The year 1979 opened with more unsettlement than I’ve recalled.
11 Jan
All-day session yesterday in the downstairs conference room. I’m feeling depressed as a result. The day news editor situation hasn’t been working out as well as I had hoped. JMack’s feeling overworked, night rim’s complaining about all the copy, everybody’s p.o.’d about my “planning time. In addition, Wallace is upset about “lines of authority,” i.e. I don’t speak to Spuler and my use of the artist to do TV mag covers. If we took an attitude survey right now, we’d be in trouble on the news desk.
So much of what we — not just me? — do these days is divorced from any larger context: meaningless work for corporations or other exploiters: no character or expression of the divine: no wholeness.
Are articles unnecessary baggage? Belcher’s “the weather” reduced to “wear,” after taking all the “the” out.
Whiz, over beers after work:
“You think you and Kitty would be happier in Seattle?”
And then: “You shouldn’t be in the slot or working on the daily. You should be doing long-range projects. Your best job is just thinking.”
Almost as pointedly, with a laugh, after hearing of my bumping into GS: “You ever been able to talk to your hero?” Followed by his own attempts in real life.
Last week and this, all office — 50-55 hours … Gayman off, I’m so damn exhausted … [apparently, was in charge at night and still had my other responsibilities to fulfill] …
Asked about the Real Work: “Can you Quake in Newspaper?”
Ace reporter Nick Provenza noting how the editorial page would take stans on his series exactly the opposite of the way he feels about the encounter.
Isn’t there an honest way to get rich fast?
Or what later shows up as smuggling? What New Englanders call opportunity …
20:VI:79 (Wednesday)
As I said to Whiz over brunch, “The trouble is, this isn’t isn’t fun anymore — not for you, for Roger, or for me.” The news biz, that was.
A long day of employment: rush off to work, come home, have dinner, go to bed. Get up again and repeat.
Had a super applicant we wanted to hire as Purdy’s replacement — strong graphics, good headlines, Louisville Courier-Journal experience. Tried calling Friday and Saturday, no answer. Monday he phoned us, saying Friday was his last day, he took a job in Spokane.
31:VII:79
At the office, a session with Kent and JET on “what I want to be when I grown up.” JET asked about the ashram, surprised about Quakers. Some things cannot be discussed fully.
Essential concepts so common, like brand names, you don’t even notice them: stars in daylight at full eclipse: they’ve been there all along.
Cloud-caps like this one on Mount Adams were common on the stratocone mountains. Photo at Pexels by Blue Ox Studio. Glacier-clad Adams dominated the western horizon of the valley, peering over 6,000-foot-ridges of the Cascades, though it was more than 50 miles away. I saw it nearly every day as I drove to or from the office. The summit was, however, much harder to approach than Mount Rainier, which was some 2,000 or so feet taller.
Monday, 10 sept 79
Weekend, UPI meetings at Yakima Holiday Inn — sallow-faced, burned-out looking editors, lower-middle-class seedy … [where stood I among them?] … do I want to be there in 30 years? And these are the folks who make this a how many billion-dollar a year industry and the reason we’re in trouble?
Mrs. Stone’s “overtime” despite two-hour lunches and hair appointments. Per instructions, I took time off her timecard. “Today’s an unfavorable day,” according to my Astro Calendar.
19 sept 79, Wednesday, personal day off work — had to get it in by Oct 1 or lose it. Thought my parents would be here. Shot, though, something about the office — ANXIETY. Yesterday, was 6:30 before I could spring free, a special Energy Section: the photos didn’t even come up till after 5, quitting time. Next week, an AgMag and a supervisors’ meeting.
[Much of my “time off” was ultimately “comp time.”]
Business-side changes: Jay White, Pat Carey, Jean Downs promoted (advertising, marketing, circulation) under Craig Moon. Strange, cut-throat vibes. John Lamphiere, offered a position cut, quit. Steve Macke, nearly the same. Surprises, until you detect the brown-nosing. Moon aping Jack Williams, becoming his “best friend.” Jeane sticks close to HR chief. What happens when Tonkin steps down? Neither Whiz nor I like what we’re seeing. I pray we be wrong: wait for proof.
GRAND PLAN REDESIGN
The Big Decision came down Thursday and I found myself left in a lurch. No more italic headlines, for starters. Me, already hog-tied in layout, it’s no fukkin’ fun anymore, just two basic layouts as it is. The 3-column picture versus the 4. Italic was my trademark after high school because we didn’t have the option. (I won’t enter the Harte-Hanks contest next year; no individuality, no mo’ pride, son.) — and stuck with the damn AP “stylebook” on names of plays, opera, etc. — AP has no style, doesn’t follow its own rulebook anyway. Another contradiction, like Postal Service. … Now one-point rule goes on boxes but two-point on photos. I don’t even know what column logos I’ll have by Wednesday a.m.
21:XII:79
Saturday night dinner at the Kents’ after a day of company activity at the Holiday Inn, one that began with breakfast there before a Media Law seminar, where Kent showed up and then began trying to pick out our guest, Dan Rivera, the P-I’s attorney, among the strangers. A good presentation, candid and entertaining Including a luncheon, on the company. As we left, new snow falling, a slick drive home. Over b’fast,Kent filling me in on Jim Tonkin’s decision to retire April 1 or so.
Back to town that night, slickest roads, cars in ditches, we show up late but alive. Leave at midnight, the roads already improving.
[Frank] Gayman surprisingly informative about sheep and firewood, his working the latter with Lou Witkin (we’d bought our first firewood from him) …
~*~
So, in a nutshell, that’s how my professional career year would go.
~*~
From Spiralbound Cascadia with commentary.
