Blog Entry

Teaching 3rd grade again!

I honestly do feel like I am teaching 3rd grade again. NOT because of the quality of the work… seriously, some of your stories are REALLY amazing! And the writing and narrative styles are EXACTLY what I am looking for. That said, I can not believe how many people still insist on incorrectly labeling their submissions. “Kalamazoo, MI – 11/30/07” Thats all you have to do. I’m not a jerk… if you INSIST on “being creative and different” and absolutely MUST label it… “Kalamazoo, Michigan – November 30, 2007” The computer will still take it. But, why do some people INSIST on putting something like the following in the subject line… “This is my Christmas memory that I want to read in Waukegan, Albany, Erie, and Merrillville…thanks Clay” ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

The system is set up to automatically sort the emails based on their subject lines. “City, State – /??/“

If it’s not in that format, it doesn’t get sorted, and someone has to go through and try to figure it out.

I feel like a mean teacher. But, unfortunately, any submissions that come in with incorrect subject lines are going to simply be deleted from now on. I wish I had time to go through them all and try to decipher what to do with them, but, you know, Vegas special, Christmas tour, UNICEF things, new album, BAF golf event, NYC apartment hunting, Spamalot…. I am sure that folks can put the right subject headings in to help make this efficient. Thanks.

THAT SAID… (back to nice Clay)

WOW!!!! The HARDEST part about these stories is going to be picking just a few! Seriously, they are really great! I am probably going to go back on my word just a little with regard to the November shows, and move the deadline date UP to this Wednesday. I am leaving town to do a UNICEF presentation on Thursday morning. (Going to talk to folks about Afghanistan, and the sad fact that most people can’t find it on the map…or think it is in the middle east… not YOU guys though!) Mrs. Propes, my high school teacher who went with me to Afghanistan, is going with me, and I would love to have all of the November shows done so she can read them with me and help. Don’t worry, I’ll be reading them all. But, they are SOO good, it will be nice to have a second opinion. Also, there are SOOOOO many coming in for those dates. I need to make the cut off happen soon so I don’t drown in them! Also, it will give you guys time to work on stories for other cities. Erie, PA; Poughkeepsie, NY; and Easton, PA are especially ghost towns when compared to the number of stories I have gotten for the other cities.

Recapping….

Subject head your stories appropriately please! *If you are submitting for Wichita, St. Louis, South Bend, Waukegan, or Kalamazoo, you now have until Wednesday at 11:59PM EDT. If you (or someone you know) are going to Erie, Poughkeepsie, or Easton…. help a brother out! *Keep them coming. They really are great.

Ok… back to reading.

c