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A big thank you to the folks at http://www.radiocreativeland.com/ Check out what they had to say about http://www.andibarness.com/



Great VO Marketing: Andi Barness



Major kudos to Andi Barness for her website. Here’s why it’s so good:
1) Presence in Facebook. This is where I found her. Very smart targeting.
2) A very well-designed site. It looks fresh, very easy to get around and sells with clarity.
3) Good references and a fun blog that gives you a closer look into Andi’s world.
4) Demos are easy to find/listen to. (The only thing I would consider would be having a flash player embedded in to the site as opposed to a Quicktime redirect. QT is GREAT to have, but an added piece to keep people on the site would be good.)
5) A FANTASTIC “Love Connection” story.
Nice job. Well done.


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Happy Birthday To Me!

So this past Saturday night, I celebrated turning "40" with my closest family and friends. It was one of the best nights of my life. Not because it was about me, but because I was surrounded by so many people that love me for who I am. It has taken me 40 years to figure out what a true friend is, and how to be "okay" with letting people see the real me. I'm talking the "real me" that includes no make-up, and all of my little quirks. I am a different breed, but that is what makes me, me!

Enjoy the pics...

Oprah's Mar-a-lago Turkey Burger Recipe

Oprah’s Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger Recipe




¼ cup scallions, thinly sliced
½ cup celery, finely chopped
3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and diced
1/8 cup canola oil
4 pounds ground turkey breast
2 Tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. chipotle Tabasco
1 lemon, juice and grated zest
½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup Major Grey’s Chutney, pureed



Sauté the scallions, celery and apples n the canola oil until tender. Let cool.

Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit 5 minutes.

Serve with a side of Mar-a-Lago Pear Chutney and your favorite toasted bread, pita or hamburger.

(Andi’s Notes: If you can’t find the Mar-a-Lago Pear Chutney, then just use some other kind of sweet chutney. I have tried many and I think the sweeter the better. I also left out the Tabasco and it was delicious. Just experiment and enjoy!)

Sharing One Of My Favorite Recipes...Enjoy!

I was given this recipe by my sister-in-law, Daron. It's is called Carrot Souffle, and it is very popular for Passover, but every time I make it for Thanksgiving it is a hit. Try it, you'll love it.

Carrot Soufflé

2lb cooked carrots, soft
6 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
6 tablespoons matzah meal (Comes in a box in Jewish section of market. )
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 sticks margarine, melted
Dash of nutmeg

Blend cooked carrots and eggs in Cuisinart. Add remaining ingredients. Put in deep Pyrex, bake at 350 for 40 minutes

Topping

1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons soft margarine

Mix above and place on top. Bake an additional 5-10 minute

My Dog is Hawk Bait!

So I got the cutest little Yorki Poo back in April that we named Bandit. We had large dogs in the past and we knew we did not want another one again. For our busy schedule, they were to much work, and our house was to small to have them stay inside all of the time. Especially durring the hot summer months. Well, unfortunately, our cute little dog is hawk bait, coyote bait and owl bait. Let me tell you how bad is stinks to live in an acre of land, and you can't even let your dog out to play or pee without standing 2 feet away from him. Dean has actually spotted a hawk in a tree getting ready to swoop on down and have a Bandit snack.

So, my new thought is this......Do you think if I put one of those plastic cones around his neck (the ones that you put on pets so they are not able to lick their wounds after surgery)when I let him outside that it would keep the Hawks and Owls from being able to grab him? I know it's a crazy thought, but right now it's just a thought. What do you think?

Shopping On A Budget

Have you noticed that EVERYBODY is on a budget, and they are not afraid to say that they are "cutting back" their spending? Not only have I noticed lots of empty parking places at one of my favorite shopping places, Kierland Commons, but I have also noticed that I don't have to wait as long for a table at popular restaurants. Actually, one of the stores that I have seen pretty crowded lately is a local resale store called "My Sisters Closet". It seems that woman in my neighborhood are taking the clothes that they spent decent money on last year and not only selling them for credit at the store or cash, but also spending money on resale clothes too. Yes, I am one of them and I'm not ashamed to admit it. My latest quest is a nice, warm black coat for a winter wedding in Colorado. They have a store for kids called, Small Change too. Just yesterday I got a pair of GEOX shoes for my 3 year old that were normally $59. I paid $14 and they are in perfect condition.
Someday I hope to spend a lot of money again, but in the meantime, I am having fun trying to find the best deals. Do you have any great deal stories to share? Maybe some tips on how to save?

The Best Make-Up In The WORLD!

This is a true testament to how much I LOVE my Zethina make-up, and NO she is NOT paying me to say this. This is the absolute truth. I have found the best make-up in the world.
On Tuesday I had 2 really big auditions in L.A for hosting jobs and left my home at 5am in the morning to drive out there. I packed up my car the night before except for my hair products and make-up. I actually did my hair that morning and was going to put my make-up before the interviews so I felt "perfect." Well, after 3 hours of driving my husband, Dean, calls me in a panic and tells me that I have left all of my make-up and hair product sitting on the counter at home. Not only did I freak out, but he did too. His exact words were "You have to turn around and come home because you can't wear anything besides Zethina's make-up. You have finally perfected your look and it has everything to do with your hair and make-up". I promise you that is what he said. Well, coming home was not an option so I immediately called Zethina (while crying my eyes out)to find out if there was anyone in L.A selling her make-up? She said she had private customers, but not a store front and that I needed to go to Nordstrom's and have someone from the Bobbi Brown counter do my make-up. This was not the answer I wanted to hear, but I had no choice. So, about an hour before my interview I located the Bobbi Brown counter and a beautiful girl named, Denise, saved the day. When I looked in the mirror, I was happy with the results (especially since I did not have many choices) but I was not "Wowed". My face did not look smooth and flawless like I am used to and I thought my eyes looked cakey. Don't get me wrong...I looked good, but there was a huge difference between there make-up and Zethina's. Long story short...I made it to the interview and I looked great. This experience, however, has proven to me how much I love Zethina Cosmetics. Her mineral make-up is like nothing I have ever worn before. If it can make a freckle-face look smooth and beautiful, and provide perfect coverage then it has got to be good. Trust me, with my skin I have tried EVERYTHING. Her blush makes me glow and the eye-shadows blend perfectly, and makes my eyes just pop. Also, my skin has never felt healthier and I never have a break-out. So, wear whatever make-up you want, but if you want to see and feel a difference then check out www.zethinacosmetics.com I promise, you will love it.

I Love The Westin Kierland Resort!

I must give kudos where kudos are due, and this time around they go to the Westin Kierland Resort. A bunch of girls spent the weekend there celebrating Tracy's 40th birthday and everything was perfect. We had 2 casitas with the most comfortable "Heavenly" beds, a rented cabana with the nicest attendant and a high of 92 degrees. What a perfect day. After relaxing by the pool we spent the next couple of hours at the Agave Spa getting facials and massages. It was so peaceful that we all felt as if we were a million miles away. Between the services, the relaxation room, the sauna and the fruit smoothies, none of us wanted to leave. Trust me, if you are ever a little stressed out or just having a bad day, and need to "chill out" somewhere, then the Agave Spa is the perfect spot. We topped off our day with a wonderful celebration at Deseo Restaurant where we sampled Ceviche, Lamb Chops and yummy Champagne. What an amazing day. Happy Birthday Tracy and thank you so much to the wonderful staff at the Westin Kierland Resort.

Beg or Barter?

So I was talking to a friend today about Bartering and how we probably all have things or services that we could offer up in exchange for things we want or need. We both agreed that in today's economy we have to be creative and watch the bottom line. So, I thought of what I have to offer....my voice. I have a home studio where I do voice-over work and would be willing to barter for maybe airline tickets, spa services, a room at a nice resort, restaurants, etc. It's all about being creative. So, if you need a voice for your next project then let's chat. Listen to my demo at www.andibarness.com and let's spread the word and help each other out.

You Want To Pay Me What?

Okay, I have to vent for a minute. While playing around on the Internet and searching for production companies to send my demo to, I stumbled upon a casting notice. They want to pay the tv host $300 for an all day shoot. Is it just me or is that ridiculously cheap. What is the saying "you get what you pay for." My thought is that if you can get someone for that cheap, they must not be that busy and if they are not that busy, then shouldn't you ask yourself why?
It just blows my mind that someone in this business (a production company) would have the nerve to pay someone so little. Am I the only one that thinks this way? I welcome your thoughts...please.

Ready For Your Holiday Cards?

If your like me, the thought of getting your family together for a holiday picture makes your stomach turn. First, you have to get them all together at the same time. Second, they have to all be wearing something halfway nice. Third, they have to all be in a good mood so they smile. Fourth, you have to think of a good bribe to get them through the photo session. Fifth, who is going to take the damn picture. Okay, I'm stressed out already. So the only thing not stressing me out about this whole thing is that I get the best holiday cards from www.starfishart.com I have the most talented friend....Pam Breece. She has had this business for a number of years and her selection is so different from anything else you will ever find. It's refreshing.....
So get the family together in some clean clothes and call your friend over to take some fun pictures. Oh, and maybe a glass of wine before hand to take the stress away and make you SMILE from ear to ear. If I'm missing anything let me know.

High of 74

I can't believe we have finally made it to this weekend. Wow! After months of locking ourselves and our kids inside the air conditioned homes, we are FREE! I think I actually have a skip to my walk because I am so happy and I think last night was the first night that I was cold during these last 4 months. So far this weekend, we have gone for walks, played ball outside, road the bikes outside and even just stood in the street talking to neighbors that have ventured outside to see what 74 degrees feels like. It's now time to get the block parties going, decorate for Halloween and figure out a way to make enough money so we can escape next summers heat. You mark my words..........I will be somewhere else next June and July! You? Oh yeah, if you are looking for something fun to do outside check out www.whattodotv.com

Things Are Quieting Down Over Here

Well, it looks like the things are quieting down over here after the murder of our dear neighbor, Jay Breeze. (see previous blogs) The reporters have dissipated, the police are hopefully gone for good and now the only thing that is constant is Jay's family that has the horrible task of going through his belongings. I can not imagine having to go back into a home that someone I loved was killed in. A bunch of the neighbors have been concerned about the kids so a police officer will be stopping by to talk with them and hopefully be able to answer questions and concerns that they may have. It's been difficult to find the right words to tell them. We also found out that there will not be a funeral that we can attend. I was so hoping to be able to say my final good-bye and now I'm just left with the memory of our last phone conversation and the last time I saw him cleaning up his front yard that he took such pride in. Hopefully we will be able to get some answers as to why this happened even though we will probably never understand it.

My First "Big Time" Infomercial

I arrived in Iowa yesterday to film my first "Big Time" Infomercial and so far it has been a blast. Plane rides, Limousines....it just keeps getting better. It's 4:55am Arizona time and I am getting ready to head out the door to breakfast and then off to Hawthorne Direct.

More pictures and great stories to follow.

UPDATE ON JAY BREEZE'S MURDER:

In case you had not heard, our neighbor Jay was murdered over the weekend allegedly by a guys that he was trying to help out. Read more about it at my blog below and click on this link for updated info. I will be following this story closely.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2008/10/07/20081007murderfolo1007.html

BREAKING NEWS: PHOENIX Man Found Dead in His Home

October 5, 2008 Unfortunately, the man found dead was our dear neighbor. I'm not going to give his name yet just in case his family has not been notified. We heard a police helicopter overhead last night around 2am and saw the lights flashing in our yard. I thought this was strange since this never happens where we live. I woke my husband and told him to make sure the house was secure and then tried to go back to sleep. About 30 minutes later I heard a police siren and thought they must have caught the person and was then able to go back to sleep. At about 7:15 this morning a police investigator knocked at the door and I just knew what had happened. I won't go into details here, but let's just say I predicted this was going to happen. I had a strange feeling come over me last week that gave me chills. Always trust your gut instinct.
They are putting ---'- body into the van now and I am sooooo sad. I guess I am writing this to get my thoughts out there and because there is nothing else I can do. He was such a kind, good man, that only tried to help people. Sadly, this could have cost him his life.

How to Ensure Great Customer Service

1. When a customer comes in the door drop what you are doing and acknowledge them.
2. Make sure you also drop the attitude, as well.
3. Do not answer your cell phone at work. (The girl that did my pedicure the other day must have gotten 3-5 phone calls and took every one.) This is so rude to a paying customer.
4. If you own a business and have high school kids working for you....make sure you drop by from time to time and check on them. Can I tell you how many times I have seen their friends sitting on the counter or hanging out at the register.
5. When answering the phone, please be courteous and DO NOT leave me on hold forever. Yes, I will hang up and try another one of your competitors.
6. Please make me feel like my questions are important and not stupid. If you make me feel like I am bothering you or that I am asking dumb questions then I will go someplace else next time.
7. Don't give me a hard time when I try and return something. The customer is always right and if you want me to come back you will make the return an easy one.
8. Please do not put your mean, rude, anti-social employees up at the front of the store to deal with customers. If they don't have good people skills they should be working in a back warehouse somewhere.
9. If you open at 10am, then PLEASE have the doors open at 10am and not 10:02am. That is sooooo annoying. Don't you know I have other things to do then to wait for you to get your act together.
10. I can't think of a number 10. Do you have any to add to the list?

Thought For The Day.

How comfortable would you be traveling over this? Holly and I took this picture while on our way back from the ERA Convention. It's the new bridge they are building over the Hoover Dam and it freaked me out just looking at it. I mean seriously, my heart started to beat double time just imagining us driving on it. I pray that we will have a choice when it's finished to either, drive the scenic route over the dam or avoid the delays and travel over the bridge. What would you do?

My Run In With Janice Dickinson!

So last night we went to the launch party of MY STUDIO Recording studio in Scottsdale. They will be coming to malls near you. It was a packed house and there were all walks off life there. Trendy people that wanted to be seen, singers that wanted to be discovered, people like me that got an invite and wanted to enjoy the free drinks and food with friends and the celebrity model that got paid to be there. The model, Janice Dickinson. She has her own reality show on the Oxygen network called " The Janice Dickenson Modeling Agency" and was known as the first super model of the 1970's. So all of the guys were drooling over here and trying to get a picture of her when I happened to run into her in the ladies room. The first thing I thought of, was that I have to get a picture so I can write about it in my blog. So I gathered up my nerve and as she was looking at herself in the mirror and I politely asked her if I could get a picture with her. Her response was priceless....."In here, it smells like SH_T!" So of course I told her that I meant a picture outside of the bathroom (although I would have gladly smiled with her outside of the smelly bathroom stall just to get the photo). You can see the picture that we ended up taking above. Janice Dickenson at age 53 still has a knock out body, likes to have a good time and made that quite clear at the event.

A Shout Out To My "Awesome" Web Designer!

Okay, for the record, Holly Jonas, of Hollywooddesignpro is the bomb. Her work speaks for itself and I just had to spread the word about how wonderful she is. Everyone that looks at my site absolutely loves it and I just had to give credit where credit is due. If you are in the market for a new web-site or maybe your old one needs a little spicing up, then contact her at holly@hollywooddesignpro.com Make sure you tell her Andi sent ya.

I'm Breaking into the Infomercial Biz!

Well, I am back from the Electronic Retail Association Convention in Las Vegas and met some awesome people. Everyone was so nice and helpful. My goal was to introduce myself to some of the best Production Companies, Ad Agencies and companies that may need a Spokesperson or Host for their new product. I networked like nobody has ever networked before and now let's hope it pays off. I also ran into some "famous" Infomercial celebrities like Beau Riles, Forbes Riley, Anthony Sullivan and Billy Mays. I know you are familiar with Billy Mays, the OxyClean, Kaboom guy. (I'm pictured with him above)

Anyway, it may not always be easy walking up to complete strangers and introducing yourself, but if you want to succeed I guess you have to push thru your fears. Thanks by the way, to everyone that was soooooooo kind and full of great advice. (Ruth Wheeler, Wendi Cooper, Wes Dublin and everyone at Hawthorne Direct) Also, to anyone looking for the best web-designer around....Holly Jonas is the bomb. (Hollywooddesignpro.com)

Some Competition for Starbucks

I love finding new places and sharing them with you and yesterday I found the "Next" big coffee shop that is going to give Starbucks a run for their money. It's called "Next" and you can visit their web-site at http://www.nextcoffeecompany.com/. They are located on 59th Ave south of the 101 Freeway in Glendale in the Citadel shopping center. Their motto is "great coffee, great food and your place to study, learn, think and find the money, when you need it, for your NEXT big thing.
I had a coffee drink that I have never had or even heard of before....The Cola Head. It was a Coca-Cola drink over ice with a shot of espresso and vanilla. Yum, yum! Maybe you could try the Himalayan Hammer or the Granola Latte. I guess they have a barista that has been in the business for over 20 years and is very creative. Finally a place that serves more then just a Cafe Mocha. Oh, and they have food, smoothies, music on the weekends and even different trunk shows. So, if you have never been there and you need a new place to hang out, then give them a try. Oh, and tell them Andi sent you and you heard about them thru this blog.

No, I'm Not At ABC15 Anymore!

Now that I have your attention I want to thank all of the loyal viewers that have been e-mailing me to find out why I'm not doing Traffic or Sonoran Living anymore. Actually, in case you missed it, my last day was August 29th. I have blogged about this before, but have found that people don't read all blogs and just the most current.

The contract was up between the traffic company I worked for and ABC15 and they decided not to renew. They said it was just business and nothing personal. I'll accept that. I have been a traffic reporter for over 15 years and will for sure miss it, but I won't miss waking up at 3am every day. That was brutal and I'm the one from the morning shift that came in on the later side. Yikes! Think of it this way...when you are getting up in the middle of the night for a potty break and are so excited to go back to bed, well think of the morning anchors and reports because they are getting up for good.

I had such fun helping out with Sonoran Living and I hope I can continue hosting somewhere or maybe even continue with my Voice-Over work. I guess the possibilities are endless as long as I am enjoying what I am doing and can balance work and family together.
Take care and please keep in touch. Andi

I'm Gearing Up For The ERA Convention?

What is the ERA Convention you ask? It's a part of the Electron Retailer Association, which basically means it's a convention for anything and everything that has do to with Infomercials. Someone had mentioned that it was a good thing to look into so in typical Andi fashion I am diving in head first and giving it 150%. Holly and I will be heading to Las Vegas to rub elbows with the infomercial big wigs and who knows, maybe I will meet Billy Mays, the Orangeglo , Kaboom and Oxyclean guy. I'm sure I will have some fun pictures to show when I get back. Right now I have to get back to putting my cover letter and demo dvd's together. It's all about the first impression you know. HHHMMMMM, what shall I wear?

How did you hear about me?

Okay, so being that I am not working RIGHT now, I have a lot of free time on my hands and one of the things I love doing is checking my web-site meter to see who is visiting my web-site, www.andibarness.com. I can tell what city you are in and how you found my site. Lately, it seems that a lot of people are googling me and I'm curious why? Did you read my name somewhere? Are you in need of a tv host or voice-over artist? Are you an ABC15 viewer that is curious why I am not on the air anymore? I would love to know the reason for the google so feel free to answer this blog. Remember, I have a lot of free time on my hands and I can write back.

Bad Customer Service!

Let me just start by saying that if you are not a people person or if you just plain don't like working with people, then please make it easier for all of us and don't get a customer service position. I think that is my biggest pet peeve or at least one of them. Without giving the exact location (in case I do have to go back there) I was at a Kinko's today and dealt with a guy that probably did not even know that I was human. He talked to me like he had no care in the world about my needs, did not even look at me when he spoke and really acted like I was bothering him with my order and there was other important things that he could be doing. He definetly DID NOT go the extra mile to make sure that I left there happy and I actually told him to cancel my order because I knew he was giving me the best service that he was going to give me......HORRIBLE! Yes, I have had worse service and I would go back to this location, but that does not mean I have to like it. The more that I think about it, it was actually like they all would rather be somewhere else. So sad to go to a job every day that you don't enjoy. Oh well! Do you have any similiar stories to share?

Did You Say What I Think You Said?

I was going thru some pictures from this past April and found a little something that my 2 year old had said that had us on the floor laughing. If you have kids you know that they can say the darndest things. Well, the video speaks for itself. Let me know if you think this is as funny as we do.

What To Do in Phoenix!

This blog is for visitors that are new to the Phoenix area or thinking of coming to our next of the woods. There is a cool web-site called www.whattodotv.com that tells you all about some neat adventures in the valley of the sun. From, flying thru the sky with Hot Air Expeditions to touring the open desert with www.Azhummertours.com There is even some video of each place so you can see exactly what your experience will be like. I especially like www.westerndestinations.com and all of the shops in Kierland Commons. You can even fly a real plane with a real pilot at www.fightercombat.com Make sure you tell them Andi sent you and I would love to know how your experience is.

Skype

I just discovered Skype and it is the coolest thing ever. I thought it would be to difficult for me to figure out the whole Skype thing and video web-cam, but it was actually pretty easy. I downloaded Skype and plugged in my web-cam and the next thing I know I'm talking to cousin Danny in L.A This is an awesome way to stay connected to friends and family that live out of the area. I'm sure there is so much more for me to learn but I have the basics down. Hey, maybe now I can start doing my own traffic reports from my office. Maybe call my new traffic site www.andidoestraffic.com What do you think? Oh, one thing you should be aware of is that if you are not looking your best or if you have limited articles on your body, you will be sorry! www.andibarness.com

Are you googling me?

Okay, so being that I am not working RIGHT now, I have a lot of free time on my hands and one of the things I love doing is checking my web-site meter to see who is visiting my web-site, www.andibarness.com. I can tell what city you are in and how you found my site. Lately, it seems that a lot of people are googling me and I'm curious why? Did you read my name somewhere? Are you in need of a tv host or voice-over artist? Are you an ABC15 viewer that is curious why I am not on the air anymore? I would love to know the reason for the google so feel free to answer this blog. Remember, I have a lot of free time on my hands and I can write back.

I Did It!

Hey guys. I'm back from the 3 Day walk for Breast Cancer in San Francisco and I'm happy to say that I walked the entire 60 miles journey to help find a cure for Cancer. I must admit that after the first 10 miles I had my doubts and I even jumped on a bus back to camp only to find out that they were full and I would have to wait for the next one. Well, I took that as a sign that I was not supposed to give up and I instead walked thru the pain and did it. Wow! It was the toughest thing I have ever done. It was also the most rewarding thing that I have ever done and I will do it again in San Diego next year.

If you are looking for an experience to change YOUR life and the lives of others then raise some money and WALK! Enjoy the pics.

My Day!

So I'm searching for something interesting to write about, but it was just another busy day. Although I guess it was not my typical day, because I actually made time to visit with friends and not be in such a rush. It's amazing how your day can slow down when you don't have to get so much done before you hit the hay at 8pm. I sort of felt like a normal person as I helped the kids get dressed for school, had a cup of coffee, started to pack for my 3day walk with Shelley, ran some errands, had lunch with Shelley and Jolie (the girls), worked in my office, picked up the kids from school, took them to piano, ran to the market, helped with dinner, read a book with Cole and now I am writing this blog. One week ago I would have been freaking out about having to get all of this done before 8pm and now I can get things done without having to rush. Life is slowing down right before my eyes and it feels great. I'm not stressed and neither are the kids....for once!

Here's To A New Begining

I have been gearing up for the day I could wake up at a normal hour for a long time and tomorrow is the day. Granted it means that I will not be doing traffic reports for ABC15, I feel like it was meant to be. Tomorrow is the first deay of the rest of my life and while it sounds cliche I really believe that my "dream job" awaits me. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I can tell you that it has nothing to do with waking up in the middle of the night and it will have everything to do with some type of television hosting or voice-overs. Mark my words...

I am free!

I know I have written in some past blogs about not having to wake up early now that I am not working those early hours (as of yesterday), but I can't believe how my life is about to change. I already feel free. Not only will I be able to go to bed later, wake up later, make the kids breakfast, work out early instead of the middle of the day, go to my boys late night baseball games, watch tv with my hubby, etc., but I will also not be as STRESSED out to get some much done in a day before I have to go to bed. I can go out with my girlfriends at night, have me time and even except jobs (contact me at www.andibarness.com) without having to ask for permission from ABC. I don't have that tightness in my chest thinking about getting to work early. So is this what a normal person feels like? Hey, I can even go on vacation whenever I want. This is going to be great!

Learning how to Blog.

I am learning how to blog and have been told by many that if I want people to visit my site then I need to put certain keywords in my blog. Well, since my whole goal with my www.andibarness.com web-site is to get work as a TV Host or Voice-Over artist then I guess I should target production companies, producers and television networks, right? Now the trick is how to put the important key words into interesting blogs. I could write something really creative, and sometimes I will, but for today, I think I am just going to beg for work. So here I go......"Listen all you production companies, producers, tv networks, cable stations and directors. I need a job and I am pretty darn good. If you need a product spokesperson, a television host or a voice-over done, then please get a hold of me thru this web-site. You can even watch my demo on-line at www.andibarness.com/host demo. I can be funny, serious, witty, charming and I'm also easy to work with so what are you waiting for?" Wow, that was easier then I thought!

Getting ready for the 3 day walk in San Francisco!

Look out world, I am walking 60 miles in the Susan G. Komen 3 day walk!

Yes, I said 60 miles. The scary part is that by now, I should be in great shape and conditioning my body for this walk. Well, no such luck.

The picture above is of me and my best friend, Shelley, getting ready to do our very first practice walk last Sunday. We made it 9 miles. Oh brother, we are not very smart. I guess the most important thing next weekend is that we laugh and walk, because I can guarantee that we will not be one of the first groups making it into camp. I bet we will laugh the hardest though.

Stay tuned for lots of pictures and fun stories.

Oh, btw, have you donated to my cause? http://www.the3day.org/ Donate to Andi Barness....PRETTY PLEASE.

What To Do TV

The cooler months are right around the corner and that means it will be time to get outside and enjoy our beautiful, Valley of the Sun. You could do your typical outdoor activities or you could live on the edge and try something a little more adventurous. Maybe a trip to Lake Pleasant with www.Arizonaducks.com. How about a relaxing Hot Air Balloon ride with www.Hotairexpeditions.com. Out in Mesa, AZ you can even fly a real fighter plane with www.fightercombat.com Trust me when I tell you that there are so many "out of the box" things to do here in Arizona and you can check them all out for yourself at www.whattodotv.com

Scary Cat

Okay, so I have this beautiful, white, long haired, deaf cat with a blue and a green eye that we call, Baloo. He is awesome and is especially cool because he has no fear. Maybe it is because he can not hear the noise that he makes...I have no idea. Anyway, I took this picture while he was napping on what he believes to be his new bed. It's actually baby Evan's changing table that has not yet made it into the garage. Too funny! www.andibarness.com

Andi's "A" List Breakfast Spot

If you guys are looking for the best breakfast in town or anywhere in the USA for that matter, then you have to visit Butterfield's in Scottsdale, Arizona and Illinois. http://www.butterfieldsrestaurant.com/
My favorite is the fresh squeezed orange juice and the Granola Sundae. It's served in a banana split dish with vanilla yogurt, fresh fruit and the tastiest granola ever. Not only is the food to die for, but the customer service is outstanding. It is a family run business and you will see at least 3 of the siblings there at all times. Ted is usually running the front, so make sure you say "hi" and tell him Andi sent ya. Oh, and if you are planning on heading there for Saturday or Sunday breakfast then you better get there before 8am or plan on a pretty long wait. It is worth the wait though.

TV Reporters version of Time

Remember as a kid when your mom would tell you to go to bed and she would be in in a few minutes and you would wait for an hour for her to finally tuck you in. Well, at least that is what Denise's Mom used to do to her. (Sorry Denise. Your secret is out) Actually, Denise, one of our producers for Sonoran Living, and I got to talking about the concept of time. When you ask a non tv person what time they leave the house for work they probably say "oh, about 7:30", but when you as a tv person what time they leave you will get something more like "oh, 3:32am". This is because we live by the clock. Our news starts at 4:58 am exactly and we have to be on the set at exactly 4:45am. We have 2 minute commercials and everything is to the second. I wake up at 3:09am and leave the house at the exact same time every morning. I pull into the parking garage at the exact same time (give or take 1 minute) every morning. I think you get the picture. TV people live their lives by the second.
Better go, it's 6:50 pm and I have to be in bed no later then 8:13pm.

I Love D Frank Designs

I have stumbled onto a really "cool" furniture- accessory- design studio that I just had to tell you about. It's in Old Town Scottsdale and Debbie (D Frank) is one of the most talented women I have ever met. She designs so much of her own stuff which is nice because you know it is an original. From bright red pillows to leopard skin chairs, she has something for everyone. Great gifts for your girlfriends too. Her concept is pretty simple, your home should reflect your own personal fashion sense. Maybe you need help with decorating your bedroom or family room. Debbie is the one to call. Tell her Andi sent ya.

www.dfrankdesigns.com

7107 E. Stetson Dr. Scottsdale, AZ 480-874-1310

Peace and Quiet

My little guy, 3 year old Evan, started school today and as much as I love my 3 boys, the peace and quiet was heaven sent. To walk into a home where nobody is whining or tattling on the other is sooooooo nice. Yes, I love my kids and I love doing fun things with them, but being a working mom that works her tail off, I need me time. So of course my me time is spent working in my office, but I am doing it in with no distractions and no noise. Oh, and no mother's guilt too.
Well, the clock is ticking and I have 1 hour and 19 minutes before the rugrats get home.

My Favorite Spots

I have decided to not only write about stuff that is going on in my life, but also great things, people, services and places that you need to check out.

Let's start out with Zethina Cosmetics and Spa in Glendale. "Z" has been my makeup gal for the last 4 years and not only is she the best make up artist ever but she also sells her own line of mineral cosmetics that is unlike anything that you will find at a department store. She also has great make-up tricks too. She is definitely a part of "Andi's A list".

Zethina Cosmetics & Skin Care. 19420 N 59th Ave # E-510. Glendale, AZ
(623) 561-6966 - http://www.zethina.com/

My next chapter

Since this past Monday I have realized that my life as I have known it for the past 8 years is about to change.

No more waking up in the middle of the night to go to work!

For the past 4 years I have awakened at 3am to drive 20 miles to ABC15 and before that I woke up at 4am to drive 20 miles to Clear Channel radio.

This has meant no fun for me during the week, but that is about to change! Now I can do happy hour with my girlfriends, I can finally stop being the first one to leave special events, I can stay at my kids' baseball games for more innings and I even get to watch TV shows with my husband after the kids go to bed. Wow! This is going to be fun!

Now the next thing I need to do is get some extra work and some $$ coming in. Need any voice-over work done or maybe a television host for your next project?

Suit Sale

So the big news in my life is that as of September 1 I will no longer be the Daybreak Traffic Reporter for ABC15 in Phoenix. No, there is no drama. KNXV is just going in another direction and their contract was up with the traffic company I work with. I WILL, however, continue to be a contributor for "Sonoran Living". Yeah!!!

Anyway, this means I will no longer have to wear a suit and I can't tell you how excited I am about this. Suits are expensive and I own a bunch of them. So, my new idea is to photograph all of the suits that I want to get rid of and put them up for sale on my web-site.

Stay tuned! Expensive suits for really cheap are on their way to you........

The Hair Salon

So I must admit, I am not the natural beauty with a solid head of beautiful brown hair.

It comes from a bottle and it's not my choice at all.

I owe all of the gray to my mother and father and can thank them for the few strands that I started getting at about age 16. At almost 40, we can call it 75% gray.

Today's experience was just like the rest....I drove to Cave Creek to visit LaDonna's Hare Daze because she is the best hair dresser on the face of the earth. Oh, and she is the mom that is responsible for all of the gray hair on my head. The conversation was great, as usual, but this time, I was served one of the best sandwiches ever. GT (my step-dad) had made a pumpernickle, pastrami with ham and turkey, swiss cheese and avacado sandwich. It was awesome and now my new favorite.

If you head up that way, make sure you request that one ahead of time!




LaDonna's Hare Daze
6100 Cave Creek Rd.
(480) 595-0320

Why are you here?

I love having my website and knowing that all of my information is available for anyone that is looking to hire a host and/or voice-over artist. I also love being able to check in with sitemeter.com to see who is looking at my site, what pages they look at and how long they visit each page. I actually think I'm addicted to my sitemeter. People visit www.andibarness.com from all over the world....Chatham, New Jersey....Atlanta, Georgia....Mesa, Arizona...Alexandria, Virginia...Rangoon...Dubai....New York, New York....South Bend, Indiana....and the list goes on.

So here is my question for you: Why are you here? What made you click on my site? Are you a producer or an agent? Are you looking for a host and/or voice-over artist? Are you just killing time on the computer? Are you looking for a long lost friend?

Well, for whatever reason, thanks for visiting my site, and drop me a line from wherever you are!

Andi

Gopher Sighting

So today was another morning with my new puppy and our new morning routine at 3am. I got up, I got dressed, I took the puppy out to go potty. Sounds like it should be a nice easy routine, right? Wrong! Have I mentioned that where I live there are coyotes, hawks and not a lot of light at night. Our back yard is pretty large and there are a lot of dark spots, especially where the puppy needs to go pee pee. Well, as I cautiously set the puppy in the dark grass to go pee, something moved. The puppy jumped and so did I. Turns out it was a baby gopher that we disturbed and he was a little upset. He ran around in circles and then jumped out of the grass and headed straight for the pool. Not the pool! With puppy in hand I jumped in front of him and tried to scare him back into the grass, but he wanted nothing to do with the grass as he ran right by and did a gopher-nose dive right between the holes in the pool net and into the water.

"Stupid gopher, you are going to drown," I thought. Okay, now what....I can't scoop him out with the pool net because the net is in the way so I did what any freaked out wife would do.....I ran to wake up my husband. As he stumbled out to the pool the gopher continued to swim for dear life in circles. Taking off the net was not an option this early in the morning so with careful teamwork involving a cup and bat, Dean was able to grab the little rodent and toss him onto the deck. With a slight concussion and no movement in his back legs, the gopher pulled himself to the corner of the deck in a daze. Realizing that I could not leave him there near the pool I put him back in the cup and tossed him onto the grass. In no time at all he had come to his senses and dove back into his safe hole.

Did I mention it was only 3:45am? And how was your morning?

A Blog on My Dog

I forgot how much work having a puppy was. You see, I agreed to wait to get a puppy until our youngest son was out of diapers. Well, in typical Andi fashion, I knew I could not wait and we now have both a puppy AND a baby in diapers.

Last night was our first night together and I thought it went well. The as yet no-named Yorkie-Poo slept until I woke him up at 3am for his potty break. Everything was good…I gave him some water, took him outside and then sent him back to bed so I could get ready for work. I checked in on the family at about 10am only to find that he had been crying all morning. “Poor puppy,” I said to my husband. “He must be missing his mommy”. Well, I quickly found out it had nothing to do with his Mommy and everything to do with no one feeding him. Oops! I guess that was a minor detail. Let’s see if tomorrow morning goes a little smoother. What do you think of the name “Chubacca?”