NancyLoo.net

So, I got this website up and running after a lot of agonizing and planning.  Perhaps it’s my experience in traditional broadcast media that had me envisioning that every blog post needed to be slick and well-produced.  After a nice site launch, great feedback and quite a bit of web traffic, I’ve been sitting back thinking, “Well, that wasn’t so hard!”

Reality hit today as I met with my tech pal, MJ Tam, founder of www.chicagonista.com.  ”Uh, you need to be blogging everyday,” she told me in a matter-of-fact manner.  MJ’s a veteran blogger and knows that it takes a truly dedicated person to keep a vibrant and interesting website going.

More guilt came through on twitter.  I had asked Social Media guru John Haydon to check out my new website  and soon after he tweeted, ”Looks fine to me.  Just blog as much as you can.”

Chicago Blackhawk Patrick Kane

I now realize I missed numerous topics to blog about over the past two days.  I had covered Chicago Blackhawk Patrick Kane and his return to the ice for USA Hockey Orientation camp for the 2010 Olympics after his arrest in Buffalo for allegedly assaulting a cab driver.   Just today, I was in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood where street fights have been a common problem all summer long.

Okay, watch out!  I think I’m getting the hang of this blogging business.

As if my family and Anchor/Reporter job at Fox Chicago didn’t keep me busy enough, here I am spending my day off blogging!  Well, I just can’t help myself after meeting and getting to know many of the women pictured above.  They are moms, entrepreneurs and businesswomen – part of a far more influential tech community in Chicago than you may think.  For me, they’ve been pure inspiration and, perhaps, the sisters I never had.

My tech mentors have taught me to use social media far more effectively.  I now approach my news assignments differently and I’ve surprised myself with my ability to multi-task while reporting from the field and anchoring in the studio.

There are others on the internet who’ve guided and encouraged me but here’s to some of the amazing women who’ve pushed me to make this blog a reality and to grow in new ways.   Get to know them, too.  Who knows what they may inspire you to do!

(In no particular order)

Beth Rosen, Sarah Evans, Liz Strauss, MJ Tam, Barbara Rozgonyi, Hope Bertram, Wendy Piersall, Jackie Cuyvers, Carrie Kirby, Duong Sheahan, Kim Moldofsky, Amy Ravit Korin, Lisa Martin, Allison Worthington.

All suited up and ready to fly!

When I was invited to skydive with the U.S. Army Golden Knight parachute team, I didn’t hesitate to say “Yes!”.  Like so many people, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do so why not learn from the world’s best?   My day began at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Ill.   Team leader Mike Elliot showed us the equipment and told us what to expect up in the sky. He’ll be handling my tandem jump. What an honor – he also handled the skydive for former President George H.W. Bush.

After suiting up and strapping on all the tandem gear, the Golden Knights Fokker plane takes us to an altitude of 13,500 feet. Yikes, that’s about 2.5 miles! I think my heart actually skipped a beat when they rolled up the door and I could see directly down to the ground. Within seconds, Mike has me at the edge of the plane as I think to myself, “Holy #%*@, we’re about to fall out of an airplane!” But he is strapped to my backside and I know I am in perhaps THE most capable hands in the military. Read the rest of this entry →