A Visit To Fox News Channel

Friday morning, I headed over to Fox News Channel for my client Tourism Queensland’s appearance on “Fox & Friends.”

Hello Again: “Fox & Friends” anchor (and former colleague) Steve Doocy and me

I had the pleasure of catching up with co-anchor and all-around good guy Steve Doocy, who greeted me with a big hug. We reminisced about the time when we shared a cubicle wall during my stint as an associate producer at Fox.

While we were talking, it hit me that a decade has passed since my FNC days -- and that the winding road of my career has mirrored the twists and turns in my love life.

For seven years, I pursued my passion for TV news, traveling like a serial monogamist through jobs in writing, producing and on-camera reporting. With every gig, I learned something about myself -- just as I have from each of the men I’ve dated.

I think that jobs, much like relationships, aren’t necessarily meant to last forever, but to prepare for you what comes next. By illuminating who you are and refining your vision of what you want for yourself, they help equip you to make that vision a reality, even if it means taking a few detours along the way.

Over time, I’ve found that each detour is less a bump in the road and more an opportunity to make a fresh start. Because in both life and love, it’s never too late to begin again.

By The Numbers: On Air Edition

I recently had the pleasure of catching up with my former Fox News boss and good friend Jerry.

Over a delicious lunch at Ben’s Kosher Deli & Restaurant in NYC’s Garment District, we reminisced about our days together at Fox ten years ago. It should probably be illegal to have as much fun at work as we did.

Shepard Smith: This Fox News anchor fronts the primetime show that I worked on

As we recalled that magical time, I couldn’t help thinking about my former career path.

Before jumping ship to the world of public relations, I spent seven years working in TV news. From taking flight in a golf cart powered by an electric parachute to interviewing newsmakers big and small (Senator Bob Dole, Jared the Subway sandwich guy), I enjoyed plenty of adventures in pursuit of the day’s news. Here are some of the highlights -- By The Numbers:

Number of jobs in TV news: 7
Number of TV news jobs that required moving out of state to small towns: 3
Number of on-camera reporting jobs: 2
Number of TV news gigs abroad (in Sydney, Australia): 1
Number of winter weather disasters experienced during TV news stints: 2

Back in ‘97, I was a morning news producer in Bangor, Maine when a devastating ice storm hit. Later, during a 2003 blizzard in Delaware that shut down the state, I did a live report on the disaster from a waist high snow bank.

Yes, producing the news may not always be glamorous but one thing is for sure --- it’s one hell of a ride.

By The Numbers: Professional Gypsy Edition

During my ten year journalism school reunion back in April, I attended a panel about reinventing yourself. I couldn’t help thinking about how that phrase has applied to my career before and since attending Columbia‘s j-school.

Reporting Live: That's me with the microphone during my on-air days at WBOC-TV in Dover, Delaware, 2002

It’s been quite a journey from my days as a fresh-faced college graduate to my current profession of travel PR. I’ve written about municipal bonds for a trade newspaper, reported live during a Delaware blizzard and researched business segments for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Here are some of the bends in the long and winding road of my career -- By The Numbers:

Number of jobs since graduating from Mount Holyoke College: 10
Number of career changes: 2
Number of small market TV news jobs outside of New York: 4
Number of overseas jobs: 1
Number of years spent working in PR: 4.5

Four and a half years after making the transition to travel PR and joining Quinn & Company, I feel the same as I did when I first started -- fortunate to work for talented, honorable people and to be promoting one of my biggest passions, travel. Even better, I get to do this in the world’s greatest city.

Blind Date Roulette

The other night, I heard from Michael, a guy that my friend and fellow travel PR maven/blogger Lyla wants to set me up with. As we chatted about our mutual appreciation for Latin dancing and NYC’s theater scene, I couldn’t help thinking about the unpredictability of blind dates – and some of the memorable setups I’ve experienced.

There’s been no shortage of blind dates that failed to ignite any sparks. Like the tête à tête with a 40-something businessman who scoffed at my decision to leave the world of TV news behind for a career in PR. Or the tardy attorney who kept me waiting for a half an hour then proceeded to talk only about himself.

For every lackluster matchmaking attempt, though, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience a few blind date successes that made those disappointing evenings worth it.

Ten years ago, a college friend’s British-born husband suggested I meet up with David, a friend of his who had just moved to the Big Apple. The chemistry between us was immediate. Over the course of a year and a half together, David would become my good guy benchmark, seeing me through the devastating loss of my mother and taking the grand gesture to a whole new level with roses by the hundred.

Parade of Roses: Five dozen of the twenty-five dozen (!) roses that my British beau David gave me for my 25th birthday, January 1999

In 2001, at the tail end of my year-long TV reporter stint in Southern Illinois, my neighbor’s daughter invited me to dinner with her stepson Steve. I ended up changing my return flight to New York three times, as Steve and I fell into one of the most passionate romances I’ve ever had. Our friendship endures to this day.

Michael and I are scheduled to meet for drinks sometime this week. Though It’s too soon to tell how this latest go round of blind date roulette will turn out, I’m just happy to be back in the game.