So, this isn't the way I thought my job as editor of the Campbell River Mirror would end.
I fully expected I would put out my last paper, collect up the accumulated paraphernalia of 35 years, walk out the door and begin collecting my pension and kicking back looking for something to occupy my time. Basically retire (probably in about two or three more years).
But, no, I'm signing off as editor of the Mirror and ... signing back in as a pagination editor with the Mirror and about 14 other papers. You see, I'm making a lateral move within Black Press Media and becoming a copy editor with Black Press Media working "out" of the Kelowna Hub, as it's called (a production centre where most of the papers around the province are put together). But with the wonder of technology, I'm going to work remotely from Campbell River, from my home, in fact.
It's a big change for me. No more driving up and down Dogwood Street twice a day from Willow Point to the Mirror office near Second Ave. I never minded commuting, it was only something like a seven-minute trip. In fact, the shortness of the commute was more of a bother than if I had to commute 30 minutes or more. It was so short, that I actually went home for lunch just about every day. The 15-minute city that all the conspiracy theorists fear? I was living the 10-minute city. Ten minutes to virtually everywhere in town I wanted to get to.
And I've been living that for 35 years and four months. My wife and I settled into Campbell River in 1989 and have stayed here ever since. Bought and paid for a house – a little rancher in Willow Point, so much for living the life of the media elite – and raised two kids, now young adults making their own way in the world. Made lots of friends and enjoyed all there is to enjoy in this great community.
But I'm not going anywhere, I'll still be around and you'll still see my name in this paper because part of my duties will include continuing to write for the Mirror. I just won't have all that other stuff – you know, editing copy, managing staff, fielding complaints, occasionally receiving a few compliments, organizing photos, coordinating non-news content, fielding complaints. Did I mention fielding complaints, oh, yes, I did.
As you can see, there are some things that I won't miss. What I will miss is the creativity involved in putting out a community newspaper. Compiling the pictures, conducting interviews, writing, designing pages, composing catchy headlines. All of that overruled the other stuff. On top of that, were the regular situations where something you wrote made a difference to someone's life. Sometimes just writing about it was enough. Other times, it forced changes or helped someone or some organization continue to do great work. I've received enough thank-yous over the years to know that I did some good.
Of course, I wrote about lots of unpleasant things, some of the most unpleasant things a person could experience. That's part of the job too. And although unpleasant, ultimately tragic, it needed to be done. It was important that the community hear about it.
Along the way I worked with some great people and had a lot of fun coming to work in the Mirror office. I really have a hard time coming up with a name of anybody that I didn't like or wasn't great to work with. That is probably one of the things that kept me working here, how great the people were. Over 35 years, I've seen lots of people come and go from this office and the one thing that made it enjoyable was the working atmosphere. Everybody treated everybody with respect and valued everyone's contribution. We laughed lots, we argued a little, we understood when someone was feeling grumpy and cheered when someone shared a moment of joy in their life.
That won't stop, the team is smaller now but the spirit of the place will go on. As will I. As I said, I'm not actually going anywhere, you will still see my name on these pages (and online, of course). It's just that the tasks that I will be called on to do will be different. The paper will remain in good hands and there will be fresh hands at the helm (not that fresh actually, the new editor is very experienced but I will leave that up to powers that be to announce).
I will still be keenly interested in community affairs and will probably write more opinion about things than I did before but the day-to-day stuff won't be on my desk.
It's a strange moment for me, walking away but not really walking away. Just change – that's the one thing that has been consistent in this job; co-workers, technology, the media landscape, the economy.
Thanks to all those in the past 35 years who've trusted me with their stories and expressed their appreciation for what I and my team have done. Good luck to everybody.
