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      Since Lexy is my only family in Spokane during the holidays, I decided to bring her to work tonight.  She’s such a good dog.  I even brought her favorite rug.

Passengers are finally flying out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, but they are stranded in many other cities by cancellations due to severe winter weather. Whether by plain train or automobile, getting home for the holidays this season isn’t going to be easy on this Christmas eve. Just ask a few dozen customers of Greyhound who have been stuck in Seattle since the first of the week. Their bus connections were canceled. They had no place to go, and the bus line didn’t seem to care very much about that.

The passengers were dropped off at a Seattle emergency shelter about a mile from the Greyhound depot. The trouble is, the shelter had no room and would not take them in. Greyhound apparently felt they had done all they were required to, but the bus line should have known that their customers might one day be stranded if Greyhound couldn’t transport them as contracted, and they should have had some reliable remedies available. In this case the “Big Dog” just dropped the ball, and may have placed some customers in danger. What must sting as much as being ignored by Greyhound was the sign that passengers encountered on the doors of the Seattle depot. “We’re sorry for any inconvenience,” the sign read. “We take our passengers’ and employees’ safety as our main concern.” Of course you do, and it obviously shows.

Travel is tough this holiday season. Most public carriers are struggling with rising costs and scarce profits, but they still must be prepared to come to the aid of the travelers they strand. Just shrugging their shoulders is not enough. As for those stranded, perhaps it would benefit them to remember that travel, especially at this time of year, is risky, and if you start out, you may do well to have a plan if weather interrupts your journey. The carrier cannot reasonably be expected to take care of everything you might need. I think there’s no place like home for the holidays, and so that’s where I plan to be.

Merry Christmas, and be safe.

So here we are, just a couple nights away from the showdown in Pullman.  The 4th ranked Zags are trying to break a two game losing streak to Washington State in a battle of wills.  Can Washington State slow down the Bulldogs or will Gonzaga be able to play up-tempo?  The answer to that question will have a lot to do with the outcome of the game.  The last two years Washington State has been able to slow the game down and make it a half court game.  The Cougs have been able to frustrate Gonzaga with their defense.  The Cougs even pulled off the unthinkable and they beat Gonzaga in the McCarthey Athletic Center.  The Cougars have taken 3rd ranked Pittsburgh, and 23rd ranked Baylor down to the late goings and were a only a few made free-throws away from pulling the “upset” on the Bears over the weekend.  The Cougs look to take advantage of the home court crowd and two years ago it was THIS win that started the whole thing in my opinion.

But this is a different year.  The Cougs are very young, and the Zags are very good.  Gonzaga is ranked 4th in the nation for a reason.  They are deep, they are athletic, they are playing defense, and they are very talented.  Gonzaga is undefeated and even in games they have struggled in this year, they have won by large margins.  Their closest game so far has been by 9 points over then 12th ranked Tennessee and even then the Bulldogs were up by 18 late.  Gonzaga is deeper than they have ever been and can beat you inside, or outside.  They can run, and they can play defense.

The Cougars have been better than some thought they might be after losing the big three last year.  Freshman Klay Thompson has been every bit as good as advertised.  According to Mark Few the Cougs have one of the best, if not the best, big men in the west in Aron Baynes.  They have a great point guard in Taylor Rochestie although he has struggled a bit so far this year.  They continue to have one of the best defenses in the country.  But again they are very young, and will make young mistakes from time to time.

I do think this game will remain close for a while, maybe even late.  However I just think Gonzaga has too much depth and experience for the Cougs this time around.  Gonzaga has had two shots this year at teams that have beaten them in the past, Tennessee and Indiana, and they have gotten their revenge.  I think they are about to be 3 for 3 in payback games.  I’m really hoping for a slugfest and a close, entertaining game down the stretch, I just don’t see it.  I’ve got the Zags by 15.

A BIG “thank you” to Sara Brown for these sundog photos.  Sara says these photos were taken around 3:30 this afternoon. “As you can see, the sun is east of the ‘rainbow’, and the photo is looking west over Fir Mountain (west of Republic).

Sundogs are most common in the winter months, when the sun is at a low angle, and the sun can be refracted through ice crystals in cirrus clouds.  For much more, CLICK HERE.

On Thanksgiving Day, our McKay Allen brought us the story of a family from North Carolina.
The dad, David Kelley was offered a job here.. so, Dad, Mom, 4 kids and 2 dogs loaded into the family van.. leaving their life behind.. to start a new life in Spokane.  Driving for days, more than 3-miles.. 6 people and 2 dogs jammed in the van, the family arrived in Spokane.. only to fnd the job they uprooted their lives for.. fell through.
The Kelleys had nowhere to turn.. no food and no money.  They swallowed their pride, and stood on a street corner in Spokane and begged for help.  They experienced the humiliation of it, the degrading looks and even comments from passers-by.. but, one couple who came upon the Kelleys changed everything.

I am outing his couple, because I am so proud of them.. it was kxly 920’s Mike Fitzsimmons and his wife.
They stopped and  talked to the Kelleys, finding out their story.  The Fitzsimmons were so moved, they helped the Kelleys get a motel room, some meals and even coats for the kids.
I overheard Mike telling a co-worker about his meeting with the Kelleys.. and just knew this was a story we had to share.
And.. was I ever right!
Melissa Luck assigned the story to McKay Allen, who did a wonderful job.  As soon as the story aired, the phones in the newsroom started ringing.. the emails came in.. the outpouring of support for this family was unreal.  
some of the folks wanted to offer meals, money, toys, clothes.. even a couple job opportunities for David.   

This is one family’s story, in these incredibly difficult financial times.  There are so many others.  I just hope the very best for this family, and I am so thankful that God or fate, or something led the Fitzsimmons to the Kelleys that day.. and they are seeing what Spokane is really all about.

It’s such a cliche to write a blog like this, but I don’t care - I’m doing it anyway. I have so much to be thankful for this year. I feel I would be ungrateful not to recognize all the gifts I’ve been given.

1. My “old” family: I have been blessed since birth with an incredible family. From my wonderful mom to my terrific siblings to my incredible grandma (best in the world) and all my cousins, aunts and uncles… We’re a drama-free family (most of the time with absolutely true love for each other. We spent a week together in Red Lodge, Montana last summer and I was reminded again of how lucky I am. Even though I don’t see them very often, I miss them every day and I wish I could be with them today for Thanksgiving.

2. My “new” family: I must have done something great in a former life, because I have been blessed with the world’s most incredible husband. I’ve always known I probably don’t deserve to be married to someone like him, but throughout my pregnancy I’ve realized I didn’t know the half of it. Derek and I met almost 9 years ago, working in our first TV jobs in Tri-Cities. All this time later, he’s still the most loving, caring, patient man I’ve ever met. He has always been incredible - and always makes me want to be a better person. I can’t wait to see what kind of dad he’s going to be. Speaking of which, I am most thankful this year for the newest member of my family, who I haven’t even met. The little boy who will be born in about 5 weeks is already the greatest joy of our lives. It wasn’t easy to get to where we are now, but he is 100% worth the wait. I can’t wait to see what joy he brings to our lives every day - and, what he grows up to be. And, I can’t forget the other two family members that changed my life this year (and, last): our dogs, Chewy and Roxy. Their wagging tales and excitement make it really fun to come home from work every day.

3. My kxly family: Don’t think I’m kissing up, just because kxly is paying me to write this blog This year, given our country’s current economic crisis, I am absolutely thankful to have a job that I love, working with people I truly respect and enjoy. As you know, kxly made some tough choices this year - and, some people who worked with us a month ago don’t work with us anymore. I am happy to have a job at all. I’m even happier to work at a place where I believe in the values we promote. I also work with a lot of incredible people - many of whom I consider great friends. I don’t know where the next year will take any of us, but I’m happy to work with - and, learn from - all of them. I’m also thankful that even though the station has had some tough economic times recently, they still found it important to cater in a full Thanksgiving meal for all of us today. If I can’t be with my old family - or my new family until later tonight - I’m happy to be with my kxly family.

     I did a story out of North Spokane Monday about a benefit garage sale.

     Money raised will help 4 year old Joey.  The family pet has a rare neurological dysfunction.

     It has left him partially paralyzed. He has no movement in his back left leg and his right leg has limited mobility.

    His owner, Kayleen, is a single mother of a special needs daughter and needs help with medical expenses.  Joey plays a huge role in her daughters life and if treated is expected to make a full recovery.

Watch my short video blog below.

    If you’d like to help, send me an email, davee@kxly.com , and I’ll get you in touch with her.

       He picked me up in a tux and held the door open for me. I felt like I was going to prom… except for the fact my husband was the one sending me off instead of my dad and the kid picking me up was really my 46 year old co-worker.  Ha.  Nevertheless, we continued the joke with a picture prom pose style.  As special as it may have been though, Peterson was just a fill-in.  Robby, showed up once the event began.

       What event, might you ask? Make A Wish Foundations Black and White Gala. It was a first for the foundation. They raised tens of thousands of dollars for kids with life threatening illnesses. The live auction was way fun, even though my husband wouldn’t let me bid as much as I would have liked for a house boat cruise on Lake Roosevelt. I got a kick out of the couple next to us who won the bid for a golden doodle (half golden retriever, half poodle). The wife kept bidding and the husband kept shaking his head, while all of their friends laughed. Once they won, they realized that they were going to have to keep the dog in their hotel room bathroom since that’s where they were staying for the night. Haha. 

       But my favorite part of the night was not my fill-in prom date or the auction of dogs with funning names. My favorite part was meeting the recipients of Make A Wish… the kids, their families. While the event was entertaining, those families brought to light why we were all there. They brought to light why what we were doing was important… giving kids a chance to be kids, giving kids a chance to forget about their sickness, giving kids a chance to enjoy the life they deserve.

Dear President-elect Obama,

I have some student loans but I make regular payments on them. I have a mortgage locked in at a great APR with a bank that has proven to be quite stable recently all things considered. I have the usual run of monthly bills to Qwest, Avista, Comcast, City of Spokane, that sort of thing and when it comes down to it the only thing about my personal finances that sucks eggs right now is my 401k.

My family is weathering this economic crisis reasonably well all things considered, but I’d like to free up some income to put into savings so I’d like to ask you if I could have a bailout too.

I think that if the Fat Cats on Wall Street or up in Motown can get a bailout then maybe I could get one. I don’t have Michigan’s governor campaigning for my bailout, but I could ask my wife to maybe throw in a good word … she’s from Alabama which hopefully you won’t hold against her since Alabama was solidly in McCain country on November 4th.

There’s all this talk about helping Wall Street and Main Street and I wanted to say that I don’t live on Main Street but I live pretty close to Ray, which is one of the main north-south arterials on the South Hill. So that’s sort of a Main Street. Does that qualify me for help?

Oh yeah … I’m a pretty hard worker, I pay my taxes, I vote, I served in the military, I don’t break laws, I support the cattle industry by eating red meat and up until five months I was a supporter of Big Tobacco like you. In other words I’ve done a lot of things to support our country those Fat Cat CEOs aren’t willing to do so maybe I’m worth the credit risk.

If you give me the money I promise that ABC’s Brian Ross won’t catch me in Scottsdale, Arizona enjoying a lavish week-long getaway. I might go to Sun City West, but only because that’s where my in-laws live.

And here’s the kicker: I’m not going to cost you $700 Billion. I won’t even cost you a million dollars. Heck at this point I’d settle for lunch.

Anyway … I just figured I’d get in line since everyone seems to be asking you for money.

Thanks for your consideration Mr. President-elect. Good luck with the dog search.

~Rob

So, it seems every dog owner in America is now weighing in on probably the most important issue surrounding the election of Barack Obama: what kind of dog will the Obamas get? Typical America: this is definitely the crucial issue facing our country right now (I’m only half-kidding). I have bad news, though, for the Obama family. The best two dogs in America are already taken.

The country seems to be captivated right now by first dog fever! The American Kennel Club is weighing in, saying the Obamas should get a poodle. PETA launched an all-out campaign to convince the Obamas to adopt a shelter dog, rather than pay for a purebred pooch. He even took time out of his first news conference since the election to address the issue, saying the most email his website is getting right now are suggestions of what type of dog he should get. I think he needs to hear from one more voice: mine.

Here’s my advice to President-Elect Obama and his family: skip the breeders and the purebreds and get a shelter dog. Get the dog that’s been there awhile, not the adorable puppy that will have no problem attracting a family. Get a dog that’s a few months - or a few years - old, because they’re already “broken in” and, again, there’s less a chance they’ll be adopted by someone else. Get the dog who meets your gaze with yearning, rather than the adorable puppy that mesmerizes you with tricks and soft fur. In other words, get dogs like mine.

We got Chewy from a shelter just a day or two before he would have been put down. He was anti-social and terrified in the shelter - and, he was already four months old. He didn’t look like a puppy. But, turning that dog into the adorable, lovable mutt he is today is one of my life’s greatest accomplishments. I’ve never met a more loving dog. We got Roxie this summer at another local shelter. She’s five years old - and, her family just never claimed her. She had been there a couple weeks and probably did not have much time left. No dog kisses and loves like Roxie. She’s loving and caring to a fault. She’s also very smart and protective - and, we could not have asked for a better companion for Chewy. You can see the picture - these dogs are in love.

Sorry, Obamas. You may get a great dog to scratch up the floors and furniture in the White House. But, America’s best dogs are already taken.

It’s funny… I started watching the World Series hoping the Rays would win it all and complete the ultimate underdog story.  They didn’t do that, but yet maybe the biggest underdog story was still completed.  45 year old Jamie Moyer won a World Series ring.  I don’t care how long Moyer pitches, or who he ends his career with, he is a Seattle Mariner.  Not only is he a Mariner, he is the ultimate underdog.  He’s not big, he’s really old, and he doesn’t throw hard.  I’ve said this before and I’ll die believing it, if Jamie Moyer were coming out of high school or college today, he would never get drafted.  He’s too small, and can’t throw it 90mph, there’s no scout alive that would try to sign him.  Yet here he is, the all-time wins leader in Mariners history, and a world champion.  After watching him pitch in game three, I couldn’t help but change my mind and pull for the Phillies to win it and give “us” a ring.  I’ve seen other former M’s win a title, but never did I feel like that was “our” guy.  Jamie Moyer is “our” guy, he’s an underdog, and he is standing on top of the world. 

       I’ve been admiring this house since I moved to Spokane in 2005. I’ve often gone out of my way just to drive by and admire it. That’s what I was doing yesterday when to my surprise… I noticed the thing was for sale. Exciting! I hopped out and grabbed the flier listing all of its wonderful attributes and listing it’s price… $500,000! Half a Mill! 5-hundred g’s! You know what though, that’s not a lot of money for this house.

“30 in 30″Challenge Update

A few weeks back we held our most recent  organized fundraiser for Cancer Patient Care called “Dinner Amoung Friends”.  During the evening the community donated nearly $1,000 toward my “30 in 30″ challenge!  It was during that evening we raffled off our Lance Armstrong autograph photo gifted to us by the Lance Armstrong Foundation.   The total raised so far is now over $6,000.  Thank you very much.  The “30 in 30″ effort will continue until we reach our goal of $30,000.  I’m currently in the early stages of planning another month-long challenge for April of 2009.  Details will follow here on this blog.   (click here for official dollar amount).

Red on Women Drives Men Wild

Red may be the color of love for a reason: It makes men feel more amorous towards women, a new study reports.   From ancient rituals to those red paper lace hearts on Valentines, red has been tied to carnal passions and romance in many cultures over the course of history.In five psychological experiments, University of Rochester psychologists tested how different colors affected men’s attitudes towards women.  (continue reading).

Top 10 Ways to Live LongerFortunately, there are many known ways to increase our lifespan. What´s –more, the diet, exercise and lifestyle habits that extend our lives also increase our health, energy and mental well-being. It´s a two–for–one deal. Over the past several years, health scientists have learned a lot about the specific practices that boost health and longevity.  (continue reading).

Will your McCain or Obama button be valuable? There is one main factor to consider when weighing the potential value of a political items: Rarity. How many of that items were made and distributed?   In terms of buttons, there are three main categories, according to Gary Cohen, a past board member of the American Political Items Collectors and political button collector. (continue reading).

I swear I’m not posting this because Dave just posted a picture of his dog… but, I caught my dogs in an adorable pose this weekend and had to share it. They tend to freak out a little when it comes to the camera, so it’s hard to catch them doing cute things. If you’re not a frequent blog reader - or my family member - I’ll introduce them one more time. The black one is Chewy. We got him at SCRAPS almost two years ago. The light-colored dog is Roxie, who we picked up at the Humane Society in July. I’ve been constantly amazed at how well they get along - this picture is proof.

     Leave it to a dog to find the warmest place in the house to lay down.  It’s down right blustery outside but Lexy was able to find a nice little spot to bask in the the warm sunlight.