Identity Crisis

It turns out it’s been years since I blogged. I love to write, and I miss it. Even though I work in television news, I do not write enough of my own work. Not complaining, just a fact. I love telling stories, but I end up editing more than writing.

So today I thought I’d plant the seed and see if anyone else feels the way I do right now about your identity. This isn’t a midlife crisis or confidence issue. It’s my journey back to a very public job and my deep desire for people to know where I landed. I feel like I hiked a super difficult trail and ended up at the top of the mountain, but my friends – and viewers – can’t see me from the airplane or drone above.

“I wondered what happened to you!” I hear a lot. Or “I’m so happy to hear you’re okay!” But those comments are usually followed by, “I used to watch you when I was younger!” and “I just don’t watch TV, but I’m so happy for you.”

I’m going to be blunt here: that sucks. We all have our journeys, we all have our ups and downs, yada yada, but I’m not afraid to say that my success story, at the age of 50 (!), is one I want more people to help me celebrate.

I am back on News 3 Now (formerly “Channel 3”) at 6 and 10pm with my friend of 20-plus years and co-anchor Eric Franke. You’ll often see me filling in or reporting on the 4 and 5pm news as well. I was at Channel 3 from 2010 until 2013, when I had to leave due to my seizures. It was the doctor’s orders, not the station. Before that, I had worked at the other stations. This is part of my identity crisis.

It’s hard to take an 11-year hiatus and expect people to remember WHICH station they remember you from….and WHICH one to find you on this time.

So please, if you read this, tune in to News 3/Channel 3 (CBS affiliate owned and operated by a family!). We have the most accurate weather team, a fabulously fun sports team, and I get to join my co-anchor, Eric Franke, who has been doing this for 26 years and is the one you can trust in Madison. Susan Siman, who happens to be my best friend, has been on air even longer and is still kicking butt. She’s as sincere in person as she is on the news. Brady Mallory makes the job look easy as an anchor and tells some of my favorite stories. I could go on, but I have to get ready for work.

See you on the air.