TGIF, AMEN!

This has been a long week - as if everyone decided to have their meetings/luncheons/seminars/functions all in the same week! It was just crazy!!! It was one of those weeks when I really wished I had mommy's job (stay-at-home-mom).
To end my crazy week, my company sent me to this creativity seminar presented by a syndicated humor columnist and writing coach. What perfect timing!!!!
I've been feeling so burnt out and unmotivated lately, which makes me wonder if journalism really is for me. I guess my insecurities as a journalist kicked in full blast after I met reporters from our other office. They could all be "Woodwards" and "Bernsteins" - hungry for the most controversial, breaking news. I, on the other hand, would rather be an "Oprah." I wouldn't mind writing 10 looong human interest stories a week, if it meant skipping the ho-hum City Council beat. But having a community for a beat means giving as much importance to a bump on the road as the community member who just won the Nobel prize. Yadayadayada...
Bottom line is, covering a number of diverse community issues all at once can sometimes get so overwhelming. Just as you're starting to understand special education issues, a resident calls, complaining about zoning issues. You call a city official and ask him/her to explain how the zoning process works. You're OK until another resident calls about a spate of fires that broke in her neighborhood - you're on the phone again, this time with the fire marshals. You finish your story but not before your contact at City Council invites you to cover a city bond meeting - you dig up old files on bonds and in less than a day, try to understand what city planners spent months drafting. A lot of times I can't help but feel "stupid." I can go on and on and on about my little insecurities, which I'm worried will one day drive me out of journalism. Yadayadayada...
The speaker's entertaining seminar was just what I needed. He said all journalists are like children...our days are riddled with insecurity, fear, uncertainty and at times, guilt. I found comfort in the attendees' "nods" as he discussed the challenges journalists typically face. In the tradition of "misery loves company," I definitely found mine --- it was a relief to know even those I looked up to had bouts of self-doubt. Somehow that made me feel normal.
BUT as always, I'm glad it's Friday.