Tag Archives: journalism

Journalism — and Jewelry

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Antique mallsYounger Daughter and I recently were browsing through an antiques mall in Florence, Alabama, when she called me over to where she was standing. “Isn’t this your story?” she asked, pointing to a framed story from the local newspaper — the TimesDaily — about pins that was next to a display of wonderful vintage pins. And YD was right — there was my byline from my former days as a staff writer for the TimesDaily life section, before I retired almost two years ago to become a financially challenged but incredibly happy columnist and freelance writer. I have to say that it was sort of a strange feeling to see such care taken with a story I didn’t even remember doing — one of several hundred, probably, I don’t remember doing throughout the 10 years I worked in the TimesDaily newsroom. Yet there was my story, years later still stuck in black and white (well, sort of faded beige) and still influencing folks to think about buying a vintage pin because “brooches update fall wardrobes.” I have to admit it was a strange sensation to see this — a kind of out-of-body, did-I-really-write-that experience. Sort of makes you think. Sort of makes you hope you did a good job. Sort of makes you wonder how many other things you wrote are floating around influencing people to do things. Sort of makes you promise yourself to Write Only Good Things From Now On … beginning, maybe … tomorrow.

Newspapers

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sidelines-0011When I worked at my college newspaper some 30 years ago, we sidelines-002were in an office above one of the school cafeterias. We had rickety typewriters and iffy lighting and most days had to steal chairs from other rooms down the hall. Today, my university has a whole new building dedicated to the communication arts. I think I’m jealous. In a good way. Because if the next generation of  journalists is getting support, encouragement and quality training, then I feel better about the future of newspapers. Read more at my column today in the TimesDaily, http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20090206/ARTICLES/902060302

Newspapers

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Newspapers have always been a huge part of my life. I grew up watching my parents read the big-city daily that came to our driveway every evening and checking our small-town weekly for school lunch menus and ballgame wrap-ups. I met my husband while working at the college newspaper. My first jobs as a college graduate and later as a newly  divorced woman and single mom were as newspaper reporters. My husband is a newspaper sports editor, I’m a newspaper columnist and we pick up newspapers everywhere we go. Am I worried about the future of newspapers as the industry faces crisis and change? Hmm … maybe. Read my column today at http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20090130/ARTICLES/901300301

College Journalists

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On Tuesday, my husband, John Pitts, and I led workshops at the Student Publications Boot Camp for the University of North Alabama’s student newspaper, the Flor-Ala. John did design and I did feature writing, although of course John equally could have done feature writing while design makes me throw up. (Who can handle all that stress and pressure???) Anyway, we had a great time. The world’s future is in great hands if these young people will be in charge. (Full disclosure: Older daughter, Liz, was the Flor-Ala lifestyles editor three/four years ago.) These kids are smart, engaged, enthusiatic, curious and a lot of fun — and are well on their way to making this semester of UNA student journalism a stellar one. Check it out at http://www.florala.net/home/.

On our way home, John and I wandered down Nostalgia Lane and talked about college newspapers today versus the olden days of the 1970s when we hung out in the Sidelines offices at the University of Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro. We noted differences: typewriters v. computers, drinking/smoking v. not drinking/smoking, diversity v. not much. And in the some-things-never-change category, we both agreed that college newspapers seem to attract the same motley crew of personalities no matter where or when: The free-spirit photographers, the creative art folks, the copy editor who just wants people to get their stories in on time, the writers who are serious about their jobs and the organized and determined editor who’s going to pull it all together. Aw, youth!

Anyway, thanks to the Flor-Ala adviser, MJ Jennings, for a great day. Hope we get invited back.