In short...
Ya girl is baaaaaaaack!
I’ve been locked out of this website for a while, due to security issues, but we’re back and functioning and I have SO MUCH to tell you.
Last I wrote, I had moved home to Atlanta after leaving my job as an investigative reporter in Fort Myers, FL. It’s safe to say I was pretty down in the dumps. This wasn’t an end-of-contract, heading to another great opportunity kind of moved like I’d anticipated. I was back home with no idea what I would do next, unsure if I would ever land another job in news, and just taking things day by day.
It was exactly what I needed.
The sweetest card from my SPU team
I loved seeing my Georgia-based friends and spending more time with my family after years of only visiting them for a few days at a time. I spent a lot more time in nature on hikes and sitting on patios as the weather got warmer. As time went on I discovered little gems of places, coffee shops and bookstores with outdoor benches perfect for soaking up the sun. I cooked more, slept more, read more books and drank a lot more lemon water.
But something was missing. Everyone kept telling me to enjoy the stillness, soak up the down time. I did that, but I was restless. I was still grieving what I’d left behind in southwest Florida: my friends, extended family I’d grown to love, and a sense of stability (although that had grown more unstable in the months leading up to me leaving). It wasn’t all sunshine; I took a lot of long drives to clear my head and sometimes cry, or just listen to absolutely nothing for a while. Doomscrolling was a hard habit to break, both on my phone and on TV.
One thing became very clear: I wasn’t done with news and it turns out, news wasn’t done with me either.
When I dipped my toes back into the news job market I was very specific: I wanted an anchor role, with consistent duties as an investigative reporter, in a certain salary range and ideally in the southeast. I had a few virtual interviews and one in-person with an Atlanta TV station, but none felt like the right fit. Then out of the blue a mentor asked me how I felt about Louisiana, said that her former station wanted an anchor with investigative skills, and encouraged me to apply.
Shreveport was a name I’d only heard in The Princess and the Frog, a place I’d never visited. The role sounded promising but it was farther from home than I originally planned on searching. But what’s the harm in one interview? It turned into two, then a station visit, then a signed contract. It filled all my requirements and more, and before I knew it I was signing a lease to my own place, packing a moving truck and heading west.
Snapped this during my interview visit!
I’ve grown so fond of magnolia trees and love seeing everywhere.
Not even a year into living in Louisiana and I’ve grown to love so much of the experience. The community is so warm, it’s full of hidden gems and don’t get me started on the food. Pretty sure I’ve gone up a dress size. I’ve made friends, created a space that I love to come home to, and added a furry friend to that space!
Sage Antonia Graham
Professionally, I’ve grown as an anchor and investigator, even directing and producing my first documentary.
My lovely 6pm crew
It has been a wild few months, almost a year, and I am forever grateful for the time I was able to spend at home to rest and regroup. Knowing I always have a home base to return to and recharge is the biggest blessing.
More to come, now that the password issues are sorted, including a proper introduction to my fur-child!
“Wait what?”
