Behind the Headlines

By Paula Wethington / paula@monroenews.com

Today’s editorial cartoon in The Monroe Evening News editorial page is from Jeff Stahler at The Columbus Dispatch. Two girls are playing with fashion dolls. One says “I’m getting mine ready for rehab.” The other says. “Mine’s getting ready for jail or would an electronic bracelet look better?”

It just so happens that I am the resident Barbie fashion doll fan in The Monroe Evening News newsroom.

I startled co-worker Josh Kennedy the second day I worked here when he spotted a doll on my desk. “Is that a Barbie?” he asked. “Actually, it’s a Midge,” I said, and tried very hard not to laugh. My doll was wearing a summer-time outfit appropriate for a beach party.
But yes, there is always a doll on Paula’s desk. I started that tradition about three years before I moved to Monroe. And with the help of fun finds at the toy stores and craft shows, and a little bit of creativity, I’ve had some pretty unique doll displays. Over the months and years, I have displayed a firefighter, a Cleveland Cavaliers Barbie Doll (much to the annoyance of a co-worker who is a Detroit Pistons fan), a doll in a prom dress, military correspondent (mixing in a G.I. Joe uniform and military props with a camera and laptop computer from another doll), Girl Scout Skipper (I handcrafted that outfit), a variety of Halloween costumes, and currently a doll in a graduation cap and gown.

So I did laugh at Stahler’s cartoon. But I’m not going to display one of my dolls in a jail uniform!