Hey all-- it's been a few weeks since I've said hello. And what a crazy few weeks it has been. It's a rainy Sunday here in Norfolk. Since I got home from work I've been sitting on my bed listening to the rain and clearing out emails. Which can sometimes be stressful but other times, a refreshing look back at your life in electronic communication. Lucky for me, today's session falls into the latter category. The messages I unintentionally allow myself to accumulate are often telling of my mood and what's on my mind. It's the ones I keep to read later that let me know what I really want at the top of my personal agenda. This time, I found a lot of emails from a few healthy living blogs I follow semi-regularly. Both have wonderful, positive themes about living well and caring for your mind and body. More specifically, I noticed the messages that talk about taking time to be grateful for this moment-- this day in your life-- and enjoying it for the gift that it is. Whether it's taking charge of your fitness routine and fueling your body with things that will make it better, or living with intention-- controlling the urge to scroll through your Facebook feed (again) or get distracted by things that really don't matter. It's the moments we stop and really acknowledge that we are in control of our own path and our own perspective that mean the most. At the end of the day, that's all we have and a lot of what we need. I know-- easy to say, but harder to live. I think that's part of why those emails are loitering in my gmail account. With a lot of stress at work, and pressure I have allowed myself to feel, it's tough not to slip into a gridlocked state of mind. That's where my girl Maria comes in....  Photo Credit: http://tinyurl.com/7lq2f5a As I was following one blogger's advice to 'close those tabs!', I came across the youtube video of her commencement address that I've been meaning to watch. I finally did, and what a great way to spend 20 minutes. She talks about the power of the pause. That rush of humble gratitude when we look around and marvel, because no matter the list of complaints, we made it here. We have SO much. There's a lot of change coming my way in the near future. I'm excited and nervous and scared, even though 'change' is exactly what I've been wanting. I'll be moving on from a situation that isn't right for me, and diving into new challenges I'm not quite sure how to conquer. But with every moment that I spend feeling grateful for what I have, my worry about tomorrow feels lighter. Suddenly it's okay that I don't know exactly what the future holds. I don't know the details, but for now, I don't need to. I am happy to be right where I am. One last little note I want to share...I had a few friends over last night and my neighbor, Shilpa, shared a lovely Hindu saying. This is probably not exact, but it's something like: 'It is not failure that we are afraid of, but the greatness inside us.' Isn't that a great way to think?? Often we don't even know what we are capable of. And here's another of my favorites for the road...  Photo Credit: http://www.cohabitaire.com/2011/12/all-that-is-gold-does-not-glitter/
So it's been a week since I got back from vacation and I'm still recovering a bit. Lucky for you though, I'm feeling good enough to brag about my mad packing skills...
This time two weeks ago I was sitting in the same spot, dreading the coming evening that I knew would include one of my most-hated tasks: packing. It was around 12 hours until takeoff, AKA, time to get my life together.
For as long as I can remember I've been putting off the pack job until the last minute, often staying up all night, making a totally unnecessary trip to Wal-Greens for some cute travel size goodies. (Have you seen a baby Vaseline?!)
"Trolls like soft lips too!"
But it had to stop. So in preparation for my LA/New Orleans trip, I made an effort and planned ahead. Making lists has long been a hobby of mine, but actually making moves--not as easy. If you can relate, this post is for you. I wanted to share a couple other blog posts that really helped me out. Read this first-- http://zenhabits.net/kids-ultralight/Leo writes about the joys of packing ultralight. I was/am nowhere near this feat, and I'm okay with that. But it was great inspiration for the those moments when you have the urge to throw in a few extra t-shirts, or shove in a cute pair of shoes you *might have a chance to wear. (How often does that actually happen?)Here's the other post that I referred to more than once: http://www.jseverydayfashion.com/2011/11/how-to-pack.htmlThis girl knows what she's talking about. The brainstorming and layering and picking your shoes first were great tips. Both posts combined with my personal determination (and a ticking clock), enabled me to pack all the stuff I'd need for an entire week away, in a convenient little carry-on. Note: Thanks to my wonderful friend Christina for letting me borrow her suitcase. You'll remember, mine is on the sidelines for now. Probably leaning in a corner somewhere. :-|I was really happy and surprised that it didn't take any crazy folding techniques or super-sealed Ziploc bags to fit it all in. I know lots of people making moves, big and small, in the near future...if you're one of them, check out the links and let me know how it goes! Happy packing! (Yeah, right.)
Is this not the cutest thing you've EVER seen?! Meet Chance. He is a three-month-old Havanese puppy. Totally cuddly, brave and kind of like your favorite teddy bear...except he likes to jump around and make you smile. And he's one of my favorite interview subjects as of late. This little guy was thrown off a second story balcony just 10 days ago and almost died. But Friday, you could not tell at ALL. He was full of life and ready to love even though he's already been through so much at the hands of humans. Here's a link to the story: PUPPY!I've never been a huge animal lover, but in the last few years I've realized there are two categories that never fail to get attention: pets and weather. Weather is an obvious one -- it's the one story that affects ALL of us (heads up KOMU-ers, this is the answer to a Randy Reeves quiz question). But I never expect the kind of outrage and heated response we get on animal cruelty cases. We posted the story on our WVEC Facebook page and, whoa! the comments are intense, suggesting similar treatment for the suspect, as well as much harsher penalties. It's interesting to me how people have this soft spot for creatures like Chance, who suffer silently, often with no means of defense. Just a bit of a happy twist on a story that could have ended on a much different note! Much better than the homicide and horrible house fire I covered Friday night. Anyway, I hope it makes you smile on this bea Spring day. (Can you tell I'm in a cheery mood?? It's my last day before vacation! Eek!)
Happy Easter weekend everybody! Seems like a lot of the country has great weather right now, so I hope you're out enjoying it. I plan on doing the same after work with a little jog. I wish I could tell you my plan is to embark on a long joyous 7 or 8 miler that so many of my friends do with little effort on a daily basis, but it's just not...anywhere close to that...
BUT I'm trying! And someday I'll run a 1/2 marathon with my sister (I think she's on her 6th) or even a 5K or 8K for a good cause. Until then, I'll keep hobbling along, running for awhile then slowing it down to a panting pace to recover.
Here I am- sweaty and tired-- but triumphant -- after 30 minutes of pretending to be a strong and unstoppable runner. Someday.
I will say I'm super lucky because the scenery around my building is gorgeous. Especially at sunset. Really gives you no excuse not to get off the couch and enjoy it.
I took this picture in Freemason Harbor on my iPhone 4. Not the best quality because it's a bit zoomed in, and no, I don't have the latest greatest phone. But I still really like it.
Alright, time to get back to work---SO hectic the last two days thanks to a fiery jet crash in the middle of an apartment complex. I'm hoping to write about that later. Everyone here is so happy and shocked /relieved that there are no injuries. That doesn't mean the chaos has spared me from looking like this...
"The press conference has been moved to when??!!?"
Good thing I have that endorphin-inducing 'yog' to look forward to! And if that doesn't help some quality time in my personal sanctuary should do the trick. I cleaned up a few days ago so it's been nice to enjoy the uber-clean status while it lasts.
Have a happy Saturday! And if you have some stellar Red Box suggestions, send them my way.
Just got back from a great little trip back to Missouri, home of my entire family and the best ice cream ever ( Central Dairy). Lucky for me, I fit in a lot of both in the few days I was there. I couldn't believe how green everything was so early in the year! The pic above is from a spot just down the street from my house. I went for a jog and had to sneak in this view of the Missouri River. I think my dad said, "wow this is early May not late March!" about 100 times. This trip seemed to fly by especially fast, but I did get to squeeze in a few visits with some really special people. My dear friend Cody and I had AWESOME Greek food at Momos, in STL. Cheese on fire, spanakopita, gyros with blackened grouper...yes, please! The belly dancer was also an entertaining addition to the conversations that could have gone for hours. The long talks with friends and family have such a restorative quality and couldn't have come at a better time. Even now I get a sense of calm when I think back to the time on our back deck with BBQ chicken, Woodchuck cider and stimulating conversations a plenty. As usual, my parents managed to put me to work while I was there, cleaning out a shed. We made the trip to mid-Missouri to my grandparents' farm way out in the country. My grandfather died in October and it's been a long and emotional process to settle the estate. I so admire my aunt Bridget (not the dog), for caring for him the last decade and handling the last six months with grace. She also gave me a box of Thin Mints to take home so I will be forever indebted. :-D My older brother, Adam, and I managed to squeeze in a quick fishing trip. I continued my unsuccessful streak (definitely did not inherit that from my mom) but of course Ad caught a cute little bluegill. We drove to Columbia to meet up with sister Meg for dinner at Addisons-- a great way to cap off the trip! Actually the craziness wasn't completely over yet...the aiport shuttle picked me up at 4:30 Friday morning (someday I will actually get to visit on a weekend), and about 15 minutes into the trip to St. Louis, a two hour ride, I realized that my wallet was still in my sister's purse. UGH. Huge thanks to magnificent Meg for driving all the way to the airport when you no doubt had at least a dozen things on your to-do list ahead of 'waste four hours'. Two of my favorite ladies! My wonderful mom (and BBQ master!) on the left and cute Bridget the black dog on the right.
Had to post this one of my brother Adam and me bc of the little demons behind us...are they or are they not intentionally making those faces??
Ok, there's a lot of things, actually. I've got to write this rather quickly, because I'm heading to work early today. I get to cover the excitement on the Norfolk State University campus, just hours before their first ever NCAA tournament game! And it just so happens NSU is playing my beloved Alma Mater, the University of Missouri. I have not revealed to my producers that I am the proud winner of more than a few "Miss Mizzou" awards, but I'm prepared to lock it up today and only casually convey my true colors. M-I-Z!I wanted to share my story from last night, because it still has me smiling. It's not that often that we get to cover happy stories like this, so I always enjoy sharing them. I don't think it's the best one I've ever put together, but what matters is the little guy you get to meet...the happiest three-year-old ever. He's not slowed down-- for even a second-- by his cleft lip that 17 surgeries have failed to fix. This weekend, thousands of school kids in the area are running a mile to raise money for Joshua and other kids like him, via the Operation Smile organization. If you have a minute (1:26 to be exact), take a look and I bet you'll feel a big smile of your own, thanks to the story of his. And if nothing else, check out his Spiderman skills. He webbed us about a million times. :-) Here's the link: Operation SmileP.S. A big congrats to my wonderful big sister, Megan. She found out this morning that she matched at Wake-Forest University for her Internal Medicine residency. I can't wait for the road trips to see her! Go Dr. Meg!
Go Tigers!! That's my fav, Laurence Bowers, with the black pants. So sad that he got hurt, but he's such a good sport.
Happy 100th Birthday, Oreos!
Hey everyone-- Just a super quick post to say hello and hopefully make myself a little sleepy.
I'm writing (typing) from my cozy bed. It's 9:21 and I'm attempting to turn in for the night because I'm filling in for Joe Flanagan on 13 News Weekend tomorrow morning! Yay! I'm pretty excited. It will be good to be back in the anchor chair AND I get to meet a furry friend from the SPCA...hopefully we can help him/her find a home.
Update from my last post-- My sorry excuse for a carry-on will soon be shipped off to Black Paw Luggage to be repaired or replaced at no cost to me! If that doesn't make me smile I don't know what will. Now I'm just working on finding a big enough box to ship it in, so no judgement if you see me creeping outside of a Sam's Club... :-)
I also want to let everyone know I've been doing my patriot's duty this week. That is, of course, celebrating America's favorite cookie! Oreos turned 100 this week and I thought it'd be nothing short of rude if I didn't get a bag of my new favorite, 'Head or Tails' Double Stuf....AKA Golden on one side, chocolate on the other, double delicious in the middle. Yumm. I'd share, but there are three left and there's just no way I'm sharing. Please do yourself a favor and pick some up!
Alright I'm off to read more Hunger Games. Really great so far and big thanks to my little bro Matt for sending them my way.
Can you tell I'm in an Instagram phase?!
 My go-to carry-on, doing the Detroit Lean. Thanks, but no thanks. I've taken a hiatus for a few weeks because my last, completely finished post disappeared and it was a total waste of time! That was about 2 weeks ago and I'm still mad about it. Gotta let it go.Anyway! I'm writing from the assignment desk today. It's a very slow, rainy day in Hampton Roads and I'm looking forward to checking out some live music tonight at Cure. My sister is on her way to Guatemala (!!) tonight, so I'm sending good thoughts her way. I'm actually hoping that she will be the subject of my next blog post (hopefully coming this weekend!). She just got back from an incredible trip to Jamaica, seeing patients in a very rural area and exploring the countryside in her downtime. The Guatemala trip is another medical mission type adventure so I'm already excited to hear tales of mysterious lesions, spectacular snorkeling sessions and interesting encounters with the locals. Go Meg! Alright, time to go. I need to start drafting my letter of disappointment to the Black Paw luggage company...I don't think it's too much to ask for my very pricey piece of carry-on-size luggage (got it on sale) to be checked plane-side with 4 wheels, only to find it on the baggage claim belt with 3. Yes, I know TSA guys are not the most gentle but come on! The whole trip home I had to be "that guy" whose bag fell on every unsuspecting toddler every time I let go of it for a hot second. Oooh, one more story of the Gods testing my patience...Look closely at the picture of my beautiful and steadfast companion..the red Camry. Look very closely. Do you see the lovely illustration of male anatomy that some gem of a person created just for me? Awesome. I had my car detailed--yes, detailed!-- last week and proudly drove it around town all weekend, running errands that included a trip to the mall. I parked it in the garage and ran inside on my lunch break...15 minutes later I found my new friend on the window. Really?? Gotta smile at this one. I hope you do too.  True artistry. My favorite part is the practice sketch off to the right. I really appreciate the commitment to accuracy. :-/
Ok, I'm stealing an idea. I like the thought of having 12 resolutions for 2012, but I'd also like to admit I wasn't the first to think that thought. I can also say that I'm only two sentences in to a commitment of sorts and that seems like A. risky business and B. logically, just a heck of a lot to keep track of...hmm. Oh well, I'm going to go for it anyway. And I'm not even sure these are resolutions so much as overall hopes and goals which I hope to make more attainable by writing them down and telling someone...like you! :)1. Less time talking, more time doing. Not in the Chatty Cathy kind of way, but more like making moments count and completing steps that will take me closer to what I say I want. 2. Read more, finish the books I've started. My apartment is once again home to random piles of books that I have every intention to read. Some of them are now vital pieces of furniture (thank you, LSAT study guides) or cute little additions to side tables (thank you, Matty, for letting me steal your quote books), but if I haven't read them already their titles have probably made a comfortable home on my to-do list. A message to "Shoo, Jimmy Choo" and "Cannery Row"-- I WILL give you the attention you deserve this year. 3 . Go to bed early-ER. This one is tough. Here I am with a big girl job but not quite ready to let go of my college kid sleep schedule. My nana always said, 'the hours before midnight are worth the most', and 2012 is the year to find out how it feels to be rich on rest. 4. No more soda!! Another tough one. And I had a Diet Pepsi today. Damn. But I'm trying! I no longer rely on soda to start my day, nor do I plan my next fix to forgo crazy headaches. It feels SO good. 5. More time with my nearest and dearest frenemy, the treadmill. Boy, do I dislike most moments I spend with you. Gurrrll, do I love eating Ben & Jerry's Milk & Cookies. Enough said. 6. Purge the closet. Gotta get the old 8th grade stuff out and bring in the new. Why do women have such issues with this? Every time I decide I've come up with a brilliant rule (If you haven't worn it in the last year, for the love of God, give it away to someone who can use it and love it.) I randomly wear that teal v-neck under a blazer and it works just fine. Vicious cycle. 7. Keep up the journaling. I've been great about this so far. My super cute boyfriend gave me a beautiful journal from Papyrus, one of my favorite stores, so that has been extra incentive. 8. Water, water, water! Whew, that's a lot of water. But I've been working on this one and it's amazing how all those health magazines and healthy people and healthy everything who swear by absurd amounts of water are...right. :-/ You feel better, you look better, you are better. The absurd amount of bathroom visits are the only sub-par side effect. 9. Cook more at home...new recipes, more veggies. Working on this. Also want to include pics on the blogs so NO ONE will be jealous of my mad cooking skills. Maybe next year's goal can be to change that. Sigh. 10. Apply to Law School. Ahh..this one is in limbo and I'm hesitant to even include it. The jury is still out. Yes I'm aware of the looming deadlines. 11. Get on top of my finances. Not the most fun one on the list but really, really important. I've come a long way in the last year and I'm going to keep it up. For other young women out there, I highly recommend the book, mentioned above, " Shoo, Jimmy Choo". Clearly I haven't finished it yet but I love it so far. Thanks to my good Christy Millweard for telling me about it! 12. Use more minutes. This is a big one...and I'd never thought I'd say it, but I'd like to spend more time on the phone in 2012. I've never been a phone talker and I spend much of my day dialing and dialing hoping the person who picks up will be in the mood to help me. But it's an investment in my relationships with the people who matter most...and though there's often a lot of mileage between us, I want them to know I'm only a phone call away (cliche alert!). If you can relate, here's a great article that touches on the subject. Alright, I'm pretty sure that's more than anyone really wants to read about another person's resolutions, but hey, I guess that's what this thing is for. I hope you enjoy. If you've got any feedback I'd love to hear it. And if you made any resolutions, I hope they're going well. Happy New Year and thanks for reading!Emily
 Hi from Norfolk! Thanks to photog/friend, Danny Rosado for the photo. I joked that I wore this b & w sweater to symbolize my imprisonment. Kidding! :)
Merry Christmas everyone! I'm sitting at the quiet assignment desk at work. Not exactly my picture perfect Christmas but I realize it could be much worse.
Every time the self-pity starts creeping in I remind myself of all the wonderful blessings around me. I'm especially thankful for all these voices I'm idly listening to on the seven scanners here on the desk. Emergency service people work every day to keep us all safe and it really is thankless so much of the time.
I'm a little frustrated that I have once again let a month go by before another blog post. I'm not sure how it always turns out that way but I am working toward more regular updates. Since my last post I've stayed busy with work and because of that I've made an extra effort to be busy when I'm not here.
No one ever tells you how hard trying to carve out a career can be! The last few months have been especially frustrating but mini-mental vacations can make all the difference. For me that has meant getting out of town for day trips to Richmond, Williiamsburg and an AWESOME weekend trip to NYC. The 7 hour bus ride left something to be desired but we had an incredible time. (Thanks to the unbelievable Kyle Schettler for being the best tour guide and friend a girl could ask for!) I also made a quick trip home to celebrate Christmas in Missouri and my sister Meg's masters graduation. Congrats to the cutest smartie pants I know!
The trips have been great but I can't help but think how far I've come since I started this job a year ago this month. Even the things I wish I could change have been invaluable learning opportunities (so cliche, I know). So I'm taking all that with me into 2012 and leaving the bad stuff behind. I can't wait to see what happens. :)
I also can't wait for my new roomie! My sister will be living with me in the month of January while she completes a med school rotation at EVMS. My little apartment is about to feel a lot more cozy!
Thanks for reading--
erau
 NYC1: On the rocks in Central Park after a bus ride from 12-7 AM!  NYC2:Tasty margaritas w/ 2 of the loveliest ladies I know.  NYC4: Grand Central Cheesecake! |
 NYC3: A cute boy I found & convinced to hang out with me! |
 NYC5: Christmas at 30 Rock (photo credit: BJ)
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