Late For the Gate

If you plan to travel within the United States, travel ON the day of the holiday. You'll find short or no lines at security, an entire row for yourself on planes and no one to fight with to get a seat at airport restaurants.

I get off work at around midnight. My plan was to head home, finished packing and get in bed for a couple of hours shut-eye before an early drive to Portland to catch my flight. I set my alarm for 5:30am but didn't notice it going off until 6:30am. I looked at the numbers on the clock and tried to blink past the fog in my brain. I concentrated on the 6 and it all clicked in slow motion - I was going to miss my plane and therefore be late for the Thanksgiving dinner my mother had been slaving over all day.

Unfortunately, in this emergency situation, I had to skip my shower (luckily no one had to sit to close to me today) throw on some clothes, get a cup of coffee (instant), zip my suitcase and head for the interstate. I drove over the speed limit the entire way there....mostly holding my breath and praying I wouldn't get hit by a speeding ticket. The ticket didn't worry me as much as the slow down from being pulled over.

My flight was scheduled to take off at 8:50am and at 8:15 I was still 5 miles away from the airport. I chose long-term parking so I was closer to the terminal and paced while waiting for the shuttle. 8:27am -inside the shuttle.

As soon as the bus stopped I jumped up, grabbed my suitcase and started running. I undressed while dashing to the security checkpoint because let's face it, you cannot wear ANYTHING except shirt and jeans through the scanners these days. No one was in front of me so security went smoothly.

I check for the gate, D8 and started sprinting. It was 8:41 at this point. After a good 50 yards, I saw the gate down the corridor but a funny thing happened...age rushed over me. My lungs were ripping apart from sprinting and my thighs burned. A steady run turned into a helpless, embarrassing shuffle but I kept going. Even though I could no longer pick my legs up off the floor, I somehow moved them back and forth at a decent pace. My asthma kicked in at this point and I began wheezing but could push out enough breath to semi-shout to the flight attendant standing by the gate. "Deeeeeeee8!! Can I.....still....get...............on!? She looked up and was clearly afraid of my strange shuffling and waved me on. I was the last one on the flight and spent the next 20 minutes trying to breathe my way out of a heart attack. I am so out of shape.

That is an example of how to be a disastrous traveler. Set more than one alarm if you have an early flight.

Travel Moments I'm Thankful For

Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a holiday commemorating the "new land." Some historical accounts say when the Pilgrims landed on North American soil, Native American Indians welcomed them and together, they hosted a feast. On this Thanksgiving Day, it is traditional to consider what you are thankful for. I'm most thankful for love, health, a job, my supportive and wonderful family and incredible friends.

I'm also thankful for special moments I've experienced while traveling. Here are a few:

High tea with my grandmother and mother at the Ritz in London. Such a lovely time with excellent conversation. I felt like royalty and soaked in every moment with my mum and grandma. Tiny sandwiches were served on silver platters and we sipped a half dozen different teas.

Strolling along the canals in Venice with my fiance. We walked hand in hand, stopping on bridges to watch gondolas pass. We explored the city with friends and hit several hot spots that we would've never found on our own. I felt a part of the culture that night.

Amsterdam with my dear friend, Kate the Great. We took our time walking through the house where Anne Frank kept her infamous diary and toured the Van Gogh museum on a rainy day.



Rome and the Colesseo. There is something about touring a place that has withstood the test of time that brings such peace and awe to the soul.



South Africa and diving with the Great White sharks. Kingsley, Paul and I braved the cold water and saw the flash of teeth through our goggles. I felt alive during that experience and also very aware of my powerlessness next to nature.




Paris. A quiet moment on the terrace of the townhouse my family hosted us in. The view of the Eiffel tower was amazing and I watched as all of the lights came on around 10 one night. Something I'll never forget.


Which travel moments are you thankful for?

Terror in Mumbai, India

Britons, Americans and Australians were targeted in a terrorist attack in Mumbai, India. MSNBC reports the death toll at more than 100 with scores more wounded in shootings around the city at train stations, restaurants and hotels. Most of the establishments were places tourists often frequented.

Several India news outlets reported receiving an email from an extremist Muslim group, Deccan Mujahideen, which claimed responsibility for the attacks. Nine people have been arrested, some of the attackers were killed. There were several car bombings as well.

City government in Mumbai has ordered all schools to be closed on Thursday.

The Price of Baggage

I've taken to shoving everything I possibly can into a small carry-on even when I'm traveling to London for a week. If a gal can pack smart, there's no need for 10 pair of shoes and 20 different sweaters.

My Thanksgiving plans will take me to Columbus, Ohio and I've packed a little black dress, a pair of slacks, tights, heels, scarf, gloves and a couple of sweaters. I'll be wearing jeans, boots and a stylish jacket. This will allow a nice mix and match for the 5 days I'm traveling. Plus, there's a washer and dryer at the 'rents house in Columbus, Ohio with my name on it.

If I were to check a bag, however, it would likely cost me around $20.

The Wall Street Journal online reported on the cost of transporting luggage today. The report says the airlines aren't making much off of us when they charge the initial checked baggage fee. Where they go for broke is on the golf clubs, skis and over-sized packages we just have to take with us.

Here's a look at what you'll pay for bag number two on many airlines (courtesy The Wall Street Journal):

There's always the option of wearing several pairs of underpants, socks and brasseries in layers under your traveling clothes to save space in your luggage.

Cheapest Day of the Week to Fly

Choose a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday departure and you can see a significant drop in your airfare.

Family Lanes

Have you been in line at the security checkpoint at the airport and waited an excruciatingly long time while a darling mother helps her 3 children take off their shoes and put their bags including an over-sized stroller through the scanner? While I do have sympathy and thank God that I don't have to travel with children this year, it can be a pain for business travelers and those of us who must fly from one end of the country to the other as quickly as possible.

Thankfully, the Transportation Security Administration has also noticed how much time could be saved if things were switched up in long lines. So, they've adopted new "Family Lanes" in the US. This means, if you approach the security checkout with children, you are supposed to get into the family lane where you can have ample time to help your crew through and without dirty looks from insensitive frequent fliers.

Let me know your experience with "Family Lanes" this holiday season. Apparently no one can be forced into the other lane but the suggestion is there.

Top 3 Travel Goals

I'm a goal-oriented gal and learned in school if you write down your goals, they are more attainable. My daddio also preached this one. So, I'd like to post my top 3 travel goals and hope you share yours.



1. Language immersion. I want to learn a language by living it. Since I've moved back from Europe, I've learned enough Italian to get by, some Afrikaans and brushed up on my Spanish. I'd like to pick a country and move there with my sweetie for at least a year. This way, I can call another language my own. (My first pick for this experiment would be Paris but I would settle for Spain.)

2. Tour Asia.

3. Put down some roots abroad. Who wouldn't love a lifestyle that allows for a vacation home in Cape Town, South Africa or maybe Cancun, Mexico? I plan to work hard now so I can play hard later.

What are your travel goals?

UK to Ban Happy Hour?

If you want to have a life in London, you cannot be afraid to meet people out at the local pub. But now starlights may need to budget a bit more for social time.

Now, it seems government in the UK wants to make a change to "happy hour."

As the Associated Press reported today, pubs may no longer be able to offer a discount on pints and cocktails during certain hours of the day.

This comes as the government is trying to combat the underage drinking problem and what officials report as "liver-related deaths." Some think the problem has gotten worse because alcohol is inexpensive to buy and relatively affordable for young drinkers.

I beg to differ. Pints were at least 3 Pounds 25 (nearly $7) but who's counting? The price is going up!

Obese Passengers Get Another Seat

The Canadian Transportation Agency says "yes" to a free extra plane seat for passengers who are morbidly obese. Canada's government says some obese passengers will be classified as "disabled" and should get extra space if they need it. Overweight people may also qualify for an additional seat if they do not fit into just one.

So far, Canada is the only country in the world to allow overweight fliers to get extra space for free.

The Calgary Herald's Tamara Gignac reported the story: "According to Canadian Transportation Agency figures, the new rules will add about 77 cents to each ticket sold by Air Canada and 44 cents to every WestJet fare."

What's your take on this? Should passengers have to pay extra for obese travelers' extra seat? Should obesity be classified as a disability?

The Perfect Travelin' Shoes

Whether man or woman, your shoes say a lot about who you are. Sensible? Good quality? Sexy? But, when travelers trott the globe the best way to do it is in comfort.

In my experience of travel, well-made, comfy and STYLISH leather boots are tops of the list.

My honey bought a pair of Timberlands for me last year and I cannot imagine traveling in the rain/winter without them. The pair below resembles mine. They are waterproof, have a rubber outsole and are lined. Oh so warm.

The great thing about these boots, you can spice them up with a skirt or wear them over skinny jeans. For a night out - heels and a taxi cab - but for trudging up and down the canals in Venice in the rainy season - boots are bang on.

Up In Smoke - Amsterdam to Close Cafes

Travel news for you this evening - Amsterdam, one of the only places on earth where you can smoke marijuana (it's technically illegal but still allowed) , is planning on closing 1/5 of it's infamous cafes.

What does this mean for you, the traveler? You can still partake in local culture - but not close to schools. The mayor has announced compliance with a national ban on hosting marijuana cafes within a certain distance of schools. The decision was made during a Dutch "weed summit."

So, you can visit one of the "coffee shops" but if your hotel is close to a school, you'll need to branch out - perhaps deeper into the red light district - to have a smoke.

Find the Cheapest Flight to London

Wanna head to London in '09? Start planning now. Here's some tips to find the cheapest flight...

I had planned to travel to London the first full week of January to see my fiance, Kings. As any savvy travel does, I began my search for cheap tickets online.

Search a variety of sights. These are the sights I normally frequent: Travelocity, Cheap Tickets, Kayak, Expedia, and my new favorite international travel booking tool - Vayama.

My estimate for a round trip ticket from Oregon across the pond was $800. That's what I paid in June when I vacationed in London. Imagine my shock when I could not find one flight under $1800. That's double plus $200 what I though I would have to pay. Paying for travel with a credit card is not an option for budget-wise travelers.

After fretting that I wouldn't be able to see my honey, I went back to the drawing board.

Search nearby airports. I tried searching from other surrounding cities. If I could fly out of Seattle (direct flight) it would knock off about $500 bucks but how am I going to get to Seattle? Portland, Oregon flights to London were a little cheaper but not enough to make a difference.

Adjust your travel dates. My next search pushed the week of travel forward a week. For the second week of January, the cost was even less than my original estimate: $750 on United Airlines. Lesson learned here, if you need to save some money, don't fly internationally around the holidays.

Fly to another country. If London is your destination, consider all modes of transportation for getting there. A traveler can fly to Paris for the same price as London, spend a day or two there and take the Eurostar (train) ticket to the UK. That will cost you a little more but you'll get to see two destinations in one holiday.

Other ideas on how to beat high plane tickets? Please post a comment. Happy traveling!

Tomorrow? The perfect traveling shoes...

"Travel the World" It Is

I posted a poll on my blog last week asking what you would do if you won the lottery.

69% of you said you would travel the world.

30% of you indicated you would quit your job.

I did both of those things, in opposite order and that's why I originally published Blond Across the Pond - to blog my travels and stay in touch. Now that I'm back to a full-time job, I refuse to give up on international travel and you don't have to either! So, if you have a question, suggestion or idea about international travel, post a comment here.

Tomorrow's topic: Why are plane tickets to the UK so expensive this year? How to get to London without dropping $2000...

Host A Dinner Party on the Cheap

I do a segment for my news station KVAL called "Saving You Money." During sweeps (month of November - news ratings) I have several spots running about how to save money during the holidays. Well tonight - you get the scoop - here's how to save a buck while hosting a holiday dinner party:

Plan your dinners around unfussy inexpensive ingredients. Think Italian, cheeses, wine and pasta. You can also do a nice green salad for not much money.

Shop before Thanksgiving - before the prices go up. Hostesses in the know realize that prices are marked up in the time between turkeys and Santa so shop for your party before Thanksgiving rolls around.

Ask your guests to bring the wine. It is easy for them and really cuts down on the cost of hosting for you.

Rather than a plated dinner, host a a buffet. You'll notice caterers doing this ...when you set up the spread put the rolls and starchy items (such as potatoes) toward the front of the buffet and the meat and the end. The hope is that guests will not take as much meat this way...saving you money.

Clean and prepare your fruits and veggies yourself. The packaging and pre-cutting will cost you.

Frozen meat is cheaper. Thaw your turkey or ham in time to cook and serve it.

Make your own dessert! Do some comparison shopping and you'll notice a store bought can cost five times the amount of baking it yourself. As long as you have the right tools, making your own pie crust is pretty easy. Don't have a rolling pin? Use a wine bottle! Or, bake brownies from a box. Add Hershey chocolate squares on top as soon as they come out of the oven. This makes for a lovely frosting.

Help me add to the list...other ideas on how to save and party at the same time?

The Ducks Game

I've watched college ball in Knoxville, TN at the Volunteer headquarters. The stadium holds 107k. My brother and I have enjoyed a few Ohio State games at the Horseshoe in Columbus, OH and yesterday I went to my second game at Autzen stadium in Eugene, OR.

The crowd was so loud that we couldn't even hear the band playing at times. The Ducks won the game but not after a scarey drive in the second half by Arizona. At one point it was 45 - 43 but then the Ducks go a break and scored again in the 4th quarter.

Following the game, some new friends invited us to go to Head coach Mike Bellotti's post-game wrap up for financial supporters. It was fun to see coach in person and hear a little bit about the game strategy.

I really enjoyed the day but I missed my Cincinnati Bengals. What do you think? College ball or professional sports? Pros and cons of both?

Top Ten Reasons I'm Glad It's the Weekend

10. I don't have to get out of bed tomorrow, but I will.

9. I have a free ticket to go to Artbeat's Big Band Broadcast on Sunday.

(The Big Band Broadcast starring Holly Larocque and the 13 piece Mark Ferguson Orchestra is a joyful and high powered return to the golden age of radio broadcasts from starlit ballrooms. )

8. My laundry basket is overflowing and I must do washing.

7. My magazines are due back at the Eugene library but yes, I can get 15 more.

6. The new David Minor Theater is open in Eugene and the Big Lebowski is playing for free.



5. I need time to research and complete the K-1 Fiance Visa forms.

4. The birds that live near my place need a fill-up of food and I don't have time during the week!

3. The Museum of Culture and History has free admission on Saturday and Sunday.

2. My toes need another coat of polish.

1. It is going to be SUNNY!!!!!!!!!

A Gift

So I've finally moved from the "Oh my gosh, wedding planning is the devil" attitude to "I need to try to have fun doing this."

During the months of October and early November, I spent countless nights lying awake thinking about when, where, how, who (this has the beginnings of a news story) until I finally bit the bullet and settled on a date and location and began planning. Now that the ball is rolling things have become easier.

Before I was able to fall asleep the other night I had to get out of bed, turn on the lights, find my favorite pen and make a 3 page list of everything I could possibly think of that needs to be completed for a wedding. It is an unbelievable list of tasks but I plan to just cross them off one by one and try not to panic.

Planning a wedding shouldn't feel like a dark hole, it should be a happy time. Some things are beyond my control and I'll have to accept that. Otherwise, I'm going to think of this time as a gift and imagine the future side by side with my honey.

On Veteran's Day

A special thank you to my brother, Dannen for his service in Iraq as an Army Reservist.

Boet, it could only happen in the US...

(The below post was prompted by my future brother-in-law. Boet translates to "mate/friend" in Affrikaans. We're going to swap stories on our blogs. Hope you enjoy...)

I was covering the elections as a television news reporter for WATE in 2004 and the county commissioners race was heating up in Knox County, Tennessee. My job was to interview all 3 candidates and give them equal time in a news story so as to remain fair and balanced.

My photographer and I met the first candidate at his law office downtown for a 5 minute interview, the second candidate met us at the school where she was a principal. The third candidate was difficult to track down. As I made calls around the county trying to find how to get a hold of Candidate 3, people seemed to laugh when I mentioned I wanted to interview the man. Finally, someone said they knew his neighbors and I was able to locate his phone number. Mr. Candidate3 answered the phone and agreed to do the interview. He gave me directions and I said it would take us at least an hour to drive from the city to his.

My photographer (Kevin) drove to a remote part of the county and after turning down some dirt roads that were poorly marked we found the driveway to Mr. Candidate3's house. I picked up my cell phone to call the news station and let them know we had arrived. (This is customary to check in with the assignment desk). This is when I found out I had no cell phone service because we were too far away from a cell phone tower.

We got out of the car, collected our gear and slowly sidled up to the front door of an old, falling down house wondering if we were in the right place.

We knocked.

Mr. Candidate 3 opened his front door about an inch, smiled a toothless grin and invited us in - reminding us to take care to not let the dog or the "coon" out. The smell of animal excrement inside the shambled house was unbelievable. The man's poor dog was so overweight he could barely move and his nails curled up under his paws. The door to a large cage was open in the living room area and I only caught a blur of fur in the corner of the room as the man's pet raccoon scurried under the well-worn sofa.

Mr. Candidate 3 invited us to sit down in his kitchen where he had cleared stacks of yellowed newspapers off of broken chairs. I uncoiled the lavaliere microphone (which is meant to clip on someone's lapel) and skipped a beat when I looked over to my interview subject. He was not wearing a shirt and I didn't have the heart to affix the microphone to his white chest hair. I managed a weak "Mr. Candidate3, do you mind putting on a shirt for the interview?"

He quickly moved from the kitchen into a dark side room and returned with a shirt on...unbuttoned. In one fluid movement, I did the best I could to pin the microphone on while pulling his shirt together in the front. The interview was strange. He mentioned "aliens" once and as we packed up to leave, Mr. Candidate3 smiled in a good natured way and asked us to please be careful backing out. He didn't blink when he said: "I have a sink hole on the side of my driveway. My last visitors fell into it and got buried alive."

Americans take great pride in democracy. Even an uneducated, poor man with no teeth and a raccoon for a pet can run for elected office. His name was on the ballot and he received 1% of the vote.

I Do Not Make this Stuff Up...

SCHERERVILLE, Ind. (AP) --A state trooper stopped a minivan for speeding early Saturday on U.S. 30 in Schererville in northwestern Indiana. He arrested the 24-year-old woman on a drunken driving charges.

The boy's father arrived later to pick him up, but officers determined he was intoxicated and also arrested him on a drunken driving charge.

Police said the boy's grandparents then arrived. Both of them also had been drinking, state police said, but the grandmother who was driving was not over the legal limit, so officers escorted them home with the child.

Samba Ja at Sam Bond's Garage

Last week friends and co-workers met up at Sam Bond's Garage for live music. Sam Bond's Garage just won Eugene Weekly's Best Bar award for 2008. It won for it's eclectic vibe and excellent live music. Brews are served in mason jars and you never know what you're going to get when it comes to the music.



From Eugene Weekly: There’s always another reason to go to the Whiteaker establishment readers have voted Eugene’s best bar for three years running. There’s the back garden, the rotating selection of beers on tap, the friendly staff, the low cover charges to see great bands from near and far, the pizza …

When we were there on Sunday, Samba Ja (30 member percussion ensemble) played. Like them or not, they can certainly put on a big show in a small space. Have a listen:

Is Your Day Going Better Than This?...

Chock Full Of Shopping Carts @ Yahoo! Video

Dog Gone It

Since there is nothing left to obsess about with the Presidential election over, Americans have to move on to some other topic. I'm moving on to the Obama family's search for a new puppy. In his victory speech, Barak Obama said the girls (ages 8 and 10) were going to get a puppy as promised.

Dear Obama family, please consider a rescue dog! I have a real problem with puppy mills and poor animals that are only around to breed, have puppies and make loads of cash for the owner. There are so many sweet puppies in rescue shelters that need a home. There are even pure bred puppies in animal shelters or you can adopt from certain rescue breed programs. Mr. Obama, if you are into change - be the first President to rescue a dog from a shelter. The good folks of the country might also adopt the trend. Plus, in these tough economic times the fee is less than $50 and tax deductible.

Behind the Scenes of the Race for the White House

Today the Huffington Post blog (which tends to lean left) released part of Newsweek's report into what was going on behind the scenes of the Presidential campaign. Reporters were allowed to gather information but not release it until after the elections. Here's some of the findings outlined by Rachel Weiner:

-- McCain himself rarely spoke to Palin during the campaign and aides kept him in the dark about the details of her spending on clothes because they were sure he would be offended. Palin asked to speak along with McCain at his Arizona concession speech but campaign strategist Steve Schmidt vetoed the request.

-- The Obama campaign was provided with reports from the Secret Service showing a sharp and very disturbing increase in threats to Obama in September and early October, at the same time that the crowds at Palin rallies became more frenzied. Michelle Obama was shaken by the vituperative crowds and the hot rhetoric from the GOP candidates. "Why would they try to make people hate us?" Michelle Obama said to a top campaign aide.

-- On the Sunday night before the last debate, McCain's core group of advisers--Steve Schmidt, Rick Davis, adman Fred Davis, strategist Greg Strimple, pollster Bill McInturff and strategy director Sarah Simmons -- met to decide whether or not to tell McCain that the race was effectively over, that he no longer had a chance to win. The consensus in the room was no, not yet, not while he still had "a pulse."

-- The Obama campaign's "New Media" experts created a computer program that would allow a "flusher"--the term for a volunteer who rounds up nonvoters on Election Day--to know exactly who had, and had not, voted in real time. They dubbed it Project Houdini, because of the way names disappear off the list instantly once people are identified as they wait in line at their local polling station.

-- Palin launched her attack on Obama's association with William Ayers, the former Weather Underground bomber, before the campaign had finalized a plan to raise the issue. McCain's advisers were working on a strategy that they hoped to unveil the following week, but McCain had not signed off on it, and top adviser Mark Salter was resisting.

-- McCain also was reluctant to use Obama's incendiary pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright as a campaign issue. He had set firm boundaries: no Jeremiah Wright; no attacking Michelle Obama; no attacking Obama for not serving in the military. McCain balked at an ad using images of children that suggested that Obama might not protect them from terrorism; Schmidt vetoed ads suggesting that Obama was soft on crime (no Willie Hortons); and before word even got to McCain, Schmidt and Salter scuttled a "celebrity" ad of Obama dancing with talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres (the sight of a black man dancing with a lesbian was deemed too provocative).

-- Obama was never inclined to choose Sen. Hillary Clinton as his running mate, not so much because she had been his sometime bitter rival on the campaign trail, but because of her husband. Still, as Hillary's name came up in veep discussions, and Obama's advisers gave all the reasons why she should be kept off the ticket, Obama would stop and ask, "Are we sure?" He needed to be convinced one more time that the Clintons would do more harm than good. McCain, on the other hand, was relieved to face Biden as the veep choice, and not Hillary Clinton, whom the McCain camp had truly feared.

-- McCain was dumbfounded when Congressman John Lewis, a civil-rights hero, issued a press release comparing McCain with former Alabama Gov. George Wallace, a segregationist infamous for stirring racial fears. McCain had devoted a chapter to Lewis in one of his books, "Why Courage Matters" and had so admired Lewis that he had once taken his children to meet him.

-- The debates unnerved both candidates. When he was preparing for the Democratic primary debates, Obama was recorded saying, "I don't consider this to be a good format for me, which makes me more cautious. I often find myself trapped by the questions and thinking to myself, 'You know, this is a stupid question, but let me ... answer it.' So when Brian Williams is asking me about what's a personal thing that you've done [that's green], and I say, you know, 'Well, I planted a bunch of trees.' And he says, 'I'm talking about personal.' What I'm thinking in my head is, 'Well, the truth is, Brian, we can't solve global warming because I f---ing changed light bulbs in my house. It's because of something collective'."

Behind the Scenes - Election Night

David and I stood in front of the "green" wall and the director keyed an image behind us. So, we had what is called a "virtual set." You can see what it looked like by watching the video in the below post. We worked with floor director Catie. She is talented and kept us on task during the newscast.



This is a great shot of the control room. You can see Ryan, Nani and Kyle in the act. They push all the buttons, taking care not to make errors and they keep the newscast on the air and moving.



This is our Executive Producer, John briefing Jennifer in the "Election Center."



David and I are standing by and he gives the thumbs up to the camera - this lets the producer (who is sitting in the control booth) know that we heard what he said and understand what's coming next.



Here's another shot of the control booth where the producer Max is watching the election results and updating scripts. He would then make sure we know what's going on be telling us through our hidden ear pieces.

KVAL News 11pm Election Night Special

The Future

What will I remember from this night? What will I tell my children about this historical election?

I was in the newsroom today 2 1/2 hours early to prepare for our first election night newscast at 5:25pm. For weeks, I have studied my Voter's guide on State races, local measures, the local Mayoral race and the Presidential election. I know the measures (especially 57 and 61) backwards and forwards and I was certainly prepared to talk about the "Magic 60" the Democrats were hoping to get in the Senate.

What I wasn't prepared for was witnessing the historical moment of Barak Obama, a man with a white mother and a Kenyan father make a victory speech as our next President of the United States. For some reason, even though he was projected to win, the scene caught me by surprise.

When he came on, I stopped what I was doing, even on deadline, stood up and walked to the four TV monitors in the newsroom. It was quiet as we watched all the networks carry Obama's victory speech live. It was a moment many voters thought would never come and many hoped would never happen. Our new leader was just as I remembered him during campaign speeches and debates: poised, sincere, positive and inspiring.

In the days to come there will be hatred, threats, and those who try to take away the hope of our country. But tonight Americans have chosen. Voters pushed through floods, rain and long lines to the polls and even when some were turned away from dropping their ballots off at the boxes (in Oregon) they stood up for their right to vote and found another way.

I'm hopeful for the future. Change - the buzz word for this election season - is always difficult but sometimes we need it.

Barak Obama - Our Next President

At 8:26pm PT polls project Barak Obama as winner of 333 electoral votes and 155 for John McCain. Networks have called the election in favor of Senator Obama. The election was won quickly and Obama had/has a monumental lead. As I listen to McCain's humble yet wise speech I am surprised at the repeated and long boos from his supporters even while he is congratulating Obama.

There were several people in the KVAL newsroom that shed quiet tears (of joy). That also surprised me - as I'm not emotional. We didn't discuss the victory openly as I'm sure many newsrooms did. We kept our political opinions to ourselves but it was quiet for a moment and we all paused to recognized what this day means for our country and our world.

Election Night Update

As I write this, I'm sitting in the KVAL newsroom surrounded by colleagues working on blogs, reports, phone calls and we're all studying the second by second election results. This is the second Presidential election I've covered and I always enjoy the excitement.

Most voters in the US realize that when they cast their ballot, they're casting for an Electoral vote. That means, when a party wins a state be it Democrat or Republican - that party then appoints Electors to cast a vote in favor of that party. Electors vote mid-December and the election is confirmed on January 6th. Larger states (in population) get more electoral votes. For instance, California has 55 votes and Florida has 27 votes.

A candidate must get 270 votes to win. Right now at 5:58 PT Obama has 174 votes and McCain has 49. The popular vote is much closer Obama 10,432,403 to McCain 10,418,113. But keep in mind about half of the nation hasn't reported their numbers yet.

McCain vs. Obama - Latest

By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – It's a nightmare scenario for Democrats — their nominee Barack Obama winning the popular vote while Republican John McCain ekes out an Electoral College victory. Sure, McCain trails in every recent national poll. Sure, surveys show that Obama leads in the race to reach the requisite 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

Sure, chances of Republicans retaining the White House are remote.

But some last-minute state polls show the GOP nominee closing the gap in key states — Republican turf of Virginia, Florida and Ohio among them, and Democratic-leaning Pennsylvania, too.

If the tightening polls are correct and undecided voters in those states break McCain's way — both big ifs — that could make for a repeat of the 2000 heartbreaker for Democrats that gave Republicans the White House.

In 2000, Democrat Al Gore narrowly won the popular vote by 537,179 votes. But George W. Bush won the state-by-state electoral balloting that determines the presidency, 271 to 266. The outcome wasn't clear until a 36-day recount awarded Florida, then worth 25 electoral votes, to Bush by just a 537-vote margin.

Before the 2000 election, political insiders had speculated just the opposite, that perhaps Bush would win the popular vote but lose the presidency to Gore.

One day before the 2008 election, Obama sat atop every national poll.

Enthusiastic by all measures, the Illinois senator's Democratic base was expected to run up the score in liberal bastions of party strongholds such as New York and California.
But the race appeared to be naturally tightening in top battlegrounds that each candidate likely will need to help them reach the magic number in the Electoral College, electoral-rich Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia among them.

To win, McCain must hold on to most states that went to Bush in 2004, or pick up one or more that went to Democrat John Kerry four years ago to make up for any losses. McCain's biggest target for a pickup is Pennsylvania, which offers 21 votes and where several public polls show Obama's lead shrinking from double digits to single digits.

McCain faces a steep hurdle. Obama leads or is tied in a dozen or so Bush-won states, and has the advantage in most Kerry-won states.

The Republican's campaign argues that as national surveys tighten, McCain's standing in key states also rises and that, combined with get-out-the-vote efforts, will lift McCain to victory in Bush states and, perhaps, others.

"What we're in for is a slam-bang finish. ... He's been counted out before and won these kinds of states, and we're in the process of winning them right now," Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager, said Sunday.

Obama's team is awash in confidence.

"We think we have a decisive edge right now" in states Bush won four years ago, said David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager.

There's still another possibility, perhaps more improbable than the first — that McCain wins the popular vote while Obama clinches the White House.

True, Democrats have been fired up all year.

True, Republicans haven't been.

True, Obama and McCain have been faring about even among independent voters.

But there are signs that the GOP's conservative base has rallied in the final stretch and these voters usually turn out in droves, even if lukewarm on the candidate.

Then there's the question of a tie in the Electoral College. In that case, members of the next House would select the winner.

If Obama carries every state that Democrat John Kerry won in 2004, plus Iowa, New Mexico and Nevada, then he and McCain each would have 269 electoral votes. A tie also would result if McCain takes New Hampshire from the Democrats' column but loses Iowa, New Mexico and another state that Bush won, Colorado.

In an election year that's defied conventional wisdom time and again, anything can happen.

A Fun Read

Girls with non-French Accents: Algeciras to Zihuatanejo by Brian Ward is a hilarious travel book. He is a writer from Oregon and lived in Spain, South America and various other locations as he worked for Club Med in his early 20s. If you want to laugh out loud, be inspired to travel Latin America and read until your eyes hurt, this is the book for you.

Shelly Kurtz interviewed Ward for the KVAL noon show.

Harvest Season

I took a walk to the Starbucks a few blocks away this morning. The majestic old trees along Ferry Street are slowly shedding their leaves for the winter. It was so quiet this morning - I could hear the leaves hitting the ground.



I cannot wait to be a homeowner and have trees. No cookie-cutter new construction with no trees for me! The only problem with owning trees...the carpet of golden leaves that have to be raked up. Look how big the leaves are....

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

Winehouse, Amy

Amy Winehouse made a stop in Eugene last night from London.






I drew this tattoo myself using my left hand while looking in the mirror. Not easy to do and oh so hard to get off!