you, the columnist
By Dave Lieber
Dallas Morning News columnist
Dave Lieber
I’m so excited about seeing everybody at the 2015 Indianapolis National Society of Newspaper Columnists conference that I started going through my wardrobe. What to wear? So many NSNC related T-shirts.
Then I realized, I could tell the story of our group through my T-shirts. (Hey, the boss says I gotta think pictures, think visual, think digital.)
So with Gentle Ben Pollock’s help, we’ve set up a creepy little slide show. No bikini-clad women. Just my clean (but un-ironed) cotton tops.
So here goes. (If the slides move too fast, hit that pause button in the middle then click the arrows to move through the pictures.)
The history of the saintly NSNC through my shirts:
When NSNC first formed, this was the original shirt from 1977. Only this is a replica of the original, sold later in honor of the founding members.
As a reporter at the Philly Inquirer, I wore this “combat” getup at night after work in my War Room at home. My goal: win a columnist job.
It worked. At my 1st conference 1993/Oregon, I learned I got hired at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Host Jonathan Nicholas founded this charity.
At 1994/Sarasota, Molly Ivins was guest speaker. Even though we worked on the same paper, it was only time I met her.
I started the College Columnist Scholarship and an auction to raise money. Was so excited when I bought this from the Toledo Blade columnist, Roberta de Boer.
Eventually, we had our own updated T-shirt. This was the official version.
With Bill Tammeus, I created National Columnists Day in honor of Ernie Pyle. I got this shirt from the Ernie Pyle state store in Indiana.
The back has Ernie’s entire life story. Do you know of another columnist whose life story fits on the back of a T-shirt?
Our association’s shirt came in various colors. I don’t have all of them.
The first version of this shirt had a typo. “Write no column before it’s time.” I don’t have one of those. Worth lots of money!
Shirt I created for the 2005/Grapevine, TX conference. 125 guests, a record, but my conference lost money. I spent too much — on T-shirts.
Oh, I made this one for the auction one year. Bruce didn’t like it. He asked me to put it away. I have — until now. I love the guy!
Ed Grisamore created these shirts for the 2012/Macon, GA conference. Brightest shirt in the bunch.
This one came out a few years ago, too. It’s too subdued for me. But I bought it anyway because I’m loyal.
The most recent purchase. At the 2013/Hartford conference at Mark Twain House. Wonder what I’ll get at Indy 2015? See you there – in my T-shirt!
* * *
Dave Lieber is The Watchdog investigative columnist for The Dallas Morning News. Curious about the chaos and havoc he is causing in the world? His stuff is free at dallasnews.com/watchdog.
