What Makes My Day

First of all, what is going on at work is driving me crazy. Bad management from above is making me feel defensive, ruining my morale, and making me dread going to the office.

By contrast, my interactions with the 20+ people who I work closely with are wonderful. We are growing our online audience at the annual rate of 45% and our TV ratings are strong. I love working with our most ambitious reporters on investigative projects.

But it is the little thing in any one day that means much more. Yesterday it was  a brief visit from my youngest son, Dylan, and his friend, Lindsay. We met maybe for five minutes outside of KQED as I handed him a piece of mail. He gave me two hugs. She gave me a smile.

That little exchange made my day -- and my week.

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Aging Sucks

As I type this, I cannot clearly see the screen. I recently went to my eye doctor and should soon have new glasses, which presumably will address this problem. But I am also having issues with hearing, walking -- and nosebleeds.

I am up early this morning due to a nosebleed. I stopped it, using the methods taught me by an ER doctor, eight years ago. I also remember what my primary care doctor told me -- "better outside than inside" -- he was referring to a stroke.

I am 70, going on 71. I live alone.

This afternoon, my son Aidan called. He is doing a paper for college about a family food tradition and he chose shortbread -- my family's tradition. This melted my heart.

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Super Bowl Party

Sarah and her boys and Peter and Claire came by  and enjoyed watching this very exciting game together.

I usually do not get into pro football games too mch but this one was special.

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Back to College

On Wednesday, Julia, Aidan and his girlfriend, Kelsey, picked me up at KQED and we had lunch at Cafe Taboo.

On Thursday I went for my first eye appointment in four years. No surprise: my eyesight has worsened considerably.

Last night, I drove to Bernal and we had a going-back-to-college party for Julia.

She has long, red-dyed hair and some new ear piercings. She looks great!

I got there well before the party and she and I completed her FAFSA application.

Tomorrow she flies back to Baltimore and her second semester at Goucher College.

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Birthdays!

In San Jose yesterday we finally were all well enough and able to gather to celebrate the recent birthdays of James (11) and Daisy (4). These are the oldest and youngest of my grandchildren.

Sarah and Laila had saved the presents I ordered for the kids for this event so I actually got to see the kids open the presents I gave them. (I missed the family Christmas party because I was sick.) They were charming in thanking me and all the other kids were great as well.

Peter and Claire came by and we went to the Atlas Cafe for coffee  before heading down 280 to San Jose. On the way we stopped at a giant Target (first time I've been there in years) so they could buy presents and some supplies.

Laila, Loic and kids drove me back.

I would not drive myself because I have been having vision problems lately -- things a half block ahead are fuzzy. I'm going to the eye doctor this week to see what is wrong.

Anyway it was a great day and the first time I had seen any of them since before the holidays.

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Small Wins

After not starting initially, my car decided to cooperate this morning and I drove over to Bernal, where Aidan completed his FAFSA forms. He is in CIIS and seems to be enjoying it. He also has a new girlfriend.

Dylan is settling into UC, Santa Cruz and enjoying that. He completed his FAFSA several weeks ago.

Julia and Connie plan to visit me at work one day this week so we can complete her FAFSA.

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'Shithole' Countries

President Trump dragged the immigration debate to a new low this week by calling a number of countries, including all of Africa, 'shitholes'. We broke our long tradition of not using profane language on KQED Newsroom as a result.

One of the benefits of being a veteran journalist is knowing when such rules should be broken. This was the President speaking -- he broke the barrier, not us. At first, NPR and PBS tried to uphold the traditional standards, so KQED Radio did not air the term.

I disagreed so my online team immediately published a story with the term in the headline. Our job is to serve our audience by reporting the news, not condescending to them.

By Friday morning the execs at public media had come to their senses and started broadcasting the word. KQED did too, on Forum, again online and ultimately on Newsroom.

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