Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (2)
Thank You LTM
I’ve never been good with good-byes. In my case you should probably call them bad-byes because that’s what they are.
I consider myself to be a writer so I guess I should send a farewell the best way I know how: through a written, heartfelt and unedited statement.
If you’ve never fully read anything I’ve ever written, I hope you take the time to read this in its entirety.
So in no particular order here it goes…
My time at the Loudoun-Times Mirror was definitely an experience. I came to the paper in late May as someone who aspired to work in the field of journalism…Today, August 19th…I left a better writer, reporter, journalist and person.
I didn’t know what to expect coming into this internship at all. I didn’t know if I was going to be intern-boy who made copies, sent faxes, shined shoes and said yes ma’am and yes sir all day. I didn’t know if I was going to take the paper by storm and write every single feature and every single story and have an award winning column and single handedly change the LTM with everyone hailing my name.
All I really knew is that whatever it was, I wasn’t getting paid for it.
But in all honesty I didn’t mind working for free. I actually enjoyed every single minute of every day that I sat at my desk, no matter how makeshift it was. I realized that most of all I wanted to be in the office, I wanted to be doing the writing that I was doing and being around the people that I was around. I realized that it was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
I guess first and foremost I have to thank Paul for even considering bringing in a mop-top frat boy from Michigan State University in as a prospective intern--most people would have asked me to empty the trash can and vacuum under the desk the moment I walked into their office. I am very appreciative and thankful to you for the opportunity to be an intern at your paper. And also to Barbara for not nixing Paul’s decision to bring me aboard for the summer--Lord knows I wouldn’t have hired myself, haha.
To Lina who I worship as a religious figure for two reasons. One, for all of the crap of mine she had to read takes some sort of godly human being and secondly for editing all my pieces so that they were somewhat comprehendible and able to present to the public. You were final authority on everything that is grammatically correct and I will never know how you waded through all of my work and I’m still wading for an answer.
To Carl, my sports editor. I was almost certain that upon the start of my internship you were going to give me a desk in the basement behind all those stacks of outdated newspapers and kind of just throw food and water and assignments down to me like I was a poor orphan. Instead you brought me right in to the sports circle and involved me. You gave me such a wide variety of assignments, each of which made me such a better writer and reporter. You, like Lina, helped piece together the pathetic patchwork of stories that I turned in. You shot down many ideas, but at the same time you gave me praise. You kept me level-headed and kept my eyes on what was really real in this business--objective and concise journalism. You are the boss and always will be in my eyes, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.
To Jason, my partner in crime of sorts. I feel like it was always you and I versus everyone else. You know--our crazy off the wall ideas and words that no one really understood except us. You were always that guy who had my back and when no one else understood me you were there to pound the fist and say “I know where you’re comin’ from man.” I guess you and I are just on the same esoteric wave-length, right? We were like peons in Carl’s grand sports page scheme-- the worker bees of sorts who never seemed to really be working but rather laughing and carrying on. Also thanks to you for helping me along in becoming a more refined writer…but like I said, always understanding when I wanted to throw something creative in there like “T-Bone.”
To Tracey for realizing how neglected I was and always offering a solution to my complaints--usually it was food related.
To Ariane who saw beyond my arrogance as a Cowboy fan and appreciated all the extra time I made her put into changing every little graphic design on the sports page. I’m sure you’ll be hearing from me twice a year for the rest of your life about how my Boys stomped your Skins.
To Hannah for most of all putting trash on my desk everyday--seeing a messy desk was like a death sentance to me. But more importantly for being able to relate to me. In an office mostly full of fogies you were the person most closest in age to me and was always able to level with me. And I apologize for always giving you crap about just taking pictures of houses and taking two hour lunch breaks, even though I'm sure that's all you did. I like to think to myself that someday I will be fortunate enough marry someone as smart and as beautiful as you are. You are an amazing person.
To everyone else in the office who I’m sure had to put up with my offensive and annoying voice, attitude and demeanor. I appreciate the entire news staff for letting me come into their professional world and get a taste of what real life and real news work is before it comes and kicks me in the butt.
I leave to go back to school tomorrow. My final year. I’m scared, real scared. Who knows where I will be this time next year--but I hope it is in a similar situation as the one I just left.
I can’t tell everyone how much fun and how enjoyable it was for me to be an intern at the LTM this summer. I know your thinking I’m crazy but it really was a beneficial and enriching experience for me.
We only have one life to live. No one really knows for sure what happens when we die, but we all know death comes. People search everyday to find the meaning of life and some sort of purpose. I feel like I have already found mine. To be a journalist. I don’t care about the medium or the method, I just know it’s what I want to do. I hope that I will eventually become as good of a writer as the people I was honored to be published in the same paper as.
I don’t know how you will each individually choose to remember me--if at all. But I want you to all know that I will never forget my time here this summer at the Loudoun-Times Mirror. And I hope that I might have done something or said something somewhere along the line to make you smile or laugh and to make your day a little better. Regardless, my experience will never be forgotten and I am forever indebted to everyone that works at the office at 9 East Market Street.
I won’t lie, I left the office today fighting back tears because I was really sad to leave after a great summer with great people. I'm sure there are a bunch of grammatical mistakes in this piece, but my intent wasn't to be journalistically correct--it's a piece that comes straight from the heart. So I’d like to leave you with some heart wrenching quote or something like that, but I’m just going to leave you with the smile I have on my face. Thank you all for everything.
-David
"I force a smile, knowing that my ambition far exceeded my talent"
David, it was great working with you this summer. You will do well -- you have good writing instincts. Well, usually -- I noticed that "wading." :) Despite what you said, I really didn't do much to your stories. Have confidence in your skills, and have a great senior year.
Posted by S_Lhashem
Report Offensive Content
David,
Not to get esoteric, but...
You were luckier/smarter than I -- you gave up your athletic dreams to pursue the nerdy profession of sports journalism at an age when I still fancied myself a baseball prospect. Then you entered university with the same goal while I was trying to convince people to give me large sums of money, with limited success. Now you're filling up your résumé with impressive entries while I supplement my food intake with whatever's in the press box.
I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up, whereas you've already got that figured out.
Keep it up. You're good. Get better. Be one of the few.
Make 'em laugh. So you can laugh last.
This blog response isn't as pithy as I had wanted -- you should know that I blame you completely. Us against the world, homie. Peace.
War, Centreville Sentinel.
Jsn S Rfnr
Posted by S_Jrufner
Report Offensive Content
You must be logged in to post a comment.