question from a brand new hire, especially one who’s right out of school. It says, “I don’t really want to go to your station -- I’m settling because you’re the only one who’s made me an offer.” Can you give me time to talk to my parents? This is TMI. I have parents, too. They give me wonderful advice, but don’t tell me you aren’t old enough to make your own decisions. It may be true. Still, don’t tell me. Do you pay overtime? Beside the point. When the big story happens, if you have your eye on the clock you don’t belong in news. Find a job in government.
I’m being a little bit facetious, but as the world says goodbye this month to Walter Cronkite I have to give my own little speech.
True news people are a breed unto themselves. They are in this business not because they want to get rich, although a select few do. They are really here because they want the Big Get...to be first with the big story. They have a passion for getting to the bottom of a thing, and then helping the audience to get there, too. That’s who I want to hire. Ask me questions that lead me to believe you’re that kind of journalist, and you’ll be on my short list.
Mr. President – Mr. Obama
7-10-09
We’ve received emails from a few of you recently questioning why we say “Mr. Obama” on second reference when we are talking about our president in a news story. One viewer sent a link on etiquette that even stipulated that the president should be referred to as “Mr. President” when not using his entire name. Another suggested that we were taking something away from President Obama by referring to him as “Mr. Obama” in our stories. That person said, “You never did that with President Bush.”
But of course we did. Our policy is this: We refer to the president as:
“President Obama” on first reference.
“Mr. Obama” on second reference.
We might also say, “The president.”
What I don’t want to see is, “Obama,” or “Mr. President,” the first because it doesn’t afford proper respect for the office, the second because in broadcast writing it sounds silly. Consider:
“Mr. President said we should use our money wisely.”
“Mr. Obama” on second reference is AP Broadcast style. It has been since I’ve been in this business, and so it will remain, although some network anchors are choosing to drop it these days. I disagree with that, because I believe the office itself, regardless of who holds it, deserves respect.
Mama Don’t Take My Kodachrome Away
6-23-09
On Father’s Day my dad surprised the heck out of me. He told me that he’d learned how to fire up a computer. Okay, not a shock, right? But consider this. He’s 79 years old. He knows so many things, like where to catch the biggest fish, how to build almost anything he puts his mind to, how to cook the best breakfast in the world, how to make hospital corners, and (this one truly amazes me) how to program his satellite television. But before Sunday he says he had never touched a computer.
What finally brought him into the computer age? Facebook and Twitter. Who doesn’t want to keep up with the grandkids living in far flung places? Interestingly, Cliff also joined Facebook recently and my boss is on Twitter. Again, not remarkable, except that they can both remember when writing a news script meant pounding it out on five-ply with a manual Royal typewriter.
Yesterday Kodachrome was retired.
And tomorrow I think I’ll get LinkedIn using my smartphone. If I can find my reading glasses.
Lighthouse Caper
6-18-09
Bev and I are childhood friends. We’ve known each other since we were six, and some of my best memories include her. This past weekend, she and I and our daughters took a trip to Duluth, and one incident in particular took me right back to childhood.
Bev was always the leader of the group, whereas I was usually the one who came up with the money-making schemes. I’m reminded of the time that we caught butterflies and tried to sell them to our soft-hearted neighbor. True to form, he paid us a quarter to let them go. I wonder what PETA would have thought of that? But I digress. I always thought she was fearless.
Bev is familiar with Duluth, and while she was showing us around she took us east to the tiny town of Two Harbors to see the famous Lighthouse. It was after 9:00 p.m. and already getting dark, but I remarked that I’d like to get a closer look. We don’t often see lighthouses in North Dakota. We drove around the back to find the entrance of what is now a bed and breakfast, and came upon a closed gate. Bev made a move to get out of the car.
“What are you doing?” I asked. “It’s clearly closed.”
She smiled at me and said, “Yep,” then climbed out and proceeded through the unlocked gate, up to the front door, and moments later, into the house. We waited for five minutes until one of the girls decided to go up and knock. She disappeared inside. Another five minutes passed before I, too, headed up the walk. I will admit I had visions of a “B” horror movie as I knocked. But a grandmotherly type opened the door and I was whisked inside. There were Bev and her daughter, talking to four ladies who were guests of the Inn. They had rented the entire thing, and were in the middle of a card game which we had clearly interrupted. Not realizing that these were all guests, I asked if I could see one of the rooms, and was ushered upstairs to the bedrooms that they occupied. One of the ladies suggested we continue all the way up to see the light. It was amazing.
This is the kind of adventure that I rarely have anymore, mainly because I don’t have the courage to ask. I’m the quintessential rule follower. Bev, on the other hand, assumes her welcome and is almost always invited in. I admire that about her and I always have.
My thanks to her for the unexpected adventure, and my thanks to the kind guests of the Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast. You made our night.
Life in the Mansion
6-16-09
By now if you know me, you know that I’m into quilting. And this weekend I had a chance to indulge in that habit, and spend a wonderful weekend with my oldest daughter, Meghanne. We traveled to the Minnesota Quilters Annual Show and Conference in Duluth. Meg is an art student, so even though she doesn’t quilt, I thought she’d appreciate a class in fabric dyeing. We decided to take the class together. It was great and we learned a lot, but along with that, we had the chance to see “how the other half live.”
We spent the weekend at the Cotton Mansion, an Italian Renaissance masterpiece that has been restored and converted to a bed and breakfast by owners Ken and Kimberly Aparicio. Meg and I stayed in the Rose Room, which was at the top of the grand staircase, but we had the run of the house. Most of the time there wasn’t anybody else about, so we felt it was truly “ours.” And they stressed when we arrived that it wasn’t a museum and we should feel free to touch things and make ourselves at home. Which we did.
Here’s what our lives may have been like if we’d been born during the Guilded Age:
We arrive at the mansion at 4 p.m., entering through the carriage door at the side of the house. We are met by a staff member, given a quick tour and are shown to our room to unpack (the room, by the way, was modern and comfortable, but still had an old-world charm).
Downstairs again, we are treated to wine and cheese, which we enjoy as classical music plays softly in the background. What to do? Play chess in the library? Put our feet up in the sunroom with a good book? Browse dinner menus from nearby restaurants? Dinner wins out. We enjoy a spendid meal at a nearby restaurant, and wend our way to the mansion at around 11, where all is quiet. After wandering the downstairs a bit (just because we can), we turn in.
We rise at 8:00 to the sound of birds chirping in the trees outside our window. Breakfast in the dining room is at 9:00, where we are treated to a first course of fresh fruit, followed by an Eggs Benedict scramble and apple muffins prepared by Kimberly. Delicious. After breakfast, and because we ask, Ken offers an extremely informative chat on the origins not just of the house, but of Duluth. This is a place you want to explore if you`re into grand houses. There are many in this area. And that`s not to mention the scenery, which is a topic for another time. We thank our hosts and drift back upstairs to pack and head home. All in all, it was the perfect weekend.
I could definitely get used to it. And, by the way, in case you didn’t read between the lines, I highly recommend a stay at the Cotton Mansion. Here`s their link:
http://www.cottonmansion.com/
Human Trafficking …Not in My Backyard. Or is it?
6-9-09
Last night I had the opportunity to participate in a dinner hosted by Gene and Sue Jackson in Dickinson, on behalf of The GOD’S CHILD Project. What a wonderful event, not only because it featured Gene’s “famous smoked porkchops,” but also because it gave me a chance to visit with new faces at the project. GCP seems to be in very good hands.
The Jacksons are among the thousands of people doing what they can in their own way to assist the poor of the world, not only with the founding of a center for malnourished children in Guatemala, but also in taking the bold step of bringing their friends into the fight with them, as they did last night. I admire their courage. It takes strong people to get involved to that extent.
Keynote speaker, GCP founder and Executive Director Patrick Atkinson, talked about aiding the poor, but he also discussed the global increase in human trafficking, an area of growing emphasis for one of the organizations that falls under the GCP umbrella. What an overwhelming problem! I won’t go on about the statistics. I would suggest you visit this website: www.itemp.org to learn more about it. It is truly horrifying.
Oh, and by the way, I wish I could share the porkchop recipe with you…but it’s a closely guarded family secret. And it requires a smoker the size of my kitchen (okay, slight exaggeration). But if you ever get a chance to experience them, don’t turn it down!
All Eyes on the President
6-8-09
Presidents of the United States are to the citizens of this country what the royal family in England is to the British. This point was driven home to me this week as I’ve watched all of the interest in the Obama’s as they’re featured on NBC’s special, A Day in the Life of Obama’s White House. President Obama went from a man who a few short years ago could walk by himself through crowded airports, to one of the most highly-guarded individuals in the history of the world. And the same goes for his family. The interest that we take in the minute details of their lives is rivaled only by the interest that the English take in the daily doings of the Windsors.
But as I asked myself why people care so much, I remembered something that I did on my recent vacation. I visited the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, Missouri. I went because my mother had always wanted to see it, but once I got there I found that what I was most interested in was not the documents surrounding some of the most important moments in U.S. history. It was the love letters that President Truman exchanged with his wife, Bess. It was the house that he shared with Bess and their daughter, Margaret. It was Margaret’s wedding photos.
The museum, by the way, is wonderfully done and is a must-see for anybody heading to that part of the United States. It teaches the history of that presidential era rather painlessly because it’s so well presented. And it puts the entire era into perspective -- something that I, as a history major, found fascinating. But it was the details of their personal lives that truly captured my imagination. I’m told that the former president used to spend his retirement days at the library, talking to visitors and sharing stories of his years as president.
I’m sure that once a little time has passed, and we can put the Obama presidency into perspective, these details that are being recorded now will be in a library of their own, along with the big events of state. But I’m afraid we’ve lost something along the way. I can’t imagine a day when Barak Obama will be free to roam through his own library, teaching lessons to visitors and sharing remembrances of the past. I have to wonder whether he will ever again truly feel safe to wander as he pleases. Just as I’m sure Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles never forget that somebody is watching their every move. I think it’s a high price to pay.
Main Street, USA
6-04-09
I can’t remember the last time I went fishing. I was a child, I know that. But during the Memorial Day weekend I had the chance to sit in the shade and cast a line. It was a scene right out of Normal Rockwell.
I was visiting my brother’s family in Wamego, Kansas, a town of Victorian houses with American flags flying in front yards and a definite Main Street where you’ll find the Oz Museum. It is Kansas, after all. It was hot (97 on the bank clock), and humid in a way that we haven’t experienced in North Dakota lately. In Wamego there is a park at the center of town that is iconic. Within its borders you’ll find a community pool, a band shell, an old artillery gun, statues, plaques, and a bridge over a well-stocked pond. It was to this pond that we ventured on this hot pre-summer day with our coolers and our lawn chairs, and our fishing poles.
On my third cast I reeled in a channel cat. A very small channel cat, to be sure, but it counted. For bait, I used a chunk of hotdog. My nephew Luke threaded it onto the hook for me, demonstrated how to cast the line, showed me the wrist motion to use when setting the hook, and whadda ya know, it worked.
What was remarkable about the day for me wasn’t the fish, cool as that was. It was how filled it was with nothing to do. There was no place to be, no schedule to maintain. We sat, we chatted, we drank Diet Coke. Later, we walked back to my brother’s house (a Victorian with a flag flying out front), to sit on the front porch swing and chat some more. We ate strawberry shortcake. Neighbors wandered by, stopped and talked. Teenagers ambled along the sidewalk holding hands. And everybody smiled and said hello.
All in all, a perfect day.
A Quilting Adventure
6-2-09
Quilters are a breed unto themselves. I know this, because I’m a quilter, and I recently planned an entire vacation around my hobby. Quilters do this. They plan retreats, cruises, bus trips, shop hops…any activity that gets fellow quilters together in a group. You can only understand this if you quilt (or perhaps it’s also true for people with other types of obsessions…classic cars, for instance, or model railroads, I’m not sure). But for me, it’s quilting.
My ultimate goal was the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky. Most quilters who travel to Paducah do so during the annual American Quilters Society Show and Expo in April. It draws thousands of people from all over the world. But I thought for my first visit, I’d like to go when it was quiet. I wanted to get to know the town so that if and when I do attend the show, I’ll be comfortable in the community and know where things are. Also, I’d never been to Kentucky, one of the few states I had not visited, and thought this would make a nice road trip.
There were four of us on this adventure: me, my daughters Meghanne and Hannah, and my mother, Bonnie. Our first stop was a rest area not far into Minnesota. We were driving my mother’s new car and I spent the first several hours figuring out how it worked. I hit a button that I thought was the door locks and instead opened up the sun roof. Hilarious. Also funny, were my attempts to turn on the windshield wipers, the headlights and the control for the pedals, which moves them forward or back. Never mind the $5,000 GPS system in the dash. This car has more controls than a 747. After a tutorial along the side of the road, we headed for our first stop at my brother’s place in Kansas.
We kept to the interstates most of the time, and the drive was uneventful and quick, all things considered. As we headed south, the temperatures warmed quickly. From one stop to the next we were peeling off jackets and sweaters and changing into shorts and sandals. By the time we arrived at my brother`s home in Wamego, it was hot. In Kansas in mid-summer, one expects temperatures in the upper 90s, but not on Memorial Day. Still, it felt great. The girls and I joined my brother’s family at the local fishing pond, where I caught a fish! All in all, a perfect vacation day.
Education in Life
5-20-09
This week I’ve been filling out FAFSA forms as my son gets ready to head off to college. What a pain! That was my first reaction. Here’s my second: how fortunate we are as a family to be in a place in life where those forms are merely an annoyance, and higher education is a real possibility.
My grandfather had a college education. He grew up on a Minnesota farm, and his family, like most families of the time, didn’t have any money to spare. So he worked hard and put himself through school. He was the first in his family to ever do so, and he was the last for a while, too. World War Two and then the Korean War derailed his sons from going, and by the time they came back from the war they had families to support.
Mine is the first generation in my family that actually expected to go to college. For me it was a given. I never considered anything else. And now, as I help my son with these forms, it occurs to me to say thanks to my parents for giving me that gift. For the security that I knew, and for the feeling of certainty that my generation would do better than theirs.
As the cost of education spirals upward and the economy stalls, I don’t know that young people can say that with any certainty these days. My son will have to work much harder than I did to pay for school, and he’ll probably have to work longer. But most things worth having are worth spending time and money on. I don’t think the work will hurt him.
And by the way, no matter where he ends up going to school, let me go on record as saying I really don’t care what that school’s nickname is. Not even a little bit.
Zip to Zap Revisited
5-15-05
It’s difficult to predict what an idea will do and just who might grab onto it. The smiley face is one example. It was a simple idea that caught on like wildfire and is still around today. I remember the first package of smiley face stickers I received, for my 13th birthday. They had a vinyl odor that I can still smell when I think about them. I don’t know that I ever used them much, but I felt great just having them.
Zip to Zap was another idea that was wildly successful, particularly before the age of the Internet. Nowadays, a viral idea can circle the globe in hours, but back then, it took a real spark to start the fire. Zip to Zap was sparked by an idea that an NDSU student had for spring break. He and some buddies advertised it in the student newspaper, inviting others to gather for a “Grand Festival of Light and Love.” Other college papers picked it up, so did the AP, and before you know it, two or three thousand college students (accounts vary) were gathered in a farm field outside the town of a couple hundred souls. Nobody was prepared. Scared residents called in reinforcements, the National Guard showed up, and a riot was under way. It was the only riot in North Dakota history. It was pretty upsetting at the time. Interestingly enough, people today look on Zip to Zap rather fondly.
There is a celebration of the event this weekend in Mercer County. It will be an all-day affair, very similar to most small-town celebrations. Everything from a bike run to duck races and a hog feed. The day will end with dancing and a polka band…a good old-fashioned North Dakota party. And some of the original Zip to Zappers will be there. The fun starts at 11 a.m. and continues on into the evening in Zap.
If You Can’t Say Something Nice…
5-14-09
It was my idea to air an hour-long special on our spring flooding. Why do I feel the need to take credit? Because we received some complaints, and the buck stops with me. A few complaints were expected, because we pre-empted normal programming. That always irritates some folks. But others were unhappy because we chose to do the special at all. They felt that our coverage forced them to relive the experience. There is the other side, too -- people who were eager for the special, who set their DVR’s to record it, who wanted to remember people’s heroic responses to disaster, and who have called us requesting copies of A Spring to Remember. Actually, those calls have far outweighed the negatives. But I felt the need to explain why we chose to do what we did.
If you weren’t impacted by the flood in any lasting way, then for you, it’s over. But there are many, many people out there who are still working to recover. Just last weekend a group of volunteers went to a ranch in Linton to help the farmer clear his land and plant his crops after they heard about his lost cattle and ruined fields on the news. Would those who are still struggling to repair their damaged homes not feel more alone if the rest of us who were not impacted simply forgot them and got on with our lives?
As a society, we have always looked back at events, both happy and painful. It’s part of the human processing experience. It’s what history classes are all about. Looking back helps us to understand what happened, where we went wrong and what we did right. The flood of 2009 was unprecedented, and undoubtedly painful for many. But it was our life for weeks. It deserved some attention. The choice of whether to watch is always up to the viewer.
Waiting With Open Arms
5-12-09
It’s been the stuff of Hollywood thrillers, but in this case it’s happening to someone we know. It has been difficult to believe that Roxana Saberi, a young journalist whom I’ve met and liked, languished in a prison cell in Iran, under arrest for a crime that even her accusers couldn’t seem to agree on. It brought the tensions and confusions that seem to govern much of the Middle East to our very doorstep, and made it all so much more real for those of us who have not been soldiers or diplomats or government officials. So I, along with all of you, breathed a sigh of relief on Roxana’s behalf after word crossed the wire Monday morning that she had been freed.
What seems particularly sad to me is that Roxana was in Iran for love of that country; to gain a better understanding of it and of its people. I realize that a government is not a people, and that those things she has loved about her father’s homeland still exist. But can she ever feel the same way about them? When she begins to talk about her experiences publically, as I feel certain she will, perhaps we will hear what this has meant to her and whether she has plans to return to Iran.
On the Evening Report, Governor Hoeven thanked the journalists of the world for keeping the spotlight on Roxana’s plight so that she wouldn’t and couldn’t be forgotten. This was the small thing that we could do. One thing she can take away from the experience is the certain knowledge that her colleagues and her countrymen in the U.S. were in full support of her. Americans are at their very best when one of us is threatened by the bullies of the world. I join them in saying, “Roxana, we are waiting to welcome you home.”
To see Amanda Tetlak`s story on Saberi`s release, click here.
Hi Cow
5-8-09
It’s a quiet day at KFYR-TV. Tonight we’re leading with a story about high school kids shadowing workers in our community to help them decide what they want to do with the rest of their lives. That’s considered a feature, and I can’t remember the last time we led off our show with one of those.
A slow news day isn’t usually something we look forward to in the news business, but after the spring we’ve had, it’s kind of nice. It gives us a little time to catch our breaths and regroup. And it also gives us time to focus a little more on the stories that are fun to do.
Take the Hi Cow. If you haven’t watched it, check out Cliff Naylor’s Off The Beaten Path for this week. You won’t believe it. It’s not creating the same stir as the grilled cheese sandwich with the image of the Madonna (it sold on Ebay for some ridiculous price a few years ago), but it’s pretty darn neat. Actually, it reminds me of Charlotte’s Web. It’s not some pig, but it’s certainly some cow. The rancher says the markings saved the Hi Cow`s life as surely as Charlotte`s web saved Wilbur. And I understand the cow is for sale, too, in case you want to buy her and take your show on the road. In the meantime…enjoy.
Click here to see the Hi, Cow story
Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire
5-7-09
Nobody looks forward to summer quite like a North Dakota native…except, perhaps, for Eskimos and Russians, and those who live north of the Arctic Circle. And this year we’ve watched the temperature gauge with avid awareness, wondering when the mercury will start to rise. We’re there. So naturally, today the talk is of mosquitoes. Thanks to the flooding and all that standing water, vector control is expecting a bumper crop of the little buggers. Now, if that doesn’t just rain on my parade! If there’s one thing that takes the fun out of sunning in the yard or cruising down the river, it’s a swatfest.
Mosquitoes love me.
I was once the maid of honor at an outdoor wedding in Fargo’s Trollwood Park. The setting was lovely. The sky was blue, the air was fragrant. But there was more ducking and weaving going on than a Bobblehead convention. I found it’s nearly impossible to stand still and smile sedately when there are hundreds of bloodsuckers attached to your ankles.
And I lived in Williston one hot, wet summer, too. When I left my apartment to go outside, I could literally see a cloud of pests rise up out of the grass and chase me to my car.
It’s with great relief, then, that I hear that the heroes of the health department, the vector control anti-swat team, are already out trying to stop the mosquitoes at their source. Let’s help them out, shall we?
Here’s the standard advice:
--Don’t allow standing water in your yard.
--Birdbaths and wading pools should be emptied often.
--Keep your grass short.
And have a nice summer!
A Spring to Remember
5-6-09
I have seen some pretty spectacular weather while living on the Great Plains. I remember standing in the 4th Street doorway of KFYR-TV one summer day watching as a wall of flashflood water poured by so fast that it didn’t even wet the tiles in the entry. And then there was the year of the high wind and hail…when nearly every roof in town was covered in tiny (and not so tiny) pits. I once watched Cliff wade through a foot of water and slush in downtown Bismarck as he took video of hail that had piled up like snow. And there have been some monumental snowstorms, and windstorms, and even a tornado in November. We’ve covered it all.
But this was the first time I have ever lived through a community-wide disaster like the one that struck much of North Dakota this spring. I found the actions of city and state officials impressive. I was proud of the National Guard soldiers who came in to assist, and with all of the neighbors who lined up to help one another. Our coverage wasn’t always positive. Sometimes people complained and we gave them a voice. And there was a little misinformation, too, as news was relayed quickly…at times too quickly. But overall, I was reassured that if an even bigger disaster hits, our city officials and our citizens will react appropriately.
I was also extremely impressed with the performance of my staff here at KFYR-TV, and we’ve chosen to showcase their hard work in an hour-long special on Wednesday, May 13, beginning at 7 p.m. We’ll chronicle what happened in the storms and floods, and talk about what comes next for those affected. We’ll also tell you how our reporters felt covering the events of the spring of 2009. They’ve got an interesting perspective, particularly those who come to us from warm-weather states. This was a year they’ll certainly never forget! Nor will the rest of us. Be sure to watch “A Spring to Remember – Our Fight Against Mother Nature, May 13 at 7 p.m.
A Flu By Any Other Name
5-5-09
We have been receiving a lot of complaints and advice from people regarding the name of our most recent nemesis, The Swine Flu. After the news about the illness hit the public, the pork industry took a hit of its own, and calls came out to rename the flu H1N1. Some are also calling it (equally incorrectly), “Mexican Flu.” Our state Agriculture Commissioner has issued a statement saying that another suggestion would be “North American Flu.” The fact of the matter is it’s too late.
The cat was already out of the bag, or in this case, the swine had already left the yard. Our network, NBC, sent out an announcement explaining that its anchors and reporters were going to stick with “Swine Flu,” and so are we, for now. Here’s why.
In short order, if we’re lucky, this particular flu outbreak will be a memory as we make way for the next outbreak. It may have been incorrectly tagged, but we didn’t do the tagging. And once it’s out there, it’s out there. Entities adversely affected can try to change the name, but at this point, it will likely still be called, “Swine Flu.” When people try to fix it in conversation, have you noticed that they either don’t call it H1N1, or they say something like, “H1N1…or whatever the swine flu is supposed to be called.”
It’s not user friendly, is it? It’s safe, it doesn’t offend, but unfortunately, it doesn’t stick in your head quite the way “swine flu” does. Think I’m wrong? Here’s another news release we received just this morning from the North Dakota State Health Department:
The North Dakota Department of Health today announced the launch of a webpage dedicated specifically to North Dakota information related to the H1N1 influenza (swine flu) outbreak. The website is located at www.ndflu.com/swineflu/.
Just Stay Home!
3-4-09
My dad called me the other day and told me I should avoid traveling to Mexico. Kind of ironic...since my last five blogs were written from that troubled country. I was mainly in the resort areas, which are avoiding the real drug war violence that`s going on in the border towns.
I did see groups of machine-gun-toting paramilitary types riding around in the backs of trucks on the streets of Mazatlan, but I remember seeing the same thing the last time I visited that city more than 20 years ago.
I certainly never felt threatened, except by the traffic. You definitely didn`t want to step out in front of a moving vehicle there. And I stuck to the tourist areas, but those are ordinary precautions.
That said, though, I found myself calling my daughter and warning her to avoid Mexico for spring break. I doubt she was planning to go there anyway, but I wasn`t taking any chances. My daughter is 22 years old and very grown up, but like my dad, I felt the need to interfere in her life in the interest of her safety. I guess we never really get over trying to protect our kids from danger. The old, "I`d take a bullet for you, so don`t you dare put me through that," speech that they love so well. It never gets old, does it?
Mazatlan and Los Cabos
2-13-09
Yesterday it was Mazatlan. We rode from the cruise ship to the beach in an open air cab...sort of a souped-up golf cart, so we had a chance to really see the town.
If you want to spend your time at the resorts, Mazatlan was beautiful, but the town itself looked...tired. The garbage was piled up in the streets, there was graffiti on nearly every building in the part of town we traveled through, and the smell was a combination of exhaust and trash. I have the impression that most of the tourists go right to the hotels on the beach, which are lovely. The beaches themselves are swept clean every morning, and they certainly weren`t crowded. There were more peddlers walking along than tourists on the morning that I was there.
One memorable moment. My mom bought (and bargained for) a Green Bay Packer sarape for Cliff. She got her price and I was proud of her. Will he wear it? We`ll have to see. But all in all, I wished for the first time on this vacation that I`d opted for an excursion rather than visit the town itself. I`m sure Mazatlan has much more to recommend it.
Now in Cabo San Lucas my first impression was very different. The cruise ship can`t dock because the harbor is too narrow, so we anchored in the bay and took tender craft to shore. This place has a whole different feel, probably because it`s the winter home of so many of the world`s wealthy. It`s easy to see that the development all along the water front is new. And, there are security guards everywhere. Clearly, a lot of money is infused into this economy.
This is a true playground for those who love water. You can snorkel, scuba dive, parasail, rent a glass-bottom boat, ride a jetski, fish or simply sit on the miles of clean, sandy beach. Or you can shop, anywhere from high-end brand-name stores to street side stands. The street vendors are ever present here as they have been everywhere. But they also seem more established.
They are also extremely helpful and friendly. I walked away from the waterfront and into town, searching for an internet café. I stopped at an information kiosk, where a smiling young cutie gave me a map. The streets were clearly marked on the map, but there were no signs on the roads themselves, and lots of twists and turns. As soon as I stopped to consult my map, though, somebody local always stopped too, to offer directions.
After emailing my friends and family, I entered the flea market not far from the cruise ship tender area and a young man inside asked me if I spoke Spanish. I told him I spoke the little bit that I`d learned in school, and after that he insisted that we conduct our business only in Spanish. He told me that`s the only way to learn another`s language, and then he spoke each phrase very sloooowly until I got it. And, like all the vendors I`ve dealt with so far, he was an incredible flirt. It`s definitely part of the sales pitch to compliment your eyes before naming your price. In the end, I was happy, he was happy. I could get used to it. Tomorrow it`s home to North Dakota and winter.
Chatting with the Locals on my Mexican Vacation
2-11-09
Puerto Villarta feels familiar to me. It`s like other Latin American cities I`ve visited. The cars drive too fast, pedestrians are in danger just crossing the street, the shops use high pressure sales tactics but their proprietors are friendly and more than willing to bargain.
Right across the street from the cruise ship pier is a WalMart. The taxi that takes us into town drops us in front of a McDonalds. But you don`t have to walk far off the main street to feel the old-world flavor of real neighborhoods. Apparently even these streets are very different, though, from what the town was 40 years ago.
I know this because as I sit on a park bench along the beach an elderly gentleman sits down beside me. He`s the kind of guy you can`t help but notice, mainly because his beard is long enough to reach mid chest and he`s got an odd assortment of clothes on. He also appears at first to be mumbling to himself. But then I see that he`s texting on a Blackberry, and the talking to himself that he`s doing is the kind that I do all the time. Sort of the "note to self," variety.
As I take a closer look I see that despite his unusual appearance, his shoes are expensive, and he has white, perfect teeth. About that beard -- it is snow white, long, and curly -- the type of curls little girls used to wear when their mothers set their hair with rags. Rag curls, they were called. And as he sits there, I notice that under his sweat-stained straw hat, he has these same snowy white corkscrew curls on his head. He walks with a hand-carved cane, painted with iguanas and jungle flowers, although he doesn`t really appear to need it.
He tells me that he was born in Columbia, but moved to San Francisco in 1964. His mother was American, his father Columbian, he says, and he`s an American citizen. He owns a house in Puerto Vallarta that he bought with a friend many years ago. The two of them came here during San Francisco`s chilly winters for 40 years, but the friend died last year. The old man tells me that now he`s thinking he`ll sell both his houses and move to the Napa Valley where it`s warmer than San Francisco. Besides, he says he`s lonely here without his friend, and new friends don`t come so easily to a man his age; 74 this winter. He tells me he`s tired.
"And anyway, I don`t feel safe here anymore," he says sadly, his Columbian roots still thick in his accent. "I have a beautiful house with a lovely view of the sea, but I don`t know how to protect it. The police are corrupt and when you call them, they expect money. Even if you pay them, the punks who just vandalized your property might pay them more and they end up back on the street in ten minutes. It`s not right. But what can I do? I`m a gringo. Which around here pretty much means `American.`"
He goes on to explain that while the tourists are vital to Puerto Villarta, they`ve ruined the town. Now it`s all about money, and how to make more dollars. "But I mean no offense to you," he finishes. "I wish you the very best. But they can`t all be like you, now can they." He smiles sadly and doffs his hat.
Getting to Know You
There are no ordinary people. Or, let me put it another way. Ordinary people are extraordinary and everybody has a story. Take my new friend Bob from Omaha. I found out at dinner tonight that he and his wife, Joyce, have the largest pipe organ in Nebraska in their basement, along with all of the computers and trappings that make his home theater state-of-the-art. They invite hundreds of people into their home each year to hear some of the country’s best musicians play. Tour buses come. What was a hobby for Bob, retired from Union Pacific Railroad, has become a second business. What’s really remarkable about this is that Bob says he doesn’t really play the organ particularly well. He says playing it himself was not really the point. He had an organ in his house growing up, and he wanted the same thing in his home as an adult. But it grew legs and now he’s listed in tour books. You never really know what direction life can take.
We watched whales most of the day. I thought I had to rise early to see them, but as it turned out, they were with the ship most of the morning and into the afternoon. Usually we spotted them in the distance, just their spouts and the occasional dark spot on top of the water. But every once in a while they came fairly close, and at one point, while I was making my daily trek around the Promenade Deck, I saw one leap from the water, splash down and then come back up and spin on the surface of the water. I could see his eye and hear his breathing. And he was very close, within 20 yards of the ship. Whales have always fascinated me, and I’m told that they sometimes will play with the boats that journey out with tourists on whale watching adventures.
As a bonus, I also saw a dolphin. There may have been more, but I only saw the one. And there were flying fish at the front of the boat. I couldn’t see them from the deck, but they were visible from the camera shot of the bow. I would love snorkeling, too, I’m sure, but first I’ll need to learn how to swim. Maybe I should make that part of tomorrow`s agenda.
The Life I was Meant to Lead
Or Day Two Aboard the mss Oosterdam
2-10-09
When was the last time somebody brought you milk and cookies in bed? If it`s been a while I highly recommend it. The cookies don`t even have to be that good. It`s the thought that counts. It`s day four of my Mexican Riviera cruise, which my mom and I decided at the last minute we needed to take in order to escape the mountains of snow outside our respective doorways.
Tonight it`s balmy out, the ship is moving at a relatively slow speed, there`s no wind, the stars are shining and there`s a path of moonlight on the water. It`s peaceful.
I`m pleasantly tired after a day of activities like golf chipping. This particular game involves swatting a wiffle golf ball at three life rings in the pool. It`s surprisingly hard to do. I base this comment not on my performance, which was no worse nor better than anybody else`s. But there were real golfers onboard who clearly knew a chip from a putt and it was hit or miss for them, too.
That was followed by six laps around the promenade deck (about two miles), a few pennies in a slot machine, a trip to the library, a little hand sewing, an hour of reading, two games of gin, and a nap, all of which was broken up by eating. The comedian at tonight`s show had it right when he said some people don`t even ask where the ship is going, they just ask, "How`s the food?"
My table mates are all lovely people. Andy and Lori are from Chicago, Bob and Joyce are from Omaha and Gary and Gail are from Portland. We found some common ground right away over the menu choices, the wine list, the quality of television anchors, the Superbowl which everybody watched on board today. And Gail is a quilter like me. Get a couple of quilters together in a room and there`s no shortage of conversation. I can`t wait.
Tomorrow I`m told we`ll have an excellent chance at spotting whales. If I can wake up in time, since we`re passing by the best whale watching area at 7 a.m. And since we`re on Pacific Time, that would be 5 a.m. according to my body clock.
Also, I`m reminded that people take vacations for all kinds of reasons. In the cabin beside ours is a group of women. Their veranda is right beside ours, and today, though I tried not to listen I couldn`t help but overhear their conversation. One of them has apparently been ill, her husband has left her because of it, and her friends brought her here to help her heal and to rally around her. How lucky she is, in the midst of her personal tragedies, to have true friends like that. It makes me appreciate my own friends that much more. I think I`ll call downstairs and have the cabin steward bring her some milk and cookies.
Day Three -- Onto the Big Boat
2-10-09
This afternoon I had a conversation with a seagull. It was perched on a railing of the ms Ooosterdam, a Holland America cruise ship, as we waited to get underway to our first port of call, Puerto Villarta.
What I said to the seagull was, "Don`t get any closer." Seagulls are big birds. You don`t really realize it until you get a foot away from them, as I was, and it was clearly waiting for me to drop something. It did not take its beady eye off me. It creeped me out, frankly.
Two hours later, mojito in hand, I forgot all about the bird. I focused, instead, on the beauty of the San Diego skyline as we pulled away from the pier. We were docked right beside the U.S.S. Midway, which we visited when we first arrived. This was an entirely new perspective and gave me a better sense of how large the Midway really is. As we pulled away the sun was going down. It`s was a memorable sight. There is some smog in the air, which gave the skyline a pink glow (my mother insists it was lavender), with the skyscrapers in the foreground.
And here again are those darn seagulls, which fly so close that as you lean against the rail you almost can`t help backing up. I see now that the people on the veranda above me are throwing potato chips, despite the signs everywhere that clearly say, "Please don`t throw anything overboard." What`s the matter with those people? Didn`t they see The Birds?
The Second Day of my Mexican Adventure
or...The View from San Diego
2-9-09
Today I visited the U.S.S. Midway, anchored at Navy Pier in downtown San Diego. I`ve always wanted to go aboard a naval vessel, perhaps because my father served aboard the U.S.S. Essex during the Korean War. He has a commendation on his wall for his part in helping to rescue a group of nuns during the war, but he never really talks about his time in the service. Recently he did say that nobody ever mentions the Korean Conflict anymore, almost as if it never happened. These days, he says, it`s all about Vietnam and Iraq, although a few years ago interest in World War II saw an upswing, thanks in large part to Tom Brokaw`s book, The Greatest Generation, and the feature film, Pearl Harbor. In any event, because my dad didn`t talk much about his time in the service, I`ve always been interested in what life onboard an aircraft carrier might have been like.
What it was like, I saw today, was cramped and gray, the color that everything was painted. Our tour guide was a docent who spent 22 years in the Navy, although not aboard this particular ship. He told us you can tell the difference between a sea tale and a fairy tale because a fairy tale starts out, "Once upon a time," while a sea tale starts out, "Now this is no bull." And he had his share of great stories.
I banged my shins several times on the ladders that take you from one deck to another, but I imagine you get used to a step that`s barely four inches in depth. What I wouldn`t get used to, I`m sure, would be the total lack of privacy for just about everybody except, perhaps, the high-ranking officers and the chaplains. How did they manage it? What if the guy sleeping not a foot away from you had a cough or snored or had bad breath? The navy life would not be for me, but I learned a new admiration for those who serve their country in this way.
It was also an interesting day of cab drivers. The first was from Brazil, the second from Iran, and the third, the driver of a bike taxi, was from Buffalo, New York. He saw us walking and perhaps it was a slow morning because he offered us a deep discount on his usual fare of $15 per person or $40 for a half hour guided tour. For us, the fare was $3.50 apiece, and we got the tour anyway. Instead of taking us directly from the Midway to Seaport Village, he detoured around several monuments that he thought we`d enjoy, including the one dedicated to Bob Hope. He worked hard, too. I mentioned that he must be in pretty good shape riding people around on his bike all day and he laughed and said, "Yeah, it turns out I can eat pretty much anything I want."
He was incredibly friendly, like just about everybody else my mom and I have met here. Perhaps it`s the balmy weather. How can you be in a bad mood when the sun is shining and the temperature is 75 degrees? I know I`ve had a smile on my face. Anyway, he was so great that in the end we tipped him handsomely and we were all happy for the experience.
Airport Observations on My Winter Vacation to Mexico
2-8-09
A shoe shine is not a luxury I indulge in very often -- only when I’m at the airport. I wanted to get one on this trip, too, but there wasn’t enough time. I had to settle for tea. As I stood in a long line to wait for it, I did happen to overhear the conversation at the shoeshine stand beside the coffee kiosk. The shine expert was telling his customer that he was from Jamaica, and I could hear it in his voice. He wasn’t a big man, but you wouldn’t know that from his rich baritone. It was practically Hollywood cliché. And if it’s possible for a voice to twinkle, his did. There was a smile in his most ordinary comments.
The lucky customer was a blond woman wearing high boots who at first seemed reluctant to share much about herself. But there’s something about surrendering your feet to another, even if your shoes are still on them, that invites intimacy. As the man polished and waxed and buffed, the woman slowly relaxed. He talked as he slapped his rag back and forth across her toes.
“Where I’m from, it’s warm all year. My blood never gets used to what they got here,” he says. And she smiles. Slap, slap.
“But, I been here ten years now. I can’t complain.” Slap, slap. “I meet all kinds of people, rushing, rushing. I want to tell them to slow down. Take a break. But they got places to go, just like you.” He stops to rummage in the drawer beneath her feet.
I suppose I’ve had ten shoe shines in my life, three of them while I was wearing athletic shoes. That was in Guatemala. There was no real polish involved -- just a brush of the dust and a sweet smile from a particular little boy on a three-legged stool. Every morning he waited outside the house where I was staying. He seemed to have a sixth sense for when I would be heading out to work or to shop. He didn’t speak much English and I didn’t speak much Spanish, but he knew the words, “Shine, lady?” It wasn’t the words, but the smile I couldn’t refuse.
Anyway, this morning at the airport in Denver, the poor fellow offering this shine was not as cute as a ten-year-old boy, but he was trying just as hard to win over his customer. And finally, she gave in.
“I’m from California, myself,” she says. “I’ve traveled through here often, but I’ve never been out of the airport.”
“Ah, well, here you got the mountain air. Nice and clean. Next time, just step outside and smell it.”
“Maybe I will,” she says, and hands over a ten dollar bill. “Keep the change,” she says as she steps down and strolls away.
Take it from Me
1-15-08
One question that people always seem to ask me when I speak to large groups is, “What was your most embarrassing moment.” That’s a tough one, because there have been so many. One thing I always tell new reporters, though, is once they’ve made a fool of themselves in every way possible in front of thousands and lived through the experience, they’ll realize that there’s not that much to be embarrassed about.
But, there was a time, years ago, when I did the Noon News in Williston. I had to type in my own weather information. Those graphics that I typed would appear on the screen as I read. Part of the Noon News at KUMV was to give an abbreviated weather forecast. I was listening to a talk show, and without realizing it, I typed “foreplay” instead of “forecast” on the screen. Then, when I delivered the weather, I actually read it. “In today’s foreplay…” I got so embarrassed that I blushed bright red and lost my train of thought. I brought the weather to an abrupt end and went on to the next story. The trouble didn’t end there, though.
These days we have much more elaborate graphics systems, but back then we relied on slides to help tell our news stories. The slides were from a service and they were pretty generic. The pictures they generated would appear over my shoulder as I read. On this particular day (same newscast as the foreplay incident), I grabbed what I thought was a slide to illustrate my story on the IRS. Instead, I grabbed a slide for the IRA, the Irish Republican Army. So, while I was reading a story about how the IRS was going to crack down on tax evaders, the picture I was showing was of a guy wearing a hood and wielding an ax.
And then there was the time I was anchoring at a station in Idaho and a bug flew into my mouth while I was on camera. I spit it out and kept right on reading. Or how about the time I was doing a standup in front of a church and an old guy on a bike started riding in a circle around me…waving and giving me a toothless grin. That was distracting. But, as I tell the young reporters I hire, I survived these incidents and nobody even remembers them any more. Except me, of course.
Graduations
5-27-08
I never really wanted to go to my high school or college graduations. For one thing, I`m easily bored and I belonged to big classes. But every time (and I`ve been through three), my mother convinced me that big events or accomplishments deserve to be recognized by ritual. So I bought the gown and the silly hat and sat through the ceremonies. I don`t remember much about my high school graduation, except that I caught my sleeve on the stairs heading up to the stage and nearly tore my arm off. For my bachelor`s degree, my parents sat through two hours of ceremony, and barely saw me cross the stage…that`s how far away they were. They say they heard it, though. And when I received my master`s degree in May of 1989, there was a heavy snowstorm that caused a big stir. Those are the things I remember, but there`s nothing in my memory of the ceremonies themselves.
What I will never forget, though, are the moments when my own children graduated from high school…the latest just last week. The truth, then, is that the graduation ceremony is really for the parents and grandparents and teachers and tutors who saw the student through. Those who quizzed them on spelling words, helped them learn their times tables, listened to them rant about the unfairness of teachers and sat through countless soccer and hockey games on frozen bleachers. It`s those people who are marking the occasion with great ritual, and a hugh sigh of relief. If you`re a parent, I`ll bet you can relate.
Reflections on 20 Years
4-1-08
Last night I did something I have never done before. (Perhaps I should just leave it at that. The possibilities are endless. But no). I read a short story written by my mother.
The thing is, I`ve always assumed I was the writer in the family. She`s been a voracious reader. I inherited that from her. But I thought the writing was pretty much my deal. But her story was great! It took me a little while to get over the fact that it was she who had written it. I kept hearing her voice narrating it, very much the way she sounded as she read to me when I was little, or even into my preadolescence when I was sick. But eventually the story itself drew me in. When I read the last page I remembered again that Mom wrote it, and couldn`t stop smiling. She has talent.
I don`t mean to sound surprised. I knew, for instance, that she used to write a book review for a neighborhood bookmobile when we lived in Spokane, and her emails and letters are always wonderful and creative. But that she should start working to develop that skill now, at the age of 67, says something really positive to me about my own future.
Which brings me to my point. Today I celebrate my 20th anniversary here at KFYR. In the last year, I`ve learned a new passion (quilting), I`ve taken on a new job (managing another department about which I know absolutely nothing), and I`ve made some new friends. It`s been a great 20 years and I can`t wait to see what the next 20 bring. Who knows, I may celebrate my 40th anniversary right here. I`d be the same age that my mother is now. But I`d prefer to think that, like her, I will be expanding my gifts and abilities and taking on new challenges instead of worrying about sinking into old age. Mom, I admire you. It will also be fun to see what you do in the next 20 years!
Blind Leading the Blind
2-29-08
I got new contact lenses this week. That`s not an unusual occurance. It happens every six months or so, but this time either the prescription is just a little off, or my eyes are finally catching up to my age. Because I can`t see a darn thing unless it`s attached to arms longer than mine. It really did seem to happen overnight. I woke up Monday morning, put my new contacts in and began putting my makeup on like I always do. Except I couldn`t see my face. I took the contacts back out and switched them around, thinking I`d mixed them up. No help. It`s not easy putting on eyeliner from two feet away, so before I could even finish the job I hopped in the car and headed to WalMart, where I bought a pair of $6.00 cheaters. It’s not easy putting on eyeliner wearing those, either.
I got to work and realized I`d left the cheaters at home, so I wandered to the drugstore to buy another pair ($4.00) that were cheaper, but more stylish, if you can believe it. Then I remembered seeing a really cool pair at an antique mall, so I went on line. Sure enough, they had cheaters that a person might actually want to wear. I`m waiting for them to arrive in the mail. I need a lot of pairs, because they`re never on the end of my nose when I want to see something. Next, I suppose I`ll buy one of those chains that little old school teachers wear around their necks. If you`re a young school teacher and you wear them, please don`t take offense. I`ve already established that they can be a trendy fashion item, but you don`t see them all that often on women who aren`t of a certain age. I`ve actually been receivnig compliments on how they look on me.
When I`m tempted to be self conscious about it, I think of my two eldest children. My daughter got new glasses recently that look like something Buddy Holly used to wear. She even calls them "nerdy," so it`s not just me. She loves them. And my son bought a pair of plastic aviators. The kind that my high school boyfriend wore…in 1978. They are HUGE. He says the bigger, the better. For the two of them it isn`t really about being able to see. They`re both contact wearers, too. It`s about the fashion statement they`re making.
So I say bring on the biggest, boldest, brightest cheaters you can find. I`ll wear them with pride. I`m also going to go back and see my optometrist, though, for a pair of bifocal contacts. Because I really do need to be able to see to put on my eyeliner.
Ethics? A Moving Target?
2-14-08
I took part in a panel discussion on ethics in the media this week. It forced me to think about things I haven`t actively considered for a while. Things like, would I use an off-the-record source, or allow my reporters to use one? The answer is no, by the way, in nearly every case. Would I impersonate somebody in order to get a good story? The answer is no in every case. Or, would I ever enter a conversation with two strangers, in order to pump them for information for a story. The answer to that is also no, although I might try to confirm any information I overhead through an independent source.
One of the ideas I shared was that as times change, people are changing. What seems clear to me is not so clear to my younger employees. Last week we had a caucus in North Dakota, and several of my Millenials had planned to participate. I told them they could not, that it would violate the idea that journalists must remain fair and impartial. The caucus system may be cheaper, but it`s flawed in my view because it steals away the anonymity of the voting booth. They argued with me. They thought that what they did in their private lives should have nothing to do with their work lives. There was a time when this would not have been a question at all.
Does this mean that my reporters are unethical, or less principled? Not at all. What it means is that they were raised differently, in a different time and their ideas of right and wrong…at least as they pertain to their jobs…are just different. Right now, and as long as the buck stops at my desk, we`ll operate according to my rules. But it does pose some interesting questions about the future, doesn`t it?
A Great Place To Live
2-8-08
I`ve been hiring recently, to fill spots vacated by longtime anchor Brenda Scholten and medical reporter Joanna Small. I`ve advertised nationwide and as always happens, I`ve received tapes and resumes from people who live elsewhere. When they apply, the main questions they tend to ask have to do not with the station, the city, the cost of living or the job itself…but with the weather. It`s all part of our PR problem, and I`m not telling you anything new. But I did decide to ask a few of them what they`ve thought of the weather, now that the winter is half over. Here are some of their responses:
Emily Catalano, our web producer, is from Philadelphia, and was worried about the cold wind chills and expected more snow. But actually, she says they get more snow in Philly, and because she had to walk everywhere she went when she lived there, she`s actually been warmer here because she can drive.
Kevin Gribble, our weekend anchor and city beat reporter, moved from Florida. Before he came here, a news director told him he was a moron to even consider such a move. Having spent a winter and a half here now, he says he would tell others that the weather shouldn`t discourage them. "It was a valid concern, but now that I`m used to it, I run around in this," he tells me, pointing to his unzipped, fleece-lined sweatshirt. "I think it`s something anybody can get used to."
Annie Kelly, our new medical reporter, moved here from Chicago during what has been our coldest week so far this winter. She says the weather hasn`t been a surprise but then, she says Chicago is also cold. "I hear your summers are hot here, too, just like in Illinois, so there`s no real change for me."
Amanda Tetlak, our weekend anchor and reporter, moved to Bismarck from Florida. She says it`s not as bad as she thought it would be. "There have been days when I thought it was pretty cold," she says, but she`s still waiting for the "real" winter to start. From what she heard, she`s expecting something much worse.
Bill Halter is from Apple Valley, Minnesota. I asked him how our weather compares and he said, "Same."
So there you have it. The truth is, there are a lot of places in the U.S. that get really cold, or really hot. Factor in our low crime rate, our high standard of living and our overall friendliness…and what`s a 20-below day or two? They build character, and give us great stories to tell our grandchildren.
Empty Prairie?
1-03-08
Like many of you, I recently read an article in National Geographic magazine entitled, The Emptied Prairie by Charles Bowden. It has to do with the changing way of life in rural North Dakota. Anybody who lives here can plainly see that it contained inaccuracies and was poorly researched, but that aside, it painted such a lop-sided picture of life here as to be almost laughable if it weren’t so potentially damaging to tourism, our state’s number two industry.
I want to begin by saying I’m not native to North Dakota. I was born in California, but I have learned to love it here and consider it my home. My husband, Cliff Naylor, and I have written two books dedicated to all of the wonderful places and people we’ve met in rural North Dakota in our years of working here. The warmth of the people is legendary, as is their pride in their home communities. It’s true that there are small towns struggling to survive, but the article took that grain of truth and stretched and distorted it to fit a preconceived idea that life here is one of loneliness and despair. When we talked to people in the small towns featured in that article, they painted a much different picture.
The author of the piece is from Arizona. My father lives in Arizona. He has no grass in his neighborhood -- only gravel and cacti. There is nothing green as far as the eye can see, from his front yard all the way to the mountains in the distance. When I visit him, I fly into Las Vegas and then drive to his home outside Kingman. I haven’t seen other parts of Arizona, but what if I were to write an article for National Geographic based on that limited view? The picture I painted would be pretty bleak and very inaccurate. I feel certain that there are characters in Arizona, that there are unhappy people, and that there are small towns that are dying in the scorching sun and parched earth. But I’ll also bet that there are vibrant communities, beautiful scenery and happy, optimistic people. An article that doesn’t include them all would be unbalanced.
I didn’t realize how attached to this state I was until I had read Mr. Bowden’s article. In a way I have to thank him. He allowed me to express what a wonderful place this is. I’m not telling any of you anything you don’t already know. But after reading his account, I think it would take blasting powder to get me out of here. Even so, I would send this message to Mr. Bowden. Work a little less on your pretty prose, and a little more on balance. It’s what journalism should be about, and this article is unworthy of National Geographic magazine.
Hair War
12-14-07
I’ve always had a running battle with my hair. I usually view it with irritation at best, and at times I’ve felt out and out betrayed by my tresses. And this is a war that’s gone on for 47 years now. But let’s back up.
When I was little, I longed for long hair. My mother, who had spent her childhood with hair streaming down her back and found it to be a monumental pain, refused to deal with long hair on me. She thought of short hair as incredibly freeing, and it probably didn’t help that I cried every time she brushed it. So, it was kept very, very short in various versions of the pixie. It required almost no combing. I looked like a boy. Most people thought my older brother and I were twins. My dad even cut my bangs, and on occasion, trimmed too much off, giving me a very surprised look. I was a victim of really bad haircuts.
It’s probably no surprise, then, that when I was finally old enough to care for my own hair I rebelled against that control, and grew it all the way down to my waist and kept it there for years. I did not welcome comments or advice. How ironic that I would go on to choose a career in which hair is such an issue. For most of my adult life, I’ve given over control of my hair to others. And while they aren’t overbearing about it, occasionally, management recommends a change. Let me be the first to tell you, some viewers really hate that. And they aren’t shy about letting me know. Recently I changed the part from the right to the left and starting sweeping my bangs off my forehead, and the response was immediate. Love it or hate it, people noticed.
We’re glad you watch, and I’m glad you feel comfortable enough with me to mention my hair. After all, would you walk up to your next door neighbor and tell her you hated her new style and she should change it back? Probably not. So, we’re family, and I love that about us. So I’ll say the same thing to you that I would tell my mother if she walked up to me and said she hated my hair. You can’t argue with genetics! Perhaps you can buy me a hat?
Puppy Love
11-28-07
It was not so very long ago that I told my family no more dogs. When our last dog, Lizzie, died of old age, I thought we were too busy to undertake the job of raising a puppy. But our youngest, Hannah, could only remember Lizzie as elderly and tired. She had never experienced the fun of a younger dog. She kept up steady pressure for a year. It’s probably no surprise, then, to hear that Cliff and I finally gave in and he brought home a six-week-old sheltie.
The puppy was a surprise for Hannah, so we didn’t tell her our plans. We began communicating with a breeder in Minneapolis, with the understanding that my brother-in-law would pick up the dog that we’d picked out and bring it to us in Bismarck. The dog we chose was a female with a shy, quiet disposition. She looked very much like Lizzie had looked, and from what the breeder told us, acted very much like her, too. Very much a lady.
Imagine our surprise, then, when Cliff’s brother brought us a male puppy with a bouncing personality that is anything but shy and retiring. I was confused. What happened to the dog that we chose? Cliff was sort of vague…something about a mistake or confusion. I accepted it because, after all, the puppy (whom we named Lambeau) was already here. Hannah fell in love with him, and I have to admit, he has brought more smiles into our home than I would have thought possible. He’s active, but totally loveable. I forgot about the female that we should have had.
On Thanksgiving Day Cliff told me a story that still brings tears to my eyes. He told me what had really happened. Dave did go to Minneapolis and picked up the little female that we had asked for. He stopped at a rest area near St. Cloud, and the puppy bolted from the car. He couldn’t catch her, and in the dark, he couldn’t find her either. He tried for a long time, but finally had to accept that the dog was lost. Imagine his distress! But he did the only thing he could do. He returned to the breeder and picked out Lambeau instead. He put an ad in a newspaper in St. Cloud, and ran the ad for ten days, but received no response.
On Thanksgiving Day, nearly a month after the dog was lost, he received a call from a family living beside a lake not far from the Interstate. They had found the little sheltie living under their dock. They captured her with a fish net, and remembered seeing the ad. She was skinny, they said, but otherwise in good condition. She is not here yet. Dave is bringing her to us this weekend. We can hardly wait. We’ve named her Louise, our own little Thanksgiving miracle. And that is the story of how one family that didn’t want ANY dogs, ended up with two.
My “Mommy Madness”
11-15-07
I work a split shift here at KFYR. I come into work at around 11, and I work until around 11. But in between, I take a long supper break. During that time, I typically eat dinner with my family, help my youngest with her homework, and spend a little bit of time doing domestic chores like the dishes and the occasional load of laundry.
Thursday night was fairly typical. When I arrived home the plumber was there, because my kitchen sink was backed up and my dishwasher was draining onto the floor. After that was resolved, I discovered that my son and his friends had (unknowingly) eaten the ingredients we needed for supper, so my mom and I cooked bacon and eggs. Afterward, Hannah and I spent a long time circling our block, walking and talking and trying to get her ten-week-old puppy to do what he needed to do. Oh, and my phone rang six times in the space of those two hours.
Talk about Mommy Madness! Jody Kerzman has been airing a special all week devoted to moms and what makes them tick, and like a lot of you who answered Jody`s survey, I can really relate. Working and raising kids is two full-time jobs. But also like most of you, I wouldn`t have it any other way. Those kids give meaning to my days. Being a mommy and a problem solver just go hand in hand. But we can all learn from each other. Be sure to catch Jody`s hour-long special on Mommy Madness this Saturday at noon, central time.
i News!
10-05-07
This week we launched a new feature on our Website… iNews with Emily Catalano. Emily is our web producer at KFYR, and she’s in charge of all the great content you see on the site. But we suspect she’ll be much more than that. We are confident that she’ll be our link with the next generation of viewers. As our industry grows and changes in ways we never anticipated 25 years ago, back when I got my start, so we assume that it will continue to grow and change during Emily’s tenure. And we want to make sure that we’re providing what people of all ages want and need.
We encourage you to write to Emily, ecatalano@kfyrtv.com, and let her know what you think of what she’s doing. In the weeks and months ahead, she’ll be out talking with young people in the community as well, finding out how we can be more responsive to what you want in your news product. And she’ll be interested in letting you into our world as citizen journalists. When you see something that should be captured and shared, by all means, pass your videos and phone pics our way. We look forward to hearing from you. And we look forward to seeing what Emily comes up with in the weeks and months ahead.
Things are changing in ways I never anticipated. I’m sure enjoying the ride.
Second Adulthood
9-04-07
How many of us have dreamed of reinventing our lives? I was so inspired by Bismarck police chief Deb Ness, who decided to retire from the force and open a quilt shop. She’s combining all of the administrative skills she`s learned with her love for what had been a hobby, into what she hopes will be a thriving business.
Deb was gracious enough to offer me a sneak peak tour a couple of weeks ago, and from all appearances it will be a huge success. It`s a beautiful store, and her plans for it are exciting.
So I ask you, who wouldn`t want to combine their passion with their livelihood? If you`re lucky, you work in a job that is also your passion -- the only thing you can imagine doing with your life. But if work for you is just, well, work, then perhaps it`s time to consider a change.
It`s actually not as unusual to make a big change as you may think. I recently read a book called, My Time: Making the Most of the Bonus Decades After 50 by Abigail Trafford that made a great deal of sense. It pointed out that most Babyboomers can expect to live for decades past 50, a time when many parents are contemplating an empty nest. Instead of it being a sad time, Trafford points out that it can be an exciting time when you can actually turn back the clock. You can recapture that feeling you had when you were just starting out, just deciding what you wanted to do with your life. Now you can decide what you want to do with your second life, as Ness is doing.
Now don`t get me wrong, I`m not getting ready to jump ship. I`ve actually been able to take on new challenges under the same roof, going from reporter to anchor to news director at KFYR. And I write books and I quilt. These are all things I love. But it`s very freeing to think that when I turn 50, the possibilities will still be endless -- a new beginning rather than the beginning of the end.
Murder Suspects Caught
8-16-07
It doesn`t happen all that often here in North Dakota. Murders, particularly the random type, are usually something we hear about from far away. So this week, when fugitives Jeremy Brooks and Coty Martinez were captured near Drake, it was difficult to say how law enforcement would deal with the media.
This particular road was one we hadn`t been down before. Let`s face it, some consider journalists to be the worst type of pests. We`re necessary. After all, who is going to let citizens know to be wary, to lock their doors? Who will disseminate photos of the suspects? But we can also get in the way. We know it, and yet we plow ahead because that`s our job. And law enforcement in McHenry County let us do it, even helping us to the best of their ability.
Because they did, we were able to bring you the stories that you saw -- on the manhunt, from the first moment a concerned resident offered aid to a stranger (because it`s what decent people do), until the final capture in a farm field. Hats off to the sheriff and his staff, who made our job easier, and your news better.
A Part of Our Community
7-31-07
I was touched over the weekend by the welcome home celebration for the First Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiments Security Forces Unit, as I`m touched over every celebration of soldiers returning safely from war-torn regions of the world. Perhaps this one was more poignant for me because my brother also recently returned from his tour of duty at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait.
Like so many of you, he left his wife and three young children for more than a year, communicating with them mainly via phone and email. He did his best to do justice to both his country and his family, and he did it with very few complaints. Still, I was relieved beyond measure when he called our mother somewhat unexpectedly to tell her that he was home and he was safe. I can only imagine what my sister-in-law felt.
Today I received an email from somebody who wondered if we are going to cover every single one of these celebrations. "After all," this viewer wrote, "they`re all the same." Of course they aren`t. Each one is different, just as each soldier who serves is different. I identified completely with families in Fort Lewis, Washington, who cried out loud and long against a decision to honor fallen soldiers collectively because the individual memorial services were taking up too much time. And I was glad when the powers that be last week reversed that decision. It was the right thing to do.
We will continue to cover every serviceman or woman who dies, every group that answers the call to serve, every deployment, and every homecoming, because those who serve are part of our community, and therefore, are a part of us.
Television Is Changing
7-20-07
This spring I attended the Radio and Television News Director`s Association Convention in Las Vegas, and through it all, there was a theme. The television industry is changing, and if we want to survive as a medium, then we need to change with it, and that includes going multi-platform.
In response to that, we`ve done our best to give you, our viewers, more of what you are telling us you want. You can now get at least parts of our newscast on-line, on your phone, and on the radio, in addition to your television screen.
Another area that`s new for us, but probably not to many of you, is blogging. We are learning that those of you who we`d particularly like to attract, the young and the young at heart, are less willing than viewers of the past to sit still and wait for information and news to be brought to you. We`ve found that you want that information the moment you think about it, and you want to share your thoughts with us, too. That`s what this blog is all about. I`ll share my thoughts with you, and my hope is that you`ll return the favor.
It`s an adventure for...shall we say, "seasoned," writers like me, because unlike the airwaves, what I write here will stay here. What a great challenge. I`m looking forward to it.
© 2009 KFYR-TV
Home | News | Weather | Sports | Webcast | Morning News | Programming | Primetime Rewind | Advertising & Sales | About Us
Community Connection | Movies | Contests & Promotions | Search | Links | Contact Us | Follow us on: Facebook and twitter
Sister Stations: KMOT in Minot, KQCD in Dickinson, KUMV in Williston
