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December 2007 archivesFriday, December 28, 2007
Two things
I'm not sure what is worse about this most recent Sun-Times editorial: that it wastes space talking about a young celebrity who finds herself pregnant, or that it wastes the space by talking about it and including, not to mention a few choice others, these sentences: "At 16 and knocked up, Jamie Lynn Spears won't be scandalized for her condition like teen moms of yesteryear. At least she is having her baby and not aborting it or denying responsibility." My very good friend Margaret Lyons, editor of Chicagoist, summed up my feelings best in her post on the editorial, saying, "Hundreds of thousands of American women gets abortions every year. It is legal. Wasn't the Sun-Times supposed to be our progressive newspaper? "Women can choose to terminate or not terminate their pregnancies, but it's hardly the Sun-Times's role to congratulate or demonize those choices." I'm not writing any letters to the editor, or boycotting the Sun-Times, but instead I've decided that my silent protest to Cheryl Reed's moronic editorial is to start volunteering at the Chicago Women's Health Center, a feminist-run health clinic whose mission it is to provide affordable, respectful, and accessible gynecological and mental health care. I encourage you in this coming new year - in this important election year - to become active in your communities, most importantly when it comes to women's health care. All women and girls, at every age, deserve the dignity that comes from having access to informative and safe medical care. When we deny women and girls this dignity, we reduce them and marginalize them into "good girls" and "bad girls," much in the same manner Cheryl Reed has done in her editorial. Here's the thing: when it comes to sexuality, it doesn't matter how much money you do or do not have. The fact that Jamie Spears ended up pregnant at 16 is not a reflection of anything other than she's a human being and with that comes a whole bunch of hormones and sexual drive. And in our puritanical, hypocritical culture, we expect our girls to ignore these instincts by guilting them into virginity, which backfires tremendously. If we were a society that genuinely valued family, then we'd provide safe, smart and respectful sex education to our children at an early age, the kind that would help usher them into puberty armed with more than just some screwed up, fucked up notion of sex. While I am adamantly, fiercely, passionately pro-choice, my feelings on this have nothing to do with abortion rights. I believe it is a procedure that should be available to women as a choice, but it is not one I wish to see any woman have to make. And I believe that places such as the Chicago Women's Health Center are a step in the right direction of helping to turn the tide of our culture, making education a priority so that no woman or girl is sent out in the world with simply the notion that sex is wrong or bad, and that they should save themselves for marriage or perish for all eternity. As a way to wrap up that rant, I give you this amazing video, courtesy of Scott, featuring a song performed by a woman who portrayed a character symbolic of the women's rights movement so fantastically that without it, who knows if we'd ever have had Dorothy Zbornak. And what a worse off world it would have been. Posted by Erin at 05:10 PM | | filed under: Blog move Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas
Right now, I'm about a minute from changing into my pajamas, and my new robe (thanks, honey!) and cuddling up on the couch for some television watching and Glin snuggling. This was our first year spending all of Christmas together, so we were introduced to each other's families traditions - there were grab bags, Redbreast, pickled herring, Oplatek, Dr. Pepper ham, JP's spinach dip, Nana cookies, and lots and lots of talking, respectively. My nephews were the most awesome part of the celebration last night, as they're two funny, smart, interesting people - even if they're only toddlers. Especially because they're toddlers. It's amazing to see how much spark they've brought to our family, which was pretty, well, sparky to begin with. Glinny got presents galore, including pig ears, chew bones, ribs, tug toys, stuffed animals and a bone that is bigger than her. Scott watched as she sized it up today and declared, "God. It's so big she doesn't even know what do to with it." That one, of course, was from me. Scott, Glinny and I spent last night at my sister Kate's after we all finally left my parents' house. Kate and I stayed up talking until 4 a.m., looong after Scott had gone to bed. That was another plus. Kate and I talk about twice a day, not including all of the texting, but I can't remember the last time we stayed up that late. Luckily I took some Advil and Scott made me a fried egg sandwich when I woke up, despite his protestations that Miracle Whip does not belong on a fried egg sandwich. He, of course, would be wrong. We just got home from Christmas at Scott's grandparents, and, like his entire family, were way too generous and kind with their gifts. This was The Year of the Blanket as I scored three fleece blankets, which officially means I can turn down my heat and bundle up comfortably. My gas bill went from $16 a month to $70. Thanks, but no thanks. There were gloves and jewelry and Scott's aunt gave us our first official ornament together - two snowmen with our names printed on each - which touched me to no end. Last night at Mass, Fr. Pete talked about remembering the innocence of the season, of our faith, and this Christmas for me captured that. There was no stress or worry or concern. Nothing was overblown - well, we all did get pretty carried away with presents for the babies, but, you know - and there was laughter and happiness with every turn we made. I felt lucky and blessed. I hope you're all feeling the same, too. Posted by Erin at 08:22 PM | | filed under: Odds and ends Friday, December 21, 2007
It's December 21st, which means it's just about time for an end-of-the-year wrap up! Huzzah!
1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? Get a divorce. That was a new one on me. Working very hard at never having to experience that again. 2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I did! I lost the extra weight I'd packed on during my separation and got back into great shape. As it stands, I am healthier than I have ever been. I really hope I didn't just jinx my ass with that. 3. Did anyone close to you give birth? This was not The Year of The Baby, though my good friend Erin I - as she is called - did! 4. Did anyone close to you die? No. 5. What places did you visit? I went to Virginia and Las Vegas. Vegas sucked. Virginia rocked. 6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? God, nothing. I want nothing. The financial stability and peace I wanted out of this year I got in droves. I think mostly what I wish for is the same for my loved ones. Seriously, I'm so blessed that I'm really not in a position to ask the universe for a damn thing. 9. What was your biggest failure? I was horrible at returning emails. And I was shit about getting into a weight-lifting routine. And I'm still dragging on ass on my second book. 10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nope! 14. Where did most of your money go? Paying shit off. I will be debt-free - again - by Spring! 17. Compared to this time last year, are you: 18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Volunteering. I did a really good job with volunteering at an area soup kitchen on a regular basis until I started at the Sun-Times and couldn't. And then I only picked it back up once since then.
21. Did you fall in love in 2007? More in love, 22. How many one-night stands? Good God no. 23. What was your favorite TV program? 30 Rock. How I Met Your Mother. 24. What did you do for your birthday in 2006? Lots of fun stuff. Drinks with friends, mani/pedis, cupcakes, scotch. 25. What was the best book you read? "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides. 26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Um. Crap. No one is jumping out this year. 27. What did you want and get? A truce. Forgiveness. 28. What did you want and not get? Not a damn thing. 29. What was your favorite film of this year?This was not a big year for me and movies. I loved Knocked Up. I think Superbad was the last movie I saw in the theater.
31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Not one thing. I mean, yes, getting a divorce sucked but I don't regret having done it whatsoever. 32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? Wearing clothes that fit since March! 33. What kept you sane? Running, my girlfriends, Scott. 34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Could we all give Jessica Simpson a break? 35. What political issue stirred you the most? I really do love that we have a woman and an African-American running for president. And they have a real shot. 36. Who did you miss? I did a much better job at seeing my friends this year. WAY better. 37. Who was the best new person you met? Hate this question. 38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. "It gets better." Posted by Erin at 03:17 PM | | filed under: Odds and ends Monday, December 17, 2007
Stepping into 2003
Like so many people who started this whole writing online gig back in the dark ages, I've been sorta loathe to get on board some of the more newfangled features. I don't think bells and whistles for the sake of bells and whistles is ever a smart move, and if you can't seamlessly incorporate these things into your existing brand - aka your site - than you're just causing problems. But now that I think about it, that's probably due to me being crotchety and old. I fear the new, people. Get off of my lawn. Turn down that music. But I am a Web editor, for God's sake, and some of these things I have to get on board with or perish. So tonight I spent a stupid amount of time futzing with Twitter and creating a new Flickr badge, which, on their own, mean nothing, but together symbolize that I'm willing to submit that perhaps it's time to soup up this site a bit and move things forward. I mean, I agonized for three minutes whether or not to use the flash version of the Flickr badge. This is how resistant I am to change at this site. Be careful, people. Before you know it, I'm going to have an embedded video player and use the camcorder function on my Treo. Step back. Posted by Erin at 12:21 AM | | filed under: Blog move Saturday, December 15, 2007
Observances from the shore
Within certain venues, I've made no secret the fact that leaving the Chicago Sun-Times was one of the harder decisions I've made in my professional life. I've left jobs before, certainly, and had little to no compunction about the decision in the same way I have about this one. To understand why, you'd have to know that the first thing I ever read, at the tender age of three, was a newspaper. You'd have to know that I worshiped Mike Royko as a little girl, and that every day I rushed home from school to read the newspaper because, back then, there was still such a thing as the afternoon paper. You'd have to know that I was told back in second grade that I was a good writer, and that my very first job, aside from cutting lawns, was as a papergirl. You would have to know that once I realized I could work at a newspaper, be in a newsroom, working at a newspaper in Chicago was the only thing I ever wanted. Newspapers have been in my blood for seemingly forever and unless you are of that ilk, who lived for the rush of the deadline and the breaking story, for the swearing and the bombastic characters, and the messy smudge of ink all over your fingertips upon flipping through tomorrow morning's edition, literally, off of the presses, it might be difficult to see the romance of it all. Newspapers, the ones in Chicago specifically, shaped the view of the life I'd hoped to have for myself as an adult. When I first left a newspaper, down in Peoria, I knew in some ways that I'd eventually end up back. Not at that paper in particular, but in the industry. I wasn't done, I knew that. Ten years later, after having had my desk in the newsroom of a Chicago daily, I certainly am. And what's sad is that I'm not sure what there would be to go back to if I somehow changed my mind. Scott sent me this yesterday afternoon and I literally felt my stomach jump up through my throat. Then I thanked my lucky stars I got out and wasn't there in that newsroom, receiving Michael Cooke's email in my own inbox, wondering who'd be the one to go. Newsrooms all over the country are starting to pillage its editorial staffs, a fact that surprises no one. My friends who remain in the business worldwide will tell you a newspaper office is a horrible place to be. The S-T's situation is notable in that it is the victim of a corrupt, money-hungry financier whose need for greed places the newspaper at a disadvantage in an already volatile climate. If any newsroom was ripe for that kind of a layoff announcement, it was the Sun-Times. And the Sun-Times isn't a perfect paper by any means - from its tawdry and tacky handling of the Stacy Peterson disappearance case to its incessant need of adding exclamation points onto nearly every front page, associations with Chicago's tabloid are not generally things of which to be proud. Both JP and Scott were overjoyed when I quit because it meant they could stop pretending not to find the Sun-Times a waste of newsprint. But it's done some great things and is filled with talented, hard-working individuals who felt the same way I always have about the privilege of working at a newspaper. When I left, there wasn't an editor - a seasoned editor, at least - who didn't come up to me and tell me that I was doing the right thing. Newsrooms aren't the places they used to be, they said with a sigh, and I am still young enough to get out while the getting is good. All this is very true, but that doesn't mean that just because I made it safely to shore that I'm relishing in watching the ship go down. Posted by Erin at 12:08 PM | | filed under: Chicago Monday, December 10, 2007
Glinny!
Today is her first day being walked by a bona fide dog walker. With a little extra money in the pocket comes the ability to do a few more things, and aside from socking it away, I wanted to do something special for Glinny. Paying some nice person - who is fully insured and bonded, by the way, and comes highly recommended - to take her out for a walk a couple of times a week for a half-hour stretch doesn't seem unreasonable. Glinny's earned it. It's hard work to be that cute. Posted by Erin at 01:25 PM | | filed under: Friday, December 07, 2007
Mine is one of the good ones, thanks.
I just thought I would put that out there since the New York Post just emailed me, hoping to interview me for a story about partners who want their significant others to lose weight for them. And my head just spun around in so many directions, for so many reasons, the least of which is that I can't believe this poor reporter has to do an assignment like that, and the most of which is what would ever give anyone the impression that Scott doesn't love me for who I am? For the record? He does. 110%. After I split up with my ex, I knew that the next partner I would have would have to fall in line with me, at least somewhat, in the realm of political and social consciousness. My ex-husband was a Republican, and fell lockstep with every conservative viewpoint possible. It was, in a word, infuriating. Such beliefs shape how you view your world, and how you act in it, and I knew after we split up that I would never date someone who wasn't at least somewhere on the same page as me. Gosh, it makes my blood boil just thinking about it all, to be honest. When I first met Scott, he wore a pink triangle on his coat lapel. I knew he wasn't gay, so I asked him about it. He said, "Well, I've been trained to counsel gay youth and this just symbolizes that I'm someone they could go to." It was almost impossible for me not to fall immediately in love with him. After all, he was not only awesome enough to work as a youth counselor, but also comfortable enough with his sexuality to sport the second-most popular symbol of the gay rights movement. But what makes Scott so awesome as a partner is how open-minded he has always been. After all, this is a man who once interned for Mary Matalin, and identified himself as a Republican, too. To get from that point to where he is now in just a decade speaks volumes about his intellig ... open-mindedness. Since dating me, not surprisingly, he's been introduced to the delightful and scintillating world that is The Woman with Body Image Issues. This month, Women's Health magazine described me as follows: "Feisty former Chicago Sun-Times Web editor Erin Shea has a healthy body image, and it shows." As I told a group of friends of mine recently, "Where does it show? Seriously. They need to let me know so I know where to find it for myself." I struggle more than I probably ever truly let on, but I like to think I have a good sense of humor about it all. Scott has been a tremendous support in this capacity as he has been proof-positive that men are just as fed up with all of the nonsense being discussed over women's bodies as we are. Case in point: he and I both gave Tribune columnist Steve Johnson a ration of shit for being such a dunderheaded git about the Jennifer Love Hewitt dust up. (I know people from the Tribune read me! He is a git, people! Jesus.) It felt good and empowering to be out there in the Internet trenches, with my boyfriend leading the way, at not only the blog at Time Out Chicago, but also his own blog. It certainly isn't the definitive word on the subject - personally I think it's a fucking waste of time to be talking about it in any context at all, though I'm tremendously chuffed by JLoHew's response - but I am so proud to be with a man who has no problem publicly decrying another member of the mainstream media joining the chorus of people who feel the need to comment on, of all things, the size of a grown woman's body and the story about it. But even without all of the sound and fury, he's just as patient and supportive privately. Scott knows it's a blurry line I walk, and he lightly holds my hand as I do so. So it was funny tonight to get that email from the NY Post reporter, seeing if I could speak to being a partner whose significant other wants her to lose weight for him. Not only would that never enter Scott's mind, but also he'd talk down any one who expected that out of his or her own partner. I told the reporter, "Not me! I'm lucky that I'm not dating such a creep." She quickly emailed me back, "Yes, you are!" Seriously. I know it. Posted by Erin at 05:52 PM | | filed under: Random Stupidity Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Off to the glue factory with her
Glin is an asshole. Glin decided that 3 a.m. was a perfectly acceptable time to wake up The Mama and trick her into letting some dogs outside, because usually when some dogs wake up The Mama, it is 7 a.m. and The Mama doesn't always even set an alarm because some dogs wake her up so regularly. But not today! No! Because today Chicago got a ton of snow and since Glinny thinks that snow is the best thing ever, she needed to hit the ground running. And she's been whining ever since. Gah. Damn dog. EDITED TO ADD: When I got home from work we went on a walk and frolicked in the snow at dog park - with her most recent favorite ball - for a half-hour. She never stays that interested in dog park when it's summer and there are tons of dogs there. It's the snow. LOVES THE SNOW. Posted by Erin at 08:35 AM | | filed under: Glin Monday, December 03, 2007
I said I wanted to be a ballerina. So what?
Oh my God Hillary Clinton. Shut up, Shut up, Shut up, Shut up, Shut up, Shut up, Shut up. One of the comments on the blog mentioned that her campaign should have an "ordinary person" read this stuff before they send it out. Agreed. I have had no intention of voting for her, anyway, but she is making me very sad. Posted by Erin at 11:39 AM | | filed under: Political, baby |
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See this face? This cute, happy, furry, fluffy, loving face? Yeah. That face belongs to an asshole.