Musements - jbaldwin's Blog - Bakersfield.com

Shifting priorities

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:42:53 PDT

Today is my first day as a former employee of The Bakersfield Californian. I was one of the newsroom staff who was laid off yesterday. But as much as I am mourning the demise of the newspaper industry right now, I am also, frankly, really happy. I am very thankful for all of the great things I got to do and learn while I was at TBC, and now I am just very thankful to be sitting at home typing this blog post with my 4 1/2-month-old baby sleeping in his swing next to me.

I had only been back to work from maternity leave for three weeks, and those three weeks were really hard on me to be away from my baby. Thankfully my mom has been staying with us to watch him during the day, and I only live 1.3 miles from the paper, so I could go home for lunch every day to see him. But this layoff is a testament that everything in life works out the way it should. My priorities are now shifting. I'm going to try to find a way to work part-time or from home in order to spend more time being a mom.

So like I told all of my now-former co-workers (and always friends) yesterday, don't cry for me Argentina! I'm looking forward to new adventures :)

(The picture was taken by my mom when I arrived home, severance package in hand, yesterday. No tears, only smiles!)

Turnip Wars

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:18:13 PDT

Who's got the biggest turnip in Bakersfield?

Robert Kidd thought his was pretty big, at 4 pounds and 18 inches in circumference. But after his picture was featured in The Bakersfield Californian, our photo editor Alex Horvath got a call. Kidd's turnip was small potatoes compared to Ernie Kipfer's titan, which weighs 11 pounds, 8 ounces and is 30 inches in diameter. Now THAT'S a giant turnip!

Let the turnip wars begin!!!

Death, death, death!

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:20:23 PDT

I don't believe it when people say they want more "Good News" in the newspaper. As always, the top read stories on Bakersfield.com are about death, death, death and DEATH.

Dressing alike at work

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:11:39 PDT

We don't call each other in the morning, we don't send out e-mails at the end of the day, we don't plan these things. But sometimes multiple people show up to work in the newsroom wearing the same color. How is it possible that six people in the same little office can wake up one morning and decide "I'm going to wear purple today." Well, it happens. And I have tried to document the phenomenon as best I can over the years. (Sometimes I really have to cajole my co-workers, and some flat out refuse to be photographed.) Here's a little video I've put together of our matching days. Go ahead, laugh at us :)

Take time to "smell" the flowers

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:06:39 PDT

Need to gaze upon some beauty today? Don't miss the gallery of wildflower photos submitted by our readers. It's like taking a drive on the country roads of Kern County right at your desk. If you have photos to submit, send them to me at jbaldwin@bakersfield.com to add to the gallery. Or post your own at Bakersfield.com/youreport.

Here's the link for the gallery: http://people.bakersfield.com/home/SnapGallery/1021344

What? Daylight Saving starts Sunday???

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:24:18 PST

This is your brain (000) This is your brain on maternity leave (.) The past four months have been a whirlwind and now all of a sudden BAM! time is slapping me in the face saying "I'm flying by!" I JUST realized that daylight saving time starts this Sunday.

Is it seriously that time of year again? This time last year I was brand-spanking-newly knocked up. Spring was in the air, life was growing all around and inside of me, I was full of fear and hope, and I was puking a lot. Thank God that's over!

But I have just spent four glorious winter months hunkered down in my cozy home, all bundled up with my newborn baby, playing silly games, singing songs, rocking him to sleep, and watching the fog and rain out the windows while we stayed all safe and warm inside our cocoon.

Now suddenly I had to stretch my wings and return to work this week. Sunday, the time shift will further pull me out of the den of my precious winter. I'm going to miss the rainy days playing with all our "friends" and dancing to Old MacDonald.

I actually do love daylight saving time. I love the late, warm evenings for walks, barbecuing, and spending time outdoors. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of playing in the street with all the neighborhood kids and even some parents until it was bedtime. So I will grieve the winter past but welcome summer with hopes of once again playing outside until bedtime, this time as the parent enjoying the laughter of my little guy.

Ever wanted to host an exchange student?

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:52:57 PST

The closest my family came to hosting a foreign exchange student was two German kids traveling with "Up With People" for a couple of days. They were so much fun to have around! I always wished we could host a student for a longer period of time, but our house was pretty full with foster kids already. In any case, it's very fulfilling to open your home to a young person. If you've ever been curious about being a host family, check out this You Report article.

Watch out for downtown con artist!

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:38:03 PST

Local elementary school principal Bill Jager has written a funny and telling story about his encounter with a panhandler the other night. He calls it "A Few Good Bakersfield Souls."

Of all the times I've been hit up by panhandlers, I've never experienced an elaborate a story as Jager and his wife heard from this guy, who said, in short, he and his family were trying to get enough cash to buy train tickets home to Texas. But the Jagers cared enough to follow up on the guy's story and go down to the Amtrak station to check out his tale.

As I edited the story today to run in The Californian, I, too, drove to the Amtrak station (their only phone line is a voice recording) to confirm the story. Yes, the agent said, this panhandler is well known among the staff. He apparently tells people he's trying to get to Texas, then says they can even go to the station and give the money directly to the agent, who is holding the money for him. Of course, the agents are not. But how many people just take the panhandler's word for it and not check it out for themselves?

Good thing there are skeptics out there — and, as Bill Jager puts it, people with big hearts who are ready to empty their pockets to help others in need.

First day back: So far so good

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:11:42 PST

Hello bloggers!

It's my first day back at work at The Bakersfield Californian. So far I've cleaned four months of dust off of my desk, thrown away the dead plant, and now I'm waiting for thousands of e-mails to load so I can delete them all and start from scratch.

Maternity leave was a roller coaster — good thing I love roller coasters! In the beginning, being a stay-at-home-mom for the first time was exhausting and frustrating. I had planned all this stuff I was going to do while I was at home. But guess what? The baby needed me! So I quickly decided to give up the to-do list and just focus on being a mother. That's when it became fun. My favorite activities with my baby boy are playing with him, reading to him, giving him a bath, and rocking him to sleep. I love kissing and tickling him to make him laugh and smile. Being a mom is the most fun job in the world.

But now I'm back to the job that pays the bills. Luckily my mom is staying with us for a while to watch the baby. Otherwise I might not be having such an "easy" time of leaving him during the day. I will be going home for lunch to see him in two hours.

It's good to be back, though. It was nice to have a reason to shower, dress nicely, do my hair, put on makeup and leave the house this morning. And of course it's wonderful to see all my co-workers at The Bakersfield Californian and have actual adult conversations with them. And I look forward to the work I'll be doing here, encouraging all of you to post articles, photos and videos to Bakersfield.com and looking for golden submissions to print in the newspaper. So keep me busy everyone!

The new hope

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:51:12 PST

As I watch the inauguration with my baby boy on this important day in history, I know he has been born into a time of new hope for this country. Derek's life began on the day Obama was elected president of the United States. I voted absentee from the hospital to participate in that historic event. And now Derek is witnessing the hope become a reality. Some day he'll understand the legacy that Obama has brought to our country, and how Derek is a part of that legacy. May Derek contribute to the future of America as he grows into a man and into a proud citizen of the U.S.A.!

The economy and me

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:27:30 PDT

I'm an open book, so I'm not shy to share some of my recent experiences:

First of all, I'm still not really feeling the effects of the crashing economy. My boyfriend and I had no problem getting a loan from GMAC last week to buy an SUV. My bank, Washington Mutual (which was saved from a crash by Chase two weeks ago), offered me a credit card when I went to make a deposit. I declined, but it made me think, "What credit freeze?"

Also, I'm actually having a hard time trying to spend my money! I ordered a rug through Home Decorators only to receive a notice that they've discontinued that rug and I'd be getting a refund. I registered for a crib at Babies R Us only to find out they're out of stock — not only in the store, but also at their distribution center. The only bummer is if I still want this particular crib, I have to order it online and pay $110 for shipping. (I'm going to call them and try to negotiate the shipping charges.)

The only thing that I've witnessed, of course, is my shrinking 401(K). Since June 30, my balance has fallen by a little more than a third, from $18,482 to $13,577. (I called today to find out my balance.) But I'm not worried. It'll go back up.

I'm just not feeling that "depression" that people are talking about. Now, ask me again in March when I return to work from maternity leave and I have to start paying for child care ...

Graffiti update

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:34:22 PDT

The graffiti-covered wall at Dracena and H streets that I blogged about Monday was painted over Tuesday. But now on my way to work this morning, another tagger has hit the wall again. When will it end? Never. But I'll keep reporting it to the City of Bakersfield's graffiti hotline (32-ERASE) and Web site so at least they can stay on top of it and it hopefully won't explode like it did over the weekend.

Desk decorating — Just Married style

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:16:19 PDT

It's been a long time since I've decorated a co-worker's desk! But when our assistant breaking news editor, Chris George, was off getting hitched and honeymooning in Costa Rica, I just couldn't resist. Behold the fruits of our efforts. (Thanks to Christine Peterson for injecting the colorful bells and posters!)

Congrats, Chris!

PS .... favorite quote from him upon seeing his desk: "The handcuffs are a nice touch."

No more credit card junk mail?

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:40:16 PDT

One thing I've noticed in the past couple of weeks, perhaps due to the tanking financial industry, is I haven't gotten a single offer for a new credit card in the mail. Thank goodness! My junk mail has decreased significantly.

It will be interesting to figure out how many trees will be saved during the credit freeze.

Three-day graffiti war

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:59:43 PDT

This is what can happen over the course of three days if graffiti isn't instantly removed from a building. The first message appeared Friday. I saw it on H Street at the corner of Dracena on my way to work. These pictures show what exploded over the weekend and what the building looks like today (Monday).

I'm going to be reporting the graffiti to the City of Bakersfield's graffiti Web site. They also have a hotline to call at 32-ERASE.

I'll also be adding it to Bakersfield.com's graffiti map.

The economy: Are you feeling it?

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:18:48 PDT

In the editors meeting this morning, we talked about whether we are in a recession and headed for a depression. I mentioned the fact that I'm not really personally feeling the effects of the economy -- yet. I still make the same amount of money and spend the same amount of money and save the same amount of money.

Maybe it's because I have a steady job, and I've never been a "big spender." I shop at Winco and Food Maxx, where milk is still less than $3 a gallon. I have a four-minute commute to work, so a tank of gas lasts me about three weeks. I make my mortgage payments on time, and don't face default or foreclosure. I do "splurge" every so often, such as my three visits to the county fair (and all the food I ate there!). But all in all, I feel pretty good.

Now this will probably all change in a couple months when I pop out this baby and I'm facing child care costs. But that will be an effect of my change in life circumstances, not the economy. I guess the one thing that could happen that would end my "security" would be if I was laid off from my job. But I refuse to live my life in fear of what "could" happen.

So with all this talk of a failing economy, I guess I just don't feel personally affected -- YET.

Crib vs. Bassinet vs. "play yard"

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:44:57 PDT

So as some of you know I'm due Nov. 21. That's getting close ... and as I research baby sleeping arrangements, I am having a hard time deciding what to do. Maybe some of you parents out there have advice.

Of course, I would like a crib for the baby's room. But for the first couple of months, I'd like the baby to sleep in the bedroom with me. So what do I put in my bedroom? Cradles seem unstable, bassinets are way cheesy and frilly, and "play yards" don't seem very durable. But I like the idea of a portable sleeper of some kind that I can have in the bedroom, and take with me when traveling.

I am against co-sleepers (which attach to the bed) because my research has found this is unsafe for the baby, who can fall between the sleeper and the bed and suffocate.

I'll post this on RaisingBakersfield.com, our local parenting Web site, as well, to see what others suggest.

Do you recognize these old homes?

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:56:42 PDT

The Kern County Museum has posted a bunch of old photos of local houses to the Your Words section. Check them out and see if you know where any are located.

A couple, including the one on the left, look like houses in my Oleander neighborhood. But I can't pinpoint exactly where. Now I'm going to have to walk around and see ...

Life and death: A touching story

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:03:35 PDT

Every so often, a Your Words article comes in from a reader on Bakersfield.com that brings tears to my eyes. Bree Alvarez has submitted this touching article about saying goodbye to one friend while welcoming another friend's baby into the world in the same week.

Bree's friend Shari died in a tragic car accident on I-5 on Labor Day. Then, today, her friend Misty gave birth to a baby girl.

"The circle of life moves us all," Bree writes.

It certainly does. Thank you for sharing your story, Bree.

What is "citizen journalism?"

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:26:23 PDT

Hi all,

Blogger ALICEN inquired about my status update yesterday that read "jbaldwin is researching citizen journalism web sites."

I thought I'd share my response for all of you. If you have any questions, please ask! I'm happy to answert them.

"Citizen Journalist" is an industry buzzword that describes non-professionals who report news - either by writing blogs or articles, or taking photos, or making videos. The interactivity of the Internet has revolutionized news coverage now that "average citizens" can participate in reporting news as fast as (and even faster than!) professional journalists.

News organizations such as The Bakersfield Californian and Bakersfield.com caught on to this trend early and started offering its Web site users the ability to write their own blogs, and submit their own articles, photos, videos and events to the Web site. You can find all of this content on the People section and the Your Words section. Sometimes we print some of the "user-generated content" (another industry buzzword) in the newspaper.

Another side effect of the Internet is the ability for our Web users to create their own community online, and feel ownership over the site. Our bloggers are a pretty tight-knit group who have done just that. Through our newly launched interest groups and forums, we hope to see even more niche communities form on Bakersfield.com and all of our affiliated Web sites.