RILEY STRAW
Copy Editor
If one were to, say, go to New Orleans for a journalism convention with the world-renowned Copy Editor of The Leader, Riley Straw, here are a couple of tips so one doesn’t, say, absolutely lose their mind.
As many of you know, Managing Editor Courtney Gfroerer, Advertising Manager Cassie Hardick, Reverb Editor Maggie Gilroy and I traveled across the country to New Orleans this past weekend. They didn’t have these tips before leaving.
You’ve been warned.
1. Expect to leave half-an-hour later than initially planned:
This really cool thing happened to me on the way to New Orleans; I set up an alarm to go off at 3 (just kidding, my roommate set an alarm for me to get up at 3 because — guess what — I don’t have an alarm clock), and it didn’t go off. Next thing I know, at 4:15 a.m., Courtney busts into my room yelling, “Are you awake?”, and I — in a half-slumbering grogginess — responded, “What time is it?” Little to my belief, the time actually was 4:15 a.m. I have not seen 4:15 a.m. in many a day, but it is as bleak and interrupting as you might assume.
Basically, expect your plans to run a little bit late.
2. Keep in mind that I love to dance.
Frechman street, New Orleans, Louisiana. We walked down the street bombarded with music coming from all directions, and we stop into a classy jazz bar. If jazz music is playing, I will be dancing; and, if I can have it my way, you will be dancing, too. Just in case you didn’t know, it’s vital for my existence that I go a little bit crazy at least once, and many people have fallen under my craziness, as well.
So, for future reference, bring your dancing shoes.
3. My phone has a tendency to go missing for weeks (or months) at a time.
If we’re walking down Bourbon street and I don’t bring my phone, pay very close attention to complaints I may make. This includes, “I have to go to the bathroom,” and, “I lost my i.d. (I’ll get to that one later).” These may be indicators of a situation very endangering to many of my relationships: I may go missing for a couple of hours. It’s almost impossible to get a hold of me; my friends have become very aware of this fact. Luckily, when I was sidetracked on this excursion, I was accompanied by Maggie as we tried to discern our way through the backstreets of New Orleans.
Anyways, know that my alone time is very important to me.
4. I talk to everyone — literally, everyone.
I may get sidetracked while I experience the different cultures of an unfamiliar place. I want to get the most bang for my buck as I can get, and I may leave the group to discuss various financial dystrophies complete strangers bring up with me. For instance, outside of a jazz club on Frenchman, someone came up to me asking for my advice. I proceeded to give him a cigarette and listen to his life story.
I’m very generous with my time, and I want the most I can get with it.
5. Whatever I do, I’ll look good doing it.
The four of us went to see Hoda Katb, co-host of “The Fourth Minute” with Kathy-Lee Gifford, give the keynote address. At the end of the presentation, Katb asked for questions from the audience; I’m not going to pass up the opportunity to speak with a famous person — I’m just not. You can bet that the first thing she commented on was my apparel:
Hoda Katb: Is that a bowtie you’re wearing?
Riley Straw: Of course it’s a bowtie I’m wearing.
*Audience laughter*
Needless to say, I put a lot of effort into my wardrobe, and I always try to look put together.
6. There will most likely be a time in which I cause trouble on the way back.
Amongst the beautiful sights of New Orleans (e.g., the French-inspired architecture, a myriad of breasts hailing from a plethora of different locales, vomit on the side of the street), my identification was lost. A picture of my face currently floats around the streets of New Orleans; whether lost in some bar, or some taxi’s back seat, my i.d. sits, awaiting to be claimed. This provided some conflict on the way back to Buffalo airport when my i.d. was nowhere to be seen. This turned into a 20-minute ordeal of being interrogated by the government to figure out exactly who I was (and the lack of phone exacerbated the problem).
All in all, I had an incredible and memorable experience in New Orleans, but, at times, I was irresponsible and childish. Basically, everyone on the trip was pissed at me, and we all had an unbelievable time.