It’s just not true. I’ve been barrel racing, sky-diving, and barefoot skiing, but I haven’t ridden a horse backward. What do you take me for?

In fact, I do love an adventure. Whether it’s an outrageous new sport, or just a behind-the-scenes tour of a mobile cafe, I love finding out what people are up to.

I’m a very proud graduate of a little women’s college (Cottey College) in a little Missouri town (Nevada) where I took my first journalism class. That course whisked me right into a grueling two years at Northwestern University, where I survived the Medill School of Journalism, and hence, was set up to become the world’s best reporter.

Only I never fell in love with news.

I worked as a reporter for close to six years at a great station (News 8) in Austin, Texas, where I had the best beats a non-newsie reporter could ask for: Fit for Friday, a weekly segment on hobby and fitness activities; and Forever Families, a weekly segment on area foster children waiting to

be adopted. I was also the morning live reporter, which meant getting up at 4 a.m. every morning (boo) to do the we-know-it’s-early-so-we’ll-give-you-something-fun stories (yay!). In fact, I was voted “Best TV Reporter,” and “Best Roving Reporter” by the Austin Chronicle, wherein I was described as a “plucky, porcelain-skinned goddess among newsies [who] handles each segment with grace, élan, and luminosity.” Whoa. That’s good writing.

I do love storytelling, interacting with people on-the-fly, and using a camera as an excuse to get friendly and, well, ask nosy questions. So in the fall of 2008 I became a freelance host, producer and media consultant, with my sights set on my own lifestyle show (think Travel Channel, Discovery, and National Geographic).

I’ve lived in Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico and Chicago, but I assert my turquoise-stitched boots make me an official Texan now. I love organizing and decorating. And I’ve learned airplane barf bags are only useful if you can get to them quick enough. Despite this charming tidbit, I do love to travel. My husband and I have been to Thailand, Indonesia, England and Prague. Otherwise, we’re happy to stay home and watch movies, or toss the tent in the trunk and go camping.