October Interviews Begin

Actually, they began nearly two weeks ago, but who's counting?

In the photo above is Andy Chase, local singer/songwriter, artist and all-around fabulous guy. We met him 575 Pizzeria last week for a chat since we were already there on another story. He was a joy to talk to and whenever I was scribbling notes, he played a song on his guitar. (Brown Eyed Girl was my favorite.) I never tire of meeting the great people who make this city a warm, friendly place to live.

Hope you thoroughly enjoyed the September issue of AM yesterday. Didn't get it? That means you need to subscribe.

--Jennie

Extra! Extra!

When this little jewel was delivered to my desk yesterday, I had to pause and breathe it in. Honestly, this magazine - as a whole - has been a labor of love for us. We pour a great deal of time and thought into every single page, so seeing the finished product, all gorgeous and shiny, requires a brief moment of silence.

The September issue, as you can see, is all about the Arts in Amarillo. Specifically, we focus on four young people whose talent exceeds all expectations. Their stories are inspirational and diverse, and you might want to have a tissue handy if you're the emotional type.

We also talked with the Executive Director and Collections Manager from the AMoA, as well as our own local New York Times Best Seller. We visit the Madrigal family, who have served the members of the Amarillo Club for more than 30 years, and show you four ways to incorporate vintage fashion for a night spent at the Opera or any Arts event in town. As usual, we give readers restaurant and event suggestions, as well as all of the popular back-of-the-book features like Spotlight and Local Exposure.

Look for the latest issue of AM in your Sunday paper this weekend and be sure to let us know what you think. October is already in the works and we'll start stirring November content next week. If you have story ideas or suggestions for us, log on to http://www.amarillomagonline.com/ and click on the How Are We Doing? link at the bottom of the page.

--Jennie

The Best Day of the Year

I always loved the first day of school, when all of my supplies had that unused fresh scent, when pencils were still shiny and notebooks hadn't begun that slow wear-down along the edges. I'd go to sleep the night before with anticipation, eager to arrange the pencil box, books and folders neatly inside my assigned desk. I preferred to sit on the front row, but sometimes my last name bumped me to the back if the teacher had a preference for alphabetical order. Still, I always loved the first day - walking into a new classroom, configuring the sequence of the schedule, and hoping that I'd get to sit next to my friends.

That said, I just dropped off my Kindergartner, and instead of tears and saddness there was excitement and eagerness on both our parts. My son loves school, and while I realize that he likes the idea of school more than the school itself, I'll enjoy his eagerness for as long as I can. For all too soon I'll be dragging his limp body out of bed in an attempt to make it out the door in time.

Speaking of, take notice of the We Ask, You Answer question (at the bottom of the page) for September - What is your secret to getting out the door on time during the school year? If we pick your answer, you'll win a $100 gift card to any of our advertisers and it will be published on the Voices pages in the October issue.

Happy School Year, kids!

--Jennie

It took me three tries to open the car door.

Oh, the wind. Apparently it didn't want me coming to work today because I had to muscle the car door open and I finally squeezed myself out on the third try. I almost gave up and went home but I didn't think it would go over well if I called Michele to say, "I'm not coming in today because I couldn't get out of my car."

It's Upload Day, which means the September issue gets sent page by page to the printer, which means we stare at the computer screen all day scouring each page for errors, which means by the end of the day our eyes and brains are fried. The relief comes at the end when everything is sent and we can focus our energy on the next issue, which is already in the works. As usual, we look forward to getting feedback from readers, good or bad, just so we know that we're on the right track.

I've already teased a few stories, but here's one more for kicks. I interviewed local writer Linda Castillo this month, author of Sworn to Silence, who recently made the New York Times Best Seller list. In fact, she got the call from her agent in the middle of our interview about the book debuting at No. 35. It was fun to go back and transcribe that conversation, let me tell you. Personally and professionally, it was exciting to experience the moment a writer has when she goes from published to NYT Best Seller. Some can only dream. Congratulations, Linda!

Look for the September issue of Amarillo Magazine in the Sunday paper on August 30th.
--Jennie

You want glamour? We've got it.

September's Dress Code is nothing short of fabulous, and I cannot take a single ounce of credit. Dress Code is always Michele's mastermind and whenever I see the results, I'm awed. In keeping with the Arts theme for the month, we feature vintage fashion that's wearable today, perfect for any opening night of the season.

As usual, here's a teaser.

--Jennie

Daydreaming about Savannah on a beautiful Panhandle morning

If you didn't already know it, I'm a transplant. Not born here, not raised here, can't even claim a year of residency. However, this town has been kind to me and I've enjoyed the whopping eight months I've lived here. And while I typically mull over to-do lists and other such responsible topics during the morning drive, today I daydreamed of Savannah, Georgia, whilst belting out my favorite Air Supply songs. (Give me a break. They're in my range.)

I was born on the Georgia coast and spent the bulk of my life traipsing around the Southeast the youngest member in my military family. There's a fixture in my heart for Savannah, not only because it's where my life began but because it's a town that represents everything truly Southern - from the coastal-inspired, deep-fried food and the plantation homes on every square to the modest yet modern fashion worn by folks with impeccable manners. I was there two years ago to celebrate my birthday. The trip was so fabulous that I spent a considerable amount of time trying to figure out if I could stuff Spanish moss and a bowl of shrimp and grits in my suitcase. I would tell anyone to go at least once.

Savannah also happens to be a home base for some of our corporate offices, and when I heard rumblings yesterday of several people going to my birthplace, I went from raging jealously to attending my own private pity party to daydreaming about the time I've already spent there. Perhaps, one day, the higher-ups will need a lowly assistant to carry their bags in the airport and I'll get to go to Savannah again. I'm not above it. I'll take notes and grab coffee and run errands if need be. It makes no matter to me because a trip to Savannah is always worthwhile.

So are the shrimp and grits.

--Jennie

Red Pens and Long Days

It's the beginning of proof week for Amarillo Magazine which means we'll soon start seeing September pages appear on our desks for editing. It's probably one of the hardest things about publishing - mentally and physically - because once the finished product is in the readers' hands, it's too late to make changes, to correct a misprint or change a headline to something more clever(because I'm really good about thinking of something fabulous late at night after deadline!).

If you've ever had to edit a piece of your own work, you'll know that once you've read it six, eight or ten times, you no longer see words. Instead every page a blur of letters strung together with questionable punctuation that may (or may not) convey the EXACT message you're trying to send. It's easy to mix up their and they're (or there) if you've read the same sentence ump-teen million times when you are already overtired and starving from skipping breakfast.

Do I love editing? Not really. Do I want a different job? Absolutely not. As meticulous as proof week can be, the reward is seeing all the brainstorming, hours of transcription, and obscene use of the thesaurus come together to create a content-rich, beautifully designed magazine. We are proud of the product we've made for you, which is the reason we press on with our red pens and venti coffees.

For your viewing pleasure, here's a miniature glance at a photo from the September cover story (wait until you see it in print):

Back to the AMoA Today

Last week I interviewed the Amarillo Museum of Art Executive Director (Graziella) and Collections Manager (Alex) for a behind-the-scenes story on acquiring and installing exhibits. We go back today for part two, when Chuck Olson arrives with his Visual Histories show. (His exhibit will be displayed from August 28 through October 25.) I'll do a quick Q&A with him about the process of packing it up and moving an entire show across the country from one museum to another.

Also on the agenda today is wrapping up the September cover story, which involved interviewing about 12 people. That means lots of transcribing, sorting through notes, and trying to keep names and stories straight. Perhaps, somewhere in there, I'll grab lunch.

--Jennie

The Five Year Old Needed an iPod

I got a new iPod for my birthday this weekend, which was the most practical gift you can give a runner who needs music to move her feet. My old iPod has been dying a slow death and the last thing I wanted was for it to give out mid-race. (Could I even continue?) So after unwrapping my shiny pink 8G, I did what any mother would do - I gave the old 2G to my five year old.

I uploaded Jeremy's favorite sing-a-long tunes, like his Backyardigans CDs and the Heffalump Movie soundrack, as well as other kid-friendly music from my own collection (like Harry Connick, Jr., Frankie Valli and songs from Bon Jovi's country-inspired album). It's all about diversity, right?

You would've thought I'd given the child a hall pass to coolness. As soon as his iPod was charged and ready, Jeremy drained the battery dry. He pranced around the house dancing a jig here and there, singing the Transformers Theme song, and announcing occasionally, "This is my favorite song!"

The earbuds didn't come out until bedtime, and even then, he chose music over reading books. He empathized with his little brother who wasn't cool enough for an iPod, soothing him with words like, "When you grow up, you might get an iPod, too." Jackson, at only three, just sulked.

I'm reminded this morning of my own promotion to coolness when my sister and I finally received our first Walkmans for Christmas. It was a pivotal life change at that point because I was no longer a slave to my little pink tape player that ate my cassettes. I could take my music with me. And while the iPod is a gentler piece of equipment, and considerably more expensive, this is the life of a child now. I've resisted the lure of the Nintendo DS, and it'll be a long time before a cell phone is even considered, but for now, my son can have music.

And he can take it anywhere he wants.

--Jennie