tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52842002011-04-21T21:15:55.482ZMedia SpivThe life and times of a journalist on a local paper in middle (ish) England.mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.comBlogger401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1107372129083899842005-02-02T19:19:00.000Z2005-02-02T19:22:09.083ZA random review I found when looking for something else that needs a home...
A Drink with Shane MacGowan aims to give an insight into the life and times noted hell-raiser Shane MacGowan, former Pogues lead singer and a man who has known many a bar floor up close and personally.
Whilst the title is unimaginative, it’s oddly apt. Editor and co-author Victoria Mary Clarke has left the text of mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1105488913410039802005-01-12T01:13:00.000Z2005-01-12T00:19:05.900ZWhat kind of pirate am I? You decide! You can also view a breakdown of results or put one of these on your own page!mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1105396032432248332005-01-10T22:24:00.000Z2005-01-11T08:04:43.063Z"Life... is like a box of chocolates. A cheap, thoughtless, perfunctory gift that nobody ever asks for. Unreturnable, because all you get back is another box of chocolates. You're stuck with this undefinable whipped-mint crap that you mindlessly wolf down when there's nothing else left to eat. Sure, once in a while, there's a peanut butter cup, or an English toffee. But they're gone too fast, themediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1100625779693373552004-11-16T17:20:00.000Z2004-11-16T17:22:59.693ZSnaffled from Seifer and a way to kick start this blog for the first time in eons (I've been a bit busy lately).
(A) First, recommend to me:
1. a movie:
2. a book:
3. a musical artist, song, or album:
(B) I want everyone who reads this to ask me three questions, no more, no less. Ask me anything you want.
(C) Then I want you to go to your journal, copy and paste this allowing your friends to mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1098730679560141432004-10-25T18:48:00.000Z2004-10-25T19:00:28.853ZThe problem with working as a reporter on a paper is often advertisers.
Anyone who's listened to me bitching about having to write four Christmas features a week (since the beginning of October) to fill ad features which people aren't buying know that sometimes writers get sucked into doing stuff because it's advertising driven. Plus if you listen to our ad department people mainly buy the papermediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1098527204981278842004-10-23T10:15:00.000Z2004-10-23T10:38:34.716ZIn every four-year term there is a chosen one. He alone will face the American public, the United Nations, and the forces of darkness. He is the President.
I have long thought Joss Whedon was a god.
This just proves it to be true.
As well as being a fab director, great writer, and an all-round intelligent and funny guy (as well as the creator of the best TV sci fi show ever - Firefly, go buy mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1098207139697809262004-10-19T18:28:00.000Z2004-10-19T17:32:19.696ZDragged myself into work despite feeling ill (and having been off yesterday and ill the last four days). Really wish I hadn't, but had a notebook full of stories which (because of the vagaries of my shorthand) couldn't be palmed off on anyone else.
A long, drawn out, difficult day. With one moment that made me laugh (and made me realise I don't have as much presence of mind as some people!):
A mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1097962338943128392004-10-12T21:31:00.000Z2004-10-16T21:32:18.943ZTHE ULTIMATE SILENCE
October 12, 1998Listen to the mustn'ts, child.Listen to the don'ts.Listen to the shouldn'ts,The impossibles, the won'ts.Listen to the never haves,Then listen close to me ...Anything can happen, child.Anything can be.~ Shel SilversteinSix years ago today, Matthew Shepard was murdered for being homosexual.What will you do to end the silence?Click here to post this on your own mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1097246700817365272004-10-08T14:43:00.000Z2004-10-08T14:45:00.816ZAh. The glamour of journalism.
I'm just writing an advertising feature about the importance of having your flu jab. 600 words, two stories, one picture... I'm thinking about stapling my tongue to a post-it note for something fun to do to alleviate the boredom.
It is the final two hours of work on the day that will not die (of the week that will not die). Will be having glorious Turkish food, mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1097090194604650352004-10-06T20:20:00.000Z2004-10-07T06:53:28.660ZAnother one of those days... Although to be fair, after a fantastic weekend away with the unholy trinity (and Dirk Benedict!) it's so far been a week of 'those days'.
I have on occasion been described as quirky. Everyone at work is convinced I'm an obsessive geek (the Dexter Fletcher thing was pretty much the final straw). One of my friends affectionately calls me nut job (at least I *think* mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1096461031302071042004-09-29T13:30:00.000Z2004-09-29T12:33:40.816ZIn the alternative universe world without shrimp I would like to inhabit:
~ I am not told to write up a review of 10 local events in aid of National Coffee Morning as a page lead with two pictures to fill a page near the back of the paper on Tuesday. And then on Wednesday morning told to cut it back to 100 words and one picture because the page has been given over to advertising.
~ I do not sitmediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1095797760140923572004-09-22T21:21:00.000Z2004-09-23T20:22:01.833ZThere are some days that just feel like they'll never end.
And then there are other days that just. Never. End.
Am finally home (just the 12 hour day) after a day that's seen me almost get run over, drive 40 miles up and down the 10 mile stretch of road between my home and work trying to find a hole in the hedge village hall in a hole in the hedge village, got frightened by a manic horse and, mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1094546656846432942004-09-07T08:27:00.000Z2004-09-07T19:32:54.870ZAsk a kid what they want to be when they grow up and nine times out of ten you’ll get one of a handful possible answers. Astronaut. Ballerina. Vet. Firefighter. Not me.
At a memorable family gathering when I was four, my beaming father was telling assembled aunts and uncles how when I was old enough I would take over his prized company. Not really understanding the business dynamic I told him Imediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1094037941411249912004-09-01T11:20:00.000Z2004-09-01T11:25:41.410ZThe portents of doom are here... I've drunk so much coffee I feel queasy, my desk is covered in crumbs from a packet of barbecue beef McCoys and we've got two stories on the go both of which we've already had complaints, solicitors' letters etc etc for.
It's not a good Wednesday morning.
But my work is done. I'm reading sports pages while everyone else deals with the controversy. Happy day.
mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1093624525458874592004-08-27T16:24:00.000Z2004-09-01T11:28:33.310ZI was given an X-Box for my birthday. Actually, I was given one before my birthday, but that's kind of another story.
So I knew I had become a tidge obsessed by it. Getting in ten minute bursts of playing Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic before I left for work was kind of a giveaway, as was waiting for my flatmate to go out so I could play from as soon as I got home until I went to sleep mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1093532478950213002004-08-26T14:50:00.000Z2004-08-26T15:11:14.343ZIt's been a long slow day.
We had a cracking front page (mine :)) which completely crapped on our competition who did the same story (about a policeman done for downloading child porn) but didn't go to court and instead cobbled together some hearsay from a police press release. So their splash was that he might be jailed, except the judge said he won't be because the severity of the pictures mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1093455742645739452004-08-25T17:39:00.000Z2004-08-25T17:42:22.646ZOk. I'm a tidge depressed.
This is rare for me generally. While I'm not a 'tra la la the hills are alive with the sound of music, let me go and hug this bunny rabbit' kind of a girl, generally nothing much gets to me hugely.
I have a job I like, bearable home situation (kinda), good friends (and now even an X-box! :P) so what more could one woman want??
Well. A new job would be nice. And a mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1085048550801260502004-05-20T10:05:00.000Z2004-05-20T10:22:30.800ZOk, I've been having this recurring dream.
I've had it eight times in the last month, and I've woken up in a cold sweat each time.
Forget the 'you're at school naked' dream.
Forget the 'being chased through woods by scary shadowy folks' dream.
This is the worst.
And do you know what it's about? This is how tragic my life is. It's about the NCE!
The NCE is the exam trainee journalists take mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1078513629080446672004-03-05T19:07:00.000Z2004-03-05T19:10:07.090ZI've become obsessed with Firefly (thanks to a dodgy import Region 1 DVD).
Check out who you are here:
"The Mechanic"
Which Firefly character are you? brought to you by Quizilla
And if you've got no idea what I'm talking about buy it (now!) from here. I got mine for £23 so you've got no excuse!mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1075030851456687452004-01-25T11:40:00.000Z2004-01-25T11:42:55.593ZOoops. How did a whole new year manage to start in the intervening time it took for me to post back on here? You know you've been away a long time when the 'Welcome to Blogger' help panel pops up on the side to help you remember to post.
mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1063444587242236502003-09-13T09:09:00.000Z2003-09-13T09:16:27.246ZWell once again, it's been a while... but it's been a pretty manic week all in, so you'll have to forgive me!
Having said that, all is right with the world -- just a bit busy is all!
I got the front page splash this week and it's a great story, an exclusive, the design of the front page is beautiful and I'm just so so proud of it it's making me smile as I write this. It was a major incident mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1061418005518227052003-08-20T23:16:00.000Z2004-08-25T17:34:18.836ZPart of being a journalist on a local paper is keeping in touch with the local community.
Depending where on the food chain you are this can vary from invites to posh soirees hosted by local dignitaries (the Editor) to council committee and public meetings (us). You will be shocked to note that we get the bum end of the deal.
Check the time on the post. If Blogger is working it should be mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1061136675136416212003-08-17T16:11:00.000Z2003-08-17T16:20:55.420ZOh dear. It all started with that 24 quiz and then three friends sent me other 24 quizzes to try and I'm now having a bit of a personality crisis.
Those people at Quizilla host quite a few 24 quizzes (search through the site to see) and the results vary somewhat:
According to the four I was posted (have I said thanks yet guys??!) I have characteristics of Jack (again? still?) Prez Palmer, Tonymediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1060970827667501232003-08-15T18:07:00.000Z2003-08-15T18:19:29.776ZWell it's Friday night and I'm finishing up some work before settling back with some Doritos, some Baileys and the 24 Season 2 DVD - yup, I am a geek, but at least I'm proud of it!
It's been a mad week at work, with Wednesday particularly being very stressful. Big news broke about an hour before our deadline so the adrenaline started pumping as everything was rejigged so the front page could be mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1060202840660289772003-08-06T20:47:00.000Z2003-08-12T19:18:59.946ZWell it's half nine and still sweltering and the novelty of warm weather has definitely worn off. It's one thing enjoying 30 degrees by the seaside and with a swimming cossie on under my sundress and a chance to take a dip to cool off whenever I want, but here - specifically the office - it's unbearable. And flinging myself under the water cooler just won't do (and might peturb the advertising mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-1059636483636819452003-07-31T07:28:00.000Z2003-08-03T15:10:30.936ZWell it's been a while since I've popped by, which is very rude indeed when you realise I am the hostess of this little corner of the information ether.
But I got the opportunity to gallivant to Turkey - all expenses paid - a few weeks ago (which was lovely) and caught a stinking cold when I got back which has meant I've spent all my free time since then sleeping and snotting (not so lovely).
Imediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-953412252003-06-05T20:13:00.000Z2003-06-05T20:13:28.556ZThey say every journalist has a book in them. In theory you'd think it's true. After all we spend our time (or at least we try) writing succinctly and to deadlines. We're aware of story structure, the use of apostrophes and how the nuances of words change meanings. It's a cinch right? I could probably rattle one out in my lunch hour if I set my mind to it.
Nope. For one thing my lunch hours are mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-951828512003-06-02T08:06:00.000Z2003-06-02T08:06:40.896ZThe hint was in the title.
Sexual Perversity in Chicago.
If you wanted a warning this wasn't for bringing your family to, then that might have been it. Matthew Perry or no Matthew Perry, this wasn't for kids. And the fidgeting of those well-meaning mothers who had brought their teenage daughters to see the show when the discussions of relationships and sex - complete with language that would mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-944383952003-05-16T08:25:00.000Z2003-05-17T16:53:49.000ZAm preparing for a happily quiet day before a jaunt out to a local beer festival for the evening (it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it).
Going out to do some court reporting in a minute (once my bacon sandwich and tea hangover cure kicks in - it was my birthday yesterday and I partied rather well!). Better that than being in the office anyway. At the moment there's nothing much going on,mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-942857042003-05-13T20:31:00.000Z2003-05-17T16:55:04.000ZOk. Imagine the person you love most love in your life has died suddenly in a horrific accident.
It's senseless. Arbitrary. In the morning you say bye and disappear off to work and then sometime during the day you get a phonecall, or a police officer comes to your office to tell you the terrible news. The person you love is dead. It's all you can do to get your head around it. How can it be? Youmediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-942211222003-05-12T19:53:00.000Z2003-05-12T20:01:58.000ZBack at work, (well not now, obviously) and knackered.
It's amazing how a cleared desk and empty in-tray can metamorphose into a pile of paper from hell in one short week. I spent the whole day getting rid of crap filler and nib [news in brief] rubbish so I could start on some newer, better stories. But then there were none.
On the plus side, I did get the day off next week to sit my driving mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-941496382003-05-11T14:44:00.000Z2003-05-12T20:01:36.000ZWell I promised to explain the joy of the convention. And as the dust has settled, I've got some time to spare and the weekend is almost over, now is probably the time to explain...
First off, everyone's knows about conventions. Or they think they do. Believe me, before this one I was the same. I've seen Galaxy Quest, Trekkies, and even Chasing Amy (comic cons, but the same kind of thing) so I mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-938784422003-05-06T19:01:00.000Z2003-05-07T19:08:47.000ZCoo it's been a while since I was last here.
I would say I've been busy at work but actually, well I haven't (I've been off work for nearly a week on holiday!). I have however stopped updating this site for the mo from my work machine - according to the grapevine internet usage is being monitored quite carefully now and while the odd surf to Buffy/24 sites probably won't be commented on, postingmediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-931081122003-04-23T12:37:00.000Z2003-05-07T19:09:40.000ZComputers have revolutionised journalism. On quiet afternoons at the end of the week (past deadline!) we sometimes sit in the office while our assistant editor talks about ancient days where telex's ruled the roost and copy had to be read down the phone to copy takers so that it could be laid out individually for production. Where carbon paper was the office equipment of choice and you thought mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-929772012003-04-21T11:35:00.000Z2003-04-21T11:37:35.000ZWhat a way to spend a bank holiday. I am completely skint. As in completely.
Pay day is Friday, and I have completely run out of cash. I paid the (£130 something) council tax bill this month, and was hoping that therefore my SO would owe me some money to tide me over. But no, he produced the bills he'd paid this month, (TV licence, gas and electricity) which means he owes me the princely sum of mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-929313082003-04-20T14:33:00.000Z2003-04-20T14:38:04.000ZHmm. Am having computer glitchiness which is proving somewhat disturbing. My internet connection has slowed to the cyber equivalent of a bloke with a slab of rock and a chisel and I can't for the life of me figure out why. Am planning to have a tinker in a minute - there seem to be lots of programs running in the background nowadays, many of which I have dodgy sounding names (ptsnoop anyone?!) somediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-928267762003-04-18T07:40:00.000Z2003-04-18T07:40:53.403ZHooray for Good Friday. I get to go into work late, there won't be many people around to talk to, and life will be quiet and (hopefully) relatively fun.
The SO has gone away for the weekend, so I am looking forward to having the house to myself and having West Wing DVD watching marathon with some red wine and possibly cheese on toast. With Lea and Perrins. Life is good...
mediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-927819232003-04-17T15:21:00.000Z2003-04-17T15:29:22.000ZWaiting. To. Go. Home.
Having arrived here at 7.20am I am now awaiting a call from a friend saying they can give me a lift home. It's been a looooong day, thanks mainly to a train strike which means there was one train going into work the whole day (at 7.07am) and one going back (at, er, 9.53pm). Thank god I didn't have to wait for that one.
I used to be very involved in my student union whilemediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-927667002003-04-17T08:00:00.001Z2003-04-17T15:15:29.000ZThursday morning and I feel fine
Thursday morning (even if the date stamp on this baby is wonky - apparently Blogger doesn't support times for people outside of the US, which says something about the insularity of the US too profound for me to put into words before I've had my first cup of tea of the day). Am mooching around the office pretending to do work (mainly by surfing the internet in thatmediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5284200.post-926371722003-04-15T07:48:00.000Z2003-04-17T07:56:27.000ZDreams...
Had a bizarre dream last night which shows my joint interests in current affairs and 24. (I borrowed a tape of the episode that would have been on TV if they hadn't been showing golf and it's left me gagging to see the next one!) I was in a taxi when the driver produced a gun and walked me to an open space where lots of people were kneeling down with their hands on their head waiting tomediaspivhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13095410144665741871noreply@blogger.com0