New blog kid in town

Hello. I'm neither a CBC manager nor a member of the CMG. I'm a humble freelance writer who was working on a CBC Radio Outfront piece when that loathsome, cursed day known simply as August 15 brought darkness to the light of creative collaboration I had been enjoying with my wonderful CBC producer.

Pah! (This was used frequently in a Jean-Paul Sartre novel and I thought it would fit here, given the apparent pointlessness of starting anything at the CBC these days. I hope the reference to existential philosophy isn't too pompous, esoteric or artsy for some of the CBC-haters. Hell, I read the cereal box like everyone else! And I have a fairly good wrist shot as well.)

The writing life can be a real rush. I have a column in a west end community newspaper, and I'm also working on a cool TV gig. But the writer's life can really suck when you're vulnerable to and in fact affected by managerial obstinance. Like right now!

I have a business degree and yet I'm not quite sure what management is doing. Their behaviour is bizzare and puzzling. Unless, of course, they want to ruin the CBC, break the union, or both ... in which case their behaviour makes perfect sense. On the other hand, I can see quite clearly why you CMG folks are fighting so hard.

Your performance these past three weeks is nothing short of inspiring ... even if you do seem to take the Ouimet blog bait and start bickering at each other from time to time. That said, you're an impressive bunch. I'm not sure if it's Sun Tzu or just a school yard axiom: Never underestimate the other kid in the sandbox.

It appears management did. And I hope they realize this, become reasonable, and end this absurdity. They haven't underestimated me, however. I'm just some guy whose project is on hold (as are the projects of many other freelancers), whose money is on hold, and whose minidiscs of content (some of which will belong to CBC) are locked up while you guys are locked out. Just peachy.

I've signed my name to my blog because I'm a writer. I feel that's what writers should do. Otherwise, how do you know who's writing what? I'm simple that way. Besides, it's not as if I'm telling anyone to *$&@ off. Even though I'd be well within my rights in doing so.

That's it for my first post. Have a great weekend!