Stay tuned: Sashem Brey

Sashem Brey <br> • Position: Morning anchor. <br> • Station: WTVG-TV, Channel 13. <br> • Age: 29. <br> • Hometown: Dayton. <br> • College: Ohio State University. <br> • Family: Mom, Dad, not-so-kid sister, and fiance, Todd.

You have heard their voices on radio and seen their faces on TV. Now The Blade goes behind the scenes to introduce you to your favorite media personalities. Stay Tuned appears the third Monday of every month.

First job: Professional ice cream scooper at Baskin Robbins. There really is an art to symmetrical sundaes - plus, all that scooping gave me great biceps. Of course, they were only on my right arm.

First salary: Around $20,000. It wasn't much but those first years in news were some of the sweetest. Great friends who happened to be co-workers, an exciting job (where I couldn't believe they paid me to talk!), and most of all, a news director who introduced me to a tough profession with humor and encouragement.

My idol is: In news: CNN's Robin Meade. The first time I saw her on-air, I saw an established model of the delivery-style I loved. People like to see you laugh - especially if it's at yourself! In life: my parents my lighthouse.

Most embarrassing television moment: Three-way tie. 1) Doing a quick run-through of a breaking news live shot (complete with silly voices) - then learning I was on-air the whole time. 2) Ugly-yawning during what I thought was a commercial break but was not. 3) Mispronouncing the last name of a state representative - transforming it into a word one doesn't want to say on television.

Highlight of my career: A few years ago, I did a story on an elderly woman who died unexpectedly. Speaking with her loving family - I found myself moved by the quiet, proud life she lived. After the story aired, I received an e-mail from the woman's daughter about the comfort the whole experience brought the family. That e-mail now hangs on my fridge where I can see it every morning - keeping me humble and thankful for this job.

My favorite thing to do outside of work: On this schedule, it's got to be sleeping! But during my waking hours, I love people-watching with my fianc, Todd. I've never enjoyed doing nothing so much!

I think Toledo's best-kept secret is: That you don't need to live in a huge city to have access to everything you need! Whether it's shops, parks, restaurants, or just a quiet library - Toledo has everything I need to live a happy life. And the icing on that cake: The people in this city surprise me with their warmth and friendliness every time I'm out and about. I hope they know how much it means to me.

People may be surprised to know that I: Seem to have an infinite number of memory megabytes when it comes to pop culture factoids. Like the fact that Sheryl Crow used to be a backup singer for Michael Jackson. Or that Lisa Kudrow was originally cast in the role of "Roz" on Frasier. Or that John Ritter's character on the original pilot of Three's Company (my favorite!) was named David Bell instead of Jack Tripper.

In five years, I see myself: After a few career twists and turns, I realized that unexpected opportunities bring some sweet rewards. I try not to plan now and just enjoy the ride.

My dream job is: One that allows me to live both my personal and professional lives to the fullest.