Another OOPS

Hi,

Sorry it’s been so long again.

Things are going great. No complaints at all. I love it at the Chronicle and I’m proud of the work that we do.

 

Not much to update, but budget night is Tuesday and it’s going to be insane. Maybe I’ll post again then.

 

Jonathan

Oops!

Well, it has sure been a long time.

I don’t really have any excuses for it. I should have been blogging. I missed it. Actually, it helps keep me sane.

The last month-and-a-half have been pretty good. The only complaint I have is that I have been buying lunch instead of making it. I really need to stop doing that.

Everyone at the office is great. We all get along well and I really think I fit in well here.

I have had some problems with some of my stories lately, but I’m not sure why. They haven’t been easy “topics,” but I shouldn’t be asked really simple questions that should have been in the stories already. That’s been the most frustrating part. I don’t know what it is. I wrote about a notice to sue, a recycling contract and a blight ordinance, among other things. None of those should have really thrown me for any loops, but they did.

I can’t use the excuse that I’m just out of school because my expectations on myself are much higher than that. I know I can do better and I have to prove it. Next week,  I am going to buckle down and get everything top notch for Mike. He deserves it. I don’t like throwing the news desk off each morning. It stresses everyone one out and wastes a lot of time.

The paper is in the middle of budget season and it’s been a rush. We all have so many stories to write each morning. It’s pretty nice actually. I don’t mind writing budget stories. They are fun and really easy. I feel like I actually know what I am doing now. I am still learning, though.

It’s Easter weekend and my brother is home. It’s actually pretty nice. He fell asleep while we were watching Robin Hood (Crowe’s version). I really missed him, even though, I know he is going to make a mess of the house. I’m spending Easter with Ashley’s family, which is going to be a blast. I cannot wait for the food. Tomorrow, I will be at my nonnie’s house hanging out with her and my papa.

Over the last month, or so, I have really picked up on my speed writing in the mornings. I can write two, 12-inch stories in under two hours. Of course, it depends on if I am writing a meeting story from the night before or if I’m calling people in the morning. Having to call people in the morning is tough. Usually, it all works out for us, but sometimes people are just busy.

I am still going to a lot of meetings. I find them fun and I don’t really like following up on meetings the next day. It gives the story more room for error and if you can’t get quotes, you don’t really have a story. Plus, going to meetings keeps town officials on their toes and let’s them know that I’m not just winging my stories. I’m putting my time in, just like they are.

My iPhone 3GS is starting to really bother me. I have treated that phone like crap for too long and now it hates me. The phone drops calls, is really slow and I want a new one. I have no problem paying for a new one, but I’m not sure how long I’ve had this one. I am thinking about going to AT&T this weekend and finding that out and seeing how much an iPhone 4 (not a S) is. My brother has one and loves it.

Next week already seems promising.

I will post more often, I promise.

-Jonathan

 

Early Deadline

Today we had an hour early deadline. Stories had to be done at 9 a.m.

So, instead of our usual two stories each we were told to pick just one. I picked “Lebanon mulls brand new charter study group” and got it done before 9 a.m. It took me awhile to do because I messed up on a few of my other stories that ran today. See “Franklin admits school budget a bit high” and “Housing authority’s snow policy leads to complaint.”

They were things that I should have read a couple more times before I said they were done. Those stories didn’t take long to fix, but they threw Mike off and didn’t help the editing process for the paper today. I felt bad. I should know by now to reread and double check my stuff. Maybe I thought they were done? I don’t know.

We were all on high alert today. I wouldn’t say that we were “rushing,” but we were definitely going much faster than normal.

After deadline I started, if I remember correctly four more stories, so that I have a jump start on the week with a council meeting coming up tomorrow. This week is pretty full with story ideas. Either way, it’s nice to get a little heads start on the week.

Tomorrow shouldn’t be too bad.

-Jonathan

For Monday!

One obstacle that I have found while working full-time is MONDAY. Being full-time you want to have your own story “budget” and have things lined up for when you need them. You have your “must haves” and “whatevs,” but you need to have them written down somewhere.

I have a list like this in my bag at all times. Each morning I go through it and decipher what I want to write for the day, who I need to call and what to plan for the next day. I write down who to call for each story and some topics, or questions, that I need answered.

It’s pretty simple and I make sure I do it each and every day. I cross out what’s done or “working” and keep my list updated. By the end of the day that paper is full of notes, numbers and anything you can think of. That paper keeps me sane and keeps me working.

Now that I am writing 600 words or less for stories I realize that I don’t need to ask people every question I can think of. Also, I’ve come to learn that the people I call, on a regular basis now, don’t have the time or patience to do that.

Thankfully, I am starting to get to know some better than others, but it’s a “game,” so to speak. You never know who is going to be available and who isn’t.

Anyways, the point of this post is MONDAY. You have to plan for it. I’ve learned that you can’t always write all the stories you want  in one day.

Today, I spent two hours talking to people, or trying to, so I could have at least three stories for Mike on Monday. President’s Day is next week and all the town offices will be closed, which means no one will actually be available.

But it’s the little things like that, which you get you prepared for the next week. Now, I can come in on Monday and give Mike a wide variety of story ideas that he can either take or tell me to write them, and then hold them. I like giving him that option.

It’s still taking some getting used to, but the more meetings the better. They are goldmines for stories.

-Jon

 

Good Going

This week has been pretty good so far. I’m not really “dry” on stories, but I could use more.

Anyways, I went to a meeting last night and got a front page story out of it.  I won’t spoil it, but when the pdfs get put up on the website, I will be sure to throw it up here so it’s easier to find. Here it is (Coventry to hold a tax sale)

The story will be good for great followups down the road. It could grow into a big deal. I haven’t heard of towns doing a tax sale, but I guess they do really exist.

I have a bunch of stories that are done, but just need space. I have to wait for Mike to put them in. I think I have one or two ideas for tomorrow. I am currently waiting for a school to put their budget online so I can finish a story on the budget that they passed.

Today is Valentine’s Day and Ash and I are going to Mill on the River later. I am so pumped. I cleaned my room and everything.

Already hungry,

Jonathan

“Seconds” before Deadline

This past Thursday Mike had me write a local lawmakers reaction to Governor Malloy’s state of the state address the day before.

That story (Officials applaud Malloy’s vision) actually came out really good. I got budgeted for “15+,” but when I have them on the phone, I just keep asking them questions. They all had great things to say and by the time I was done it was my deadline. 10 a.m, and it was about 20 inches. I started calling all of them around 8 a.m. because I wanted to write one of my own stories before, just in case I couldn’t get enough of them to call me back.

Anyways, I got word of a breaking news story after deadline and told Mike about it. He instantly wanted the story and made space for it on the front page immediately. Can you say pressure? haha. The issue has been a hot topic for the past couple of months and we HAD to have the story before the other papers.

There was no way that we were going to wait. We run an afternoon paper.  Mike was freaking out, and rightly so. My source didn’t want to talk. That I understood, but I asked my source if we could just say what they told me previously and I explained to her my situation with The Courant and our deadlines, but my source didn’t budge.

I’m going to skip ahead in the story and come back to it after. You’ll see why.

Keep in mind that this is now 10:30 a.m. and the paper leaves the floor to print at 11 a.m.

I then called the same lawmakers that I had talked to not a half hour previously. One actually was available and I got it out of him. Talking to him versus talking to my source was two very different conversations. I pretty much made the local lawmaker tell me. Something “clicked” in my head and I turned full-journo on him. He understood why I did it and we were actually laughing about it while talking to each other. I remember saying, “Just tell me what I want to hear and I’ll leave you alone for the rest of the day.” He eventually told me, but that was a side of me that I didn’t know was in me. I didn’t think that I would ever talk to one of them like that.

Back to my conversation with my source. I let them dictate the conversation. I was “weak” and didn’t get my point across. Looking back on it, I was more worried about upsetting my source than I was getting the information for the story. I felt really bad after that call.

The head editor of our paper, who sits not six feet away from me , called me out after I got off the phone with my source. I don’t remember exactly what he said, but it didn’t make me feel good.

I made up for it, though. After I got off the phone with the local lawmaker, our head editor said, “Now that’s how you do it.” That made my day. Mike was really glad to have the story and I was beyond freaked out.

I had written on deadline before (see this), but on Thursday we held the paper and it was insane. Everyone on the news side was helping. It was great.

Once the paper went to print, Mike and I were all smiles. He was so happy we got the story in the paper and I was just glad it was all over. We have our weekly meetings on Thursdays after the paper goes to print and we talked about it there for awhile. It was nice to just talk and joke about how stressful it was.

Another great day.

-Jon

Moving Forward

I can’t even begin to count how many stories I wrote this week. I really surprised myself and I’m glad that I did.

Two Mondays ago I had no stories to write for Mike. Last night, at my first night shift, I wrote four stories. It was nice to catch up and get those out of the way. Mike likes to know what he’s working with and I am more than happy to write them for him.

I already have three or four waiting to be printed, but Mike likes a variety and he can’t just run Grand List stories. Those can run anytime. I didn’t write every story that I had to work with because I need to wait until some more towns approve more “budget stuff.” That’s fine by me. Writing budget stories is awesome, but I need to make sure the numbers that I have for them are good to go.

I’ve been able to get “close” to most of the superintendents in my towns. I know that sounds weird, but I have to. I think it’s really important that I let them get to know me. So far, so good, on that end.

I already have my meetings lined up for this coming week. I’m debating going to one on Monday, but I think that I should. I want more stories to write. Thankfully, Ashley and I will be able to have dinner on Tuesday for Valentine’s Day.

A couple weeks ago, I was worried that Tuesday was going to be a meeting, but it actually worked out. Ashley and I need some time together. It’s been tough the last couple of weeks, in more ways than one. I’m excited to go out with her. Not just spending time with her, but to not have to worry about anything but what’s for dessert.

-Jon

Sorry

I need to apologize for not posting for so long. The last two weeks have been insane.

Last week, I was worried I didn’t have enough stories and this week I was worried about what stories I would be able to write in time for deadline.

To my credit, I have been putting up all of my clips to the clips page. I have been writing non-stop this week with more to write. It’s pretty intense. For example, yesterday I had four stories in the paper. At The Recorder I was writing maybe four a week with one on deadline. Now they are mostly all on deadline.

I’ve been going to meetings like crazy. I really like getting to know all of the boards in my towns. I like giving them a face to the person that is calling them at all hours of the day and sometimes night. I think I only have one town that will be tricky, but budget season is definitely upon us.

Tonight is my first time doing the night shift at The Chronicle. Thankfully, it’s with Mike and I think it will be fun. I’m pretty excited. I should probably be sleeping right now, but I’m so used to being up right now.

I don’t really have any complaints. I got my first full-time paycheck this week. That felt good, but there is really nothing bad about it. The split shifts aren’t bad and I am addicted to meeting coverage, so it’s all working out for the best right now.

-Jon

Whoa busy

Sorry for my lack of posts. Having four towns is actually pretty nice. Lots of stories and lots of meetings.

So far it’s pretty good. I have no real complaints. I wish I could go to all the meetings I want to, but I have to watch my hours.

At first, I didn’t have any story ideas, but after some meetings they started flooding in. And next week more will flood in.

-Jonathan

Oh…Okay

I’m tired today. I didn’t go to bed until late.

Other than me being tired, which isn’t very new, everything else went great. My skateboard park story (Area for beginners eyed at skate park) is in, but my dispatch story didn’t run today. Mike had some questions on it that I had to check with Heather on. The things he had questions on I had no idea on because I don’t cover the town. She really helped me a lot today.

I also started a story that I am going to finish tomorrow morning on one of my town’s. I wanted to get a hold of a superintendent, but they never called me back. I am going to try again tomorrow because I really want to know what they think about what I am writing about. It’s not just about the quotes for this story. I want to know what they have to say and what they are thinking. Now that I have my beat I want to talk to as many people as I can for each story. I just have to remember to keep my story length under control.

One thing I need to work on is giving my stories “the next step.” Mike has told time and time again to add that aspect in, but I keep forgetting. The whole point of writing these hyper-local stories is to let people know what is going on. If I don’t tell them what the next step is the story is pointless. I need to make more of an effort to remember to put that in because that’s one of Mike’s staples for a story. To be sure, I made a sticky note of it and put it on my PC.

I got yelled at today. I was the first time in my four weeks, but it won’t be the last. I can guarantee that. Not by my boss or a coworker, but by a town official. I’ll leave it at that.

I’m covering a meeting tomorrow so, tonight I can kind of take it easy. I need to make sure I sleep. I really need to make that a focus and get on a schedule. Ashley, I am listening to you. I promise.

Also, I found out that I will be covering the night shift next Friday with Mike. I am pretty excited for that. Getting to sleep in and write news all night? Count me in.

-Jon