New pictures of Miss Minnie

Miss Minnie is now about 40 pounds, so I figure she's about half the size of her adult body. She has lost a lot of her baby teeth, but she still has her fangs!

She can sit, stay, rollover, lay down, and speak. As you can tell, I'm a proud mama...

Does it Work? The Shamwow!

The Shamwow guy got arrested for beating up a prostitute (and surprisingly NOT for shamming people with the above product.) Click here to read.

In the meantime, we tested the Shamwow on KSPR. A big thanks to the Girdner brothers for helping me out!

Changes Coming to KSPR

If you've been reading my Facebook page, I've been talking about changes! The two biggest ones right now--

1) I am going to anchor the 10 p.m. news permanently, starting March 31st.

2) I am leaving the library (boo!) It is basically because of reason #1.

For the last two months, I've been working at the library in the mornings and at KSPR at night. It started getting really hard a couple of weeks ago. Now that my KSPR sked is permanent, I have to adjust accordingly.

Let me just say, I am really going to miss working at the Park Central Library! I have worked there for more than a year now! It is such an awesome place that's staffed by even cooler people. In fact, if I didn't like my job at KSPR so much, I would consider working in the library district. I tell everyone to utilize the library... and perhaps, look there for job opportunities! I will really miss Aleah, Alan, Grace, Greg, Jordan and Cory... but I hope this means we will hang out more during our free time. (I will even miss some of our crazy library experiences-- and with the summer coming, there will be many...Dang!)

As for the KSPR side, Christine will come back and anchor the early evening shows with Joe--that means 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. The station has yet to officially announce the Saturday evening anchor.

I will continue anchoring Sunday through Thursday evenings. Chief meteorologist Kevin Lighty and I have the same schedule. I really like working Sunday nights, so I am glad I can still continue to do that.

Anyway, I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity, though Jim always says we make our own luck. However, I hope it will work out for the best, and that people won't be too harsh on me. Christine and Joe are great together on air... they should be, since they're married (!)... but I obviously, can't replicate that. (insert joke, here.)

Our news director, Brad Belote, took some pictures of us while we were shooting our news opens yesterday... they're not really great of me, but for historical purposes, they'll do. :)

Check out the cinderblock! The cinderblock rocks!

Click here to follow me on Twitter!

Korean BBQ

I'm having a Korean BBQ this week. And I'm so excited about what we're serving... I think I'm going to try to make mung beans on Friday, too. These are so delicious! My favorite thing to order when I go to Soo's!

The Steam Cleaner is a Scream!

Thanks to Grace for her help. She was awesome! The story is a scream!

Click here to see the story!

Minnie, the shoe eater

It is my fault, but Minnie has now destroyed at least five pairs of my shoes. The latest casualty is my favorite pair of Merrells...that I wear at least once a day.

Jim basically found them half-eaten on the kitchen floor yesterday. I left them there because I came home from a board meeting, showered and got ready for my day at KSPR, and then rushed out the door. In all of the chaos, I left my dear, sweet Merrells in the kitchen, where Miss Minnie stays when we're at work. (Her kennel is in there, but this way she can run around a bit.)

Jim gets home earlier than I do. He found them and called me to essentially "tell me so."

ARGH.

By the way, I'm wearing the shoes today, and I don't care. Yeah, I'm WT. Wait, AT.

KSPR Streams Live!

I am so excited about this.

KSPR is the only station in the Ozarks that streams its newscasts live.

If we're on the air, we'll be streamling live on the web.

I think it's especially important during severe weather-- let's say you're at the library, and you have to take shelter in the back hallway... the staffers can turn on the laptop and watch it LIVE.

I was at Borders during bad weather... they didn't have a TV. They had to use the internet... they were tracking another station, and all they had up was a still shot of the radar. This is so much better!

When it's not streaming live, our channel will show the radar with the National Weather Service updates... you can also watch Storm Stories and other KSPR related material.

If we have bad weather, I'll try to put up the channel on the blog. I wanted to embed it here permanently, but I felt it weighted down the site. Maybe I'll try again another day.

St. Patrick's Day Parade!

I had a blast being a judge for the St. Patrick's Day parade! The floats were great--I wish I had taken more pictures!

Jugglers whizzing stuff too close to my head.

I took a few before the parade started, but once everyone started moving, I didn't have time. Plus, it started raining, so I kept my camera in a nice, dry place.

I love this: The big winners of the St. Paddy's Day parade were from a Mexican Club

and a gay support group.

How awesome!

Does It Work? Smooth Away!

Wow! Another big thank you to our tester Tammy Kirks! She faced the challenge of the Smooth Away...

You know, this is not journalism at its best or anything, but I LOVE THIS STORY. In fact, I think I'll keep it as one of my fave features.

Click here to see Tammy wax on and wax off! Ha!!!

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If you write for broadcast or appreciate writing, I like this story because we really have some great characters...and I think good moments. If you notice the reporter track, it's pretty light. And for those editors out there-- it's kind of hard to weave in nats and reporter track on two audio channels with a BETA deck... and I did a lot of backtiming to get the timing down right. I think it's easy to get lost in the story...and that's the trick, right?

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Anyway, keep your suggestions coming... what should I test next?? Let me know!

Does it Work? Mighty Mendit!

Hey, I just wanted to say a big thank you to fellow blogger, Anne Brown, who volunteered to test out the MIGHTY MENDIT!!

You can see her story here: http://www.kspr.com/news/local/40904887.html


Mighty Mendit is the product that promises to fix just about anything that would normally require a sewing machine.


Tune in to KSPR News at 10 tonight to see if the Smooth Away works!




DO YOU WANT TO SEE IF SOMETHING WORKS? LET ME KNOW!

Going to California...

I'm finally going to California to visit my birth aunt. The vacation was approved, the airline tickets are booked, and the house is rented.

Now what?

If anyone has any tips on how to get around San Francisco, let me know. My friend, Alan, lived there several years ago, and he's been a hoot...

Now that I think of it, I know three people from three different stations who work in SF... but 2 out of 3 are professional contacts, so probably not going to hit them up for tourist tips. Hmmm...

Anyway, I'm so excited to meet my biological aunt and uncle. She is the sister of my biological mother. I really wish my mom was going with me, but I think this is a good trip for my new hubby. This international adoption stuff is new to him... and I think this trip is a good intro for him, especially since we have plans on visiting Korea this year. Wow!!

In the meantime, if you have any thoughts, let me know.

I told you, I'm already finding out interesting things from them... like, my Korean grandfather having a concubine and stuff. It's a real blessing to have this connection! I am happy.

Health Test: I need lipo.

It's that time of year at work when employees have to take a health risk analysis.

Let's just say, last year I looked like I was going to die (on paper, at least.) But this year... I did, well...better.

Last year, my health related age was 30. This year, it was 28. I lost two years!! Woo hoo!

For the first time in a long time, my BMI is considered "normal"... though I hate that anyway. I mean, it's easy to by 5'0" and look obese on the record!

Anyway, I apparently still have high cholesterol and my triglyceride levels are also high. However, the numbers went down from last year. And I have high levels of good cholesterol, so the ratio is considered good. Oh, and I improved in practically every category from last year!

Here's what I don't like: With my height, a normal weight could be as low as 102 pounds. HUH?! Maybe I should try lipo... because that's the only way I'm going to get that small. What do you think?!

Paper Dolls: Dressed up!

I just had a wonderful night hosting Oscar Night America at the Gillioz Theatre! This year the Junior League raised more than $100,000 for Isabel's House, the crisis nursery of the Ozarks.

We had such a blast!

But I want to tell you about a new business called Paper Dolls--they let me borrow one of their dresses for the event.

It's such a cool concept. Kim and Hilary will get your size(s), come to your house with a dozen or so dresses, and then help you pick one! I think this would be a great party idea!

Kim and Hilary

I think it would be fun if a bunch of girls got together and threw a dress party. Just my thought! Especially if you are a part of a group that has an upcoming function... or, if you're like me, and just want someone to come over and tell you what looks good on you!

Anyway, thanks to Kim and Hilary! I had such a blast in your beautiful dress!

My Scooter!

Ode to Thuy, her dog Cosmo, and her former Malaguti.

I flipped the switch.
I've gone totally Asian.
I bought a scooter!

I bought the scooter from my friend, Thuy, who is moving away from Springfield to find peace and happiness in a much higher altitude. (I'll let you tell her where she's moving.)

Anyway, I feel guilty because it is such a sweet ride...

but all of my friends joke about my Asian-ness coming out on the scooter! ha~

It's a Malaguti Yesterday, which is an Italian-made scooter.

It is no longer imported to the U.S., but it has a great reputation.

I'm thrilled to own it.

It is 49 ccs, and it can fit two people on it!

Jim and I took it to the Bears game on Valentine's Day.

Thuy has such a dynamic personality. She put bumper stickers on it like "scooter trash" and "bite me"...

and her helmet she passed on to me has a big eagle on it with stickers like "Ain't Nobody's Old Lady."

Love it! I'm keeping it all!
Now the challenge is to find an equally cool helmet for Jimbo.

So far, I've driven it to work twice!

It has a one-gallon tank.
It cost $1.59 to fill up.
Talk about going green!

And, Mom, in case you're reading...

I'm really safe on it, and I only take it on side roads.

This Really Happened: "I Don't Like Orientals or Blacks"

This really happened, Thursday evening in the newsroom (with little to no interpretation):

"Ring ring"

KSPR Producer: "KSPR News"

Guy: "blah blah...That weather guy you've got is top notch... blah blah... There are too many Orientals and blacks on TV...blah blah...and I really hate women giving the news. But that Oriental lady you have on now--I can understand everything she says."

KSPR Producer: "Thanks for calling."

I think that was supposed to be a compliment??

My producer was upset when he told me this...but I thought it was kind of funny. I joked, "Next time someone says something like that, tell them they better watch it or I'll come to their house and karate chop them... and then eat their dog."

Korean Word of the Day

I've added a new gadget on here:



I just thought it was nice.

Adoption Story # 546

So, I have a biological aunt who lives in California. She is super sweet, and I call her IMO. (ee-moh, which is what you call your mother's sister in Korea.)

Anyway, I was talking to her (and my Uncle Stacy) today, and guess what I found out? I have a half-uncle, who is the son of a concubine.

What?

I didn't ask a lot of questions, but apparently, my Korean mother's father had a concubine. He had a son with this concubine, and then my Korean grandmother raised him.

How weird is that?

I don't know why I'm so fascinated by this, but I am.

TOUCHed

The title of this post sounds racy, but really, I'm just excited about Touch Restaurant.

I never go on the south side of town because I don't live there. Plus, I always feel a little like I'm in cougar country. Sorry if that's offensive to anyone. It's not meant to be. I am just intimidated by some of the south side cougars.

Anyhoo...

My friend Megahn is in town, and she wanted to eat somewhere local... we were downtown for Artwalk, and we thought about going to Bijan's. However, she had been to Bijan's before. So, I said, "Why not go to Touch?" After all, former Bijan's owner, Mike Jalili, now owns Touch.

Anyway, Touch had great drink specials-- half off wine and martinis.

It also had a great happy hour menu (which we did not order from, but it looked good.)

But we were super-pleased with the sunset dinner menu.

We had a 3-course dinner for $15.95! I ordered the lobster bisque, the beef medallions, and creme brulee.

Megahn ordered hummus, chicken kabobs, and the flourless chocolate cake.

It was delicious. I even ordered something for Jim (who was at home, salivating through his text messages.)

We had such a great time, and I really enjoyed it. I've been to Touch before, but the first experience was horrible, and the second was just okay. I guess the third time's the charm.

**I AM LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEER TESTERS**

I am working on a series of stories, but I need someone to test out some products. Any takers? You may get a cleaner house, those jeans patched, your unwanted hair removed, and your car clean in the process.

The catch? You have to test them out and then let me interview you.

If you're interested, email me: msherwood@kspr.com

It's going to be fun!

Minnie vs. The Stairs