Julia Goldberg's Blog

Come on out. I'll be the one slumped against the wall.

2008-07-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

Best of SF—press run #2

2008-07-21T09:39:00.000-07:00

We. Are. Almost. Done. As. Am. I.

overwhelmed by minutae

2008-07-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

This morning, on the radio, I complained about my recent inability to get any sleep. I'm a lifelong insomniac, but it's usually intermittent, whereas this summer it's been kind of non-stop. Have received much advice via email today, which I have boiled down to the basics: it's either hormones or I'm crazy. (Or, yes, possibly both). I am inclined to think it may also be about caffeine and being hot (temperature-wise; I don't think I'm up all night because I'm contemplating how awesome I am. Oh no, that ain't it).
What else? I seem to have ordered Internet for my house, despite swearing I never would and am contemplating buying an iphone, but maybe not the first day they are available since people are, apparently camping out waiting for them. I don't know if people would camp out waiting for a phone here; I suppose I could go find out. I will not be camping out. Although, I suppose, if I wake up at 4 am tomorrow that might be a more productive use of my time than wandering my house like a zombie. Maybe.
We're heading into Best of Santa Fe time. So if you don't hear from me before July 23, you know why. But I will do my best to stay semi-present here in ye old www. Having internet at home should help this task. Because that's what I need: More time on the computer. Hmm. OK, need to go look for zombie figurines for small children. Tonight's activities include a birthday party for my favorite seven-year-olds.

one step forward, one step back

2008-07-03T07:01:00.000-07:00

I was very gratified with the way both The Albuquerque Journal and Santa Fe New Mexican cited us when they followed reporter Dave Maass' story on Jerome Block Junior. They clearly learned of the story from our reporting, followed it as was appropriate, but also cited us as the originating source. And while some castigated the dailies for waiting until the end of the story to mention us (thank you), I was satisfied: I've been harping on this issue for years as the ethical way for journalists to cite one another's work, have spoken with Poynter and other journalism experts on the topic and, as many news readers know, it's standard practice for many news outlets, including The New York Times and the Washington Post.
So how disheartening to see Phaedra Haywood's story today on Santa Fe County's dismissal of former county commission candidate Stephen Wust.
It is an almost-verbatim repeat of SFR reporter Mark Sanders' story that we published yesterday. With no acknowledgement whatsoever. For the record, not only do I think it's wrong for papers to rip off one another's stories with no acknowledgement, I think it does a great disservice to readers, who deserve as much transparency in their journalism as possible. I also think it's a little sad when a paper with who knows how many more reporters than we have uses our paper to find stories and then can't do the courtesy of acknowledging that we got there first. Especially when, as I suspect, they wouldn't have known about the story otherwise. I suppose it's possible Haywood was already working on this, but I find it odd that the story is almost identical.
I'm not sure if Journal North has anything or not. I haven't looked at the paper edition yet, and its new Web site for the north isn't as user-friendly as it was. I'm actually sad about the Journal's new Web site; the previous incarnation worked a lot better.
Oh, an interesting followup from The New Mexico Independent on the Block story: Ben Ray Junior won't say if he supports Block as his replacement in PRC District 3. The Independent also cites Dave's story yesterday on the county's attempts to block online access to jail records. The county does not seem to be very open government focused these days. County PIO Stephen Ulibarri was of no help to Dave Maass in talking directly to jail administrators; he was excessively unhelpful to Mark in reporting on his Wust story and tried to bullshit me into thinking we couldn't quote from the county manager's article cited in our article by telling me it was copyrighted. I don't know if Ulibarri, as PIO, actually doesn't understand how Fair Use works or if he was just hoping I didn't, but either way, a PIO who tries to intimidate the media out of providing the public access to information is not my idea of good open government. And I'm kind of thinking this isn't the last you'll be hearing of that.
In fact, I'm going on the radio shortly. Maybe I'll talk about it some more there.

lack of domestic skills revealed

2008-07-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

Approximately once a year, I grow weary of my own inability to do much of anything besides write and read and have what I have identified as ADU (Annual Domestic Urge). This year, the urge struck at about the same time as our award-winning writer Zane Fischer's birthday, so I decided to bake cupcakes.
I have never baked cupcakes before (I've only ever baked one thing, actually, a pound cake and this was during ADU circa 1998; last year for ADU I think I knitted some mittens).
In my mind's eye, the cupcakes were very arty (because they were for Zane), kind of white and black with neo-deco "Zs" on everything. In reality, they look sort of like someone's 5-year-old made them. But I've been told they taste good (I know you're supposed to taste things you make, but I was too scared). Really, it's hard to understand how something that seems so simple could be so challenging. There is still icing in my hair, I swear to God. Anyway, viola:

Maybe it's biochemical...what's biochemical mean again?

2008-06-27T08:46:00.000-07:00

Now that I've come clean about my snarling contempt for SUV drivers, I thought I'd be upfront about another little quirk I've been keeping secret: I'm invisible.
And I don't mean metaphorically. I obviously don't mean literally. I mean biochemically. Actually, I don't know if that's what I mean because I don't quite understand the definition of biochemical.
Here's the deal: You know those automatic doors in supermarkets and other large stores? They are activated by people walking up to them? They are convenient when carrying large loads or when the effort of just opening a door is too much? (They are, of course, quite necessary if one is disabled).
I don't activate them. Like, 80 percent of the time they just don't open.
Now when I first noticed this happening, I assumed they were all just broken. That might seem unlikely but I do live, after all, in a city where as best I can tell no one has replaced the receipt paper at any of the gas station pumps since 1998.
But it soon became clear, it's not them, it's me. Because if I sit and wait for someone else to come along, the door will open for them and I can sneak in.
This situation is not isolated to automatic doors; I often find that the body-activated hand-dryers and towel dispensers neither blow nor dispense when I put my hands under them. I can, usually, get them to work by punching them or occasionally leaning both hands on them with my entire weight. Not sure how this looks to others; probably better than me wiping my hands on my pants.
I'm also unsure if this relates to an incident some years ago in which my ex gave me a watch, as a gift, which promptly stopped ticking. Two replacement watches later, the watch salesman gently informed me I might be "one of those people who can't wear watches."
Unclear what kind of people that is.

In Which My Lack of Niceness is Revealed

2008-06-25T05:31:00.000-07:00

Despite my ongoing quest for keeping an open mind, I have a little bit of a "thing" against people who drive huge, massive SUVs. Fortunately, for me, this is one area in which prejudice is acceptable, even politically correct these days. I'd like to say I resent them because they represent the worst of American oil-guzzling and because of the effect on the environment and, sure, this is part of it. But I have a sneaky suspicion my distaste for these things also is connected to some kind of deep-seeded dislike for excessive personal wealth (no doubt some kind of genetic predisposition toward communism). Most of all, I hate being bullied on the road and constantly facing the prospect of being squashed like a bug by someone who thinks they need to drive a tank.
So this would be, for me, selfishly, the upside of the hideous gas-price situation; a sense of smug satisfaction when I think about how much it is taking folks to fill up their Durangos/Expeditions/Hummers whatever.
I am aware this is not nice. In fact, it's not even rationale as my little car doesn't have particularly good gas mileage.
Most of all it's a mind-set begging for a universal reaction.
See, I have what we Santa Feans call "bad karma." Meaning, the minute I do something wrong, the universe tends to rebound. For this reason, I don't steal, cheat or lie (OK, there are other reasons).
So I figured it was only a matter of time before the Universe took notice of my shitty attitude toward SUV drivers and taught me a lesson.
The lesson came in the form of required auto repairs. My car went in for diagnosis a week ago and, after waiting a week for the parts to come in, the mechanic (at the dealer; thank god for warantees) called and told me to bring it in and he'd been done by the end of the day.
Except, once he'd taken the car apart, he realized one of the parts hadn't come in and he'd need it overnight. He curtailed my immedate reaction (to complain) by telling me he'd give me a loaner.
Now, if I were an employee of a car dealer, I probably wouldn't hand some tiny complaining customer the keys to a brand new 35,000 SUV without looking at her license, registration or insurance, but apparently, despite myself, I don't seem very suspicious to others, because that's exactly what he did.
I have no doubt this is some kind of ploy, and there is an expectation that when I return to pick up my tiny car, I will be so overcome with the joy of driving 20 miles above traffic that I will demand to purchase said vehicle. But this, friends, ain't gonna happen. In truth, I feel like a jackass driving this thing (although being higher on the ground than others is a rare and slightly exhilerating experience).
My favorite thing about the SUV is the imbecilic digital dashboard that informs the driver what is going on in the car. Like, for example, the image above, that explains in clear graphics that the AC is blowing on you. In case I was to get distracted ("Oh my God! What is this cold air? Where is it coming from?). There's an equally stimulating picture of a radio tower when one changes radio stations, you know, to explain radio waves. Too bad there's not a graphic of a person's brain being fried and then getting arrested for talking on a cell phone while driving.
It's early; I can't believe these are the things I wake up thinking about. Really must get back to yoga.

but where's the rain?

2008-06-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

It's a windy blustery and intermittently thundering Sunday night. But no rain yet, though I wish it would rain and dispell some of the strange humidity that's been in the air all day. I spent most of the day cleaning the house, which has been sadly neglected what with all the travels and block parties and summer guides and what not. I am not much of a cleaner, so when the mood hits me I go with it. Thus the floors have been mopped a good three times, though I'm sure by Wednesday any signs of cleaning will be gone. The boy appeared around 5:30 and grilled tuna, marinated in curry sauce, on the new barbecue he bought for my house.
Last night we went and saw The Gender Offenders' drag show at Wise Fool, which was one of the kickoff events to this week's Gay Pride. Then we had a drink with friends at the St. Francis and headed home. I actually slept until 8:30 in the morning, which was exciting since Saturday morning I awoke at the ungodly hour of 5:45 am. I broke down and bought a new ipod, the old one having been swiped during my Philadelphia trip. Tomorrow, with any luck, the car parts will come in and I can get my rack and pinion (I know that can't be the right spelling ) fixed, since I am now driving around in a state of terror that at any minute it will go out.
And, yup, that's all that's shaking here as the weekend draws to a close. Pray for rain!

last night's block party

2008-06-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

on the block

2008-06-18T06:11:00.000-07:00

So tonight, from 5 to 9 pm, you'll find me and probably 5,000 other people in The Reporter's parking lot, Yes, it's time for our annual block party. If you haven't been before, come on over; it's lots of fun! I have been very busy and quite overheated, but mostly I've been working and having fun. Saw The Roots for the fourth time on Sunday (yes, I've become a groupie) and Erkyah Badu, who put on an amazing show, although some of the things she said between singing her ass off, were kind of nutso (I can't quite quote her, but somehow she managed to intermingle: The Zapatistas, the mountains, the Comanche "Indians," vortexes, bowling alleys, skating rinks and Barack Obama; don't ask me how).
And now, it's early morning, already almost 80 degrees and I need to get ready for work. See you tonight, I hope. If you can't find me in the throng, you may see me near the boy's booth at the party. Hint: lots of funky skull art!

the answer is blowing in the wind

2008-06-12T07:26:00.000-07:00

I spent so many years not believing allergies were a real thing (since everyone in Santa Fe believes in something, I've decided to be different and believe in nothing), that it's hard to reconcile myself to this indisputable reality: I have allergies. This morning I woke up, eyes sealed shut (the sequel to Eyes Wide Shut), my head pounding on one side, my sinuses pulsating. What am I allergic to? Clearly this starts up when the winds kick up, so it's something blowing in the wind. But what? Elm? Juniper? Dust? Radioactive mites? Hell if I know.
I don't take allergy medicine because half the time it doesn't work and makes me either knocked out (if it's non-drowsy) or wired like a crackhead who just drank 10 espressos (if it's the sleep formula). Instead, I started today with a lovely cocktail of Musinex (grossest name ever), a sinucleanse, Excedrin sinus and, a few squirts of nosespray. The nosespray helps, but I'm paranoid about it having been warned by several people that it's "really easy to become addicted, and you don't want that." This is clearly what happens when one reaches a certain age. Suddenly, the gateway drug is no longer dope, it's nose spray. I can't think of anything more ignonomious than developing a nose-spray addiction. I'm not even sure what that would entail; Me, shaking and cold, panhandling for pennies in front of CVS to scrape together enough money for just a few squirts?

dental checkup

2008-06-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

Ten days after surgery, my mouth is healing well, says Dr. R. today. Really well, really fast, he said, sounding surprised. Much faster than he'd expected.
'Well, I'm a really fast healer," I told him. Even I could hear the ridiculous pride in my voice. I mean, who feels a high-level of self-esteem over the ability to heal fast after dental surgery? Apparently, I do.
"I can see that," he said.
I restrained myself from asking him if I had healed faster than all of his other patients. I don't know if dentists make referrals to psychologists, but I'm pretty sure that feeling competitive about how fast one heals probably borders on some kind of crazy, although what kind I'm not sure.
Anyway, that was good. Less good was the vicious sinus headache brought on by the 300 mile an hour winds. That headache was compounded by watching a clip on CNN from a few months ago in which Bush expressed surprise at hearing there were predictions that gas was going to hit $4 a gallon in the near future. I try to restrain myself from too much Bush-bashing these days (it's boring and futile), but, really, how can you be president and be completely unaware of something like that? Even I had heard those predictions at the time that he said he hadn't. Unless he was pretending to be surprised. Which, though inexplicable, would almost be preferable. Though unlikely. Anyway, here's a link to the video, via huffington, via msnbc, in case you missed it, as I had.

OK, let's get serious

2008-06-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

I had dinner last night with Heather, Brad and Darius at, of course, the Cowgirl. The dinner made me realize a few things:

1. I have never had a meal anywhere with Darius that wasn't the Cowgirl and this is his fault.
2. I have been blogging for way too long (last night there seemed to be a general agreement that I am the first blogger some of my friends ever knew) and
3. my memory is really really terrible.

It was great to see Heather, though; she and Brad were visiting for the first time in too long and hopefully they will remember how bomb Santa Fe is and move back immediately.
I have to say (no, really I have to), coming back from Philadelphia on Sunday was one of the first, if not only, times when I didn't get back to NM with a sense of epic relief (Hawaii was the other time). I am still puzzling through what a great, great time I had in my hometown. I mean, OK, I grew up there so maybe it's normal that I would go back and have fun except in my memory (which sucks), I ran away screaming with no memories of there being anything good about it whatsoever. If I was so wrong about that, who knows what else I am wrong about? What if I'm wrong about everything? That would totally wreck my sense of identity, which is based on being right about everything. It's kind of fucked up.
But, seriously, and in no particular order, things that made my trip to Philly super fun:

1. The Roots and The Roots. Two nights, two shows, one in my beloved Theater of the Living Arts (which used to be a movie theater, that's how old I am). The other at Penn's Landing. So great.
2. The conference, particularly Seymour Hersh, who was the First Amendment Speaker. So smart. So bloody depressing. But smart always trumps depressing for me.
3. David Carr, who spoke, as he often has for AAN, about the changing media landscape and the internets and all that shiite. It's kind of hard to explain what makes Carr so funny and engaging. I guess that's it, he's really funny and engaging.
4. Winning stuff. Yes, I do love winning stuff.
5. Lastly, but probably mostly, seeing Jen and Anne, who were both really close friends of mine back when I was a juvenile delinquent. We all agreed we look exactly the same (improbable, but we believe it). And I just had so much fun seeing them. And here we are, 20 years older, but, at least in my case, just as sweaty as ever.

back from philly

2008-06-08T16:04:00.000-07:00

A more detailed post to follow (I am wiped out from lack of sleep and my ridiculously early flight). In the meantime, check out how well we did at the annual awards.
(the short version: two firsts, three seconds, one third and one honorable mention, aka, we rocked).

Homecoming

2008-06-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

Apparently one can go home again, though it remains to be seen what
benefit there might be to doing so

Memorial Day

2008-05-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

Well, it's a Monday holiday, which means I'm not at work. We slammed on Friday to get everything done so that our Tuesday press deadline wouldn't be too rough. All that remains is to write the endorsement in the third congressional district, one task that has overwhelmed my thoughts for the last two days as I parse through a series of arguments with others and myself.
It also is, officially, the first pool weekend, but I've yet to don a bathing suit and make it there. This is in part because I've decided to add skin cancer to the list of things I'm worrying about, but also because it's kind of windy. In about an hour, the boy and I are taking the dog on a little urban-trail walk and then it is entirely possible I will take a nap, one of my favorite things to do when I'm not working, and something I've yet to accomplish this weekend.
Friday night, SFR had its first drive-in movie event. We pulled in and thought we had a good spot, but after we walked around awhile and came back, the front row we were in had become about the sixth row and a large van was in charge of us. Fortunately, the van belonged to someone we know, who agreed to switch positions with us. My friend's two six-year-old twin boys decided they wanted to watch the movie in my tiny car, so we bought them cheese burgers and were pleasantly surprised they managed to make it through almost the entire movie without getting bored. I am readying for a short week: I've got dental surgery at the end of the week (oh joy), and then next week I fly to Philadelphia for a journalism convention. But in the meantime, I've got about 500 words to write on a race that has been alternatively fascinating and depressing to me. I am trying to keep in mind, since it is Memorial Day after all, what is really at stake in this year's election; and when I am able to do that, the choice I need to make seems clearer than when I allow all the other factors, accusations and brouhaha invade my thoughts. But I am still open for comments, so if by some sad chance you, too, are on the Internet, instead of barbecuing or swimming or planting things in the yard, feel free to e-mail me!

primary countdown

2008-05-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

Is it over yet? No, not until I finish transcribing endorsement interviews and writing our endorsements. Right now, I'm trapped at my desk waiting for a call from Benny Shendo regarding his attempted outing of Ben Ray Lujan last night.
Here's his official statement, which I just posted on Swing State of Mind.

things that need to happen

2008-05-20T13:09:00.000-07:00

Or, a "to do" list, with some things on the list seeming more appealing than others.

1. Finish interviewing candidates for June 3 primary. Last interviews are tomorrow.
2. Finish writing endorsements for nine contested races. Must be done by Friday, because Monday is Memorial Day and we are closed.
3. Attend Drive in movie event Friday night.
4. See Samia & Serena Saturday for girlie activities, plus hang out with boy and NOT HAVE TO WORK as I have every weekend for the last two months because I swore I wouldn't have to.
5. Visit D's pool, assuming it remains hot and doesn't snow.
6. Get cover story ready for June 4 edition by May 28 in order to
7. Miss work May 29-30 for dental surgery. :(
8. Edit summer guide articles in time for June 4 dummy date because I will have to
9. Pack and go to Philly June 4 for AAN convention, where I will run "speed bitching" panel; see old girlfriends from high school, collect awards (we are nominated for seven in the AAN contest. woo hoo.
10. Return home June 8 and start it all up again.

I can do all that. Piece of cake. Arsenic-laced cake, but cake nonetheless. On the bright side, I've already voted!

bugging tom udall

2008-05-17T17:05:00.000-07:00

I early-voted today to kill a few minutes before Tom Udall arrived to early vote. I had this fantasy that no one would show up to watch him vote and I could harangue him into telling me who he's supporting as a super delegate. I got nowhere. I think if I could have gotten his wife, Jill Cooper, alone for a few minutes I could have gotten it out of her. She always seems fond of me, although she's called me "Emily" for years and I never correct her (it kind of reminds me of Devil Wears Prada and, thus, I find amusing). Anyway, I got nowhere. And, I can't get my video of Tom voting to download on my computer at home for some reason and I can't seem to log onto to Swing State of Mind, our election blog, from home. So here's my interview with Tom, as posted on Huffington Post earlier today. Look for, hopefully, video on Swing State on Monday, perhaps with a photo or two. Here's one of Udall and Cooper, under siege by yours truly, at the county fairgrounds.

I really screwed up this week's video

2008-05-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

Like, spaced on adding the music track. Oh well. Such as it is:

Yay!

2008-05-14T17:25:00.000-07:00

AAN and Medill Announce AltWeekly Awards Finalists

The finalists this year, selected from more than 1,400 entries and over 90 participating papers, run the gamut from investigations of errant public officials to stories about green living. L.A. Weekly leads the pack with eight winners. Washington City Paper and Santa Fe Reporter follow closely with six nominees each. The order of finish for the 13th annual AltWeekly Awards contest will be announced on June 7 in Philadelphia.

Yahoo. Read the rest here.

The Paramount: RIP

2008-05-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

It was sad enough when The Paramount closed its doors. But this? This is hard to take.

The answer is blowing in the wind

2008-05-13T13:12:00.000-07:00

Oh wait, no, that's not answers blowing in the wind, just dust.
I think I am on my way to becoming one of those folks who walk around with a face mask on. Particularly after my Friday night ride on the train to Lamy (the KBAC's soul train), where I ate so much dust on the outdoor car that I immediately got a horrible sinus headache, then became motion sick and spent most of the evening trying not to hurl on everyone who spoke to me. Good times. I have got to learn to not leave my house. If you met me that night, and I seemed unfriendly, I apologize. I really was working hard not to be sick everywhere.
I am staring at two solid week of candidate interviews (and attending, tomorrow night, the Third CD forum at Temple Beth Shalom, it's at 7 pm). Meanwhile, here's my newest post on Huffington Post, also found in a slightly different version on our Swing State of Mind blog.
Meanwhile, I'm kind of sad that today's West Virginia election is predicted to be a blow-out for Clinton. Not because I begrudge her her win, but because I can't sit glued to the news all night biting my nails. What fun is a predicted blow-out?

this week's radio show

2008-05-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

A dozen interviews to go

2008-05-06T13:30:00.000-07:00

Just back from DC, I did the last thing I felt like doing, which was book my tickets to Philly for the AAN annual convention. I am leading an event called "speed bitching," which is not, unfortunately, just me complaining while on crack. Actually, I don't really know exactly what it is or how it's going to work, but I swear to you, if you're planning to attend, it's going to be AWESOME and if I do score some crack I will share it. Pretty sure we'll be in the right city for it.
Speaking of which, yes, home again, home again, skippity skip. I haven't been back to Philly in, I'm pretty sure, a decade, possibly 15 years. It's hard to keep track of time when you spend so much time denying its passage. At any rate, it's been a long-ass time, long enough that I have, in fact, no family or friends there, so as far as homecomings go, it will be a little low-key. Also, I pretty much hated every minute I lived there and have lived in SF longer than I lived there, so I guess you could describe my attitude about the whole thing as ambivalent. At best.
Speaking of attitudes, our copyeditor has taken on the daunting task of scheduling all the politicos in for their endorsement interviews. The ones who have gone through this before are behaving pretty well about the whole thing. We interview all the candidates in a group since a. we are a tiny staff and that's the only way to do it and b. if they are going to talk shit about one another, I'd just as soon they do it in front of each other so that the shit-talkers and shit-talkees can respond to one another. Also, it keeps things fair, as in everyone answers the same questions and gets about the same amount of time. It's not a complex thing, but you'd think we were asking them all to come in naked and recite Shakespeare (now there's an idea). Listening to Karen answer their questions (Wiviott's campaign person just asked her if the candidates would be required to sit in a circle. Um, yeah, and hold hands...WTF?). The silly part of it is, the ones that get it get that, hey, do you want our endorsement? (Answer: Yes, you do). Then do what we say, come in, answer our questions and appear to be thoughtful and accessible. Do you NOT want our endorsement (No, you don't not want it). Then argue and ask annoying questions and be a pain in the ass about it. (And, no, it wasn't just Wiviott's campaign person being annoying, that was just the most recent example). Fortunately, Karen is talking to these people and not me, because she is very patient whereas I, as you may have noticed, am not.