Is it unprofessional...

I don't have kids, but my quaker parrot likes to start screaming every now and then when I'm on the phone. My cats also jump up and meow loudly occasionally. Thankfully much of my work is centered around animal-related articles so interview subjects and editors understand. As to what others think, they probably imagine I am calling from some kind of zoo.

My son has recently become fascinated by the phone. When I talk to people while he is in the room, he grabs at it or tries to talk to it, which is rather loud. When I have to do any kind of interview he gets stuck in the crib with a basket of special toys and I leave the room.

I'm not a parent. Just a former journalist with a long and impressive track record of unprofessionalism (think: flushing while you're on the phone with a congressman's office).

Elected officials and their staffs know that reporters and writers aren't sitting in suits and ties behind oak desks. They know they're dealing with sometimes-scruffy types with messy schedules. And now the head of the Securities and Exchange commission and the former U.S. congressman from Newport Beach knows I have a bladder the size of a thimble. It's all good.

June--
Reminds me of a funny story when I was 7 months pregnant and interviewing a nightclub owner. I was on vacation and getting some work done in the Books a million coffee shop. Well, I couldn;t go longer than 30 minutes without a pee break... and we wound up talking for about an hour and a half. I didn't want to cut him off because I was getting great material...so, yup, cell phone and all I went into the books a million bathroom. What's worse was I held it so long hoping he would finish up, I did the famed 'potty dance' all the way to the back of the store!

Lately, I time interviews around my my daughter's naps or meals--she never cries while she's eating. (She's 8 weeks old and I'm breastfeeding). Well, during a recent interview, she decided to start making slurping and snorting noises---she sounded like a wild boar!

It was pretty funny but I can't imagine what the person at the other side of the speakerphone was thinking!!

A US Senator? I think they're quite used to children making noise. After all, they're in the biggest playpen in the world that is the US Senate...

CatMuse, that's absolutely hilarious!

CatMuse:

That's awesome! I bet he didn't even know he was on a magical mystery tour.

And how about a rock guitarist husband? I make sure I hide all the leads before I make an interview call

OK, with all this, I don't feel quite so bad that I dropped the phone during an interview. *s*

I had completely given up on being called back by someone that I requested an interview from several months ago. I mean, I told them "tight deadline"!!

I got a call yesterday while in the midst of a snorting, sniffling cold. Ick.

Totally OT, but Wildscribe, I love your profile picture

Thank you! When my laptop died I gave it to my son, who is always trying to type on my computer. He loves it.

Wild,
I got a call yesterday while in the midst of changing a wet diaper... and a wet changing table, and a wet onesie... (one of those!)

It was 6:30, *just* after normal business hours for most people, and the interview subject asked if he was calling at a bad time. (He must have heard it in my voice). Fortunately, hubby was home and took over diaper duties so I could focus on the call.

I think all of this proves one thing--we are ALL human! June, LOVE the phrase "magical mystery tour!" Too funny. But man, public bathroom stalls ECHO like mad!

I hate those. How does one small baby make SO MUCH PEE?!?!

And now, back to our regularly scheduled discussion...

LOL Denise!
off topic once again, I was speaking to a mother of an 8 year old who also has an infant. She said 'back in the day' diapers did not leak like this. What gives? lol

stldenise said:

It's not the pee that's amazing...it's the poop. The up the back to the collar squishy poops that happen in the stroller, causing a complete outfit change and an emergency cleaning of the stroller. (My baby scarred the heck out of a preggy friend who witnesses the cleanup while we were out shopping.) I'm soooooo glad my littlest is now a toddler and having "normal" poopies to change.

Sorry to everyone out there NOT a mom. Your time will come. Maw-ha ha ha!

Click to expand...

Wow... wasn't going to go there. It is also scary when your child learns to undress. I found my tot naked and poop smeared the other day after his nap. Ew...

CatMuse33 said:

LOL Denise!
off topic once again, I was speaking to a mother of an 8 year old who also has an infant. She said 'back in the day' diapers did not leak like this. What gives? lol

Click to expand...

She's either a liar or has a very bad memory. I have them in all age brackets from 15 to a week old and ya know what?

Diapers have and will always leak when the bomb goes off. I remember having to stick my 15 year old who was then two months old, under a tub faucet just to get it all off quickly enough. Up the back, down the legs, and ALL over me, too.

Yeah, fun times. Remind me why I had more?

With a Senator, it'd be unprofessional. With a Member of Congress, eh not so much. Congressmen and women are used to having people band on cooking pot lids while they try to get their point across.

All joking aside, I'd say don't worry. Explain that you're telecommuting and you have a baby. I've interrupted an interview for a minute saying, "Hang on for a sec. The dog wants something." (It got a laugh.)

Ug, how about being in a meeting that goes on for hours and hours - so I put the phone down (on the floor! *cringe*) to run to the bathroom and came back and my puppy was gnawing on it. There was total silence on the other end when I finally got the phone back from him.

My coworkers will never let me live that one down.

Lesson here - don't work on the floor in your pajamas and never ever trust your dog.

Zombiestare said:

Ug, how about being in a meeting that goes on for hours and hours - so I put the phone down (on the floor! *cringe*) to run to the bathroom and came back and my puppy was gnawing on it. There was total silence on the other end when I finally got the phone back from him.

My coworkers will never let me live that one down.

Lesson here - don't work on the floor in your pajamas and never ever trust your dog.

Click to expand...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAA

OK, you can forgive animals and babies...but what about husbands?? I'll be in the bedroom, doing an interview, when he's in the shower (knowing I'm on the phone). He'll make these big, loud AAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH release of tension type noises. He has no idea how loud he is...and in the shower, it resonates. sigh. The worst part is, he's a freelance writer too. Shouldn't he get it???

Then there's the dog who will suddenly set off into hysterical barking because a cat walked by across the street or a UPS truck drove by or or or.....

June Casagrande said:

(think: flushing while you're on the phone with a congressman's office).

Click to expand...

Thanks so much for this. I'll never feel I have to apologize for the dog barking again, and the heck with worrying about doing phone interviews when our kitchen remodel starts.

Although, I do envy your multitasking ability!

since all of my interviews have been done in person, i've only had personal gaffes. no one to blame but myself. i was interviewing a band and i lauded them for a performance i heard about a year before the interview. they had to tell me it wasn't them. they were on right before the performance i mentioned, and i didn't notice the change. luckily, everyone had a pretty good sense of humor, and we all got a good laugh from it. i left it in the article.

the photographer with me during the interview ran into the band a year later, and they brought up the incident with a laugh. of all the things to be remembered for.

Still OT, have you ever noticed that after wrapping, snapping and zipping the baby into so many layers that she's basically tubular, and you've found your keys, and have baby in one arm and diaper bag on shoulder, heading out of the house, you hear the splurt of a baby pooping, thereby necessitating stripping the baby and starting all over?

Roflmao Auto!! Happened just the other day except she was strapped into car seat, too!