The decision is almost here, my friends! In ten days we’ll find out who the next CW 23 star is!

It’s been an exciting couple of months for me. The first tryout was just a few days after my 21st birthday. I was so excited to begin the process that is now winding down so quickly in front of my eyes.

There is a mix of excitement, anticipation and nerves every time I get in front of a camera, but the mix of emotions creates the most incredible adrenaline rush. Some people participate in extreme sports or video games to get their thrills. For me, I just need a microphone and a camera to feel alive.

I’ve been waiting since I was in the 8th grade to have an opportunity like this. After three and a half years of college and three internships, I couldn’t be more ready to get my career started. My dream is to be a successful entertainment television reporter and there is no better way to begin that journey than becoming the CW 23 star.

Last year I was diagnosed with a thyroid tumor and was afraid my life would never be what I had always dreamed it would. Because of hard work, determination, a positive mindset and the best doctors, friends and family a person could have, I was able to overcome the tough times. Now, almost a full year later I am a healthy, determined 4.0 college student graduating next month and a finalist in the race to get the job of my dreams.

My love for Buffalo and Western New York runs deep. I was born and raised in Orchard Park and everything I know and love is here in this community. I’ve had overwhelming support from friends, family, teachers and employers through this journey and the rest of my journalistic endeavors. I’m incredibly blessed to have a great education and a wonderful group of people surrounding me that are always willing to help me and push me to be the best I can be.

I’m truly honored to have made it this far. I was up against some very stiff competition and I’m proud to be in the company of such talented people in the final 5.

I can’t wait to be on Winging It! Buffalo Style on Monday morning. It will be great to have some time on a show that I, hopefully, some day soon will be a part of.

I can’t believe the announcement is next weekend already! My family and friends will be at the McKinley Mall on Saturday the 19th for the filming of the decision so they can cheer me on and celebrate with me if I get the job!

Until next time, I’m Kaitlin Riznyk, hoping to be your next CW 23 star!

I’m a finalist in the CW23 Search for the Next CW Star.  I’ll be appearing on Winging It! Buffalo Style next week.

I’m a finalist in the CW23 Search for the Next CW Star.  I’ll be appearing on Winging It! Buffalo Style next week.

It is almost Halloween and I find myself still asking, what do I wear?

Shall I be a princess, a superhero, a pop culture reference?

As far as Halloween is concerned, I am very picky, but there are so many great options out there, I have a lot to choose from.

This year, I will have not one, not two,  not even three, but SIX costumes. Every day leading up to Halloween on Winging It, I will wear a new costume. There is a ton of variety, and DC Theatricks made sure I was outfitted completely. Trust me, these get-ups are insane! I am also inviting you, the viewers, to vote on the costumes on our facebook page. Whichever of the five looks gets the most “likes,” I’ll wear on the show on Monday the 31st.

Now you may be saying “Allie, you only mentioned five costumes, I thought you claimed to have six this year?” Astute observation, I do indeed have six. I have one costume that I created myself that I plan on wearing out and about Halloween weekend. Want to know what it is? We’ll you will just have to wait and see, but I promise, its a real winner!

Send in some pictures of your Halloween costumes. We here at CW23 would love to see them!

‘Til next time, with some seasonal spirit,

-Allie

The Oscars are my Superbowl. Keeping with this analogy, that would make the Golden Globes my Division Championship, and the SAG awards a college football bowl game.

The nominees for the Golden Globes have been announced, and so begins my movie watching frenzy!

Every year I try to watch every film nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, plus any that may have had an Oscar contending actor’s performance that was not nominated for Best Picture. This usually brings my total of films to be watched to somewhere in the 10-15 range. The Golden Globes are usually a good indicator of which films and actors will be nominated for Oscars, so I find I can usually get a decent head start on my Oscar films by watching as many Golden Globe nominated films as I can.

This year’s task is proving to be easier than most years. Unlike the Oscars, Golden Globe Best Picture nominations are divided into two categories: Comedy/Musical and Drama. While this does make for more nominated films, there is also a greater chance I have seen one of the nominated films already, which is luckily the case this year!

For Drama the nominees are:

Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The King’s Speech and The Social Network.

Of those I have already seen Inception and have plans to see both Black Swan and The Fighter this coming weekend. The King’s Speech I may drag my heels on a bit, but since both Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush were nominated in acting categories, I will head down the the Amherst Theatre sometime in the near future. The Social Network will be released on DVD January 11th, just in time for the Golden Globes broadcast on the 16th.

For the Comedy/Musical category the nominees are:

Alice in Wonderland, Burlesque, Red, The Kids are Alright and The Tourist.

I have seen Alice in Wonderland and The Kids are Alright. I have wanted to see Red for some time now, so hopefully I will get around to it soon. I am somewhat sorry to say I will not be watching either Burlesque or The Tourist. A nomination does not necessarily mean a movie is good, and I really can’t see the point in wasting valuable viewing time on these two non-contenders.

Actors nominated for films that have not earned a nomination, thus more films I strive to watch, include:

James Franco in 127 Hours, Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine, Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine, Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole,  Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone, Jake Gyllenhaal in Love and Other Drugs, Anne Hathaway in Love and Other Drugs, and Emma Stone in Easy A.

Of these I have seen 127 Hours (It is WONDERFUL). Winter’s Bone is #1 on the Netflix queue and I am sure Easy A can be added.  Love and Other Drugs will make a lovely Saturday matinee and I’ll be first in line when Rabbit Hole and Blue Valentine are released.

With all of these planned viewings, I am sure I will be well on my way to complete Oscar knowledge for 2011. Awards season is one of the most exciting times of my year and you can bet I’ll be watching all one million hours of each and every ceremony!

For a list of all Golden Globe nominees go to http://www.moviefone.com/golden-globes/nominee-winner.

‘Til next time, with a much greater 2010 film knowledge base,

-Allie

Green. That is still the color of the ground in Buffalo, NY. A mere 5 miles south of my house, and the station, there are driving bans and feet upon feet of snow. While I know it has been a long and tortuous few days for the residents of the Southtowns, I am jealous. I’d gladly trudge out into the rapidly falling snow to dig out my car and mailbox! Fighting the snow is part of being Buffalonian, and I feel I am being denied a basic right of residency.

My only solution to curb my jealousy is to offer help shoveling and salting in exchange for some soup and hot chocolate. I’m very experienced with all types of snow shovels, though I would consider myself more of a novice with a snowblower (I can’t really make straight lines). Also, if you aren’t sure what to do with the massive quantities of snow now junking up your front lawn, I am an excellent snowman builder and would be happy to assist you in creating a snow-people community.

Any takers?

‘Til next time, hopefully with some snow of my own,

-Allie

Today, November 22nd, it is fifty-nine degrees.

I love warm weather. This past summer was ideal with consistent temperatures above 80 degrees. I was in heaven. Even now I’m am researching inexpensive last-minute beach vacations with the hope of squeezing in some end of the year sunshine.

I am, however, surprising myself with how much I am really craving some snow. The mild days and nights have been lovely, and it’s been great not having to bring up winter boxes from the basement or change my windshield wipers, but gosh darn it, I’d like to make a snow angel!

I have been skiing and snowboarding for many years, and I love coming home exhausted on Sunday evenings from a full day of snowsporting. Sledding is another favorite activity of mine, and the hills of Chestnut Ridge have been calling my name. Add to it snowball fights, snow-fort building and cross-country skiing, I am feeling a desire for snowfall like never before!

It has been since March of this year that we have seen a flake fall from the sky, and while I’m not exactly disappointed, I think we are all ready for some old fashioned lake effect! So lets all band together, cross our fingers and hope that December might bring us some notorious Buffalo snow!

‘Til next time, with dreams of toboggans,

-Allie