26

Getting a "real job," and especially, an on-camera job, means that I have to start looking professional. Some of you may have seen me pre-"real job" with extra hair on my head and face.



Nowadays I have to keep the hair trimmed and shave my face everyday. Sure it looks nice, but I hate it.


Also, I'm used to dressing in TShirts, shorts, sandals, and glasses. On camera and in the newsroom, it's dress shirts and ties, and tidy hair.

I've been told by several people that dressing this way makes me look older. Last week I was at a live remote shot running through my lines when I woman came up behind me and asked: "Excuse me, my friend and I were wondering (motions behind her to her friend) how many years you have been out of college." I smiled and asked her what their two guesses were. She said she thought one year and her friend thought five years. I told them I had graduated only a handful of months ago in May. She said she guessed one year because I was reading my lines and practicing furiously.

On Thursday I stopped to get coffee as a jot of energy before editing my story quick-style and I was talking with the girls who were making my drink. Turns out one of them is actually from Pittsburg, CA, but that's a different story. I told them I was new in town and that this was my first job out of college. They were surprised and asked how old I was. I told them to guess my age. They guessed 26.

I talked to a few co-workers about the difference between what I looked like and what age I actually am. They said they could see how people would guess 26 as my age.

Interesting.

Maybe it makes sense. I've already started getting grey hairs, but they're short ones since I've got to keep my hair trimmed.