What made you feel good today

[Beryl]

Those photos are  excellent

[Reinardina]

Even more fame?

This, of course, is a blatant plug, but I hope you'll forgive me!

Got a phone call just now, from the PR department of the college where I did my photography course last autumn, about my 'amazing story.'  (Entered a writing comp, when I started the course and got shortlisted.)

Could they please arrange an interview with the local rag? I agreed, but only if I did win.
How scary is that? Especially as I'm not a talker! Writing is okay, because I can think about it, and correct any mistakes.And photography is also a rather solitary occupation.

Any tips?

(For those who have missed my earlier announcement, here's the link to the shortlisted stories. Mine is written under my 'daily' name: Ineke (Dutch abbreviation of Reinardina) Ely (my married name) from City College Southampton.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/feweekandme

All votes welcome!

[Hinfrance]

Only one bit of advice. If you think politicians are liars, they've got nothing on journalists. Insist that you have absolute and final approval on the article before it is printed - and get that in writing.

[Reinardina]

Only one bit of advice. If you think politicians are liars, they've got nothing on journalists. Insist that you have absolute and final approval on the article before it is printed - and get that in writing.

Thanks H! Just the sort of thing I wouldn't have thought about.
Knowing the paper though, it is more likely to be sugary sweet, all about this poor nearly blind woman winning through, despite all the odds, rather than something nasty negative. Toe curling, but hardly anyone we know, reads the paper.

[spinner]

Only one bit of advice. If you think politicians are liars, they've got nothing on journalists. Insist that you have absolute and final approval on the article before it is printed - and get that in writing.

Thanks H! Just the sort of thing I wouldn't have thought about.
Knowing the paper though, it is more likely to be sugary sweet, all about this poor nearly blind woman winning through, despite all the odds, rather than something nasty negative. Toe curling, but hardly anyone we know, reads the paper.

Having spent a former life dealing with the press on occasion I can confirm they are if not blatant liars, top notch obfuscators. I am of the distinct impression that you are a lady who doesn't want "special" treatment. Be careful how they play up your condition. 

[ABERS]

The fact that Reinardina's contact was made via her college's PR dept doesn't make it smack of an in depth investigative piece for the local rag.

I worked with the media in all its forms for the last dozen years of my career and like all publications, the run of the mill local newspaper needs material to fill its pages week after week. In fact they are the easiest form of public communication to get a story into, and that's why the PR department involved has made contact.

It's hardly a doorstepping exercise. You want to be contacted by Ann Robinson's crew if you want a bum clencher!

[Reinardina]

Thanks Spinner and Abers. I do realise it is more a plug for the college than for me, but indeed I don't want 'special treatment.'

(And I'd rather not go 'national!')

[Hinfrance]

The fact that Reinardina's contact was made via her college's PR dept doesn't make it smack of an in depth investigative piece for the local rag.

I worked with the media in all its forms for the last dozen years of my career and like all publications, the run of the mill local newspaper needs material to fill its pages week after week. In fact they are the easiest form of public communication to get a story into, and that's why the PR department involved has made contact.

It's hardly a doorstepping exercise. You want to be contacted by Ann Robinson's crew if you want a bum clencher!

When I dealt with the TV and nationals I always asked for editorial veto - that was usually enough to make them go away. The mistake I made was naively thinking that local press would be more how shall we say, homely. They were just as bad, if not worse - utterly untrustworthy; in fact they asked to borrow some personal material, the only copies, to prepare the story, and promised to return it. They binned it. And didn't use any of it in the copy either. 

[ABERS]

When I dealt with the TV and nationals I always asked for editorial veto - that was usually enough to make them go away. The mistake I made was naively thinking that local press would be more how shall we say, homely. They were just as bad, if not worse - utterly untrustworthy; in fact they asked to borrow some personal material, the only copies, to prepare the story, and promised to return it. They binned it. And didn't use any of it in the copy either. 

Sound as though you had a bad experience Howard, were you trying to place  stories or were the media after one?

Editorial veto is usually only agreed for a feature, then only to check the facts are right, never known it applied for news items. Be a bit like the tail wagging the dog, telling the press what they can and what they can't print, even if it's true.

[Hinfrance]

When I dealt with the TV and nationals I always asked for editorial veto - that was usually enough to make them go away. The mistake I made was naively thinking that local press would be more how shall we say, homely. They were just as bad, if not worse - utterly untrustworthy; in fact they asked to borrow some personal material, the only copies, to prepare the story, and promised to return it. They binned it. And didn't use any of it in the copy either. 

Sound as though you had a bad experience Howard, were you trying to place  stories or were the media after one?

Editorial veto is usually only agreed for a feature, then only to check the facts are right, never known it applied for news items. Be a bit like the tail wagging the dog, telling the press what they can and what they can't print, even if it's true.

You're not wrong Alan. A bad experience indeed. The local paper approached me for background on my late father - the stuff they lost was addenda to his flight log, and included a thank you letter written to him by the mother of his tail gunner thanking him for saving her son's life after they were shot up by a JU88 - he got the plane home with lots of bits missing and only one engine. It was scrapped. I still have a melted fragment of the hydraulic system on the mantelpiece. Sad, I know, but he was a real hero, and not just to me.

As for editorial veto, the line I was in at the time made it essential. Either they ran interviews unedited or they didn't get to run them at all . . 

[Hinfrance]

Anyroadup, what made me feel good today was my little girl. She is in the last year of primary school and her class had an introductory day at the secondary school she has applied for.

She came home absolutely buzzing with enthusiasm. They did a tech lesson and she brought home a little circuit board that she soldered herself. She is in raptures about the library and says she can 't wait to go to the new school.

It's a selective school, but as she has been top of her year at her current school ever since she has been there, I reckon she might just scrape in . . 

[Cathus]

I was toying around with my family tree and clicked on a link which said it might have details of someone else researching the same name (my grandad who died when my mother was baby whom we knew nothing about) and ended up finding that my mother has a half sister who is still alive by contacting her son who emailed me back within a couple of hours. I now have a whole new section of my immediate family tree.

[Reinardina]

Anyroadup, what made me feel good today was my little girl. She is in the last year of primary school and her class had an introductory day at the secondary school she has applied for.

She came home absolutely buzzing with enthusiasm. They did a tech lesson and she brought home a little circuit board that she soldered herself. She is in raptures about the library and says she can 't wait to go to the new school.

It's a selective school, but as she has been top of her year at her current school ever since she has been there, I reckon she might just scrape in . . 

Great news H! I remember our daughter having the exact same aexperience,only, I think, in her case it might have been a chemistry lesson. She went on to sit entrance exams for three schools and passed all three. She decided on the 'chemistry lesson school,' which was top of the bunch, on all fronts, including fees! Being Dutch, that still smarts. I think they're free in France as well aren't they?

I was toying around with my family tree and clicked on a link which said it might have details of someone else researching the same name (my grandad who died when my mother was baby whom we knew nothing about) and ended up finding that my mother has a half sister who is still alive by contacting her son who emailed me back within a couple of hours. I now have a whole new section of my immediate family tree.

Good news here too! A completed section of your family tree, and maybe nice contacts with newly found relatives as well?

[Hinfrance]

The primary school she goes to is a private school - would be called 'public' in the UK, as is the secondary school.

But one of the many joys of La Belle is that private schools get the same state funding as public ('state' in the UK) schools, so the fees are really very modest. The bill for school dinners is more than the fees. But they (the dinners) are four courses. It is France, after all

And Cathus - what a result 

[Reinardina]

The primary school she goes to is a private school - would be called 'public' in the UK, as is the secondary school.

But one of the many joys of La Belle is that private schools get the same state funding as public ('state' in the UK) schools, so the fees are really very modest. The bill for school dinners is more than the fees. But they (the dinners) are four courses. It is France, after all

And Cathus - what a result 

Lucky you!
We're only now, slowly, recovering from the financial bloodletting, as, of course, university had to follow.