Week ... 7??!!!! of Sudden “Retirement”

Whuhhh? What happened to weeks 4, 5 and 6?!!! Well, that’s how busy “not working” can be! Now in the midst of week 7 as a SUJ (Suddenly Unemployed Journalist*), I’ve had virtually NO “free” time: I finally got to L.A. a week ago Tuesday to finally see some former workmates for the first time since being laid off (fun, energizing brunch at Du-par’s, then a drink, then dinner with a family friend in “the biz,” then finally drinks with other former colleagues) – and that’s it. That’s been my only “free” time in seven weeks. The rest has been dealing with family matters (ok, including hanging out with the grandkids, going to Bryce’s soccer games, babysitting, etc), the unemployment department (still haven’t seen a check), dealing with insurance matters (my only moment of depression has been an hour and a half a week ago Wednesday when I realized I’d have to cough up $$$ to continue disability insurance – which I’m planning to drop – and discontinue other insurance coverage including long-term care), looking for work, rebuilding my own freelance businesses, updating the ol’ resume and personal websites, and ... ok, a confession: I don’t consider working on the garden or having dinner with my wife “free” time. Instead I consider that REAL time, the things I SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING all the time anyways. They don’t pay the bills, but they certainly puts things into perspective.

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*(...yes, some would dispute that being “just” a copy editor at a newspaper is equivalent to being a REAL bona fide journalist, but I’ll leave that for another essay)
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Luckily(?) I knew enough SUJs and others and knew enough about being a SUJ anyway that I realized early on it’s a good idea to have a regular routine, even though I could sleep in all day every day (which, admittedly, does save money). Recently, a family friend texted my wife’s cell phone early in the morning and expressed surprise when I responded for my spouse (since she was still asleep). I explained I had been up since 5:45 a.m. “Old habits die hard,” the friend texted back. Yes and no. Yes, it’s part habit (and part cat-thinks-sleeping-people/full-bladders-are-trampolines syndrome), but it’s also that sense of “getting going” and not lollygagging. So, even though workwise I don’t “have” to shave in the morning, I still do; I don’t “have” to get dressed, but I still do; I don’t “have” to brush my teeth... you get the idea. Frankly, though I hate to admit it, routine has been something of a godsend. Would I have “liked” to sleep in – no cat on belly, no answering the phone at 8 a.m. because Omaha Steaks REALLY wants to sell us some meat and someone else REALLY wants to sell us a new house loan? Yes. But there’s something about waking up early, before the sun has risen, and being greeted by chirping baby birds (drives Atreiu nuts, of course), and “getting going” – getting all those things done early on ... so I can go back to sleep for an hour. Like right now!

(Of course this all does raise the question of whether I’m truly “retired,” “semi-retired,” “on sabbatical,” or “just kidding myself.” ... Let me sleep on that one.)

Week 3 of Sudden "Retirement"

As a proud new member of the Suddenly Unemployed Journalist Diaspora (yes, copy editors are journalists, too -- check out the ol' still-being-updated resume...), I'm in good company during this wrenching, chaotic, calamitous, hopefully-not-catastrophic "paradigm shift" from "old journalism" to new business models ... if indeed a business can still be made of journalism -- which I hasten to say is happening, but in such a shamefully unplanned and mismanaged way that could have been SO avoided that I kick myself/ourselves for not having taking charge more quickly years ago at the union level and management level, but I had put my trust in the powers-that-be because, well, they were the powers-that-be, little thinking some nerdy teens and dweebs in college dorms would be the ones to instantly rule the world. Oh, well, watery bits and bytes under the bridge board. More on all that in a later post. But first an update.

Time has flown by so fast in my "new normal" state of life that I didn't even get a chance to document week 2 of my new circumstance, and here it is already the end of week 3! Mom was always afraid to retire because she feared becoming a couch potato, and of course when she finally DID retire, she got busier than ever -- I only WISH I had the time to just dawdle and unwind. But it's been nonstop family and job-"search" stuff. I've put "search" in quotes because I'm including brushing up the resume (let alone getting TO the resume), which has taken much longer than expected: listing jobs I had forgotten about, correcting dates, remembering duties ... even though the basic resume has been with me for years and has updated repeatedly during that time. Ah, what a difference it makes to finally have the temporary luxury of time to tweak without rushing or doing something on the fly. (Of course that includes "picking away" at home chores...) (I'm also getting accustomed to violating AP style rules while blogging, Facebooking, etc., and not feeling guilty about it ... well, not feeling TOO guilty. ... OK, I feel guilty...) I've also put "search" in quotes because I haven't really searched yet: I've been working on rebuilding my various businesses (Gibbin Communications / Gibbin Publications / Gibbin Services / Conflict Resolution Service / Bi Consultation Service) and wondering if I have the financial ability to do so before the tap runs dry vs. having to get a "real" job (i.e., regularly-scheduled paydays, benefits, etc.) Thank goodness (for now) the health care bill has been passed; November elections certainly will be a political test for it, but from personal and altruistic points of view, I'm feeling a sense of relief. How economically viable the new scheme is, well... we'll see.

Anyways, about my "new normal": Routine is finally settling in, in fits and starts, and I'm slowly seeing patters: waking up early (6 or 7), having cereal and maybe coffee, going through emails, touching up the resume on various Web sites, checking Facebook briefly, and now working through sending out thank-you's as a matter of closure and/or heads-up to various business associates. That's taken an inordinate amount of time. But after all this, I've decided that (much though I'm enjoying having "free time" -- which is neither free nor enough time), I'm no longer going to refer to myself as "retired" (I can't collect full pensions yet) nor even semi-retired, though that IS apt. The fact is that I'm rebuilding businesses and down the road looking for a "real" job if need be. And I'm finding that whereas my former recent life was more structured (I had a regular work schedule outside of the home) and semi-dependable (salary, medical insurance), this new life/business style will probably be much more fluid timewise, and much more integrated than just the work/home dichotomy. I previously liked that a long time ago, but that was when I was young, single, could live in a garret or basement (and indeed I did), but now... well, as long as all this pays the bills... I keep telling myself, ah, a new ADVENTURE... but only if the social security net below this highwire act holds up... and right now it's looking rather frayed. We shall all see. I'll try to explore that and the future of journalism in the next entry.

Week 1 as a sudden "retiree"...

...(semi-retiree? premature retiree? involuntary retiree? can't-draw-a-pension-yet retiree?...): It has been a whirlwind of a week, and yet I feel as though I was just in the newsroom a few hours ago. (Or is that merely a sign of aging?) In any case, it's been a surreal experience and hasn't sunk in yet; I'm still in the yeah!-open-ended-vacation! mindset. I know: That won't last long. But it's a nice feeling for the moment. Lots to do around the home, more time to spend with the grandkids and others, more time (briefly) to volunteer before resurrecting my dormant businesses in earnest and/or looking for new work. On the issue of the old work: I want to reiterate something Lisa W. said about Variety being a good home for many years for many of us "journo" types. It paid a number of us better than we ever had been paid before on a regular basis, the benefits were anywhere from good to very good, it was a great "shelter/safe house" for a long time from the abuses we had received elsewhere, and the staff -- both management and co-workers -- were extremely supportive over the years when my family encountered tragedy after tragedy. So I am VERY thankful to have been given the opportunity to have worked there for nearly 12 years. Yes, it sucks to be laid off, yes there's anger and bitterness among some (many? but not myself) of those let go recently and before and those who survived, especially the way in which these things are usually handled and who is targeted, but we all knew something had to give in this very changed media world, so for myself I wasn't surprised by my own layoff. For decades, I was told about the impending "paradigm shift" and it never arrived ... until a few years ago, and we've all seen the toll it has taken on newspaper revenues, staffing, and coverage. That a number of us were ignored as Cassandras when we asked to be included more seriously in preparing our outlets for the future, and that powers-that-be in so many realms didn't plan for an orderly transition to new ways of doing business -- and didn't offer their staffs retraining in order to get there -- is a tragedy that will keep historians and other storytellers/writers busy for decades to come. All that said, I don't regret working at Variety one bit, I learned a lot about "brands" and "showbiz" and economics and moviemaking and so forth, and frankly, as I said, it was a great shelter, especially when my family was enduring what it endured. While there might be disagreement on what next steps Variety/Daily Variety (and other media outlets) "should" take, and the ways in which to take them, I only wish the best for it and my ex-colleagues there. It's up to the management, staff and readers to see to it that it doesn't become the leftover shell of a brand, and a "gold standard" in name only. I don't think the powers that be will let that happen, and I certainly HOPE they WON'T let that happen, if only because I still own stock in the parent corporation! But I also hope they won't let that happen for the simple reason that they should be altruistic and true to journalistic integrity and quality. It's too soon for me to pass judgment on the viability and advisability of the overall restructuring plan, but I hope it works, I'm glad they're not just throwing up their hands, and I wish them all well and the best of luck. As for me? Well, Monday is taking granddaughter to her tutor, last week was taking grandson to soccer practice, Joan is supposed to come home Wednesday from the Philippines, so we might get together with friends near the airport...

Happy Holidays 2010*

… *OK, 2009 -- I admit it: I completely failed to update my website, blog, and Facebook pages, and I didn’t send out season’s-greetings cards in time. But I have a perfectly good excuse! … somewhere in my box of excuses … Actually I can honestly claim exhaustion and lack of time — as Queen E II said, it’s been an annus horribilis: lots of legal fees (and time in court) related to family matters; lots of layoffs at work (which of course impinged on the workloads of those of us still there); increased commuting to work (no more staying in town) and often another hour each way to Temecula/Murrieta, where the grandkids have moved; some health concerns (and I know a number of you have had many as well); and the list goes on.

On the other hand: Joan’s health has improved; her guava tree gave her enough fruit for her to make some jams; our seemingly dormant tangerine tree suddenly went berserk with so many goodies that two of the branches broke from the weight of them; our (incredible) lemon tree is ready to drop more bushels; our orange tree is ready to heave in February (Joan estimates); we’ve bought a fig tree and replacement persimmon tree (the first one didn’t work out), and the tomato plant seems to be bearing up despite the frigid temperatures and cold rains we’ve been having. And thanks to Facebook, a number of us "journos" from L.A. Valley College had a somewhat impromput reunion this past summer at Rick Meyer's home in Burbank -- great to see everyone; thanks, Rick and Chris P. (who tagged a bunch of us in a photo, which got the ball rolling).

In other news: Our new cat (a Mother’s Day present from the grandkids) has become quite the outdoors hunter — unfortunately he’s been eating all the lizards (which had been keeping us bug-free) and I think a few birds (but we LIKE birds) — but we haven’t seen him catch any rats or mice, which was the intent of getting a cat in the first place. (He also befriended a possum.) Of the grandkids: Bryce, 9, is enjoying soccer; Kendall, 11, is enjoying school friends (and her entry into tweenhood); Mariah, 17, is a senior in high school; Jay/BJ/Jerome, 19, is a sophomore runner at UC Riverside; Madison, 12, and Miles, 10, have moved back to Southern California, which makes Rose and son-in-law Matt very happy; Christine JUST got engaged to Juan; and Monica and Sky had a baby — yes, we’re now great-grandparents, but distance and logistics means we’ve only seen little Ilus once. (In other kid news, nearby young friends Veronica and Tony now have little Mateo. We also got to visit this summer in the Bay Area with friends of Rose’s: Connie, Ketil, and their three adorable sons, including twins).

Just got word that the parent company of the publication where I work hasn’t been able to sell off some of its magazines (it actually had hoped to sell the whole division, but that didn’t pan out), so those publications will cease to exist in the new year and there will be layoffs across the company, I understand. Between changes in technology and reader behavior (going more toward grabbing free tidbits online rather than subscribing to print products) and the collapse in the economy, things aren’t looking too good. But we’re all in this together, so I’m hoping the powers-that-be can overcome differences to create a “new” New Deal (beyond mere bailouts for Wall Street) to help Main Street and home dwellers keeps the businesses, jobs and homes. We’ll see. Any of you thinking of running for office?????

Best wishes for what will be a very trying 2010.

– Gary 12/31/2009

Happy(?) Thanksgiving all...

It's hard to feel thankful amid layoffs, trashed economy, wars, global warming and pollution, lack of justice for so many, and the list goes on. And yet I'm still thankful this year - call me an eternal optimist, albeit these days a little more forced than usual for me. For those of you in other lands, I'm sure you know America sets one day aside (well, four, actually, but one Thursday in particular) to give thanks for all we have (or had...) and count our blessings - which I do. But this year, it's a little harder. Well, it's almost all a matter of attitude, so I'll be thankful for more competent government (relatively), more inspiration, renewed hope, and justice for all (and I hope the crooks and others who allowed credit default swaps and securitized rogue instruments of mass destruction do indeed get the justice they deserve...). Happy Turkey Day, all.
Gary North
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Welcome back!

... Actually I'm welcoming MYSELF back -- I've been away from this and my other blogs way too long. I'm hoping I'll be putting my journalism musings and concerns here and at CredibilityWatch.org (vs. my rants on human behavior at The Bisexual Curmudgeon). I'm even toying with the idea of posting some chapters from some of my books (you know: the manuscripts you pick away at for, oh, 40 #$%@ YEARS!). For now I'll just note the general demise of journalism as a profession (...oh...you noticed, eh? ohhh...) and that I'm all for "cit-j" (citizen journalism) ... which of course doesn't pay very well (actually nothing, usually), but at least it's not elitist. My concern is that the "legacy newsrooms" will disappear, and along with them the skills, institutional knowledge, and professional ethics that are the hallmarks of good reportage. I'll try to post links, and please let me know of ones you come across, besides some of those in the right-hand column.

Season's Greetings

Sorry to have