So, I’m in the ER today in a hospital gown and a male nurse says to me, “Hey!  You doing the Firecracker 5K in the morning?”  I paused and said, “I might sit this one out…you know, since I’m here and all..you know, like, right now and stuff…and all.”  I didn’t know how to respond, so in my search for the right words, somehow I came out with Valley Girl lingo.  But who can fault the guy for asking a question to which the answer is obvious…This guy rides his bike to work!  He can do no wrong. 

Anyway, this is an awesome race/run/healthwalk!  All the proceeds go toward the American Cancer Society.  It’s become such a cool tradition here.  Some 3500 people show up and crowd the streets of South Highlands.  Sportspectrum’s goal:  more than 4,000 participants tomorrow!

The details:  It starts at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot of Mall St. Vincent.  If you aren’t already registered, it’ll cost you $20.  Great t-shirt, great post-race party, great cause!  For more details, go to www.sportspectrumusa.com.  

Got peeps in town?  Get ‘em up early and go meet your neighbors. 

KTBS 3 Meteorologist Joe Haynes came in 17th last year!  The first 100 males and first 60 females get cool beer mugs.  I have two in my freezer from previous races.  This is an event that’s fun to watch, run or walk. 

Happy 4th of July!

    

KTBS 3’s Rob Brennan did this awesome story on Casey.  It aired last night.   That’s fine if you want to stop watching before you get to the part where Casey talks about me being older than dirt.    

Casey Allen

Harassment is still ensuing when I ride my bike to work.  Morning Guy Ed Walsh thought it would be funny to put a big basket on my bike so I would be ready to do laundry down by the river in Indonesia. 

I know.  I know.  The panniers (or saddlebags, as you people like to call them) are not my style and very noticable.  More safety, Dude.  And this is not about fashion!  It’s total function.   But, I may give in to peer pressure and get different ones because even Chris Redford said they just weren’t right. 

I’m getting the hang of this now.  I’ve invaded Fletch’s clothes closet for space to put extra clothing.  I’d love to hear what you like/dislike about commuting to work on your bike.  Me:  When I run, I can tell my legs are getting stronger from biking.  When I take off for work, I feel so free.  It’s a great way to start and finish the work day.     

I’ll be keeping a total soon of how much $ I’m saving by doing this.   Anyone have employers who are making it easier for you to commute (providing a place to put your bike, offering shower facilities)?    

Okay, fine!  I try and try to be the first to throw breaking news at you.  Nothing.  You don’t care.  I thought I might have been the first to tell you there was a recall petition against Governor Jindal.  Oh, but no!  You don’t want serious news here, do you?  It’s all bottled up inside me and you’re just sayin’…”No thanks…take it somewhere else, anchorgirl.”   What do I get?  A big fat “0″ in the big orange comment box.  Oh, that makes me feel great going into the weekend after a stressful week of reporting, anchoring and commuting to work on my bicycle (and being harrassed for it all the way).   

I will never jeopardize my news credibility to interest you.  I want you to know that. 

Oh, this giant bra landed on an ArkLaTex interstate this afternoon.  Three people were injured, but they reportedly said they didn’t mind. 

Let’s face it.  If we’re going to go green (not Louisiana lawmaker green), we’re going to need to change the way we dress.  I’m about to start taking my bike to work regularly (more on that later).   Think about it…100-degrees, humidity galore, working up a sweat.  Something has to give on the fashion front.  I’ll call it “Business A-Tire”.  Or not. 

Anyway, want to know what I think?  The Businessbib is nothing but a front, not to mention goofy.  Why pretend?  Can’t we make it more acceptable to dress a tad more casual to be practical for our lifestyles?   

What if, when I start biking to work, I didn’t wear a blazer on the set?  Would you be offended?  Would you care?  Would you deem me any less credible?  There are some OCD types who get upset when an anchor’s hair part changes to the other side. 

More later on the dress aspects and other details of communting to work in a more environmentally conscious way.     

Me to my son:  “Casey, look!  It’s a cardinal.”

Casey:  “Mom, that’s not a cardinal.  That’s the pope.” 

Anyway, this is one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen.  The pope, pictured on the left, gets food from the feeder in my backyard.  Then, he flies down to his girlfriend, pictured on the right, and feeds it to her. 

I know they’re girlfriend and boyfriend because Louisiana has not yet passed legislation to recognize holy matrimony between cardinals.  It probably has something to do with the whole clergy thing.

I need to watch stuff like this since returning to work after vacation abruptly reinstated stress in my life.   

Seems everytime I go somewhere with Jody, we’re always accidentally pulling out TV equipment from our purses.  The other day, I realized I’d lifted a wireless mic wind screen from an earlier shoot.  The day before, an entire wireless mic setup.  Yikes.  I made a phone call on that one.  Jody recently whipped out, not one or two, but three IFBs (ear pieces) instead of her keys when rummaging through her purse.   While it seems funny to find these electronic devices in our purses, the producer, director and others were not amused when the same equipment wouldn’t work tonight and I couldn’t hear anything on the set during the news.   Oops.   

Oh, sure, you want to see white sands and drinks with umbrellas.  I might have, too.  Until The Boyfriend offered to recruit some friends and build me a screened-in porch.  Here you go.