So as I am killing myself to get from the Convention Center to the Hampton Inn about eight to ten blocks away in the hot Denver sun,I made the mistake of checking the comments and I found this one from former WAOD reader R.:
Sis, I’m curious… why would you allow your rules to get in the way of what could have been excellent journalism? Journee Smollet is a “daughter” and I would be extremely interested in knowing her thoughts about being at the DNC. Ben Jealous is a history maker in his own right, no story. I appreciate your candor and ranting is a black woman’s birthright, however, you’re in a unique position to tell stories I will not find anywhere else. I’m kind of disappointed. You’ve ignored the stories I’d really like to share with my nieces and goddaughters. And by the way, Gov. Paterson only uses one ‘t’ in his name and his disability is blindness. (He couldn’t see what his gatekeepers were doing.) Oh yeah, Omarosa comes from a political background, and is a former Clinton staffer. Her thoughts would have been interesting to note as well.
Dear R.,
I suggest you head over to ESSENCE.com’ Election Central for the latest in Black celebrity news from the convention.
I am one person. Lugging around about ten pounds of equipment, they are part of the Time Warner empire and have endless resources and support.The irony R. is that I have two video cameras and memory sticks FULL of video interviews of Black women, I just haven’t had time to upload them because A) I spend about 3-4 hours a day on trains, shuttles and on foot getting to and fro. You see R., I missed your large donation so that I could cab around this week or take a limo service. I also missed that check you mailed so that I could stay at a $499/night hotel. I have to settle for $200/night and a one hour commute.
As for your disappointment. Lets see. I didn’t go to sleep on Monday until about 2AM and had to be back up at 6:00 or so. Why? Because I did a podcast LIVE from the Pepsi Center(Are any other bloggers letting their readers call in or chat and ask questions live???). THEN I had to write a column about Michelle Obama for the Guardian. Then I had to do an interview with a radio show in IRELAND at 1:00AM to account for the time difference. THEN I had to be up to do a live interview on New Dehli TV. AFTER THAT I spent two hours with the reporter for a weekend long form show that she is doing.
Now R., you have to understand that in order to get downtown to do the live remote, I had to wake up, hike up a hill, climb up a three story bridge to cross a highway and wait for a train which then took 45 minutes to get to the Denver Civic Center. THEN I had to catch a cab to the Pepsi Center. GO through security, which is no joke. Walk all the way to the back of the complex to the CBS trailers only to find out that her live remote is going to be from a platform on the convention floor.
AFTER THAT, I had to walk outside the security perimeter. You see R., You just can’t come and go as you please at the Pepsi Center, you have to enter and exit at particular spots oh yeah and I JUST discovered where the cabs pick up YESTERDAY evening! So yesterday after I finished with NDTV I walked at least ten blocks carrying about 10 pounds of equipment at HIGH NOON. Racing to get back to the OPPOSITE side of downtown to pick up media credentials for the day. You see R, I have to pick up credentials EVERY DAY and if I missed the 1;00PM timeline, I can’t get into ANY event until 10:00 AM the next day. That means no Pepsi Center and none of those celebrity photos and interviews you appear to crave.
To everyone else except former WAOD reader R., it took about two days to get into a rhythm figure out where you are going and develop a style and flow. While you are doing this you still have to figure out how you are going to get very large video files uploaded. I am not on a team blog. It is just me and I am doing the best I can and sweating in altitude while battling an allergy attack in the burning hot sun and reading R’s self centered ungrateful idiotic comment ticked me off. I have plenty of stuff, I just haven’t had time to upload it.
I’ve interviewed well over a dozen Black woman and have had conversations with others. Turned in my video to Reuters as part of its Mobile Reporter Program called Inside the Tent OH LOOK R. Do you see THIS There is a BLACK WOMAN on the FRONT PAGE OF REUTERS.COm.. In fact, oh look R. she speaks extensively on her convention experience;
What goes on behind the scenes and away from the spotlight at the Democratic National Convention? The following video is from Gina McCauley, a contributor to Reuters Inside the Tent. Reuters.com
HMMM R. I wonder how in the hot blazing red hellish Denver Sun she got there? OH Yeah R.. There are BLACK WOMEN on Reuters because I busted my butt to get them on Reuters!!! I can take some small solice from watching these sistas whoses voices are being heard on a platform much larger that one I could ever provide. Oh yeah R., guess what? That Reuters gig doesn’t pay a DIME. I’m doing it for free on TOP OF ALL THE OTHER STUFF I AM DOING!
R., In response to your desire for me to engage in “journalism”, I want you to lean in real close and read this twelve times. I AM NOT A JOURNALIST. I AM NOT A JOURNALIST! I. AM. NOT. A. JOURNALIST!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AND HAVE NO DESIRE TO BE ONE!!! I HAVE A PROFESSION WHICH I LOVE DEARLY. I DON’T NEED ANOTHER ONE!
I didn’t come to this convention trying to be a journalist. I came as an ordinary American. A sister, a friend who just wanted to share my convention experience with you. MY MISTAKE was in taking any celebrity photographs at all. I am not a gossip blogger. I am not an entertainment blogger. I am just little old me and if my effort isn’t good enough for you TOUGH! I don’t blog for you. I never have and when I do try to do things that are outside of my comfort zone because I think y’all might enjoy it, I have to deal with crap like this. If you want to see celebrity photos go over to ESSENCE.com. They have great celebrity convention coverage. I am not wasting my time covering stuff you can see somewhere else.
R. won’t get to see this, because she is no longer welcome to read this blog, but for the rest of you, I did “A Day in the Life at the DNC”. I started filming it this morning before I read former What About Our Daughters reader, R’s comment. Uploading video takes bandwidth. Wifi is great, but I prefer not to be a bandwidth hog.
After this week I was already leaning towards never blogging something like this again. Its too much and you can’t soak anything in because you are constantly on the run going from place to place. I concede that it has taken a couple of days to begin to manage my time wiser, but just when my efforts were beginning to bear fruit here comes Satan disguised as former What About Our Daughters reader R.
Now I am going to go find some place to sit and chill out. R, I mean SATAN, you are not going to rob me of my joy. I rebuke your demon spirit from this blog. Flee and never return. If you do. I will sic my Mama’s prayer circle on you faster than you can say ESSENCE.com. Do not pass this way again. EVER!
I don’t know about y’all, but that made me feel much better. Off to go stake out my seats to see Bill Clinton. It is likely to be a zoo.
UPDATE; You can leave as many angry comments as you want to, they’re being deleted. This ain’t up for debate. You have plenty of ways to spend your time. Avail yourself of them.
27 comments ↓
Gina, thanks for doing what you’re doing. Get done what you can get done and put the rest to the side. Watch those allergies in the altitude, you don’t want to get really sick.
that was toooooooooooo funny.
Thank you for being you.
Gina,
Thanks for the coverage today. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more responsive, but I had fires to put out today. My internet at home is a mess, so I’ll try to be at SBUX, when and if you podcast tonight. Otherwise, I’ll try to follow live and I’ve already twittered you.
As one of your regular lurkers, I am enjoying your coverage. Thanks for going mobile.
I just signed up for Twitter. I’m checking Twitter users for both conventions. I am finding it a great way to get up-to-date coverage.
Get some much needed rest when you return. Sounds like my schedule when I have gone on foreign missions trips.
Keep it coming Gina. Don’t let this monkey stop the show. Your coverage of the DNC has been multi-layered with photographs, live blogging of events and posts about events. As you stated, this woman probably didn’t contribute a dime but wants to tell you how to run your show.
Truth be told, I feel guilty for reading the posts without having contributed to your trip. I listened to part of one of your podcast where you talked about the costs in attending this event and for those of us who appreciate the coverage we should contribute to it. I’ll be contributing something to that end. Peace.
Gina,
Like I said before I’m glad you are there. Hold it down for us. Represent, tell the truth and continue to stay strong. Don’t let one disgruntled reader steal your joy. Those of us that read you, love your work, admire your courage and are damn proud of you.
Peace and blessings
LOL…Gina…thank you for your coverage. Don’t worry there are still plenty of us that enjoy reading you blog daily and appreciate the time and energy it takes to do what you do!
Get some rest.
Signed.
God.
Gina,
Your new website is very easy on the eyes. Your layout, centered with lots of white space, makes your page easy to navigate and inviting to read.
Although, you say that you are not a journalist, the quality of your blogging, regarding the convention, is highly professional.
You are right, one can go to so many other websites/blogs that will give you the perspective on the convention that you wish to see. I come to your blog, because your perspective is one that I am interested in, and it is the only one of its kind.
Whatever you do, out there in that hot Denver heat, do it slowly. If you are not accustomed to the altitude of that city, your health can be compromised. So, take it easy, because it is better that you do one thing well, than do several things poorly and that you get sick in the process.
Huuuummm, so this means a NO on that Omarosa interview???? LOL!!
Just kidding Don’t delete me!!
Do your thing! I praise God for you and other who got the opportunity to be in the Mile High City covering this moment in History!
I pray your Strength and Peace!
Blessings!
May you find strength to encourage yourself, especially when you’re bombarded with comments that reek of negativity. …all this for a volunteer job. However, I appreciate what you’re doing.
I love me readers… except when I don’t. Y’all made me laugh today. I am all good now. am in the Pepsi Center and in air conditions, I just went out on the platform right above the speakers
Keep ya Head up sis. Your hard work is appreciated more than we can express. It’s up to us to make sure you never have to go it alone again.
Tyou Gina. Speak your truth. Live it. Take care of you. For the rest of us. We have to start supporting each other financially. I clicked on Paypad and made a $30 contribution. That’s what I could do. Please review your financial obligations and see what you can give to support Gina. We have to support her. We have to make a sacrifice. If you have $5, $10, $20, etc., please click on Paypal and make the contribtuion. If you have more than that to give, please do so. Above everything keep sending Gina your love and light. She is amazing. Blessings and thank you for reading. Peace, Ananda
excuse the spelling errors. it has been a long day. the atty in me is on vacation.
Wow, she was whining that you didn’t interrupt conversations? Pssssh. You deserve praise for not being a gawking paparazzi jerk, not complaints. THANK YOU, for having the guts to put up with the craziness, for putting in so much time and energy, and sharing YOUR experiences.
I appreciate everything you do for us Gina!
Girl, I couldn’t laugh because I was crying! In a way, I’m kind of glad that the “sister” complained because you let it rip! I tell you what — don’t you ever change one bit of who you are and how you do thangs, cause we’ve got enough “journalists” out there. We need you to just be you; keep the truth and common sense coming.
Thanks for doing you and being you. Keep up the good work.
You are doing a great job Gina. You know I know exactly what you are dealing with. There will always be critics who never even attempt to do what you.are.doing.
Keep on moving. Loving every post and constantly checking to see what you are up to. Good looking out on Reuters. Sisterhood at work.
Ditto on SEMc2. I’m a regular ‘lurker’ and I’ve been stopping here every day curious to hear what’s going on in Denver from a non-journalist viewpoint. You’ve given us great insight, especially last night.
Keep the faith. Remember, no weapon…you know the rest.
One thing is certain: we won’t be able to please everybody. Another certainty: I am pleased with all of your reporting, and I pleased to even get a glimpse of your experience.
Some people still can’t read. This is no longer up for discussion. If you don’ thave anything better to do than write a comment that I am going to delete. More power to you.
I appreciate your hard work.
After reading this, it was a blessing in disguise that I wasn’t able to make it.
THANK YOU GINA!
You hit the nail on the head. I have the issue every now and then that thinks my site is publicly-owned and wants to forced all these expectations upon it. Let the blogger/site owner do what they do since they are the best at it.
nOva you got it right. All my life I have had to live up to people’s expectations of me. Nearly drove me crazy and deprived me of joy for too much of my life.
Blogging is fun for me. Even as I am huffing and puffing around here, I am having a good time. As far as I am concerned telling a blogger that you don’t like or are not happy with their coverage is like visiting someone’s house, eating their food and telling them that it tastes like crap.
Its one thing to say “hey, I disagree with your post” that’s what blogging is about. That’s like going to a dinner party and engaging in good conversation over coffee. I invited you over for a chat, but if you then go on to tell me you don’t like the menu or you are disappointed in dessert, that’s just rude. It didn’t help that I read that in the heat of the day rushing to get a credential so that I could continue to blog.
That’s why I hate people who tell me “I’m never reading your blog again!! EVER!!” I don’t care. Leave already. if no one else reads this blog but me and my family, that’s cool.
More page clicks equal more problems as far as I am concerned.