Sex and The City: Biz Style

Picture this...
Thursday, February 21, 2008 - 1:30pm - I'm at work finishing up some things and thinking about how badly I want to leave early. It's sunny out and there's hardly anyone in the office ... and I'm feeling down this week, can't I just check out of life for a few days? Plus it was my best friend, Kristen's, birthday and I was set to cook her dinner! :)

The phone rings and it's Blue Browning from The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet based in NYC. Blue, I can tell immediately, is from the South. He tells me that they're planning a segment on this new podcast "The Midwest Teen Sex Show" and is looking for the "other voice" for the piece. He explains that his research led him to a Boston Globe article from years ago about Healthy Futures. The article featured one of the 28-yr-old educators who was living an abstinent lifestyle. After working most of the afternoon to track down our superstar educator, to no avail, it become clear that I would need to be prepared to go.

I spent time talking to the producers, my boss, and the communications director from the NAEA (National Abstinence Education Asso.) - all of whom were full of great information. Taking frantic notes to fill-in our educator who I was hoping and hoping would turn up to go, I found myself with pages of information and a little bug of panic in the pit of my stomach.

At the end of the day we all know the basics of what happened ... I ended up going to the show.
I flew down on Thur night because the show aired LIVE on Friday at 9am EST. Did I mention it was LIVE with a studio audience?!?

I arrived at LaGuardia around 9:30pm and there near baggage claim was my driver -- and YES he was holding a little sign with my name on it!!! never in my life. He dropped me off at Hotel Mela - can I just say SWA-NKY!! Amazing hotel right in Times Square - so cool. It was one of the smallest hotel rooms I've ever seen, but it was beautiful! (I've got pictures to post later!)

After calling my sister and discussing what, if anything, I should snag from the minibar snack basket, I got ready for bed. It was, I'll say, a decent night's sleep although I've had better ... and worse. Anyway, not the point...

I woke up at 5:40am to two alarms (I have a nearly flawless internal alarm clock, but I wasn't taking any chances!). After showering, ironing my clothes and pacing around the four feet of space in which to move I found myself sitting on the bed with my Bible in my hands. (I had actually thought, "Do I have time to pray and read right now?" - fool!)

Here are the scriptures that came together for me this morning (I had wrote them out in my notebook so I could re-read them without anyone seeing me "reading the bible" hehe):

"The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" -Ps. 27:1

"Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of Justice; blessed are all who wait for him." -Is. 30:18

"Wait for the LORD, be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" -Ps. 27:14

"In quietness and in trust shall be your strength." -Is. 30:15c

These four verses popped off the pages of my Bible this morning and at first I thought, "Wait on the Lord. Okay. What does that mean?!" Then it seemed to come together ... I was hearing my boss, Rebecca, in my head saying "stay calm, don't talk too fast, don't get worked up." My strength is in quietness and trust - not in anxiousness and being loud an pushy. I needed to trust that God would speak for me and that I would not be left to fend for myself this morning.

I had many thoughts about being alone on this trip - how nice it would have been to have a buddy to pump me up and help me cram, but it was meant for just me and Jesus. I was meant to walk through this experience with Him and know that He was there. I can't begin to express in words how faithful God was today!!!

I felt a very real tangible peace that could not be explained any other way than God himself instilling it in me. I went to the studio (the first to arrive, of course - I am my Mother's daughter :)).

The took me into makeup first. Oh how fun this was!! It was so relaxing and for those who know me well - I looooooove makeup. The makeup artist was from Austin, Texas so we hit it off right away... and I just was feeling really good. Inexplicably good. :) Then the hair lady told me my hair was fabulous (who doesn't like to hear that from the Hair Lady?!) so she added a little hairspray and off I went into seclusion.

The set me up in a back makeup room alone. There were about a dozen people supporting the MTSS and then there was me. Was I just on tv as a sexspert?!
I had a momentary break in my peace when I realized that the teens there were also on that side and I couldn't be around them because, "they're impressionable and we want them to feel comfortable sharing their views on air." You better believe the people from the podcast sex show got to chat it up with them, though. tisk tisk. It as insulting - I couldn't have even a moment to try and encourage and build up some of these teens. I sat back and called my boss. In all honesty I was on the brink of tears and I knew I couldn't break. I wanted to call my Mom. She would have snapped me out of it and egged me on... but, alas, I couldn't call her.

Rebecca, my boss, was exactly who I needed. She prayed for me over the phone (even though she was in the middle of something and half distracted) and it was the EXACT perfect prayer I needed. I immediately felt the sense of peace return to me ... it was actually a physical sensation. Thank you, Jesus!!!

The peace I felt was so crazy that the producers, I think, were even unnerved by it! They kept coming in and asking how I was doing and when my reply was, "Actually, I'm feeling really good. I feel surprisingly calm." They would look all flustered and say, "Let's practice some of the questions." They wanted to get me worked up and it was almost as if I had taken some kind of muscle relaxer ... chill chick, that was me. ha!

SHOWTIME!

They set me up with a mic and of course forgetting about it I run to the bathroom and nearly plop in the toilet right before we go on-air! I kept thinking, "Oh, you dope! Now it may not work and you won't be able to hear a word you say!" I had it checked just in case. :)

We head out there and the studio audience, much to my delight, is much smaller than I had anticipated. I spotted a middle-aged woman who looked very "mom-like" on the second row and focused on her. I don't know her and she could be helping to fund this podcast, but for me today she was a Mom... someone on my side who could help me remember that those are the people I'm speaking to.

The hosts were fabulous! Before the show people were mulling about and I met them both. The little sequester room I was in was actually a dressing room for Juliet, so I kept having to wait in the hall while she changed - yeah, it was a little awkward. Heraldo Rivera was there and I saw him walk by - LOTS OF MAKEUP. hahahaha He seemed nice, though, and I enjoyed his segment, too.

Alright, so they set us up in our seats - I was second in line! AH! The producers and assistants are all sitting/standing around the camera men within eye shot. I was ready to go. Let's do it! Let's have this conversation - no big deal - cameramen - viewers at home (most of which were watching at my request) - audience ... let's roll!

The show begins and immediately I'm waiting for my chance to jump in. During the prep they kept pushing me that I should jump in or I wouldn't get a chance to speak, so I needed to be aggressive without anyone realizing I was being aggressive... or something.
I had no idea what was happening or what I was saying most of the time. I remember jumping in and thought I had cut off a number of people, but every time I felt like doing that I would hesitate and then all the producers would jump up and down waving their arms at me to DO IT!!! ... so I did. ah!!! IT WAS CRAZY!!!

The segment ended and the assistant ushered off-stage and came directly to me with purpose and mouthed "you f'ing kicked ass!" HAHA! Wow. It was such a strong reaction and so immediate and she looked like she didn't want anyone to see her saying it, so it felt really genuine. We got to the greenroom and the lead producer approached me and asked me if I'm conservative. Uhhh, loaded question..
I told her on the scale I'm middle of the road leaning on the conservative side, probably. Certainly next to a very liberal person I look conservative, but I don't really align myself with the extreme of either side. I feel passionate about many things that cross party-lines. I digress!

So, she asks me if she can call on me to do other shows. She explains that they're missing that more conservative voice on many subjects and that she'd love to just call me up and discuss various topics and see if I would be a good fit for another episode. WHAT?!?! Yes. She asked me if I could do the show again!!! AH! It was so insane and funny and cool! Of course I said yes. :) Bu later commented that I wasn't sure what in the world they'd want me talking about other than hair, nail and skincare! ... or reality tv which I know a shameful amount about.

Alright, so that about wraps it up. It was a wild 24 hours. I can't believe I did that. I got home, watched it on dvr with the roomies and found myself with a million more things to say, so I hope the most important ones were said on-air. Thanks for the prayers - I know that your covering is why I was so calm and I am SO incredibly thankful to God for his faithfulness today and always!

I got a voicemail from my nephew, Jake, tonight that said, "Hi Biz. I love you! I like what you did on tv. I didn't really understand what they were talking about but you did really good!" :)

Isn't life just funny sometimes?



Check out a segment from the show!