Jennifer Moody

– I was surprised – no, shocked – and deeply, deeply saddened to hear Albany’s IP mill is to close. And just before Christmas, no less. Besides being a terrible blow to those workers and their families specifically, it will be a hard knock for Albany and Millersburg and for Linn County as a whole. Absorbing 230 displaced workers, in winter, at a time when the rest of the local economy hasn’t yet turned around? Not good.

– The corollary: I must once again say how very, very grateful I am for my job. Long may it last. Our bosses assure us that, while it’s true paid circulation is down, newspaper readership actually is increasing. Coverage of local events, government action, and things that affect you and your neighbors every day is still of value to people. And, evidently, I’m still considered good enough at providing it that they’ll keep me. Keep those story ideas coming!

– The further note: We have indeed made, and probably will continue to make, changes I don’t like very much in order to keep the books in the black. Most recent announcement: We have let all our freelancers go. No more Young Voices, or Lynn Welp columns in Home and Garden, or fantastic pieces by my former full-time coworker, Jenny Rouse. I’m hoping that’s the last bad news on the DH homefront I will hear for a while.

– Changing directions: Tater tot casserole is a great meal for a rainy night, and it’s relatively cheap and easy to fix. Just mix about 2 1/2 pounds of ground beef (get the lowest-fat content you can, to make it less oily) with two cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup, a big onion (chopped) and half a can of skim milk. Smooth this mush into a 9×13 pan and top with a big bag of frozen tater tots. (Experience has taught me you can’t just dump the bag, you have to actually line up the tater tots to make them fit, but it’s time well spent.) Bake for an hour at 350 and top your servings with ketchup. YUM. I have leftovers for lunch today.

– OK, I’ve waited long enough. I am SO PROUD of Slightly Older Princess! She auditioned last night for a role in an Albany Civic Theater youth thespian production, “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.,” and she did great. I don’t know what role she’ll get – everybody gets something – but it doesn’t matter, either to her or to me. What mattered was that she got through the reading, dancing and singing (yes, solo, in front of about 15 other kids) audition without missing a beat. Was she the best kid there? Nope. Several were better (one girl I’m betting has spent some previous time on Broadway). But SOP was articulate, she was expressive and, most importantly, she was loud. As someone who’s scratched the surface of the directing world, I can say that means a whole lot.

– So we went out for ice cream after she rocked the show, and I got a small mint chocolate chip milkshake that I found, to my utter amazement, I couldn’t finish. This. Does. Not. Happen. I am very much hoping I’m not getting sick.

– Speaking of illness, I caught a cat in the act of hurling up several slimy chunks of kibble in the hallway. Here’s the thing, though: It wasn’t the barfer. It was one of our OTHER cats. And it was the second time in two days I’d found myself cleaning up cat barf. That makes me wonder if we’ve misjudged the problem all along, although I’ve caught the usual suspect  in the act enough times to know she’s not entirely blameless.

More quick takes can be found from the gal who provided the logo, here.

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