How I Got to 92.9 The Lake’s Gary and Susan in the Mornings

Being the oldest girl in a home with six kids, I naturally became a caretaker, embracing a sense of responsibility while maintaining a rather unique sense of humor.  It was easy for me to carry these attributes into puberty and adulthood (as if we ever really attain that).  Throughout high school, college and every job I’ve ever had, being a 'responsible goofball' has been my agenda.  Being addicted to radio since I was little girl has made it easy for me to sell radio commercials, become a sales manager of a couple of stations and ultimately the general manager of those stations.  Also having been a talk show host, it’s an easy transition and an honor to become the co-host of my favorite morning show with Gary Shannon.

DAD WAS RIGHT

A few years ago, my dad told me I could have been anything I wanted to be -- this was an epiphany to me since I never had one ounce of common sense. Graduating with honors and loving every minute of school (I would have made a great perpetual student) seemed okay, but I never thought of anything but being a great mom and working with young people, whether at church or school. And always living in a fishbowl was fun for me.  I figured if you weren’t doing anything too crazy, no problem.

And then one day, we moved our sweet family to a strange place full of swamps and alligators -- Southwest Louisiana.  I had no idea how much this wonderful, smaller-than-I-thought-I’d-like, place would impact my life.  Falling in love with my neighbors, my community and my surroundings changed everything.

Learning how to better care for my family, learning how to cook, (thought I had that down already), learning how to be more involved in my community, and most importantly, learning to be independent, were all unexpected gifts.

After opening my own business, a lifelong dream, and getting to help local and statewide businesses grow, I thought I had it all. Followed by the opportunity to manage a couple of local radio stations and becoming a talk show hostess, well, I couldn’t think of anything better to do.  So when Gary Shannon invited me to “help him out” on his morning show I jumped faster than a cockroach running for cover when you turn on the kitchen light. So it’s back to a different kind of fish bowl. But I figure if you know how to swim, it doesn’t matter how deep the water is -- or isn’t.