Like painted kites, those days and nights/ They went flying by

Julie's Top 5 favorite things about work this week:

5. The Batcave, obviously.
--It has a big windows and I share my office with the only other reporter in the office, Laura, who takes care of the technology aspects of the job and likes to makes fun of me. Then again, everyone in the office mocks each other, so rest assure that I dish it out just as much as I take it. Pictures of our funny little office to come.

4. When Laura and I "borrowed" Tim the intern and had him help us, i.e. served as a practice prop before our interviews with members of the legislature (which is pretty awesome meeting and talking to them; I'll post my favorites when we start to get the videos up). Also, the nickname MB and Emmy came up with for him: Tim-tern!

3. Making friends, specifically with
-- the homeless man whom I buy "Street Speech: The Voice from the Streets of Columbus" from every week. The paper is hopelessly Left and the writing is okay, but it supports a good, capitalistic cause and chatting with him gives me perspective and ideas.
--the House Minority Leader! I passed him on the street on Tuesday walking back from mass and when he saw me, he smiled big and waved at me. I, of course, happily returned the sentiment. He loves Hillsdale and Russell Kirk too.

2. Calling sources and milking information and pull quotes out of them. The result is freakin' sweet articles.

1. the black 5.0 Bic ballpoint pen I write/ jot/ fiddle with while thinking and/ or reading.
--I used to not care about the kind of pen I used since my mom gets tons of pens, etc. from drug reps and pharmaceutical companies (she's a cancer nurse specialist), but since writing with this pen... I've been ruined.

Dislikes: incompetent people (in the public and private sector), sources who take their dandy time to get back to me and having to be in the office early in the morning after working late into the night.

Such is the life of a journalist! Currently working on an article about 3 million dollars the Stark County Treasurer embezzled, as revealed today by the state auditor's office. Today at mass a couple got blessed for being married for 55 years and they held hands going up to the alter. It was so cute. My parents will celebrate their 25th at the end of the month; I can't wait for them to double that. Going home tonight for my little sister's Shakespeare production and big party on Saturday for my brother, parents and me.

Oh, and where did June go?