GARDEN GROVE, CA –> BISMARCK, ND

Tomorrow is the day that I have been waiting for.

Let’s rewind back to the morning of July 17, 2014.

I received an email from a Fox affiliate in Fargo, ND, asking me to send their news director more of my stories after I’ve already sent my reel and resumé. I sent it to her and she told me that she’s believes that I have a lot of potential and would like me to accept a position there.

I was so happy! As you might have read in my previous posts, I was going through some minor low times because I just couldn’t understand why I hadn’t heard back from anyone (news directors) in almost a month and a half.

Just two hours later, a news director for an NBC affiliate in Bismarck, ND, contacted me asking if I was still on the job hunt and whether or not I would like to hear more about a MMJ position. At this point, I was so shocked! Two job offers in the same day from the SAME STATE!

After lots of thinking, discussing it with my family, close friends and mentors and even comprising an Excel sheet over the pro’s and con’s of each station.. I chose Bismarck.

Bismarck will be able to offer me more. They are the number one news channel in all of ND, and there are so many other good reasons.

Next thing I know, I had to pack and say my see-you-later’s in just 10 days.

Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to do this. I’ve only dreamt of this. I’ve only worked towards this. For some reason, I always thought about what I wanted and dreamt of the anchor seat for LA’s ABC7. Never did I dream about what I would have to do in the in-between stage (the steps that I had to take in order to sit on that anchor seat).

But the Saturday morning of July 29th came. My boyfriend and I packed up my car, bid adieu to my beloved Gregory, siblings, cousin and my loving parents. So many feelings rushed over me. I felt sad that I had to leave my forever home, teary because I had to leave what I only know and proud that I finally felt like I have done something that has made my parents proud. Sometimes I feel like I do it all more for them than for myself, but that’s okay because it only makes me hustle more.

And 1,700 miles later, I am now sitting in my brand new apartment in Bismarck, ND, preparing for my first day of work tomorrow.

Before I end it here for today, I would like to say ‘thank you’ to my family, friends, mentors and followers. Sure, I had a dream that I’ve always wanted to reach, but I would not be here without all the people that have always pushed and motivated me to climb these steps. There are still so many steps and this is just the beginning. Thank you!

Paying Endeavor a visit at the California Science Center

This past week, I brought Saigon TV with me to film a segment on the Endeavor Space Shuttle at the California Space Center (specifically the Sam Oschin Pavillion). I’ve seen the numerous photos and news updates on the shuttle during it’s relocation in 2012, but have never seen it in person before.

Let’s just say that when I walked into the hangar that it is in, I felt an enormous sense of patriotism coming over me. It is amazing to be in the same room with something that has been on 25 missions to outer space! I learned amazing facts from reading all the signs and the incredibly friendly docents.

For example, each black tile that was placed onto the bottom of the shuttle is worth $2,000 each. (Ask a docent to let to feel what each tile and material of the shuttle so you can be amazed at how light/heavy each piece feels.) Endeavor was 1 out of 6 in it’s fleet. Endeavor is known as the “jewel” within it’s fleet. Plus, SO MUCH MORE.

I really love being able to bring my viewers to FUN, yet very educational places.

Admission is free. For special IMAX features and a visit to the Endeavor, all you need to do is reserve your place via their website. (http://www.californiasciencecenter.org)

Here are the links to my 22 minute segment:
P1 http://youtu.be/PxABxCfjTxE
P2 http://youtu.be/ga5n0u6tcBE

Until next time!

My Experience at the 2014 V3 Digital Media Conference

(Here’s a summary of what I said in the video form. For those that prefer to read, please keep on reading!)

On the weekend of the 20th and 21st, I was invited by IdeateTV to cover the V3 Digital Media Conference in LA. This annual event was/is held by the LA chapter of Asian American Journalism Association (AAJA).

This is AAJA’s history and mission (per their official website):

The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational and professional organization with more than 1,600 members across the United States and Asia. Since its founding, AAJA has been at the forefront of change in the journalism industry.

Our mission is four-fold:

To provide a means of association and support among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) journalists, and to advance AAPI journalists as news managers and media executives.
To provide encouragement, information, advice and scholarship assistance to AAPI students who aspire to professional journalism careers.
To provide to the AAPI community an awareness of news media and an understanding of how to gain fair access.
To research and point out when news media organizations stray from accuracy and fairness in the coverage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and AAPI issues.
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Of course I jumped at the opportunity to attend the event (First night, gala & networking social. Second day, workshops and panels.) I have been thinking about whether or not I should join this group for awhile and I figured that going to one of their events can answer that question for me.

I met and interviewed a ton of cool individuals; Ann Curry, Judith Hill, Jonathan Gold, Dan Matthews (DanAKADan), Magic Giant, Richard Lui, David Ono, Phil Yu and so much more!

I had the best experience and felt like I gained so much in return. I immediately purchased tickets to next year’s conference and joined AAJA-LA, OFFICIALLY! It is amazing to be in the same room with so many journalists who are going through the same thing I am, so just having that understanding made everything seem like it’s okay. For anyone who’s a budding journalist, GO NEXT YEAR!

50 Shades of Vicky

They say that the depth of a girl’s emotions can be described as an onion. You successfully manage to peel the first layer of the onion only to find that there is another layer underneath, and countless others underneath that one. Could this also describe the amount of roles/personas/labels that we are branded by and must convey to those that surround us at all times?

I am my mother’s daughter, my siblings’ oldest sister, a girlfriend, a dog mom, a friend, a colleague, a news reporter and the list goes on and on. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about who I was, who I am and who I am striving to become. I have come to the conclusion that I am unhappy with where I am because I am nowhere near where I want to be in life. Since last week, I have sent 100+ emails out to news directors across the country. I’ve gotten a lot of no-replies, three of ‘We’re interested, but currently have a full staff’ and 4 “no’s.” I changed my tactics by changing the subject lines and re-wrote the email bodies. Still nothing.

The entry level reporting position is called “multi-media journalist.” Multi-media journalists (MMJ, for sort) have to always be in the know. MMJ’s need to shoot, edit/write and report their own stories. MMJ’s need to have a presence on social media websites. MMJ’s need to promote themselves.

I joined Instagram two years ago and finally reached 1,000 followers. I feel that its a pretty good feat considering I’ve never posted a half naked photo of myself before. I only posted pictures of my corgi. I began tweeting late January of 2014 and am still getting used to it. I created an “official” Facebook account where I’ve posted my projects and have been actively conversing with my viewers. Now, this is the next social media site that I will be attempting.

Here, I will post my work projects with more of a personal touch. Here, I will allow myself to be more open. Instead of just posting photos like on Instagram, I will have words to accompany them.

Follow me as I embark on my next journey towards my career goal (news anchor on ABC7), as I try to land a job as a reporter somewhere in the country that we call home, the great U-S-of-A.