Frustration, contemplation and end of probation

5:48pm Wednesday 3rd September 2008

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The news week begins again and so far I've found myself thwarted at almost every turn.

Although I did have a successful trip to Magistrates' Court yesterday for another council application to close a filthy restaurant (there is a delightful full-colour picture of some dead cockroaches to look forward to tomorrow) and I've done quite a bit for this week's paper, the things I want to get started on for next week are proving difficult to pin down.

The main obstacle I'm coming up against at the moment is the fact that certain things simply can't be done today - the people I need to speak to are away or the information is unavailable currently or people are just unforthcoming. Which is annoying.

Nevertheless, I am persevering. I've managed to get some details on the other restaurants that have been closed by the council this year and any nibs that come my way, I am writing with glad abandon - if such a thing is possible. Otherwise, I'm just chipping away, doing what I can in preparation for things that can't be finished today.

Frustration aside, I find myself in contemplative mood this week. Our editor is back from holiday after two weeks in the Isle of Wight and our Fearless Chief Reporter (his official moniker now, having expressed a liking for it) has returned from a week at the Enfield paper, where he was filling in for the editor, so things are more or less back to normal.

It's funny how much upheaval takes place when different people take on different roles. The Fearless Chief Reporter was acting as editor prior to heading off to Enfield, one of the other seniors has been filling in for the online editor while he's away and everyone else has been doing...well, everything else. There's been a flurry of activity as we each take on more responsibility, and now, with the sudden slow down, there's time to stop and think and, of course, blog.

This week, I've also passed my three-month probationary period (compulsory for all new employees) which essentially means I have caused no major screw-ups and I can keep my job. It's not as though I was expecting to be given the boot, but it's a relief nonetheless. As (I hope) this blog will attest, I do think I've made some progress over these last twelve or so weeks and I'm becoming much more acclimatised to the newsroom environment.

What's more, I do like it here. In spite of the general cloud of doom that hangs over most papers as sales decline and printed news slowly dies out, it's an exciting place to work and mad as we may all be for choosing this career, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else at the moment.