Don’t let fear decide your fate

The view from my rearview mirror. The staff of the Greene County Daily World sometime in 2016.

Very recently, I was given some good advice by a good friend.

Things around here changed drastically when the newspaper and our sister papers in Brazil and Greencastle were sold off by Rust Communications and, needless to say, it affected all of us. Some people were laid off, some saw it as a nudge from the universe to make some life changes and gave two weeks’ notice like adults do, and others staged a collective tantrum/walkout, for reasons that make sense to them. It was a bit of a shocker to many of us, as we were given no heads-up by Rust, just a mandatory meeting notice, a meeting and then...bye. Thanks for the memories, some of them.

I chose to adapt to the evolving situation. I felt like staying in the job I love and I’m too lazy to pack and move right now, so.

Mid-September, I will attend my fifth journalist awards ceremony to pick up my fifth journalism award. I must be doing something right.

Talking things over and venting about the situation to my friend brought me the best advice I could have gotten.

“Maybe just stick around for a little while and see how it feels,” he said. “Maybe they’re not so bad to work for, maybe you should give them a fair shot. Call it a trial period. If you don’t like working for them, pick a door and leave your keys on the desk. No worries.”

What, me not react with impulse and emotional decision making? That’s weirrrrrrrd, but okay, I’ll be an adult and I will stick it out and I will give them a fair shot.

So now it’s eight weeks later, to the day, and, with the exception of January 10, 2016 to whenever Sabrina left, I’ve never been happier in this job.

I did give Paxton a try and so far, they have been pretty great. I don’t really know the higher-ups at all, but my direct boss, my publisher Courtney, has been honest, encouraging, supportive and understanding. Others at the HQ in Kentucky have been so supportive, understanding, professional, kind and easy to work with, I feel like I’m dreaming sometimes. Especially on payday!

The difference between then and now can’t even be expressed. Sure, I’m working more now and going to more meetings, but that’s not a bad thing. Busy is better than bored.

Okay, now I do the stuff my staff writers once did, like police logs and other routine tasks, but sometimes those things are a comfort and an easy A, I did them for years until relegating the task to someone else.

I miss Luke, but Hunter is awesome, and Cameron will be here in September to be full-time sports guy and I think I’ll like him, too.

When Luke left, sometime between the two of us smashing the decorations we’ve always been repulsed by in the back room with a hammer and his last goodbye, he told me he would always be grateful to have worked with me. I think that’s a huge compliment and I feel exactly the same about him.

Eight years ago, How Charming Photography came to the Daily World and took professional photos of our staff. Heather did a very, very nice job and I still use her photo of me with my blog.

That day, she took a group photo of all of the staff, each person holding a prop that related to their job, like a basketball and a football for sportswriters Terry and Travis, a printed newspaper for paginator/pressman Jon, a camera for Kelly, a telephone to Andrew’s ear, a and notepad for office receptionist Becky and a pen held by me.

Of all of the 13 smiling souls in that photo, now there’s just me.

Recently, Sabrina sent me that photo, with the words “last (wo)man standing,” and her words were eerily prophetic. I corrected her, replying that Tina was still on staff doing ads.

Welp, Tina was laid off yesterday when it was decided only one full-time person was needed in advertising. So.

I’m learning so many things about what I’m capable of, things I never thought I could manage to get done. And very soon in the future, I’ll either be working from Vincennes, from a new office space in Linton or from home. Whether this old building sells or not, it will soon be in my rearview, along with the many memories it holds.

This building is way too enormous for one person to work from. I just use my little office anyway, and all of the other space is wasted. If I were a person who needs to socialize on the daily to stave off loneliness I would likely choose Vincennes, but I think working from home sounds the best. I’m more of a solo act these days and there’s no place like it, really.

The future is full of options, but one thing it does not contain is uncertainty or fear. It will look exactly as I want it to look, and if it doesn’t, I can find the door just fine.

Thanks, Kelly...I appreciate you, Sir.

Patti is Editor of the Greene County Daily World. She loves kitty-cats, chocolate anything and watching X-Files, anything from Moonlight Films or the Walking Dead. If you would like to share a story (or some chocolate) or just make a friend, she can be reached at pdanner@gcdailyworld.com.