Fellow newspaper writer...

[tearsplash]

I work on my university's student newspaper as a mid-level editor. The other night, when I was in the office doing some final reads of articles in my section, there were some other writers and editors working at other computers around a big table. We were all joking around about the various articles we were working on. I can't explain exactly what made me feel this way, but I got a really good vibe from one of the writers. She just seemed like my type of person, for no particular reason.

Then, when I went home for Thanksgiving, my mom asked me - totally out of the blue - if I knew this girl. I didn't want to let on anything, so I just said that I knew who she was. My mom then elaborated: someone she met at a conference had told her that his daughter's friend worked on my newspaper, and said she was such a nice person that he used the words "future daughter-in-law." I don't know if any of that makes sense to you; it's sort of strange to me. Anyway, I didn't really say much when I heard it, but it was sort of encouraging in a way. Not the determining factor, but just a little bit encouraging.

I'm interested in getting to know this girl better. The problem is, I've only talked to her that one time, and we never formally met, so she might not even know who I am. We do different types of work, so we'll rarely - if ever - see each other in the office at the same time, and we'll never work together on anything. So we have the newspaper thing in common as an interest, but I have to find another way to actually initiate a connection with her. Any great ideas?

[Intelx]

some small amount of stalking wouldn't hurt. :laugh:

find her somewhere else, and talk to her...

be like... I think I seen u before somewhere... Where do you work?
and be like, 'oh, me too!!!'

and be like, so... do you like newspaper thing?
and also be like, 'oh, wow! I feel the same way~'

:laugh:

[tearsplash]

Originally posted by Intelx@Nov 26 2004, 01:03 PM
find her somewhere else, and talk to her...
That strategy won't work, since the only place I've ever seen her is at the paper, and I have no reason to think I'll start running into her in other places now. A university is a big place. And out of the hundreds of times I've been to the paper, I've seen her there maybe twice before; she really doesn't come in much.

Keeping in mind that she probably thinks I'm just a random person, does anyone have ideas of how to use email or IM to make the connection?

[Fun Lovin' Criminal]

Originally posted by tearsplash@Nov 27 2004, 01:50 AM
does anyone have ideas of how to use email or IM to make the connection?
Argh for fucks sake. What is wrong with you? Get your balls out of your purse and just go and talk to her, invite her out for drinks or coffee or whatever, it doesn't matter. Just go and talk to her. What's the worst thing that could happen?

[tearsplash]

Originally posted by Fun Lovin' Criminal@Nov 27 2004, 02:19 AM
Get your balls out of your purse and just go and talk to her.
well, can't talk to her if I don't see her, can i? i mean, for fuck's sake, man, read what i posted! the only reason i ask about email and im is because i'm so unlikely to run into her!

[Intelx]

I think you missed the 'stalking' part.

All it takes is some patience and brains.

Basically, pick a spot that you know for SURE that she will be, and follow her a little, and obtain any little information possible. If she has starbucks coffee in her hand, she most likely drop by a visit to starbucks b4 going to work... etc... Little clues add up.

Anyways, then you can 'run' into her. :)

[Tortuga]

As an editor, isn't there SOME way to communicate with her, as a writer? I mean, don't you guys have staff meetings or mailboxes or anything like that? Some way to contact her on a more "professional" level, and then when you're meeting with her about "work," then you could ask her out?

Tortuga

[tearsplash]

Tortuga, good thought, but actually we're specifically discouraged from having professional contact because we work on different sections of the paper. (I work on the editorial page, and she's in news, and there's a Chinese wall between them to prevent conflicts of interest.) So no, there are no "staff meetings or mailboxes or anything like that" that would be helpful to me.

[tearsplash]

I have an update on this situation. There were some staffing changes at my newspaper and now we're both in the same section AND in the same core group of 5 editors that work together on cool news stuff. So we will be having regular meetings, emailing back and forth every day, etc. as a matter of business.

Now the question is: considering that we have to work so closely for the next 12 months, is there some good way to go about getting closer--without screwing up the working relationship if it turns out she's not interested?

[Tortuga]

Hmm. I guess the only thing you can really do is just go for it and hope that if things don't work out, the two of you can both be professional enough about it that it won't interfere with your work.

Tortuga

PS--But YAY! that you get to talk with her now!! That's exciting. :) --ttga

[8IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIID]

well now you can go ahead and do pretty much what Fun Lovin' Crimminal recommended


good luck