POSTED BY LauraFries.com IN About Me @ February 14, 2006 - 5:02 pm
My friend Max left his job last week.
In many ways, we had the same journey. Both young reporters with varying levels of skills and arrogance, we went fresh from a fellowship at prestigious Poynter to jobs as reporters at the Weekly Planet, CL’s paper in Tampa.
We picked up what we had, moved across the country, and tried to do this thing called journalism.
But where Max succeeded, I floundered.
It was hard for me to adjust to life in Tampa Bay; harder still for me to recapture my reporter’s energy; almost impossible for me to become part of that small little newsroom that’s so very much a boy’s club.
By other measures I succeeded; becoming an online editor for three papers at 23, arguably, is no small feat.
But today is my one year anniversary of that promotion. Today’s also the day that I read Max’s last column at the Planet.
It’s a goodbye to the people and the town and the newsroom that Max got to know and I didn’t.
It’s really well written.
And it’s a bit of a reminder to me to get off my ass. I am looking back on the past year — as a writer who hasn’t written — and all I can think of is the only good line from that dumb Jennifer Aniston Good Girl movie — about going to the grave with unlived lives in our veins.
There’s much I haven’t done, gentle readers. Remind me every now and then that I never wanted to end up like this.
February 15, 2006 @ 11:30 am
Heather
Jesus, woman. I would like you to go back and re-read this line: “By other measures I succeeded; becoming an online editor for three papers at 23, arguably, is no small feat.”
As your unsolicited editor, I think you could expand a great deal on that particular point. That thought is still far too undeveloped. And while you’re at it, try to stop being so harsh on yourself, would ya? Whatever “like this” is, you’re still amazing. Give credit where it’s due, and use that energy to make choices that get you more in line with where you want to be.
Okay, I’m stepping off the soapbox now. Truly, though, you’re very inspiring. Plus, you make a mean taco. Never forget it.
February 16, 2006 @ 2:28 pm
olivia
I have to agree with Heather. You are an amazing woman, just as Max is an amazing man. Celebrating one persons accomplishments should in no way demean our own. A lesson that I learned the hard way. Learn from my mistake and carry on. Lots of Love. Olivia
February 18, 2006 @ 10:25 am
Daniel Albrecht
Bored of writing about the water supply of the City of Mannheim (where I work as a reporter) I riffled through alt weekly webpages. and finally, after clicking more links than I possibly could count, ended up reading this post … remind me every now and then that i never wanted to end up like this … hey, I thought, that sounds familiar. yes, I also feel there’re unlived lives in my veins. but at 29, nearly 30, there are quite a few of these lives waiting for me. Some of them I will live this life, and some I will live in my next life. However, both lifes are full of obstacle illusions … so, why bother. Look ahead.
February 22, 2006 @ 5:02 pm
Laura
Hi all … thanks for coming to my defense. I’m not sure what I was doing when I wrote a post like this, because a lot of people have asked me about it. What to say?
What’s “like this”? I guess it’s the feeling that I’m turning into a high school has-been, that quarterback who would have made it to state if it hadn’t been for that damn knee.
I got a letter from a Very Important Newspaper once upon a time – the letter that VIN was tracking me. Me! Little old me. I laughed, jumped up and down, and haven’t done a damn thing since.
I got that letter in Texas. I tried to frame it in once in Florida for motivational purposes, but the frame was too small. I looked for it again here in Georgia, but I couldn’t find it.
I don’t want to be the kind of person who has regrets. When I feel them percolating, it’s frightening.
But yeah, it’s also something I can change. Remind me of that when it gets hard.
August 28, 2006 @ 10:19 pm
Bonnie Pingler
Keep your head up