No, my head’s not growing any bigger. This is just a place where you can find out more about me and my many skills.

Me, me, me. What about you? What brings you to this platform?

Are you looking for some basic biographical information, a little bit of background on Chris Linden? Perhaps you’ll enjoy the About Me page, or even my resume.

Or maybe you’re looking for some writing samples, a place to see my most recent, and most rewarding, words in print. Sounds like you’ll want to read the portfolio page, listed above as “Writing and Reporting.”

This is a multimedia age, and I’ve spent lots of time one-man-banding my way around a story. Perhaps you’re interested in some of my most recent video work, or my latest voyage into web design, web editing and web culture. Don’t forget about my work as a photographer, too.

If it’s the raw, unedited Chris you’re looking for, perhaps you’ll enjoy the blog diary of my travels in Washington, DC, as a wide-eyed student reporter working his way around Capitol Hill and a maze of bureaucracies, museums and new adventures.

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Post a comment, or email me, clindennews at gmail dot com.

Photoshop won't let me watermark this photo. So let it be said... if I see this floating on the Internet, I hate you, oh plagiarizer. Chris Linden/photo

There was a day when this blog was maintained daily almost daily. But that was how long ago? Geez, how time flies by.

The adventure is far from over, but in the coming weeks and months, you’ll notice some heavy construction here at The Other Side of the Story. As I spend more time developing new Web sites and learning the nuances of online journalism, this blog will come to reflect my evolving concepts and accommodate my growing portfolio.

The Other Side of the Story is taking a brief break, but check back later this winter and again this spring to see updates on my latest projects and my thoughts on the future of online news.

So until further notice, that’s the other side of the story.

It’s been 14 days since my last post. Wow, a whole two weeks… The trees are bare, the wind is chilly, it’s almost turkey time … The job is keeping me super busy, and life’s decided to throw its own challenges into the mix.

To refresh, I’ve been working at WIFR-CBS in Rockford for the last three and a half weeks, long enough to be part of the gang but not quite part of the gang. I’m working on some hyperlocal-type experiments and doing my best to promote Internet news in communities that don’t go online like the big markets. So there’s my challenge.

Meanwhile, I’ve been engaged in a slew of freelancing projects, volunteering with the church youth group and finding time to be creative, too. That’s why it’s been two weeks since my last post, and why I have to get away to find an Internet connection. And they wonder why online news still has trouble catching on?

I’m currently writing from a coffee house in downtown Rockford. This is a part of town I rarely visit, for more than one reason. It’s off the beaten path and the surrounding neighborhood is in transition. It reminds me of the oldest neighborhoods around Chicago, only older. The buildings here are fancy and showing their age. In a town like Rockford, where the escape of major manufacturing has hit hard, it ought to be much worse here. But places like this coffee house are giving these old buildings a new life. The city needs more of these places if it expects to “reinvigorate” its downtown. That boat may have sailed years ago…or not.

The sun is disappearing behind the bank now, casting a bright orange glow behind the old church a block away. I might have to stop by this place more often after work. But until that happens, and until I happen to update my blog again, that’s the other side of the story.

Autumn leaves scatter the driveway and lawns. Chris Linden/photo

Say what?

Yes, a working man. Starting last Monday, I began my new job as Web Content Producer for WIFR-CBS, a.k.a. Channel 23 News in Rockford. I’m now responsible for updating and refreshing the content on the station’s website (mostly limited to the news department) and producing my very own pieces, too. My special project is still in the highly-developmental, double top-secret classified status, so I’m not really at liberty to discuss just yet. Check back in the near future for the unclassified update.

It’s only been a week and a half, but already I’m settling into the job pretty fast. The mostly younger staff has a good team dynamic and that’s made for an easy start.

My work with the Web puts me in an interesting paradox. On the one hand, I’m the journalist, developing content, collaborating with other journalists and combining my reporting and AP-style abilities to develop stories. On the other hand, everything I do must consider the role of the advertiser, and I can already hear some Medill colleagues gasping, moaning and choking on this paradox.

I suppose it’s too late to mention that I’m also mastering a CMS that actually works?

Add all that to some freelance work I’m doing on the side, and it’s been a couple of busy weeks. Not that I’m complaining. It’s less time at Hotel MomandDad and it at least feels like a social life again.

It’s been a whirlwind first week, and this second week is treading familiar ground. All in all, it’s nice to be back on the job, developing my journalism skills and experimenting with the new business models that could revolutionize the business.

Speaking of the business, I had an interesting observation while out with some co-workers this weekend. The entire place was filled with local TV personalities from each of the city’s three TV stations. Unlike Anchorman, there was no street brawl, but the smell of brand loyalty hung in the air like bad B.O. Where’d you get that job? The toilet store?

Check back next week for another update on the Rockford Files and perhaps a few unclassified nuggets on my super top-secret work. So until the next adventure, that’s the other side of the story.

You’re right to guess. It’s been a whirlwind week here, and it’s about to get even crazier, seeing as I start my new job next week.

The soggy, yellow leaves fall from the trees in an autumn rainstorm.

That’s right, I said job. As in funEmployed. And I’m gonna be a producer …

I’ll be working as an online content producer for WIFR, Rockford’s CBS affiliate. There, I’ll be responsible for developing new content on the station’s Web site and improving its potential as a hyperlocal news leader. This is a great experiment, especially considering true hyperlocal coverage is apparently rare for mid-size markets like Rockford. What better place to practice, and what better person to do the dirty work? Let the challenge begin.

Though it’s only part-time work, I’ll also work some freelance writing jobs around town to supplement my income (and time). Unfortunately, it also means living at Hotel MomandDad a little longer, but I suppose I will survive.

It feels great to put my Medill skills to use again. It’s been a long month coming, and now it’s time to hit the ground running.

Stay tuned learn more about my first week on the job, thoughts on hyperlocal online news and working in another television station. Isn’t it funny how things work out in the end?

Did somebody say end? No, we’re a long way from the end of this story. Rather, we’re plunging deep into the heart of this chapter. So until next time, that’s the other side of the story.

Moss grows thick on this log at Oak Ridge park, just south of Rockford. Photo art by Chris Linden

This week has been a whirlwind of interviews—and I’m not talking about the journalism kind. I’m currently in negotiations with news outlets from Wisconsin and Illinois, and the competition is heating up. It looks like the fUnemployment chapter of my adventure may soon draw to a close. Fingers crossed.

 Of course there are many options to weigh, and many paths and opportunities lie ahead. I’ll be asking myself where I want to go, what I want to do and how I can position myself for the next step and the several that lie beyond.

Such is the life of a perpetual dreamer. So many ideas, so little time. Or am I standing at the edge of something much deeper, with all the ideas and all the time in the world? Only one way to find out.

It’s a funny thing. Early on this week, I was almost ready to throw in the towel and turn to my Plans B or C. It’s a tough market out there, and after sending out resume upon resume, it starts to feel like nobody’s listening. But when the fish started biting, it becomes a constant stream.

This is a welcome change. I’m once again feeling engaged, busy, ambitious. Living at home is great—who can refuse free rent and food? But it doesn’t come without a sacrifice. I sorely miss my independence, the bustling city, an active social life and time to explore. At the same time, the last month has opened other opportunities to work with the church youth, catch up with old friends and revive old ambitions.

Illinois and Wisconsin are a far cry from Washington, DC (some 780 miles or so), but it may be that God has other plans in store.

Where one man sees failure, another sees opportunity. I am an opportunist and an optimist to a fault. Though I may temporarily shelve plans to return to DC, I might (maybe) be strangely OK with this.

DC may be “my kind of city,” but who’s to say there aren’t more of “my kind” out there? Who’s to say there isn’t an entirely different path ahead of me, something I could only have guessed two months ago?

As I head to Millikin’s Homecoming festivities this weekend, it promises to be a time of reflection and memories, a refresher course on living the dream. Today I stand on a step, which might be the beginning of something big.

Until the fog clears, all I can do is wait, glimpsing my future from the other side of the story.

Autumn leaves at Oak Ridge county forest preserve, just south of Rockford. Photo illustration by Chris Linden

I know what you’re thinking—and yes, I’m still having fun, still finding adventures somehow. It’s just that now, it takes a lot more effort. Rockford is a far cry from Washington. But suffice it to say I haven’t seen this many numbskulls in one place since I left the Capitol (Just Kidding).

Rockford isn’t such a bad place, but it’s a far cry from the constantly adventurous DC. The people here are of a colorful variety and certainly worth a few good stories. I would love to tell those stories … preferably for money … and would love to see more local journalists do the same. But it looks like somebody’s sleeping on the job. I’m still looking for a copy of that damned Washington Post. I need good news. Stat.

So what have I been doing with myself in the last month? Would you like the long story or the short story? To make a long story short, here are a few highlights. If you want the full story, you’ll have to ask. Nicely.

All play and no work makes Chris a dull boy.

All play and no work makes Chris a dull boy.

All play and no work makes Chris a dull boy.

*fUnemployment hasn’t been all play. I’ve done some work, too. I’m still waiting to hear final word on the DC-based job for which I interviewed in September. As of the latest update, funding issues pushed the hiring date to some time around Thanksgiving. I’m not one to sit around for another month and a half, so I’m also searching for new job opportunities, both around DC and the Midwest. Both are tough markets, given the current state of newspapers (depressing), but both are exciting environments and I look forward to whatever opportunity I can find. So far, I’ve stuck my feet in many doors, and the bruising is luckily minimal.

*Even an unemployed journalist is still a journalist. I’ve most recently used my Medill magic to continue photography and website development. The last two weeks or so I’ve been developing and redesigning the website for my dad’s artwork. An independent artist, he’s been using the same website I first developed around 2006. It hasn’t changed much since then and was in need of an update. I’ve completely rearranged the site, focusing on the artwork and highlighting his outside projects. It was at times challenging, but renewed my love for graphic design and spurred me to build my webmaster abilities. You can view the final results at www.tomlindenart.com.

*Cabin fever is rough. To avoid said sickness, I’ve also taken to the open road, making a few road trips for fun. Chicagoland to see friends, Peoria to harass my brother … Making the trek to Decatur in a few weeks for Millikin’s homecoming. That promises to be a busy weekend.

*I’m also rekindling my involvement in the education field, in an effort to position myself well with my sources and audience. In layman’s terms, I’ve spent the last few weeks volunteering with the church youth group, where I’m an adult sponsor for the jr. high and high school kids. It’s so odd seeing it from the other side. Every night, I realize how much I’ve grown since I was in their shoes. It’s exciting to think of where they’ll be when they fill my shoes. The world looks different from the other side, but strangely familiar, too.

*Meanwhile, I’m reading lots and trying desperately to avoid cabin fever. If you have suggestions, please advise. Until then, I’ll be job-searching, freelancing, webmastering and adventuring like always.

Keep a lookout for more to come. It’s time to devise another creative use for newspapers, and this promises to be a week of adventures. So stay tuned. Yes, (West) Virginia, even Illinois can be exciting. Until the next adventure, that’s the other side of the story.

Editor’s Note: This is part two of an old feature titled “A Bunch of Things to do With a Newspaper.” See Categories tag for related posts.

ROCKFORD, Ill. — Back in the day, Americans had some really innovative uses for newsprint.

Take bathroom reading, for instance. According to the Toilet Paper Encyclopedia, it was common practice to use one’s bathroom reading — say a newspaper or Sears catalog — to clean up one’s business.

Though toilet paper technology has come a long way, I’m tempted to give this a try. That is, if I keep reading the bland content within the local newspaper.

I really want a paper copy of the Washington Post. I’ll even settle for the New York Times. …

OK, fine, what about the Chicago Tribune?

No such luck.

It’s impossible to find a nationally-oriented newspaper in this small metropolis of nearly 160,000, even though it’s the third-largest community in Illinois. Browsing through the local bookstores and libraries, it’s impossible to find anything larger in scope than the Tribune.

Of course, I could always read the Post or the Times online, but supposing I don’t have a computer, or lack a reliable Internet connection? Reason No. 1 why newspapers aren’t dead: there’s still an audience for them.

If I want to read a paper-and-ink newspaper in this town, I’m forced to settle with the local staple: The Rockford Register Star. It contains everything you expect from your local paper: politics and government, state and national news, opinions and editorials, sports and local people.

Well, OK, it has almost everything. Day in and day out, I’m surprised–disappointed, dare I say–at the lack of substance within the day’s paper. Speaker-spoke, people-met, government-acted, ripped-from-the-AP-wires kinds of stories will only excite the reader so much. Every day, it feels like the paper reports what happened, without telling me why I should care. Yawn.

Relevancy is a common problem in any news setting, especially one with a slow news cycle. I know where they’re coming from–I’ve been there, done that. Decatur’s local paper isn’t much better.

It feels like modern newspapers sell themselves short on a daily basis. Community journalism has its place and is just as valuable as any big-market publication. In its present form, many local newspapers simply aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. They have to adapt to a new media culture and a new approach to audience.

I hear the same thing from ordinary readers who also feel shorted by their newspaper of choice. It’s not that Internet killed the newspaper reporter. It’s that newsroom practices killed the newspaper reporter.

A two-part column online identifies some of the same problems. In part, writer Bill Wyman blames local media monopolies (like Rockford) and the bland reporting that results in a non-competitive market. Perhaps what we need is more competing organizations, but then that would create more noise for the average consumer. Or maybe it requires a more motivated, experimental newsroom culture. When you own the message, you have the liberty to experiment at will.

It’s not impossible for small-market papers to produce quality journalism.

If you build it, they will come. When it comes to newspapers, if you print it, readers will come. But you can’t print any old crap and expect an audience. Instead, a truly competitive product in today’s noisy market provides both the content and context needed to engage audiences.

Tell me a story today.

That’s all your readers expect. Inform, enlighten and entertain.

Unfortunately for some outlets, that’s easier said than done. But it’s not impossible.

Cleanup in aisle five? That’s the other side of the story.

For the forseeable future, I’ll be reporting from my home base in Rockford, Ill., located about 90 miles west of Chicago. There really is nothing remarkable about this town. According to the Chicago Tribune, it has the highest unemployment rate in Illinois, everything moves at a slow pace and some idiot got shot by police who are accused of being racist.

The sun rises over the railyards outside the sleepy town of Elkhart, Ind.

Already I miss reading a real newspaper written by top-notch journalists, and of course, I miss the constant hum of politics in action. But love it or leave it, this is home, so I guess it’s time to make something happen.

In case you were wondering, I did survive the 17.5-hour train ride from Washington to Chicago, and it was surprisingly pleasant. We left DC around 4 pm, traveling north around the District, through the Virginias, up toward Pittsburgh, then through Ohio and Indiana.

The train was quiet and passed through beautiful scenery, the sort of backcountry you can’t see from the highway or by airplane. Though it was long and my two 70-pound bags weighed me down, it was well worth the experience.

Two things stood out most, and they both sweetened the deal. The Appalachian sunset was outstanding. Seeing not only the dramatic, rock-littered rivers and tree-covered mountains, but the play of brilliant orange and yellow sunset were spectacular. These sunsets certainly rival an Illinois sunset, and that’s saying a lot.

I was also struck by the gorgeous sunrise welcoming us to Indiana. Throughout the early morning hours, it was apparent that a low-lying fog covered much of Ohio. I was amazed by the play of light in those early morning hours, first as the shadows cast a grim pall over the industrial yards of Ohio, and later as the sunrise lit up the foggy fields and quiet industrial yards of Indiana. Oh, it’s good to be home.

The DC adventure is over, and seeing as Rockford is no DC, I’ll be cutting back on the blogging significantly. While I’m home, expect a once-weekly update every Wednesday night, highlighting my adventures in funemployment. Periodically, I’ll also comment on the business of media and happenings around Rockford. You can also expect the revival of an old feature called A Bunch of Things to Do With a Newspaper.

Stay tuned to see what’s coming up next. I’ve a feeling this adventure is only just beginning. And that’s the other side of the story.

Well, it went. Sure, I can say I was confident about it, that I thought it went well, and it looks promising. But hope and results are two very different things. Right now, I’m wearing my poker face. You’ll know when I know.

The U.S. Capitol lit up at night, echoed in the reflecting pool below.

Here I am, blogging on my last night in DC. As I sit near the window, I can see Capitol Security guarding Constitution Avenue, just outside the Senate office buildings and blocking traffic from the Capitol. Tonight, you-know-who is making a big speech on you-know-what in a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in the House chambers.

This is one of those moments I wish my credentials were still valid. Oh, to see this from the press gallery, as I saw so many other events unfold this summer. It’s so odd seeing the chamber on TV tonight, knowing that I’ve been there, I’ve seen that. I’ve seen those leaders and I know the traditions of this institution after seeing them firsthand.

As Congress and the Supreme Court return to business this week, I too am returning to business, though this is somewhat different. As they return, I’m preparing to leave this magical city, but I’m grateful for the experience . By this time tomorrow, I’ll be sitting on a train, en route to Chicago for a pleasant 17 1/2 hour whistle-stop tour across the East Coast and the Midwest.

Though I’ll soon be leaving, this is not goodbye. Think of it as more of a see-you-later. I’ll be back.

Perhaps I’ll be a journalist, working the halls of Congress or hounding the White House Press Corps. Perhaps I’ll be a sitting member of Congress, a Representative or even a Senator. Perhaps I’ll be a press secretary, a White House Press Secretary, chief of staff, or even President?

Tonight, I stand at a crossroads. Aware of what’s to come, but already preparing for the game ahead, knowing that wherever it leads, I can do it; I can make it. Sooner or later I will.

This summer has been nothing short of a learning experience. I’ve learned how to live with a gaggle of girls, drama, PMS and all. Over the last 40 posts, you’ve seen my adventures and escapades, heard my stories of reporting in DC, seen my photos of the city’s scenic landmarks.

I’ve learned the ways of Washington, I’ve seen the sights, met some influential people and witnessed history unfolding before me. My journalism and reporting abilities are now more powerful than they were even two months ago as I left Chicago. Today I’m a more confident, capable reporter than I’ve ever been before.

Sure, things will change as I depart. I’ll be living with mom and dad for a while and I’ll be stationed in boring old Rockford, Illinois. It’s no Washington, or even Springfield, but this is temporary. Now is the time to make a splash, to take some chances, make some choices. It’s time to dive in, and who knows what the future will hold? The buck stops here.

I’ll miss this city for many reasons, but this experience has set me on a firm foundation. The only way to go is up, and as the old saying goes,

Shoot for the Moon. Even if you miss, you’ll still land among the stars.

I’ll meet you again when I return to Chicago, ready to start a new adventure and to begin a new chapter.

Goodbye, Washington. I’ll see you later.

From the nation’s capital, The Swamp, the best city on Earth, that’s the other side of the story.