NancyLoo.net

It’s been a bad week.  I’m still not fully recovered from that weekend cold.  Then, I had to worry about my car in the big Toyota recall.  Oh, and perhaps you heard about this. There’s really not much I can say about that at this point.

Roll on!

I traded-in my luxury car last year to help save the world in a hybrid.  I confess to truly missing the Ultimate Driving Machine but I’ve saved a lot of money on gas and far lower emissions can only be good for the environment.

I’m finally feeling rested and YIPEE – hybrid models are not part of the Toyota recall.  But I’ll never be able to respond to the hundreds of messages and emails I’ve received about that other thing I mentioned.  Wow!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I'm as sick as a dog but not Nutty!

It’s no fun being sick.  Believe me, I’d rather be working.  But I’m starting this week with my first sick day in years.  In the eight years I’ve been with Fox Chicago, I think I’ve accrued over 50 sick days!  My parents always stressed working – people get left behind when they’re immobile so it’s better to stay on the move.

Good thing it’s just a cold.  I’ve blasted it with just about everything in the medicine chest. I always forget how potent NyQuil is until I take it again.  Is it me or is one dose equal to about half a bottle of Jack?  Now I’m waiting for the Zicam to kick in.  I started that on Friday when I felt a sore throat coming on.

Time to make more tea.  By the way, my parents are right about remaining on the sideline in the rat race of life.  Since I didn’t go to work today, I didn’t make my usual check-ins on foursquare.  What a downer to get this email: “Sorry for the bad news, but Eliza has just replaced you as mayor of Starbucks (225 N. Michigan)!  Don’t take it too hard – a few more checkins and you could be back on top.”

Many thanks to all of you who advised me to get well soon.  I will!

There are dozens of Asian organizations and groups throughout Chicago:  Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Pakistani and many more.  It’s diversity within the diversity of our city!  The local Asian community joins together annually for a common celebration ahead of the Lunar New Year.   The Asian American Coalition event usually attracts over a thousand people and I always enjoy being among the emcees for the annual gala.

All week, I worried about what to wear.  I hate buying evening gowns.  They’re expensive and little-worn.  So I decided to just go with one of the dresses already in my closet. Would people recognize it?  Is it out of fashion?  How trivial.  There’s nothing like reality to knock things into perspective.

Euna Lee of Current TV

The keynote speaker for the evening was Euna Lee of Current TV.  She was quite emotional in recalling her 140 days of captivity last year within North Korea.  Click here for a great synopsis by Dan Rozek of the Chicago Sun-Times. It was nice to finally meet Euna.  She expressed true gratitude for the vigils we held here in Chicago while she and Laura Ling were prisoners.  Laura had called me days after they were freed.  I was touched she would take the time to call just about everyone who had a role in the nationwide vigils.

Adorable Hannah.

As Euna broke down during her speech last night, she was joined on stage by her husband and 5-year-old daughter, Hannah.  All eyes were glued to the photogenic family on stage as Euna talked about the horrid situation that continues to play out along the border of North Korea and China.  For many women there, evening gowns and what to wear are of no concern whatsoever.

A major media push!

I was honored to take part in today’s media telethon to raise money for the Red Cross of Greater Chicago.  My latest blog “Chicago Helps Haiti” is over at the Fox Chicago website.   Please click here to check it out.  Happy surfing!

Today’s post, “When Your Own Child is a Bad Influence!”, is over at Chicago Moms Blog.  Please click here to surf over and check it out.  Thanks!

Camera 8

As if I don’t spend enough time on camera.  (Actually, there are quite a few people who work in TV news who feel they never get enough time on camera.)  My son got me a web camera for Christmas so I can chat with him and our relatives everywhere.  At Fox Chicago, we have five cameras in the studio and Cam 6 in the newsroom.  I figure I work on Camera 7 whenever I’m out in the field so I refer to the newest location as Camera 8.  Besides, many Asians love the number 8.  In Chinese, the number sounds very close to the word for “prosperity” so, “Hello, Camera 8!”

My parents are senior Skypers!

Within a day of setting up my new web cam, I had a Skype account so I could start videochatting away.  The best part has been teaching my parents to Skype, too.  They had never used the built-in cameras on their laptops! They are clearly enjoying their novel new communication tool since we can Skype with relatives in Hong Kong or anywhere for free! It’s also nice to “see” my brothers more often and I may soon do a video chat with journalism students at my alma mater, the University of Oregon.

Of course, Oprah talked up Skype almost a year ago.  I’m behind!  I better go see what’s on her book club list.

Working in any business can be stressful these days given the dismal job market and economy.  But the television news business has always been stressful due to deadlines and constant competition.  A journalism professor once told me it wouldn’t be a stretch to estimate that for every broadcaster you see on TV, there are at least 5,000 other people who want that same job.

Chew on this!

Long before I worked in television, my parents spent thousands of dollars on my dental and orthodontic bills.  I’ve always had a sweet tooth so I half expected the dentist to find a cavity during every visit!  There’s probably nowhere left on my teeth for cavities to form due to a lifetime of fillings, bondings and crowns.  But a new problem developed about two years ago.

My dentist noticed chipping and a lot of wear and tear due to grinding.  He said it’s more common than ever given all the stress that so many people are under.  I was fitted for a night guard and now I can’t sleep without it.

How ironic that the stupid thing has added stress on top of my stress.  The “C” shape seems to cry out, “Can’t do without me!”, “Chip, chip, chip!”, “Cuckoo!” or “C’s before the Z’s!”  I am now afraid to fall asleep unless I’m wearing the darn thing.  ”C” is for crazy, too. I guess I’d see a different doctor for that.