First week at the paper.

I like it here.

My coworkers are fun, bright, and full of creativity. They are also overworked, underpaid, and in need of some serious hope for the industry.

I feel honored to be part of such an important legacy. My father worked for the Associated Press and finally retired as editor of the Green Valley News. My grandfather worked for years as the editor of a town newspaper in West Texas. Printer's ink runs in my blood. I get giddy when I enter the newsroom or see the monstrous army green printing press, three stories tall. It's amazing how much it all comes together. We call it the daily miracle.

I am getting a lot of apologies about the level of urgency and the 'death by sales meeting' approach to hunt every issue down and beat it like a dead horse. Given our lack of resources we have, along with our sense of mission, I quipped to my boss that it felt like I was working for the peace corps. She took offense until I said "Oh, come ON, you know we have to boil our own water here!". She laughed.

My response to the frenetic activity and hassled colleagues? I grin confidently and say, "I've seen worse." The coolest part? I can really make a difference here! I feel as though my knowledge, experience, and passion for the job have somehow led me here.