When I was graduated, they made me weekend anchor. I think it was because I worked really cheap! By the time I was 23, I was ready to move past my home state of Georgia and see if I could make it up north.

My age, coupled with my Southern accent and the fact that I moved to Chicago in January (no sane person would move there then!) assured my new colleagues at WMAQ-TV that I must have been as dumb as a fence post.

I was certainly young. In fact, when I was signing my contract, my new boss paused, mid-signature and said, "How old are you anyway?" The feminist in me knew he couldn't ask that question, but the rest of me wanted the job. I answered. He said, "That's about the same age Jane Pauley was when she came here," and continued signing.

There were some tremendous stories during my time in the Windy City. Shortly after I arrived, the Tylenol murders happened, a Presidential primary had us all on edge and then Mexico City was devastated by an earthquake.

We covered it because Chicago has a huge Mexican population. The stench and the dust were choking!