Ouch!  My efforts to dip back into the sport of triathlon aren’t going that swimmingly. 

First, I needed a pool.  Anything bigger than the inflatable one in the backyard. 

On the day I joined the fitness facility, the pool heater was out.  I’m thinking, ya know, I’ll just pretend I’m doing that Escape to Alcatrez Tri, where the waters are frigid and I’m really tough.  As I approach the water, I’m guessing there might be a reason I have the whole pool to myself.  When I jump in, I know for sure.   I wish I could say motivation toward a fitness goal helped me finish the half mile in the cold water.  I just wanted to warm up.  I was also desperate to take off my goggles that leaked and actually sucked the chlorinated water into my eyes!  

On to the bike I recently dusted off…the one hanging in the utility room for the past year.  Sunday, a friend asked if I’d show him a good three mile running route.  Since I’d already done my run and swim that day, I said, “I’ll just ride my bike along with you and show you the route.”  I’ve never been so grateful for a bike helmet.  When I crashed into my friend, then met up with the concrete, my head hit the street so hard it bounced back up and slammed back down again!  I understand when that happens, you’re supposed to get a new helmet.  As soon as I can stand up, I’ll do that. 

My thoughts about now:  My neighbor’s comments about the Lord just wanting me to sit down. 

Joining our local tri club, Sunrise, was a good move.  I get constant group emails from people of all levels and stay informed about group rides and swims.   My job hours keep me from being able to hook up with most of these events, but it’s motivating to read about them.   

Obstacles are those frightening things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.   Although it’s not easy to return to the same level of fitness I enjoyed four years ago, I’m going to tri!   

Onward! 

    

Job Title:  Studio camera for KTBS-TV and KPXJ CW 21 

Hometown:  Shreveport, Louisiana

Nickname:  HellCam 3

Skills/Talents:  “I’m robotic, but often do things on my own.” 

Family:  Camera 2, Camera 3 and TowerCam

Favorite Movie:  One Hour Photo

The craziest thing you’ve ever done:  Aside from regularly crashing into other cameras and lights during live newscasts, I’ve come close to mowing down a few anchors while they’re walking in the studio.  On a sour note, there’s a sexual harrassment suit pending against me.  Biatches. 

Fantasy girl:  Annie Leibovitz

Favorite food:  “If you thought film, you are such a stereotypical thinker!”

What might people be surprised to learn about you?  “I have tried and tried to get  the production department to implement Feng Shui in the studio.  C’mon, guys!  If the news set faced east, don’t you think ratings would improve?”

Fav saying:  “What I see is what you get!

Goals:  “I’ve always wanted to venture outside the studio and do a National Georgraphic shoot on the procreation of wombats.”

Is scarification sexy? Some anthropologists say scars signal resistance to infection and the wimp factor. More recent studies show that in tribal cultures, scars signal group commitment.  A University of Connecticut anthropologist looked at the intensity of male rituals in warring cultures and found the marks imply more of a sign of collective action.

Got scars?

“I almost ran into a nun.  Is that an immediate ticket to Hell?”  –Ron Thoma 05-10-08

“Everyday is Mardi Gras in my world.”  –Trish Williford 05-13-08

“You could bring a dead fish in here and we’ll encode it.”  –Randy Bain 05-16-08

“You’d think you could get a decent picture of an armadillo having sex without porn sites popping up.”  –J.J. Lewis 05-11-08

“Did you have to pay your friends to buy your lunch?”  –Clay Kirby 05-16-08

Ever look up an ailment or two on the internet and scare yourself into oblivion? 

It was a dark and stormy night… 

More than six inches of rain was dumped on the Shreveport-Bossier area in less than two hours last night, catching hundreds of motorists off guard.  I pulled over into a parking lot and did a live phone report for the 10 p.m. news from the Broadmoor area.   I was stranded.

With help from a Chuck Norris-like boyfriend (an off-duty firefighter/EMT), who was able to roundhouse kick the floodwaters into oblivion and pick me up in a truck, I left my car in the parking lot and headed out with my video camera.  See above.

We then picked up a girl on Pennsylvania who was stuck in a driveway and took her home. 

When we got back to the station (typical well-oiled machine chaos–reporters, editors, producers, photogs…gettin’ it done), The Boyfriend took Rob Brennan and Gerry May out in his truck for more news coverage while I helped write scripts and get video on our website.

Our crews worked through the night, as did first responders, reacting to incident after incident.  Back at it again today.  

   

Can you honestly list here your top five most recent Google searches?  Yeah, it takes courage to list them and invites many questions.   Truth or Dare?  I’ll take both!  Whatchu got?     

Armadillo claws

Armadillo paws

Cavanaugh Center

Spanish

YouTube

Job Title: Technical Director at KTBS 3

Hometown:  Haughton, LA

“I love playing all sports.  Golf, football, baseball, basketball.  I play basketball the most but I’ve never been very good.  I like to play any sport.”

Favorite thing about your job:  “I like being in control and always having something new to do.  I never really know what to expect until I get to work.  I also like a fast-paced environment, although it seems to be slowing down, or maybe I’m just getting faster.” 

Your inspiration:  “First of all I say Jesus..But also my mom, dad and especially my brother.” 

Your family: Dad–Terry, Mom–Vicki, Brother–Shawn…And the 18 year old blind, deaf, toothless dog Kato.

Anything people might be surprised to learn about you: “I am deathly afraid of spiders.  I once burned a pair of shoes with a blow torch because a spider had made a nest in them.”

Favorite food:  “I’m a fan of all food, but my favorite would have to be Mexican.”

Favorite saying:  “Second place is the first loser.”  (I obviously hate to lose at anything)“My biggest challege was trying to learn spanish.  I took three semesters of it and still can’t say or read a sentence.  It’s complete gibberish to me.  It’s a shame because I would really like to be able to speak a second language.”

Fantasy job:  “I think owning a catamaran in Hawaii that takes tourists out snorkeling every morning would be the perfect job.  I think I would work about 5 hours each day and spend the rest of the day lying around relaxing.  Then I would make Sparky clean my boat.”

Music: Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, The Eagles, The Beatles.  This is about all I ever listen to in my iPod.

Suzie Talley, Darlene Talley, Bonnie Talley, Billie O’Connor, Dee Talley, Sally Stockton, Joan Talley, Shelby Stockton Lamm, Trenada Bethune, Sonja Bailes, Krysti Burleson, Angie Day, Allison Tennehill, Nellie Johnson, Viki Fentress, Colleen Spillane, Pam Elder, Nya Ealy, Sherri Collier, Ruth Baker, Darlene Warner, Peggy Robertson, Amy Fultz, Lisa Wellborn, Tina Jinks, Lisa Wells, Mary Thoma, Celeste Lewis, Alice Normand, Laura Smith, Sue Sieck, Melissa Parkerson, Sandra Haynes, Sherri Swartz, Karen Gordon, Peggy Heacock, Lisa Hargrove, Ann Landry, Kathy Lamb, Susan Kirton, Susan Long, Laura Nanda, Sherri Lorraine, Karen Muscutt, Dorothy Long, Katherine Pettitt, Paula Rembert, Sue Smith, Paula Slack, Lucie Thornton, Kendra Wagnon, Renee Whitler, Kimberly Pizzaro, Virginia Shehee, Cheryl Sirven, Donna Buford, Judy O. Williams, Nancy Wilburn, Aly Fletcher, Lauren Ostendorf, Nancy Cotter, Cheryl May, Wendy Gayle, Joan Mack, Krysty O’Quinn, Linda Bunce, Cindy Holman, Gail McCulloch, Janice Harville, Amanda Webb, Mickie Cowan, Lou Adams, Kim Bray, Susan Allbritton, Annie Reese, Anissa Day, Dena Horne, Cindy Baswell