One Last Summer Vacation

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN -- The last few days of summer are winding down, and I'm spending them in Stockholm, where it already feels like fall. I've been hanging out with these little balls of energy:

At the park...

 

At the "beach" on the Baltic Sea...

And spending a bit too much time on my iPad. Good thing we found some head phones! 

Six more days to go...

Wear Sunscreen

PHOENIX, ARIZ.-- The year I graduated from high school, the big graduation song on the radio was "Wear Sunscreen."  Remember that one? It's not really a song, but just some guy giving all sorts of life advice, the prominent one, obviously, being to wear sunscreen.

Well, this past weekend I took a walk down memory lane with two of my favorite high school friends, Jill and Sommer. We met up in Phoenix to celebrate Jill's engagement, and were quickly reminded how important it is to follow the advice of the man in our graduation song to wear sunscreen. The Arizona sun is pretty brutal this time of year. Brutal. BRUTAL. And thus, after listening to it for the first time in years, we decided this song really does offer a lot of great advice... 

I was reminded that this line from the song holds a lot of wisdom in it, "Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.  Work hard to bridge the gaps and geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young."  I sure love these ladies and have tremendously appreciated their friendship over the years... 

Jill, Sommer and Me

Also... congrats to the happy couple!

And "trust me on the sunscreen."

Live from the Rotunda

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- You would have thought I was a star-struck tourist on Capitol Hill today. I didn't even have a run-in with a celebrity or a famous politician either. Go figure, they're always walking the halls up here, but I don't usually get excited over any of those. (I probably couldn't spot a movie star if my life depended on it anyway. In fact, one time I shared an elevator with a famous actress, and my co-worker had to point her out to me.) Instead, I had an encounter with one of the most highly decorated network evening news anchors of the modern era, and I felt like a little kid in a candy store.

Thanks to a dear friend who works for a committee that's always "in the know," I got word that one of my journalism idols, Brian Williams, would be broadcasting the Nightly News live from the Russell Rotunda. He was in town recording a series called "Congress, Behind the Scenes," set to air on Dateline this weekend.  So, after work, I walked briskly through the tunnel that connects the Senate office buildings to the Russell Building so I could catch a glimpse of the broadcast icon. Soon enough, he made his debut.

I didn't just stick around until I got a good look at him. No, just a glimpse didn't satisfy me. I was one of those annoying onlookers who doesn't go away. I'm talking really annoying. I was even annoying myself, but I couldn't make it stop. I even tried telling myself, "Okay, Andrea, you've seem him. Time to go home." But I couldn't stop being interested. I just kept watching, snapping pictures and waiting. I was being completely unprofessional. And I knew it. I should have told onlookers I was just an intern, and maybe the situation would have explained itself away, but I had no shame.  So, when the 30 minute Nightly News broadcast ended and the famous anchor started walking away, I bolted after him. He went into the Kennedy Caucus room to meet a few people, and I just waited outside. Like a stalker. I should have been embarrassed at my behavior, but I was too excited at the chance to meet him.  So, when he popped back out to say hi to some kids (a five and seven-year-old nonetheless), I just squeezed myself into the line. Sorry kids, don't mind me.  I handed one of their parents my camera and they gladly obliged to my unprofessional request as I jumped in to shake his hand before he walked away. Pictured below:

"Hi, my name's Andrea. I'm a dork and love watching the news. In fact, if I had to pick a journalist to marry, it would be you. You just have a way with words!"  

That isn't exactly what I said, but something equally as dorky ensued. "Hi, I'm Andrea. I used to be a reporter, and both you and Andrea Mitchell are my journalism idols. And Ken Strickland." (Ken is a producer for MSNBC, standing in the middle of the picture wondering why I had suddenly gone cuckoo.)  To which he replied, "Andrea Mitchell is much more deserving, but thank you." And that, my friends, is the entire story. After we shook hands, I continued to snap a few pictures for a few others, until his handlers told us to take it easy while Mr. Williams filmed a stand-up. If you happened to miss the Nightly News tonight, and seeing Brian Williams live from the Russell Rotunda, you can watch below. Just know, that I was behind the cameras somewhere with big, googly eyes, snapping pictures and acting more or less like an intern:  

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Happy Independence Day!

KNOXVILLE, TN -- The Candrian's sure aren't known for our singing, but little JB knows how to put on a show, when he can keep his focus.

It's a Twin Thing

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA -- It's pretty easy to get lonely for family on the East Coast sometimes, so when any family member who lives relatively close to D.C. invites me down/up/over, I usually don't hesitate to oblige.

One of my favorite cousins (it's a twin thing), who I feel is more like a little brother, has been serving his mission for the past two years in the Richmond, Virginia mission.  He's been in Virginia Beach for the last several months, which is roughly three hours from D.C., on a good traffic day (which, I'm not sure if one of those really exists).  You may recall that Amy and I popped in to his ward during Thanksgiving weekend a few years ago...

November 2009

We decided that before his mission ended, I needed to pay him a visit at church again. So, of course I told him no problem -- I'd make it happen.  So, this weekend, it was Elder Jeppesen's last Sunday as a missionary, so I headed down to Virginia Beach.  I was a tad under the weather and didn't know if it was going to happen, but how could I turn down a request to visit one of my last (and favorite) relatives on the East Coast?  Not possible. And I'm so glad I went. Last night I decided to stop by his apartment to leave some cookies at his door... not thinking he'd be home.  Well, turns out, they had just gotten back, and were heading out for ice cream.  So, I tagged along.  It was so great hanging out with him and his mission companion and hearing the latest and greatest from life in the Richmond, Virginia mission as a missionary. And, even better yet, everyone was singing his praises at church today, and told me what a good missionary Elder Jeppesen was and how much they were going to miss him.  I told them I would pass the information along to his mother, because I'm sure she'd be so proud of this kid...  (I know, he's not even a kid anymore...  crazy...  )

June 26, 2011

His twin brother is in Ghana right now serving a mission, and gets home in October.  If only he knew that all it takes for me to visit is an invitation, I would so be there.

I think this was circa 2005

Kirk, Brittany, Michael, me

Two years goes by pretty quick. But I'm grateful for cool moments like this weekend that the East Coast provides me.  And since all my East Coast relatives are pretty much gone now, I'm open for visits in other regions of the country/world too.  Please direct all invitations here.

Andrea

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Back during my reporting days, I liked reading biographies about other journalists.  Sometimes they were inspiring, somestimes entertaining, and sometimes they made me not want to be a reporter.  One such biography I read that encompased all those reactions was Andrea Mitchell's from MSNBC. 

Today this broadcast journalism icon was on Capitol Hill speaking to press secretaries in the Senate. So, I brought my copy of her book, and as soon as she was done speaking, you better believe I darted straight to the front of the room to meet her, and to have her sign my book. She couldn't have been more gracious. And she was pretty excited to hear that I used to be a reporter as well and that my name is also Andrea. We have so much in common. See the look of pure joy on her face...



She was very excited to find out we share the same name





I didn't know my picture was being taken, or I would have turned around and cheesed it up for the camera.

 

It says, "For the other Andrea- Best Wishes - Andrea Mitchell

And now I'm off to the beach.  What a great Friday!



Then & Now

SALISBURY, MD- I can think of fewer things more refreshing than getting away for the weekend with good friends. This past weekend I hung out with two former BYU roommates, Rachel and Bethany, on the Eastern Shores of Maryland, where Bethany lives. I was roommates with them about eight years ago, and I can't tell you how glad I am we live in the same area and still keep in touch.

                            THEN (2002)                                                            NOW (2011)

*Dewey the dog replaced Chrissy in the "now" picture. But, I'm told Chrissy is alive and well somewhere in Oklahoma.

The weekend was centered around funny stories, good food and donuts.  Just what I needed!