Mood:
a-okTopic: Writing
I am on the ball when it comes to keeping up with all things bloggerish. Just last week, I discovered "Stuff Journalists Like," a very similar, although not authored by, the hilarious "Stuff White People Like."
Stuff Journalists Like is edited by two journalists—Chris and David. The blog is a random list of, you guessed it, things journalists like...and it's pretty funny, probably because it's pretty true.
Although I consider myself a writer, not a journalist, I do many of the same tasks as journalists do...I just make more money doing them (insert evil laugh here). Regardless, I've never dreamed of being a journalist, but don't be surprised if I'm knocking down the newspaper room door in 5 months.
Here are a few things Chris and David say journalists like—
#5 The Good Old Days: "For most journalists, the best days are behind them." I work with many people who used to be journalists/reporters (ahem, for their college papers). And hey, I did it too. It was a great time in my life (ah, the good old days...), but there comes a time when reliving those days gets really old. Trust me, the water cooler is tired of hearing about it.
#9 Coffee: "It's the Gatorade for journalists." Now THERE'S a true statement if I ever heard one. As the blog says, even the mere mention of coffee gets me excited. Although I drink my coffee black, and enjoy about six cups a morning, I don't think it will ever cure my chronic fatigue.
#12 Inverted Pyramids: "Inverted pyramids are part of a journalist's life as much as budget meetings, deadlines and alcohol-induced romantic encounters." Although I learned about the lovely inverted pyramid in high school (as a pub rat), I have since abandoned that awful creative-sucking formula. However, I understand and appreciate its logic.
#14 Bylines: "After all of it, journalists are left with only their cherished bylines." I LOVE BYLINES. I write and type and interview and scribble away all to get that byline. I cannot explain to you how excited I get when a byline is mine. And if you get a byline AND a photo, well you've hit the (figurative) jackpot.
#48 Desk Dining: "In a world of tightening deadlines, decreased staffing and increased workloads, lunch in the formal sense, doesn't really exist for journalists." So, so true. I eat lunch at my desk everyday and I really feel bad for anyone that steps into my office after lunch because chances are, my leftovers are still sitting on my sloppy desk. That's just how lazy I am.
#64 College Newspapers: "It's at their college newspapers where journalists first learn to ignore friends, responsibilities and hygiene to meet deadline." This just goes back to those good old days...except I don't remember not showering.
#99 Year-in-Reviews: "Journalists have their own end of the year ritual and this is compiling year in review stories and segments." I'm not one to love putting together year-in-review pieces, but I sure as hell love reading them. Hey, sometimes you just forget all the crazy things that happened in a year!
If you thought these were funny, be sure to check out the entire blog (I posted a link to the left). Since I'm in the business of sending out pitches, I think I should send Chris and David a few ideas...(#702 Sending Pitches).
