The small-town paper I where I used to work is in a bit of trouble; it has no editor.
It was about a month ago when I discovered this interesting gossip on a website I check for journalism job postings. Just this morning, though, I got an email from the journalism school telling me about the job, which means the publisher wrote to the school asking for the posting to be distributed. I was pretty sure the job was mine if I wanted it, but I wasn’t expecting the paper to try to recruit me or one of my classmates.
If you’ll recall, last year I had an interesting conversation with the editor and the publisher. They called my writing “childish” and “immature,” adding that I should try to use bigger words and more complicated sentences. As that is the opposite of journalism, I disagreed. Standing in the publisher’s office, shaking a little, I told her that my loyalties were to our readers and to making the news simple and comprehensible – and I told her it was an issue for which I would sacrifice the job. She backed down, but I left the paper shortly afterwards because I couldn’t stay knowing the bosses didn’t understand or value my work.
Naturally, I looked up the online version of the paper to see the last editorial from my former boss… and the way he was writing was remarkably similar to the style I developed for my column. And I saw an article the other reporter I worked with had written, which looked like an attempt to bring my column back. As I looked through the online content, I noticed a more casual, friendly tone – exactly what I had been working to develop while I was there.
I find it very flattering that they are looking for someone like me to run the paper. Even after so long, I’m glad to see evidence that they believe in me and what I was trying to do.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Hard to digest
My little sister will be going into Grade 5 this year, which is hard to believe because she’s growing so fast. Last time I saw her, she made a sarcastic comment about my shoes – and everyone knows using sarcasm is a right of passage from childhood to early adolescence.
Another thing that’s hard to believe is that when she goes back to school, her new teacher will be the kid who had a crush on me from the time I was into heat-activated colour-change sweatshirts, the Sweet Valley Twins and penny candy to the time I was all about shopping and not eating and spending hours on the phone.
One time this kid, whom my little sister refers to as a Mister, thought my new grape-flavoured tube of lip gloss smelled good and asked if he could see it. I passed it to him and watched in a mixture of confusion, amusement and revulsion as he put some on, licked it, liked how it tasted, rolled the stick of gloss up as high as it would go and ate it. All of it.
Another time Mr. Teacher and I got into fight because I heard a rumour that he had said something mean about me. The fight took place right after I had filled a bowl with ice cream and messy delicious syrups and may have resulted in me chasing him all over our church and the parking lot, trying to throw my snack on him. (Incidentally, my little sister told me there was a fundraiser at school where if the kids made enough money, someone could throw a pie at him.)
Despite our arguments, he and I grew to be friends and I got used to him liking me. When he stopped liking me or as he said “put me on the back burner” and began telling me about this other girl he was interested in, I was lost. We stayed friends until high school ended, but mostly lost touch after that.
Now my little sister, who is excited to be his student, tells me he is engaged. I guess this means he’s learned there are better ways to impress girls besides eating their cosmetics ;)
All the best with your new adult life, Mr. Teacher, and congratulations on your engagement.
Another thing that’s hard to believe is that when she goes back to school, her new teacher will be the kid who had a crush on me from the time I was into heat-activated colour-change sweatshirts, the Sweet Valley Twins and penny candy to the time I was all about shopping and not eating and spending hours on the phone.
One time this kid, whom my little sister refers to as a Mister, thought my new grape-flavoured tube of lip gloss smelled good and asked if he could see it. I passed it to him and watched in a mixture of confusion, amusement and revulsion as he put some on, licked it, liked how it tasted, rolled the stick of gloss up as high as it would go and ate it. All of it.
Another time Mr. Teacher and I got into fight because I heard a rumour that he had said something mean about me. The fight took place right after I had filled a bowl with ice cream and messy delicious syrups and may have resulted in me chasing him all over our church and the parking lot, trying to throw my snack on him. (Incidentally, my little sister told me there was a fundraiser at school where if the kids made enough money, someone could throw a pie at him.)
Despite our arguments, he and I grew to be friends and I got used to him liking me. When he stopped liking me or as he said “put me on the back burner” and began telling me about this other girl he was interested in, I was lost. We stayed friends until high school ended, but mostly lost touch after that.
Now my little sister, who is excited to be his student, tells me he is engaged. I guess this means he’s learned there are better ways to impress girls besides eating their cosmetics ;)
All the best with your new adult life, Mr. Teacher, and congratulations on your engagement.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
A list of things, both old and new
1. I just got a tattoo. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for years and it means a lot to me. It’s a few words, written in Hebrew, that summarize everything I believe.
The guy who did it for me was almost finished when I asked if he could add a tiny Harry-Potter lightning bolt. He did and I love it and, yes, that too is deeply significant to me.
2. I like mustard sandwiches. Just bread and les moutard. Yum.
I like it so much I had one for breakfast.
3. I may be allergic to my new house. (Oh, I guess I didn’t tell you that I moved at the beginning of the month). The house is from 1918 or 1919 and it’s great except that I’ve been finding it hard to breathe lately. Hopefully I just have a little cold and don’t have to move again.
4. One of my new roommates (I have four) is really good looking. He’s moving out at the end of the month, which is likely for the best. He’s smart and quiet and inquisitive and way too pretty to be 39.
5. I’m not in a pre-relationship with the really nice, cute, smart, fun guy anymore. I really like him, but I’m not sure anything - even friendship - will come of it.
6. I did something really stupid and was aware that it was a terrible decision days in advance.
The Snowplower called and said he missed me. He said he wanted me back in his life and that he wanted me to be his girlfriend. (Sounding familiar?) Then he invited me over for dinner and a movie and I was envisioning this perfectly romantic date with candles, desert and good conversation.
As it turns out, we had corn and salad on the couch while he flipped through a bunch of channels – including (seriously) his porn channels!
What a way to win a girl back, huh? I asked him to change the channel and had him take me home at 9:00 p.m..
7. My older sister is pregnant again (she and her husband have a three-year-old boy and twin boys who are a year and a half) and her doctor thinks she’s pretty big for having only baby this time. My family is teasing her about having a) a giant b) another set of twin boys and/or c) triplet girls.
8. I’m just halfway through my one-year internship, but last week I was offered a writing job that has the possibility of becoming permanent. I told them I’m not really interested in it (there are a few more opportunities coming up that I’d rather do) so they tried to tempt me with an office.
Twenty-five year olds should not have their own offices with doors and name plates! I’m way too young for that. And I’m still not really wanting the job.
9. Shortly after being offered the job, I decided I needed to do something youthful and unprofessional. So I dyed my hair this really bright purpley-red. I’m embarrassed to be so florescent in the office and am glad it’s just a washout dye.
The guy who did it for me was almost finished when I asked if he could add a tiny Harry-Potter lightning bolt. He did and I love it and, yes, that too is deeply significant to me.
2. I like mustard sandwiches. Just bread and les moutard. Yum.
I like it so much I had one for breakfast.
3. I may be allergic to my new house. (Oh, I guess I didn’t tell you that I moved at the beginning of the month). The house is from 1918 or 1919 and it’s great except that I’ve been finding it hard to breathe lately. Hopefully I just have a little cold and don’t have to move again.
4. One of my new roommates (I have four) is really good looking. He’s moving out at the end of the month, which is likely for the best. He’s smart and quiet and inquisitive and way too pretty to be 39.
5. I’m not in a pre-relationship with the really nice, cute, smart, fun guy anymore. I really like him, but I’m not sure anything - even friendship - will come of it.
6. I did something really stupid and was aware that it was a terrible decision days in advance.
The Snowplower called and said he missed me. He said he wanted me back in his life and that he wanted me to be his girlfriend. (Sounding familiar?) Then he invited me over for dinner and a movie and I was envisioning this perfectly romantic date with candles, desert and good conversation.
As it turns out, we had corn and salad on the couch while he flipped through a bunch of channels – including (seriously) his porn channels!
What a way to win a girl back, huh? I asked him to change the channel and had him take me home at 9:00 p.m..
7. My older sister is pregnant again (she and her husband have a three-year-old boy and twin boys who are a year and a half) and her doctor thinks she’s pretty big for having only baby this time. My family is teasing her about having a) a giant b) another set of twin boys and/or c) triplet girls.
8. I’m just halfway through my one-year internship, but last week I was offered a writing job that has the possibility of becoming permanent. I told them I’m not really interested in it (there are a few more opportunities coming up that I’d rather do) so they tried to tempt me with an office.
Twenty-five year olds should not have their own offices with doors and name plates! I’m way too young for that. And I’m still not really wanting the job.
9. Shortly after being offered the job, I decided I needed to do something youthful and unprofessional. So I dyed my hair this really bright purpley-red. I’m embarrassed to be so florescent in the office and am glad it’s just a washout dye.
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