Am I doing the most with this space?

I'm not sure there's a definitive answer here, or that there needs to be. [READER]( I wrote and deleted three versions of this newsletter before arriving at this one. I love the flexibility I have when I write these essays, since I can go in any direction I want, which can also trip me up. Some weeks I worry I am repeating myself, others I wonder if I am not doing enough. Am I doing the most with this space? As a journalist who primarily reports about music, should I spend more time surfacing unfamiliar sounds for our newsletter readers? Could I run more traditional forms of journalism—Q&As with local musicians, album reviews, profiles—in this space? Or should I avoid all of that and rank the past three flavors of Pop-Tarts I've eaten. (An impossible task—I've only had two different versions of those toaster pastries recently enough to recall their taste.) I'm not sure there's a definitive answer here, or that there needs to be. I like that I get this room to bring readers into my thought process in regards to my work. A lot of details can get cut from a story during the reporting, writing, and editing process; some still inform the shape of a story, and others are the kinds of things normally only of interest to people behind the scenes. But it's a treat to provide some insight into my process, since I can also show you why I think a certain story is important, or how the reporting process transformed a story. I've firmly established this newsletter as part of my work routine, so I think about it a lot—as I'm sure you've already picked up from the previous paragraphs. Some weeks, when my plate is fuller than I anticipated, writing this can be an inconvenience—yet another task in a series of deadlines walloping me in quick succession. Today is a bit like that. I've got a feature due this week, which is occupying more of my brain space than my other tasks; I don't want to write anything else about it, since I don't want to spoil the surprise. But I hope you read that story when it drops, and get something out of it—and these newsletters. Sincerely, [Uma Bloo’s languid indie rock will send a rush of blood to your head]( by [Leor Galil]( [Venerable jazz guitarist George Freeman celebrates 95 years with a new compilation]( Plus: Cheer-Accident stream a basement release concert for Here Comes the Sunset, and Shannon Candy reissues two tracks from So Long on an Italian seven-inch. by [J.R. Nelson]( and [Leor Galil]( [The Rhino in spring]( The beloved fringe theater festival blooms again. by [Kerry Reid]( [Issue of March 17 - 30, 2022 Vol. 51, No.]( [Download Issue]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2022 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader, 2930 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 102, Chicago, IL 60616