News is a tough business

It has been a very rough month. Starting the end of December it seemed there were things going on almost every week that needed to be covered for the newspaper. I felt like I was working at a daily and I was the only reporter. I only have a couple of people who can cover news, and they had already been given assignments. I took the brunt of the work and was doing some of it with up-to-the-minute updates on our Facebook page. (We're going to redo our Web site this year. It doesn't allow for quick updates.)

While I admit I am a huge news nerd, and I usually live for this kind of stuff-- a kidnapping, a pharmacy burglary, post office mailbox thefts (two of them, the huge blue boxes) and a beached dead whale( very sad) and a trash truck that barreled down a hill with no brakes and landed in the water (driver was OK)-- after a few weeks of this, plus all of my regular duties, I was tired.

I'm still tired. And I'm fighting a sinus infection and some other strange symptoms, and trying to carry on like nothing is wrong with me. 

The blessing is that I get to work from home. It allows me to take breaks when I need to go rest, and I can work late if I need to.

I'm handling a lot of things I never dreamed I'd be handling, ever. I always said I would never become an editor. To me it seemed like a boring job and people hate editors. I never imagined being in charge, because it just wasn't something I ever thought I could do.

Now I'm an Executive editor, not just editor. I not only get to edit, I get to handle all of the business transactions, make those really tough decisions that aren't popular, and deal with things I never knew were brewing out there. 

It has taught me so much and I understand a little bit about some of the past bosses I've had. I can see where they were right, and I can also see where they were wrong. I think about the good ones and how they handled things, and I try hard to emulate them. 

Grace under pressure in this position is sometimes very difficult. I pray a lot, and I read what I can about management when I have a moment.

I've learned more about hiring procedures, firing procedures, non-profit status, how to delegate, how to recognize a person's strengths and weaknesses when it comes to their talents, and how to try to give them the tools to become great at what they do.

I still have SO MUCH to learn. 

I'm learning a lot about myself. My weaknesses especially. I am trying to find ways to strengthen myself too. 

This job doesn't pay a lot, but it's enough to keep us sheltered and fed. And I love being home with Sean. And with everything that has happened with layoffs and newspapers shutting down, I'm very thankful to have this job. I get to do what I love, and get paid to do it.