Tanya O'Rourke's Blog

Room with a View

TanyaO — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:17:00 GMT

So it just happened... we were on our way home from vacation. Nearly 6 hours into our 12 hour drive -- and here comes the view of a lifetime. The Smoky Mountains standing glorious out the front and side windows of our family truckster (often lovingly referred to by my chidlren as "the rolling turd"). And what is our brood doing? Watching a movie they've seen a dozen times. We yelled back to tell them to take a peek out the window instead of at the teeny...(read more)

New Addition

TanyaO — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:52:00 GMT

We have a new addition in my house.... a smelly, poopy, cicada eating, furry, barking, beautiful puppy. He's Griffin and he's wonderful (outside of the fact that he wakes me up early in the morning). In this picture, he's 10 weeks old and hanging over the shoulder of our youngest child. He would have been with us a month already, charming everyone but the teenager, who's a teenager in the most real sense of the word, so you know how hard it would be for a puppy to...(read more)

"Volunteer" Hiatus

TanyaO — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:12:00 GMT

So, I'm not being a faithful blogger, and for that, I apologize. Frankly, we haven't told anyone about this blog yet, so the likelihood that anyone's really reading it yet is small. But, I prefer to explain why I've been "absent" as of late.

Among the thigns I've been up to is working on a project for the station regarding the "Jefferson Awards". It's an award that's given to people who have dedicated their lives and time to volunteering. Five local people are finalists. One of those people are then given the local award and sent on to the national competition. It's a pretty prestigious honor

Anyway, I've spent a lot of time recently interviewing each of the five finalists. We've been airing stories about them.

These are some fantastic people. They spend a fortune of time helping others. I think that's absolutely fabulous. One woman even quit her job to work full time (as a VOLUNTEER) for an organization she started called, "Cancer Free Kids". Amazing stuff.

With kids and work and.... stuff bogging down my time, I'm left wondering about who these special people are who volunteer. How do they find the time? How do you? What are you so passionate about that you would give of yourself so massively? Please share!!!

Snow Day Blues

TanyaO — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:54:00 GMT

It's a snow day for most of the city. Virtually every school is closed, including my kids' schools. But lots of us working moms (and dads) still have to go to work on a day like today. And generally, that means we start dialing. Calling friends, family, other parents from school and babysitters, hoping to find some place for our kids to land while we head into work.

I know firsthand it can be not only a challenge to find last-minute daycare, but it is also heartwrenching. Who doesn't want to stay home with their children, go sledding and build snowmen?

Tell me how you cope in these little crises. I'd love to hear how you juggle and how you feel, emotionally, when your torn between work and home.

Big Give

TanyaO — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:32:00 GMT

Oprah has a new show that will air (happy coincidence) on Channel 9. It's called, "The Big Give", and the object is to give away a bunch of cash. Sounds fabulous, right? So, let's say you had a 'big give' to give... who/what would it go to? This has to be a charity, a foundation, or an organization. So, get thinking about giving!

Is it what we need?

TanyaO — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:45:00 GMT

Yesterday I did something pretty interesting. I interviewed a man that millions follow. Joel Osteen. (story will air Tuesday on 9 News at 6) If you aren't familiar, he is a preacher who has a gigantic congregation in Houston. He also happens to put his sermons on TV (Channel 9, locally) all over the country and in other countries. Some think he is the new "face" of religion in the United States.

I'm not really interested in getting into a religious debate. Rather, I'm interested in this: Osteen preaches a "message of hope" -- i.e. he's a pretty positive guy. Clearly, he's reaching people -- millions of them -- and they like what he's saying.

So, the questions are; is positive what we need in our lives? Personal empowerment? What is it about the world that makes us crave hearing a "positive" message?

I'm curious what you think.. and why.

Super Tuesday? So what?

TanyaO — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:13:00 GMT

Call me strange, but I love Super Tuesday -- specifically THIS Super Tuesday. When I get home tonight, my job is not over. I may not be in a suit, but I will be watching (probably taking notes) on the Super Tuesday (S.T. from now on) results.

Give me Charles Gibson, Cokie Roberts and Sam Donaldson pontificating on what the politicians had to say... if their strategies worked... and projecting winners and I am a happy camper.

I love the mystery and the suspense surrounding S.T. and all election nights. It's exciting. It's a horse race. It's the last 3 mintues of the Giants/Patriots Super Bowl (okay, that may be a stretch).

Let's face it. This is some of the best reality TV we have. And, even more exciting than figuring out who will be the next singing sensation, we get to learn about the people who want to lead our country. You're a sports fan and not a fan of politics? Look at these candidates as warriors. Day in day out fighting, rallying -- even crying to win the race.

And this S.T. is such a tight race that I may find myself up until the wee hours of the morning waiting to see what California decides. It may be a nail biter.. and I don't want to miss it.

So, pop some popcorn, get the Skyline Chili Dip ready and join me as I sit around the TV tonight. It's Super Tuesday, afterall. What could be better?

Super Tuesday? So what?

TanyaO — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:13:00 GMT

Give me Charles Gibson, Cokie Roberts and Sam Donaldson pontificating on what the politicians had to say... if their strategies worked... and projecting winners and I am a happy camper.

And this S.T. is such a tight race that I may find myself up until the wee hours of the morning waiting to see what California decides. It may be a nail biter.. and I don't want to miss it.

So, pop some popcorn, get the Skyline Chili Dip ready and join me as I sit around the TV tonight. It's Super Tuesday, afterall. What could be better?

Reading is Fundamental

TanyaO — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:20:00 GMT

When I decided to write this blog, I sat the kids down and asked them if it was okay to bring up issues they face. They all agreed (what were they thinking?).

I will do my best to never embarrass them, so don't be shocked if you don't see their names in this blog. Getting their permission to do this was similar to asking them if I can borrow money from their college savings -- they have no clue what's involved in getting whatever's borrowed back!

Regardless, they said "yes", so one of the first things to pop up is reading. One of the kids has struggled to read fluently throughout his educational career (limited that it may be). This is not to say that he's not intelligent. Quite the contracry. He's a brilliant little kid. He just struggles to read. You probably know a kid like this, right?

So a fantastic teacher of his recently made a suggestion... books on CD (or tape, for all of us who still remember tape players). She suggests having him read along with the CD. Have any of you tried this before?

I just bought at CD today (yikes they're expensive) and am hoping we'll get to it this weekend and that it makes him a better reader.

I understand that these books on CD can be checked out at our local library. Have any of you done this? What about using this type of learning tool for your child? What else has helped?

It is terribly heartwrenching to see your child struggle to do something most of us take for granted, like read. I love to read. I would sit and read books for hours on end (if I only had the time). Heck! I read for a living!

I can't remember what it was like to learn to read. How hard it was to form the words in this wacky English language and make them sound correct out loud or in my head.

As frustrating as this is for me, it must be ten times that for my child. Please share your best methods for helping your child to be a more fluent reader. Maybe together we can find the key to unlocking the mystery of reading for our children.

Blogging with Training Wheels....

TanyaO — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:04:00 GMT

That's kind of how I look at this blog right now. I'm not quite sure how to "blog", but I'm going to do my best.

There are a couple of things I'd like the blog to center on. The first being the two biggest parts of my life... work and family.

By far my greatest love is my family and being a mom. Like so many other women (and men), it's the bedrock of who I am. I have four fantastic kids, an awfully understanding husband, and a dad, sister, 5 brothers and a slew of nieces and nephews I love dearly. We are family in the very traditional sense that we are there for each other through thick and thin, but we all drive each other a little batty on occasion.

I also love my job. I look forward to it each day (truly).

It's finding a balance between the two that can make you crazy. Through this blog, I'm hoping we can help each other find ways to make life a little easier. Share ideas on parenting, saving time, money and energy. But there is this other side of me I'd like to share with you every once in a while....

See, the truth is, I'm a bit of a "Martha" wanna-be. I knit. I sew. I cook. I bake. I garden. Now, I didn't say I was good at any of these things, but I do enjoy them. So, every so often I'll try to share a great recipe I found. A new way to create something (for example, I'm hoping to post a Valentine's Day card idea for kids soon). And I hope you do, too.

Please look at this blog as a place where you feel comfortable visiting, chatting and sharing ideas. Like a comfortable chair at a neighborhood coffee shop. Plop down and let's have some fun exchanging ideas. Maybe together we can make all our lives a little bit better.

Well, I think I've broken the first rule of "blogging". I've gone on too long. That's why I need the training wheels.

About Tanya O'Rourke

wcpoAD — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:43:00 GMT

Tanya O'Rourke grew up in Cincinnati.

At the age of three, Tanya's family moved to Finneytown, where she lived until graduating from Finneytown High School. She attended the University of Tennessee and the University of Cincinnati, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Tanya worked at WCPO-TV while finishing her BFA degree, first as a weekend assignment editor and writer, then as an associate producer for the morning show and field producer.

Upon completing her degree, she moved to Knoxville, TN, where she was a reporter at WBIR-TV and then at WATE-TV.

Wanting to come back to her hometown and to WCPO-TV, she moved back in 1993 to be a general news reporter. She spent 3 years anchoring the weekend Morning and Noon shows and is now the weekday Noon show anchor.

Outside of work, Tanya spends as much time as possible with husband Pete and their four children.

She is also a board member of the Diocesan Catholic Children's Home in Northern Kentucky.