nataliesolis's Blog

No doubt these are tough economic times. We are ALL affected in some way shape or form...some more than others, some less than others. But when it comes to covering what is clearly a huge, multi-facited, multi-dimensional story, there is room...if not a NEED to find things that are positive and add a little levity. Not everything has to be doom and gloom. There are positive angles on the tough economy story.

For example, when gas prices soared, more people chose to start riding TRE and DART. Hopefully they found it provided a less-stressful, more fuel-efficient commute, while also reducing pollution.

I also did a story about how store brands at the grocery store are becoming a lot more popular. Store brands are also on average about 45% cheaper. I didn't even realize how significant the savings is until I did the story. And the good news is, the higher the sales, the more likely stores like Kroger, etc, are to introduce more brands under the store label, hence saving the consumer more money!

I also did a story on a big women's clothing sale in Dallas. The clothes were by high-end designers, but they never made it from the manufacturer to the department stores because demand decreased. Instead they ended up 50 to 80 percent off thanks to a Dallas man with ties the fashion world. Obviously, not everyone is interested in name brands, but for those looking for something name-brand for a Xmas gift or a treat for themselves, at rarely seen prices, then it might be of interest.

Anyway, you get the idea. The story ideas can run the gamut.  Have you found any upsides to the down economy??? I'd love to hear about it.

-N

 

Let's face it ,the economy is frightening. With 401Ks dwindling and the "silver tsunami" (millions of baby boomers eligible to collect social security) beginning this year, I'm wondering if any bloggers are putting off retirement ,or if you've already come out of retirement to go back to work. I'd love to know what your experience has been, where you work, or where you'd like to work.

N

As I hope ya'll have noticed (by watching the newscasts of course)...we are back from covering Gustav.

First of all, thank you to all of you who emailed/called to tell us to be safe and wish us well. It's nice to know viewers understand the challenges we face covering a storm and want us to be safe in the process.

Second, I also want to share a few pix with you. This one is from the Cajun Dome, which was across the street from the hotel where we stayed in Lafayette. If you look closely on the left side of the dome, you can see a rainbow. It peaked out the day after the storm hit. What a relief it was to see something so beautiful after such a long, hard couple of days.

 The next picture is from Wednesday, the day we arrived back in Dallas. The guy in the picture is Raul Cantu, one of the best photographers in the business. He was my partner in crime the entire time in Louisiana.  We worked hard, had some harry moments during and after the storm, but we also had lots of fun, and to me that's the best way to work.  The photogs truly deserve a ton of credit. If you think reporters have it tough standing out there in driving rain and 70mile per hour winds, try doing it with 30 pounds of expensive equipment on your shoulder. Raul shot alot of that memorable video from Baton Rouge, Morgan City, and Lafayette. What a talented guy!

Just got back from 4 days in NYC. I went to visit my best friend from college who's moving next month back to San Fran, her hometown. We had great girl time together...shopping and stuffing our faces at all of my favorite haunts. I lived there for about 4 years out of college so going back is kind of like being in a time warp...so little has changed and yet everything's different.
We saw Gypsy on Broadway. Wow, what a performance by Broadway diva, Patti LuPone. She recently got the Tony for her performance and now know why.
My friend also exposed me to the latest rage in frozen treats...Pinkberry. Those of you who recognize it from California know what I'm talking about. How good can frozen yogurt be you ask. Well, at 11pm on Sunday the line for a yogurt spilled out into the street. I waited half an hour crammed in the tiny shop with Pinkberry crazed New Yorkers to get a small with NO toppings and paid 4 bucks and change for it. All it took was one bite to realize why people are so obsessed. I loved it so much I had a medium with three toppings, blueberries, mochi (a chewy, hard to describe food), and carob chips. It was fabulous and worth the wopping $6 I shelled out for it. Am I the only one who thinks that's insane for yogurt! But...since I love it so much and am now craving it, I'm hoping, praying, someone will open a franchise here.
And finally to Batman. So cool to see Batman in Gotham! My only complaint is that the guy behind me kept sucking the popcorn out of his teeth just loud enough to annoy me.
All in all, though, a wonderful time in NYC.

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy 4th (though a bit belated). I hope it was a safe and happy holiday.

Who went to what display and what did you think??

I worked that night so I saw most of the fireworks during our broadcast. Looked wonderful, though I heard the next day from people what a nightmare the traffic was on the ride home.

 

 

Like many of you, my stomach turned last night as James Broadnax admitted he shot and killed two men in front of a Garland recording studio. Similar crimes are committed all the time, but it isn't often we hear from the the person who pulled the trigger. There was no emotion, not a shred of remorse, just a matter of fact hatred toward life. Some of you feel Fox4 was remiss in interviewing the suspects, Broadnax and his cousin, Demarius Cummings. While hearing them describe what they were up to that night was revolting, the acts themselves deplorable, it gives a sense of just how over the edge some people have gone. It begs so many questions. At what point did Broadnax, just 19 years old, lose his humanity, his respect for human life, his concept of right and wrong? I was amazed to learn he had no prior criminal record, at least none as an adult. So how did he become an admitted killer overnight, driven by the desire for money and need to be tough? What's interesting to me is that we're hearing from Broadnax, but no telling how many young people are like him, feeling disenfranchised and teetering on the edge of doing something deadly when the mood strikes. Yes, seeing those interviews made me mad, sad, and every emotion in between...but I don't think we close our eyes and plug our ears when something is difficult to understand.

As I posted in a previous blog, I'm pretty bummed (like everyone else) about the price of gas. And as I mentioned, I'm making changes in my life to help offset the cost. What I'm finding interesting is that the whole idea of a recession has actually motivated me to cut back in ways that aren't necessarily necessary, and by doing so I'm realizing just how wasteful I really was.

It may be totally pscyhological. For example, at the grocery store I'll resist getting some piddle desire like a new magazine, etc, because I think ooh, times are tough, I should cut back.  Are we really in a recession? Some would argue we are, some wouldn't, and for me, gas is expensive but there's still plenty of money to eat. Nevertheless, just the idea of a recession is playing mind games on me and I can't say my pocket book minds. Since I'm not diligent  enough (though I wish I was) to track ALL of my day to day spending, I can't tell you how much my changed ways have saved me. But I have noticed a change in my thinking and it may actually be a good thing.

The othe day I about had a heart attack. It cost me about 50 bucks to fill up my PT cruiser! I know, I know that's nothing compared to what many people are spending for bigger family vehicles, but for me it was still a shock.

Like most people, I'm cutting back. I'm cooking dinner at home more often, packing a lunch for work, forgoing the mani and pedi at the salon and doing it myself, etc. I wouldn't call it scrimping or even sacrificing, but I am making a few changes to make my money go farther.

I'd love to know what you guys are doing to cut back. I'm sure families are getting pretty creative.

Can't wait to hear from you...and if you see me with less than twinkly toes...you can rest assured I'm PT cruising on a full tank of gas!

   I am my mother's only child. For the longest time it was just me and her. She was a single mom who worked long hours, and even as a little girl I knew she was underpaid and overworked. Despite being exhausted in the evenings, she'd kick off her heels and I knew I had her full attention. No task was too big. There were all those hours she helped me with homework, the countless times she shuttled me all over town for activities and dates with friends, the meals she made, the house she cleaned, the sleepless nights when I was sick, and the steady flow of care packages when I was away at college.  I always knew if it was important to me, it was important to her.

   What was important to me as a kid was dance. I'll never forget the time my dance costume was at the cleaners and I had a performance that night.  The cleaners was closed and I was devastated. That was the beginning of our adventure. Over several hours and after a lot of desperate phone calls , my mom somehow managed to track down the manager of the cleaners at home. The laundry was done off site, but my mom convinced the woman to go hunt down my outfit from what I imagined was a warehouse facility with mounds of dirty clothes. We eventually met the woman in a movie theater parking lot on the other side of town and she pulled my crumpled outfit from her trunk. My mom and I left feeling like special agents who'd successfully completed a clandestine mission. 

   My mom didn't give up, even though I'm sure she would have preferred doing something else with her Saturday afternoon. She could have easily told me I'd be missing my performance, which in retrospect, wasn't really that earth-shattering anyway, but she didn't. What she did say is, "when you have a child, I expect you to do the same for them." And because of her example, I will.  

I love you, Mom.

 And to all the moms out there who always go the extra mile....Happy Mother's Day!

 

Wow! what a day for Mayfest. I spent a few hours out there this (saturday) morning, and it was fantastic. I was so happy to spend a few hours outdoors in the cool, crisp air before going into work. Just wanna let everyone know, it's a fabulous weekend to be there with the kids. Seems like there were a lot more booths this year. I had an egg Mcmuffin on the way over there so sadly I wasn't hungry enough to try any of the food. Corn dogs are my fave, but maybe next time. Anyway, I hope you guys get out there and stop by the FOX 4 booth. There's lots of goodies to be had and great people to meet. Have fun!

Hi Everyone, Friday I did a story on mother who received a summons for truancy court because her daughter had 17 absnces from september to january.  The woman's daughter is 17 and moved out from the family home and in with her boyfriend. The mother tried to stop her, but police said the state of Texas a person becomes an adult at the age of 17, therefore there was nothing they could do. Problem is...that's one part of Texas law. The part that governs education says a student becomes an adult at 18, making parents responsible for them another year and that's why the mother was bieng summoned to court.

Is it just me or does this sound like one huge loop hole in the system?! I'm surprised there aren't more parents kicking and screaming when this sort of thing happens, especially when fines for truancy range from $120-$500 per day.  The mother in our story is devastated that her daugther left home and isn't taking her education seriously, but at the same time, she doesn't understand how the state can hold her accountable when it doesn't give her any authority after the child turns 17. Go figure!

***Part of the reason I bring this story up again is there's one other piece of information that didn't make it into the story. (Often we reporters learn a ton about a topic, but you can only squeeze so much into 1min30sec.) The mother says the school her daughter attended told her she could not see her daughters school record. The mother was of course trying to find out if her daughter was in school. According to the Texas Education Agency, a parent can access their child's file until the child's 18th birthday. So there you have it.

Some people call it the flu, my mother likes to call The Crud. The Crud includes a chest-ripping cough accompanied by an excruciating headache and my favorite...all over body aches with an alternately drippy/stuffy nose. I've spent the last 4 full days in bed with chills and feeling all around miserable which seems to indicate I had a classic case of the Crud. (Although truth be told, my doctor says it could also be bronchitis...good times, right) Anyway, I'm seriously not looking for sympathy (well maybe I was back on day 2 of the Crud) but now that I'm finally getting over it, I'm more curious as to who else has gotten it...and how long it took them to get rid of it. Did you get on an antibiotic? And is it just me or was Walgreens crawling with other sick people?? I feel like everyone's getting the Crud.

Take it from me, if you haven't gotten it (yet), you may want to go out and get your Crud, I mean, flu shot ASAP!

 

 

I know, it's been a while since my last blog...got a little side tracked with the holidays and all, but here we are almost in February and I'm realizing something is missing. That would be you, my dear blogosphere. How is everyone these days? Gosh were to begin...so many big stories recently. There were the two Lewisville sisters allegedly murdered by their father on New Years Day, of course election madness, Heath Ledger's death and those are just few.
I spent a lot of time covering the murder of the Lewisville girls and that is one that still haunts me. I truly hope their father is caught and brought to justice. What we couldn't air from the younger daughter's 911 call is enough to give you nightmares. May they both rest in peace.
As for the election...just the fact that there are two very viable candidates...one that's a woman and the other an African American...truly makes me happy. Regardless of what party they represent, I'm glad our country has progressed enough that both have a real shot at the highest office in the land.
As for Heath Ledger's death, so tragic. I'm curious what the toxicology results will reveal. Reportedly he was taking a variety of prescription drugs. It's always amazing to me how the people you think have it all and seem to be happy and have everything to live for are often quietly suffering, whether it be from physical pain, anxiety, depression, or any number of things.

I can only guess that the amount of material headed for landfills goes up over the holiday season. I recycle and I hope everyone else does too,especially over the coming weeks. My question is...are people really thinking green when buying Christmas gifts? I know there are lots of news stories floating around with eco-friendly gift ideas, but are people taking them seriously? I think I'm going to put at least some of my gifts in canvas grocery bags (instead of wrapping paper) that the recipient can reuse. I'd also love to know other ways people are making their holidays more environmentally friendly. Got any ideas?????

Hello Everyone,

I hope y'all had a nice Thanksgiving. Mine was superb! This was the first year in quite a long time that I didn't have to deal with airports, and all the drama associated with traveling a long distance for a short trip. I spent the day with my folks out in E. Texas. My mom and I took care of some of the easier chores (though we still worked hard!), while my step-father worked his magic in the kitchen, baking up a storm and cooking some of the best turkey, stuffing and yams you've ever tasted. Thanksgiving and Christmas are truly his holidays to shine.  We watched the Cowboys game, of course, after  which I promptly zonked out on the couch, waking only to take a phone call and watch Wedding Crashers before going back to sleep.

Food, Family, Fun, lots of Sleep and oh soo much to be thankful for. Doesn't get any better than that.

I'd love to know what everyone else did with their Thanksgiving. Was it restful? Are you still playing host to visiting relatives? Did you travel? Any holiday nightmare situations  that always seem so awful as they're happening but are sure to get big laughs as you reminisce around the table next year?? Do tell....