NancyLoo.net

Oooooooo, we have: AAJA National Board Rep Lorene Yue, Chapter Co-President Nancy Loo, Treasurer Sabrina Wu & Secretary Rui Kaneya.

I often wake up with the same anxious feelings I had back in high school and college.  Just like then, I have some kind of activity everyday.  Is this some kind of Asian habit?  It’s still amusing to me that I once served as President of my high school German Club! At the same time, I did cheerleading, gymnastics and student council. At all other times, I had to work at our family restaurant. I suppose watching my parents work so hard for so long made me eager to remain productive outside of work and school.

After work today, I presided over a board meeting for the Asian American Journalists Association.  I’ve been serving as chapter co-president for the past two years along with Rummana Hussain, a reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times.  Other board members include Lorene Yue of Crain’s Chicago, freelance journalists Sabrina Wu and Inggrid Yonata and Rui Kaneya of the Chicago Reporter.

2008 Trivia Bowl emcees: Joanie Lum, me, Jan Jeffcoat, Ellee Pai-Hong & Angie Lau.

There is a lot of work to be done. We’re behind in planning our annual Trivia Bowl – pitting media and business people against each other as we raise money for student scholarship programs. The event is always great fun with interesting questions about current events and Chicago history. There’s also a lot of kidding and trash talkin’ between all the media outlets.  And now that the future of the Chicago Sun-Times is a little more secure, the paper’s team is eager to go for a three-peat as champions.

Also on the agenda today, chapter elections.  There will be a call for nominations soon.  I won’t be running.  But I’m already feeling anxious about what I’ll do with more free time.

Look, we’re not the same person! NBC5′s Nesita Kwan, CLTV’s Judy Wang, Me, ABC7′s Linda Yu & Joanie Lum, formerly of CBS2

I once told Connie Chung I could probably retire if I had a dollar for every time someone called me, “Connie”.  For a while, I gave up on correcting people.  I mean, what a compliment — she’s a TV news legend!  Connie laughed when I told her that whenever people said “Hi, Connie!”, I would just smile and reply “Maury says hello!”

But c’mon, everyone deserves a closer look and to be known as individuals.  You’d think single-syllable Chinese surnames would be easy to keep straight.  Why do so many people have trouble telling those of us on television newscasts apart?   After 8 years working in Chicago, it doesn’t happen as often.  But once in awhile, I’m called “Linda” or “Joanie” or some mangled version of our first and last names.

Earlier this week while covering a story in suburban Chicago, a man asked, “What are you? Are you Chinese?”  When I answered yes, he asked, “I have a friend in Taiwan. Maybe you know her?”  Are you kidding?!?!  And then he was compelled to tell me, “My son lives north of Seoul.” Uh, that’s in another country and I’m not Korean.  But I do appreciate that he was trying to connect with me and my heritage.

Perhaps this is all pretty trivial given our hectic times and the perilous state of television news. So please keep watching Fox Chicago and all other news sources. Appreciate the messenger. You know, ol’ what’s-her-name!