Squeezing Time Into A Pickle Jar
Life has been a little complicated lately, which translates in brief into long days, with little time for writing. The expanded version includes concerns about Amy's health, doctor's appointments, computer issues (I don't even want to go there) and some rather lengthy meetings at work primarily with a young reporter who is being promoted to a much more prominent position. It's a great opportunity and she's getting a lot of advice about expectations, and how she should "study up, be prepared, etc." The net result is she's been transformed from confident to fearful, so in truth I've been playing the role of "long term survival adviser" trying to help her separate out some of the "what if" clutter that's only distracting her and get her back focused on her goals.
Anyway, it got me thinking about confidence, and how we have all been guilty of doubting ourselves at one time or another...and how we should have more faith.
I mentioned to her that for more than 20 years now a large facet of my job has been something that when I started at these radio stations I thought was my "weakest" talent - coming up with story ideas. Yet it was something that I had to start doing almost immediately and soon I was being given various titles from "Assignment Editor" to "Managing Editor" because of story ideas or approaches I developed or, quite frankly, made up on the spot. Today I rarely even "do" any of those stories, I spout out my various ideas during a morning pitch session with my boss and one reporter and shortly afterwards I leave. The next morning usually many of those ideas have been produced into stories by one reporter or another and I look for a story to do.
Any news organization can chase red lights and politicians. I believe it's the human interest, creative, or even traditional stories approached from an unexpected perspective that separate our news product from others in the market.
I may be wrong, but my key card still works at the office.
Not that I'm a font of wisdom - in truth I honed this particular story pitch skill in large part because I worked with some very annoying people for years and it was to my benefit to have things for them to work on, preferably stories that got them out of the office as soon as possible.
And it's not like every idea I pitch gets a favorable reaction...which is where this confidence thing comes into play.
Almost two months ago, I learned of the operators of a little roller skating rink in a small town not too far from San Antonio called Seguin. This couple suddenly found they'd created something of a "mini-fad." It was very unexpected and the fad appeared to be growing. I pitched the idea of doing a story on them...and their fad creation...the "pickle-sickle."
I was mocked.
Openly laughed at and it became a running gag that if, "Main pitches the pickle sickle we know we've hit the bottom of his barrel."
Every bad pun, every joke, every snide remark about my increasing senility I took in stride...and I kept count.
I also decided I would pitch the pickle sickle story every day until someone actually did it. It's not like it required Mike Wallace.
I took the abuse every day.
To clarify for those of you who have no concept of a "pickle sickle" it's basically a pickle juice pop sickle. Essentially, the skating rink owners didn't know what to do with all the pickle juice left over from the big dill pickles they sold at their concession stand and they got the wild idea of pouring the juice into molds, putting pop sickle sticks in, freezing the stuff and trying to sell them to kids for 50 cents a pop.
It worked.
Better than they imagined.
Kids went wild for them...they suddenly had a hard time keeping up with demand and the pickle sickle was the talk of town...at least that little town...two months ago when I started pitching the idea of doing a sweet little story.
Now?
Oh, well now things have changed a little.
Apparently I'm not the only fool hardy news guy willing to pitch the idea of doing a story on pickle sickles because one of the major daily newspapers in Texas finally got wind of the pickle sickle phenomena fermenting. On Tuesday, the Austin American Statesman picked up on the story and produced a huge front page above the fold feature story about the pickle sickle. The Associated Press then snagged and distributed the Statesman's story and...well, the rest as they say is the sweet juice of in your face justice.
Photo credit:Laura Skelding: Austin American Statesman.
Suddenly, without any prompting although there might have been a bit of gloating on my part, one of our reporters was "assigned" to do the long neglected pickle sickle story. She did a good job, breaking the news that the newly designed and multi-flavored pickle sickle was now being sold internationally with the first order going to someone in London via Pickle Sickle's new website.
And today it was that same 28 year old reporter whom I told to remember my battle over the pickle sickle in a week or so...when she slips into one of the news anchor chairs at the flagship 50,000 watt News-talk radio station of the largest radio company in the world. I told her to believe in herself, filter the noise of others, and do the job everyone working with her knows she can do.
People can shake your confidence in many ways, even with the best of intentions, but if you stick to your standards, and stand up for your beliefs...most folks won't pull the chair out from under you.
Although it might, occasionally, for a little while leave a sour taste in some people's mouths.
I'm thinking in the case of the pickle sickle, it might be about two months.
The gullible believe anything they're told; the prudent sift and weigh every word.
- Proverbs 14:14-16
posted by Michael
©The Main Point by Michael Main
7 Comments
7 Comments:
The concession stands at our county rec dept. fields sell frozen pickle juice. The kids love it. I haven't been able to bring myself to try it.
Travis
Interestingly enough, I received emails from John Howard - the operator of the Skate Rink, and from David Millar, a 'co-creator' who I assume is pushing the marketing prospects.
The bulk of the text is below:
Hello!
That is great advice for any one, sometime you have to go with your gut. We
were at the bastrop fair this weekend as a vendor (our first) and the
response was overwhelming. we will keep going with our gut on this one.
thank you for a great story, and keep your eye on the little picklesickle
that could.
john howard
======================
Hello Michael. Thank you for this synopsis of the mocking, ridicule, pain and suffering your colleagues have put you through regarding the story on Pickle Sickle and your taste for stories on the edge of conventional wisdom. I am sure it has not been too easy on you and your family. It is a tough cynical world out there.
We at Pickle Sickle revere the importance of the philosophy that "If you are one step ahead of the crowds, you are a considered a genius and but if you are two steps ahead of the crowd, you are considered a crackpot." Some days we feel like awkward crackpots reading the reluctance of naysayers but other days we are revered as Geniuses having discovered a product that has been right under the noses of the masses that has not been exploited. Our web site strives to poke fun at itself and not take ourselves too seriously to cover both bases.
I am the co-creator of Pickle Sickle from California whom had never heard of pickle juice Popsicles. I tried one at the rink and right away I could sense the fantastic potential of it. Something so simple yet so dill-icious was almost too good to be true. When I flew back to California, my imagination ran amok creating the look, feel and stories behind the web site. So maybe it took someone outside of Texas to see the real potential or maybe it was the Texas heat that got to me.
One day we hope to have a cartoons, comic strips, animations and toys to fulfill the fantastic marketing potential of humorous pickles tantalizing children around the country. Think Mr. Potato Head or Sponge Bob Square pants. This thing may be much bigger than mere pop sickles but for now focusing on the product is our priority. Maybe there is a great American dream story here for the picking. Thank you for your vision into the future and supporting us.
I have linked your story onto our comments page as well.
Many Thanks,
David Millar
I tell ya folks...the pickle sickle has legs :)
M
Sweet justice!
Oh, and the part of your post that I liked the least?
"concerns about Amy's health"
:-(
Michael--This is one of your best posts EVER. It has everything a good story should: Romance (hi, Amy!) to keep the hero focused on what's most important, conflict, an admired though self-deprecating heroine, a long-suffering but steadfast hero (you) and continually raised stakes--or in this case, pickles.
I think your job of coming up with story ideas every day has prepared you uniquely to write crazy novels. Nothing like telling you what you should do with all your spare time, huh? :)
Hi, everyone! And thanks so much for thinking of and praying for me!
Michael has the best story ideas and is, in my VERY humble (albeit VERY biased) opinion, the best writer on the planet.
(sorry rlp & chuck!)
Of course, I'm his biggest fan.
Umm... David Millar, if you ever come back to this post and read the comments, I know JUST the right person for your artistic plans. If you want the info, let me know! Or, maybe I'll send you an unsolicited email :-)
I ADORE pickles... I always get one if we're at an event that sells them. I'm gonna have to get me one o' them Pickle Sickles!
Great advice. I need to remember this for myself (even though I HATE pickles!)
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