Lots of random stuff

Hi, gang!

My "to do" list seems to constantly be getting longer, instead of shorter. How is this possible? At least blogging is one thing I can now cross of the list. Whew!

I'm always writing about my problem saying "no" so I thought I'd share one example of why it's tough for me.

This is Kasey Conn, a lovely young lady who introduced me as the keynote speaker at the Creston Young Women's conference on Thursday. One of my colleagues asked, "Why in the world are you driving that far to give a speech?" The answer is simple. It's not the speech-giving I enjoy, it's talking with young women who are dealing with all of the great and terrible things that come with being a teenager.

Amber Hull, Jessica Baier and Jessie Peckham are all juniors from Orient. They were part of my small group session right before lunch. We talked about everything under the sun, from boys to careers, and a lot of stuff in between. I always leave these events hoping that some of what I share with the ladies has an positive impact and encourages them to make smart, healthy choices. A lot of times it feels more important to do this kind of stuff, than to read the news.

Along these lines ... months ago, a reader inquired about how to get involved in volunteering. There are lots of different things you can do, but I would start with asking yourself what you care about. Do you love animals? The Animal Rescue League always needs volunteers. If you're passionate about homelessness, local shelters would love to have you serve food or donate supplies. Can you swing a hammer? Habitat for Humanity is constantly building and donating homes. If you like kids and you're good at teaching, local schools usually love having adults tutor students who need extra help in specific subjects. Big Brothers, Big Sisters is another great organization, although it does require a significant time commitment. These are just a few examples of ways to give back, if you'd like more suggestions or specifics - drop me an email.
Moving on . . .

A number of weeks ago, these packages of brownies showed up in our newsroom. I have no idea where they came from, but they're some sort of diet product. I think one brownie is "regular" and the other is "diet." What I know for sure is that no one was brave enough to try either. These sat around untouched for days, which is incredible at this place.

Then one day, I walked by and saw this. "Who finally tried the brownies that came in the mail?" I shouted across the newsroom. Sonya replied, "They're not bad!" I'd just like to point out that she only took one bite of each. Hmmmmmm. Would you eat something that came in the mail from a company you've never heard of? That's Sonya for ya ... fearless.

Speaking of food, what is up with Hardee's making everything on the menu gigantic? Earlier this week we ran a story about the new breakfast burrito. It has nearly 1,000 calories and 60 fat grams! Out of curiosity, I went to this website http://www.calorieking.com/ to check out my favorite fast food item, a Whopper with Cheese. I knew it'd be bad, but this is pretty horrifying. 760 calories, 47 grams of fat. Oye. I'm going to think of that the next time the drive through is calling my name. And on a healthy food note, you've got to buy some Honey Crisp apples.

John Bachman sees me sitting at my desk eating apples nearly everyday, and he recommended these. They are amazing! And, according to Calorie King's website, a large apple has 110 calories, no fat. Eat as many as you want - they're guilt-free!

A final question, is anyone else horrified by seeing models wearing legwarmers in many of the fall clothing ads? I do NOT want to relive 80s fashion. I had legwarmers in third grade, and they looked ridiculous then.

These are not all of the random thoughts rolling around in my brain, but I'm starving. It's time for dinner .... and no, I'm not going to Burger King!

EEK

Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com