Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Still here, continued
So after hearing about a job opening in Marshfield (weekly, circ. 5,000 in Webster County) I began to seriously consider leaving the Globe. After all, this is a constant challenge and I'm not particularly happy because I'm frustrated at my workload which is miniscule compared to my fellow reporters there. In any case I got to the weekly reporters' meeting today to discover that another reporter (the fourth in five weeks) is leaving the Globe. None of them are leaving because they were mistreated.
I, who was ready to talk to my editor about whether or not they were going to can me at the Globe and thus leave me looking for other jobs if I didn't take the Marshfield, sat there stunned. I'm sure I was pale as a ghost. I knew I was shaking. When I talked to my editor afterward I started by saying "I had a Dr Pepper today, but I wish whiskey had been an option."
My editor told me they knew when they hired me that I was going to be green. Heh, ain't that the truth. This is the biggest lesson I've ever had in journalism. Four years of journalism taught me some good tricks, ethics and theory, but it didn't do squat in teaching me about working as a daily journalist. I asked her if she were to review me today what she thought they would do with me there at the newspaper. She told me they had no intention of firing me and felt I had imnproved lately and hoped I would continue to improve. They also suspected it would take me time to get my feet wet.
So I declined the Marshfield offer. A) I can't afford to move anyway, even if it is to a temporary situation at my grandparents' house before moving into an apartment of my own B) yeah, Marshfield was definitly going to pay less C) I don't quit many challenges (the only jobs I quit I quit because they were joe jobs on the way to my reporting career) and I feel like if I left now then I would be giving up on my opportunity to really get all I could out of this beat.
Thus, defiantly and resiliently. I am still here.
I, who was ready to talk to my editor about whether or not they were going to can me at the Globe and thus leave me looking for other jobs if I didn't take the Marshfield, sat there stunned. I'm sure I was pale as a ghost. I knew I was shaking. When I talked to my editor afterward I started by saying "I had a Dr Pepper today, but I wish whiskey had been an option."
My editor told me they knew when they hired me that I was going to be green. Heh, ain't that the truth. This is the biggest lesson I've ever had in journalism. Four years of journalism taught me some good tricks, ethics and theory, but it didn't do squat in teaching me about working as a daily journalist. I asked her if she were to review me today what she thought they would do with me there at the newspaper. She told me they had no intention of firing me and felt I had imnproved lately and hoped I would continue to improve. They also suspected it would take me time to get my feet wet.
So I declined the Marshfield offer. A) I can't afford to move anyway, even if it is to a temporary situation at my grandparents' house before moving into an apartment of my own B) yeah, Marshfield was definitly going to pay less C) I don't quit many challenges (the only jobs I quit I quit because they were joe jobs on the way to my reporting career) and I feel like if I left now then I would be giving up on my opportunity to really get all I could out of this beat.
Thus, defiantly and resiliently. I am still here.
# posted by Solon : 10:12 PM
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The following words are going to sound familiar, but I'd like to think that there are cases where repetition is good (like breathing or visiting Disney World):
You’re going to make it. I’ve seen you tackle some varied challenges over the years and you typically did so with your humor intact (well, maybe scratched and dented from time to time, but that’s expected wear). You may be working hard where you’re at now, but think of how much more you’d be struggling if you hadn’t challenged yourself in the past (like going to D.C.)? It’s easy to forget our own noteworthy accomplishments when bogged down by recent perceptions of mediocrity. Be proud of how far you’ve come and use that as motivation to spur you forward (and if that doesn’t work, I’ll even chip in the cash for some original recipe Dr. Pepper).
Keep pushing and you’ll break through. Keep praying, too. That won’t hurt you either.
You’re going to make it. I’ve seen you tackle some varied challenges over the years and you typically did so with your humor intact (well, maybe scratched and dented from time to time, but that’s expected wear). You may be working hard where you’re at now, but think of how much more you’d be struggling if you hadn’t challenged yourself in the past (like going to D.C.)? It’s easy to forget our own noteworthy accomplishments when bogged down by recent perceptions of mediocrity. Be proud of how far you’ve come and use that as motivation to spur you forward (and if that doesn’t work, I’ll even chip in the cash for some original recipe Dr. Pepper).
Keep pushing and you’ll break through. Keep praying, too. That won’t hurt you either.
I'm picturing a little blue Chaz-train going up the mountain puffing "I think I can, I think I can..."
Hang in there, kid. You're a good reporter, so you'll make it through this. I can't even imagine how hard it must be to start a career like that.
I'm terrified of the moment that I have to do it, and I'm proud of you for working through the challenges! Hang in there, kid!
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Hang in there, kid. You're a good reporter, so you'll make it through this. I can't even imagine how hard it must be to start a career like that.
I'm terrified of the moment that I have to do it, and I'm proud of you for working through the challenges! Hang in there, kid!
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