It will surprise no one to hear I was a journalism dork in high school. That's right, I was going to be the next Sam Donaldson (well, in a bra and an armful of rubber bracelets.) My h.s. newspaper, The Parkviewer, gave me my very own monthly column. I could name it whatever I like, and choose any subject I wanted.
Oh, the power! And the importance of selecting just the right title. What should it be? It needed to draw readers in, of course, and also reflect something about me. I pondered this many a night, sitting under my Duran Duran poster. Oh, Simon, tell me the answer! And then it came to me...it was...brilliant! THE LONE SOCK!
Yes! A bit of rebelliousness mixed with the angsty lonely teenage-y feeling of being left out, discarded, not quite fitting with the rest. SO FREAKING PERFECT!
Except that no one got it. "You wanna call it what?" my journo teacher asked. "Well...okay."
Then the reviews came in:
"I liked your article, but, um, what's the title mean?"
"I thought it would be about laundry."
"Do you have some sort of sock problem? I see you're wearing two today."
Yeah. Oh well. Maybe it wasn't so perfect.
Strangely enough, my daughter's school asked me to write some articles for their parent newsletter next year. They are meant to be light in tone--like a column. I told my husband this and he said, "Just like the Lone Sock! It lives!"
I promise I won't give it that title.
How about you? Did you ever have a brilliant idea fall flat?
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12 comments:
If it's any condolence I got, 'The Lone Sock' reference. The match is always getting lost in the laundry and it's never quite acceptable to be on your own.
(Hugs)Indigo
:raises hand: I, too, got the Lone Sock. Proud Lone Sockr.
Heh, Sam Donaldson? Could you have picked a better role model, missus? He wore a wig! (According to a friend who was electioneering for Jimmy Carter at a steel mill - Donaldson hit on her big time and pawed at her.) *shudders*
Indigo and Unbreakable--Where were you when I was in high school?!
Sue--I know, right? I liked him b/c he was so direct. Certainly not for his hair!
Oh no, every single idea I have ever had has been a *winner.*
Getting married to my ex-husband. Best idea ever!
every single day.
Today's title: Super Fit
The other day: A Poohish kinda day
Yeah, brilliant I'm not. Good thing I'm content with blogging for my mother.
This post reminds me of the episode of Seinfeld where George has the perfect comeback line to an insult("The Jerk Store called!...")and no one gets it. I think The Lone Sock is a fantastic name for a column. I did a car feature column for my HS paper. I would photograph a student's car and interview them about it. So goofy, but kinda fun too. I think it was called Hot Wheels. So original, right?
Robin--LOL. Well, not every idea can be great, right?
MeAgain--I am intrigued by "poohish." At first I read it as "pooshish" and thought it might have to do with hookahs.
Gretchen--A fellow HS newspaper dork! I did a whole "in depth news" series about the places in the school building students weren't allowed to go. Complete with pictures. The boiler room! Fascinating!
Ha! I LOVE that your husband said that. So awesome.
I'm constantly throwing things out there that fall flat. I just tell myself that my humor is too advanced for everyone else, lol.
*crickets*
Oh! I love it!
The original title for my book was apparently something only I loved. :) And it took a loooong time for anyone to tell me.
My book of great ideas Vol 1 is on the shelf next to vloume 2. I flip thru them sometimes like a photo album, it's comforting to see that some of them have made it out of the books.
The Lone Sock, it's like what life is like now sometimes; half of a good thing with out a match to make it a great thing. x
Melanie--That's what I'm going with: I was just too advanced. Yep.
Allie--Dying to know what it was!!
Mohter Hen--I know the feeling.
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