Lesson Learned: You can clean and clean but they will still come for you

Today I had a guest on my desk. Mr. Roach made himself at home until I decided enough was enough and I wasn't going to share my space anymore. Actually, I screamed as he streaked across my key board. Fortunately, a daring co-worker of mine quickly came to the rescue and squashed him like he's done it 100 times before (probably has). 

I have a hand sanitizer bottle and I use those disinfecting wipes all the time but that didn't stop Mr. Roach from paying me a visit. 

So, you can clean and clean all you want but those suckers are still going to come for you...lesson learned. 

Lesson Learned: Look both ways before you step on camera

I was heading on set for a breaking news story when I got confused and accidentally walked on camera in front of  the weather graphics my meteorologist was voicing over on LIVE TV. I spotted myself on air and jumped off but not before making this extremely embarrassing face in front of thousands of people. 

The team all had a good laugh about it since when you're dealing with live TV there's so much room for error. In this case my mistake was pretty harmless but just like everyone I've ever made on air before, I won't be doing it again and am grateful for the lesson learned. 

Lesson Learned: Do not judge those by what they eat

Please do not judge me but today for lunch I ate a hot dog from a gas station.

I had 10 minutes in between interviews and my gas light in the car went on (we all know how much pain I’ve had with my gas light in the past) so I had enough time to either get gas or pick up something for lunch, I didn’t think twice, and immediately pulled into the Hess Station.

You would think I’d chose a bag of pretzels or maybe a Snickers but for some reason I could not resist the rotating hot dog stand in the very back corner of the store, I even panicked when I thought they were out of buns. Fortunately for the station clerk, they weren’t. I grabbed a bun, a hot dog that looked like it was burnt, slathered it with ketchup and mustard, and ran back to my car almost embarrassed for someone to see what I was carrying.

I’ve never had a gas station hot dog before and probably won't again but I’ll admit it was satisfying. I do know from now on I'll steer clear from judging those by what they eat because sometimes a craving is irresistible…lesson learned. 

Oh ya, I also had ribs for dinner, not exactly a healthy eating day but luckily I can always start fresh tomorrow!

So would you eat a gas station hot dog? Let me know!

Lesson Learned: Never miss a big birthday

My grandmother just turned 90, so my entire family gathered in Frankfurt, Illinois to celebrate. We were missing two, my cousins Leah and Charlie who are expecting very shortly and thought it best to play it safe and stay home.  But other than that it was a star-studded event (well at least when it comes to the Kaplans). One cousin flew in from LA, others drove from Ohio, aunts and uncles made the trip from Indiana, and I took an early Saturday morning flight from Raleigh, made it to Chicago by noon, and drove up with my family (about a 45 minute trip on the way there, cut a little bit shorter when my brother snagged the steering wheel on the way back).

My grandmother said all she wanted for her birthday was to be with family and that’s exactly what we did. Good company, great food, and of course presents since birthday celebrations also fell on Hanukkah this year.

I will admit my travel experience was rough, flying in on Saturday, out on Sunday, and of course there were complications but I would do it again this weekend. The older I get the more I want to spend the good times with the ones I love the most (I know cheesy) but this was definitely a lesson learned, if you can, never miss a big birthday.

Happy Birthday Grandma, enjoy the video!

Lesson Learned: If you're going to put up lights, do it right

Lesson Learned: Fog can ruin your life

I went back to Chicago this weekend for my grandmother’s 90^th birthday. It was a quick trip, early flight on Saturday, and late flight back on Sunday. I didn’t want to take off a day of work and figured I could make it happen in 24 hours.

I got a bad feeling when I got to O’Hare Sunday night at 5pm. My 6pm flight was already delayed and we didn’t have an assigned gate yet. Just seeing a hold message where my gate number should have been on the departure big screen made me nervous.

We ended up taking off at 7:15pm and I was just excited to be in the air. 2 hours later I could see Raleigh from my window seat and the pilot announced we would be landing in 10 minutes. About 5 minutes after that a flight attendant with very little information made another announcement, “I am sorry to inform you that Raleigh’s airport has been shutdown due to fog issues so we are landing in Norfolk, Virginia instead.”

WHAT??? Please God, this is not happening to me again. Norfolk is about 3 hours away from Raleigh after which I would still have my 1hr 30min drive to Greenville. You can imagine how passengers on the plane reacted. At the time, we were given no other information. When we got off the plane, United ordered us to stay in the gate area, 10 minutes later we were still waiting. So, I decided to team up with 2 other travelers, rent a car, and road trip it back to Raleigh. We picked up a one-way vehicle for $160. I figured, it was a safer bet to get in a car right then rather than sit around waiting for United to figure something out for us. I called in sick for work at midnight, knowing there was no way I was going to be camera ready at 9am, my boss said she had everything covered and wished me good luck.

I was traveling with Carl and Molly. Carl was heading to Raleigh on business and also happened to be the Mayor of Mount Caroll, a small town in Illinois. He lives about 10 miles away from the high security prison President Obama wants to move the detainees from Guantanamo Bay to. Carl told me it would mean 800 new jobs for the area so he was all for it. Molly was a young chiropractor living in Raleigh and enjoying city life. She passed out in the back seat 10 minutes after we left and woke up when we got to Raleigh.

My new friends dropped me off at my car at 3am. I stopped at the Hilton to see how much a room would be for the night and decided not to pay $140 to sleep in a bed for 5 hours. I would just have to complete the last leg of this nightmare on my own. Little did I know I had one more obstacle ahead.

I ran out of gas at 4:15am, the red light went on, and I started to freak out since I was in the middle of no where, blinded by the fog. I got off at 3 exits, not a single gas station was open. So, I parked in front of a pump in Farmville, NC around 4:30am and curled up in the back seat of my car to wait for the station to open. At 6am I spent $47 on a full tank.

I got home at 6:30am and jumped under the covers. For the next 7 hours I dreamed about how fog had just ruined my life…lesson learned.

Lesson Learned: The trip isn't over until you get into your car

My last flight was a total success. I left Chicago at 7:55pm and landed in Raleigh at 10:20 pm, right on time. I was thrilled since I knew I had an hour and a half drive back to Greenville and didn’t want to be heading back any later. I got my luggage and jumped on the bus that takes me to the parking lot where my car is. If you park in this particular lot a couple of miles away it only costs $6 a day and a bus picks you up and drops you off in a timely fashion, well it usually does.

I took a seat on the bus, the doors closed, we started to pull away from the curb, and then the driver stopped and backed up again. A few minutes later she made an announcement that there was an airport emergency and that traffic in and out of Purple Lot 3 (of course where I was parked) was indefinitely suspended. First of all, indefinitely is an intense word when all you want to do is go home. You can imagine how the passengers on the bus reacted. I checked my blackberry and found out from Raleigh’s local news station that there possibly was a shooting at the gas station across the street from the parking lot. All surrounding roads were shutdown because the suspects ran into a wooded area nearby and were still on the loose (I found out the next day someone had tried to carjack two employees leaving the gas station).

I got on the bus at 10:30, by 11:00 we were still sitting there, at 11:15 they were counting how many passengers had parked cars in that particular lot, at 11:45 I caught a break. A police car was going to escort buses back to the parking lot, we were to get into our cars, and exit the lot through a special entrance. Check out the video below to see what happened from there. 

Although I had to wait 1hr and 15min. I eventually got out of the parking lot, the only good part was I got to skip out on my bill. So a heads up to travelers, just because your flight lands on time, doesn’t mean you’re in the clear, because the trip isn’t over until you get into your car…lesson learned.   

Lesson Learned: There's no place like home

Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year for three reasons, friends, family, and food. That’s probably why everyone likes to come home for the holiday. While I managed to gain 3 ½ pounds while I was back in Chicago for 5 days I also got to catch up with everyone I miss on a constant basis.

A joint Thanksgiving dinner with my family and my best friend’s family. Lunch in the suburbs with a reporter who I used to work with, drinks at a friend’s house overlooking the city, then off to a nightclub for a high school reunion, and late night eating at our favorite 4am joint. A shopping date with my mom, an engagement party, a wild night of dancing. Brunch with family friends, a relaxing two hours while watching New Moon, then a stir fry dinner, and a quick drive along Lakeshore Drive to admire the city. A doctor’s appointment, more shopping, lunch with grandma, and back to the airport.

A busy weekend but I wouldn’t have changed a thing because there’s no place like home…lesson learned.

Check out this video of my favorite view of the city!

Lesson Learned: When you get a good view, enjoy it

Lesson Learned: Always get a slice in New York

I grew up eating Giordano’s deep dish pizza in Chicago. There’s nothing better than splurging on a sausage cheese pie with a little extra parmesan on top but everyone has a different favorite and a different way of eating it.

New York prides itself on its pizzerias. “It’s the best in the world” locals will tell you but is it? I’ve had my fair share of pizza in the big apple and to this day I still believe Giordano’s beats them all. However, I’ll continue to put my favorite to the test because there’s got to be a reason New Yorkers swear by their kind, which is why I’ll always give a new place a shot.

So maybe not a lesson learned but a good reason to enjoy a slice with some of my friends, take a look at what New York had to offer us this time!

Lesson Learned: When it comes to love, listen to your rabbi

I was at a wedding in New York City this weekend. During the Rabbi’s sermon to the bride and groom he told them about six phrases every married couple should constantly say to each other. The first phrase included six words, the second five, and so on and so on. The Rabbi promised that the use of these phrases would make the coming years a whole lot more enjoyable and easier on them. I took notice:

6. I appreciate the things you do

5. You did a great job

4. What is your opinion?

3. I love you

2. Thank you

1. We

I’m not sure if anyone’s figured out an equation to a perfect marriage and probably never will but I do know when it comes to these phrases I would be happy to be on the receiving side of any of them. So I guess when it comes to love sometimes, it’s best to just listen to your rabbi and hope he's got someone above him handing down some advice…lesson learned.

 

Lesson Learned: Be careful at Starbucks, they might not be giving you what you asked for

At least three times a week I treat myself to a tall non-fat chai tea from Starbucks. I know it’s a cup of tea that costs $3.19 but I’ve been addicted for about 3 years and don’t plan on detoxing anytime soon. So I was recently shocked to find out Starbucks had changed the way they are making their chai teas.

I was picking up a chai at my go to Starbucks on Arlington Blvd. in Greenville, North Carolina when the barista asked me if I wanted it with or without water? I didn’t know what to say since I’d never been asked this before and had no idea how my chais were usually made. When I asked her about it she told me that a couple of weeks ago Starbuck’s corporate (if that’s what you call them) came in to check out that location and told them to stop making the chais with all milk and instead half water. Thinking the mega chain wouldn’t skimp on my drink since I spend more than $3 on it I decided to try it with half water and quickly learned I will never do that again. My $3.19 drink was water downed and didn’t have the kick I desperately crave. Fortunately the barista didn’t mind making me a new one my way.

If you take into account the millions of chai teas ordered around the world everyday Starbucks is making a pretty penny on that switch to agua. So because of their change, I’ve had to change my order to a tall non-fat no water chai tea. Just a warning to other Starbucks customers, be careful, because they might not be giving you what you asked for.

Lesson Learned: Being a sports reporter isn't so easy

Working at a small news station pretty much means at sometime or another you’ll have to learn how to do everything or at least get the chance to. While I usually stick to covering news, during football season the sports department needs as much help as it can get. So, a news employee like myself is recruited to shoot high school games on Friday nights. I had no idea what to expect. I grew up in downtown Chicago and my high school didn’t even have a football team so I had never experienced the world of Friday Night Lights.  But after successfully making it through my first season as a high school football cameraman, one thing is for sure, being a sports reporter isn’t so easy….lesson learned.

 To show you what I’m talking about check out this video. 

Lesson Learned: Beware, even small bobcats can leave big scratches

I had to be at the television station early this morning to get ready for a radio show. When I showed up they were doing an animal special at the bureau. A bobcat and alligator were on hand from Wilson, North Carolina. Both animals acted perfectly while on air, the drama only happened once backstage.

I was in the newsroom putting together some headlines for my radio appearance when Drew Heckney walked in with the bobcat and asked if I wanted an up close look. It had a beautiful gray spotted coat and bright blue eyes and appeared pretty harmless and small, so I thought what could happen?

After petting the cat for a couple of minutes I turned around to reach for a pen and it pounced. Yes, flew up and on, landed on my body, and clawed its nails in to hold on. I was in shock while Drew tried to detach the cat from my clothing. I was a little surprised I only walked away with a cut on my hand and three snags in my silk shirt, not too bad but still an interesting way to start my Thursday morning. 

I guess I wasn't the only one surprised by the attack because a couple of hours later I got this email from the bobcat's trainer, Drew, "The bobcat told me to tell you he was sorry for jumping on you this morning, but that the texture of your outfit looked so appealing, he just couldn't help himself.  hope it didn't scare you too badly :)  he's like his handler, not afraid to go for the glory!" 

So, just a warning, if you ever come in contact with a bobcat beware because even small ones can leave big scratches…lesson learned.   

Lesson Learned: Homemade Halloween costumes are way better than store bought

Forget the overpriced, cheaply made, itchy costumes you find in those stores that spring up in empty warehouses just on Halloween. There's nothing better than a clever homemade outfit that's got some spunk to it. 

This year I spent the full moon in Schaumburg, Illinois. Why you might ask? Well my boyfriend just got a new job in Wichita, Kansas so this was his going away/Halloween party. I was Audrey Hepburn and won first place for the most adorable costume (I had a bit of an advantage since he was judging the contest). But either way, a win's a win!

I will admit my costume was no where near as creative as some of the others in attendance but it was extremely clear every homemade costume was way better than something store bought...lesson learned.  

Lesson Learned: Do not talk on your cell phone while exiting a plane, no one else wants to listen to your conversation

As soon as Mr. Obnoxious (that's what I'm calling passenger 18C because I never caught his name) got onto US Airways flight 1624 to Chicago I knew he was trouble. I was lucky enough to be sitting in 19C right behind Mr. Obnoxious who turned out to be Mr. Farter, yes he passed gas at least six times during the two hour ride. 

Dressed in tivas, jean shorts, a t-shirt, hat, and gold watch Mr. Obnoxious held the flight up while he found an upper storage bin for his two over sized carry ons. I'm going to skip to the end of the flight because that's when Mr. O really showed his true colors, other then the fake tan he was already sporting. 

When the plane landed and the seat belt sign turned off most passengers did exactly what they usually do, jump up, grab their luggage, and start peering over the person in front of them to see when the doors would open. I remained seated or for that matter sat back down when Mr. O picked up his cell phone and started a conversation in a voice loud enough to be heard in the cockpit (remember he was in 18C).

Mr. Obnoxious, "Hey babe, the only time I hear from you now is when you need money or plane tickets."

Me thinking...this is going to be a long conversation. 

Mr. Obnoxious, "So, I still need you to do that favor for me with your grandma in Florida but you have to get there at night so you can go to the bank early the next morning."

Me thinking...poor grandma.

Mr. Obnoxious, "Am I going to see you in Vegas or California for Christmas? But there's nobody in Vegas. I had no idea I was coming to Chicago, got some business."

Me thinking...I would never want to do business with this guy and why is he sitting in coach? For the love of god aren't these types of people supposed to be in first class?

Then Mr. O exited the aircraft, of course still on the phone.

Male flight attendant, "Feel free to smack that guy when he gets off the plane, he only cares about himself."

Me thinking...It's nice to know I'm not the only one that wants to punch 18C in the face (by the way I don't usually have a violent bone in my body).

So to all my fellow travelers out there, please do not talk on your cell phones while exiting a plane because no one else wants to listen to your conversation...lesson learned.

Lesson Learned: If it's going to further your career your dad will most likely buy it for you

For the past 3 months every time I mention to my father that I’m going to buy something he demands I wait until after the holidays. Since we’re Jewish, there’s no need for Christmas presents under the tree, so I usually hold out until January to make any purchases and bank on the huge discounts.

But yesterday our daily conversation went a little differently. I was talking to my dad about this blog and mentioned to him that I’ve been advised to start adding video to it, more specifically video of me while I’m on the road so viewers can get a better picture of my travels. When I told him I was going to wait until after the holidays to start looking for a video camera he immediately said, “Forget that, it can be an early Hanukkah present and I’ll buy it for you right now.” I was stunned, was my dad actually urging me to purchase something before December 25^th? And then it hit me like so many other dads like him he wants me as close to home as soon as possible and thinks that this blog might get me there a little bit sooner.  So, like a dad all girls hope for he’ll do just about anything to help me.

To all those daddy’s girls out there, I wouldn’t start asking for a new TV (which I could use, preferably a flat screen) or plane tickets to LA (even though I’ve got a best friend there who I haven’t seen in months) but a heads up if it’s going to further your career your dad will most likely buy it for you…lesson learned. 

Lesson Learned: Rest stops can be haunted too

I usually spend about five minutes at a rest stop, go to the bathroom, maybe pick up a snack, and I’m out of there but Tuesday night I decided to stick around for a little longer.

I was at a rest stop on I-95 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina when I bumped into Eric Bowers, he’s been an employee there for the past 5 years and filled me in on a little secret about where he works, Eric told me, “It’s haunted.”

Eric says two people have died at this specific location, one hung himself from a tree next to the parking lot and another had a heart attack. Since then, he says they’ve had a ghost problem (I do want to mention I haven’t confirmed those deaths with authorities).

While I do enjoy a good Halloween story I was going to need a few more details from Eric to believe his tale and examples is exactly what he gave me. “Sometimes at night doors open by themselves and there's nobody at the door so it's kind of spooky." Eric also told me about something that happened to him a couple of months ago, "I was standing and gazing out the window and a lady came in and I just kept standing outside, she was in there for about 15 minutes. I didn't see her come out so I went in there to look and she was gone. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me but I knew I saw her go in.”

So maybe I didn’t completely believe him but I was a little convinced especially since this particular rest stop was smack in the middle of a dark wooded area, perfect for any good horror movie so maybe just maybe rest stops can be haunted too…lesson learned.

Lesson Learned: Sometimes a dog is all you need

My parents promised they would get me a dog when I was ten years old. So when I turned eight I asked for a puppy every single night at the dinner table, I got that dog when I turned nine. Her name was Harpo and she was a beautiful white Labrador. I remember the first night Harpo came home with me, she was crying the entire time and so was I, I even slept in her kennel with her that night.

Most dog owners think they’ve got the best pet in the world and that’s exactly how I felt, you couldn’t get better than Harpo.

At the age of 13, Harpo had developed several medical conditions including diabetes and my family was forced to put her down, we haven’t recovered since. One day I’ll get another dog, yes it will be a Lab and yes I’ll probably name it after her. So, when I met Lalla Sidbury at the Marion Shepard Cancer Center and she introduced me to her chocolate Lab Kasey I instantly knew I was going to enjoy getting to know the two of them.

Lalla was diagnosed with cancer in 2000, a couple of years later her doctor recommended she take an early retirement, that’s when her husband suggested she get a dog to help with the transition. Lalla brought Tobey into her family and says she can’t begin to explain how much he helped her during the chemotherapy process. Unfortunately a year and a half later a freak accident ruptured Tobey’s blater and Lalla was forced to put him down. However, she knew she needed a dog in her life because of the positive therapy it provided and picked Kasey to be her next pet.

Back in June Lalla and Kasey joined the animal-assisted therapy program at the Marion Shepard Cancer Center in Washington, North Carolina. At least once a week Lalla and Kasey visit with patients and cheer them up after their chemotherapy treatments. Kasey licks their hands, paws at their feet, even jumps up on their beds to say hello while Lalla talks to the patients about everything from the weather to her success with battling cancer. It's an interesting sight to see, a patient wrapped in tubes and a chocolate lab wagging it's tail bedside patiently waiting for his next treat.

Lalla says Kasey gets to love on them and they get to love on him back because sometimes a dog is all you need…lesson learned.

For more on the pet therapy program at Marion Shepard Cancer Center head to: http://www.marionlshepardcancercenter.org/pettherapy.htm

Lesson Learned: Your ATM card will not always work in Canada so bring cash

I’ve been to Niagara Falls twice now, once to the American side, once to the Canadian side and let me tell you the U.S. got robbed. The view on the Canadian side is absolutely breathtaking, maybe because it’s more of a full frontal view but unfortunately the two don’t even compare. If you decide to make the trip it’s definitely worth crossing the border for. 

So, I’m at Niagara Falls, smitten by the view, high off the fresh air, and ready to continue my road trip…next stop Toronto.  

Problem 1: Our ATM cards wouldn't work when we try to pay for parking at the falls.

So, we scrounged up a couple of dollars we still had and barely made it out of the lot.

Problem 2: The highway to Toronto became a tollway and we needed Canadian money to pay but our ATM cards wouldn't work at two gas stations nor an ATM at Wal-Mart.

That’s when the cashier told me American ATM cards don’t usually work in Canadian ATMs. I’ve traveled all over the world and have never had this problem before. So, while my boyfriend tried to figure out a route to Toronto without going on the tollway I tried to think of a way to get us some cash (By the way it's 10pm).

Plan A: Go into a fast food restaurant and ask someone if I could pay for their meal with my credit card (not ATM card) in return for the cash.

Plan B: Do the exact same thing at a gas station.

Fortunately, we criss-crossed our way into Toronto without having to ask for handouts and made it to our hotel.  When we told the concierge about our dilemma he confirmed what the Wal-Mart employee had already explained to us. Just as I was about to ask him if he could charge our credit card extra for the room so we could get some cash back in return he told us the hotel had prepared for this very situation and installed a special ATM that accepted American cards. THANK GOD!

My dads always told me never to travel without $100 in cash, I guess I better start listening to his advice because my ATM card won’t always be my ticket home…lesson learned. 

However, some have experienced a whole lot worse in Canada, take a look at this video. 

Lesson Learned: It's never too late to jump in the ring, literally

I’ll be honest I’ve never been much of a wrestling fan but when you meet someone like Ric Flair it’s hard not to get excited especially when there are hundreds of his fans surrounding you screaming his signature wooooo, try it, it’s fun to say out loud.

I got to shake the world heavyweight champion’s hand at the North Carolina Sea Food Festival in Morehead City. Ric’s teamed up with the North Carolina Lottery and is coming out with a new scratch off card, yes wooooo could be somewhere in the tickets name but WrestleMania fans will most likely be more interested in the $100,000 top prize. He was at the festival to promote the ticket and of course meet and greet some fans.

So why is the Nature Boy so interested in the lottery?  He says for the kids and that was good enough for me.

Flair has definitely got some flare and charmed me into wanting to attend his out of retirement debut in November; too bad it’s in Australia. Yes, he’ll be heading back in the ring to face off against the one and only Hulk Hogan. The first time he’ll compete since a big loss to Shawn Michaels. But the champs got about 36 years of experience under his belt and looked like he could crush me with 2 fingers even at the age of 60.

But Mr. Flair’s muscular physique isn’t the only reason why I would bet in his favor, he’s the type of man I could never really see retire because he’s so passionate about the sport and has this admirable desire to constantly impress his fans. Which made me think, if and when you find something you absolutely love to do, it’s never too late to jump in the ring, literally…lesson learned. 

Lesson Learned: You never really know who is buying you that drink

I was casually enjoying a Miller Light on the deck of a bar in Morehead City, North Carolina overlooking the ocean on what happened to be the night of a full moon when she attacked.

She was an approximately 5 Ft. 115 lbs slightly intoxicated brunette and her targets were sitting right next to me. At the top of her lungs she screamed at a girl sharing a drink with another guy “I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THE GUY YOU’RE TALKING TO BEATS HIS GIRLFRIENDS.” Because that’s all I caught word for word, I’ll paraphrase what happened next. The miniature girl continued shrieking that her best friend has a fat lip and a black and blue eye. This guy's date was stunned into shock and the only thing she managed to get out, “I met him 10 minutes ago,” Then the brunette turned her attention on the guy and challenged him to slap her, dared him to touch her in front of more than 100 witnesses. 

Somehow the brunette’s friends managed to drag her away and then my ears really perked up. Would this girl stick around to finish her drink with an alleged girlfriend beater? Well, not only did she stay but once asking and hearing the story of why he admittedly slapped his ex (just once) she said, “It sounded like she deserved it.” That was my cue to leave.   

On my way back to the hotel room I started to think about all those times I’d happily accepted free beverages from total strangers and it’s true you never really know who is buying you that drink…lesson learned. 

Lesson Learned: Sometimes you don't have to look very far for love

I met Patricia and Robert Winnie at the Lenoir County Fair in North Carolina. Patricia runs the Wacky Shack and Robert is in charge of the kiddy rides even though he told me he can manage just about every ride at the carnival and that’s exactly where these two lovebirds met.

Over a year ago Patricia says she spotted Robert and although it wasn’t love at first sight she confessed, “I thought he was cute” and decided to pursue her carnie co-worker.

Like so many women have done before her, Patricia lured him in with food. Robert says she marched over everyday with two mini Butter Fingers and a Pepsi, quickly gave them to him, and backed away without a word. Cupid must have been hungry too because it worked.

Robert and Patricia have been married for over 11 months and have settled down in Kinston, North Carolina. Although they’ve given up traveling with the fair, every time the carnival comes to town they pitch in to help and rekindle that first flame.

But they aren’t the only ones taking a romantic spin on the Ferris Wheel these days, Patricia’s daughter also works with the carnival and tells me she too has fallen in love with someone who works at the fair, which means a bit of a family tradition is forming for the Winnies.

On my ride home that night I had to smirk at the Winnie’s love story.  Could it be that easy? Two Butter Fingers, a Pepsi, and the notion, sometimes you don’t have to look very far for love….lesson learned.

Why I got started:

My name is Natalie Kaplan and I’m a News Anchor/Reporter in Greenville, North Carolina. A couple of days ago, I was at the grocery store when a middle aged man walked by me, turned to his wife and said, “Hey, that’s the girl always smiling on the news.” He’s right, I’ve usually got a huge grin plastered across my face.

I’ve been in the media industry for a little over three years now so I still get excited when I’m live at the scene of a warehouse fire, covering a chemical spill, or bomb threat at a high school. But while the live element is invigorating it’s not why I love my job.

Everyday I wake up in the morning and I have no idea who I’m going to meet that afternoon. I’m a people person and that’s exactly what I do sometimes, tell people’s stories. While on the road (not just for my job but because of my lifestyle, I’m a traveling addict who will pack up and go anywhere at anytime) I am constantly meeting different types of people who have incredible stories to tell and that’s one of the keepsakes I usually return home with, a lesson learned. This is my chance to introduce you to some of those individuals and share some of the lessons they have bestowed upon me. This is my chance to take you on the road with me…