Column: Guest Column, by Heather Rule

Greetings, readers. I am a new sports reporter here at the Tribune, and I’ve been asked to share a bit about myself, so here you go.

I’m originally from Andover, a northwest suburb of the Twin Cities. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of St. Thomas, where I worked for the newspaper as a reporter and sports editor. Why journalism? I usually say because I don’t know what else I’d do. Writing has always been my thing.

Family is very important to me. My parents have always been my biggest supporters, and I have a nice relationship with my younger brother Kyle. I’m extremely grateful for all of their love and support.

I moved to Austin about two years ago for a job as a news reporter with the Austin Post-Bulletin. It was a chance for me to cover a wide variety of topics, develop good working relationships with sources and feel the adrenaline rush of a good piece of breaking news.

When people learn of my interest in sports journalism, I often get asked if I played a lot of sports in high school. Umm, not exactly. I was on the tennis team and also on a bowling league for a couple years, but I’ve never considered myself an athlete. I’m much more of a spectator.

The sport I’ve watched for the longest time is IndyCar racing. It’s something I picked up from my dad, and we’ve taken many trips over the years to go see races in person. We attended the greatest spectacle in racing, the Indianapolis 500, in 2009 and 2011.

The sports bug really bit me when I was in middle school. I started following the Minnesota Twins religiously during their 2000 season, then I picked up hockey when the Minnesota Wild had its inaugural season later that year.

I am still living in Austin, which I enjoy. I’m a member of a Lutheran church in town and sing with the choir. You might also find me out playing bingo with some friends. Then there’s attending the Austin Bruins hockey games. I’ve become a big fan of watching them since I’ve been in town, especially this year with no NHL to watch during the lockout.

In my spare time, I really enjoy candlelight dinners and long walks on the beach … just kidding. Although I do like to walk. And I like beaches. I also love to curl up on the couch with a blanket and read a good murder mystery or watch television. “Friends” is one of my all-time favorite shows, and I’m not ashamed to say I have the entire collection on DVD. My other favorites include “ER,” “Full House,” and “Parenthood,” just to name a few.

I love to Tweet and blog. Twitter is great for news, sports and connecting with lots of people who you wouldn’t otherwise connect with. #Twitterisawesome I started my sports blog, Thoughts from the Stands, in 2009 to keep up my sports writing. I’ve written about a variety of sports and teams, from the Indy 500 to the Minnesota Twins to the Austin Bruins to grand slam tennis tournaments like Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

Some random tidbits about me: I grew up on Heather Street; pasta and pizza are my go-to meals; I play the piano; I’m a fan of music from Shinedown, Jim Brickman and the Carpenters. I also prefer apple juice to orange juice, and I do not drink the milk from my empty cereal bowl.

There you have it. If you see me out and about at games, come say hi.

Heather Rule is a sports reporter for the Albert Lea Tribune. She started Jan. 2.