Me, Baby V and Ridin the storm out

Hi all,

It has been an interesting week for once, as I got to meet a local celebrity here. Vonzell Solomon, a contestant from last season's American Idol is a local and did a concert for charity with other Idols from last season including Anwar and Nadia. When we first got to the venue, we were hoping to get an early interview with Baby V (Vonzell's nickname), but she wasn't in makeup yet and was going to do a sound check. But I was introduced, and I thought I was getting a simple handshake but to my surprise, she hugged me. Amy, the reporter I was with, covered her during his three month stint on the show. So basically everyone involved in the event knew her.

Sorry to say I didn't get a pic with Baby V, because they ran late in the press conference. But I did get some great shots of the concert, which I will post later on. I got shots of Anwar and Nadia as well. (It would have been Jessica Serra and Nikko Smith as well, but they never showed.) I did give Nadia and Anwar a story to tell after the show, as when they were watching Vonzell in the front row, I was zipping past them bent over to get shots from the other side of the stage and almost biffed it in front of them. But I caught myself.

If you haven't been watching the news, we are now bracing for Wilma down here. The first hurricane I have ever covered. People are basically lined up for gas at all the stations, which are running out of it fast. I was asked by my news director if I wanted to evacuate or work during the storm. I figure I basically have no place to go and don't want to stand there doing nothing, so I will be one of many photogs bring you the pictures of Wilma hittting Florida.

I am not scared at all, although I am hoping my camera can handle all the rain. I am on a 12 hour shift on Saturday, so it'll be busy for a while. I will make sure to take pics to post later on as well. During the worst of it, I am going to be holding up at the station with plenty of food and water.

I will post after the storm passes if the internet here is still up. I will be very careful and hopefully go through this initiation without a hitch. Let's just hope that Wilma doesn't bam bam too much and leave us with pebbles.

Laters,

MarQ