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

Lots of things already mentioned. But the one I probably appreciate the most now is being able to take off when I want without jumping through hoops.

In newspaper, I'd put in a request for time off and my boss would have to look at all the variables to see if he could afford to have me off. A lot of times, I'd find out the day before I wanted to be off whether it was approved. And holidays? Yeah, forget about it. Almost impossible to get time off. Almost impossible to get time off during football season, too.

Now? I put in a request, it's a formality. I took a week off in October. The whole department can be off during Christmas. It's nice that I can decide when I can take time off rather than have my boss dictate it to me.

 

Now that I am out of newspapers, I can get out of bed, throw some clothes on and be out the door without having to spend a second on my hair. Of course, this could be a post hoc ergo propter hoc kind of thing ... I'm 48 now and I was 25 when last I was "in the biz".

 

Just finished my first week of non-newspaper work in more than 30 years. I was home every night by 6 p.m. I didn't have to work Friday night, Saturday or Sunday. I went to the Microville Tech MBB game on Saturday; I didn't cheer, wear the home team colors or clap or anything like that, but I could sit back, enjoy the game, and then go home afterward.

Working a day shift after 30-plus years of split/night shifts is unusual. It's changed my wardrobe and workout schedule, for example; I can't dress anywhere near as casual, and I have to be at the office at 8:30 instead of noon or whenever. But I think I can adjust. And there will be night work associated with my job in the summer, but that's only for 2 1/2 months, not four nights/every weekend, 48 months of the year.

And I am greatly looking forward to tailgating with friends before and after Microville Tech's football games.

 

Here are a few:

- Go to a game and drink a beer while watching.
- Be able to plan to do something on a random Tuesday night and not be too worried that you're going to have cancel.
- Go to happy hour.
- Not work on the weekends.
- Take the day after Thanksgiving off.
- Choose to not watch a crappy game.
- Not take calls from crazy prep parents.

 

I can:

Not worry about missing holidays and birthdays.
Leave my job and not think about it until I go back the next day.
Not spend five months of the year with a cold from all of the time spent in hotels and airplanes.

 

Wait a minute.

You spent the first weekend night of your post-sports writing life ... at a basketball game??

You're an addict!

 

They are totally separate experiences and I would concur wholeheartedly with the idea that you become a fan again. The last time I had as much fun watching sports as I am now was in high school. Even in college I was covering too many of the players and officials in the department and had to stay a bit detached. Now it's fanboi all the way, go Giants kick Phillie ass woohoo!

I would never have gone to any game that required a paid ticket. Now, though, I'm more than happy to be one of the masses.

 

I get bored at a game if I'm not covering it (exception for baseball, because I can keep a scorecard).

I'm too used to doing things while the game is going on - keeping a running score, stats, notes on strategic maneuvers, coming up with storylines in my head, etc., etc. Also, I'm too used to having great seats. Also, when I'm at a game as a paying customer, the timeouts are interminable to me.

I like watching sports at home, though, because I can do other things during commercials, even if that just means watching the commercials.

 

This thread makes me want to quit my job.

 

For you guys who are enjoying life out of the business, I'm really interested to know what you are doing now.
I would love to get out of the business and do something else, but I really don't see anything else I'm qualified to do and I don't have the time or money to go back to school and start something else all over again.

 

Leave when the game's over.

 

Hell yes. Even better: Go have a burger and a beer when the game's over.