March 26 - Lisa's Musings (on interns) And Every Day Life

Today, I interviewed the first of what I hope will be several interns I'll mentor this summer.

Yippee ... in a few short months, I'm going to have some help and I can't wait.

But what will be even more fun? Shaping the talents of tomorrow's journalists.

Ya hear that future editors of my interns?

You will be forever in my debt for teaching your newbie reporters how to navigate the murky waters of tomorrow's headlines.

I love teaching and I'd like to think I'm pretty good at getting beginners off on the right foot, whether it be as a journalist or a dog trainer.

Thirty years in the news biz and probably 20 years teaching dog obedience and agility will do that for you.

My mom was a kindergarten teacher before she had me, so perhaps it's in my genes, but as any teacher will tell you, there's nothing better than seeing a student succeed.

These interns have no idea what they're getting into, so once they agree to participate in Lisa's Journalist Boot Camp, they've taken the first step in either pursing journalism as a future career or bailing for something that pays better and has more regular hours.

I'll be able to tell from day one whether they have the fire in their belly to be a good reporter. And if they don't, I'll tell them that, too.

But if they show me they really want to learn the biz and work really, really hard for nothing but college credit, they will get a taste of what it's like to be a "real" reporter.

And they'll figure out for themselves if this is what they want to do when they grow up.

This biz makes you tougher than you ever thought you were.

It's not for the quiet or timid.

Or for anyone who gets their feelings hurt easily.

Good reporters work long hours for not very good pay. In fact, as I told my new intern this morning, you will never get paid for all the hours you work in this business.

I do it because I love it.

And I'm gonna love to have interns.

And they will love me when they're gone.

Really.