Days Like Today

Days like today sometimes make this profession feel rewarding.

Yesterday, I got my knuckles rapped by management. Nothing serious, but enough to piss off both sides for a week, or so.

Today, I received a pair of e-mails complimenting two pieces. The first came from someone without a tie to the subject/story in anyway. Just a "your story was great" e-mail. The second came from someone with a slight tie to a different story. He just wanted to say "nice article" and "good work."

For anyone feeling down, just remember you may open your inbox tomorrow, next week or next month and it all becomes worthwhile again.

 

Or you could open your e-mail and find something from a high school sports parent that is just so absurdly stupid that it gives you a good laugh for the entire day.

 

Or better still, you could open your e-mail to discover you've won some obscure European lottery and all they need is your checking account number to deposit the cash.

Got one of those yesterday. As soon as the deposit posts, I am soooooo telling my boss to kiss it.

 

Pete, I know the feeling today because my first story for an online site got published today and not only did it feel rewarding to see my name under the fine print, but to hear that the people in charge were impressed with my work.

I have had days where I asked myself where the hell I was heading because the boss I have been working for and I have had philosophical differences for the last four years. Some days, I just didn't want to work.

 

or you could just write a column ripping soccer.

 

I opened my e-mail today and there was a note from a woman who couldn't fit her boyfriend's gigantic cock in her tiny mouth. Seriously.

 

so, did you open that bad boy up at work?

 

That's JRC's newest strategy to "impove employee morale."

 

Close. It was a phone call from the parent of a player on one of our regional Babe Ruth teams that are playing in the World Series this week (we have two teams playing, one in the 16-year-old and the other in the 16-18). Wondered why we weren't out covering when the team left at 4 a.m. yesterday morning, and why we weren't there when the other team left for its Series at 3 a.m. today. THIS IS A BIG DEAL AND THESE ARE LOCAL KIDS!!!!

Was there a ceremony, a big sendoff? Nope, they just loaded up the bus and left. But that would have made a great story, she said. YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT THERE IF THERE WERE KIDS FROM THE LOCAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL ON THE TEAM, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL YOU COVER.

Um, we're doing a preview story for tomorrow's paper, with a roster box and a schedule box for each tournament, and we have freelancers lined up to help us out with game coverage.

"Oh," she said. Then hung up.

 

I'm sorry my mistress Sophia emailed you.

 

forward her cosmo's e-mail and include: hope the team doesn't suck.

 

Yesterday I was interviewing people for a story on the 35W bridge collapse so today is certainly a much better day.