Finding the constant in this crazy world we live in

“Thank you for meeting with me again. This shouldn’t take too long,” Ian said.

I knew not to get my hopes up. After all, this was the umpteenth time I had interviewed for a job, and what I assumed would’ve been another job interview that led to either being turned away from the job or never hearing from the company again.

Ian would go on to talk about the specifics of the job, before dropping this line: “Still interested? Okay, we’d like to offer you a position.”

I froze.

The door actually opened?

I had gotten so used to seeing these doors close left and right, and was growing more accustomed to the idea of lugging my car to Rockford every day until I eventually moved to Austin, Texas.

Fast forward three months (by the time this column publishes), and I am all the happier. Sure, it’s still a little bit of a commute to Evanston, but the benefits — job security, schedule — far outweigh anything I could have pictured.

This is my way of saying hello to all of you. As many of you have probably read at this point, I will assume some of the responsibilities of editorial management and am excited about the opportunity. You may also recognize my byline, as I have been writing for the Sun Day for about two years.

I have known since freshman year of high school that I’ve wanted to pursue writing as a career. Leading up to my first day of school, I had heard the stories from my older brother about being on the student newspaper: the late deadlines, the free food, the ability to travel across the country to meet others and learn how to be a better writer. Something clicked where I just knew I wanted to be there.

Granted, it did not come without its set of challenges, as I was almost fired for incorrectly reporting a source’s last name (never assume because they’re family, they share a surname). Thankfully, I was not, and that memory will forever remain with me.

By sophomore year of high school, I had my sights set on journalism as a career. I’d continued that dream, even through a sophomore year of college mass closure of newspapers globally, which prompted my loved ones to urge me to, you know, maybe consider a back-up?

I figured I could still make a career out of it, but boy was I tested.

My first post-college job? Hours drastically cut, but job duties kept expanding.

My second? Announced in May 2013 it was moving to Austin, Texas, by October of that year (I was onboard at that point) but would spend the next year pushing that date back, keeping communication relatively quiet and not making the move worthwhile (last I checked, they’re just now moving).

There were plenty of reasons to quit the writing profession — to quit journalism — and there were days that I thought about such actions. Enter the Sun Day.

This has been my one constant for the past two years, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunities provided. I look forward to expanding my role over these coming months, and I look forward to hearing from you in the process.

As a side note: I currently work in Evanston (and live in Prospect Heights), so you may not see my face constantly in Sun City. I will attempt to make it out there as often as I can, but given the year and a half of driving back and forth to Rockford, my car has aged poorly.

I ask only this: please be patient with me. My job duties in Evanston take up the early into mid-morning, at which time I am not able to answer my phone or check my email. But I will once I’m done. If I do not respond to an email or return your phone call right away, know that I will. I’ve been on your end, waiting for contact that may never arrive. Except I won’t do that.

If I don’t respond to you right away via phone, shoot me an email. It should be listed to the left. If you have any sort of idea for a story, even if it’s something you heard, let me know. I’m looking to you to be my eyes and ears in Sun City. And I’m looking forward to the stories you may share.

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