Do we give up too easily?

Courtesy: TV Fanatic

You've probably heard by now The Playboy Club got cancelled after just three short episodes. So sad! I was bummed when I heard the news, knowing how many good Chicago people were employed by the show.

What I was also bothered by is how quickly networks pull the plug on shows before really even giving them a chance. Three episodes, really? That's it? Have you ever gone back and watched the first few episodes of Sex and the City or Friends? They're certainly not fabulous yet, and the actors look sort of awkward or uncomfortable.

It seems like that's how we're becoming as a society...we need things to be instantly amazing, or else we're done with it. Before we're so quick to judge...I think we all need to remember how we were in the beginning. For example...

One of my first live shots in television news, I was so nervous, I even wrote my own name down on my notepad, fearing I would forget the basics for the sheer terror of being live. I was covering an attempted prison outbreak, and the blaring sirens in the background certainly weren't helping my nerves. During my live shot, I started saying the suspect's name, but to my horror, I couldn't remember it. I looked down at my notepad, but it was a blur of ink. I kept waiting for the graphics operator to pull up the suspect's mug shot with his name, but each time I said, "Let's take a look at the suspect," nothing happened.

So finally, without knowing what else what to do, I said, "I'm sorry, I can't remember the suspect's name."

I was humiliated and the live shot was just plain awkward. Thank goodness my news director wasn't like NBC, and decided to give me another shot.

Or how about the time I was learning how to drive a stick shift? My mom and I were coming up to a stoplight at about 40 miles per hour when the light turned yellow, and I panicked and slammed on the brakes. It became very obvious that if we came to a complete stop, it would be in the middle of the intersection, so my mom yelled, "Just keep going!" My nerves were rattled, so instead of putting the gear into 3rd since we were still going about 20-30 mph, I instead put it into 1st. We jumped, skidded and I'm sure, looked like total idiots. Thank goodness my mom decided not to take away my driver's license that day, deciding she'd give me another chance.

How about you? Do you remember the first time you did something? Perhaps you got a skinned knee while riding a bike? Or while trying your hand at playing hairdresser, you gave your Barbie a buzz cut? We're not always brilliant at first, but luckily we have people who don't give up on us so easily.

Now, do you get it network TV?

What a weekend!

Wow, what an unbelievable weekend in Chicago! On Saturday, the sky was as blue as Lake Michigan, and the leaves were vibrant yellows and greens. (Yes, God is just teasing us before he sends months of gray skies and piles of snow to us).

My pops was in town for a visit, so we decided to walk to Navy Pier to check out Oktoberfest. What we didn't expect to find was some beautiful colors from flowers and trees on our walk there, so I took a ton of pictures. Here's a collection of some of the ones I thought turned out the best, so enjoy!

The Secret of My Success

Courtesy: CDC

As a kid, I loved watching movies that showed the daily grind in big cities. Movies like "The Secret of My Success" with Michael J. Fox, where everyone on the crowded street walked in perfect harmony despite all the people and taxis whizzing by. All the women looked smart and beautiful, and I knew I wanted to be just like them someday.

So, here I am...living in Chicago and now taking part in the daily grind, and instead of feeling smart and beautiful, I've never felt more frazzled, crowded, rain-drenched and confused. I'm here to tell ya..the daily commute is so. not. glamorous.

Why didn't the movies show the bleeding blisters? The soaking wet girl who forgot her umbrella? Or the girl who always seems to get on the wrong train. (3 times now. Seriously, why is it so complicated? You go to the brown line stop, you expect you're getting on the brown line train, right? Nope, they throw in a purple line train just to confuse you. Although I did enjoy my long, scenic journey around the Chicago loop. The entire loop.)

What I've learned is that the daily commute is a fine science. You have to be alert, on your game and act very much like a defensive driver. For example, when you walk around the corner of a building, you need to make sure someone isn't coming around at the same time, or you'll smack into each other. You have to get around the slow people on the sidewalk, making sure you don't step in the street, because a cabbie or bus could hit you. You have to look both ways before crossing at a green light, just to make sure a crazy cabbie isn't running a red light. And while waiting to cross the street, you have to make sure your toes aren't too close to the edge, because they could easily get run over.

In terms of public trans, you have to have stamina to run up two flights of stairs when you hear your train coming and you don't want to miss it. You have to make sure you keep your train card in a pocket, so you don't have to fumble through your bag while people are waiting behind you. When the train is full, you have to quickly decide if you'll wait for the next one, or lunge your body onto this one, hoping you can fit.

I don't remember Michael J. Fox giving me a heads up on any of these things.

What I can also say is I have a new found respect for all the men and women in this country who work for 9 hours a day, and spend another 2-4 commuting. Their whole day is either working or trying to work. And from what I've seen, they look pretty darn good doing it.

The Playboy Club Premiere!

I know, I know, you're probably getting sick of me talking about it, but I just need to milk my 15 minutes of fame a little longer. (Or really my 5 seconds of fame, but who's counting?)

I asked (forced) friends and family around the country last night to watch "The Playboy Club" on NBC because Mike and I were extras when they filmed the pilot here in March. Since that time, I've been watching extras in movies and TV shows and I've noticed two things: they are almost always blurry or you just see their bodies and no heads, so I didn't have high hopes of seeing us when the show aired. I feared I cut off 7 inches of hair just to be a blurry streak behind the gorgeous Amber Heard.

To my pleasant surprise, about 2 minutes into the premiere, there I was! (Terrible teased hairdo and all.) Did you see it? If not, no worries, I grabbed some pics from online.

1st pic: That's me on the lower right, and yes, the super hot Eddie Cibrian is right behind me. Look, he's checking me out! I can totally tell.

2nd pic: Because I sense Eddie is checking me out, I decide to start writing him a love note on my "Playboy Club" cocktail napkin. 

"Dear Eddie, I know I'm just an extra, but I think we can make this work..."

3rd pic: Here, I've closed my eyes and I'm thinking about Eddie and me walking hand in hand on the beach in Bora Bora. I'm also figuring out how we can break it to LeAnn and Mike gently. 

All-in-all, working on this show was a great experience.  I learned even if you're just an extra and only on screen for a hot second, people think it's pretty darn cool.

Football Horror

In my 1+ year of marriage, I've realized there is one thing that is testing our relationship more than any other: we only have one television set.

Can you believe it? All of you reading this in smaller towns across America are probably spitting your drink out right now for the sheer horror/humor of it. You probably have 5+ TV's in your 4+ bedroom home, so you can easily watch Real Housewives of Beverly Hills while your husband watches ESPN Sportscenter. But for all of us living in small one bedroom Chicago apartments, we have to agree on what to watch 365 days a year. It ain't pretty.

Last night, Mike looked at me with a smile on his face and glee in his eyes, and said, "Are you pumped to watch football tonight?"

Um, what? It's Thursday night. I thought I escaped that torture until the weekend.

Nope, come to find out, there's football on nearly everyday of the week during season. I'm not just playing dumb, I truly had no idea. He told me with college football, there are some Thursday night games, Friday night games and Saturday games (all day.) For the NFL, there are games all day Sunday, Sunday night, Monday night, and after college football is over, the occasional Thursday night game.

Um, what?

So what you're telling me is that I only have Tuesdays and Wednesdays for RHOBH, RHONY, The Bachelor, Dancing With the Stars, Extra, Access Hollywood, Jersey Shore and any of the other can't miss shows? I don't think it's possible.

I responded with, "Do you realize I'd be perfectly fine if I never watched another football game in my entire life?" He looked shocked and sad, and I realized it's best I saved that nugget of information until after he put a ring on it.

I said, "Look at it this way. You'd die happy if you never had to step inside a multi-floor Macy's ever again."

I think he gets it now.

September 11, 2001--We Will Never Forget

Courtesy:agilescout.com

10 years ago today, I was working at my first job out of college, as a master control operator at the CBS station in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I was in charge of running all the programming and commercials. Since we were 2 hours behind New York City, we were taking a delayed version of The Early Show. For some reason, I turned around and saw the live feed, showing that the first plane had hit the twin towers. I figured it was big, so I switched to a live feed just before the second plane hit.

Because of my job, I ended up watching all 9/11 coverage for 8 hours a day for several weeks. I cried every day, I even stopped wearing make-up, because it ended up running down my face anyway. I heard stories of the families missing a loved one, children who lost their parents, and husbands and wives who called their spouse one last time to say goodbye. It was brutal. I truly believe I left a big part of my innocence in that control room in 2001, realizing for the first time no day is a guarantee and there are some really bad people out there.

10 years later, it still feels so raw, I'm even crying as I write this. But I want to take a moment to thank all the heroes who emerged that day, who without even a second thought, helped save lives.

To Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett, Jeramy Glick and the other heroes on Flight 93, we thank you. With the words "Let's Roll", you fought back and kept the plane from hitting perhaps the U.S. Capitol or The White House. Your bravery and sacrifices likely saved thousands of lives. (Click here to watch a really great story on Mark Bingham.)

To Rick Rescorla, a security worker who helped 2,700 people escape despite being told to stay put, we thank you. You ran back in to save more people when the south tower collapsed. Your sacrifices will not be forgotten.

To the countless number of police officers and firefighters who ran into the burning buildings without a moment's hesitation, we thank you.

9/11 did not break us. It has made us stronger and showed what humanity at its finest looks like. We will never forget.




Ew, shots?

I'm getting ready to start grad school in a couple of weeks, and today I came to two horrific realizations: I've already spent thousands of dollars and have nothing to show for it, and before I start classes, I have to get a ton of shots. Are you kidding me?

Yep, I guess in case I go nuts and start biting people, they need to be protected, therefore, I have to get a tetanus shot. (Side note: I actually did get bitten in kindergarten, but I'm guessing grad students have more mature ways of communicating.) I had my tetanus/diphtheria booster in 1995, but they only last 10 years. Dang.

I also had chicken pox as a kid, probably around 1984, but considering my former family doctor is retired, (probably in Florida probably playing golf right now), I really don't have a way of proving it. (Plus, I don't think I even went to the doctor because what's he going to do other than give me calamine lotion?) I have a small scar on my belly, so I wonder if that will prove it?

I also have to prove I've never had tuberculosis. Considering I pass out nearly every time I get needles, I'm hoping I don't have to have blood work for this one.

Who knew going back-to-school was so intense? I feel like I should be waved from all of this because I'm super health conscious. I think they should know I never touch the bars in the El train and I always use hand sanitizers before I eat. Oh, and at the gym, I always move away from the person coughing on the treadmill (and give them a dirty look.) This makes me healthy, right?