http://statenews.com !http://www.statenews.com/media/00/00/02/70/27057_MUG_theaneal_BW.jpg! Former State News reporter Thea Neal shares her experiences taking on new challenges — Trying it first so you don't have to. en-us Gryphon 2.2.3b-tsn (woodward)/Foundry5 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:24:40 -0400 webmaster@statenews.com http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/04/my_first_time_as_a_model I’m short. No, like really short. I’m 5-foot-1, just like I’ve been since seventh grade. So when my friend Lauren Drapes asked me to model in the Student Apparel Design Association “Lights, Camera, Fashion” show, I was a bit worried. Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:24:40 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/04/my_first_time_as_a_model http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/03/my_first_time_in_a_parade Bay City, Mich. — Up here in Bay City, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade is no joke. More than 60,000 people flood the city to watch the more than 130 entries waddle down Center Avenue, Bay City’s most historic and charming street. When I first found out I would be reporting on the parade, I immediately decided to take on a mission: I was going to be on a float. Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:07:20 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/03/my_first_time_in_a_parade http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/02/my_first_guitar Bay City, Mich. – When I decided to give up shopping for Lent, I realized I needed another hobby to occupy my time. So after canceling out the usual collegetime consumers, I decided that musical talent needed to be my central topic of improvement. Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:33:15 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/02/my_first_guitar http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/02/my_first_pro_tennis_tournament Midland, Mich. — OK, first of all, why isn’t tennis more popular? I feel as if tennis is one of those die-hard sports that is extremely huge to those who love it, but is virtually unknown to those who don’t. Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:21:29 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/02/my_first_pro_tennis_tournament http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/01/my_first_cage_fight Bay City, Mich. — The cage fight crowd isn’t quite what I imagined. You have your typical “good ol’ boys,” clad in plaid and Bud Light in hand, taking frequent smoke breaks outside. Then you have your “cage girls,” who walk around with their boobs hanging out and wearing Lucite stripper heels, trying to hit on the cage fighters who have more testosterone than Sylvester Stallone. But there are also a few “normal” people at the event — screaming at the top of their lungs, waiting for the next fighter to make his opponent bleed. Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:54:23 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/01/my_first_cage_fight http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/01/my_first_outdoors_assignment If you don’t yet know, I’m not currently working at The State News. I come from you as the one and only editorial intern at The Bay City Times, where I’m experiencing the finest that northeastern Michigan has to offer. (Note: I, too, find it weird that Bay City, Mich. is considered “Northeast Michigan,” but apparently that’s the region it responds to. Strange, but true.) Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:38:25 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/01/my_first_outdoors_assignment http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/01/my_first_toronto_new_years_eve At noon on New Year’s Eve, I decided I wanted to spend the night in Toronto. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:17:36 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/01/my_first_toronto_new_years_eve http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/01/my_first_trans-siberian_orchestra_concert I didn’t want to go. For my stepmom’s birthday, my dad scooped up some tickets via Craigslist to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert in December at The Palace of Auburn Hills. To my dismay, he had four tickets, meaning I’d have to tag along with my little sister and my parents. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:35:08 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2009/01/my_first_trans-siberian_orchestra_concert http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2008/11/my_first_case_of_word_vomit In the past forever since I’ve updated last, I’ve experienced a few firsts. I cooked Mexican for 11 people (no food poisoning for anyone), I visited the Alumni Chapel, I managed to have a monstrous case of intoxicated word vomit (I’ll explain), and, oh yeah, I voted in my first presidential election. Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:39:18 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2008/11/my_first_case_of_word_vomit http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2008/10/my_first_girl_crush I have a girl crush. Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:00:29 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/blog/first_time_for_everything/2008/10/my_first_girl_crush