Old Home Week

So I dropped by Friday to see my old pals at The Orange County Register, and they literally welcomed me with open arms. At least, my former co-worker David Whiting did. He greets me with "I had a dream about you," and goes into a long story about how in this dream he was at a bar, and I walked in and ordered a drink. And that was it. But the dream had been the night before, and now here I was, dropping in after seven years away, and what's up with that? Weird, huh? The man to the left is fellow editor Steve Plesa, whose only comment -- a few minutes into the story -- was "I can't believe you're still going on about this." Or something to that effect.



The OCRegister gave me my first full time gig in journalism (thanks Tonnie!) back in June, 1990. I worked as a community reporter for two years, then as a fitness reporter, then as a medical reporter. I quit in Dec. 1999, I think it was, to check out the Internet thing I'd been hearing so much about. Friday I was back to check out the Reg's newfangled CCI system -- they're one of a handful using NewsGate right now. Former fellow CCI Superuser David Medzerian was kind enough to do the honors.

The system's pretty cool, but it's missing a big Web integration piece.




David gave me a quick tour of the newsroom. Check out their cool soundbooth, right in the middle of the newsroom! I stepped inside and said "la lalalala!" really loud (or something to that effect.) No one could hear me. I felt like i was inside of my Bose headphones. I want one.



Also, the Reg has a TV studio in the newsroom. Very cool.



Also ran into some old friends, reporters Nancy Luna, John Gittelson and Mary Ann Milbourn.



And former CCI team member Chris Boucly:


Former fellow reporter (now an editor) and sometime marathon training partner Frank Mickadeit:





Then it was up to the Register's cafeteria, the Daily Platter (shudder), where I chatted for a while with David Whiting, who is going to help lead the newsroom into a Web First future. Interesting note, the guy who rented us the house down the street from Blossom's on Orange Grove owned the company that dished up the food here. I tried to tell him, but I don't think he was listening.