It's my new favorite food.

Who knew a girl like me would who grew up in a city abundant with rich Mexican food, would actually come to crave a delicacy like sushi?

My introduction to the world of edamame, crawfish and seaweed wrap happened about two years ago, thanks to my good friend Sarah Lucero.

You can't argue with the health benefits of fish, rice and veggies.

But fast forward two years later, and leave it to me to find the fattiest sushi of them all.

It's really no secret that a lot of the sushi we get here in the U-S is so far from authetic its not even funny.

I mean really, I don't think there's a place in Japan where someone is deep frying shrimp, wrapping it in rice, and topping it with Monterrey Jack Cheese!

This is exactly the kind of sushi my waistline has been introduced to.

Let's not even start on the chipotle mayo they put inside.

I began eating sushi with the right intentions-and all the right ingredients.
I did the clean crab, white rice, and a few avocados.

Somewhere along the line, some waiter suggested, "Have you tried the fried crawfish with the white cheese on top?"

Me of course, game for anything, probably said, "No! But let's try it!"

Something tells me that "batter dipped anything" with cheese or mayonaise is not how the great masters of Japanese cuisine prepare their famed dish.

Still, I'm hooked.

No longer can I use sushi as a "staple" in my diet if this is the kind of sushi I'm eating!
No longer does it make sense to pass up the cheeseburger when one sushi roll likely packs as many calories!

The next time I try to get in one of my teeny tiny skirts and it's a size too small...I can't blame it on the pepperoni pizza.

It could be the sushi.

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Welcome to a period in time when everyone is frustrated.
Drivers are frustrated.
Waiters are frustrated.

I can find two or three people a week who are frustrated.

Call it a symptom of being human.

Just living life, with all its ups and downs, generally makes us frustrated.

There is a group of people though, who can't wear their frustrations on their sleeve.
Or, at least they shouldn't.

These are the folks who've taken jobs in the field of customer service.

I know.I know.
They listen to people complain all day long, and it's not an easy job, but
what gives?

Customer service professionals are certainly not immune to frustration, but they are paid to work through it.

By the way, great customer service professionals DO exist-and to them I say thank you and good job.

But over the weekend, I saw a glaring example of how frustration is indeed leaping over into the field of "service with a smile."

I was shopping at a very popular beauty supply chain and finally made it to the checkout counter.

My cashier seemed friendly, and efficient enough.

As I checked out, I heard a knock at the front door.

It was a customer, waving, and trying to get in.

I looked at my watch and realized it wasn't closing time, so maybe (because it was getting dark) the manager locked the doors for security reasons.

Maybe even, the door was locked on accident.

At that point, the cashier who was helping me, huffed and puffed and went to open the door.

She then said to the lady at he door, in a rather abrupt tone " We close at 6. Do you know what you want??"

The woman, replied, "I'm sorry maam. I didn't know you were closed, my watch has 15 til' 6."

To that the cashier said, " I know, but we close at 6. A lot of people who come in here near closing time wander around and don't know what they want...so I lock the doors early unless people know what they want and go straight to it and then checkout."

Wow.

I almost couldn't believe my ears.

We've all made that last minute dash to the store before closing time then breathed that sigh of relief when the door still happens to be open!

Was this woman telling a customer she locked the door 15 minutes ahead of time because SHE didn't want to deal with indecisive customers thisclose to closing time?

Since when is it ok to close shop 15 minutes early because a cashier is clearly "frustrated" and doesn't feel like waiting?

I wonder if the manager is ok with that?

What a letdown to see that people who show up to spend their money in stores don't seem to be valued any more.

Customer service means "to serve" the customer doesn't it?

Frustrated employees or not.

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Those were the words.
Boldly printed and plain to see.

The "She" in this sentence would be, me.

It came from a former colleague who'd been trying to reach me.
I guess in frustration, she contacted a co-worker of mine, and used that phrase in reference to yours truly.

At first, it confused me.
Had this person sent me something that I didn't answer? Well obviously so.
On top of that, use of the word EVER in capital letters meant it'd happened more than once.

What bothered me most, wasn't the email so much.

In many ways, it spoke to the unbalance in my social responsiveness when it comes to technology.

Email, voice mail, text message, all of it can be too much.

Hence the reason I have no time for truly unnecessary pressures like Facebook and Twitter.

I try to pretend like I have it all under control, but I don't.

Each morning I sit down at my email, there is a new story pitch, an interview request, a new product to push.

I have to admit, the mail I tend to open first, are the ones coming with no stress.

The one my best friend is sending, or my boyfriend, or a relative.

That's not to say there are emails I never open.

I open them all...eventually.

Still, when there's an inbox with 2-300 new emails daily, opening ANY of them can be daunting.

I can't feel guilty about the fact that there's an individual who thinks I never answer email.
And hey, maybe they're not alone.

For every moment I'm not checking email and not on air.... I'm writing for a show, I'm looking at video, I'm meeting with producers, I'm mentoring a college student, I'm talking to a magazine, I'm judging contests, the list goes on.

I love my job.. but no, It does not allow me to sit at a desk all day and check an inbox.

I wish I could.

The truth is, if an email indicates in the subject line that its regarding a story, or an idea pitch (as this aforementioned email turned out to be) , it gets forwarded to a producer.

They book the show. They have the calendar.

Quite simply, if there are no available dates for booking, the idea is dead on arrival...but its saved for another time.

This system of doing things has served me well.

If I know one's email can better be served by another who can aptly handle it, l'll press forward.

My apologies to all who perhaps haven't heard back from me...or someone.
It is not my intention to ignore you.

Either I'm working on a response, don't have one yet, or haven't had the chance to read your mail.

But from here on out, just to be certain, I'll at least reply with a "thanks, I received your email!"

And THEN....

well,
who knows, from that point on.

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It happens every year.
The San Antonio Media Alliance awards deserving professionals in the world of San Antonio TV and radio.

As I sat in the ballroom at the Pearl Brewery north of downtown, I glanced around the room at dozens of familiar faces. Some recognizable, others not so much.

What dawned on me as each award was handed out, was that there are so many people who work behind the scenes at radio and TV stations, who work tirelessly and fade into the background.

Sure, I know they exist.
I pass a few each day.

It's rare though, that in a public way, they're given them their proper thanks.

For those unfamiliar with our industry, I'm speaking of people like the general managers (who oversee day to day operations at the station), the sales executives (who handle revenue with regards to advertisers), and the production managers (who handle crews and staff responsible for making newscasts and promotions happen).

These are just some of the key positions that exist, but there are more.

TV accolades are typically bestowed upon those faces who broadcast daily.
Radio? The voices who become popular with listeners.

I guess it's that way in every industry.

Regardless of who you see in the forefront, there are always giants behind the scenes helping others look good.

Often they stand in the shadow away from the spotlight.

Think about this:

For every actor that does well, there is an agent to thank.
For every well produced show, there is a writer and director.
For every great scene in an Oscar winning movie, there is a brilliant cinematographer, or sound technician.

And so it goes, right down to the local level.

As each recipient made their way to the podium to receive their award, I was reminded that in every walk of life...there is someone behind us....helping us along the way.

For that reason I say, Congratulations to every individual in San Antonio media who picked up a Samy.

Also, congratulations and thank you to the nominees who didn't.

For anyone who enjoys a relative amount of success in TV, radio, and/or print....
None of us have done it alone.

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The things we do to food in this country!
Don't you find it odd?

I do.

Did you hear about some of the items on the menu at this year's Texas State Fair?

Everything from fried butter to fried oreo cookies?

First off, let me say this:

I've never had ANYTHING that was fried that tasted bad.
So I'm sure even those eats tasted pretty good.

If it can be dipped in batter and grease, Americans will find a way to fry it.

Just the other day, I heard about a restuarant serving up a new specialty:
A 1500 calorie burger that uses doughnuts in place of buns.

Really?

I'm sure that tastes good, too.

I'm just wondering when and how we started to manipulate food so many different ways in this country?

If you look closely at mediterranean diets you'll mostly find fresh fish, wholesome fruit, and plenty of nuts.

It's quite clean!

Italian diets feature a robust mixture of hearty pastas with red sauces and yes, some of them cream.

Overall though, the food is not harmful, even if a bit detrimental to the waistline!

Somewhere in our American culture, we've taken a liking to heavy oils and food that is processed or fried.

Sure there are restuarants and markets that offer healthy fare, but go to any sports bar or buffet style restuarant and at least a few things are fried, dipped, or basted in something unhealthy.

Maybe I recognize it more easily because I'm a girl with Southen roots.

A lot of the tastiest meals on our Sunday dinner table weren't the healthiest.

When my grandmother did her thing in the kitchen, flavor was the goal...it wasn't a "fat finding" mission.

It's the food I love and grew up on.

It seems like most everyone I know is tempted by a decadent dish.

Everyone oohs and ahhs when the 5 cheese macaroni casserole is passed around.
No one gasps at the color of the carrots.

It's a reality I see at the dinner table whether I'm with family or friends.
It's happened at the humblest of gatherings, and 7 course sit downs in 5 star restaurants.

Yes, the foods we should avoid, are the ones we all reach for.

I guess as long as we live in a country where resources are abundant, we will try to maximize the potential of food in every way possible.

But is that a good excuse?

As delicious as it is, a pickle has no business being fried.

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I was stunned by a recent study reported on CNN over the weekend.

A researcher out of Pennsylvania was on to discuss the recent findings of a sociological study: it found that men are happier than women.

According to this report, the happiness of women has steadily declined since the 70's.
Seems women deal with stress differently.

The key factors to our "unhappiness" has been atrritubuted to the increased pressure we face in the workplace and the home.

Hmm.

All of my friends seem pretty happy and many of them disagree with the study.

Is it that we pretend to be happy on the outside but secretly we aren't?
Is it that we live our lives appearing to be content but inside harbor many worries?

Hard to say.

A guy named Dave compiled a list of some of the reasons he thinks men are in fact, happier:

I had to share:

1. We can gain 10 pounds and it's not the end of the world for us
2. If someone forgets to "invite us to a party", we can still be friends
3. Three pairs of shoes is enough
4. We can wear a white t-shirt to a water park
5. We get to keep our last name
6. Everything on our face stays the original color
7. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase
8. Our belly usually hides our big hips
9. We can "do" our nails, with a pocket knife
10.We can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives, on December 24, in 45 minutes

and finally, my favorite

11. ONE mood. All the time

Nicely said, Dave.

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Being in television as long as I have has killed the impact of shocking news.

It's sad but true.

Even in my days as a feature reporter I saw too much.
Too much death, too many grieving parents, too many fatal accidents.
Just..too much.

It's just part of our business but, few things shock me now.

As I drove along a winding freeway September 16th without a care in the world, the question text on the screen of my cell phone,

shocked me.

"Marrou is retiring?????", it read.

My initial reaction was, "Yeah of course he's retiring...someday I suppose !!"
I read it a couple of times before it registered fully.

What I was about to learn is that during the evening broadcast, my longtime colleague had made the announcement , he'd be leaving the world of broadcasting.

For many, the news came out of nowhere.
There were no rumors about it, no buzz , no TV insider blogs were speculating.

Come to think of it, that is the only way he'd have it.

Marrou is a rare kind.

Stoic, smart, funny, unpredictable.

When I first met him, like most people, I was taken aback.

You just don't know what to expect!
Is he kind? Arrogant? Pretentious?

Those are the kind of things you wonder about a local and regional tv star who can boast thirty six years in the business.

This is a guy whose name is synonymous with anchorman.

Honestly, is there a TV watcher who doesn't know who he is??

At first, his presence is intimidating.

And for all the women who've asked me over the years, "is he?" Yes,
he's good looking.

What I didn't know as a bleary eyed college sophomore walking into Marrous office one spring day, is that I would eventually work alongside him.

First as an assistant, then as a producer for a show he did on Saturdays, and finally as a reporter on his top rated 10:00 newscast.

I was out of my mind.

You see, there was no bigger fan of Chris Marrous than my grandfather.

Together, we'd sit in front of a big screen and watch the nightly news.
Willlie Lee Smith listened intently to hear "what Chris or Dan was going to say."

Fast forward years later and this same man who appeared constantly on my family's television set, was tossing to me in live shots.

What a strange and awesome twist of fate.

Wouldn't granddaddy love that moment?

Surreal.

Marrou became a mentor, and a friend.

He and his wife Kathy, opened their hearts
and home to me in every way that they could.

There was no better person to coach a young reporter on how to tell a great story or become a true broadcast personality.

"Always be who you are, he said, people know the difference."

That was his advice to me then, and now.

Thank you Marrou, and Godspeed my friend,

Your advice has served me well.

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First a politician.
Then an athlete.
Now a musician.

What's with all the angry outbursts lately?

When South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson yelled, "You Lie" as the President addressed Congress on Health Care, I thought it was one of those rare displays of over the top emotion from a recognized personality.

I mean, what could be worse in a public forum than lack of decorum by an elected official?

Who knew a little more than a week later, on national TV, tennis champ Serena Williams would threaten a line judge for the US Open with profanity?

We know Serena is an impassioned player, but did we know this was in her?

Then comes Sunday night.
I plop down on my couch and unwind in front of the MTV Video Music Awards.

Nothing can put a cap on a restful weekend like hearing some hot music and watching celebrities rock the red carpet in crazy fashion.

"Who wore what" would not be the hot topic the next day.

In the middle of Taylor Swifts acceptance speech for best female video, Kanye West interrupts her, takes the mic out of her hand, and announces to millions that "Beyonce had one of the the best videos of all time."

WOW.

I was speechless.

From the US Capitol, to the US Open, to an Awards show...it seems not many in the public eye ARE speechless these days.

All of the aforementioned offenders have since apologized for their wayward ways but

What does it say about our national state of mind?

Has civility become a dirty word?

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There is not a day I drive from one side of town to the other that I don't see a person on a street corner holding a sign.

It used to be just men, now it's women too.

Maybe the downward turn in the economy is the reason that I spot them more often.

Nonetheless, I've seen people soliciting on various corners for as far back as I can remember.

It's hard to ignore the obvious fact that the signs they are hold are getting more creative.

Some are humorous, some are illegible, some are religious.
All strike me the same:
Sad.

To the chagrin of many friends and relatives, I'm not ashamed to say, I will always be one of those people who rolls down my window to give.

I'm the girl who'll go into her purse outside the local drugstore if a stranger asks me for change.

People have laughed at me, and judged me for giving so freely.

I couldn't care less.

"You don't know what they're gonna do with that money" or "They're just going to buy beer."

Any phrase you can think of as to why I shouldn't be giving-I've heard.

I'm glad I'm not a person who's easily affected by what others think of me and thus, stops giving.

I don't use the energy it takes to wonder what someone might or might not do with money that I'm giving sincerely from my heart.

If my best intention is to help them, and they use the money for something else, I've still done my part and feel really good about it.

Who is the guy on the corner?
What is his story?
How'd he get here?
I do wonder that.

I bet his parents loved him just like mine loved me.

Maybe, just maybe, there's a family member having a sleepless night wondering if he's dead or alive.

Perhaps they'd appreciate the kindness of a stranger looking out for one of their own, I know I would.

The bottom line is, I can't know or sum up a strangers life at a stoplight.

What I do know for sure is that they're a human being like I am,
and that alone
connects us.

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Doesn't matter if you're driving, eating out, working, playing, there is one reality that none of us, no matter who we are, can get around.

The world is full of noise.

I guess I didn't realize I've been living on noise overload, until I had none whatsoever.

M grandmother says in the days of her youth, the only noise folks back then had came from tv's and radios.

You were lucky if you had both.

Fast forward to my generation and noise is constant.

TV noise, ipod noise, computers humming noise, a "bus letting passengers out at the street corner" noise, or the "guys radio in the lane next to you" noise.

Today I enjoyed the peace in a dark quiet room and it was nice.
More than nice, it was odd

I don't know how I stumbled upon it, I just did.

The birds outside weren't even chirping.

More than anything it just felt odd.
Odd because it's rare to find that kind of solitude.

Because we live in a world that moves at warp speed, more often than not you can't find the quiet.... you have to create it.

Think about it:
When's the last time you heard the quiet of your own breathing, or the hum of your own voice?

Is there a place on earth where there's no one talking, no cell phone ringing,
no fax machine ringing, no videos on MTV?

See if you can find a quiet place today.

It will likely be one of the hardest things you do
and I promise you,
one of the best.

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