Better to live together before marriage?

This story idea started as a conversation in our 10 Connects Information Center. It seemed like everyone had an opinion, so we decided to ask our viewers:

Is it better to live together before marriage?

And the comments didn't stop! I posted this question on 10connects.com, MomsLikeMe.com, Twitter and Facebook...

Then, we asked Tampa Bay's only certified matchmaker...

Find neighborhood crime rates

Want to track crime in your neighborhood?

I ran across a neat site today. It doesn't show every neighborhood, but it will track crime in most major cities.

Three's company!

There's a new three's company at 10 Connects...

But our producer Mike is luckier than Jack Tripper because he gets two Chrissy's!



We have way too much fun...

Guy in boxers waves hello

When it's live TV, you never know what can happen!

Look closely at my intro for an exhibitionist who decided to join our live shot this morning...



Of course, I didn't see it, but Ben told me when the story started running. I couldn't stop laughing! (You can't see the wave in the live shot, but Ben says the guy did it while he was behind me.)

In all seriousness, Sharon Hopkins had quite a scare when she was held up at this very intersection. We wish her the best in her emotional recovery. Hopefully, if she sees this, she'll at least get a laugh out of what happened when we visited!

Help find Laura Nimbach

My story this morning is about Laura Nimbach, a beautiful 22-year-old woman who disappeared in St. Petersburg in February.



Her family contacted me to get the information out. When I Googled Laura's name, I couldn't believe how prolific their search already was, but all through the internet. It's gone viral!

Laura's family and friends have created a Facebook group, blog posts, and you can also follow them on Twitter. The search has ballooned from there, with information on everything from a wedding blog to a website dedicated to knitters.



If you have any information on Laura's whereabouts, you're asked to contact Crimestoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS.

Make your own... laundry detergent?

I never knew it was possible to make your own laundry detergent until I met Edward and Dianne McInerney, a delightful Zephyrhills couple who make their own everything!

Yesterday, we went to their house to shoot an extra that will be airing Monday, July 6 at 6pm. But I'm so excited that I had to tell you now!

The McInerneys are such a dear couple. They're retired, and they use their extra time to make their own food and household items. I was very touched when they told me that they use the money they save to give to others.

What do they make themselves? Everything! Pickles, laundry detergent, household cleaner, yogurt! They have a fabulous garden on their property, and while we were there, they got their entire lunch from the wonderful fresh produce in their garden.

My favorite were the pickles that Edward made! We had to fight for the last one. Unfortunately, he won. But I'd already had about 3 by that point, so it was fine!



He and Dianne invited also their young friends, Samuel and Benjamin, over to watch while we did the shoot. They are two of the most well-behaved boys I've ever met. They come from a family of 10 kids, so I'm sure that has something to do with their fabulous behavior. Samuel stood mostly behind-the-scenes and snapped pictures, while Benjamin jumped in front of the camera with Edward. Both were also phenomenal helpers for Ben, so I had to snap a picture of the trio in action!



Samuel is wearing the black shirt, and Benjamin is wearing the hat. We called Ben and Benjamin "Ben squared" because they made such a great team!

The Real World: 10 Connects

M.J. Garrett from The Real World Philadelphia visited our set yesterday morning! Apparently, he's a motivational speaker now. Who knew?!?

I chatted with him a bit in the green room before he came out. He's from Nashville, and he said he'd only gotten three hours sleep the night before. Really nice guy...

Do you know teen texting codes?

CD9. DUSL. GNOC. KPC.

Teens are sending creative codes to hide the really raunchy messages they're texting.

And if you don't know what these codes stand for, you may not want to.

I posted the top 50 texting codes parents should know, and I've also linked to an online quiz, where you can test your knowledge.

But a warning: most of these texting codes are sexually explicit...

Teen pulls Britney moment in yearbook?

She says she didn't wear underwear because she didn't want her panty lines to show. That day, someone took a photo that was published in the Sickles High School yearbook.

The day I opened my fridge on live TV

What began as a a story about how to make sure your leftovers are safe ended as a cautionary tale for anyone who decides to dine at my home!

From old cream to 7-week-old bread, we found it all in my fridge...

On live TV.



Here's the old bread! Eeew! I brought it back and left it on my producer's desk...

LOL!

My ring returned!

Ask any reporter, and they'll tell you they're used to seeing the worst in people.

But today, I got to see the best in someone!

The story begins last Wednesday. As I covered the swine flu scare in Hillsborough County, I spent the morning at Wilson Middle School in Tampa. Custodians were inside the school, scouring the whole building for potential contamination.

After we got all the video we needed, I went next door to ask to use the restroom.



It was a law firm. A friendly, talkative lady answered the door and let me in. I used the restroom, said a quick 'thank you,' and then left. I had to get ready for my noon liveshot.

Five days later, I got a voicemail from the same lady. I learned her name is Janelle Walkley, and she's an attorney at Walkley & Walkley. She said she'd been looking for me for days. Turns out, I'd left a silver mesh ring in her restroom.

I couldn't believe it. In fact, I hadn't even realized I'd lost the ring. But as soon as I heard her words, I longed for it. It is a beloved keepsake that my husband bought me in San Francisco.



Dumbfounded, I asked how she found me. After all, I hadn't given her a business card or even my name. She said she'd called every news station in Tampa Bay, asking for a "tall blonde" reporter. She spoke to several people including one reporter at ABC Action News, who rattled off a list of names.

Lucky for me, Janelle's boisterous voice eventually found its way to the dark abyss of my voicemail. So today, I stopped by the firm to say 'hello,' 'how are you' and 'thank you.'

And of course, I got to pick up my ring.

I told Janelle I wanted to take a picture with her, but she said she looked a mess and would rather just take one of me. I agreed and posed jubilantly with my recently-reacquired, newly-appreciated ring.

But it wasn't just the ring I was wearing.

Plastered on my face you can also see a glow of hopefulness, as I realized that there are still good people, make that Good Samaritans, out there.




Thanks, Janelle!

You otter see this

We've seen ducks out there, but I've never seen an otter in the pond in front of our station! Ben got video of the little guy...

I tried to snap a picture, but he was too far away!

That didn't come out right!

Wait, did this guy kill his co-anchor?!?

The importance of the 1-second pause cannot be overstated, especially here...

What you get when you show off

Why didn't they cut her mic earlier? They kept it on her for like 30 seconds of groaning!

Terrible!

My favorite YouTube video!

I can't watch this enough!

Unfortunately, my camera was not as handy when my Chihuahua ran into a glass door at the station yesterday!

Any excuse to bring my dogs to work

Today's story is about how pets are still getting pampered, even though we're in this recession.

And who better to bring with me for my live shot than my own two dogs!



Both of them have been on TV many times before. (Unfortunately for them, their "mom" is a morning show reporter who is often desperately looking for pooches to join her on her live shots!) I actually think they need their own blogs on WTSP's website at this point.

But I didn't plan it this way. I called my humane society contact yesterday to ask for a group of photogenic dogs to join me there, but it didn't work out. So at 3am today, the 11th hour, my producer Mike suggested I just bring my own girls.

So, Wilshire, my feisty and adoring Chihuahua, and Moo Moo, my husband's meek and sweet-tempered border collie-pit bull mix, joined me at work today. At 4am, as I tried to get them out of the house, Wilshire looked up at me, eyes squinting like she wanted to say: "Seriously, what do you want?"

Eventually, we got to the 10 Connects studios, and they knew it was their time to shine! Moo Moo waltzed around the newsroom like she owned the place, and Wilshire growled at my producer Mike. (I told her, "Good girl!" LOL!)



Needless to say, they were fabulous on TV! They even decided to take over the live truck.