Stock responses

Guest · **Posted:** Thu Nov 28, 2002 8:38 pm

When family or friends express incredulity -- either this year or in the past -- that we routinely work on holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, what stock response do you favor?a. "That's the news business."
b. "That's the nature of the beast."
c. "Yes, on the other hand, I get paid poorly and treated with little respect."
d. "Yes, but my life sucks anyway, so I might as well get paid for for my misery."
e. "You people who get holidays and Saturadus and Sundays off are the REAL suckers. You just don't know it yet."Feel free to contribute an f.

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Thu Nov 28, 2002 8:53 pm

f. "Piss off."

jmcg · **Posted:** Thu Nov 28, 2002 11:48 pm

I haven't worked a holiday since leaving, where else, the copy desk here 6 years ago. But I recall
an answer to that question that came closer to rationalizing. It went along the lines of the
bosses/grownups/substitute bad word(s)here aren't there that day, and there's overtime pay to be had. This is a Guild paper, so we're talking 2.5 times the usual meager day's pay.There's also less pressure. I recall working the slot on more than one Christmas Eve half lit on well-fortified eggnog that another editor used to bring in. I figured that even if I let my guard
down and something got into the paper that shouldn't, well, who was going to read the paper on Christmas anyway.

Bumfketeer · **Posted:** Fri Nov 29, 2002 12:45 am

I was there for the eggnog that jmcg waxes about. In fact, one year I brought my ferret in for Christmas and she enjoyed some of the holiday nog, too.She then crapped all over the back of a copy editor who held her briefly on his shoulder. Now that's holiday newspapering at its best. It's a tale that will be repeated at this paper until time ends.

Guest · **Posted:** Fri Nov 29, 2002 1:07 am

Good internal newsletter headline too: "Feces-mouthed editor foists fouling ferret on fellow fketeer."

gullyj · **Posted:** Fri Nov 29, 2002 1:31 pm

h) Our contract stipulates double time on Sundays and triple time on statutory holidays. There are plenty of volunteers.

Powderhorn · **Posted:** Sat Nov 30, 2002 4:34 am

Surely none of you can be serious about talking to people who don't work at newspapers ...[ November 30, 2002: Message edited by: Pete Hahnloser ]

ADKbrown · **Posted:** Mon Dec 02, 2002 8:34 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Bumfketeer:
I was there for the eggnog that jmcg waxes about. In fact, one year I brought my ferret in for Christmas and she enjoyed some of the holiday nog, too.She then crapped all over the back of a copy editor who held her briefly on his shoulder. Now that's holiday newspapering at its best. It's a tale that will be repeated at this paper until time ends.<hr></blockquote>I knew it. I knew youd bring it up.

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