Did you guys see this??

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-sci-sportsattack31jan31,1,7004614.story

Alrighty then.. take it easy for the big game, okay?!

Speaking of your heart health.. you can expect to see me wearing red tomorrow for Go Red. Check it out here:

http://www.goredforwomen.org/

You know, guys can get in on this, too-- red ties, etc. If you're game to wear red tomorrow-- shoot me an email!! I'd love to hear from you.

So, tonite I'm doing the Schoolhouse Supplies Celebrity Spelling Bee ((http://www.schoolhousesupplies.org/)).. the irony of which is that I am neither a celebrity or a decent speller. As I told you last year.. my goal is to go out quickly and heckle everyone else from the floor. The bottom line: it's for a great cause!! Maybe I'll wear this shirt again that I made last year.:

My friend Angie sent me some cutie-patootie pictures of her kids from the Tuesday snow day.. Let the beverage wars begin!!

C U Manana. sstricklen@kgw.com

Posted by Stephanie Stricklen at 11:31 AM | Permalink

I'm back from a little time off feeling rested and ready to head into February book. I had 435 emails to get through, of which I only needed to look at, oh... about 20. Is it that way for you, too?! Sheesh!!

So, since I'm fresh back from Vay-K (vacation) and I was bogged down with emails, a sweeps shoot, and a consultant meeting.. I don't have much time to blog today. But I can lean on my pal McGorge Scott to save me.

Check out these awesome shots!!!

And my favorite: Multnomah falls (because that's where the husband proposed to me-- all the way at the tippy top):

You can check out the rest of his photos and a few others here:
http://www.kgw.com/perl/common/slideshow/sspop.pl?recid=7693&location=www.kgw.com

Bye Bye ((thanks Ralph for the sign-off idea!))

Posted by Stephanie Stricklen at 12:34 PM | Permalink

I spent this weekend with a box of Kleenex (the kind with lotion) and nursed a fever and sore throat. Good times. I'm on the mend, but still sound stuffy today at work. I wonder if you can tell??

Anyway, here is more on that that pregnancy caffeine story I mentioned at about 6am this morning...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/health/21caffeine.html

The story mentions tea and its caffeine content. I'm addicted to tea.. green tea, oolong, and now chai. You know, I tried chai a long time ago and just didn't really like it.. hindsight being 20/20 I think it must have been a bad mix. The stuff I'm drinking now is like heaven in a cup-- a little soymilk creamer and I'm in business.

I'll update this blog again in a few minutes.. I'm going on the air here at 5:55am. As they say, "Standby".

OKAY.. done with that hit.

Crabby Amy writes: Hope your sore throat goes away.....I know the feeling though. The past three days I keep feeling like I have sore throat coming on but nothing else seems to happen. However, my kids just came down with runny noses and coughs last night so I figure my days are numbered before I get nailed too! love the pictures from McGorge Scott as always... and totally loved Drew's dog pics too! oh and I almost forgot..... a couple of times in the last week or 2 you have worn a really cool necklace/pendant or something that looks like it's made out of glass. anyway, thought it looked very cool..... you have very good taste! :) take care...

Yeah, didn't dodge that bullet. Oh well. I NEVER get a full-on cold (in part because I'll call in sick at the first sign of a sniffle.. which usually nips it in the bud before anything gets ahold of me.. I personally HATE it when people come to work sick. Pet peeve of mine.) This one snuck up on me-- waiting to get worse once I actually got to work. Sneaky little bugger.

As for the necklace.. that's the one from my Canadian friend Dar and here's a little side story. We recently got trained in HD airbrush makeup and one of the tips was to ditch anything you get a lot of compliments on. No joke. The theory is jewelry, etc. is supposed to be "background" and when people notice it-- then that's apparently no good.

And a lot of you have emailed me about that necklace, but I can promise you: it stays. I LOVE it.

Michael writes: I'm interested if there is a story behind this:

"sstricklen@kgw.com is Stephanie Stricklen's real email address, not some cheap knock off you bought from a sketchy vendor while on vacation."

Thanks. Have a great week and hopefully Monday will fly by.

Yeah, Monday better fly by. It's only 6:10am and I'm pooped. As for the comment.. I was just feelin' sassy. I try and write something that might make you want to click and email me, and that's the best I could come up with on a Friday. I'm open to suggestions... email me:

Click here to email Stephanie Stricklen if you have some creative way she can sign off from her blog.
Ps. For you Amy.. courtesy of McGorge Scott!

Posted by Stephanie Stricklen at 5:45 AM | Permalink

My throat is killing me!! And I'm trying to decide if it's because of the stagnant air or if I might be (gasp) actually getting sick. I have ailments that keep me from work from time to time, but rarely rarely does the cold or flu grab me. I think it's because I wash my hands a lot.. no kidding. I think it makes a difference.

Anyway, before I go home to chill out on the couch.. here is that link to the state's full draft report on PBDE's.. specifically decaBDE.

http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/envtox/pbde.shtml

McGorge Scott snagged this sneaky buck eating the food that was supposed to be for the birds. I love how the dissaproving cat looks on...

sstricklen@kgw.com is Stephanie Stricklen's real email address, not some cheap knock off you bought from a sketchy vendor while on vacation.

Posted by Stephanie Stricklen at 11:39 AM | Permalink

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22685723?gt1=10755

AMEN TO THAT!!!! :-)

Hey.. this transition to HD is really going to be sweet. I don't know how much I'm supposed to say, but I'm loving it!! Details to follow.

In the meantime.. here was my pathetic attempt to get a good shot of Drew Carney's dog Zoey-- who is so stinkin' cute I can't stand it.

Take 1)

Yes, yes.. I am aware that it's incredibly hard to take a photo that blurry. What can I say, I'm a pro. Christmas card photos, anyone?

Take 2)

Zoey meets Agent Smith. Yeah, that's a Matrix reference, in case you're wondering. Which Drew won't get if he reads this since he's not so much into the sci-fi.

Take 3)

Finally.. everything wrong with this photo has nothing to do with me! I mean, painted nails AND a dress, Drew? Really?! And she smelled like dryer sheets.

:-) I'm just givin' him a hard time. I wish Zoey could come to work every day!

Email me: Stephanie Stricklen has an email account that is (allegedly) working the way it's supposed to.

Posted by Stephanie Stricklen at 10:20 AM | Permalink

Okay.. here is more on the happiness story!! Blogging makes me happy. I feel healthier already.

http://in.reuters.com/article/health/idINPAR27336920080102

And here is more on the methadone story:

http://www.ohsu.edu/ohsuedu/newspub/releases/methadone010908.cfm

And here is a really cool shot from McGorge Scott!! I have a bunch more stacked up but I'm really close to my hit here this morning so I have to scoot!

My email is still messed up.... so, til tomorrow!! :-)
Stephanie Stricklen

Posted by Stephanie Stricklen at 5:45 AM | Permalink

So, what did you think of Wednesday's 5pm story on early puberty for girls. Wow, eh? And it's something researchers have tracked for a while now, although I did find it interesting that the age of puberty has dropped 3 years on average in the past 200 years.

And this is an excellent backgrounder on that obesity drug I mentioned (you know how I love my WebMD): http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20080108/new-weight-loss-drug-shows-promise

Our sister station KING 5 did a story today on this:
http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_010908WAB_jack_sparrow_burglar_TP.6b99af6.html

I watched the entire clip on youtube (it's also linked to the KING website). FUNNY stuff. Only one small part of the narration is a bit questionable. But overall, I applaud thier efforts!!

Here's a cute picture from Brian-- he's one of our directors here. That's his daughter Kaitlyn in an action shot. Isn't that an awesme photo?!!

My email is still misbehavin' so I'll just leave it at "have a great day!!"

Posted by Stephanie Stricklen at 11:22 AM | Permalink

Yup. My mom is in Sydney visiting her sister and this is big news there.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23021941-661,00.html

From a health perspective she's apparently had some problems bringing a baby to term, so let's wish her the best of luck (and wish her luck dealing with the paparazzi who will probably hound her and Keith like there is no tomorrow).

Hey.. Matt Zaffino started a new blog: http://www.beloblog.com/KGW_Blogs/outdoors/. It's soo right up his alley, too. Although I do have to say this about his whole thing about running shoes-- the most recent pair I bought got trashed on the running blogs. I was so bummed to get the shoes home and read the complaints.. but, guess what-- I have had nothing but amazing success with them. And so I started looking up the other shoes I like to wear and they got trashed too ((and are equally great for me)). So, I guess you have to take shoe criticism for what it is-- one person's opinion which may or may not help you.

:-)

At any rate: here's a picture to leave you with from McGorge Scott!! Apparently once this deer started licking the cat he didn't stop for a few minutes. Comedy!!!

I'm off to shoot a story.. I'd say email me, but we are in the transition to a new email server and are having a few hiccups. So, talk to you soon!! Steph

Posted by Stephanie Stricklen at 9:15 AM | Permalink

Anyone have a kid who got the cervical vaccine shot? I'm talking about this tonite (Friday) at 5. I just have this image of these poor girls passing out while getting the shot. Here's more info on that story, which I found helpful:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hhuO4x2Hjvo2Y-NJXxMPQpfpGYRwD8TULMF80

Check out my friend Angie's adorable kiddos in the snow!!

So many of you have emailed me about McGorge Scott's photos!! And a surprising number of you have drawn the Dr. Doolittle comparison. He never fails to dissapoint, really. Thanks, McGorge Scott!!

Stephanie Stricklen has an email account that is getting upgraded this weekend: YAY!!

Posted by Stephanie Stricklen at 11:50 AM | Permalink