Time was that I could rattle off the election regulations for Georgia – the Republic of Georgia, that is. In 2000, 2001 and 2002, I was in Tbilisi for a month at a time, working with local journalists to help them cover elections. Part of training them about their role in a new democracy was to train … read more Keeping watch
Tag: media
Too many words
I didn’t imagine I’d have a day when there were too many words. But they came in streams so thick and unintelligible that I nearly drowned. Too many words. Too little communication. They were heavy and nasty at times. Condescending and cruel at other times. Mostly, angry. So much anger, like a bombardment of a … read more Too many words
Numb
You’d think that someone who was raised Catholic and has been a reporter, editor, and journalism trainer for 35 years would have seen Spotlight the first week it came out. But when I finally watched it last night, I knew why it had taken so long. It’s an excellent movie, well-crafted and yet authentic in its two-camera simplicity, … read more Numb
So many
I didn’t know them, but I can picture them. They would have been laughing and talking, at the end of the work day, as they rode the bus from work to home in Kabul. The mix of men and women means there was flirting, too. Most of them were young, under 30, and their careers … read more So many
The missing family
Catalogs that come to my mailbox usually get dumped straight into the recycling bin, but today I took a cruise through Shutterfly’s. There was something strange about the catalog, though. It took me awhile to figure out what it was. And then I realized: It’s not what it is. It’s what it isn’t. A 24-page catalog, … read more The missing family
The worst job I ever loved
The worst job of 2015, according to an analysis by CareerCast, is one that I held for 12 years: newspaper reporter. That job was hard and often exasperating, but I loved the challenge, was fascinated by the people I met and stories I reported, and was proud of my profession. It seemed a perfect fit for my curiosity and my … read more The worst job I ever loved
Day 58: Unsocial
Because I’m a journalist, I’m required to like social media. And I do, for some things. But… Well, social media isn’t worthless. Twitter is ideal for sending and receiving news alerts and story recommends. Facebook is wonderful for getting back in touch with people you haven’t seen in years. LinkedIn is an exceptionally good venue for adding … read more Day 58: Unsocial