Fly one time

There was a story about ospreys on the front page of the Chicago Tribune on Thursday. People care about wildlife. People *want* to read about a beautiful, majestic bird so much that it was front and center. And I got to write the story.


I could never have known that I would be here, at one of the largest, most respected newspapers in the world and that I would have a solo byline on page one. Life can throw some pretty wonderful and unexpected surprises at you sometimes.


A part of me feels like I sort of 'won' it, rather than earned it though. The newsroom has changed a lot over the past few years, with newspapers going bankrupt and journalism struggling to survive the changing news culture that emerged like a tsunami. A lot of people left. Or were fired. A lot of jobs disappeared. But, there are still jobs and really talented people compete for them - residents, young journalists who have come from grad school or with gigs at smaller papers. They spend two years at the paper doing whatever stories are thrown at them, pulling overnight shifts to cover crime, surviving the almost-always-inevitable surburb assignment...and at the end, they hope there is a job waiting for them.


I feel like I came in as the trust-fund kid, with my fancy fellowship and editors working to 'give me the experience I want.' I feel like I need to work my ass off too for what I get. I guess 8 weeks isn't long enough for the drudge work. Who knows. I talked to one of the residents about it yesterday (she will certainly get hired when she is done; she's good!) and she told me I have done more than almost any intern there (from AAAS anyway) and that I would not have been given page one if they didn't think I could handle it...that made me feel better, I think.


It was A LOT of work. I was up by 5:30 am on Monday to go to the site, and it was in the 80s at sunrise...but that was an adventure, complete with osprey, tornado sirens, and whipping through thick brush and gullies in the back of a pick-up trying to outrace gathering funnel clouds. THEN, I made it back home to find my power out (this was after a stop to fill the flat tire on the Tribune pool car) and scramble to pack ice into the refrigerator and freezer...then I got to work, did more interviews and Wednesday was D-day. Edit and revise the heck out of it and work tirelessly with graphics to make sure everything was just right. It was back and forth phone calls to the communications director at the forest preserve to speak with the reluctant wildlife biologist who was so vague I had to keep getting clarification ("ok, with this chart you sent, you say 11 poles with nests. does that mean more than 11 poles exist but there are 11 poles with nests? because you told me before you have 10 poles with 8 nests...?"). But, finally, it was done. And then I had emails and a second post to do...


The work never stops. And I love it. Unfortunately, it will be over soon. Too soon. Until then, I'll keep the stories coming!

Oh the adventures

So, my internet died for a week and then I busied myself with rental home searching and wedding planning (and responding to emails...I seem to get a lot of those). My goal is to have a firm, announceable, wedding plan by Thursday, 15 July - 3 months out from when we planned to have the wedding. But it looks like we may change venues...turns out it kind of sucks having to rent everything from a tent to portable restrooms. Yes, that is a euphemism for port-o-potties. Turns out, it's expensive if you want to be able to wash your hands.

I biked to Lincoln Park this weekend, to do some thinking and planning under a tree. It was so nice. But really, I went for the outdoor Green City Market. By Madison standards, it was small, but in a way, it made it nicer. It was outdoors, in the park, in the grass and under the trees. There was food, there was music, there were families and couples, and lone folk like myself. It was so nice. I had my Willy St Coop bag with me and it sparked conversation with a former Madisonite. The 20 mile round trip bike ride was nice too ;)


This 90 degree weather has to go though. I don't want it. Give me 30 degrees instead. I'm serious, and even in the throes of winter in February and March, I was still realizing the same thing. I hate heat.


But I love this once-in-a-lifetime experience I am having at the Trib. I feel like, for the first time, what I am doing makes a difference. I was thanked last week by several people for what I do, helping to raise awareness, bring light to issues, ask hard questions, educate and enlighten, demystify...it was so profound. I sometimes feel like an excited puppy, wiggling from head to toe because I can't contain all of my energy and enthusiasm. It's nice to feel like a puppy in my late 20's.


Today, I had a phenomenal experience...but I will wait until the story comes out to divulge more ;)


Oh, congrats to Jessica for surviving Shaw's wedding and Patricia for her first trail half marathon!