Media Bistro

Off the Record: Why did it take so long for me to discover Media Bistro?

This site is an invaluable resource for writers. They offer how-to articles, info about mastheads, a place where writers can post their credits or CV, and a plethora (I Love that word) of other information. They also offer classes in cities throughout the U.S.

Last night, I went to a class offered by MB in Boston. It was inspiring, informative and a great opportunity to meet other writers. I suppose some folks would feel competitive, but that's just not me. There's room for all the kids in the coffee shop, and we'll do much better if we share the cream and sugar instead of hoarding it. Bravo to the folks at the bistro who invited us in for a "cuppa joe"!

To Your Health!

Off the Record: What do we really know about nutrition?
I'm researching Nutrient Dense Crop production today for an article in an agricultural trade magazine. While searching the USDA website, I stumbled upon this fascinating article.


Here's an excerpt:

"Contrary to what previous research had suggested, the rate at which calcium was removed from bones of the volunteers--for other uses by their bodies--was the same for omnivore women as for the vegan women."


To your health!

Shout out to HARO

Off the record: A friend introduced me to Peter Shankman's website a few months ago, and I will be eternally grateful! HARO (aka. Help A Reporter Out) is the go-to site for journalists in need of sources. On those rare occasions when I have received an assignment with no leads, or when an editor has accepted a pitch but changed it significantly enough that the contacts I was going to use no longer work, I have turned to HARO.

If you're a reporter in need of sources, a PR agent scouting media placement opportunities for your clients, or an expert in any field, then it would behoove you to check out HARO and it's sister site www.shankman.com

Thanks, Peter, Mike, Laura, Meagan, and Thom!

Live Passionately!

"In order to be ALIVE you need to live passionately. You need to feel things deeply or you become like the simple donut, with a big hole in the middle."

Off the record: these words of wisdom are courtesy of my Aunt Lil, a former art teacher, who still paints and remains active, despite living with a painful and debilitating disease

The Book(s)

Wow, has it really been almost a month since my last post???

Off the record: Vacation Time is GRRRRRREAT! What did I do, aside from spend time with my beautiful child?

I reflected, I read novels and magazines, and I considered my future. And, oh yeah, I wrote FOR MYSELF. As enjoyable as journalism is, there is nothing like the feeling of just letting words flow without worrying about who's going to read them, what they may think, and whether or not the writing is actually good. Playing with words is one of the joys of my life.

I also resumed thinking about the book project I started earlier this year, when I traveled to Nicaragua to interview people with disabilities. Just as I was feeling discouraged about the possibility of actually getting the thing published (or being PAID to write it), I stumbled upon a super-helpful post about getting published at Editorial Ass. It's amazing how just reading the info therein got my creative juices flowing, reminded me of how much I have to offer and made me see that I actually do have a chance at getting a book published!

As Moon Rat (the Editorial Ass blogger) says, "Published authors are just the writers who had the most perseverance."

p.s. Two novels I read and LOVED this summer:
"The Sound of Waves," by Yukio Mishima
"The Westing Game," by Ellen Raskin (recommended by my daughter)

Two Beautiful Words

Off the record, the 2 most beautiful words I heard last week were "It's benign."

Spoken by the surgeon who removed the left suprior parathyroid, with embedded tumor, from my mother's neck, those words sounded better than anything I had heard in a long time. It's been a busy and intense summer, in large part due to the havoc that 3 millimeter tumor wreaked on mom's health and ability to care for herself. Thankfully she is healing and regaining her strength and energy quickly!
Prior to this nightmarish experience, I had never heard of the parathyroid. I had no idea it was one of four tiny glands within the thyroid; nor did I understand the important function these glands serve in regulating calcium. Had we left this condition unchecked, my mother's bones would have become severely brittle and she would have been at serious risk for renal failure!

There is a story here for sure, and it is one that, if published in the right outlet, has the power to save lives.

OFF THE RECORD: Fair Trade = Peace

Today, I had the privilege of visiting Equal Exchange headquarters in West Bridgewater, MA for a facility tour and cupping.

(Above: Daniel & Mike explain the difference between the samples we tasted.)

First off, let me just say the coffee was incredible! Mike introduced us to three varieties; one from Bolivia, one from Peru, and one from Ethiopia. My favorite was the Peruvian, which had notes of caramel and maple syrup, and was incredibly smooth and light, even though the beans were a year old! (Harvest time is approaching in S. America, so EE will be getting new stock from their co-op partners in Peru soon!)


(Above: the Brew Crew form we filled out during our tasting)

More importantly, all the coffee we sampled, indeed all the coffee they sell, is certified organic and fair trade. In essence, Equal Exchange’s coffee (and their tea, cocoa, chocolates, and new line of snack foods) promote peace. How? By working only with farmer cooperatives that grow their product without chemicals that harm the earth, Equal Exchnage is encouraging farmers to work sustainably. By empowering farmers with knowledge that helps them improve their product and marketing efforts, and by offering the best prices possible to the farmers who supply their product, this company is keeping people out of poverty. As far as I can tell, poverty breeds desperation, which ultimately leads to fighting. Empowerment leads to peace.

Daniel, who arranged the tour and cupping, laid out the company mission for me thusly:
“We’re pretty much a social justice organization, using [coffee, cocoa and tea] as tools.”

If you’d like to participate in a tour and cupping at Equal Exchange, email Daniel (dsteinberg@equalexchange.coop)for more info. The next tour is scheduled for August 18th.

p.s. I’m also inspired by Equal Exchange’s efforts to keep their refuse out of landfills. You’ll be able to read more about that at Conscious Cow soon!