Former Print Journalist Heads to the Web

I would prefer not to call myself a grizzled newspaper veteran, but if the moniker fits ....

I got my start as a journalist by writing obituaries and formatting press releases for my hometown newspaper before my freshman year in college. In those days, the state-of-the-art computer technology I relied upon was a Compu-Graphic that weighed as much as my rusty Plymouth Horizon, and probably got just as good gas mileage.

As I climbed the newspaper hierarchy from obituaries to the sports department, to crime reporter, to government reporter and eventually to editor and designer, the computers got smaller. But, budgets got smaller, too, as did the news hole and -- if you believe the circulation statistics -- newspaper readership.

I changed careers to stay-at-home parent just before the newspaper business fell on awful times during the Great Recession. That was a terrible stretch for many of my former colleagues, as a number of them lost their jobs or were subjected to pay and benefit reductions. But, unfortunately, that's a common story in many industries recently.

While I still have affection for newsprint, I am excited about most of the new media. I love online news outlets, and I am addicted to Twitter. Facebook? Not such a big fan.

So, when the opportunity to become a blogger for Patch opened up, I jumped at the chance. Honestly, I emailed Patch Editor Corey Butler within about 90 seconds of seeing the announcement about the introduction on blogging on Patch.

It's time to climb back into the saddle. Or, rather, it's time to reboot my hard drive. Whatever works, I guess.

I plan to have a good time with this blog, writing about whatever is on my mind at the moment -- whether that be promoting great class offerings at the Y, celebrating the first glorious day of spring (which we haven't experienced yet this year), detailing my latest home improvement project go wrong or questioning the merits of our elected leaders. 

Maybe I will leave the government stuff to better informed bloggers.

In addition, I will pass along some FYI's and need-to-knows. For instance, this week, the center of my universe is a sobering topic: . I am helping my wife with a project she has been working on for months. It is called "," which will be conducted this Saturday (May 7) at First United Church of Christ in Northfield.

My wife's mom committed suicide in 1984, when my wife was a teenager. Not exaggerating here, this tragic act has impacted my wife's life one way or another every day for the past 26 years. How could it not, considering the importance of our elders in all of our lives?

In the coming weeks, I am sure I will pass along thoughts about another suicide prevention-related event in which my wife and I are taking part. We are walking in the Into the Darkness Overnight, an 18-mile fundraising walk through New York City June 4-5.

That means I'd better get walking!