In position, awaiting further orders
SRCRAB
Dear Dr. (I know you read this group, don't deny it. What ego could
resist) and all you little gonzos:
I had a couple of vimka and spits tonite, and got to thinking. Here's what
I came up with, and may G-d have mercy upon my soul.
I was raised on Gonzo. Misguided though that and I may be, one of the
things that made me become a journalist was that Satanic Stylebook, "Fear
and Loathing in Las Vegas."
I even cultivated friends in that G-d-forsaken town, including one at the
Circus squared, who led me on Hunter-inspired treks through the seamy
underside of the American dream which I never quite gave up altogether.
Big "J" the Sports Book Clerk (are you out there, J? Let's get together!
I'll buy!) is long gone from my experience, but everywhere I go, secretly
I still look for that woman humping the polar bear.
Well now I've gone and done it--I'm in that spot I always dreamed of and
had nightmares about--Ambassador to Grenadia or some such place, where
people seem to ignore my Thompsonesque tencencies as long as I generate
good copy. Hell, even if I don't.
I'll get to the point. After returning to college I found that the fools
actually gave me not one but two degrees. A newspaper actually hired me
and kept me until I quit for no apparent reason. I bounced from a daily to
a weekly to a daily (I never have been fired, you understand. I always
quit because it was my duty as a Gonzo), and then the inscrutable
happened: someone who had read my blackout-inspired words but obviously
not met me personally hired me as the editor of a weekly paper in a
fast-growing area.
Now I find myself in a singularly common position, I expect. Perhaps one
sentiment is D. Byrne's "How did I get here?," but more importantly,
"Where do I go from here?" I have inherited a paper of my own, so to
speak. "Own it," they say, but it's not as easy as that.
Here's the scene in a nutshell, and Dr., if you're listening, this is
especially for you to comment over, if you so desire. Off the record, of
course. E-mail my triple-anonymous server. (Not!)
I have been hired as editor of this weekly, you see, and it's not as dinky
as you might think. The geographical area our little 13,000 circulation
weekly is delivered free to encompasses the most economically powerful and
growing area in our town, one that is dominated by the telecommunications
industry. "High-Tech" is the key phrase here. I am Editor of a weekly that
the leaders of that industry Read because it plops in their driveway. They
can't resist opening it up before they toss it in the can.
It's easy enough for those who play those games to figure out who I am,
and I'll probably get grief for this eventually, but since I'm a Gonzo, I
don't care. I'd rather get fired for speaking my mind that some
Unspeakable Thing.
I see something here that others might not. Opportunity, Vision, Danger,
and Madness all lurk behind the door, and the big question I have is this:
how to build a Vision while being true to my love of the Bizzarre, the
unusual, the left (or right) field, the Gonzo? As one good Friend said to
me recently, "It may seem like a white bread community, but I'm convinced
that two-thirds of the people walking around out there are borderline
Nutcases."
OK Dr., Mr. President, Kzgrsckzty the dancing bear:, here's my question:
What advice would you have for a still-moderately-young (36) Gonzo
journalist starting out in his career who finds himself in a position of
Power for the first time?
X-File
dcoffey
src...@aol.com (SRCRAB) writes:
> Dear Dr. (I know you read this group, don't deny it. What ego could
> resist) and all you little gonzos:
Methinks it is _your_ ego that's on trial here today!
>
> I had a couple of vimka and spits tonite, and got to thinking. Here's what
> I came up with, and may G-d have mercy upon my soul.
Please stop your whining! I spoke to God less than 20 minutes
ago... and HE's sick and tired of all the goddamned whining
down here. HE said to give it a rest!!!
>
> I was raised on Gonzo. Misguided though that and I may be, one of the
> things that made me become a journalist was that Satanic Stylebook, "Fear
> and Loathing in Las Vegas."
> I even cultivated friends in that G-d-forsaken town, including one at the
> Circus squared, who led me on Hunter-inspired treks through the seamy
> underside of the American dream which I never quite gave up altogether.
> Big "J" the Sports Book Clerk (are you out there, J? Let's get together!
> I'll buy!) is long gone from my experience, but everywhere I go, secretly
> I still look for that woman humping the polar bear.
You say that you are a journalist? You sound more like a damn
pervert to me. Yeah, I guess you are a journalist?
>
> Well now I've gone and done it--I'm in that spot I always dreamed of and
> had nightmares about--Ambassador to Grenadia or some such place, where
> people seem to ignore my Thompsonesque tencencies as long as I generate
> good copy. Hell, even if I don't.
>
> I'll get to the point. After returning to college I found that the fools
> actually gave me not one but two degrees. A newspaper actually hired me
> and kept me until I quit for no apparent reason. I bounced from a daily to
> a weekly to a daily (I never have been fired, you understand. I always
> quit because it was my duty as a Gonzo), and then the inscrutable
> happened: someone who had read my blackout-inspired words but obviously
> not met me personally hired me as the editor of a weekly paper in a
> fast-growing area.
Oh dear god! That's strictly geek work... and you know it!
>
> Now I find myself in a singularly common position, I expect. Perhaps one
> sentiment is D. Byrne's "How did I get here?," but more importantly,
> "Where do I go from here?" I have inherited a paper of my own, so to
> speak. "Own it," they say, but it's not as easy as that.
If you gotta ask... you will never know.
>
> Here's the scene in a nutshell, and Dr., if you're listening, this is
> especially for you to comment over, if you so desire. Off the record, of
> course. E-mail my triple-anonymous server. (Not!)
Yeah... he has been pacing around his computer for days now,
just waiting for your post.
>
> I have been hired as editor of this weekly, you see, and it's not as dinky
> as you might think. The geographical area our little 13,000 circulation
> weekly is delivered free to encompasses the most economically powerful and
> growing area in our town, one that is dominated by the telecommunications
> industry. "High-Tech" is the key phrase here. I am Editor of a weekly that
> the leaders of that industry Read because it plops in their driveway. They
> can't resist opening it up before they toss it in the can.
So... you give this paper away... for FREE!
I'm sure that I will be reading your stuff REAL SOON!!! You
sir... have finally ARRIVED!
>
> It's easy enough for those who play those games to figure out who I am,
> and I'll probably get grief for this eventually, but since I'm a Gonzo, I
> don't care. I'd rather get fired for speaking my mind that some
> Unspeakable Thing.
Well... I'll give you one thing... you're a brave little
buckaroo!
>
> I see something here that others might not. Opportunity, Vision, Danger,
> and Madness all lurk behind the door, and the big question I have is this:
> how to build a Vision while being true to my love of the Bizzarre, the
> unusual, the left (or right) field, the Gonzo? As one good Friend said to
> me recently, "It may seem like a white bread community, but I'm convinced
> that two-thirds of the people walking around out there are borderline
> Nutcases."
Sounds like Anywhere, America... to me.
>
> OK Dr., Mr. President, Kzgrsckzty the dancing bear:, here's my question:
> What advice would you have for a still-moderately-young (36) Gonzo
> journalist starting out in his career who finds himself in a position of
> Power for the first time?
Learn to drive them Big Trucks. It's a good trade to fall back
on... if the journalism thing does not pan out.
> X-File
be well budd
David Lee (NOT HST) -- sometimes I have to clarify this minor
detail. YEAH... RIGHT!!! <G>
Candy-Colored Clown
In article <4m45g2$8...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, src...@aol.com (SRCRAB) wrote:
>Dear Dr. (I know you read this group, don't deny it. What ego could
>resist) and all you little gonzos:
>
>I came up with, and may G-d have mercy upon my soul.
Uhhhhhh.........Lighten up, Francis.
"A CANDY-COLORED CLOWN THEY CALL THE SANDMAN"
SRCRAB
David Lee (dcoffey <dco...@rockbridge.net) writes:
>>src...@aol.com (SRCRAB) writes:
>>Dear Dr. (I know you read this group, don't deny it. What ego could
>> resist) and all you little gonzos:
>Methinks it is _your_ ego that's on trial here today!
Of course. I create my own reality, as Dr. R.A. Wilson taught me.
"Whatever you fear the most will eventually come after you."
Usually, it's yourself.
>>Please stop your whining! I spoke to God less than 20 minutes
>>ago... and HE's sick and tired of all the goddamned whining
>>down here. HE said to give it a rest!!!
And I thought I had connects!
>>You say that you are a journalist? You sound more like a damn
>>pervert to me. Yeah, I guess you are a journalist?
Well, I get paid to write at least, and I talk to people like you. I guess
I am a pervert/journalist.
>> Oh dear god! That's strictly geek work... and you know it!
I can't argue, but in todays market, moderately well-paid geek work is
better than low paid geek work. At least I have a voice, and that's my
point. The deluded bastiches actually read what I write, and sometimes act
accordingly.
>Yeah... he has been pacing around his computer for days now,
>just waiting for your post.
Quiet in the peanut gallery
> So... you give this paper away... for FREE!
> I'm sure that I will be reading your stuff REAL SOON!!! You
> sir... have finally ARRIVED!
This is the way of the future. If you'll notice, some newspapers and most
magazines have been lowering their prices and supporting themselves on
advertising. There's no way to survive on newsstand revenue, despite Ms.'
bold move (are they still in business?)
If it's worth reading, people will advertise, and they do.
> Well... I'll give you one thing... you're a brave little
Well thanks, Pilgrim. At least I don't use an anonymous server or somebody
else's account.
>>As one good Friend said to
>>me recently, "It may seem like a white bread community, but I'm
>>convinced that two-thirds of the people walking around out there are
>>borderline Nutcases."
>Sounds like Anywhere, America... to me.
It is.
>>Learn to drive them Big Trucks. It's a good trade to fall back
>>on... if the journalism thing does not pan out.
You know, I've often thought about that. That way I could flatten
sarcastic bastiches and flame throwers who annoy me or interfere with my
lifestyle.
Thanks for the laffs, Dave. don't forget to put the seat up.
X-File
SRCRAB
A CANDY-COLORED CLOWN THEY CALL THE SANDMAN" writes
Uhhhhhh.........Lighten up, Francis.
It's Steve, and if I was any lighter they'd use me as one of those
thousand points. Have you watched "Blue Velvet" a few too many times?
X-File