A couple of days ago on Tuesday, I went down to 20 Franklin Street to be interviewed by Dianne. Before the interview, she showed me around and introduced me to various people like Tom Caywood, Shaun Sutner, Jay Whearley, Clive McFarlane, Danielle Horn, and a number of others. I was especially pleased to finally meet Victor Infante, whose blog I've been reading since forever.
We sat in this small office for just under an hour and a half, while Dianne asked me questions and wrote real fast in her notebook.Mostly, I think the interview was more of an opportunity for her to try to figure out who, exactly, this blogger critic, sometimes infuriatingly full of crap taxi driver is, ...just who is this guy? At least, that's the impression I got through pretty much the whole interview.
For me, visiting that iconic T&G building yielded a couple of immediate surprises.
For one thing, the offces are not dim, dark, and dirty, as one particular city figure described in a press release, many months ago. And there's an airlock at the front door, with a guard who won't let you through until he's sure you're supposed to be there. After he lets you through, you have to sign in and you get a "Visitor" sticker that also says "VOID" in the space where one might be expected to write in their name.
A "visitor void" at 20 Franklin Street...I had the thing stuck to my shirt until I got home and changed my clothes.
At any rate, I came away from that interview feeling somewhat mollified to the prospect of being harshly critical of the next T&G article or op-ed piece that I might find fault with... After all, having everyone I got introduced to smile and tell me they're readers was like being a pancake smothered in maple syrup!
9 comments:
Congratulations, Jeff. I'd say that making the front page of the local section constitutes notice!
(Of course, if they'd hyperlinked to your blog...)
I enjoyed reading the column by Dianne - it was definitely a pleasant picture of you and your blog, despite the animosity. I often read the T&G local section online before coming to your blog, but I don't read the columns unless you point them out. Thank you!
Victor told me he just met you & I wondered where...and now I know!
Also -- two pictures? That's it? We wanted major photo ops with all the major players!
Jeff--
a) did you get a pat down?
b) clearly the T and G and CIty Hall do read the bloggers
c) i had low level pre melnopma last year; stay out of the sun
d) FYI--today is the anniversary--1953 - A killer tornado roared into Worcester, MA. 94 people were killed by the storm, 1310 injured and 10,000 left homeless. Assumption College was destroyed.
Jim May
She didn't have a tape recorder? I remember when I was 10 Dianne Williamson was nice enough to take me to work (my mother works from home, and I wanted to be a journalist) with her for take your daughters to work day. She taught me a trick to ask extra questions you don't need to know the answers to so that your subject isn't bored while you write long notes. Interesting to see her methods haven't changed in 17 years.
Love it!
Glad you did the interview.
Reading the online comments following Dianne's column is terrific!
;o)
- Lee
This is awesome Jeff! I am glad Dianne is a good sport about everything. This is a great opportunity for more people to find out about worcesters best writer.
great article jeff! now lets see what kind of impact the T&G has when you report on your monthly website hits, might be interesting to see.
Congrats jeff, you now give us all something to aspire to.
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