Location. Location. Location.
I've always been one to make friends easily. As the eldest of seven kids, I grew up surrounded by family and unofficially adopted "family," like our neighbors" kids and my siblings" friends. There was always a crowd at our house for dinner, slumber parties or just hanging out.
As I planned my move to North Texas, I felt as if I was going to meet some distant cousins or leaving town for a family reunion. When I came to interview for the job as CBS 11's new morning anchor, the feeling inside the newsroom was "family." People were warm and welcoming - from the general manager to the news director to the producers and floor crew; I felt like it was "just right" - no nerves. It was immediately home sweet home.
Of course, North Texas was not new to me in that I had visited here annually for the past four years, always trying out a new restaurant or attraction every time. Just two months before I received the job offer, I was cheering at a Mavs game. At my former job, I had interviewed Texas" own football great Tim Brown. And my former co-anchor's parents still live in Fort Worth. It was fate: Sooner or later, I was going to be a Texas girl.
When I told my friends about my impending move, some were concerned that I wasn't going to do well with not being within a couple hours" drive of a real beach. But intuitively, since Texas felt right, there was no other place I wanted to be - and besides, I don't swim.
One of the things I love most about North Texas is the diversity. It's something I've always embraced. When I was growing up, we had an exchange student visit our family from Tokyo every summer. I've waitressed at an Indonesian restaurant, learned soul food 101 from my grandparents, and I like to say that my first "broadcasting" job was working a drive-through in a predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood. That's where I first learned to speak clearly, succinctly and eventually, en Espanol, too.
Beyond that, North Texas has more variety than one person can sample in a lifetime. The restaurant scene is epic, the arts are thriving, and the shopping here is among the best on the planet. And as someone who hails from both a small town and a big city all rolled into one, there is a freedom in being able to pull off a little bit of country and a little bit of rock "n" roll any day, all day, if you want to.
That brings me to my co-anchor, Brendan Higgins (or "B," as I like to call him), my brother from another mother. Speaking of rock "n" roll, Brendan has a running 90s mix tape in his head. As a self-proclaimed "very musical" person, he's also very "chill" - almost unflappable - even in the stress of this business we call news. As a North Texas native, Brendan has been integral (along with the rest of my co-workers) in helping me get to know my new home. And, as a bonus, he's TALL, which can be rare in news. I'm 5 feet 10 inches tall, so more than once I've had to lower my chair to avoid towering over my co-anchor. Sitting, or for that matter, standing next to Brendan is a bit of a relief for that reason alone!
Likewise, the move here has been a breath of fresh air. I appreciate that the 28th state in the union and Texans are unapologetically and uniquely bold. Similarly, all I can be is me. It may take time to officially become a Texas girl; after all, I have yet to buy my first cowboy hat. But I've unequivocally adopted Fort Worth as my new home, and I'm hoping that you'll adopt me into your family as well. That's how I have always lived my life and career, getting thrust into new situations, new flavors and new places by kind tour guides who went quickly from being strangers to friends. So I look forward to the chance to get to know each member of my growing North Texas familia. So, if you see me around town, give me a shout and say, "Welcome to Texas, AB ... welcome home."
