Dear Target-

Dear Target-

Let me start off by saying you are my favorite discount store. Love you for that! You recently renovated the store near my house... and it's even more fabulous than it was before.
But I have to say, I've been disappointed on a couple of recent trips. Here's why:

1. No plain white socks for babies under six months. Seriously? Plain white socks are a wardrobe staple at any age. They don't go with every outfit, but you need to have them. I needed plain white socks - without any colored trim, no cute little rubber treads in the shape of stars/pawprints/rockets/footballs, not blue, not pink, not coordinating with another outfit. Plain white. The kid needed socks to wear with his baptism outfit. Why would you have your plain white socks start at 6-12 months?

2. 4 adorable baby girl - pink photo albums... AND NOT ONE BABY BOY ONE??? Again, seriously? Apparently the moms of little boys simply don't desire gender specific photo albums. Don't get me wrong, the cute little cartoon animal album I got is fine... but those baby girl ones were adorable. I'm jealous. How hard would it have been to make the exact same album in baby blue?

And lest you think I didn't ask if either of these items was available, I did. The employees I asked were very nice, but they said if there wasn't even a label on the display for these items, they weren't offered. Come on now!!! I expect more from you Target! I know you can do better than this!

Love, Me

Media Rant Ahead...

It's been awhile since I've done a journalism related post, but I just have to vent.
And considering the title of my blog and the decade I spent as part of the media, I feel like I need to express something.

I'm sick to death of all the self promotion "journalists" are doing these days.
It's not about how many people read your blog. It's not about how many people follow you on twitter. It's not a contest to see how many tweets or Facebook posts you can do in a 24 hour period. It's about REPORTING THE NEWS.

And you know what? If it's not about reporting the news for you, then you're not a journalist.
Period.


I don't care what event you're M.C.'ing later on. I don't care what restaurant sneak preview you attended. (which ethically speaking, you're not supposed to attend anyway, because you're not supposed to get free stuff. It's called payola. And I'm guessing that most of those free drinks/appetizers/meals for you and your date add up to way more than $25... the usual limit.)
I might care about what story you're working on... but even then... keep your opinion out of it. Just tell me what the story is and when to watch.

I know, I know, you need to get viewers, readers, listeners, whatever. How about this... do your job well and people will watch. I don't want to follow you on Twitter. I don't want a tease for what story you're working on for tonight on my Facebook status updates. I don't want to see call-outs to @whoever. (I assume this is a twitter thing, but since I flat out refuse to follow the herd to this site, I wouldn't know for certain. All I know is that a plethora of my media pals feel the need to do these things.


And the sad part to me is that we as a society seem to be eating this up. Why? Why? Why? I don't get it!

Don't get me wrong. I think technology has the potential to greatly enhance reporting. I love that stations post extended interviews or raw video on their websites.

But reporters and anchors aren't supposed to show their bias. They are not supposed to publicly state opinions. When they do... lines are crossed. Respect is lost. Trust is lost.

If you want to have a blog, fine. If you want to Twitter or Facebook, fine. If you feel the need to express yourself, create personal blogs separate from your TV/newspaper persona.

And please, for the love of all that is decent, don't spend valuable airtime/page space promoting it.

sneaky

I take a certain over-the-counter allergy medicine that has worked wonders for my moderate seasonal allergies. I don't want to name it here, for fear of some search engine getting ahold of this rant, but it begins with a C and rhymes with "Hair-i-tin." I was super happy to find out that it was okay to take this medication while pregnant.

I recently purchased a box of said OTC allergy medication. And noticed it wasn't working quite as well as normal. For about a week I thought to myself, "Gee, my allergies must be bad this year. Hope I don't have to start on something stronger." Then last week I noticed the word "new" on the outside of the box. This stuff isn't new, it's been on the market for years. What's so new about it?

Then I looked more closely at the box... it's 12 hour dosing! Not the usual "lasts 24 hours."

Sneaky! Sneaky Sneaky! Same blue box. Same package. SAME PRICE AS THE 24 HOUR STUFF, BUT YOU HAVE TO TAKE TWICE AS MANY! Sitting right next to the good stuff at the drug store.

So I figure, fine, I'll take two pills a day according to the proper dosage. Finish off this 12 hour stuff then get back to the good stuff. Let me tell you, 12 hour strength doesn't cut it!

I finally broke down and bought a box of the 24 hour stuff, and took it this morning. I don't know if it's all in my head -- well... the stuffiness is definitely all in my head! but within about an hour my sinuses started to clear. I can breathe again. It's a miracle.

A Little Working Mom Frustration

Here are some things that have recently irritated me about being a working mom:

* 8AM-5PM dentist office hours.

* Alex not eating the lunch we pack for him.

* The surprise on the faces of the daycare workers at Alex's new daycare when I'm the last mom to pick up my kid... at 5:36PM. You're open till 6!

* The only sports offered for kids Alex's age at the Y are scheduled before 5 pm. Except swimming lessons. Which are fine, don't get me wrong.

* Morning meltdowns complete with tears and shouts of "don't go mommy!"

* Evening meltdowns complete with tears and shouts of "I don't like you or daddy!"

I know it's all part of the gig... plus the "growing pains" of Alex starting school. But let's just say I'm REALLY looking forward to my weekend!

You have time to read?

I have kind of a vent right now. I can't tell you how often I have received this response when I tell people I'm in a book club.

"You have time to read?"

(usually uttered in a stunned, incredulous or condescending tone)

This is usually followed by some lamentation about how they're too busy with their kids, or work, or life etc. to pick up a book, magazine, whatever and read.

Seriously?!

Here's why this irritates me.

1. You think a woman who works 45+ hours a week and has a 4 year old and another on the way isn't busy? Or are you trying to insinuate that I'm somehow neglecting my job/family/household by taking 10-15 minutes out of the day to read?

2. Why don't you have time/make time to read?

I have been reading since I was 4 years old. I've been obsessed with books since before then. My parents had the 1975 World Book Encyclopedia set, plus a set of Childcraft books that I would page through for hours on end. There were always newspapers and magazines in my house, books on the bookshelf, and I have vivid memories of seeing both my mom and dad reading novels as a child out in the open where anyone in the family could see. I learned to read early... so early in fact that my kindergarten teacher thought my parents were full of it when they told her that I could read. Proved her wrong. Once they realized I could read I got to select books from the first grade shelf. By second grade I was grabbing chapter books from the 4th-5th grade shelf. Books have always been my escape, my refuge, my way to explore unknown worlds. You were more likely to find me with my nose in a book in the summer than out playing with my friends. I wasn't anti-social, I just preferred reading.

This love affair with reading was cemented thanks to some fantastic English teachers in junior high and high school. Then of course I saw "Dead Poets Society," a movie which changed my life. I flirted with the idea of being an English teacher, but instead majored in English in college (along with journalism as a double major). Reading to me is life. It's learning. It's expanding your horizons. It is something I truly love to do, so why wouldn't I make time for it in my busy life? If you like boating, you're going to make time for boating, right? Same thing with crafts, television, movies, insert whatever you want into the blank.

I think I'm setting a great example for my son by reading books not only with him, but in front of him. I'm teaching him to value books and to treasure reading. He has his own bookshelf and will sit for long periods just pulling books off the shelf, looking at pictures or telling his version of the story. That makes me so proud... that I'm nuturing his love of reading, fueling his mind and his creativity through books.

If you don't like reading books, fine. I have no problem with that. There are a lot of things I don't like, so I don't do them. But when you hear someone talking about books, their book club, reading etc., don't flip back at them "You have time to read?"

Amen, Father Joe!

At church this weekend, I was excited to see that it was Father Joe who had mass. Father Joe retired over a year ago because of serious health problems. (At one point, both of our priests were on sick leave. One was diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer; Father Joe nearly died from a combination of an asthma attack and diabetes.) He’s my favorite priest at my parish. He’s spunky. He’s got this great, gravelly voice that makes you laugh but also makes you think. No matter how tired I am or how much Alex is distracting me, I always get something out of his sermons. He also usually tells some sort of funny story at the beginning of mass, as well.

This past Sunday, Father Joe said something that made me want to stand up and applaud. He started off talking about how politics and religion can’t mix. It’s okay to support one candidate or the other because of your religious convictions, but you should check your campaign materials at the door. Because the Church is a house of God. And God and Jesus don’t care who you’re going to vote for. He said priests are not allowed to divulge their political leanings because it’s inappropriate (you know, separation of church and state). And if it’s inappropriate for a priest to publicly support one candidate, he thinks it’s inappropriate for God’s children to show their political colors in church. So he asked everyone to remove any campaign buttons from their jackets or blouses and put them away while they were in church. Because in church, there should be one focus.

Election time is very exciting for me as a journalist. Well, it used to be anyway. Being out of the news game has been particularly hard for me this year. I love to watch how the political process unfolds. From the lame, completely scripted and rehearsed debates, to the impassioned speeches of candidates. I love driving down my street and seeing one neighbor with a McCain sign and then next house down with an Obama sign. Freedom of speech ROCKS! And I love that we, the people, get to elect our leaders. I mean, democracy is awesome!

But many of you also know that for me, politics is intensely personal. I don’t like discussing politics. I don’t like the media being bashed for doing its job. (And for those of you confused, there is a huge difference between JOURNALISTS who report the news and COMMENTATORS who blather on and are clearly partisan. If you need me to explain the difference, I’ll put it in another post.) I do my best to keep my political opinions to myself. I don’t often broach the subject, because I don’t want to have to say who I support. It’s my business and no one else’s.

I almost hesitate to post this, because I know some of my friends enjoy discussing politics. They put their politics right out there for everyone to see. I admire you for that, just as I hope you admire me for feeling just as strong that I keep my political leanings to myself.

So to hear Father Joe up there telling everyone to leave politics at the door did my heart some good. I wanted to jump up and shout “Amen, Father Joe!” Because he’s right on. I realize that a lot of political issues are influenced by religion. I have no problem with that. Support who you want to support and do so with conviction and passion. Just remember, I don’t want talk about it.

A Bunch of Random Thoughts

I have a holiday weekend hangover (not a real hangover, I'm just tired) and can't form a coherent thought that's longer than a couple of sentences, so here's just a random collection of stuff for Monday.

1. I laid out in the sun yesterday and it felt wonderful. Forget about global warming. Forget about skin cancer. Slather on some SPF 50 and spend some time in the sun. It did wonders for my mood, and changed my skin color from translucent to off-white.

2. I'm 4 days away from running my 5K. I didn't run all weekend. I feel guilty about it. I am going to do an easy run today (2 miles) then take the next two days off.

3. A note to all of you with music players on your blogs. You make it very hard for me to blog surf at work. I forget to turn the volume down and suddenly I'm rocking out. I like the music... it just always startles me. Fortunately many of you have taste in music that is similar to my own.

4. A note to all women, and women with tween/teen girls: your dresses should cover your butts. I'm serious here. Tunic tops are in fashion right now, but if the thing just barely covers your butt, you should seriously consider wearing something underneath the tunic. I spent time at the zoo this weekend and saw way too many moms/women/stick figures in dresses that weren't really dresses, just really long tops. I don't care how you are built, underpants hanging out or flashes of butt cheek from under your "dress" have never been in fashion. Unless you're a hooker or a stripper.

And then there was the girl in church who looked to be maybe in junior high with the skirt that didn't cover her butt cheeks. This girl was tall and thin, very pretty, but I didn't need to see the flash of her underwear IN CHURCH. And she was there with her mom, so obviously mom saw her daughter before they walked out of the house this morning. The girl spent half of church tugging at the non-existent hemline of this micro-micro-mini skirt trying to make sure her butt wasn't hanging out. AT CHURCH! Of all the places you don't want your butt/underwear hanging out, I would think CHURCH would be at the top of the list.

5. The bathroom has now been painted. Craig did a great job, doing two coats and hanging the main mirror/medicine cabinet this weekend. I forgot to take pictures last night but it looks awesome. I promise to take an update pictures tonight, and post it tomorrow. So you'll just have to sit in eager anticipation until then.

Fans in my section embarrassed me yesterday

I didn't want to muddy my Mother's Day post with a rant, but I have a serious beef with the people in my section during yesterday's Brewers-Cardinals game.

Ryan Ludwick of the Cardinals hit a home run into the left field bleachers. That ball was caught by a young boy, I'm guessing in the 8-10 age range. The fans around him started chanting "Throw it back! Throw it back!" COME ON!!!! This kid just had a once in a lifetime MLB moment by catching a home run ball. In his young mind it's probably the coolest thing that has happened to him. I would be willing to bet the didn't care two licks about which team hit the ball, he's thinking "Oh my gosh! I caught a home run ball!" But the thoughtless, mean-spirited fans kept chanting, and chanting, and chanting. The poor kid gave in and tossed the ball back to the field, then crumpled into his mom's shoulder.

I was so ticked I wanted to scream, "This isn't Wrigley Field! That's not even a Brewers tradition!" An event services member came running down to the kid and his mom. She spent a lot of time with them, hopefully arranging to get the kid another ball and some sort of autograph or personal meet-and-greet session. Then the event services woman proceeded to glare at all the fans surrounding this kid. I'm sure they didn't get the message, but I saw it and it made me smile.

So next time you go to a game, and you see a little kid catch a home run ball, don't worry about which team hit the run. Just revel in the joy on that child's face. Because that's what the game is all about.

Epitaph Vs. Epithet

This is a grammar lesson for all reporters, wanna be reporters, and writers out there.

THE WORD IS EPITHET... SOMEONE USES A RACIAL EPITHET, NOT A RACIAL EPITAPH.
Actually, NO ONE should use racial epithets, but if you're going to refer to them in your story, you might as well use the right terminology.
See the definitions below... you'll understand. This is what prompted this missive.

ep·i·thet
–noun
1. any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality: “Richard the Lion-Hearted” is an epithet of Richard I.
2. a characterizing word or phrase firmly associated with a person or thing and often used in place of an actual name, title, or the like, as “man's best friend” for “dog.”
3. a word, phrase, or expression used invectively as a term of abuse or contempt, to express hostility, etc.

ep·i·taph
–noun
1. a commemorative inscription on a tomb or mortuary monument about the person buried at that site.
2. a brief poem or other writing in praise of a deceased person. –verb (used with object)
3. to commemorate in or with an epitaph.

Dear Metabolism,

Dear Metabolism-

Where have you gone? I’ve been working out at least three times a week since January and I have yet to lose a pound. It’s really getting annoying. I started running, thinking I could run my ass off, but so far that hasn’t worked. I eat breakfast everyday… because that was supposed to spark your interest. Well, it hasn’t yet. Consuming dairy three times a day was also supposed to get you going… so far it hasn’t. Taking a multivitamin... still no reaction. What do I have to do to get you to start working again?

We were so close in high school and college. You let me eat way too much pizza, way too many tacos, all while maintaining an adequate weight. Did I do something to upset you?

I know I’m not seriously overweight. I weigh about 35 pounds more now than I did when I got out of college. I'm not asking for the world here. I just need to see a little effort on your part. Maybe 10-15 pounds?

I’m going to keep working out. I’m going to start doing more strength training. I’m going to try to stop snacking, eat less, and drink more water. I’m doing my part… now I need you to do yours!

Thanks,

Sydney

A letter to Father (name ommited)

Dear Father (name omitted),

Forgive me for being so blunt, but get your act together!
You've been at our parish for nearly a year, and a priest for much longer than that, you shouldn't be forgetting to restock the hosts before mass.

At least once a month, you have to send one of the Eucharistic ministers back to the sacristy to get the ciboriums and to get more hosts. Come on! How hard is it to remember to do this? You have to do it at least once a day!!! Write yourself a note and post it in the sacristy!

Also, do you need a refresher course on baptisms? We've had them each of the past few Sundays and you never remind the congregation when they are supposed to respond and you often seem to get lost while saying the prayers.

Your rambling, scatterbrained ways make it very frustrating as a parishioner. You are a nice enough guy, but when you can't even manage to spit out the rules for fasting and abstaining from meat during Lent, it makes me question your vocational training.

So get your act together! And you might just win over the congregation!

Having a blog is so much work... and other myths

The idea of a blog was first dangled in front of me about a year ago. I was still working as a producer at the time, and our station held a seminar for off-air folks who wanted to blog. It was a really great seminar put on by one of the tech folks who had been blogging herself for years. She gave some great tips. In fact, I still have the handout saved in an email. I struggled to come up with a name, argued with my news director over the direction of the blog (and won, thank you very much!), but it never came to fruition. I left the station, they still only let on air talent blog, and the rest is history.

Then late last year my friend Therese launched her own blog. At first I was extremely jealous. But she said, "You should do it too." So I did, it started, and here I am.

The general reaction when someone finds out about the blog is, "How do you find the time?"

Well, it's a blog. A journal. It's not long division or rocket science. I want to write. I've wanted to write ever since I was a little girl. I like to write almost as much as I like to read. So this is the perfect outlet for me. I love that other people are reading what I write, but that doesn't matter to much as much as just simply writing. I had to write in stilted, dumbed-down English for TV for so long that I thought I'd forgotten how to form intelligent sentences. My writing still needs work, I acknowledge that. This blog is helping me work out the kinks. I've got a long way to go as you can tell. It's either short, choppy sentences or long, run-ons.
And as for time... I work full time, I'm a mom, a wife, and a daughter. I blog at night, normally after Alex goes to bed. It doesn't take long. Maybe 10 or 15 minutes depending on how much I have to say.

The next reaction is, "I just don't have enough to say."

Have you read a blog? It doesn't matter if you have a lot to say. Pick a topic and write. You don't have to write every day. I'm only writing everyday as a challenge to myself (and because of NaBloPoMo) to see if I can actually do it. It's random thoughts. I decided to blog about being a working mom and about being a former member of the media. The media bit hasn't come out as much as I'd like, but I'm working on it. There are tens of thousands of people out there blogging and I'd be willing to bet most of them aren't writing award winning stuff. I know I'm not.
I'm having fun though.

I don't expect anyone to read my blog, I'm just happy people do. I hope it's entertaining, thought provoking, and only mildly annoying.

So to all those people out there who think they can't maintain a blog... snap out of it. It's not brain surgery! It's a blog!

My rules for the locker room

I've never been a fan of the locker room. I'm just a very modest person and I'm not at all comfortable with letting it all hang out. This is why I think there should be rules in the locker room and beyond.

1. Cover UP! I understand toweling off after showering or being in the sauna. And changing into a sports bra is a must. But do you really need to walk around buck naked in the locker room, applying makeup, brushing your teeth, blow-drying your hair, etc.? This goes for men and women both. I don't care how comfortable you are with your body... I DON'T WANNA SEE IT!

2. Don't overload on perfume or body spray before your workout. Be considerate of your neighbor. I was almost overcome by the scent of cotton candy half way through my run on the treadmill yesterday. Some chickie got onto the treadmill next to mine and must have gotten in a fight with her Bath and Body Works product before setting foot on the gym floor.

3. If you're watching the in-house cable system, avoid loud guffaws or laughter. You may just startle someone into falling off the treadmill, elliptical, or other equipment.

4. Don't sneak up on friends who are working out, and for goodness sakes, don't tap someone's shoulder while they are on a treadmill.

In happier news, I'm now able to run 1.25 miles on the treadmill before taking a break. Slowly but surely I'm increasing my distance. Once I can do 1.5 miles in a row more than once, I'm going to start running on the track.

Ridiculous Titles for TV News Coverage

I saw an example of bad judgement today on the news. Sensationalism at its worst. The murder of a local bartender was presented with graphics that read "Cold Blooded Murder." Give me a break. Aren’t most murders, by definition, cold blooded?

It’s redundant. Someone doesn’t just walk around with warm fuzzies and gun another person down, do they? Same goes for “terrible tragedy.” When was the last time you heard of a wonderful tragedy?

Sometimes clichés or redundancies get into a news script because you are pressed for time and don’t have time to seek them out and fix them. But trying to label news coverage with sensational titles is just irresponsible. A good rule of thumb is... if you are struggling to give something a title, maybe it doesn’t need one. “Bartender Murdered” may sound boring, but it tells the story, it’s easy to write to, and it won’t be outdated. Managers will sit in an office and rack their brains trying to figure out a title for coverage, but often there’s no thought given to how easy it will be to write that title into the coverage. They seek input from other members of the news team for titles, then shoot down the most obvious ones that will work in favor of awkwardly worded sensational junk.

I can count the number of times my suggestions for titles of coverage were actually used on one hand. I hope eventually stations will see that those over-the-top titles only turn viewers off.

A Mom Dilemma

All mom's face dilemmas, but working mom dilemmas are in a class of their own.

I only have a few precious hours with Alex each day. A few minutes in the morning, because I have to be to work by 8AM. Craig doesn't have to be to work until 10AM, so he handles breakfast, daycare drop, etc. And he does a FANTASTIC job. I am so lucky to have a true partner.

Evenings, by the time I get to daycare, it's between 5:30-6PM. Alex is supposed to be in bed by 8:30PM. But invariably, it's closer to 9PM. I just want as much time as I can get with him! He's awake and at daycare longer than he's awake at home. The majority of our time together, is when we are both sleeping. It's hard to take sometimes. It's disappointing too. I just love Alex so much. We make the most of the time we have together. We read, we play, we watch Disney movies/Little Einsteins/Bob the Builder ad nauseum. I get suckered into "just one more book" almost every night. He's not going to be little forever, and really how bad is reading one more book? It's not like he's grabbing "War and Peace!"

But am I hurting him by letting him stay up so late? He's been really crabby in the mornings... but he's just as crabby on the mornings that he gets 11 hours of sleep as he is when he gets less. UGH! This is the kind of internal battle I fight with myself.

I also beat myself up about serving him hot dogs, about him still using a pacifier, and hitting the wall with potty training. It's not easy, whether you work or not. But my other mom friends are a great source of strength and support. My non-mom friends are also great about reminding me to have fun when I can.

I certainly don't have it all figured out, and I probably never will. I just know that I will continue to read one more book, rock a few more minutes, and give more hugs and kisses than Alex probably wants.

Voter Turnout is a Joke

35% voter turnout for the primary? Are you kidding me? And we’re excited and proud of this?

We are a nation at war, whether you support it or not. We live in one of the most heavily taxed states (and despite those taxes have really crummy roads, which should be repaired with some of that money). It is a presidential election year. Every able-bodied person who CAN vote SHOULD!!! It’s our civic duty. Our country was founded with the intent of creating a government elected FOR the people BY THE PEOPLE! Hello? Anyone listening? The people that refers to… that’s US!

There are few excuses for not voting.

Can’t get to the polls? I believe there’s a hotline you can call for a ride. Most political parties will drive people to the polls.

No time to vote? The polls in Wisconsin are open from 7AM to 8PM. You make time for what’s important. Or vote absentee.

Don't know where you need to go to vote? Call the election commission in the municipality in which you live. Or call City Hall. They'll point you in the right direction.

Think your vote doesn’t count? In the past few years there have been a number of local contests that have been decided by just a few votes.

Don’t want to drag the kids? I can understand that to a point, but you’re setting an example by taking them with you to vote. One of my most vivid memories is my mom taking my younger brother and I with her to vote at the polling place at Cottage Hospital in Galesburg, Illinois. I remember how cool it felt to go into the voting booth (which was fitted with red, white, and blue striped curtains), closing the curtains, and watching my mom punch the ballot. I asked her lots of questions. I must have been in grade school at that point. That experience left an impression on me. My siblings and I all were super-excited to be able to vote when we turned 18. I think I’ve missed one election since then… and it was a really small local primary. And I felt bad about it for weeks.

I don’t care which political party or candidate you support. That’s your business not mine. And notice, ever the journalist, I kept my own personal politics out of it! That’s my business, not yours! Voting is a right and a duty that our forefathers and foremothers fought for. You have no right to complain about the government or the state of this country unless you get out there and vote. So remember this as the campaign season continues. When October rolls around, cast your vote absentee if you think you can’t make it to the polls. Call your friends, family, neighbors, whoever and see if they need a ride to the polls. Remind all your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers to vote.

I’m on a mission to get the voter turnout percentage up to a respectable number. I hope you’ll join me.