In a previous post, I explained my resolve to read more, instead of indulging in mindless reality TV. I’ve always been a fan of non-fiction, or have had to read a lot for work/school, but I wanted to renew my passion to read for pleasure. And it’s going great!

One thing I’ve found, is that by reading more, I’ve increased speed. I guess it’s like anything else, the more you practice, the better you get. It might sound silly, but it does seem like with every book I get into, its easier to stay focused and zip through it.

The first fiction book I’d picked up in awhile, Pillars of the Earth, took me like a YEAR to read! To my credit, check the book out, it is HUGE! Like the size of one of those mini-phone books!!

Anyway, then I got around to reading Twilight, and that took me about a month or so to read. Next came the sequel, New Moon, which I thought was even better than the first, and I got through that one in just a little over a week! I’ve had to take a hiatus from the Twilight series, being that I can’t get my hands on the third installment yet.

So now I am reading The Duggars: 20 and Counting! It’s written by the family you might have seen on TLC or Discovery Health. While I don’t plan on having 18 children, like Michelle Duggar, I have been fascinated by the Duggar family, and wanted to read more. They seem like such a happy and peaceful family. The mother of 18 has more patience with her children than I do with my one 2-year old!!! The book is great. They explain their reasoning for some of the things we might find odd, like the way they dress, and the book has recipes scattered throughout. It also has great tips for saving money, organizing and disciplining. It’s really inspired me to try to be a better wife and mother! I’ m almost finished with that book, and I’m excited to start the next!

I read on the AP this week that the nation’s largest group of atheists and agnostics, known as “The Freedom From Religion Foundation,” filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, “seeking to block an architect from engraving ‘In God We Trust’ and the Pledge of Allegiance at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington.” Whether you agree or disagree with this action, I feel that it conjours up some fair questions about the case.

Just take the name of the group for example, “Freedom FROM Religion Foundation.” I assume the name is in reference to Amendment 1 of the Constitution. But, the exact wording of that amendment is “Freedom OF Religion.” Now, on the surface it might seem that “freedom OF religion” and “freedom FROM religion” mean the same thing, but do they really? Personally, I take “freedom OF religion” to mean that anyone has the right to practice whatever religion he or she chooses. And I would take “freedom FROM religion” to mean the government has to remove any and all references to any and all religions from view, so a person does not have to be influenced by any religion. What do you think? Is this just a matter of semantics? Or are there in fact, two different interpretations of that amendment?

Which brings me to another question. Is the interpretation or the authors of the amendment’s intent more important when enforcing the constitution? If we choose author’s intent, then I believe it would be important to consider the orginal wording of the constitution, “Freedom OF religion.” And we would go on to read, the rest of the amendment.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Is engraving “In God We Trust” and the Pledge of Allegiance onto a government building making a law respecting an establishment of religion? Does it prohibit the free exercise of religion?

Now, if we are to choose interpretation of the constitution as being the more proper way to enforce the constitution, perhaps you could interpret freedom of religion to mean no exposure. In which case, having to see the mere mention of God inscribed on a wall, or written on our currency would infringe on that right.

But this still leaves some unanswered questions for me. What motivates someone who does not believe in a higher power to want to censor it’s existence? If an atheist or agnostic does not believe in God(s) or believes it cannot be known, then why isn’t it dismissed as a fairy tale? Ignored as some ignore the mention of Santa Claus, ghosts, or fairies? Most theistic religions teach to honor one another and obey the law. What’s threatening about that?

If you have an opinion on this subject or case, please weigh in. The sharing of ideas educates us all.

After becoming increasingly disappointed with the quality of television shows now on the air, (besides Fox Toledo First at Four and First at Ten of course, ) I decided to take up reading again. Again, because I was on a long hiatus there for awhile. I think when you’re forced to read so much material in school, and if you have to read a lot for your job, it can take a lot of the joy out of reading. Before, I was reading out of necessity, not entertainment.

I used to love reading, so I decided to take it up again.

At first, I did some reading with my husband before bed. We read Pilgrims Progress together and it was a special time I looked forward to each night. So much better than watching reality TV and then crashing. After indulging in some of those kinds of shows, like Keeping up with the Kardashians and The Hills, I seriously felt as if I was getting stupider… When reading with my husband, I at least felt like I was learning something, and it gave us something to discuss.

Once we were finished with that, I decided to get us each a book at the library. Now, my husband says he hates reading, so I think to get into it, the trick is getting something that interests you. Nick is a huge fan of scary movies, so I looked into the horror book genre, and picked him up a few. I also never have a problem finding plenty of books for my two-year-old. But when looking at the library, for a book for me to read, I got overwhelmed. Non-fiction is no problem for me, but looking for fiction was tougher. It was so much easier when I was an adolescent. I just grabbed my Babysitter’s Club books and Sweet Valley High, and was on my way.

The main fiction book I’d been hearing about, was the Twilight series. So I finally picked the first one up. I must say, I am really enjoying it so far. Reading seems so much more relaxing then watching the tube. And I can take the book anywhere. It’s great. Nick seems to be enjoying his book too. I’m so proud of him.

Anyway, I’m glad I’ve renewed my passion for reading again. Not just non-fiction, but a book I can escape into as well. Know any good reads? Please give me some suggestions so I won’t get overwhelmed looking again, once I’m finished with the Twilight series!

This past week, I interviewed Joe Wurzelbacher – a man perhaps better known, as “Joe the Plumber.” Before the 2008 presidential election, Wurzelbacher was, more or less, unknown. But after essentially being at the right place, at the right time, he asked President Barack Obama a question that gained him national attention. Since then, he has not gone back to his “common guy” role as a plumber. He now makes his living traveling around the country, speaking at largely conservative-themed rallies.

What do you think of “Joe the Plumber?” Do you think he was just at the right place at the right time? Or did he ask an intelligent question that earned him the national attention and current job of speaking around the country?

Click on Joe the Plumber to see Fox Toledo’s coverage of the Holland, Ohio man.

Summer is here!! And that means summer vacations! Now, if you’re like most, the economy is still making you strapped for cash. So, instead of planning an elaborate getaway, you could consider making some day trips or a weekend getaway. There are lots of fun things to do that are in close proximity to Toledo.

Just this weekend, My husband and I took a quick trip to Archbold with our daughter Ivie. I did a story on Sauder Village recently, (To see the story click here) and the folks over there were nice enough to hook me up with some free tickets. I gave a couple to fellow Fox Toledo reporter, Heather Miller, and we met her, her husband Shane, and her son Kelan there.

Despite the clouds and drizzles, our toddlers still seemed to have fun. Sauder village has plenty of farm animals to see, and a cabin perfect for kids – complete with puzzles, blocks and other toys. Sauder Village also satisfies a sweet tooth. It has an old-fashioned candy shop, home-made ice cream store, and a sweet shop where you can sample all kinds of fresh fudge. Now, the educational aspect of the trip, (the village recreates how people lived more than a hundred years ago,) that was lost to the age of our children. But if you have older kids, they can learn a lot, while enjoying themselves. And as for the cost, tickets are about the same you would pay for a movie, and children under five get free admission. If you’re from the Toledo area, the drive won’t even use a full tank, and takes just about 40 minutes or so.

Keep an eye out for Heather’s blog because she has some great pictures and video of our visit!

Now for other trips I have planned this summer that are still only about 45 minutes away…

It’s been forever since I’ve made it out to Put-in-Bay, so I’m hoping to take a trip out this year. I just made the trip to Port Clinton on Wednesday for a story,(To see the story click here) which gave me the idea. The folks over at Jet Express advised getting a babysitter for this one though. They say it’s a great place for kids, but there’s not too much for toddlers to do.

I’ll also probably get a babysitter for a drive out to Cedar Point in Sandusky. If I’m gonna make the trip, I want to ride the “big-kid” rides!!

Sandusky also boasts Kalahari. Fellow Fox Toledo reporter, Michelle Zepeda, just did a story on this place. (Michelle’s story) They have an amazing water-park, and thanks to Michelle’s report, now I know they’ve added a safari adventure park, showcasing “a collection of ostriches, zebras, African antelope, camels, Barbary sheep, kangaroos, African Pygmy goats, Jacob four-horned sheep, zebu cattle, African tortoises, and other exotic animals.”

What about you? What do you have planned for this summer? Any other day or weekend trips to suggest?

One of the reasons I wanted to become a reporter is so that I could do something different each day on the job. New days bring new topics and it gives the job variety. Every now and then though, a certain incident or issue remains top news and you can get stuck on the same topic for several days.

The end of last week and the beginning of this week was one of those times. The case of missing Nevaeh Buchanan remained a huge story. So each day I came in to work, I knew what I would be covering. I came in, and shortly after, was on my way to Monroe. Now, there can be some comfort in knowing in advance what story you’re covering, but reporting on the missing girl from Monroe started to get at me.

I have a little girl of my own, and can’t imagine not knowing where she was or what happened to her. I lost sight of her in a furniture store once, and it was probably only twenty seconds, but it still scared me to death. So in speaking to Nevaeh’s family members on a daily basis, I became emotionally invested. It can be very hard when a family is worried or grieving, and my job is to get information from them. At times, when entering the family’s apartment complex, and seeing all the other new vehicles and live trucks, I began to feel like I was one among vultures. So I took solace in making a commitment to myself, to do my job the best I could, but not at the expense of the genuine compassion I was feeling. It also helped to know the stories we were running might just get Nevaeh home safe.

Well, late last night, I found out that was not to be the case. Poor little Nevaeh’s body is believed to have been found near the River Raisin in Raisinville Township, northwest of Monroe. I’m left feeling deeply saddened for her and her family. You see, another thing I always liked about being a reporter, is you usually don’t have to take any work home with you. Like I said before, new days usually bring fresh new stories. Well, you might not have to bring physical work home, like paperwork, but in stories like this one, it can be impossible not to bring work home with you in an emotional sense.

On a lighter note, I spent the whole day with my almost two-year old yesterday. I painted her toenails, then took her to the zoo. One thing I’m reminded of, from covering Nevaeh’s story, is to not take one second for granted, that I get to spend with my little Ivie girl. Everyday that I get to wake up to her smiling face and hold her close is a blessing.

I’ve always been interested in having a blog, but I just never got around to doing it. I’m excited for this new venture though. It’s funny to think that something that can be so close to keeping a journal, others would be interested in reading. But I myself have really gotten into perusing the large variety of blogs out there. I like how some are just purely entertaining, while others delve into deep or controversial subjects. And then, of course, there’s some that are just plain weird.

However, I do feel strongly that reading others’ thoughts and opinions is what brings about the most learning. Even if I haven’t agreed with others’ opinions, I enjoy reading them, if only to strengthen my own views.

When I was taking my college journalism courses, there was a lot of debate on whether or not blogging is a form of journalism. I definitely feel it has it’s place. I believe the purpose of all media is to inform. And while most media is broad, and supposed to strive for truth and impartiality, I think blogging is a medium that can allow the author to focus on his or her passions and share opinions.

I think it’s also given another source for information to those who are skeptical of the mainstream media. Now there’s another outlet for them to compare the news with or simply get their news from. Blogging can serve as a “checks and balances” system to the mainstream media. If a certain topic gets ignored by other media outlets, there’s another place society can get information from. Now, I wouldn’t advise people to take what any blog had to say as gospel, but even as a television news professional, I wouldn’t advise anyone to take what any TV, newspaper, or radio reports as gospel either. I think every individual has a personal responsibility to seek the truth for themselves. It never hurts to seek the whole story by looking at several sources. That’s just a good principle of research.

So there’s my thoughts on blogging in general. Now what I envision for this blog… Just as I report on different topics every time I’m on the job, my entries will probably always be very different. Another thing about being a reporter… the beginning of the day entails bringing up story ideas. Sometimes those ideas are shot down. It’s just the nature of the business. But perhaps I can use this blog as an opportunity to share those ideas with you.

Until next time…