SevenQuestions: Pamela James, rescuer of afflicted canines

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Seven Questions

Pamela James is an online editor with A.H. Belo Corp., owner of the Dallas Morning News. She's also a rescuer of abused dogs. For more on her, check out a column I wrote. Sept. 9 1998

1 What's the most unusual canine personality quirk you've ever witnessed? Back to the 7Q index

I had an English Pointer (Birddog) once that loved bananas. The riper, the better.

2 Tell us one thing dogs do that makes you suspect they're smarter than people.

When Dateline produces yet another series about President Clinton's philandering ways, suddenly it's time to take a nap.

3 Name something you do every day that you didn't do two years ago.

Ride the local transit rail line to work (downtown). It didn't exist two years ago.

4 An earlier SQ victim alleges Fort Worth is far superior to Dallas. How would you respond?

Barbecue isn't everything.

5 Say you had the next two years off, with pay. What would you do with all that time?

Finish the manuscript about my life growing up in a small North Texas town; update my Web site EVERY DAY, instead of occasionally each month; get back my running legs; spend some time with my friends in Colorado; camp, camp, camp (with the dogs, of course).

6 Why does the Web appeal more to men than women?

Is that so....? If this is true (and we all know how statistics can be) I'd surmise it has something to do with intimidation factor...or could it be because we're spending so much time slaving away in the kitchen barefoot and pregnant, there's just no time for anything else? Editor's note: "Ouch."

7 Describe something that happened to you early in your news career that still affects the way you do your job today.

I'll never forget the day (many years ago while still a wet-behind-the-ears gumshoe) my editor blew his stack in our weekly staff meeting because I'd misspelled Maya Angelou's name in one of my stories. The news editor didn't catch it, either.

Although I'm embarrassed today to admit it, I actually didn't know who she was. Nor did I bother to ask. I'd misspelled some names before, but either the copy editors caught it or I did and quickly corrected them. This time he seemed exceptionally upset, as if it was totally unacceptable that I didn't know how to spell this woman's name. She seemed...somehow, sacred to him and it perplexed me.

I'd completely forgotten about that episode until a year later while browsing the local library for some audiobooks. I'd begun to "listen" to books rather than read the printed versions due to my crazy schedule as a features writer who also covered police and city government beats for three suburban cities. Out of curiosity I checked out one titled, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," by none other than Maya Angelou.

Listening to that remarkable woman's voice changed how I looked at the world. I began to read everything I could get my hands on about this lady; I listened -- or read -- every one of her books I could find. Now I know why my editor was troubled I'd misspelled her name.

When I look back on that embarrassing chastising I now believe he was more concerned that I had come that far in my career without having been exposed to the work of someone so dynamic and moving, rather than the misspelling of her name.

I liken it to a retired WWII vet suddenly realizing his teen-age grandson has no idea where Normandy is.

Discovering Maya confirmed to me how important it is to explore life and those who form it. I no longer hesitate to do extra research on names and places I do not personally understand. I take nothing for granted anymore when compiling my prose. Nothing. After all...who knows? I might actually learn something.

Someday, when it's appropriate, I'm going to sit down and have a nice chat with my former editor, and surprise him by throwing in a few quotes from his favorite author in the process.

Back to SQ index
Copyright 1998, Thomas L. Mangan >Back to SevenQuestions

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Pamela James is an online editor with A.H. Belo Corp., owner of the Dallas Morning News. She's also a rescuer of abused dogs. For more on her, check out a column I wrote.		Sept. 9 1998
1	What's the most unusual canine personality quirk you've ever witnessed?	Back to the 7Q index
	I had an English Pointer (Birddog) once that loved bananas. The riper, the better.
2	Tell us one thing dogs do that makes you suspect they're smarter than people.
	When Dateline produces yet another series about President Clinton's philandering ways, suddenly it's time to take a nap.
3	Name something you do every day that you didn't do two years ago.
	Ride the local transit rail line to work (downtown). It didn't exist two years ago.
4	An earlier SQ victim alleges Fort Worth is far superior to Dallas. How would you respond?
	Barbecue isn't everything.
5	Say you had the next two years off, with pay. What would you do with all that time?
	Finish the manuscript about my life growing up in a small North Texas town; update my Web site EVERY DAY, instead of occasionally each month; get back my running legs; spend some time with my friends in Colorado; camp, camp, camp (with the dogs, of course).
6	Why does the Web appeal more to men than women?
	Is that so....? If this is true (and we all know how statistics can be) I'd surmise it has something to do with intimidation factor...or could it be because we're spending so much time slaving away in the kitchen barefoot and pregnant, there's just no time for anything else? Editor's note: "Ouch."
7	Describe something that happened to you early in your news career that still affects the way you do your job today.
	I'll never forget the day (many years ago while still a wet-behind-the-ears gumshoe) my editor blew his stack in our weekly staff meeting because I'd misspelled Maya Angelou's name in one of my stories. The news editor didn't catch it, either. Although I'm embarrassed today to admit it, I actually didn't know who she was. Nor did I bother to ask. I'd misspelled some names before, but either the copy editors caught it or I did and quickly corrected them. This time he seemed exceptionally upset, as if it was totally unacceptable that I didn't know how to spell this woman's name. She seemed...somehow, sacred to him and it perplexed me. I'd completely forgotten about that episode until a year later while browsing the local library for some audiobooks. I'd begun to "listen" to books rather than read the printed versions due to my crazy schedule as a features writer who also covered police and city government beats for three suburban cities. Out of curiosity I checked out one titled, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," by none other than Maya Angelou. Listening to that remarkable woman's voice changed how I looked at the world. I began to read everything I could get my hands on about this lady; I listened -- or read -- every one of her books I could find. Now I know why my editor was troubled I'd misspelled her name. When I look back on that embarrassing chastising I now believe he was more concerned that I had come that far in my career without having been exposed to the work of someone so dynamic and moving, rather than the misspelling of her name. I liken it to a retired WWII vet suddenly realizing his teen-age grandson has no idea where Normandy is. Discovering Maya confirmed to me how important it is to explore life and those who form it. I no longer hesitate to do extra research on names and places I do not personally understand. I take nothing for granted anymore when compiling my prose. Nothing. After all...who knows? I might actually learn something. Someday, when it's appropriate, I'm going to sit down and have a nice chat with my former editor, and surprise him by throwing in a few quotes from his favorite author in the process.
Back to SQ index Copyright 1998, Thomas L. Mangan		>Back to SevenQuestions