Cell Phones and Strawberry Smoothies

Cell phones are a funny thing. Some people guard their numbers like they are the launch codes for nuclear missiles. Other people (like me) hand their numbers out on their business cards and spread them around like the cold virus.

Something that can be frustrating for a reporter is finding a number to get a hold of someone. In the past we could often look them up in the phone book, especially in the community news game.

But since a lot of people (including me) have switched to using cell phones and canceling their landlines, it's much harder to get a hold of people.

It's almost become part of an introduction when I meet elected officials or important sources. "Hi." Shake hands. "It's nice to meet you...What's your cell phone number?"

Getting a hold of sources for an interview proves to get tougher every day. And here in Westlake, it seems to take longer than usual to get the people I need on the phone. Most of them are pretty high-powered and very busy. I understand this.

Some people can be reached via e-mail, but that info can be hard to get too.

So this is what I recommend: get cell numbers at every opportunity and save them. I use my gmail contacts for this. Collect e-mail addresses. Establish a network so that you can call or e-mail someone and say "Can you poke So-and-So and get them to call me?"

Use all avenues of contact early and often.

Even with that, I sometimes don't hear from people for days. I have to walk a fine line between making deadline and being a pest with multiple phone calls. But I always make deadline.

Something else that stresses me out is wasted food, so when I noticed that the strawberries we bought on Saturday were about to go off, I threw together a smoothie for breakfast this morning and it was AWESOME.

Smoothie = happy and not stressed.

Simple Strawberry Smoothie
Ingredients:
6-8 large strawberries
1/2 cup of 2% milk
1/4 fat free yogurt (can be plain or fruit flavored for a little variety and fun)
3/4 cup orange juice (I like the pulpy kind)
Double handful of ice cubes

Place in blender and use the crush ice setting. Then use the pulse setting until it looks good and blended. Pour in a travel mug and you have a great portable breakfast that's high in vitamin C, calcium and protein.