Mark enjoyed kicking up the dead leaves. He said you couldn’t do that in California.
We’re planning on doing Thanksgiving with some co-workers and news folks from other stations. It’ll be a UN meeting for the rival stations in town - dishing on trade secrets….trying to out-scoop sweeps pieces….nah - just chilling over a good food, beer and soda (a lot of people don’t drink in Kansas) and football. Yeah, I’ll probably be asking all the stupid questions about the game. It’s kinda like deja vu - when we did Thanksgiving in London with our Medill buddies and Mark’s mom and cousin. Now, we’re in a new state with people we’re just getting to know….
Speaking of getting to know people….I’ve been snapping away pix at the newsroom. I’m not sure if I’ll post anything - simply because….well…it’s a newsroom and I don’t want to upset/freak out the powers that be. Anyways - I broke the rule about doing lunch with people on my first day on the job. It was a rule in some power producer’s book - apparently, you don’t want to encourage or join cliches on your first day on the job. But I’d rather be friendly with new people instead of looking like a snob and following rules. Besides, I wanted some tips on places to do lunch in Topeka.
Most of my co-workers are native to Kansas. They’re nice and they like to chat. When 5:00 rolls around, there’s a nearly synchronized routine of getting up from the desks and putting on jackets. Yeah, you need jackets in Topeka now, it’s cold enough. Today, our company handed out free turkeys - about 13 lbs each. The assignment manager and I decided to go turkey bowling. We set-up three empty soda bottles and he rolled a strike. Other dudes in the newsroom joined in. Only one photog had a spare frame. I got a strike. We couldn’t get our news director to join in. He was worried we were hurting the turkey’s feelings. I pointed out that the turkey was dead. A bonding experience.
Mark and I hit the gym this morning. I caught up with my podcasts on the treadmill. I was a little annoyed at this episode: “Goin back to Lawrence”. It should have been titled: “Kansas is the center of the world.” Basically, to KU grads decide to leave Lawrence and try to “live” in other places. To travel and make it in a new enviroment. They tried out Portland and Cincinnati. Then they gave up and went back to Lawrence. They and their podcast host reveled in the whole Kansas is great and other cities suck - attitude.
I was disappointed.
Folks tell me they’ve visited California and the Bay Area.
“Nice place to visit, wouldn’t want to live there.” When locals ask me where I come from, they feel the need to extol the virtues of Kansas and Midwestern living. It’s tough to have a conversation about the places I’ve lived and put down roots because some Kansans don’t want to consider or accept that those places have any value as a home.
I like Kansas - a bit on the rural side, but that’s OK. It’s an adventure and I like the people. But I do feel sorry for folks who don’t want to give the rest of the world a chance. Los Angeles, Berkeley, Richmond, Chicago, London, DC - all really cool places to live and with really neat people. Lawrence, Topeka, Kansas - also nice places….but it’s not the center of the world. OK - center of the country…but not the world…well…at least not where I’m standing.
Thankfully, one girl in the newsroom is excited about visiting San Francisco next year with her husband. I was happy to give her some recomendations.
I’ve been happy with the music scene, the food offerings and the friendly attitudes…but I’m also disappointed when people fear change and the outside world.
One dude on the web team tried telling me Lawrence was the Berkeley of the Midwest. I pointed out that it was a little cleaner than Berkeley and that it didn’t have the angry cops, pissed-off homeless people or liberal facists. He told me to wait and that I’ll see them soon.
Maybe when it get’s warmer outside.
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