On the road, but not flattened like some sort of carrion

When I was small (okay, smaller), I was already sure I wanted to be a journalist. I actually had occasion to meet a few journalists in those formative years, and almost to a person, they all told me to run, screaming, frlom the profession, and never look back. I always laughed off that response.

Years later, I know what they meant. It's rare that a dentist, for example, needs to wake up at the crack of dawn in order to drive 200 miles to extract someone's tooth. Long distances are not uncommon in the news business, however. And once you get there, sometimes the interviews are a little like pulling teeth.

Even after 14 years, there are still some cool things about reporting, though. Those little reporter note pads are pretty spiffy. So is getting to say I'm "on assignment".

All this is to say, I'm headed out on assigmnent tomorrow. I'll be rappin' with horticulturists. No guarantees that I'll rejoin the blog world until late.