Abby's blog: http://www.myspace.com/chicagostrafficprincess                                           Funny Ironies by Dear Abby In College, my mother and I had a home delivery route for the Chicago Tribune.  We drove around Thornton & South Holland in the wee hours of the morning.  We would listen to AM 780 WBBM to keep us company, and awake during our shift.  Traffic and weather on the 8's and the overnight news in between...  My 1st assignment at Shadow Traffic was the weekend overnight gig on WBBM.  As I hit a wall around 3am each morning, I often wondered what other 3rd shifters were doing and what their jobs entailed.  In 8th grade my favorite radio station was 106.7 FM.  They played Christian music & I loved it.  Then it changed to all talk, so I stopped listening.  Years later it was turned into another Christian music station.  You may have heard of it, it was called "The Fish"...  It's funny how I ended up working on some of the stations I used to listen to!

How it all began... If we start from the beginning, Abby Ryan's career began at Thornridge High School in the South Suburbs. "My mom wanted me to take fun classes in high school, so I took Woodshop I & II; Industrial Arts and Radio & TV I & II. After changing my major 4 times in college I finally graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Electronic Media from the Moody Bible Institue."   Abby spent her intership days at Shadow Traffic in the summer of 95' and swore She'd "NEVER do that again!"  She also said she'd never be a news reporter or work for Moody.  "It's not that I didn't like Moody, I just wanted to get my own job.  I didn't want to get the job just because I was a Moody Grad."  Never say never! Her 1st job was at Moody, a week later she became a news reporter, and we all know she's now a traffic reporter! Abby's 1st official radio gig began at AM 1110 WMBI with their after school program, Just For Kids.  She started working there in the Winter of 96'.  Two weeks later she got a call from AM 1230 WJOB in Hammond, Indiana, they had an opening for a news reporter.  It didn't take long before she was juggling her kids show and her news reporting duties.  Then two stations turned into five, when those stations needed help on their "sister stations".  Abby was there to do it all.  She couldn't get enough. "It made my life interesting; each day I was doing something different, and it was a challenge."    All of these assignments ended up being the perfect training for a traffic reporter.  So, from the start, Abby has been on five stations each day, if not more! Abby will be the 1st to tell you "One of my favorite quotes is 'If you want God to laugh, make plans'.  Well, God has been laughing at me my ENTIRE career!!!!  (smile)  The funny thing is I have enjoyed each of these crazy jobs, and now I have a nice, fat, well-rounded resume. Proverbs 16:9  says it all, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

Oompa Loompa October 2005

Little Abby Ryan

You can find some of Abby Ryan's Handmade Jewelry at: Mission Optical 18646 Dixie Highway Homewood, IL 60430 (708) 226-9518 ***While you're at it get your eyes checked by Dr. Cassidy!