Give me Gills
I never wanted to, not because I hated flying or heights or nausea, (I’ve been known to endure some of the harshest roller-coasters) it was because I didn’t want to breathe from a tank. The thought of a contained air supply and being trapped in a space surrounded by an airless environment of death just didn’t suit me. I also never wanted to scuba-dive.
That is, until I did it…
The station’s chief photographer Zach convinced me to try scuba-diving lessons.
For the past 3 weeks we’ve been learning how to use dive tables and practicing in pools, and it all reached a culmination this weekend when we finally got to put our tanks on our backs, (over 30 pounds worth with 20 pounds of weights,) and dive into the open-water of Morrison Springs.
The second I opened my eyes, after recovering from the physical and psychological shock at the low water temperature, I took a look around at the fish and the clear water and inhaled. From the first breath I took underwater I was in love. All of the fear of suffocation and claustrophobia melted away into a sea… or in this case spring… full of beauty and exploration.
The fish weren’t even afraid, more curious at this underwater being staring back at them, breathing, and almost as surprised as they were to see it.
After my next dive I’ll be a certified diver. Maybe then I’ll contact NASA.
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Living Without
It’s that time again… time for sweeps. November is coming up, so before we go on book, some of us reporters (myself, Megan, and Bree included) are doing sweeps pieces in October.
While many pieces touch on hard-hitting issues like attorney fees and taxes, I lucked out (I guess you can say) with an assignment about China. It’s one country that’s been in the news a lot lately, scrutinized and criticized for toy recalls and product reports… so we thought it would be interesting to see just how much one country can impact one person. Of course, that one person was me.
Last week, I lived one entire day without anything made in China. At first, I thought it would be fairly easy, I’d be able to find substitutes for things or at least put together a decent outfit with the few American-made articles of clothing I own. But, I was wrong. I found myself running into more challenges as I tried to figure out how to do simple morning tasks like putting on my make-up, to functioning at work without being able to sit in our Chinese-made chairs.
As an International Relations minor, I’ve written several papers on globalization and listened to countless lectures about world trade and every nation’s impact on one another. But I don’t think I ever realized exactly how small the world really is, and how much nations really rely on each other every single day just to live comfortably. Speaking of which, if you’d like to see me live uncomfortably for a day, just tune into News 13 this Thursday at 6 and 10.
I know… promoting through my blog? How distasteful.
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Storm Coverage
For the past few days, while all of us at News13 have been tracking the tropical activity in the Gulf, Bree and I have been reminiscing about what brought us to Florida, and to our career in general.
The answer: storm coverage.
I know we’re interested in politics and law, and of course the beaches are unbeatable, but nothing can compare to the sense of urgency and excitement of impending weather.
Not that we’d ever want anything bad to happen, but there’s something about having to change my scripts 2 minutes before going live tonight because of weather updates, and pulling together as a team to make sure everything is covered just in case.
Today’s tropical depression was the first severe weather I’ve covered.
Bree finally got to do her live-shot out at the beach, and I went live with some tips on how to stay prepared.
It’s all a learning experience for me, I never paid attention to the details of pending storms-how they change from sub-tropical depressions to depressions to tropical storms and then hurricanes.
In D.C, we just take a look out the window and if it’s raining it’s raining, and if there’s a hurricane we know something’s gone completely wrong.
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About Me
I was born and raised just outside the nation's capital in northern Virginia, and recently graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a major of Broadcast Journalism and minor in International Relations. I studied abroad for a while in Italy and also traveled to Shanghai, China for a journalism class. During college I worked at CBS6 in Richmond, VA as well as FOX5 in Washington D.C. I'm glad to be in sunny Florida and look forward to making Panama City my home for the next few years...
Recent Entries:
- A Death, a Birth, and a New Year
- Difficult Times to Give Thanks
- World of Couch Potatoes
- Trying the Trolley - Day 5
- Trying the Trolley - Day 4
- Trying the Trolley - Day 2
- Trying the Trolley - Day 3
- Trying the Trolley - Day 1
- A Year-Old Newby
- Throwing a Bone
- Relay for Life a Success!
- Sometimes Too Removed
- Those Born Without Wings Should Jump Instead
- Those Born Without Wings Shouldn’t Fly
- February Sweeping me off my Feet
Other News13 Blogs:
- The Casual Historian - Larche Hardy
- Derby Girl - Enocha Van Lierop
- The Newby - Jessi Chapin
- Gainesville, Georgia's All American Girl - Tuquyen Mach
