Throw Out The Rundown

In newsrooms across the country producers were yelling, “throw out the rundown” when word of the twin bombings in Boston got to them.

Having been in newsrooms and control rooms during numerous breaking news stories I know that phrase all too well. In a split second you dump everything you’ve been planning for your newscast. Then you get on the air as quickly as possible to inform your viewers about what is happening in their world. All the while — piecing together senseless facts and trying to give a clear picture of what is going on.  Those are usually the best newscasts because everyone is on their toes.

My heart goes out to the city of Boston. I’ve been there a few times — most recently almost 4 years ago when I stayed at the Lenox Hotel and ate lunch at Atlantic Fish on Boylston street. You may now recognize these two places because that’s right where one of the bombs went off.

I often write about embracing structure, always having a plan and thinking ahead but on days like April 15, 2013 – that all goes out the window.

A good friend of mine just told me she is pregnant with her second child and wasn’t “planning on having another so soon.” She’s a big planner like me. But she is happily “throwing out the rundown” and welcoming this new baby into her life.

These got me thinking about how I approach life and that sometimes I could stand to be a little less rigid and not always stick to the rundown. You never know what an unexpected event will bring you. Whether it be heartache or happiness we should all learn to go with the flow and go along for the ride — good or bad.

I’m going to give myself permission to just go through the day without accounting for every single second.  I still see the value in preparation and am not going to abandon my lists any time soon but I really think sometimes you have to just “throw out the rundown” and live your life.