Melissa Mack's Blog

Reflecting the year 2008 & preparing for the debut of 2009,  I reminisce the wonderful and not-so-wonderful events that have crossed my path and molded me into the person I am today.  As the saying goes..."Everything happens for a reason".   A very special person in my life once told me that "I am the Master of my Fate...I am the Captain of my Soul" (from poem 'Invictus' by William Ernest Henley).  It's so true that we have the power within our souls, hearts and minds.  It's up to us to utilize the skills/talents/passions we have been given and put them to good use.  You are the 'driver' of your path in life.  So, take control!  We are all so special in a very unique way.  In 2009, let's all try to treasure & embrace all of the blessings bestowed upon us!   I believe in each and every one of you.  I hope to hear some empowering, wonderful stories from all of you. :)

Every moment is another gift, another breath, another moment to love, & another moment to make memories.

From my family, our FOX family, and me...Happy New Year!  May 2009 bring you peace, love and joy!

Mack :)

We'll kick-off the holiday week with lake-effect snow which could pile up to 6-10" in the higher elevations of the snowbelt.   Otherwise, those who reside in our western and southern counties will receive a Trace-2" of snow.  As we approach midweek, Christmas Eve is setting up to be milder with a chance of showers becoming a wintry mix during Christmas Eve night.  We''ll have breaks of sun with highs in the mid 30s on Christmas Day.

From our families to your's...Happy Holidays!

Mack :)

It was an evening to remember...the Polar Express on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad w/ the morning crew and their families.  Lola and my parents joined me as well for the train ride to the North Pole.  We sang Christmas carols, ate ooey, gooey chocolate chip cookies, sipped on steamin' hot chocolate and bonded with our families.  The little ones enjoyed every moment especially when we arrived in the North Pole & we got our first glimpse of the jolly man himself...Santa Claus!  Here are a few of the pics I took while relaxing on the Polar Express...

(Melissa & Lola)

(Melissa, Lola, Dad & Mom)

Signing off for now...Mack :)

Finally, I downloaded Lola's 1st day of Kindergarten pics. She is doing so well!  I am proud to have a niece who is so kind, loving, intelligent and beautiful inside and out. :)  Here are some pics from Monday, August 25, 2008...

(Lola and Melissa -aka 'Aunt Lissa')

(Mrs. Davis (Lola's teacher) and Lola)

It was an exciting day for Lola, and a bittersweet day for me.  I can't believe she is 5 years old!  Wasn't she just born yesterday?!?!  I could spend every moment of my life with her.  She makes my life so much BRIGHTER! :)

It's been awhile, but I have just downloaded some awesome pics from WOOLLYBEAR 36 on Sunday, October 5, 2008.  My family ( and I had a wonderful time!  I loved meeting each and every one of you.  If I didn't have a chance to meet you, there's always next year!!! :)

These are pics of Lola (my 5 year old niece), my mom, my dad, and of course, me.  I hope to see all of your pics as well!

Mack :)

I was on vacation just a couple of weeks ago, and it was surely an eventful week.  I was consumed by tears as Lola took her first steps into her Kindergarten classroom...then just days later, we were headed with Lola's best friend (Andrea Dull) and her mom (Marla Dull) to the Vanessa Hudgens/Corbin Bleu concert at the Canfield Fair near Youngstown.  In case you don't know, Vanessa Hudgens and Corbin Bleu are big Disney stars in the movie, High School Musical.

So, here are some pics of us at the concert.  The girls were pumped!...even though it drizzled the entire night!!!

 (Lola, Melissa, Andrea and Andrea's Mom, Marla)

(Andrea, Melissa and Lola)

So, this was Thursday, August 28...more pics to come of Lola's first day of Kindergarten!!! Mack :)

It seems like summer just began, but in a month, we will be welcoming the Autumn season.  Autumn begins September 22 at 11:44am.  Before you know it, the leaves will be chaning colors and the first snowflakes of the season will be falling. 

Lets take a step back for a minute.  Embrace the memories you've made this summer, but also prepare to a make a batch of new memories.  School has started or will be starting for all of the kids.  Think of it as a new beginning...a whole new opportunity to grow and enjoy what life has to offer.  Too many times we spend motionless and not grasping every moment and making the most of it.  That is something I've had to learn through some tough life experiences.  But as the saying goes...'It only makes you stronger'...and that's the truth.

Weatherwise...we have a chance of storms Saturday night through Sunday afternoon.  Otherwise, we are expecting a decent weekend.

I hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend with friends and family. Savor every moment because every moment is a blessing, a gift!

Mack :)

Well, IT is so...It's inevitable.  Kids will be heading back to school within the next couple of weeks.  Summer break goes super fast.  I remember this time of year as a kid...excited yet nervous about starting a new school year.   My favorite part was being able to hang out with friends, friday night football games and shopping for the Homecoming dance which was in late September.  What are some things you or your children are looking forward to this school year?  What are some of your special memories?

So far, so good.  The weather has been very comfortable so far this month.   As we look 8 days ahead, the forecast still looks rather pleasant with the hottest temps in the low to mid 80s. 

Savor the last days of your Summer Break...

Mack :)

Okay, so we are already into the month of August.  Families are packing areas stores getting ready to head back-to-school...picking up clothes, shoes, school supplies, and everything else that goes along with starting a new school year (including my family).  As we prepare for the beginning of school, we don't want to waste any of the time we have left for making summer memories. 

Lola, my niece, starts Kindergarten this year so we are getting a head start on school shopping.  However, I am still trying to squeeze in some last-minute Summer day trips.  One of her favorites was the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. 

(LOLA & I POSING IN FRONT OF THE ELEPHANTS)

(THE LIFE OF A MARSUPIAL!  I AM MAMMA KANGAROO AND LOLA IS BABY KANGAROO.)

We still have a lot planned before the first day of school.  We both agree that time is something that we shouldn't waste...

Mack :)

It's hard to believe it's time to say good-bye to July and hello to August.  Before you know it, kids will be heading back to school!

The first weekend of August is looking good.  There is a slim chance of a leftover shower/storm early Saturday morning.  Otherwise, we are expecting partly cloudy skies with highs near 80F on Saturday, and Sunday is shaping up to be mostly sunny with a high around 85F.  We need to savor every moment because it will be Fall in a flash. 

By the way, a TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE will take place Friday, August 1.  It will not be visible in the U.S. so if you're interested in viewing it...log onto this website... http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEmono/TSE2008/TSE2008.h
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Have a great one...

Mack :)

Well, it's been more than a month since we officially reached the 90F mark (June 9 ... 93F). We are in the midst of a some hazy, hot and humid weather.  We reached 88F on Wednesday, 89F Thursday and we are heading for the low 90s Friday.   If you are hoping that temps drop sometime soon, the 8-day confirms a slow drop thru the 80s starting Saturday.  By Wedensday, we are expecting highs in the upper 70s. 

A few FOX 8 tips to keep yourself safe during these hot summer days:

Keep hydrated, Wear light colored clothing,  Remember the sunscreen,  Check on the elderly and the animals, etc..

Enjoy your weekend!

Mack :)

There's personal success and then there's couple/group success through teamwork...working together towards a common goal.  No matter how you look at it....success takes selflessness, time, patience, and passion for what you are trying to attain.  So, why did I bring this up?  Well, there are a couple of reasons, but I am going to focus on one specific scenario that involved Dick Goddard and myself this past Tuesday.  We knew severe weather was possible (which we all know came to fruition).  I did have to work the morning show and the noon show, but when severe storms began to proliferate, I was out the door and right back in the weather center to assist Dick during a very hectic evening.  I know many of you have emailed  &/or chatted with me asking how I am feeling.  Of course, I am very tired after pulling a long shift.  However, the payoff is success here at FOX 8, and it all starts with selflessness.  It's about pitching in to help others instead of always thinking just about yourself or how it will affect you. 

Another excellent example is being married or in a committed love relationship. Nobody is perfect, but it's our responsibility to forgive our loved one for his/her trespasses,  support them when they are down, offer our compassion, and unconditionally love that person to create and maintain a healthy relationship.  Undoubtedly, the relationship will fail if one falls short of his/her responsibility.  You both must be givers when necessary.  A one-sided relationship usually has a painful outcome.

I hope this gives you a chance to reflect upon your past doings, think of your present state of mind and prepare for your future.  Life is truly complete when you love your own heart and soul...so that you are able to radiate that love unto others.  REMEMBER, YOU MUST LOVE YOURSELF FIRST BEFORE YOU CAN TRULY LOVE SOMEONE ELSE.

How have you helped a co-worker lately?  Are you the person always giving/taking?  Have you told your loved one how much you love them today?

Never take anything for granted...it just may slip away.

Mack :)

Hello everyone!  I'm not sure if you caught our Family 411 segment about diabetes on Thursday morning, but it hit right at home for me.  This is a lifelong disease that's made a major impact on my life.  How? My brother was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the tender age of 2 (I was just about 6 months old).  Hence, I was raised almost like I was a diabetic myself. My family always ate meals at certain times.  Of course, we had a limited amount of sugary foods.  By the way, it's so nice to see the proliferation of sugar-free foods that are now stocked on store shelves.   

With that said, living with diabetes isn't as easy as it sounds...checking blood sugar levels, injecting insulin, etc..  There's a lot more to it than meets the eye.  A diabetic has a higher risk of health issues later in life (i.e. vision, kidney, heart, feet, etc.).  I can tell you from first-hand experience that insulin shock/reaction/diabetic coma (a result of low blood sugar) is one of the scariest things I have very experienced.   I recall one specific experience when I was home alone with my brother who was 18 at the time. I walked into the house just as he was in the midst of an insulin reaction.  He was convulsing and his eyes were rolled back.  It's not that I hadn't seen this before...it's that I was alone for the first time. I was put to the test.  I dialed 9-1-1 immediately while preparing the insulin glucagon kit which is basically a big dose of sugar to raise his blood sugar level and pull him out of the reaction. I did it!!!...while shaking uncontrollably.  I saved his life!  I felt like a superhero! 

It's so sad to say I lost my brother a little more than 5 years ago on March 25, 2003.  His daughter (my niece), Lola, is the apple of my eye...the light of my life which is why you'll hear me talk about her from time to time.  She was born just 6 months after we lost my brother, Louis.  She'll never get the chance to meet and witness what a wonderful daddy she has. That is my true job now...to show and remind her all about her daddy...to talk about him as if he was still here with us...to keep his memory alive.  It's been a tough journey...but I learned one very important lesson...Appreciate what you have been blessed with every second of every day because no matter how young or old your loved one is, it's never a good time to lose someone you love...to say good-bye.

Sending my love to all of those I truly care about!

Mack :)

(photo compliments of:  www.freedigitalphotos.net)

It's hard to believe the 4th of July is here!  On the bright side, summer just 'officially' started.  We still have more than 2 months of the summer season remaining.  On a dimmer note, many of us consider this summer's mid-point since a lot of kids go back to school next month (or by early September).  That's all the more reason to get out and enjoy all of the 4th of July festivities!

What a challenge it's been...the forecast that is!  Our heads have been spinning in the wx department trying to figure out just how far south this stubborn cold front will move before stalling out.  Right now, it appears the front will push far enough south that most of us will deal with partly sunny skies (w/ just a slight chance of a shower/storm in our southern viewing area).  Saturday is shaping up to be dry, but Sunday will bring us a slim chance of a shower/storm. 

Either way, GOD BLESS AMERICA!   For the Love of Freedom...here in the Land of the Free...

Mack :)

Take a glimpse...(if you get some breaks in the clouds)...of tonight's full moon ('Full Strawberry Moon' and/or Solstice Moon).  The moon is going to look extra large as it rises around 9:33pm.  Why?  Well, this week's high solstice sun provides us with a 'low, horizon-hugging moon and a strong moon illusion.' (www.labspaces.net)  High and low moons make the same sized spot, yet one appears bigger to us...the low moon.

The Full Strawberry Moon...the name was used by every Algonquin tribe.  In Europe, they called it the Rose Moon.  Plus, it's strawberry season!

Send us some pics!

Have a good one...

Mack :)