My notebook's never been about me

First and foremost, I just would like to say thank you. All the congratulations have been overwhelming. We've heard from people across the world and couldn't be more thankful for each and every one. I've done my best to personally respond to each tweet, Facebook message, and email. If I missed you, please take this as your personal thank you!

I'm a journalist. I'd like to think a good one, but who am I? I've preached and preached about how the news isn't about me. A story isn't about me. It's about the child suffering from an incurable disease, the family struggling to make ends me, the mother of a murder victim, etc.  This time.. the story is me.. and my now fiance.

I'm not going to lie, I have no idea how to handle it. Being interviewed my Jeanne Moos was amazing.. but at the end of the day.. I'm usually on the other side of this. I'm the interviewer, not the interviewee. The radio interviews, the Skype interviews have all been so much fun. But, at the end of the day.. I'm just a small town girl who is now engaged. Case closed. Sure- it was on live TV. Yes, our parents got to partake in the day and watch the magical moment from Florida. (Most exciting part to me.)

Going viral was never the point. TV has been a huge part of our relationship. The ups, the downs, the struggles. Dating a TV journalist is not easy. I often get home late, work crazy hours, and know every thing that's going on in the world. I'm glued to my phone, email, Twitter, Facebook just to see what's new. I told Vince from the beginning, my career comes first. This is MY DREAM!! I'm so glad I met such an amazing man. It's not easy putting up with me, I promise you this. While I consider myself an easy-going person.. it's not always true. I'm working even when I'm not. I made the decision to move far away from our Florida lives to Dalton, Georgia. I told Vince he didn't have to go, but he chose to. He chose to take this journey with me. Honestly, that's the best part. I never asked. He did it because he loves me and knew how important this journey was.

Do I think it's neat we ended up on National Television, the headline on Yahoo and MSN, International Radio? Sure.

But, it's not the point.

We're just two everyday people living our lives the best we know how.

I think it's important to let viewers into my life. That's why I created a Facebook and Twitter page.. to seem more "human," if you will. I can't tell you how many times I've been told, you're so much prettier in person or you're so cute, so on and so forth. I hope viewers want to know more about their anchors, reporters, and journalist. Especially in a small town like Huntsville. We're all family and we're all in this together. Don't hesitate to say hi or anything. I promise you.. I'll say hi back!

But-- as I head back to work from a nice weekend.. I realize... there's always a critic. There's always someone you can't please. I'm okay with that. Where would we be without critics? Where would we be without people challenging our everyday moves?

Thank you all again for your sweet words and encouragement.

Here's to planning a wedding!

And thank you for taking part in such a special day.. We'll never forget it.

It only took 6 years....

but we are finally engaged!!!! How exciting.

The proposal:

Click here to watch it!

What an amazing night! Luckily, I have an awesome producer that I trust more than anything. About 10 seconds before coming back from break she tells me we have breaking news and a co-worker is on the other line. She has an intro into prompter and just to read it. Of course, I freak out. Dana! I can't run prompter from this shot.. I need to read it first. Yep, no time and Dana has control of my prompter and now I have to cold read. Luckily, it turns out for the best. I, of course, said yes! Our families were watching from home thanks to Slingbox and witnessed the magic. Vince says there is so much more to this story... but no need to get into it. I'm so glad our families got to be a part of this special day. They probably wouldn't have if I wasn't on tv. I'm so very blessed.

I'm not one for making it all about me, hence why I'm a journalist. But, I am so happy!

Thank you all for your well wishes! We can't wait to share this journey with you!

Sometimes you change your mind

So.. I was going to post about how I'm changing my life. Cooking dinner, budgeting, and the like.. (BORING!!!) That's when I realized, it's not about me. I became a journalist to make a difference. What difference would I like to make you might ask? Frankly, I'm not sure. I've just always known I want to do something that changes one mind, one heart. I was told once but a great journalist, don't put yourself in the story.. just tell it. Because after all.. the news isn't about me. It's about you and the stories you want to hear.

With that said, I'm not about to write about myself. I'm writing about a little girl named Ava, a girl I've never met. Last week, I had the pleasure of telling her story.

Here's the video: Yes, I know. Not the best live shot.. but just watch the story.



Ava and her family touched my heart. Their friends are amazing, the only people I've met so far telling this story.

Isn't Ava just cutest thing?

Ava has a rare type of Leukemia. She turns 3 this week. It makes me sad she doesn't get to live the life of a 3 year old, but there's something about it. Her spirit just makes you forget everything back that is happening in your life and stay positive. I've met a lot of people suffering illnesses, most have this about them.

Ava gets rounds of chemo at home and travels to Birmingham every 4 weeks for a different type of chemo. I'm sure days get rough.

She's inspired me to be a happier, more positive person.

Decatur is now "going red." It's called Paint the Town Red for Ava. How can you resist?

I know my story won't cure this little girl but I hope it inspires and makes a different in someone's life, just like it did mine.

Amazing how someone you've never even met.. can make a such a positive difference in your life.

More people in my life last year were affected(effected? I hate these words) by cancer than any year. Cancer took my grandmother from this world. By all means, cancer sucks. There's no ifs, ands, or buts, about it. (Ha, I sound like my father.) But, it changes you. For the good, the bad, the positive, or the negative. But, I see the way it makes people appreciate life, those who survive, those it affects. (again, not sure which version) I wish I never had to report on anyone who has a deadly disease, but I do. Maybe one day.. we'll find a preventative measure.

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.  ~Winston Churchill

Super Bowl Sunday... The Commercial

Ok... The lights went out, San Fran attempted to make a comeback, and then... The Ravens won, players and fans cried, one Harbaugh won, the other lost... But then there's the commercials.

Honestly, if the lights didn't go out I don't think this Super Bowl would have been talked about very long.

But-- the commercials are always talked about... For weeks. And yes, the media drags it on forever and forever. Just to make million dollar making companies money?? Yep... That's it. Note my sarcasm please.

Anyways... I keep hearing people say how controversial the Go Daddy commercial is. Why? Because a beautiful model makes out with a man that's not... Brad Pitt?? Please.. Give me a break.

I don't find the commercial offensive. I find the fact that the media keeps referring to this poor man as a dork or nerd because of the way he looks. That's what bothers me. Can we stop referring to people in such a negative manner?

Children are committing suicide because other people are calling them dorks or needs. This behavior must stop.

Nothing breaks my heart more than a child committing suicide because of hurtful words. And... That's exactly what's happening here and local media is condoning it.

Maybe this commercial should show us that people are just people. Hot or not, blonde or brunette... Your Prince Charming isn't always who you imagined and I'm sure neither is the Princess you save in the castle. Lets just get over that, k?

The question we all ask ourselves: Why?

It's almost been a week since that horrifying shooting. The innocent lives lost. The mothers and fathers without their children. The kids without their friends, without teachers. The list goes on. Newtown, Connecticut will forever be remembered by Sandy Hook Elementary. It's a day most of us will never forget. The worst mass shooting in Elementary School history. As I type that sentence, I can't help but ask myself why? Why the kids? Why, why, why?

It's an event we can't fathom. We don't understand. Yet, it's real. As a journalist-- we try to give the public facts. We grieve and we cry. One day we may even know why. But, does that really give us the answer?

As I watched Breaking News coverage, I just sat in my living room. I didn't say anything. I read twitter and Facebook and other online sites. The anger, fear, sadness felt by many across this nation.

I heard people upset over the wrong facts that were initially reported. People upset over reporting the suspects name. Everyone has an opinion. I'm disappointed that the facts were wrong, initially. If all of us are asking the question why.. then why don't people want to know about the shooter?

Yes, I want to know about the children, the victims, those teachers. I want to know who they were.

I'm not sure where I'm supposed to be going with this. Everyone will always question the way journalists report something. They didn't do this, they didn't do that. Every station is trying to be first. I definitely think this unfortunate situation will change the media. We have to learn from our mistakes. We have to listen to viewers. If we don't, viewership will stop. No one will listen to us. Right now, every citizen can consider themselves a journalist.

Every car accident, every shooting, every fire.. is this news? Where are we supposed to draw the line?

Pinterest: My Holiday Obsession

Today on WAAY TV:

I'll introduce you to my world of Pinterest. Follow me here: http://pinterest.com/jillianucf/

Pinterest during the holidays is probably one of the greatest creations, at least for DIY recipes and crafts.

I found this wreath and fell in love with it! http://pinterest.com/pin/250442429250418753/

I must say-- I'm not the craftiest person in the world. I get frustrated easy and bored. But-- I decided to tackle the craft.

I found the instructions here: http://kristenscreationsonline.blogspot.com/2011/11/christmas-mesh-wreath-tutorial.html

Deco Mesh was super hard to find. I couldn't find it in any holiday colors but I found silver and gold.. So I'll make it work. I found some cute little ornaments and decorative ideas to place on the wreath. This wreath is really poofy.. and poofy isn't really my thing. So-- I made mine a little flatter. But-- I think it turned out well.

This is one Pinterest find that I highly recommend. It didn't take me but 20-30 minutes to actually make. I'll post final pictures tonight!

Happy Pinning!

Why are kids so mean?

I did a story back in Chattanooga about a High School girl with cancer. I'm going to call her "Dana" in this blog because I don't want to reveal her name without her permission. Anyways, Dana was a sweetheart. Unfortunately, (for me anyway) I never had the opportunity to meet her. I had to anchor the 7pm news the day her story was to air and well, we had to send a photographer. I remember going through the footage and editing the story and just thinking how amazing this girl was. A high school girl with cancer.. I can't imagine. I can't imagine going through cancer in general but especially high school. High School is hard enough as it is.

So anyway, her grandmother sent me this post on Facebook recently:


thankful today that "Dana's" teammates all have her back, when the student fans from Oliver Spring were making fun of her and calling her a boy, saying ugly things to her on the court, they stood up for her. Not the way I wished for her season to start, but so thankful she was able to play. She has been blessed with some coaches who love her no matter what and teammates, she considers her dearest friends.

I can't tell you how angry this made me. This poor girl is struggling for her life and you have audacity to make fun of her? I just don't understand why kids are so mean. The bullying, the name calling it's got to stop. I was always made fun of as a kid. I wasn't pretty, I was short, I had a squeaky voice.. the list goes on. I was strong enough to brush it off (for the most part) but not everyone is. I know Dana is strong enough to brush it off but it doesn't mean this should happen. 

I'm happy Dana has great friends to stick up for her and fight for her when she can't. But, I'm just angry. I can't help it. If it was my way we would all go to her next game and hold signs for her. No one deserves to be treated this way.. No one.