It was the best of working weekends and the worst of working weekends.
On the plus side, it was productive, and the first working weekend that wasn't stressful, where I really felt like, "No matter what happens, I can address it." And since I'm working a section that isn't mine normally, this was a good feeling to finally have.
On the minus side, I noticed a number of calendar items, five, that didn't make it into print, and I spent a good hour trying to add them online because I couldn't get the website to update. Don't laugh: this was probably the most stressful part of the weekend. Here's why.
The amount of events I handle keep going up. I even counted how many made the calendars this week (247), which doesn't count the ones I skim for dates, deciding if this one goes in this week or another week. Also, because it requires the least brain power, I usually work on these in the evenings, after I put my reporter, editor, and social media hats away for the day.
So why was I stressing? Because I like to get things right. And it wasn't right. People submit them with the expectation I will get them in print in a timely fashion. And I want to be 100 percent accurate in 100 percent of everything I do.
Self-chastisement over. Moving on.
I did go out to lunch on Saturday (a non-working lunch), something I never do on working weekends, although our managing editor has encouraged us to "live our lives"during those weekends, and it was a very nice lunch.
My two fellow lunchers were a former priest at my church (who has returned on a part time basis) and a former boss, and these two used to date each other nearly thirty years ago, at time when I didn't know either one. I'm smiling as I write this.
I did make Divine Liturgy on Sunday, although I stayed in town and didn't venture forty miles away to "my" church as I had plenty of work to get done by mid-afternoon since I had an event to cover.
So work-wise, here's what I did: the regular amount of calendar work I usually do on weekends when I'm not the weekend editor (not counting the hour I spent fixing my mistakes), two extra features for a new project I'm hoping our managing editor will incorporate on a weekly basis because I think readers will enjoy them, my regular bryonyseries social media, and the regular weekend editor duties.
And one more.
My brother and sister-in-law invited me to the 22nd Annual Great Chefs Tasting Party & Action at the Bolingbrok Golf Club. The event was a fundraiser for the Center for Disability Services in Joliet. My niece, their daughter, is a client there.
In the past, I attended one with Ron, but that was nearly twenty years ago, and the event has grown immensely since then. A Joliet Junior College chef began it and still oversees it. Rebekah was invited to attend, too. so we both knew people.
A nice plus was that our managing editor not only encouraged me to attend, even though I was technically working, he allowed me to cover the story when I pitched it to him. That meant, I enjoyed the night as guest and reporter, which, to some, may not sound like enjoyment.
But it really, truly was.
The night was this interesting meld of talking to the copy desk when questions arose and talking to the copy desk about the story I was covering.
I interviewed some guests and chatted informally to others I knew. Rebekah kept me fed, hydrated, and talked to the guests she knew, since some were with JJC and some were former JJC students working for other restaurants represented at the event last night.
I took video (which I'll edit this morning and post) and shot photos for the story, along with "extra"photos, which I posted on Joliet Connect. But when my niece made a special appearance, I posted that photo on my personal Facebook page.
I had pre-written parts of the story on Saturday. So while the live auction was going on, I sat on a bench in the hallway with my laptop and hotspot writing my story, which attracted friendly comments from passersby, reminiscent of my middle-of-the-night newspaper delivery days, when I sat on a work station at 1:30 a.m. and worked on stories while waiting for the first truck.
I left with one story idea and in high spirits.
Today I am working from home. Rebekah is off today, and she is helping me learn video editing. Daniel is sick (work up with nearly 101 temperature), so he may need a ride to the doctor.
So my focus for today is learning a new skill, being thankful for all the parts of the job I got right, and forgiving myself for the calendar mistakes. I had five omissions, but they are all online now, and I did do two hundred and forty-two of them correctly.
Oh, and I haven't looked at Before the Blood since Thursday (or was it Wednesday?) morning. But I shall return to my daily thirty minutes tomorrow. Promise.
And these are my musings on this fifty-plus degree Monday morning. :)
On the plus side, it was productive, and the first working weekend that wasn't stressful, where I really felt like, "No matter what happens, I can address it." And since I'm working a section that isn't mine normally, this was a good feeling to finally have.
On the minus side, I noticed a number of calendar items, five, that didn't make it into print, and I spent a good hour trying to add them online because I couldn't get the website to update. Don't laugh: this was probably the most stressful part of the weekend. Here's why.
The amount of events I handle keep going up. I even counted how many made the calendars this week (247), which doesn't count the ones I skim for dates, deciding if this one goes in this week or another week. Also, because it requires the least brain power, I usually work on these in the evenings, after I put my reporter, editor, and social media hats away for the day.
So why was I stressing? Because I like to get things right. And it wasn't right. People submit them with the expectation I will get them in print in a timely fashion. And I want to be 100 percent accurate in 100 percent of everything I do.
Self-chastisement over. Moving on.
I did go out to lunch on Saturday (a non-working lunch), something I never do on working weekends, although our managing editor has encouraged us to "live our lives"during those weekends, and it was a very nice lunch.
My two fellow lunchers were a former priest at my church (who has returned on a part time basis) and a former boss, and these two used to date each other nearly thirty years ago, at time when I didn't know either one. I'm smiling as I write this.
I did make Divine Liturgy on Sunday, although I stayed in town and didn't venture forty miles away to "my" church as I had plenty of work to get done by mid-afternoon since I had an event to cover.
So work-wise, here's what I did: the regular amount of calendar work I usually do on weekends when I'm not the weekend editor (not counting the hour I spent fixing my mistakes), two extra features for a new project I'm hoping our managing editor will incorporate on a weekly basis because I think readers will enjoy them, my regular bryonyseries social media, and the regular weekend editor duties.
And one more.
My brother and sister-in-law invited me to the 22nd Annual Great Chefs Tasting Party & Action at the Bolingbrok Golf Club. The event was a fundraiser for the Center for Disability Services in Joliet. My niece, their daughter, is a client there.
In the past, I attended one with Ron, but that was nearly twenty years ago, and the event has grown immensely since then. A Joliet Junior College chef began it and still oversees it. Rebekah was invited to attend, too. so we both knew people.
A nice plus was that our managing editor not only encouraged me to attend, even though I was technically working, he allowed me to cover the story when I pitched it to him. That meant, I enjoyed the night as guest and reporter, which, to some, may not sound like enjoyment.
But it really, truly was.
The night was this interesting meld of talking to the copy desk when questions arose and talking to the copy desk about the story I was covering.
I interviewed some guests and chatted informally to others I knew. Rebekah kept me fed, hydrated, and talked to the guests she knew, since some were with JJC and some were former JJC students working for other restaurants represented at the event last night.
I took video (which I'll edit this morning and post) and shot photos for the story, along with "extra"photos, which I posted on Joliet Connect. But when my niece made a special appearance, I posted that photo on my personal Facebook page.
I had pre-written parts of the story on Saturday. So while the live auction was going on, I sat on a bench in the hallway with my laptop and hotspot writing my story, which attracted friendly comments from passersby, reminiscent of my middle-of-the-night newspaper delivery days, when I sat on a work station at 1:30 a.m. and worked on stories while waiting for the first truck.
I left with one story idea and in high spirits.
Today I am working from home. Rebekah is off today, and she is helping me learn video editing. Daniel is sick (work up with nearly 101 temperature), so he may need a ride to the doctor.
So my focus for today is learning a new skill, being thankful for all the parts of the job I got right, and forgiving myself for the calendar mistakes. I had five omissions, but they are all online now, and I did do two hundred and forty-two of them correctly.
Oh, and I haven't looked at Before the Blood since Thursday (or was it Wednesday?) morning. But I shall return to my daily thirty minutes tomorrow. Promise.
And these are my musings on this fifty-plus degree Monday morning. :)
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