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So I haven't blogged in a while... about my Nittster, aka, my almost 2-years old minature schnauzer. Can you believe in June she'll be 2? She's great... as sassy as ever. Boy, does she have an attitude! Every night, she snuggles close to me and no matter what kind of day I have, she's ready to pounce of me and give out kisses! I've warmed up to puppy kisses, I must admit. Her new trick: when she's done eating dinner, she brings me her bowl. Yep, she wants to prove she's cleaned her plate!
Nonetheless, I have a disturbing story about Nittany to share. Hopefully, this story will be a lesson to everyone. So when we purchased her, my fiance and I did lots of research. We knew we wanted a smaller dog and a dog who doesn't shead. My fiance knew a couple families growing up who had schnauzers who all agreed they were great dogs.
OK, so we went on a quest for a minature schnauzer, though we almost adopted a dog from a shelter, but had a horrible experience (that story for another day). Well one weekend, we were out visiting his parents and decided to stop at a place. I won't say the name, but nonetheless, they sold dogs. They didn't have a lot... and I wouldn't describe it as a pet store... We asked a bunch of questions. We wanted to avoid a puppy mill dog, we wanted to know about the breeders, the care they received, etc. They answered with flying colors. And then we picked her out. She was soooo cute. Just 3.8 pounds! She was exactly what we wanted.
Fast forward to today. Nittany attends doggie day care... Club Fido in Palmyra (seriously, it's a dog owner's dream come true). The owners, Deb and Dan, are my angels. At any rate, they wanted to get a hold of the breeder of Nittany to recommend her to someone else. So I retrieved her papers to find out. I called the place where we got her and they were very helpful. They were able to track down the breeders and they told me, yes, they still deal with them.
Then I did my own research. And the results make me sick. Nittany is a puppy mill dog, no doubt. She's straight from a Lancaster County kennel that at any given time has 300+ dogs! At one point, they had 500+. I'm pissed off, quite frankly. We were lied to and while I doubt anyone will admit to buying puppy mill dogs, I should have done more research. The worst part is my money contributed to this awful practice. And we recommended a family member to this place and they bought a dog too. So a double dose of irritation.
We love Nittany, always will. And we saved her from becoming bred. But what about her siblings or her parents? I worry about them. I have no regrets about getting Nittany, I just have regrets giving money to an ever-present problem in PA. I feel even more duped because the middle man who we bought her from fed her top-of-the-line dog food. Trust me, she continues to eat better than we do. I just felt they really cared about the well being of the dogs they had. But anyone who truly cares for animals wouldn't buy dogs from puppy mills.
Lesson learned: do the research. And if you are serious about getting a dog, go straight to a breeder... not to a middle man. Get a good look at the mom and dad. Just because she/he has papers doesn't mean the dog is from a reputable breeder. And don't let your emotions dictate the decision. All puppies are cute... they're puppies!
As for Nitts, she got extra hugs from me today. I'm glad she's ours, knowing she's queen bee of our house. I can only hope the same for her probably-many siblings and overworked parents.
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I preface everything by saying: I know where my bread is buttered! Enough of you Steeler fans have called on the weekends looking for your beloved team. So I can only imagine the outcry if I believe or want the Cardinals to win the Super Bowl.
WITH THAT SAID -- I guess I'll pick the Steelers!
It seems like just yesterday I was watching the Steelers/Eagles game and Big Ben had absolutely no time to release the ball. He was sacked a bunch of times. The offensive line was pathetic. It wasn't pretty! With that said, wow, things have changed. And a team who has made that many improvements earns my respect.
The same can be said for the Cardinals. How about the Cardinals/Pats game? I know, I know -- the starters weren't in the entire time. Still, it was a blowout. What a turnaround for a team that wasn't taken seriously for years. And Kurt Warner -- what an amazing comeback he's made! It's hard not to root for him, but again, I know where I live. And I guess since my fiance's team is the Eagles -- well, I guess I can say, "Darn, those Cardinals!"
To be honest, I just want a good game. And may the best team win. I don't cheer for the underdogs, but the best team! And here's to the commercials... please, let them be funny!
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So my mom and I are headed to the Rose Bowl. My mom has never been to California! So I thought what a great opportunity to see Pasadena and SEE FOOTBALL. So what do I think about the game... well, if Penn State wants to be considered a great team, they have to beat a great team. How about USC! No one is giving them a chance, but that sums up the season really. No one gave Penn State a chance, and here they are. One loss away from playing in the title game... dang Hawkeyes! I think it will be a close game and I'm not certain who will win, but the Nittany Lions certainly have a chance.
By the way, if you are going to the game, Penn State has declared a white-out... so pack a white t-shirt. Hey, if you are watching from your couch, wear white too! Why not!
See you there if you're going!
But I want to hear your thoughts about the game...
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SPEEDWEEK SCHEDULE:
June 28: Lincoln Speedway
June 29: Bedford Speedway
July 1: Grandview Speedway
July 2: Hagerstown Speedway
July 3: Port Royal Speedway
July 4: Williams Grove Speedway
July 5: Port Royal Speedway
July 6: Selinsgrove Speedway
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Brite 3 Memorial Golf Outing
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| Time |
8:30 and 1:30 |
| Location |
mayapple golf links |
| Phone Number |
717-329-4597 |
| Ticket Phone Number |
717-761-1261 |
| Website |
http://www.brite3.com |
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12th Annual “Brite 3” Golf Outing, current and former PSU football players appearing, Friday, May 30th Mayapple Golf Links, 4 person scramble. Fee $90 per person includes door prizes, lunch, dinner and contest holes. 2 flights: 8am & 1:30pm shotgun starts. Proceeds benefit The Matthew D. Brightbill Memorial Scholarship at the American Cancer Society; questions contact Rick Wagner 717-761-1261 or Matt Rutter at 717-512-7837 or visit www.brite3.com
2nd Annual Rick Gilliam Golf Tournament
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| Time |
8:00 am |
| Location |
Eagles Crossing Golf Course 501 Condoguinet Avenue Carlisle, PA 17015 |
| Phone Number |
717-776-6297 or 484-486-3938 |
| Ticket Cost |
$280 per team |
| Ticket Phone Number |
717-776-6297 or 484-486-3938 |
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2nd Annual Rick Gilliam Memorial Golf Tournament
Saturday June 7. 2008 @ Eagles Crossing Golf Course near Carlisle
Proceeds from this event will go to the Rick Gilliam memorial scholarship fund
TOURNAMENT WILL BE A FOUR-MAN SCRAMBLE FORMAT
PRIZES AWARDED TO THE 1ST 2ND & 3RD PLACE TEAMS
CONTEST PRIZES ON ALL 18 HOLES
STEAK DINNER & DOOR PRIZE RAFFLE
SPORTS MEMORABILIA SILENT AUCTION
*8:00 AM SHOTGUN START SATURDAY JUNE 7, 2008
EAGLES CROSSING GOLF COURSE
CARLISLE, PA 17015
*In the event that we have more than 36 teams register for the event, an afternoon session will be scheduled with a 1:00 pm shotgun start with a second steak dinner to follow the conclusion of the afternoon session
COST IS $280 PER TEAM
PRICE INCLUDES GOLF, CART& STEAK DINNER
BEVERAGE CART WILL BE AVAILABLE DURING TOURNAMENT
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I thought I was done reading about Penn State football players in trouble with the law. I've done interview after interview in the post-season with players saying the off-the-field issues plaguing this program for the past couple of years are over.
Apparently not!
The latest boggles my mind! Chris Bell threatening a TEAMMATE with a knife at Pollock Commons. What! That's where I enjoyed what I still consider the best Sunday brunch ever. Granted the football players eat in a special room, but nonetheless, the only time a knife should be used is to cut the yummy french toast! How disheartening! Chris obviously booted off the team with no possibility of a return. Sad, really. It's a teammate, for Pete's Sake. What was the point? He wanted to confront another player who believed Bell stole his cell phone case? Oh my. P.S.-- He's no longer behind bars! Not that I feel he's a threat to the team but he did say (according to the police report), he had a gun with him. I'm assuming in his dorm room? You see in a couple minutes, he ruined what could have been the opportunity of a lifetime: a free education and the chance to showcase his athletic ability to maybe one day play at the next level. Now, he'll be lucky if anyone will take another chance on him. Life is about choices and he made a really bad choice.
I'm not sure really why the problems persist. I don't think it has anything to do with the coaches, in particular Joe Paterno. You can do only so much. You can't change a person. Only he or she can change himself or herself. And don't say Paterno can't relate to the problems or issues of kids these days! Right and wrong -- have not changed. Technology, maybe, but not morals. There will always be problems when you get a hundred 20-somethings together, but come on... use that fight and fire against Michigan, not on your teammates and other students.
At any rate, it was last year around this time a bunch of players got in trouble after an off-campus fight. The Blue-White Game could get interesting! Hopefully, there will be enough players to scrimmage. The Nittany Lions may have to recruit from the crowd.
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So... I have a confession: I don't want much TV (besides sporting events).
Though, I have caught a couple of episodes of that show looking for a top singer (no need to promote another network).
But that's not what has me glued to my TV nearly every night. My parents watch it and now have me watching it -- HGTV. There, I said it. I mean I love every show. It doesn't matter the time, I have it on.
Deserving Design typically leaves me tearing up. Designed to Sell gives me all kinds of ideas. Divine Design -- ah, love it. Spice Up My Kitchen -- again another great one. My First Place also interesting, but my favorite -- House Hunters. I love to make predictions on which house they'll pick! And I absolutely love the computer designs for upgrade ideas.
Seriously, I think I have a problem. Actually, I do have a problem -- I need a bigger house so I can execute all the ideas I now have.
Anyone else find themselves glued to this network?
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watch the story here
As a reporter, I get the opportunity to meet a lot of people. It's what I like most about my job. Some people, I instantly like! Others, I, well, don't think too highly of after a conversation. And then there are those who leave a lasting impression.
On Sunday, we aired a story on a blind bowling league. Having bowled competitively as a youngster (not trying to brag), I have an appreciation for those who head to bowling alleys on a regular basis. *I've been told to call it a bowling center... apparently, alleys is old school. Anyway, this league of bowlers was incredible... incredible!
Some of them are completely blind while others are partially blind. But each Saturday for a couple months of the year, they bowl at Red Crown Bowling Center in Harrisburg. I didn't know what to expect going into the story -- but was left dumbfounded. They can hear success.
I even tried it myself. I blindfolded myself and tried bowling! I'll tell you the hardest part: staying upright. I thought I was going to fall over. The balance -- impossible. I managed to knock a couple pins over, but that was about it.
I'm just so glad there are opportunities available for the blind. To their admission, they look forward to getting out and socializing. And I'm so glad I got the opportunity to meet them. I will never forget that story. It was a sight to remember. Too see for yourself, you can click on the icon at the top of the story.
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By no means is this a commercial... just a big old high five!
So Nittany is about 8 months old now. Can you believe it? She's getting so big and grown up... and talkative!
Anyway, my good friend in Charlotte sends her dog to doggy day care. I poo-poo'ed the idea at first... until well, I tried it.
I found this great place in Palmyra -- Club Fido -- where I can send Nittany once a week. And boy does she have a great time. She's made a great friend, Chief... I think things are progressing well and maybe soon they will be boyfriend/girlfriend. Just kidding! She loves running with the big dogs, that's for sure. She goes from 7:30 AM until 6 PM. The best part, besides the fact that she has fun and I can run errands, is that she is pooped when I pick her up.
And that means: she sleeps past 7 AM on Wednesday morning. SUCCESS!
You know it's wonderful...
Lesson learned: Don't knock it until you try it!
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The following article made me laugh out loud:
From Newsday.com:
Eli Manning enjoys "Seinfeld" reruns. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Many NFL players have far worse vices. But Jay Zollar, general manager of WLUK, a Fox affiliate in Green Bay, this week made it clear that he, not the Giants quarterback, is the master of that domain.
On a video on the station's Web site, Zollar points at the camera and says, "Eli, no 'Seinfeld' for you!" Yup, the station has pulled its regularly scheduled 5:30 p.m. Saturday "Seinfeld" rerun in an attempt to disrupt Manning's preparation for Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Packers.
"We don't want to give any comfort to the enemy whatsoever when they come into town," Zollar says. "We know laughter is good medicine, and we decided we're not going to give that to him."
To which any self-respecting Giants fan would say, "Yada, yada, yada." Evidently Packers fans believe it's not enough that this year's players already have proven they're real, and they're spectacular. The station is conducting an online vote to choose a replacement program.
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The article really made me think -- does anyone really believe in superstitions? Well, of course I do. For example, I fly frequently... and I try to reserve a seat on the right side of the plane. I also do something else, but I'm too superstitious to say. Sorry I don't need anything to go wrong while flying. It's not bad -- it's just something I do before takeoff.
I was superstitious in high school too. We won the state championship in high school -- for basketball. And I insisted on wearing the same pair of underwear in the playoffs. *I do believe in laundry, don't worry, and my good luck charm was washed after each game. Hey, it worked. We won at the buzzer.
So anyone else out there have any superstitions or rituals they wish to share? Do tell...
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I was going to blog last night but figured I wouldn't have been able to put two thoughts together that would have make sense.... it would have looked something like this.... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
Our day yesterday started around 9:30 AM. I know, it's pretty late, actually. Justin and I edited a couple pieces of video for the 6 PM newscast. The Shippensburg High School Band was here and we decided we wanted to find them -- we did! And of course, we had to shoot the Penn State Alumni Pep Rally (no yell-leaders here). So before kickoff, we had already done 2 liveshots for the 6 PM newscast and shot a ton of video. We ate something for the first time all day around 7 PM and then it was time for kickoff.
Justin worked his magic as he typically does, shooting great highlights. I was sitting in the press box taking detailed notes. Man, that first quarter was rough, huh? Penn State came out flat. It was a much better 2nd quarter and second half. I thought the defensive line played very, very well. How about Deon Butler's catch? Terrific! And Daryll Clark added a new wrinkle at QB... we will be seeing a lot of him next season. I'll tell you a secret (or just an inner thought). This kid is going to be good. His post-game interview was very polished. He's been working on it, you can tell. But that's a good thing. He speaks with a lot of heart and passion. It was very Michael Robinson-like. Very refreshing. I'm sure he is going to take his lumps and bumps, but I think he's going to be a dandy.
So when the game ended, my night went into full swing. I had to interview a ton of people and write stories for our Sunday morning newscast. By the time we left the dome, it was 1:45 AM, central time. And still our night was not done. 3 1/2 hours later we had to drive to the CBS station here and feed back in time for our morning show. Finally, after all that I could sleep about 4 hours. That's what I'm working off of now. 4 hours of sleep.
Our flight leaves San Antonio at 2:25 PM. And good news -- it's a much bigger plane! Yipppeeee. I was just researching the weather in Harrisburg -- and we could be flying back in snow. Great! You know what -- after a long couple of days, I'm ready to return, even if it is cold.
Adios Alamo!
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Finally, it's arrived -- GAME DAY! It's funny but by the time a bowl game arrives, I'm usually exhausted. The events leading up to a game are always the most challenging. We are usually racing around, editing, writing, and lugging around lots of heavy equipment.
But once the ball is kicked off tonight, for the next 3 hours I sit for the most part. My job is to really focus on the game. To be honest, I prefer to stand on the sidelines. I do that at Beaver Stadium. Press boxes are not for me. I like to "feel" the game, feel momentum switches and get a feel for crowd noise. Sitting high up in typically non-air conditioned rooms makes me feel like a zoo animal.
Speaking of feeling like a zoo animal on display, man I felt it yesterday. Justin and I headed for the Alamo to do some shooting. I don't think anyone there had ever seen a television crew. I was photographed, signed autographs (funny, huh?) and glared at (a lot). People somewhat invaded my space, in fact. Definitely different. At least it made for a couple good laughs! It made me think of a conversation I just had with Myranda. We were laughing that in the movies, tv crews are always live at a scene with only a camera. I feel like some of the people thought I was live. Nope!
OK, well it's time to get back to work. I have a bunch a stories to write before heading over to the Alamodome. I've covered 2 bowl games (Orange and Outback) for WHP-TV. Both Penn State wins! We'll see if that trend continues tonight at 8 PM EST.
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There are some things in life you just don't joke about. I remember 7 years ago in my Christmas newsletter (yep, I'm one of those), I mentioned I was reporting on health issues. Back story: I was a news reporter to start my career. In the letter, I poked fun of doing stories on ear wax removal. And my mom brought up a valid point: who knows if someone in my family has a real problem with ear wax and may be offended. I deleted that line from the letter and moved on. The point: I found it funny but well, not everyone might.
And that's true in life. For example, my boyfriend is a die-hard Simpsons fan. I have to admit, I slept in the 2nd row of the movie on opening night. I don't find the humor funny at all. Same with South Park. And that's fine -- plenty of people love and that's great. In fact, I know I'm in the minority. I prefer reading a magazine in silence!
But then there are things that everyone can agree are not funny at all. Thursday's comment at the Alamo Bowl Pep Rally may be one of them. Joking about someone dying who is a) at the pep rally and b) 81 years old. NOT FUNNY. Retirement is one thing, death -- completely different.
Let me preface this my saying I was 30,000 feet up when the comment was made and no mention of it was quoted in today's newspaper here in San Antonio, but it was the very first topic of conversation at this morning's press conference.
JoePa blew it off, saying maybe the A&M cheerleader was right. But that has to hurt! Let's face it, we're all scared of dying -- hence, why I hate flying! And I'll tell you who it hurt most: Sue Paterno. Apparently, she was very unhappy and rightfully so. Can you imagine someone taking the stage and saying your spouse in on his/her death bed? Not appropriate.
In an age where everything we say is scrutinized, this time, it's easy. The line was crossed. If you're a Nittany Lion fan, you can only hope the team heard the quote and uses it as motiviation. That cheerleader can now watch the game from the comforts of his own home as Joe Paterno runs out onto the field. I still watch in amazement each time I see him trot out of the tunnel. I can only hope I'm as active when I'm 81. Retirement, nah... he has a lot more coaching to do! I'm dead serious -- no joke!
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Made it! We are in San Antonio. It's 1 AM EST and I'm pooped! I hope I can say that on a blog. Traveling wears you out. And we were duped today... or maybe we just got a raw deal.
So when we arrived at HIA (remember, MDT if making reservations), we had to switch our flights because of weight restrictions. I know, I ate a lot of Christmas cookies. Just kidding. I really don't know how planes get off the ground without luggage. Instead of flying from Harrisburg to Atlanta to San Antonio, we had to fly to Cincinnati and then to San Antonio. The problem: both planes were puddle-jumpers. Now, I don't mind being cramped the first leg. But the second leg of the trip was 3 HOURS. Small planes are for puddles, not ponds. Oh, the flight dragged. The last 10 minutes were so bumpy too. Arghh... or barf! The Atlanta plane was a biggie, you know one where you aren't touching the women in the window seat across the aisle. Who engineers the seats on planes anyway? I'd like him/her to meet my legs... I'm 6-feet tall and flying is painful.
Needless to say, I'm relieved to be sitting here in my hotel room writing. I'm on the ground. A big day is in store tomorrow. An "a" game is necessary! To bed I go to study up!
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Ah, the day has finally arrived. The day to leave for San Antonio. I have to admit in some ways it will be nice to leave the Christmas cookies and leftover ham behind and head to Texas to cover the Alamo Bowl. In the last 3 days, I've consumed more sodium and sugar than I am proud of. Oh well.. I'll be working it off in Texas.
So, we are waiting in the terminal of HIA (or MDT if you are making a reservation). We went through security and because we are media (I'm assuming) we were scrutinized even more. I don't mind, really. Everyone was extra friendly. Carrying our equipment is not fun -- very, very heavy!
So now, we wait... I'm bad at waiting. That, and I hate flying. This is will be my third trip involving air travel in 3 weeks. I know flying is safe but I'm not convinced of it 30,000 feet up. My photographer Justin loves to fly, especially on the small planes. He says he likes to "feel" flying. Are you kidding me? The only part of the flight I enjoy is when I "feel" the wheels touch down and I'm at my final destination.
Tomorrow will be a busy day -- bowl games always are! Lots of work, little sleep and no breaks. But hey, that's what it's all about. So here's to safe travels!
I'll be in touch! Here we come San Antonio!
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