Monday, November 8, 2010

Farewell and also hello

Kids, today the d-news ran a farewell column, a tremendously gracious act on their part. Last week I handed in notice and will begin a new column this Saturday in the Salt Lake Tribune. I'm truly excited about this opportunity and grateful to the Trib for taking me on. I'm also kind of scared and nervous, too. But oh well. When am I not a nutjob?

Here's today's column.

I remember when we first got caller I.D. about thirteen years ago. Mostly I loved it! But sometimes? Not so much.
In those days our boys had three paper routes, and if one of them screwed up on the delivery front, you better believe we heard about it. Apparently some people just don’t appreciate it when you run late or deliver their paper to the wrong address or accidentally throw their paper onto the garage roof. Apparently some people expect to get what they pay for.
SERIOUSLY! WHAT IS WRONG WITH SOME PEOPLE?
But whatever. The point is that certain names made me nervous whenever they popped up on the caller I.D. And nervous is how I REALLY felt when the words NEWSPAPER AGENCY CORP showed up one afternoon. I stood there in the kitchen and listened to the phone ring while having an intense little conversation with myself. Should I pick the phone up? Or should I just pack my bags and hop on the next train out of Dodge?
In the end I manned up (even though I am not a man) and said a testy “hello.”
The caller identified herself as Lisa Bowen, John Hughes’ secretary. John Hughes, as you’ll recall, was the editor of the Deseret News, and he wanted to speak to me. Would that be okay, Lisa wanted to know.
I said of course! Great! But inside I was all REALLY? My kid threw some dude’s paper onto the garage roof and THE HEAD EDITOR is calling to chew us out? Shouldn’t head editors be busy editing instead of calling with complaints about the occasional careless product placement?
Only as it turned out that’s not why Mr. Hughes was calling. No, indeed. Instead, he graciously asked if I’d be willing to write a column for the Deseret News similar to the column I’d written for ten years at the old PARENT EXPRESS magazine.
Well! How can you say no to a charming offer like that? And I’ve been writing happily for the Deseret News ever since.
Kids, it’s been a great ride. Getting to work with features editors like Chris Hicks, Kathryn Clayton, Angelyn Hutchinson, Todd Curtis and Aaron Shill has been good for me as a writer.
But hearing from YOU, the readers, has been the best part of all—even the readers who start their e-mails with lines like “I’m not a regular fan of your columns as they deal mostly with insignificant subjects.” Truly, your feedback has both encouraged me and kept me on my toes. Thank you.
By now you can probably see where this is headed. Change happens. I’ve always hated that about life and have often worked hard to resist it. But as I’ve grown older I’ve learned (sort of) to view change as an ally, a comrade-in-arms eager to make me try something different, something new.
So I’m saying good-bye with gratitude for all the lovely things that have been and excitement for the journey that lies ahead.

13 comments:

Tiffany said...

First of all, what a fantastic farewell column! I needed to hear a pep talk on change, so thank you. Second, I am so excited for you! Can't wait to read your future columns at my secretly preferred SLC paper.

P.S. Will you find out for me if Robert Kirby is as sexy in real life as he is in his columns?

Heidi said...

I was sad when I read your Deseret News column earlier today - and wondered if the SL Tribune would be smart enough to convince you to work for them. Good news! I look forward to reading your columns there.

Randi said...

Love the column, and so excited and happy for you. I don't care who prints it as long as we still get to read your column! Love you and miss you lots!
ps: the verification word below is: farti. Awesome.

Rachel said...

Congratulations! BTW, during my hardest semester at college my academic advisor said something like "Change is hard, but worth it." Man did I want to punch her in the mouth that very second, but she was right. So go ahead and give me a virtual punch in the mouth if you need to punch anyone. What a fun new adventure.

Anonymous said...

I love you, Ann, and will follow you anywhere. I love how you turn "thanks and goodbye" into a great story. You are a storyteller. What an enchanting thing to be.
shannon hale.

LucindaF said...

You know my feeliings on this, but Shannon Hale is right, you can turn anything into a story.

You are one gorgeous plus talented, plus awesome friend, lady.

Anne said...

So instead of Tinker to Evers to Chance it will be Bagley to Kirby to Cannon. I LOVE it!

Mystery Girl said...

Ann the Trib is lucky to have you and the way you view change is refreshing, I need to think more like that.

Louise Plummer said...

Go, Anne, Go! You're on a roll, girl.

Anchely said...

Ann, my dear - what a relief! When I read your column this morning, I was all "boohoo" and then I read your blog and now I'm all "all right!"

Summer Rain said...

Thank you so much for your column. You have no idea how many times reading it gave me just the right boost needed! It always made me laugh! I'm glad to find out that you aren't disappearing entirely... only moving!

I'm on my high school's newspaper staff and loving every minute of it. I have you to thank--it was you who got me thinking about how fun it would be. I think it started with the snails coming through Provo Valley.... :)

Thanks for being my inspiration!

--Drue

Melody said...

Very nicely done. Good luck and I'll look forward to reading you at the Trib.

Valynne said...

Congratulations!! Can't wait to read your future Trib column.