Last evening I stopped by the SPCA's Paws Cause event--not only for the free wine, but also to show support...and glance at silent auction items from afar.
One must live in a world other than journalism to bid on, well, pretty much anything--including rusted radiator parts.
At one point in the evening I overheard two PR types gossiping about the Dallas Morning News' incoming food critic, Leslie Brenner. The good news: several restaurateurs are apparently fearful of her tough reputation. Too many dailies have responded to falling revenue by quietly urging their staff to avoid upsetting potential advertisers--so the hiring of a lively and demanding critic is an encouraging sign, if true.
The bad news: one flack told the other a photograph of Brenner was making the rounds and she would make certain to pass it along.
Sometimes there's just no place to hide. Publish a book, they want an dust jacket photo...which ends up online. Go to a party, someone snaps a cell phone image...which ends up online. On the plus side, I always found it difficult to identify people from event the most recent shots (constantly having to ask Penn State's sports info people to point out certain players for post-game interviews...when I covered them every week). Hopefully harried wait staff struggle, as well.