I've tackled a lot of tough topics in this column, from car troubles to my high school reunion and just about every awkward, unfortunate misadventure in between. None of those topics, however, were as difficult to broach as this one.
After nearly two years here at the Bonnyville Nouvelle, this will be my last column. With a heavy heart, I am leaving my place here at the newspaper and moving on to a new opportunity.
I knew this job would leave a mark, from my very first day. For those of you who don't recall that column, I spent my first day on the job being violently and repeatedly ill in a Notre Dame High School bathroom, the result of a nasty migraine and an assignment that involved a lot of professional-quality drumming.
Even as I was sick, I remember thinking to myself, “Well, at least it's a memorable way to start a job.”
And every part of the job after that just got more and more memorable.
Being a community reporter is a life-changing thing, especially, maybe, for a military brat who never really belonged anywhere. There isn't a better way to make a new person feel welcome in a community than by forcing her to attend your seminars, your art events, your sporting events, your councils and festivals.
If I wasn't awkwardly asking about football or hockey, I was participating in cookoffs, dodging mud at the rodeo, front row in a concert or an amazing dramatic production, or watching and recording your victories at ceremonies, galas and cheque presentations.
Being a reporter takes a lot of commitment and a lot of time but there are certain perks that make it worth it. Every time anyone came up to me in the streets or the grocery stores and told me they appreciated my work, read my columns, loved my photos or thanked me for the work I'd done, I'm pretty sure I was on top of the world for days – until another tough assignment came up or things went wrong, which they frequently do in a job like this.
So thank you, both to the people who commented on my work, and those knights in shining armour who helped me out when things got rough – in particular, those of you who drove me home after my car blew up, or Ruth Snyder, who saved the day at the Glendon graduation by lending me a camera after I showed up without a battery in mine.
Also, I need to thank every single person who showed up with houseplants for me after “Ode to a Dying House Plant” ran in the paper. I didn't expect so many readers to care about the death of mine, and I really did try to keep the ones you gave me alive. I swear.
Bonnyville definitely left a mark on me.
I'm leaving the Nouvelle in good hands, however. Brandon MacLeod has agreed to take up the reins as the new editor of the Bonnyville Nouvelle and I know he'll do a great job. I couldn't have been editor without his support, snarky comments, and ability to stay calm in a crisis. Don't worry, you'll still see him at hockey games and football games.
And Ashley will still be here as well, uncovering the truth at councils, calling dibs on any and all country concerts that come to town, and writing columns about her own misadventures. She's pretty good at staying calm in a crisis too. I guess it was really only me who was inclined to hyperventilate on production day.
Our publisher Clare will still, as always, be at the helm guiding the Nouvelle in the direction of journalistic excellence. I am taking a few important lessons with me from my time working for Clare. Namely, get to the point, don't be redundant and to suck it up and do your job. I feel those lessons will serve me well.
And so, Bonnyville, this is goodbye. I don't know how I'm going to get over not being in Bonnyville anymore and not having a place to record my misadventures. Who knows, I might have to start up a Raising the Barr blog just so I don't feel all alone!
It's truly been an honour and an awesome time getting to know and become part of this community. Thank you for the opportunity and who knows, maybe I'll manage to make it back for chuckwagons or rodeo next summer.
I'll be in the office until Wednesday this week if anyone wants to drop me an email to say goodbye.
Thanks for the memories, Bonnyville.
