Happy New Year
Happy New Year. It’s great to be back, although I had a wonderful holiday.
We hosted Christmas for Richard’s side of the family. Now that all the cousins are teens or older, there were no melt downs or broken toys (however, there was a broken tooth. My front tooth cracked yet again, and it had to be bonded. The dentist thinks I’m grinding my teeth at night so he gave me a mouth guard. It’s a "look".)
The good news is that my cats apparently read this blog, because they never attacked the Christmas tree again.
There I was on Christmas morning, at the crack of dawn, sipping my coffee (or trying to through my mouth guard) and waiting for a creature to stir. What was I thinking? Has it not sunk in that no one in this house ever gets up before mid-morning if they don’t have to?
Eventually the troops descended and we opened up presents. At one point, my sister-in-law Terrie began teasing me about a recent magazine interview where I had said that my least favorite holiday was the Thanksgiving at Terrie’s home in Boston because that’s when Gabe fell in the park and hurt his leg. After trouncing me in Scrabble, Terrie said, "I bet you don’t talk about that on your blog." So here it is—the bitter truth. All kidding aside, Terrie is as great a sister-in-law as she is a Scrabble player.
The day after Christmas I got a call from work saying they wanted me to go to Iowa to cover the last days of the Clinton campaign leading up to this Thursday’s caucuses. It meant being there Sunday, on my birthday, but NBC producer Missy Dunlop surprised me with balloons, cake and champagne in my hotel room.
My son Ben, who is home from college, came with me. This will be the first election where he can vote, and he’s very excited about the process. He and his friends talk politics all the time and it was a great opportunity for him to witness history in the making.
At one point during a rally at a school gym, my eyes started to tear up. There was something so quintessentially American about the moment. Maybe having Ben with me—someone who isn’t "jaded" about government—helped remind me that our system, for all its flaws, is still the best one there is.
I can’t wait to see the election results Thursday night. One thing is for sure, all of these candidates have worked hard and campaigned tirelessly. If the polls are accurate, it’s going to be a real cliff-hanger on both sides.
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Happy 2008 to you and your family!
Question- why does the today show pre tape days, like NEw Years day?
Next time you & Terrie play Scrabble, give me a call. I can't get my husband to play...
Happy New Year to you and yours, Meredith. And a happy belated b'day wish to you as well. I was a December birth, and my little Polish mom was born on Xmas Day in Chicago in 1920, so I would argue the December kids of the world constitute a worthy sub-group :) Best wishes to you for 2008, both on air and off. You remain the shining best in every way. Perhaps an e-Scrabble-fest on the blog would be a fine idea? :) Cheers.
This is the first blog that i have ever read- no joke! It was interesting to read about what you had done over christmas! Reading things like this makes people on tv seem more real. I will read this regularly!! Thanks!
On todays show (01/02) you mentioned that it had been nearly 3 weeks since you & Matt had seen each other since you both had vaation time during the holidays. Were the Christmas & NY's Day prerecorded or at least parts of them? I enjoyed them even if they were. When does Ben have to return to school? Wishing you & your family many blessings in this new year.
Welcome back Meredith! It's comforting to have you and the entire Today show gang back together again. Happy 2008!
Hi Meredith:
Happy New Year!!
Sorry to hear you were sent on assignment and being away from home on your birthday...at least Ben was with you. Sure was sweet of your producer, Missy to surprise you with balloons, cake and champagne. Happy belated birthday.
I enjoy your blogs and hope you continue. I say this because the other day on the Today Show there were a couple of ladies to said all blogging should stop. We (according to them) are tired of hearing about what's going on during the day or in someone's life. Not true. They way you write makes me feel like I am sitting outside drinking coffee and having a conversation with a good friend. Please continue.
question...why a mouthguard after waking and especially while drinking coffee??
Happy New Year from RI!
I'm gad the producer did her best to make up your having to work on your birthday. Is Ben thinking about following in your footsteps? I'm looking forward to seeing the interview tonight.
Hi Meredith,
Happy New Year to you and your family and Happy Birthday to you.
You might as well get those front teeth fixed, I put it off and I finally had it done years ago and I have never been sorry.
It is great that everybody is back, it doesn't quite seem the same when you, Matt, Al, or Anne are gone.
Would you have jumped off that bridge like Anne did? I don't know where she got the guts to do it, I never in my life would ever get up enough courage to jump off of anything with a big rubber band tied to me.
Love ya Meredith
Joan K.
Wisconsin
I was raised in Iowa and I was quite disappointed to see my home state used as a backdrop for media bias this morning on The Today Show.
Neutral journalists do not have their own children sit down to talk with one particular candidate, then comment on how wonderful the candidate was to do that. How do you think John Edwards or Barack Obama feel about a member of the press showing such favoritism?
Edwards and Obama can easily make a case for media bias based on your time in Iowa. The Republicans could make an even stronger one.
Your comments were most unprofessional. My relatives are also upset about how presumptuous you were when announcing your son's "candidacy" while supposedly giving an unbiased news report.
We would like to depend on a neutral, honest press corp. However, we have come to be able to identify bias quite quickly. You made it exceedingly easy this morning. It tarnishes you and your message, having the opposite effect of your intentions. Journalists should be above this.
Hi Meredith,
On Sunday, December 29 you, your son, and another person stopped in a Subway restaurant in Marshalltown, IA. I was in line right ahead of you â you ordered a tuna sandwich â I did not approach you because I thought the young man with you was your son and did not want to bother you. Although I did want to take a picture with my cell phone so people would believe me I didnât â that just seemed like it would be kind of out-of-place. Of course now, I wish I would have said âHiâ and tell you what a good job you are doing â I do like the Today Show. I also would have liked to talk a little about the Campaign. Anyway hope your trip was successful.
Take Care and Have a Good Day,
Leslie Burke
Happy New Year from Warsaw, Poland!
I can't wait to be back in the US and start the day with my TODAY routine!
All the best and be safe!
Hope you had a great Christmas and birthday!!! And best wishes for a happy and healthy 2008!!
Saw your interview with adopted son and birthmother reunion. That happened to me 10 years ago when I was reunited with my birthmother. Great story! But can I help you learn how to use more appropriate language when telling the story? You called Chris his "mother"--she will always be his "birthmother". Steve has a mom already--the supportive woman who raised him and helped him with his search for his birthmother. Thanks for listening!
Meredith-
I am not certain if you read these -- I hope you do. I was motivated to write today after my girlfriend Kathy experienced a problem at a boutique she shops at as a result of you. The store is SEARLE in NYC. TODAY's fashion segments feature items she adores that are from this store. At Christmas I went big and spent more than $500 on a sweater at SEARLE. They assured me it was returnable within 12 days of Christmas. Sold, I had the salesman take off the tags and box it for me there in the store. The sweater did not fit Kathy. Today she tried to exchange it and was made to feel the fool as the store personnel insinuated that no tags meant she had worn the sweater once and now wants to return it. They claimed the sweater was now "unsellable" and that she was out of luck. This leaves me out more than $500, with a crying girlfriend and a sweater that doesnât fit. I am writing to you so that you are aware of whom you are associating yourself with. I would hate for others to be burned in a similar manner.
I watched your interview with Senator Clinton this morning and I was impressed. Mr. Russert has been doing his best to use his, "i'm just one of the folks from Buffalo" routine to hide his obvious bias against her. Whether one supports her for President or not, she has led an honorable campaign, working for every vote she gets. I live in upstate NY, and I saw her gain the respect of her constituents here. She is poised, genuine, and professional. These are qualities that you also appear to have, so it was a pleasure to watch the interview.
Belated Happy Birthday Meredith. And Happy New Year too!!!
Belated Happy Birthday and Happy New Year.
You might want to check with your dentist about having the mouth guard while drinking coffee and during the day. Do you plan on winning at Scrabble so someone Pops you in the mouth.
As a first time blog reader, it is a great thing to have.
That Al is a true Superman. There he was in NYC and about an hr. later in Pasedena. Both were good programs though.
Hope this year is a good one for you and your family.
Here's to all the Capricorns! Happy Birthday!
Meredith,
Happy Birthday and Happy New Years! If you had to spend your birthday in a strange city, Des Moines is not a bad little big city to spend it in. ALthough I have been gone from there for 25 years, it is still home in many ways, too bad that you could not have done a story on the habitat that they created for the big apes downtown. That is what I would want to see, a research project, but the apes actually view who is wanting to view them, and they decide who will. :-) Part human home, and part habitat, like Planet of the Apes!
Anyway, best to you and yours in 2008 in all you do!
Blesings,
Linda
Hi! I just found your blog. I'd never really watched the Today Show because its on when I'm at school, but I got addicted when the recent ice storm in the Midwest got me an entire week of snow days. I hope you have a great year and I'll be Tivo-ing the show so I can watch it after school from now on as well as reading your blog!
Great Blog! Just wondering if Richard
is going to be on the Today show to
promote this new book?
My two sisters and I- all three moms doing the same things you are (with the exception of celebrity working status of course) are coming to NY to celebrate oldest sister's 50th. I haven't been in years. We NEVER get away just the 3 of us (mom has been gone for 20 years). We are planning all the normal- play, visiting the TODAY show (of coure)- any other suggestions of something different we wouldn't think of????
Thanks for any suggestions.
Happy New Year Meredith! It's so good to have you blogging again and sitting in the co-anchor seat next to Matt. You were greatly missed last week.
You just reflected the utter sexism in your makeup. Why be tough on Hillary this morning?? Hell, you haven't asked a deep or controversial question since you started on the Today show. Why go after a woman? Go after some of those male idiots..you got set up by the writers.Way to go. You are probably the type that thinks there can never be a woman president..with women like you, there won't be. Thanks a lot.
Your unusual harsh interview this morning was sexist. This woman haas more intelligence and experience than any candidate...sis you get on Barack Obama as a freshman senator with NO experience..NO...shame on you..I thought you were more pro woman..you should be ashamed of that interview.
I am a freshman at the University of Oregon majoring in Journalism. I love news and feel that it is such an amazing service. However, sometimes I find myself terrified to risk my future in something that is so difficult to break into. Do you believe that it is true that hard work really is all you need, or is there more to it than that? Thank you for your blog it is a very neat idea.
Hi Meredith~
I just have a quick question for you...where did you get your cute green coat that you were wearing in yesterday's show?? I loved it!
I enjoying watching you on the Today show; keep up the great work!
Best wishes!
Belated Happy Birthday and Happy New Year! Have been a fan since the first day the View aired and now that I'm retired I can watch The Today Show. I once wore a mouth guard. Took it out in my sleep and it took me two days to find it. Understand they are made differently now. Hope so, as I have to get a new one. Enjoyed reading the blog.
All the best!
Rita
Meredith,
Happy New year to you and your family happy and healthy keep in touch luv ya lauren
Do you really think the US's voting system is the best? I think it is completely outdated and ridiculous. I also think there are many Americans who agree with me, otherwise more people would vote.
I wonder why you didn't handle the segment with Star Jones this week?
I don't understand why the Today Show seems to want to make you look older than you really are. It's your clothes that look too old for you. The outfits you weat on Millionaire are more age appropriate for you.