more lessons in reporting

I just finished one of the hardest stories I have ever had to write, or at least it felt like it this week when I was hunched over reams of Census data, a calculator in hand, numbers swirling around my head like little cartoon birds when someone gets knocked out.

I should have known. My editor warned me it would be a tough story, heavy on the numbers with lots of financial type data to gather and put together in a somewhat readable story. But I agreed, and a week later, I wanted to call her up, tell her it was a dumb, dead end story idea, I'm not a damn market researcher and I quit.

Instead, I wrote it, but not without frequent bouts of blood, sweat and tears. What a relief to have it done.

One frustrating highlight of the research was calling folks for information, and not one but two sources giving me this response: "Well, if you try Googling 'Generation X financial data' or 'Gen X home buying', you should come up with something." Or "Why don't you try the Census Bureau?" One guy told me to plug "Generation X" into Wikipedia - this was after 35 minutes on the phone with him debating just what date this generation begins and ends, a minutia that had about zero relevance to the overall story.

My response: "Really? Really, folks? Are you f-ing kidding me? Do you really think I haven't thought to do that? No? Then thanks, thanks so much for helping me with this research. I haven't even heard of this 'Google' you speak of!"

Not really, but I wanted to. I guess stories like these teach us something about being a reporter - you know, how to dig into financial data for relevant information, how to expand your search when you are hitting a wall with every single call you make, how not to let on to your editors that you are totally overwhelmed and annoyed and are just not sure you are capable of doing this story, how not to overtly insult your sources.

On the job front, I called a newspaper to introduce myself and make sure the editor got my resume and clips. His secretary answered and I explained why I was calling, and before I even finished my sentence, she quipped: "He got 'em." Right.

And by the way, let me just say I too am absolutely stunned about The Great American Idol Upset of 2006 that is Chris getting voted off. I agree with him; perhaps we all just assumed he was a shoo-in and didn't bother to vote. I mean, how dare we as Americans allow Chesty McBoobs with all her button-popping performances stay on when this hotty rocker gets the boot? Truth is, it's rigged; it's a great big Alabama conspiracy and Taylor Hicks is probably gonna win anyway. Whether it's because the 'Ham is a "hotbed of undiscovered talent," as one Bama columnist claims, or the fact that Fox is the only channel Alabamians get (my theory), Alabama will likely win again.