Jean_Martirez's Blog

How do you flirt? It's on my mind since my family ran across "The PickUp Artist" on VH1 while channel surfing this weekend. Have you seen this show? What a scream! The master pickup artist teaches eight "socially awkward" men how to make women swoon and fall for these self-described loveable losers.

Not to be out-done, our Ask The Expert segment this Friday, August 17th (5:45am) features a woman who claims to have The Top 3 Simple Geisha Secrets for Attracting a Man and keeping him. How about you? have a "technique" for capturing a love of your own? Do share with us!  We could feature your suggestions on the air, this week!

Have you checked out our live studio web cameras?

http://media.myfoxla.com/live/studio/

You can catch what Tony and I are up to during the show but also during the newscast's commercial breaks.  The image refreshes every minute or so.  Much of the time, I'm hidden behind Tony's hulking body so you don't have a clear shot of my activities.  Suffice it to say, it's usually futzing with my stubborn hair or leaning over trying to read tiny print on my computer screen embedded at the news desk.  You might see Joe our floor director darting back and forth between cameras, cueing us to read our news stories.  Every now and then, Tony and I might munch on a light breakfast to keep our energy level up. But other than that, not too crazy in the studio.

What do you want to see to liven things up on the studio web cam?  Let's see if we can accomodate some requests (and no, Tony will not do a strip tease!).  This is a family show!

It's mid July, thick into intern season here at the FOX 11 newsroom. Nothing makes me feel older than seeing all these of bright shining faces, eager to learn, grateful for the opportunity. I agree with USA Today's Craig Wilson when he wrote of these ambitious young people, "...sent by the gods to remind us of our mortality - to tell us annually how far down the road of life we have trudged." God bless 'em, these kids...for one day soon, they will replace us.

I remember it was waaay back when I was one of them. Tagging along with a reporter, Russ Mitchell, at KTVI, the then-ABC affiliate in my hometown of St. Louis. Mr. Mitchell, as I called him, has now been with with CBS News 15 years and I've been in Los Angeles television 12 years. Man, the time flies!

Ok, your turn. Tell me about the young punks, you're dealing with at work.

To see Wilson's USA Today column, The Final Word:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/finalword/2007-0
6-05-final-word_N.html

As Tony McEwing and I were pitching to Good Day LA recently, Steve Edwards teased me about a story coming up on the show. Free on the internet, wooden paddles designed for spanking your kids. A man in Pittsburgh has already sent out more than 12-hundred of them.
They're free plus shipping to any parent who asks for one. One whack for showing disrespect, three for lying and five for taking drugs.

Steve ribbed me on the air, saying I wanted one for my kids. We continued the discussion during the commercial break before GDLA saying he, like my children, knows I would have no problem with raising a hand to an unruly youngster. My philosophy on dicipline is in line with Teddy Roosevelt's approach to foreign policy,"Speak softly and carry a big stick." I think that's why my kiddos have not given me reason to spank. EVER. They also always respond to me counting to three as a warning before corporal punishment would be doled out.

How do you keep the kids on track in your home?

Thanks for viewing and voting in the "Save Me a Spot in College" contest.
Of more than eight thousand entries, my son made it to the
finals but the big prizes went to these talented kids.
Check out the Grand Prize winners:

High School Video – Uriel Flores, 9th grade, Anaheim
(winning entry at
http://www.collegecampaign.org/contest/Year-2/judging-
2007-HS-Video-Entry1-6.html)

Middle School Video – Byungho Wang and Jonathan
Perpetua entered the contest together and are
splitting the prize, 8th grade, Elk Grove
High School Poster – Rocio Juarez, 12th grade, Los
Angeles (winning entry at
http://www.collegecampaign.org/contest/Year-2/judging-
2007-HS-Poster-Entry1-4.html)

Middle School Poster – Cathy Li, 8th grade, Brentwood
High School Word – Nicholas Simons, 12th grade,
Bakersfield
Middle School Word – Rachel Johnson, 6th grade,
Hayward

I want to hear what your kids' been up to, but first indulge me.
My son made the finals in the "Save Me a Spot in College" contest.
The program touts the importance of education funding for California kids.

You'll see my boy and his submission  when you link to:

www.collegecampaign.org/contest/Year-2/Judging2007
-HS-video.html

His TV ad entry titled "11,000 Eligible Students" answers the contest question:
Why should California leaders save you and your peers a spot in college?

The winner of the statewide competition is determined by online voting between now and May 29th..
So show us some love.. Vote for the entry "11,000 ELIGIBLE STUDENTS"
One vote per email address, so vote early, vote often!

Ok, that business out of the way, tell me what your plans are for the upcoming summer. Afterall, school's almost out!

I've been knee deep in spring cleaning.

How about you---gonna tackle that garage of yours? What have you unearthed in your own purging?

My closets at home and my desk at the office are getting a good sweep. The ritual is easy for me--so liberating! It's tough when when it comes to my husband's stuff, though. I'm pretty respectful, but he still hasn't forgiven me for donating to Salvation Army the GIANT stereo speakers which have been gathering dust in our storage room for years.


What are some of the items you just can't dump?

So... What's been bugging you?

For me, it was gassing up my car just as the station attendent raised the prices at the pump (Egad, bad timing).

I was trapped on the third floor of parking garage gridlock after realizing I was at the wrong mall (What a dope I am!).

Someone smudged red lipstick & makeup on the last cream-colored blouse in my size. GRRRR.

I was behind someone (it's usually a woman) who waited until ALL her groceries were rung up before she pulled out her pocketbook to write the check (YIKES! A CHECK?!)!

How fortunate that this is all I have to belly-ache.

Considering, a few days ago, a family friend, a young single dad of three, suffered a debilitating stroke. Meanwhile, brain surgery is scheduled for one of my brother's two special needs toddlers and, a number of SoCal families, including film director Bob Clark's, mourn loved ones killed by drunk drivers just in the past week. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of them.

I've got nothing to complain about.

Greetings from New York City!
I took time off and hopped a plane to check out universities with my son this past weekend.
Whew! Just like that, my boy will soon be leaving the nest!

Since he began his college quest, I've come to learn a disappointing fact about one of his top choices, the acclaimed UCLA. Tell me how you think this could happen.

The LA Times reported this past week that nearly 51,000 students applied to the school this year--11,800 were offered admission.
Stunning numbers, but most startling is the number of African American students enrolling at UCLA-- a paltry 100 blacks for the fall of 2006--the lowest in more than 30 years!
Something's woefully wrong when a freshman class does not represent the impressive diversity that distinguishes this state. This is a STATE PUBLIC SCHOOL, afterall!

In the university's defense, admissions policies changed this spring with the goal of netting a more diverse student body. We'll see how "colorful" the results when UCLA releases statistics this summer.

p.s. can you believe, I forgot to bring a camera for my NYC trip?! Otherwise I would've shared pics of us at some sights!

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When my own son was a hefty 24 pounds over the suggested weight for an average 10 year old, I learned good nutritioun is one of the toughest, most important habits to teach our kids. Glad to tell you, my kid's now a leaner, svelte 17 year old... happier too.

So, my heart breaks each time we run stories of youngsters like Justin Painter-- Only seven years old but already tipping the scales at 254 pounds.

How'd the situation get this far? Mom says don't look at her. She tries, but she has no idea how her boy keeps gaining weight.

A peek at her son's meal log from Saturday, March 17th reveals some interesting clues. Mom (who is morbidly obese herself) recorded that she fed Justin four scrambled eggs with cheese for breakfast. Lunch comprised of five sausages, popcorn and a nutrition bar. Dinner was hamburger steak and sweet potato. Is it me, or does this first grader's meals scream fat, sodium and cholesterol to you, too?

Social service workers in Tyron, North Carolina have given Mom two months to get the child's weight under control or risk losing him. It's sad for the family but most tragic for "little" Justin.

This is the most resistable sign on the road-- "Slower traffic keep right."

Few people will concede to being slow, so we get stubborn drivers clogging the fast lane.

Traffic would move more efficiently in SoCal if this sign read "Left lane for passing only," like it does in other locales. It's all about semantics.

Move over and make way for those who want to pass! It's okay. We won't think less of you as a driver. In fact, we'll really respect you in the morning (and evening rush hours).
I always give the thumbs up to drivers who figure this out.
Then again, there are others out there who may give me one of the other fingers, right back!

I know you have a traffic and/or parking peeve.

Let's compare notes here.. Then check out
http://www.platewire.com/location/?California
for the license plates of some really bad drivers in our fair state.

Last week, our news featured the unveiling of a glass bottom viewing deck, cantilevered 75 feet from the edge of the Grand Canyon. Someone on our floor crew teased, a wife can meet her demise when a husband tells her to scoot over on that deck for a photo. "Step back a little, Honey. A little more, a little more, uh...just one more step..uhhh, uh-oh." Get it? It's a joke.
More "ball and chain" humor a few days earlier. A news story about women too tired for their friends and family elicited the snide comment "Ladies, just sleep through sex with your husband!" Nothing's funnier than publicly emasculating your hubby, right? C'mon, lighten up. It's a joke.
Grrrr..I have little tolerance for spousal sarcasm. I know from my past personal experience, how it starts out with playful little jabs at our partner. Then, quicker than you can say "just kidding!" it becomes THE WAY a couple communicates. It's common. It's ingrained. It's toxic. Comments that are, on the surface just jokes, but, at their core, really caustic, mocking, biting and derisive.
I know. Every household is different. But the world beats up on our loved ones all the time. Why join in on the punching? Let's say no to the "just kidding" syndrome.

I'm curious what you think.

It was bound to happen. Jean Martirez has finally caught up with the 21st century.

In this space, I open myself to any questions, comments, or constructive criticism that cross your mind.
Don't just write about how you didn't like my hair or the color of my blouse today (I've got my mother for that!).
I welcome your thoughts on the news of the day, maybe a story that needs telling or your favorite place for shoes.

Speaking of shoes-- when I'm at DSW or buying toilet paper at Target, maybe gassing up at the corner Shell station, these are the most common questions I get.

Question #1 "What time do you get up in the morning?"

My first alarm clock goes off at 2:40am. Sleep walk across the room, hit the snooze button. I don't get up.

At 2:48am, my second alarm blares from the other side of the bedroom. Hit the snooze, don't get up.

Two minutes later, the first clock goes off again at 2:50am..followed by the second clock at 2:58am. Okay, okay. I finally get up, because I have a 27 minute commute and my makeup/call time is 4:10am. On the air at 5 o'clock.

Question #2 "Where are you from (what's your ethnicity)?"

My parents are both from the Philippines, though they met in Chicago where I was born.
Like many Filipinos, I also have Spanish and Chinese blood in the family line.

Question #3 "How can I get on Ask the Expert?"

Put your suggestion here for our popular Friday segment! People have given me names and numbers of their podiatrist, dentist, even dog trainer. We look at everything sent our way. We're anxious to share what you share with us.

Regular viewers of the Fox Morning News know I rarely have an unsaid thought. While I am already an open book (a double-spaced, big print, wide margin book--but a book nonetheless) here I can flesh out whatever may come up in our newscast. Feel free to sound off, too. I want to hear from you!

Hey, look at me! I'm blogging!