At the planning sessions where we map out major newspaper stories for the next nine days, we often invoke the phrase, "Take your life to work." Rick Sayers, executive editor of the Erie Times-News, believes that reporters and editors are just like everyone else. And the things that affect us are probably the same as the things that affect the readers of our newspaper.

So, during the recent planning sessions, I've been taking my life to work and talking about how things have changed for our family since our oldest son went off to college. First of all, even though there's one less mouth to feed, we have no money. And I mean none.

That's what happens when your kid picks a private college that charges $47,000 a year. Thankfully, because of financial aid, scholarships, loans, etc., we don't have to pay that amount. But it's still high enough that my wallet is feeling quite light these days. There's some satisfaction that my wife and I were able to pull it off this year -- and we might even have enough money left to fund a second year at college. But, after that, it'll be a total crapshoot. And the worst news is that two other sons are following quickly on the heels of their big brother. Eventually, if all goes well, we will have three children in college at the same time.

As you might imagine, this has changed our lifestyle quite a bit. But it's also been an exciting time, and it's helped inspire at least half a dozen ideas for newspaper stories.

There was the moment, for instance, when I thought, finally, everything is paid for. And then I discovered that I'd forgotten about buying textbooks. The shocker there is that for an entire year of college, $2,000 for books is fairly routine. There was also the matter of purchasing a laptop computer. I had budgeted $700, but Mom is a pushover and she and student ended up spending nearly $2,000 for a laptop and printer.

Of course, Junior gets to help out. A lot. And I think he's finally beginning to understand how it feels to live within a budget.

I mention all this because this is what's happening in my life right now, and it's affecting my contributions to the story budget.

We have a daily column in the Times-News called "Good Morning," in which reporters and editors write about little things that happen in their lives -- acquiring a new kitten, going to the big football game, unloading the gas-guzzling station wagon, etc. It's fairly routine stuff, but readers seem to love these columns.

Of all the things I write for our newspaper, I get more reaction from Good Morning pieces than from anything else. In a way, it's a spinoff from the "bring your life to work" philosophy.

Let me know what's happening in your lives, and it will help us build a newspaper that readers really enjoy.

-- Kevin Cuneo