I woke up like it was any other Tuesday morning, but today was going to be different. It was now my turn to step in front of the camera and let my light shine. I was not new to the Annapolis Television studio, and myself and the host of the show - Rhonda Wardlaw, well let's just say we get along great. She was the one that helped me get my first break into reporting on air. When I worked for our location police department, I enjoyed going on television as the city's temporary Public Information Officer, but it didn't stop there. I was asked to promote various programs we had to offer, in my Community Service Unit that I worked in, such as Neighborhood Watch, Watch Your Car, Victim Services, and the biggest one, National Night Out, which included the program I created: The McGruff and Me art Contest. Check out my link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jiSAjunDNk
Yep, that was me, about a year ago. Hair a bit shorter now, and I am 108lbs thinner. *Big Smile* The art work that is displayed behind me as I spoke, is what my oldest son created, when he was in 5th grade. He is now in High School. So as you see, I should be no stranger to sitting in front of the camera and doing what I do best...talk. As my husband says I need a shirt that says "I'm talking and I can't shut up." Don't tell him, but yes, sometimes he can be right. Shhhhh that is our secret. If he new I said he was right, I'll never hear the end of it.
I arrived at the studio on time, and was dressed to impress, but suddenly I felt the tickle of butterflies in my stomach, go to a crazy mob of Halloween bats.
"What is my problem" I kept thinking to myself trying to make it look as if all was cool and calm with me. Inside, the word faint kept coming to mind. Then I realized what the problem was, It was not just me going solo in front of the camera to read a teleprompter, this time I was being interviewed, something I feared the most and would never do as a Public Information Officer. I would leave that job up to the real Officers to do.
They got the set put together, and then I was asked to come sit in a chair.
I began to feel a sense of Panic rush threw me as my mind became consumed with more irratic thoughts.
"No table to hide my waist line, no table to hide the tapping of my foot, no table to place my hands...my hands, what will I do with my hands?"
I was so worried about my hands, but really, I knew I was just plain nervous. The camera man got my microphone attached to my dress and began to do sound checks. I kept reminding myself to breath, in 1,2,3, out, 1,2,3...So far so good and then...Rhonda come over and got herself ready to being. It was time, no looking back.
She was flawless, as always...myself, I am sure I looked a mess. The hardest part was when my lips started to stick to my teeth, as the fear of this interview was hiking my body temperature up and up and up. Then suddenly...I felt a case of the giggles wanting to overcome me.
"Not now, please not now" I kept thinking as I was trying to answer the questions. It felt so much better when she would laugh. I took that time as an opportunity to let my giggle bug out, without looking like a total nerd.
She made the interview so relaxing, that by the end of it all, I was actually telling viewers to report suspicious activity in their area, just like I had done all those years when I was organizing Neighborhood Watch programs for communities all over our city. I guess I can say, deep down I'll always be that make you smile comedian that I also dream of being. Now all that is left, is the review. I guess I'll know how I did in a few days. But with Rhonda Wardlaw putting this together...I know it will be fantastic. But my next biggest worry, lets just hope the camera guy made me look thin and beautiful. I need all the help I can get. *Smile* Until next time, be safe and if you see anything in your community that looks suspicious, call your local police department and report it, not only could you be saving a life...you just might be saving your own.
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