Now I just wonder

So I essentially spent this whole day in a work meeting, learning all sorts of shit that will be very helpful to me in my burgeoning career at the paper.  Except for the burgeoning career part.

It was actually a pretty great meeting.  Lots of useful tips, plus being in a room of creative people is fairly entertaining.  We had this exercise where we had to come up with a special section for a fictitious town.  The town my group got saddled with was made up of like 12 bars and 4 strip clubs and had a meth problem.  Oh, and good fishing.  So we were like, come for the fishing, stay for the meth!  I thought our special section should focus on the strip clubs, but another lady nixed it because it was "too negative."  Too awesome, you mean.  Well, she did agree to the "dirty dozen bar tour" story.  I consider that a win.

Also, I sort of have a problem taking things seriously.  It's a FICTITIOUS TOWN.  We can write WHATEVER WE WANT.  Um, see where I'm going with this?  I probably didn't help the group much, now that I think about it.

But I did meet some people.  At lunch when I was abandoned by my own peeps*, I asked if I could sit with a group of strangers, and they were all, sure!  And they were very nice.  So that was cool.  And my fictitious town group was mostly great.  Later when the reporters all got together to bounce ideas off each other, I was pretty sure I was going to get laughed out of the room.  Because eventually I had to admit that while I do some writing, I'm a receptionist.  A gopher receptionist who does whatever is tossed my way--be it typing a handwritten letter to the editor or putting together the police log or measuring the paper or dealing with the public.  Except they did not laugh.  They were all, we need someone like you in our office.  It feels like I'm bragging when I tell you this, and I totally am.  Who am I kidding?  I was just so relieved they weren't laughing at me.

We just got home from Mass and grocery shopping, and I'm so tired.  My fingers actually ache from all the note taking.  Eric and the girls are watching some movie they found on Netflix that I'm pretty sure went straight to video.  Not in the mood for that.  I want to put my iPod headphones into my ears and listen to some Linkin Park and some Chevelle and not think.  I realize this makes for a sort of crappy post, but sometimes that's all I have in me, people.

*Because they had assignments to cover.  Whatever.

Liz Phair, Cinco de Mayo.  I listened to Whip Smart A LOT about the time that Eric and I got married.  Possibly before, but it's hard to remember those days because they seem impossible.  Also: I've never been to Rome, either.