"Snowmageddon" Hits the Nation's Capital

WASHINGTON, D.C.- By now, I'm sure you've all heard about the BLIZZARD currently moving through the East Coast. The snow was more than knee-deep as I was shoveling this morning and it is predicted to keep falling until late tonight. Even though I grew up in a snowy climate, I have never seen anything quite like this.

I remember once when I was in sixth grade it snowed a few feet of snow and school was cancelled. That was the first and only time that ever happened growing up. So, it's not like I haven't ever seen this much snow before... it's more the response to all the snow and the region's reaction to it that is most amusing. Take this scene for instance:

In preparation for the big snowstorm, (which the news just called a "monstrosity") my roommate and I headed to the grocery store, only to find half of the community, many bare shelves and long lines running all the way down the aisles. We waited in line for more than an hour to buy our food.... It was amusing to say the least. Airports also had already begun to cancel flights, all before even a snowflake fell. And then there's scenes like this:

Amy and I were both ordered to work from home on Friday, even though the snow hadn't even started falling yet. So, we decided to make the most of our "teleworking" and hit up the gym. Afterward we decided to go look at some of the shops nearby. But... that idea was quickly shut down (pun intended). The snow was just barely beginning to fall and the "closed" signs were already up, lights off, shops desolate... not an employee in sight. Laughter ensued. And more amusement followed, when we woke up to this today... and spent hours digging ourselves out.

Yes, no matter where you grew up, more than two feet of snow was a lot to fall in 24 hours. It helps to think that next weekend, for my birthday, I will be enjoying sunny Florida beaches here:

...that is, if the airport doesn't close down again. More snow is scheduled again for next weekend. So, unless I can dig my car out of this mess sometime soon, it looks like I'm stuck for awhile.

Yes, that is my car. Where, you ask? Look closer, it's there.

Winter Wonderland on the Way to Work

WASHINGTON, DC- It snowed. Again. As much as I hate the white stuff it sure looked pretty on my commute to work this morning.

If you look closely you can see the Washington Monument and top of the Jefferson Memorial drapped in white.

And now I'm ready for it to melt.

The Adventures of Babysitting

WASHINGTON, D.C. - My cute, little nephew James experienced his first adventures in babysitting this weekend. It was also his first time to D.C.  I think it's safe to say he had a good time with Amy and I. 

He got in a few naps:

Had some visitors:

Enjoyed some good meals.

And it was all smiles while we video chat with his uncle and aunt in Sweden.

Word on the street says he was a little fussy today. I think he just misses his aunts. 

Thoughts on Haiti

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Everyone who knows me knows how much of a news junkie I am. So, you can only imagine that I've been completely glued to the TV watching the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake. After watching it for two days straight, I still stayed up until 12:30 last night watching clips on the internet. I just can't get enough of those heart-wrenching stories and pictures.

It is horrific to watch the poor people of Haiti dig themselves out of such a mess, only to uncover their family members and friends who have died from the collapsing buildings, or who have been injured and unable to be cared for because their hospitals no longer exist.

It's times like these that I really miss being a reporter. I watch the reporters covering the amazing and devastating stories of the aftermath, and I crave to be the one finding and telling those incredible stories. I imagine with how many people who have been affected, it wouldn't take but a second to find some pretty miraculous stories to tell.

Reporters are more or less trained to leave their emotions at home, develop thick skin, and not to get emotionally involved in stories, otherwise their jobs would leave them complete emotional wrecks in a matter of minutes, all the time, especially in this day and age. To some reporters it is easy to act like stone when the only stories they cover are devastation after devastation. The stories that are the most tragic are the ones that lead the newscast and make the headlines... the bigger the tragedy, the bigger the headline and the better the ratings. Sadly, a common motto in newsrooms is "If it bleeds, it leads." And soon those nightmarish scenes become just another story and another headline. As a crime reporter my first few years on the job, I never liked covering those types of stories. Most of the bad things that happened seemed so petty. I always craved to tell happy, human interest stories instead. But sadly, those kinds of stories were rarely approved by my producers. They just don't pull in the ratings like misfortune does.

But I guess at the end of the day people are just people. And sometimes, leaving your emotions at home is pretty hard to do, even when you've encountered so many human tragedies. I've seen that happen numerous times as I've watched the coverage of the earthquake aftermath in Haiti. In fact, I was watching FOX News yesterday, as I do everyday at work, and saw this clip. I couldn't stop thinking about it. As much as I wish I could be down there covering stories and helping the people of Haiti, I can't help but think I would have the same reaction, if not more so, as this reporter, Steve Harrigan. Sometimes human emotion gets the best of us, even when we're doing our job. I teared up as I watched his report, his reaction, his emotions no longer concealed, and massive crowds of Haitians mesmerized by a bulldozer digging through piles of rubble containing their loved ones.

Goodbye 2009

SANDY, UT- It was fun while it lasted.... but as the saying goes, "All good things must come to an end." Here's a look back...

Home for the Holidays... FINALLY

SANDY, UT -- My route home for Christmas this year took a few twists and turns.
First, this happened:...Followed by a day of chaos and angry travelers at the airport. Here's the scene about mid-way through one of the longest lines I've ever waited in at any airport ever:
After three hours of waiting in line, my departure time rapidly approaching, and no where near the ticket agents, I finally called Delta's 1-800#... only to be told, that for some reason I had been bumped from my seat and put on stand-by. WHAT?! Can they even do that?! And I wasn't alone. Several people from my church were on the same flight, and they too got bumped... and rescheduled for another day, most on Christmas Eve or later... even though our original flight was scheduled to leave without a hitch. I was livid. I demanded an earlier departure time. The closest and earliest one they could find: 6:45 a.m. out of Richmond. So, I hitched a ride on my very own Polar Express (aka Amtrak) that just happened to be delayed 3 hours. Fun fact: The conductor really yells, "All aboard!" as you board the train. I am such a naive train rider.
And here is the silver lining in all of it. Because I got rerouted to Richmond, I got to hang out with this cute, little guy:


It was hard saying goodbye, but now I am home... safe and sound. Finally. Only three days late. And it is snowing here. I was hoping to have left that nasty white stuff behind in DC.

Whew...

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Thank goodness my roommates and I were not home late Friday night when the furnace blew a fuse* and decided to leak CO (Carbon Monoxide) throughout our entire four story house... when on any other Friday night someone would have likely been home, and likely sound asleep.

Thank goodness for good neighbors who alerted us of eerily colored smoke plummeting from our basement.

Thanks goodness emergency responders really do come in an instant when someone dials 911.

And thank goodness for good friends, who you can laugh about all this with later.**

*This is not correct terminology. In actuality, the furnace went awry in some other manner.

**And while it's happening.