Archive - Dec 4, 2008

The size of our publication and the communities that I cover are such that often I'm caught right in the center of the intersection of reporting and parenting. My kids are use to it by now—the fact that mom comes to the Christmas plays, concerts, etc., and stands right up front to take pictures and is allowed to do that because it's her job.

Sometimes, though, circumstances make it so that all I can do is be the parent. Take last night's band concert in Britton. Just take yesterday in general, when I went to extreme lengths to be organized for said concert in which both rug rats were performing. I even baked cookies—FROM SCRATCH!!! I had all the outfits and instruments packed. I had lunch and dinner packed, so I wouldn't have to eat out. I had the video camera and blank disc packed. I'd done everything, except that I left home without my purse. I didn't realize I'd left without my purse until my dear son called me at work (on a Wednesday deadline day no less) to say he was certain he needed black pants and a white shirt for the concert and asked if I could run out and buy some.

"No, no, no," I said. "I asked the band director weeks ago what 6th graders needed to be wearing for the concert, specifically so I wouldn't be scrambling the day or week of the event to find clothes."

Meanwhile, I was trying to put finishing touches on feature stories, layout pages, gather last minute info from sources, etc., and field calls from my dear husband who was trying—ON A WEDNESDAY!!!—to talk to our mortgage company.