Monthly Archives: January 2009

Insert Better Title Here

Posted on January 29, 2009 by jenniferlarsonwrites

Who are these people who make up the titles for movies? Do they actually get paid to do this? And if so, how do I sign up to do it? Because frankly, there are some people out there who should … Continue reading →

Posted in Random musings | Tagged Casino Royale, Children of a Lesser God, copy editor, deadline, Dude Where's My Car?, embarrassed, hate, headline, James Bond, list, movie, news, Operation Dumbo Drop, Quantum of Solace, release, Secondhand Lions, Stephen King, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, terrible movie titles, The Hudsucker Proxy, The Shawshank Redemption, title, Tomorrow Never Dies, write, writer | 2 Comments

How Can I Miss You, if You Won’t Go Away?

Posted on January 28, 2009 by jenniferlarsonwrites

You know what one of the hardest things about being a freelance writer is? I mean, other than not having bored coworkers to shoot the breeze with over the top of your cubicle or bad office coffee to complain about? Not being … Continue reading →

Posted in Freelancing, Journalism | Tagged avoid, coworker, evasion, freelance, freelance assignment, interview, interviewing, persistent, reporter, source, stake, stakeout, talk, write, writer | Leave a comment

Take Some Unpaid Time Off

Posted on January 26, 2009 by jenniferlarsonwrites

The Gannett Co. recently announced it would require most of its employees to take a week of unpaid leave before the end of March. A journalism blog I like to follow recently commented on Gannett’s decision to require this furlough; Reflections of … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Journalism | Tagged coworker, Editor & Publisher, editors, furlough, Gannett, job cuts, Journalism, mortgage, Newsosaur, newspaper, reporters, staffers, student loan, unpaid leave, week | Leave a comment

I’m a writer. No, really. I am.

Posted on January 23, 2009 by jenniferlarsonwrites

When do you call yourself a writer? A few days ago, I read a comment on another blog by a woman who called herself a writer and then noted “(as opposed to an author).” And it got me thinking about … Continue reading →

Posted in Freelancing, Journalism | Tagged author, blog, connotation, craft, embarrassed, interviewing, Journalism, lockdown, Newseum, newspaper, reporter, reporting, semantics, t-shirt, trade, Trust me. I'm a reporter., write, writer, writing | 7 Comments

What the media can expect

Posted on January 21, 2009 by jenniferlarsonwrites

I have two media-related thoughts today, this first day after the inauguration of Barack Obama. First, I’m heartened to hear President Obama wants more transparency in government. And I hope that leads to better protection of the openness of public … Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism | Tagged anthrax, Barack Obama, FOIA, Freedom of Information Act, government, harmless, information, journalist, newspaper, openness, postmark, public records, Tennessee, transparency, Wall Street Journal, white powder | 7 Comments

Why are there so many songs about rainbows?

Posted on January 19, 2009 by jenniferlarsonwrites

My son William likes to sing. He likes to sing loudly. He likes to sing joyfully (and maybe a little tiny bit off-key). And lately, he’s been on a Kermit the Frog kick. So he’s been singing “The Rainbow Connection.” And it got … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Random musings | Tagged "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", banjo, colors, colors of the rainbow, database, flood, Genesis, God, Judy Garland, Kermit the Frog, library, lyrics, Merle Haggard, muppet, Nashville, Noah, prism, promise, rainbows, Ramones, religious, ROY G. BIV, sing, songs, songs about rainbows, spectrum, storytime, sunset, The Muppet Movie, unicorn | Leave a comment

A miracle

Posted on January 16, 2009 by jenniferlarsonwrites

Anyone else feeling inspired by the Miracle on the Hudson? I don’t know exactly how Capt. Chesley Sullenberger managed to safely land that Airbus on the Hudson River after the plane’s engines blew out shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport … Continue reading →

Posted in Amazing | Tagged affirmation, Airbus, airplane crash, calm, crisis, decency, Economy, ferry, good things, Hudson River, LaGuardia, miracle, Miracle on the Hudson, New York, passengers, plane, raft, safety, safety expert, Sullenberger, survive | 1 Comment

Update on the Mom Bomb

Posted on January 15, 2009 by jenniferlarsonwrites

I’m sure you’ll all be happy to know that the vast majority of the junk that my parents left in their wake during their visit over Thanksgiving has been taken care of. Not in a scary, ominous, Tony Soprano way, … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, junk | 2 Comments

Writer’s block

Posted on January 12, 2009 by jenniferlarsonwrites

I was all set to write a sparkling bit of prose for you today, to entertain and delight. And then I sat down, with my fingers poised above the keyboard in asdf..jkl; formation and….nothing. Not even a few half-hearted attempts … Continue reading →

Posted in Freelancing, Journalism | Tagged 500 words, advice, column inches, computer, copy, delete, discipline, editor, exercise, lazy, luxury, newspaper, Poynter, Poynter Institute, process, reporter, revise, standards, stationery, thank-you note, Tom Hallman, write, writer's block, writing | 1 Comment

There’s a flag down…

Posted on January 10, 2009 by jenniferlarsonwrites

I just discovered that Target is selling penalty flags. You know, the little weighted yellow flag that the referees throw to signal a penalty when someone’s offsides or whatever. They have a little set for sale on one of the endcaps, along … Continue reading →

Posted in Random musings | Tagged referee | Leave a comment