OK, so here's the reason I haven't blogged much this week

On Tuesday I was hired by The Onion to be the Milwaukee city editor for The A.V. Club, the humor mag's entertainment section and one of my favorite pop culture pubs ever. I start on Oct. 2. My last day at The P-C is Sept. 28.

What does this mean exactly? First off, I'm not writing funny stuff. At least not stuff that's supposed to be primarily funny. I will be covering the entertainment scene in Milwaukee, interviewing local artists and characters and telling people which band to see on Friday night. It's pretty much the perfect job for me.

I'm obviously thrilled to be working for The Onion, if only because it's so much fun to tell people you work for The Onion. And this works out great on a personal level, as I have family in Milwaukee and my girlfriend and I will finally be able to live in the same city.

But I'm also a little sad because The P-C has been a monumental presence in my professional career. My first paycheck in journalism came from The P-C, back when I was 16 and writing for the unfortunately named teen page "Get With It!" I wrote a review of the U2 album "Zooropa" and was paid 15 bucks. The rest is history.

Anyway, I haven't been blogging much this week because things have been pretty hectic. But I am planning to keep Under 30 blog alive for personal use. So, you know, hopefully that's good news.

Sorry I haven't been blogging much lately

But it's been a craaaazy week! In the meantime, I hope you accept my apology and enjoy this little slice of heaven.

Reader hate mail! Get yer reader hate mail!

I'm gonna go out on a limb and call this one of the greatest bits of hate mail I have ever recieved. It's regarding my Under 30 Packers preview, but I think the reader is flirting with me a little. Tell me if I'm wrong.

I am disgusted.

I am a soon to be a graduate at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh with a degree in English, Secondary Education English 6- 12 and PK-12 Library Science. I am utterly turned off and disgusted by Steven Hyden and his “Under 30” column….by someone I presume is over 35 and who is in no way like me, my friends or my peers! I contribute to the opinion page in the weekly question column and enjoy being involved. I am a writer, a journalist, a teacher, a member of this community and a politician. Hyden is none of these. I find his articles fluff, ineffective and completely pessimistic. I have NEVER heard, read or been in contact with a more pessimist “20 something”. How sad for the generation he is writing to.

Did I miss something? I thought the Gannett press was publishing a special edition Green Bay Packer promotion edition in the next few weeks. Surely Steven Hyden will not be involved, or in support of such a move. Hyden’s article this last September 8th, 2006 went through each week (pathetic and fantasy driven) about how the Packer’s would lose and just how bad they were. He literally listed “Week 1… how they will lose and why they suck” and did so for the whole season. As someone who attends Packer games and this past game, I must say Packer dedication is widespread in the Fox Valley, Bay Area and state of Wisconsin. No matter what age, there was huge hope by the fans that Brett Favre would return. Why not write an article on the anticipation for this season? To highlight how they will be “Lindy Infante bad” or say Robert Ferguson is like “styrofoam… [because] he is weak and impossible to get rid of?” Hyden is terrible and dismal. The Packers are so popular around here, something your paper even promotes, so why let this guy rag on them in the newspaper? Tom Richards writes interesting and fantastic tidbits about the area while Maureen Wallenfang writes great things about the new development and changing of local businesses in the area. So why are you employing Steven Hyden and his poor journalism and letting him drag down your paper, turn off your readers and completely make fun of the local interests that so many of your other writers take pride in? Hmmmm… social security concerns, environmental issues, Doyle versus Green and the race to make Wisconsin even better in this 2006 election, college tuition, the bar scene and smoking ban, plus everything else a 20 something could be and IS into are all better to write about than what Steven Hyden picks. I am thoroughly disgusted you employ this person. Wow.

I would love to take over his job and write about real under 30 issues free of charge. Why would you employ a journalist who is pessimistic, dull and completely devoid of any community involvement or appreciation? Let us celebrate the great generation we are and the things we are interested in and strive to do. Steven Hyden, who at the age of “under 30,” is so pessimistic and miserable that he does not represent me or my friends, thankfully!

A writer AND a journalist AND a teacher AND a member of this community AND a politician? And she's available free of charge? I think I'm gonna start cleaning out my desk.