Published: April 12, 2009 12:18 am      

MARREN: Getting the old tisk, tisk

LOCKPORT — It’s funny, whenever we’re at a family party, my wife Katie always has to take a ribbing about how I’m ALWAYS writing about her. These loved ones may be exaggerating just a bit, but she does make a cameo once in a while on this page.

What can I say, the best columns (from what I hear from good columnists) are the personal ones. The ones your reader can relate to.

So why wouldn’t I write from the perspective of a young professional, just starting out with a new wife, a new house and the same old life headaches I’m sure many of you have had and can appreciate.

But every time someone mentions something about my column and Katie is in our presence, it gives me a chance to lay it on thick about how she has to become a more regular reader of my column. I bug her every Sunday.

But one thing is for sure, my mom is apparently not missing a column.

Usually, when you write publicly like this, your mother is the first one to comment on every last word. My mom doesn’t get the paper since she lives in Tonawanda, but she calls up my column every Sunday on our Web site.

Fast forward to this past week and the days following last week’s installment detailing the birds that were living in a vent between our first and second floor.

If you missed it, we have back copies or it’s online, but basically it was a tale of man vs. bird, leaving the bird homeless.

My one and only e-mail response to that column came from my mom. It’s the classic response of a mother — especially mine.

Here it is: “I didn’t know you took a home from God’s creatures. They deserve a safe home. Play music or put the pillow over your head. They make beautiful music and sense safety with you two. Tisk, tisk.”

Yep, I got yelled at by my mom through e-mail over a column I wrote. All of a sudden the ribbing Katie and I take for every column I write about her seemed a lot more tame compared to my e-mail lashing from my mom. But it was classic. Everyone here at the office had a good laugh at it too.

I should feel honored, I guess. How many people get to have their body of work judged, praised or criticized on Monday by their mother? If I worked at a widget factory I’d have to show my mom my widget to show her what I do for a living. The publication of a column puts me out there for all to see — including my mom. It really makes this work quite interesting.

It’s not like this was the first time she commented on a column, but it may be the first time I got a virtual tisk, tisk. Pretty classic.

Maybe I’ll stick to writing about Katie, those columns never got a response like the bird one.

Tim Marren is the managing editor

of the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal. Contact him at Tim.Marren@

lockportjournal.com or 439-9222.