"Something I couldn't do when I was in newspapers"

Another poster said I'd be saying that a lot in the next few years? For those out of the business for the most part, what can you do now that you couldn't.

I'm excited to spend time with my kids again.

 

Buy groceries.

 

Spend time with my kids.

Enjoy watching sports without having to worry about management giving us extra work.

Go away with my wife for a weekend.

 

Last weekend, my wife and I went to a Saturday night birthday party for a friend of ours (which, incidentally, was AWESOME - her husband is a winemaker and had the party at the winery, and made some excellent impromptu blends).

Granted, we had to get a sitter (aka grandparents). But once we got that done, we were able to go, no questions asked. That's a great feeling.

Growing up, my dad, brother and I used to go to the ACC tournament every year. Haven't been able to go since my last year of college since I couldn't get the time off. Not so this year. Even though our Wahoos are awful, I'm still extremely psyched.

 

Not out yet but I've always thought it would be nice to be able to get taken to lunch by or accept a modest gift from a business associate -- even a couple of seats to a ball game -- without worrying that my integrity had been bought for such a small sum. And then to return the favor.

These are the same institutions that will cut every backroom deal possible to pad their bottom lines, but anything that might benefit the employee is an ethical breach. But no raise or Christmas bonus for you, grunts.

 

Unfortunately, that doesn't change once you change professions. It is always an ethical concern, unless you are working for yourself.

 

Get a bonus and raises.

 

Discuss money in your next job interview, instead of having to beat around the bush for three weeks and then feel like a dirty bastard for bringing it up because everyone else is just doing it for love of storytelling.

 

completely ignore sports and not feel bad about it

get a tip from one of my old inside source and break a story via twitter or facebook just to rub it into the guys still on the beat

go to sleep before 10 p.m. any night of the week

watch my kids' piano recital, my kids' swim meet, my kids' tennis match, my kids' choir concert, etc., etc.

 

No, it is not. You are aware of the countless numbers of people who gave and accept Christmas gifts with professional colleagues and contacts, without some editor hovering to demand that you remain pious (ignoring the implicit insult that you would be "bought" by such a small gesture), aren't you?

I'm not bothered by the lack of freebies during my newspaper days, I'm bothered by the showy hypocrisy of it all. A round of golf, a cheeseburger, a seat at a ball game -- none of it is big stuff... but that's the point! You're supposed to hold up your hand and insist that you pay your own way. Except that then the editors don't want to reimburse you for the expense anyway. Buncha phonies.

Meanwhile, publisher and his concubine are on a yacht somewhere as guests of the local widget-mill CEO.

 

Pay my bills.

Work normal hours.

Actually enjoy sports.

Enjoy social events with non-journalists.

Not be looked down on by people who think the 9-to-5 schedule is the only way to live, and second-shift workers are somehow inferior.

Not have to justify my profession (and its pay and hours) with some nebulous ideal of "loving what I do!" or "we watchdog society!!!!"

Do something I love even more than newspapers (never thought that would be possible), making more money, with more prestige and stability and more time to spend with people I care about.

Choose what sports I want to follow.

Never have to say "Oh man, I hope I can get at least one of those days off!" when a favorite band is playing a pair of shows locally.

Attend those concerts . . . without having to worry about whether the dude who agreed to cover my shift decides to "call in sick" that night.

It's the little things, really.

 

How about: know what I and my colleagues have to do to further the business operation, and know that our tasks have defined goals and metrics that, if met, will allow the business to survive.