Happy Halloween

Here we are, less than a week before Halloween. People getting everything ready. They’re making sure they have enough candy to hand out. They’re making sure their houses are not targets for eggers. They’re getting their costumes ready. And in some cases, they’re getting costumes ready for their pets.

I’m not opposed to Halloween revelry. Heck, I’m planning to engage in a bit of my own. But I am here today to say that one form of Halloween revelry crosses the line. And that, folks, is when you dress up your pet.

It’s bizarre. Maybe I’m just noticing it more, but it seems as though in the last few years, pets in Halloween costumes have become THE hip Halloween accessory. And I honestly don’t get why.

First of all, I can’t imagine a pet likes wearing a costume. Heck, I don’t think they like wearing any sort of clothing. If pets were meant to wear clothes, they would not have been born with fur coats.

But perhaps even more important than that is what a pet in a costume says about the pet’s owner. Again, maybe I’m just noticing it more, but it seems like I’m seeing more and more owners who take their costumed pets trick-or-treating. And that, friends, is ridiculous. Pet owners who do this are as bad as those parents who dress their infants in costume and take them door to door to collect candy that the costumed kid can’t even eat. But at least the kid will most likely grow into a creature that can eat the candy. Not so with a pet.

And so, friends, I implore you: Allow your pets to retain their dignity this Halloween. Leave them costume-free.

State of the newspaper biz

I know my mother usually has my best interests at heart. But by god she needs to trust me when I say that my career as a newspaper reporter won’t ultimately leave me living in a cardboard box.

Ok, she doesn’t really say that. But she implies it. And she has no reason to. I’ll tell you why.

For years now, people have been decrying the end of the printed newspaper. We’re told people want their news faster than newspapers can deliver it. We’re told that people don’t want to read 500 word articles when they can get 30-second television clips or 140 character blips via Twitter. What can newspapers possibly have to offer?

Let’s start with storytelling. The best newswriting, for many many years, has come from newspapers. The printed newspaper offers more opportunities for multi-sensory experiences in storytelling than any other form of news outlet. News writers, because they only have their words, have to create scenes that appeal to all senses. It’s those stories that appeal to a reader’s five senses that are the most read, both in the printed copy and on a newspaper’s website.

I should also mention design. Newspapers are the unique position of being able to create news packages of photos, words and infographics (graphs, charts, tables and such) and lay them out in such a way that they present the story in a logical and interesting way to the reader. It’s not possible with television because you can only show one image at a time. And while it can be done on the Internet, it’s far harder to do well.

And then, of course, there’s quantity. Newspapers simply have more space to tell stories. Even a short (350-400 word) story contains far more information than a 30-second news clip on TV.

Last, though certainly not least, newspapers are by far the most tactile and interactive medium for news. A newspaper feels good in your hand. It’s easy to enjoy with a cup of coffee. Heck, I know people who can’t start their day if they don’t spend a half-hour sitting on the toilet with a newspaper and cup of coffee. While it sounds gross, it’s just one way that people enjoy newspapers. You interact with it. You enjoy it in your own way. And no other medium allows that to the degree newspapers do.

Now, why do these things matter in terms of the future of the printed newspaper? Simple. It’s that no matter what you say about how folks want their news delivered, the bottom line is they want solid reporting and writing. And newspapers will continue to be the only medium that can consistently provide that.

It’s funny because 10 years ago, when I was a mere freshman in high school, I had to do a research paper for an English class. My paper? The Future of the Printed Newspaper. In it, I laid out my predictions about whether newspapers will survive into a new century. And I said they would. I also predicted that they’d go through hard times until editors and managers learned how to use the print and web editions of the paper correctly and ensure that people read both. And ultimately, I predicted that the printed newspaper isn’t going anywhere.

And let me tell you, my predictions have, for the most part, come true. Newspapers are (slowly but surely) adapting to technology and finding ways to keep up with it. They are also finding ways to keep people reading the print product, while still giving them timely, breaking news on the web. It’s a slow process, since, by and large, most of the folks who run newspapers are the old-school print guys who would still use typewriters if they had the chance. But those folks are either being forced to adapt or are retiring. And once there are no longer folks in charge who fear change, newspapers will be just fine.

And though my mom won’t read this, I say this to her: I’ll be fine. Don’t you worry.

My shoes are still in Dublin

I left a pair of shoes in Dublin last week.

They weren’t anything amazing. Just a comfortable pair of brown shoes that I could wear with anything and on any occasion. But these were special shoes. They were on my feet as I spent the last couple weeks walking around London and Dublin.

And oh did I ever walk. Even my first day there, though exhausted and jet-lagged, I walked. I walked everywhere from Paddington Station to Trafalgar Square to Westminster and back.

Every day of my 11-day excursion was like that. I and my buddy DJ – a high school friend who lives in London – walked about everywhere. And when our friend Mike showed up a week after I did, we kept on walking.

We walked to the top of St. Pauls Cathedral and to the top of Tower Bridge. After leaving London, Mike and I spent 2 days walking through Dublin.

And those brown shoes kept up. I had other shoes with me, but those were the ones I preferred. But on my last night in Dublin, I noticed the soles starting to detach. I knew the walking had done them in.

The trip – my first overseas – would not have been the same had I not walked everywhere. You get a feel for a place by walking you cannot get from a car or train. You hear every sound and smell every scent. You control the pace. You control where you go.

And I realized this: I’ve lived in the Quad Cities nearly two years. But I don’t feel like I know it. I drive everywehere. I only go from Point A to Point B without ever detouring to Point C, D, or X. See, the Quad Cities are too easy to drive. We have no reason to walk. Gas is cheap – at least compared to Europe’s prices. The places we go have parking lots (or as they say in London, carparks) to accomodate everyone. So why bother walking, right?

It’s a different lifestyle over there; at once hectic and laid back. Cars are unnecessary and more hassle than they’re worth.

I’m not trying to make any grand point. But I know this much. I can replace those shoes that I left in the trash can of a hotel room in Dublin (and I have). But I had I not destroyed them walking from Point A to Point Z and everywhere in between, I wouldn’t have half the memories I do now.

Last few hours in London

Ok, folks. So I will start this off by saying this may be my last Euro-post. I leave for Ireland tomorrow and will not have the constant Interwebs access my friend DJ provides. If that’s the case, then I hope you’ve enjoyed reading of my trip.

Anyway, let me recap my Tuesday. The day was another of nonstop movement. We started out by heading to St. Paul’s Cathedral. It was gorgeous. I’m not a religous guy, but this place is spectacular. We were able to tour most of the cathedral, which was incredibly ornate. We also climbed a ton of stairs to a balcony around the top of the cathedral, where we had an unobstructed, 360-degree view of London. Stunning, it was.

After St. Paul’s, we went over to the Tower of London. It’s always cool to know you’re standing in a fortress that was developed over 1,000 years ago. We took a tour led by a Yeoman Warder – a.k.a. a Beefeater – tourguide. He was incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining. We also toured an exhibit of King Henry VIII’s armour and weapons, which was kind of scary. But we learned a ton about armour and Henry VIII.

After the Tower tour and then the Tower Bridge, which is at a right angle to the moat of the bridge, we returned to DJ’s place to shower and freshen up. We’d climbed many stairs and were sweating up a storm.

Once we were freshened up, we went to a pub called the Monkey Puzzle, where DJ and I ordered bangers and mash, while Mike ordered a chicken pie. It was pretty tasty. After that, we made our way to a pub near DJ’s place called the Victoria. That, folks, is where we participated in their weekly pub quiz.

It was six rounds. The first was a round of identifying pictures and such. All others were just answering questions and the like. We finished with 20.5 out of a possible 60 points, which is just how we expected to do. We also consumed many pints of delicious beer.

And that, lovely readers, is my trip to London. I don’t know how much Interwebs access I’ll have in Dublin, so I may not post until I’m back in the states. If that’s the case, let me just say this: London is an amazing city. She has been nothing but hospitable to me. I can’t wait to come back, perhaps on a more permanent basis. And I’ll never forget her.

Until I post again, cheers everyone.

STONEHENGE

So I went somewhere today I never thought I’d go. Stonehenge. That’s right, folks, I went there.

It was every bit as spectacular as I thought it would be. Seriously. If you ever come to England, go to Stonehenge. It’s so cool to realize that this thing that you’re standing less than 30 yards from is about 5,000 years old.

Stonehenge is near a town called Salisbury (where, I presume, the Salisbury Steak comes from, but I’m not sure). About halfway between Stonehenge and Salisbury is a town called Old Sarum. Old Sarum is essentially where the first version of the city of Salisbury was constructed. And it has a castle in it. We explored a castle today, folks. And it was a castle more than 900 years old.

And that’s the cool thing. On the east coast of the U.S., you get things that are 200-300 years old. And the further west you get, the new things get. And yet here in England, I’m regularly seeing things that are over 500 years old. How cool is that?!

After the Stonehenge tour, we went on a Jack the Ripper walking tour. We went to a lot of places where Jack the Ripper murdered hookers. And I learned a ton about him and the murders he committed. There’s actually something beautiful about each of them. He wasn’t just a murderer. He was also an artist.

Tomorrow’s plans include climbing the steps of the Tower of London and visiting St. Paul’s Cathedral. And then there will be a pub quiz at a pub near DJ’s place.

This place is fast becoming like home to me. It just feels good to be here. Better than a lot of places I’ve lived before. And I could definitely see myself making a life here. But whether that happens remains to be seen, I suppose.

Another quick update

I don’t have time for much of an update, but here’s a recap of the last couple days in handy bullet point form.

• Picked up Mike from Heathrow Saturday. His luggage was not with him. It got there later that night, luckily.
• Ate more fish and chips. I’m a big fan.
• We visited Covent Garden again. Lots of great street performers.
• Saw Euripides’ Helen at the Globe Theatre (Shakespeare’s Globe) Sunday. It was wonderful.
• Drank at the Anchor pub where Shakespeare drank with his actors after Helen.
• Wandered from the Globe area back to the Parliament/Westminster area to show Mike what St. Stephen’s Tower and Parliament look like lit up.
• Bought tickets for a trip to Stonehenge.

More later. Cheers.

Who says British food is terrible?

Greetings, folks. I know I’ve been lax in my posting from overseas, so I’ll try to put a lot in here. I’m tired, though, so bear with me.

So I’ve been in the country 3 1/2 days. And it feels like way longer — but in a good way. I’ve packed a ton of activity into a very short amount of time. And it shows no sign of letting up.

Wednesday wasn’t quite as fast-paced as Monday and Tuesday. I was tired after going to a birthday party in Soho the night before. Because DJ had stuff to do during the day, I decided it would be a perfect day to take a leisurely double-decker bus tour. It took me all over London and Westminster. A lot of the sights I had seen before while walking. But the audio tour we were listening to gave a lot of interesting bits of information about each place, so I got a lot of ideas about places to go next. On the list: County Hall (which contains the London Aquarium), the London Zoo, and the Tower of London (which I had already planned to go to, but seeing it from the bus made me want to go even more).

After the tour, it was a fairly casual night. DJ and I grabbed some dinner and hit a couple pubs. We were both fairly worn out from the party the night before, so we didn’t stay out too late. I also had to get up vaguely early on Thursday because I had plans in Bristol.

Speaking of which, Bristol is a beautiful little town. Lots of hills, so walking is a good workout. There’s some crappy, 1960s architecture that often clashes with a lot of the older places in town. My Bristol tour guide, a wonderful man named Matthew (who I had met only once before), knows a ton about the history there and also where to find the best beer. We toured an old church where Methodism got its start. The church dates back to the 1700s and has been kept in much the same state as it was back then. It’s pretty remarkable. We also hit a couple pubs where I think I impressed him by virtue of enjoying some of the British beers he really likes.

Perhaps most exciting of all, I can now say I’ve had my official introduction to British cuisine. And you know what? I thought it was pretty good. Wednesday evening, DJ and I went into the food court at Selfridge’s, which is one of the big department stores here. Their food court is impressive. We ate at a place that served all sorts of pies. Now, for those of you who don’t know British cuisine, pies here are not necessarily sweet. They are often savory and meant to be eaten as a main course. I was not brave enough to try steak and kidney pie, but I had a steak and Guinness pie with leeks and carrots that was pretty spectacular.

But that’s not all. The first pub Matthew and I went to was called the Hope and Anchor. At the Hope and Anchor, I ordered what you probably know as bangers and mash, though nowadays it seems to be referred to as sausage and mash. And it’s pretty much just that. It was three links of a delicious sausage next to a mountain of mashed potatoes and a pile of peas. The potatoes and sausage were covered in a tasty brown gravy. While definitely heavy, it was tasty and despite what I’ve been told, I think I could eat it again without having a heart attack.

Ironically, this trip, despite all the beer and heavy food, seems to have been pretty great for me, health-wise. I’m walking everywhere. We’re talking miles of walking per day. I probably have walked at least five miles every day I’ve been here — including the day I got here when I was terribly jet-lagged. Even in the rain I’ve been walking. The Tube is nice, but you really get a feel for a place by walking it.

So that’s about it to this point. On Friday, DJ and I plan to spend the first half of the day at the Great British Beer Festival. I’m pretty excited about that, as you can probably guess. After that, we’re probably going to come back to  his flat and recharge a bit before heading out somewhere for dinner and probably hitting a couple pubs. We may even try to find some live music somewhere.

Saturday, the plan is to sleep in and eat a casual breakfast before going to Heathrow to pick up our friend Mike, who arrives that afternoon. Mike will undoubtedly be as tired as I was my first night, but our hope is that he decides to have as full a day as possible before sleeping. But that remains to be seen.

There you have it. You’re about as caught up on this trip as I am. I’m not sure when I’ll get to post again, but it may be tomorrow. I’m not sure. Until then, cheers.

First London post

It’s kind of hard to believe I’m actually writing this from London. But here I am. I’m not going to write an essay. Instead, I’ll rely on every reporter’s friend – the bullet point – to recap the trip to this point. Enjoy.

• Flew from Chicago to Dublin. It was an exhausting, overnight flight, but at least the second movie - Wall-E – was wonderful. I didn’t sleep much, but that was to be expected.
• Had a 3-hour layover in Dublin. That was unexciting, but I was able to get coffee at least.
• Arrived in London early. Met my friend DJ at the airport. That was wild. First thing I did after getting back to his flat was shower. That made me feel a bit more human and woke me up.
• Despite being tired, Monday was fairly productive. After the shower, DJ and I went to a pub for fish and chips. Yes, folks, I’ve already had fish and chips. It was delicious.
• After fish and chips, there was a lot of wandering. We walked around Hyde Park for a bit. It’s about as big as Grant Park in Chicago. Tons of trees and flowers and such.
• There was a lot of walking Monday. We eventually wandered over to the National History Museum. We weren’t there long, but we saw some dinosaurs.
• After a quick ride on the Underground (or the Tube), we found ourselves in Covent Garden. Lots of great street performers there. We had a pint at a pub called Punch and Judy’s. It looked every bit like what I expected a British pub to look like. And the beer was neither warm nor flat.
• From there, we dragged ourselves to Trafalgar Square, which had great views of Parliament and St. Stephen’s Tower. St. Stephen’s Tower, as I learned yesterday, is the tower that houses the bell known as Big Ben. Learn something new every day.
• That brings us to Tuesday. While not finished yet, we packed quite a bit into the first half of it. We walked over to Abbey Road Studios. Sadly, they don’t offer tours as it is a working studio. But I got the picture crossing the road in the same fashion as the Beatles did on their Abbey Road album cover.
• After Abbey Road, we grabbed a cup of coffee and kept wandering. We explored Chinatown, Soho and Regent’s Park.

And there you have it, folks. That’s the trip to this point. Tonight’s plan is to hit a birthday party for a friend of DJ’s. Anyway, hopefully more posts later.

T-minus 18 hours and 37 minutes

I think it’s pretty damn cool that my 100th post here at the Quad City Reporter is also the last post I’ll make before leaving for Europe.

So here we are. I’m starting this entry at 12:38 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2009. That is exactly 18 hours and 37 minutes before my plane is scheduled to push back from the gate at O’Hare Airport and fly me across the Atlantic Ocean.

It’s hard to believe this thing is actually happening. I booked the plane tickets about five months ago and the booking was preceded by an additional couple months of planning and finding the right time. And it seemed so surreal at the time. Sure, I paid for it and everything. But it didn’t seem like something that would actually happen.

But it’s happening, folks. This Quad City Reporter is going international. The bags are packed. The supplies are ready. I have copious amounts of reading material for the flights. I’ve stored all the important numbers in my cell phone. And I’ve checked my terminal and gate information.

I’ve also got my ride secured (Thanks, Dad). He is aware that I want to arrive no later than 5 p.m., which is 2 hours and 15 minutes before the flight is scheduled, so I’ll have plenty of time to get through security and all that.

No promises on when I’ll next get to post. Hopefully, I’ll be able to write something just to say I’m there, but we’ll see. Until later, folks.

Final note – It is now 1:35 a.m., which means it is now 17 hours and 40 minutes until departure.

T-minus 4 days – The List

I’m not Santa, but I’ve made a list and checked it twice.

I’m not a very organized traveler/packer. That’s because until now, none of my trips have been for long periods of time and they’ve all been to places I’m relatively familiar with and/or where I know I’ll be ok if I forget something.

Not so with this trip. I’ll be many time zones away on another continent. So last night, I created The List. Yes, it gets capitalized because it’s that important. It’s that list that more organized travelers are used to making, but I am not. It’s the list of all those things that I absolutely, positively, Must. Not. Forget. Ever. EVER.

The problem is I’ve never traveled overseas before and I’ve never been on a vacation this long before. So my cluelessness is twofold. First of all, I’m trying to think of everything I could possibly need in a two-week span. But then there’s the international travel aspect. I’m trying to figure out everything I might possibly need to make sure my first international traveling experience goes smoothly.

So I ask you this question: What is not on my list that should be? No, you don’t get to see the list. What I’m looking for are examples of things that one wouldn’t ordinarily think to take on a long, international trip but that are actually really useful to have.