It's not all that often you say goodbye to a workplace twice, but as you might have read online or in the Star (weird), I'm leaving the Tucson Weekly (again, I left in 2012 when I was online editor) at the end of the month. It's been a strange and wonderful two years since I took over for likely lifetime holder of the "longest term as TW editor" title Jimmy Boegle and while I have one more of these editor's notes left, it's Thanksgiving (or close enough), so here are a few things I'm thankful for from my time here.
I'm incredibly thankful to have worked with Jim Nintzel and Mari Herreras. I would have been totally lost here without these two, their incredibly abilities to find and tell stories, plus their deep knowledge of alt-weekly journalism. Also, Irene Messina and Linda Ray, who were both with the Weekly when I was hired, were wildly helpful in making it seem less like I was flapping my arms around with no idea what I was doing.
I'm thankful to have worked with Jimmy Boegle when I was online editor and especially thankful to have had a month working with him before he left to start the CV Independent. Google the crowdfunding page for his new venture and throw him a couple bucks if you can. He'll put it to good use.
The people of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, both the staff who run the organization and our fellow members, are just about my favorite people. When a cover story has fallen through at the last minute, someone was there to offer one to use. I've stolen ideas from my colleagues across North America, shared drinks and complained about daily newspapers. I'll really miss being a part of that great group.
While it hasn't always been easy, I'm very thankful for the readers who pick up the paper each week (or when they feel like) and who click on our stories online. We've managed to hang on to our print readership in a time when a lot of papers saw theirs disappear and dramatically increased our digital audience since I started back in October of 2010. The constant churn of the newscycle is exhausting, but the fact that people come back for more of our perspectives, opinions and ideas is beyond flattering. Plus, when I've least expected it, someone has sent an exceptionally kind email or (believe it or not) sent a letter.
Overall, while I still have another week to go, it's been an incredible honor to be the editor of this paper, one I would have never expected to have.
Now cue the comment from someone saying this column is the work of a narcissistic incompetent moron. I could use that bit of balance.
