Reasons for thanks, even in this business...

OK, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are some words of appreciation to some in this business who deserve them, at least on the basis of my experiences with them over the past year or so.

Yes, even in this business, there are people and things for whom/which to be grateful.

To wit:

Tom Arenberg (Birmingham News): Thanks for the best, most informative, thoughtful and helpful rejection message I think I've ever received regarding a job application/hiring process. It was amazing, truly a pleasant surprise, and actually made not getting a job I'd really wanted not feel so bad. Indeed, it only made me want to work for you more.

Shannon Conner (Arizona Daily Star): Thanks for your serious, personalized consideration of me in late last year for a position at your paper. I appreciated your willingness to "go with your gut" and your openness in assessing me via a few emails and a couple of in-depth phone interviews. The job fell through but I truly appreciated your phone call explaining the situation to me. I believe we were on the same wavelength and would have worked well together. Maybe someday, we'll get the chance to do it.

Tim Stephens (Orlando Sentinel): Thanks to another of the good guys in this business who took much the time and put a lot of thought into answering questions and clarifying information regarding job openings, his newspaper, and what he's looking for -- in both his staff and in job applicants. If he treats everyone who ever applies for a job the same way, he has/will make a lot of friends in this business.

Toby Carrig (Antelope Valley Press): Thanks for some lengthy phone and in-person interviews. You were someone I looked forward to getting to know and with whom I anticipated working just because of all the good things I'd heard about you. It was good to discuss future possibilities with you, and I appreciated your receptiveness and willingness to listen to me and my ideas -- offered boldly, and yet, with some trepidation on my part -- within a critique I actually had the audacity to send back to you regarding some PDFs of your sports pages. That's the kind of interaction with editors I hope to have again someday soon, and it was all good as far as I was concerned.

Joseph D'Hippolito (Freelance Writer): Thanks for your benefits of your vast freelance experience, as offered to me, in periodic contacts we've had with each other over the past couple years. Your friendship and kindness have been noticed, and are much appreciated. I offer the same to you in return, especially now, as you go through what I know has lately been a tough time in life.

J. Todd Foster (Bristol (Va.) Herald Courier): Thanks for your consideration of, interest in and encouragement of me in my journalism career. Your frank yet positive assessment of me and my abilities -- what you loved about what you saw in me via emails, interviews and clips over the course of multiple exchanges we've had over the past year or so -- is something I've taken to heart. It was meaningful to me because it came at time when I needed it most, just when life had kind of been losing its meaning for me.

Randy Harvey and Bill Dwyre (Los Angeles Times): Thanks for your time, care and consideration in support and advisement of me during what has been the most difficult period of my life. It has meant more to me than I can express. If this business is all about building relationships -- and I believe that, at its root, it is -- well, then, I consider myself fortunate to have had two great teachers/examples of that art. And, as good as you may be at that, you're even better journalists.

Yes, despite what, unquestionably, has been a tough year, I've been privileged. I know it, and I'm grateful. These people/experiences are hardly the only ones for which I'm thankful.

Journalistically speaking, though, they are a good start, I think.

Please feel free to add your own thoughts to what I hope will be a shamelessly feel-good thread made for a day on which that's all anyone should feel.

 

Dwight Jaynes (Oregonian/Portland Tribune/retired): Thanks to a long-time columnist that really knew his stuff and had a style that brought out emotions on either side of an issue. Also, a guy who shot straight with me at a college conference giving me a good picture of what journalism would mean as a profession in the biz and with the family. Great one-on-one discussion. Lucky enough to work somewhat with him over the last 10 years when he moved to the Trib. Great insight into sports and what's needed to make newspapers click in print and on the web.

Lois Breedlove (advisor, Daily Vanguard): Pulled out all the stops to make our college newspaper environment as real as possible, fighting for us to take road trips to cover championship events and pushing us to perform well on nightly deadlines. A straight-shooter, who always challenged us for our motivation to end a career with little money and plenty of stress. This is where my joy for journalism took bloom.

Tiffaney O'Dell (Editor, Gresham Outlook): A great boss with a strong background in sports, who knows how to step back and let you run your show, while also contributing ideas for real stories that make sense. She always has your back and fights for her crew when it comes to the meetings with the higher-ups. Tiffaney makes our paper a great place to work even in this difficult time for our business.


Great thread by the way...feels good to give people some well-deserved recognition.

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all. And fuck yous to all newspaper editors and publishers who took their staffs for granted on Thursday night when they put out the newspaper. How many editors brought snacks or food of any kind tonight? How many of the higher ups showed up to say thanks or support the staff? I think it's safe to say none. Congratulations to you holiday workers who put out a good product and had to find scraps to eat somewhere. I've found this business has the most ungrateful bosses of any in the entire universe. This is a blue collar profession. Believe it.

 

wfw

 

Leave it to you to fuck up a perfectly nice Thanksgiving thread with more self-righteous indignation.

 

that may be the best (i.e. worst) thread hijack i've ever seen....

 

Well, it's Fredrick, so what can you expect?

As for me, I simply thank my employer for continuing to have faith in a mid-50-something and allowing me to do things a lot of mid-50-somethings wouldn't be considered for. And I thank them, although they were constructed differently then, for giving me the chance at this new medium 12.25 years ago.

And, not incidentally, WT's LAT mentions were involved in the process of me eventually getting here.

 

I was just in an awful mood after working 10 hours on the holiday in order to feed the family. It was a nice day here and couldn't play with the kids enough or eat the leftovers since it's a 50 minute drive to work. It dawned on me that there were no higher-ups in sight and dawned on me that if I owned such business I would thank those who filled my pockets with money by working on the holiday. I truly wanted to applaud those in the same boat who worked the holiday but got upset in the process. Sorry for the hijack.

 

On the other hand, Fred, there are lots of folks who would pay good money to have an excuse to leave the in-laws house at 3 p.m. because you had to go work.

 

Meat, I think you're missing the point. Frederick isn't thankful. That's his thought and he is entitled to it. He hasn't gotten a rejection letter and to be honest, it's kind of hard to be thankful for one.
I understand where he's coming from about working a holiday while the big boss wines and dines company. I don't think Frederick is wrong for feeling some resentment there.

 

Not the time, not the place. If you want to complain about working Thanksgiving, and he has that right, he shouldn't do it in a thread about giving thanks. He realizes this too.

Would you want someone to complain about working Veteran's Day on a thread about veterans?

 

Meat, I see your point and I'm not picking a bone with you. I just didn't catch the same vibe from Frederick's post. He has a lot of hatred and resentment about the business and probably rightfully so. He's not feeling thankful. Just say a prayer that he someday will find something to be thankful about concerning this business.
What's sad is that there are many who feel just as he does.