I needed new workout sneakers recently so I decided to call my local newspaper to speak with a journalist. I mean, who better to tell me what shoes I should buy and where to buy them? I was especially hoping they’d be able to confirm that I actually NEEDED the sneakers in the first place. Was it a good time to buy? They’d know. For sure.
Unfortunately, they wouldn’t talk to me. No return call. I left four voicemails.
My next thought was to go see a foot doctor but I didn’t know one. And, again, no luck with thejournalist or anyone in the media. I only left one voicemail this time.
So now what? Looks like I’d have to find a new way to make a decision. But what could I do? What options did I have?
Finally, I got the idea to try talking to people that workout, see what they thought. I got some nice feedback there. One guy even pointed me to a sneaker store where I met a trained professional. That really helped. (Turns out it was the right time for me to buy.)
That was three months ago, and I couldn’t be happier. My new shoes are great, and I learned that I can actually make decisions without someone from the media.
My next big purchase was going to be a house. Funny thing is, when I started searching, I found journalists everywhere with advice. Some said homes were so expensive that I’d be better off renting.
I looked a little further back and found many in the media telling me that home values had fallen so much that I should keep renting (“houses are a bad investment”).
What to do, what to do. Google? McFly? Hello? Help!
Maybe I I can go to the gym and ask some people. People at the gym had the answer before, why not now?
Then I got a better idea. Let’s skip a step and go right to the shoe salesman! Bingo!
Unfortunately, he didn’t know anything about buying houses. But he did know a really smart relator and a very experienced mortgage loan officer. As soon as he was done measuring my feet, he gave me their contact information.
I moved into my new house last week.
I think I’m done with journalists and the media.