Happy Birthday! I am also 62, as of March, and you brought back fun memories of my law school pal, Cecilia, who was an Assistant DA in Cherokee County for a while after our graduation. A redhead from Chicago who had a laugh like a happy drill.
Oh wow! Did she have anything to do with the prosecution of Jonathan Miller in 1998? I didn't really deal with the D.A.'s office, that would've been Dan's beat, and another young woman at the paper who's name I don't recall. Thank you for your comment!
Happy Birthday Tom! Another masterpiece. When you described your time at the Cherokke Tribune I could see it in my mind. Very few writers are that gifted. I got you beat by about 10 years. Yeah the aches build up but just keep moving!
Thank you for the complimentary comment. I'm not sure, re-reading it today, that it didn't deserve another go-round to lop out another 150 words or so. But it was fun to write and I figured people would give me some wriggle room on the birthday. Plus (+?), I'm trying to play it safe(r) during the Season of Sacrifice/Mercury Retrograde/other weird sh!t that often but not always plays out around my birthday week.
Happy birthday! I knew I liked you for some reason—other than the interesting Subs you’re cranking out. You’re three months older than I am, and we both lived in Marietta at the same time in our lives!
And, I too, have worked as a reporter and news broadcaster on and off for more than 30 years. We’re practically twins.
My first reporting job was at a small radio station in Buffalo,New York. Radio and television were mostly mom and pops back then. I remember when corporate America started buying up all the media and how much journalism changed! Very sad and confusing time. I ended my career at a small but important radio station in Massachusetts in the late 90’s, and it was there that I woke up. The news started coming over the wire with a left-leaning bent and my news director and I would rewrite it. We’d learned in school the importance of delivering the news without any kind of bias—fair and balanced.
I covered some great stories. And I, too, miss those days more than I can say. My adulthood began in a smoky newsroom and there was nothing better. I got out of the business in the early 2000’s and became an international tour director a few years later and that, too, has been wonderful. I still write and have been a columnist for the past 12 years for the same newspaper.
I loved reading about your experience of a job well done. What a wonderful moment!
I had a great childhood in the 60’s that I’m truly grateful for. Thankfully my children had a glimpse of the world as it used to be, too.
Enjoyed reading your post. I used to think journalism was an honorable profession. Now, not so much. I miss the integrity, along with a lot of other old fashioned values such as respect and love of country. Now I cannot tolerate legacy media or even the local rag. I'd rather plug my ears and stick pencils in both eyes!
I don't like the woke agenda playing at theaters either. Haven't been in years. I'd better sign off now cause I'm starting to sound like an old fart, uh, I mean Brumby. Lol I've got a few years on you. 1960 was a great year, wasn't it?! 😉
Thank you for your comment. It's very sad what's happened to pretty much every institutional element of America, it's been completely overtaken by ideological agenda rooted in a narcissistic bubble of fundamental dishonesty and hatred of free thought. The smug and stubbornly stupid self-righteousness of the enemy does not seem fully human, at least to me. "Are we not men? We are Devo"lution. Thanks again for your kind words.
There were some very good films at the end of last year, November & December felt promising. But 2024 has been awful so far, even DUNE wasn't particularly engaging emotionally, just a top tier technical achievement with an interesting story that the audience watches at a detached distance. Thank you for your comment and birthday wishes!
Happy Birthday! I am also 62, as of March, and you brought back fun memories of my law school pal, Cecilia, who was an Assistant DA in Cherokee County for a while after our graduation. A redhead from Chicago who had a laugh like a happy drill.
Oh wow! Did she have anything to do with the prosecution of Jonathan Miller in 1998? I didn't really deal with the D.A.'s office, that would've been Dan's beat, and another young woman at the paper who's name I don't recall. Thank you for your comment!
Great piece, Tom. You and I are almost exactly the same age. I’ve been thinking about the “62 in 62” thing myself this year!
62 in 62! What does it meeeeeeeeeaaaaaan? ;-)
Thanks for your synchronistic comment.
Happy Birthday Tom! Another masterpiece. When you described your time at the Cherokke Tribune I could see it in my mind. Very few writers are that gifted. I got you beat by about 10 years. Yeah the aches build up but just keep moving!
Thank you for the complimentary comment. I'm not sure, re-reading it today, that it didn't deserve another go-round to lop out another 150 words or so. But it was fun to write and I figured people would give me some wriggle room on the birthday. Plus (+?), I'm trying to play it safe(r) during the Season of Sacrifice/Mercury Retrograde/other weird sh!t that often but not always plays out around my birthday week.
Happy birthday!
Great stories. It's sad to see how far journalism has fallen.
Happy birthday! I knew I liked you for some reason—other than the interesting Subs you’re cranking out. You’re three months older than I am, and we both lived in Marietta at the same time in our lives!
And, I too, have worked as a reporter and news broadcaster on and off for more than 30 years. We’re practically twins.
My first reporting job was at a small radio station in Buffalo,New York. Radio and television were mostly mom and pops back then. I remember when corporate America started buying up all the media and how much journalism changed! Very sad and confusing time. I ended my career at a small but important radio station in Massachusetts in the late 90’s, and it was there that I woke up. The news started coming over the wire with a left-leaning bent and my news director and I would rewrite it. We’d learned in school the importance of delivering the news without any kind of bias—fair and balanced.
I covered some great stories. And I, too, miss those days more than I can say. My adulthood began in a smoky newsroom and there was nothing better. I got out of the business in the early 2000’s and became an international tour director a few years later and that, too, has been wonderful. I still write and have been a columnist for the past 12 years for the same newspaper.
I loved reading about your experience of a job well done. What a wonderful moment!
I had a great childhood in the 60’s that I’m truly grateful for. Thankfully my children had a glimpse of the world as it used to be, too.
Happy birthday again!
"— there were more murders the year I worked at the Tribune than the 60+ years prior)"
Interesting, what a coincidence... ;)
Happy Birthday.!
Hahahaha!!! I think all the killers were caught.
I'm a character assassin, not a flesh-and-blood assassin. ;-)
Thank you for your funny comment!
Happy birthday Tom! It looks like you may have gotten war with Iran this year!
Dark LOL, Adam! 'Twas the eclipse that gave us the headsup. Thank you for your comment!
Great post. Thanks Tom.
Thank you so much for taking the time to say that!
That HR lady… <shudder>
Happy birthday!
Enjoyed reading your post. I used to think journalism was an honorable profession. Now, not so much. I miss the integrity, along with a lot of other old fashioned values such as respect and love of country. Now I cannot tolerate legacy media or even the local rag. I'd rather plug my ears and stick pencils in both eyes!
I don't like the woke agenda playing at theaters either. Haven't been in years. I'd better sign off now cause I'm starting to sound like an old fart, uh, I mean Brumby. Lol I've got a few years on you. 1960 was a great year, wasn't it?! 😉
Happy birthday!
Kind regards
CJ
Thank you for your comment. It's very sad what's happened to pretty much every institutional element of America, it's been completely overtaken by ideological agenda rooted in a narcissistic bubble of fundamental dishonesty and hatred of free thought. The smug and stubbornly stupid self-righteousness of the enemy does not seem fully human, at least to me. "Are we not men? We are Devo"lution. Thanks again for your kind words.
Happy Birthday! I also used to do a birthday movie, not any longer. New movies suck.
There were some very good films at the end of last year, November & December felt promising. But 2024 has been awful so far, even DUNE wasn't particularly engaging emotionally, just a top tier technical achievement with an interesting story that the audience watches at a detached distance. Thank you for your comment and birthday wishes!
Happy birthday! I’ll be 62 later this year as well. What a bunch of old farts - er, Brumbies! Haha.
Hahahaahaha! Thank you for the comment, well-wishes and chuckle it brought me.
Brumby needs bring in some new models. Shaker and Steam Punk.
And happy birthday Tom
Happy birthday, Tom, enjoy your essays quite a lot.
Thank you very much x 2!