It rained...

#reporterproblems

You sound like you're from London

As the Duchess of Cambridge was giving birth at St. Mary's Hospital in central London, I was running up and down International Drive in Orlando looking for British people to comment on the royal baby.

I-Drive is a BIG tourist destination and on any given day you will run into people from the UK.

Not on Monday.

My assignment didn't sound too complicated- go to I-drive and interview British people.

Imagine: crazy lady with a camera and mic, running up to random strangers asking, "are you from the UK?"

At one point, this kid wearing a blue shirt that said "BRITAIN" walks past me, I ask, "are you from the UK?" and he shakes his head no, and starts walking faster!

I kept thinking of the scene from "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," when the surfing instructor says "you sound like you're from London!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znW6bHxzExc

After almost an hour of rejection, I found three couples, (two from Scotland, one from England) to comment on the royal baby.

CBS: Prince William and Kate debut royal baby boy

Three little birds

I was reporting out in Daytona Beach tonight.

Live at 6 with a story about a beach patrol officer who has been put on paid administrative leave after he allegedly shared  racially charged Trayvon Martin cartoons on his Facebook page.

I filmed the interviews, edited the story, fed it back to the station via FTP, and just before the 6, a photographer met me out at the beach to run my live shot.

All that being said, I was able to drive myself back to Orlando as soon as I finished going live.

The weather was terrible.

Severe thunderstorms with crazy lightning the entire way back. 

By the time I got to the station, unloaded the gear, put the keys to the news van back in the cabinet and got in my car, it was late. 

Friday night plans...shot. 

For the past hour, as I listened to the sound of rain drops hit the windows in my apartment- I did the dumbest thing I could possibly do alone on a Friday night. 

Go on Facebook.

The cliff notes version of my Facebook news feed- vacations, engagements, marriages... 
So this brings me to my next point.
I'm adopting three finches.

I thought about getting a dog, but realized it would probably die in my apartment because I'm never home.

Tomorrow I'm picking up a bird cage from a lady named Judy who lives in Winter Park.

I found her on Craigs list - she's selling it for 15 bucks.

As I ponder the fact that I'm going to be a bird lady at 24, I'm realizing just how much you sacrifice when you're in this career, starting with a social life. 

But that's not everything. 

I have a lot to be grateful for. 

I'm learning not to worry about the little things... 'Cause every little thing gonna be all right. 

I'm in a commercial!!

I just found out about my station's new commercial.
I'm up for a second (reporting on the beach) so you can't see the sweat dripping down my face YAY!
Check it out:

"Thank God"

I let out a "Thank God" at our morning meeting, right after my assignment manager said I would be working with a photographer.
It was supposed to be an internal, say-it-to-myself, "Thank God" but it slipped out.
My fellow one-man-bands can relate- some days you're just wiped out.
Lugging around your camera and tripod, knee-driving yourself all over town while on the phone setting up your story, (praying that Siri doesn't get you lost, again), getting soaked by afternoon showers as you're trying to film your look live, and scrambling to find an outlet to plug in your dying laptop so you can write and edit your story before you miss slot....it's not a walk in the park.
If anyone tells you one-man-banding is easy, I ask that you repeat the following: "Kristin Giannas says you're a liar."
Yesterday I was reporting on the fireworks at Lake Eola for the 5, 6, 7, and 11 PM shows.
It was a lot of fun, (great place for people watching) but to say I'm tired today is an understatement.

So, Thank God I get to work with the talented James Gosselin (aka Goose).
We're heading to Daytona Beach for the Coke Zero 400.
See you on TV!

Wacky Wednesday

Coffee Break :) 6.12.13

I'm working with Chuck again today.
We're heading to a story in Umatilla, (super-sized mosquitoes).
Yesterday we were all over the place.
We started working on a story at Disney, then moved to International Drive to talk with tourists about the heat, and finally we were live at 5 and 7 in Ocala reporting on a hit man who worked for the Mexican Cartel. (Story)
Amanada was interning with us: https://t.co/6EiR0gqVPZ
Before the craziness, we stopped at Starbucks to grab a coffee.
The calm before the storm... :)

Cane attack

Romeo and her dog "Zeus"

Nyade Romeo, 88, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly beating up her neighbors with her walking cane.
She says she was just protecting herself.
She and her husband invited me into their Palm Coast home on Wednesday.
Romeo told me about the 7 hours she spent in jail, how she had nothing on her, "they even took my handkerchief," she said.
Here's her side of the story: Woman, 88, poked pregnant woman in stomach with cane, Flagler deputies say

Braille Champ

Photo:Claire Welch 

Today I had the opportunity to interview Ton Pham.
He's 10-years-old and goes to Princeton Elementary School in Orlando. 
Ton was born with glaucoma and has had eight surgeries over the years to try and improve his vision.
"I can't see, well, I can see a little bit but not tiny, small print,” he said.
Ton learned how to read and write Braille three years ago, and already he's a superstar.
He'll be competing in the Braille Challenge Finals on June 21-22 in Los Angeles, California.
"I will try to win but I think I'll do a great job there,” he said.
He'll be measured for his accuracy in spelling, reading, and proofreading Braille. 
Pham is selling chocolate "Braille bars" that spell out, "thank you"  to help raise money for the trip.
Before I left, he gave one to my intern Claire and I and wouldn't let us give him money!
"It's a gift," he told me and smiled.
Ton walks with a cane and also lives with a hearing impairment.
When you sit down with him, you can't help but smile.
Ton has so much joy and love for life, his spirit is infectious.
I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to meet such an amazing kid.
  Click here to see Ton's story.

Sassy Saturdays

Hello blog.
It's been too long!
I'm working Saturday nights now....(I get to work with Jim Cavanaugh who is AWESOME)
Here's what we've been up to:

Greek dinner break

Practice makes perfect!
(I'm trying to learn how to read and write Greek)

Late night

So it's 11:35PM and I am curling my hair outside the Brevard County Jail.
We're going on late tonight because of basketball.
Good thing I brought extra grapes with me..

Goats....

Today I one-man-banded a story on two stolen goats...

It was an adventure to say the least.

There's nothing like filming a story on a farm...by yourself...in a hot pink blazer....

Check it out: here