One thing that has always caused some problems in my life is change. I am used to doing things in certain ways, and it can be worrisome if the changeover presents a challenge.
There have been a lot of these changeovers throughout my journalistic lifetime, the major one being technology.
I have worked on all types of machinery in my early years in journalism…from electric typewriters to one I can’t remember the name of, when we typists would have to type on an “old” machine that if you didn’t get your words in between two bars at the end, the line would be dropped, That happened quite a few times, but it was so sensitive, and so was I.
I am a fast typist, and I remember being handed a story one time to type that contained the names of a lot of countries. It wasn’t even a local story, but I did it.
A co-worker laughed because she noticed I could spell Czechoslovakia right every time but not some of the simpler ones because I was always in a hurry. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
I think we went through quite a few methods over the years to get the newspaper ready for print. Those included the electric typewriter. If you were typing a story and saw you made a mistake on the electric typewriter, you would hit certain keys to erase the error.
I also handled the ticker tape from the syndicated news at times. I memorized the coding on the tape and could probably still describe a few of them, but I won’t bet on it.
Then, years later, along came the computer. It was scary for me at first, but now I don’t know how we ever survived without them. I have much praise for them.
I love Facebook because it keeps me in touch with not only friends all over but has given me lots of story ideas over the years. I don’t do too much of the other social media offerings, but Facebook is fine.
And I’ve been working for an online publication, which I call a magazine/newspaper, My County Link, on a part-time basis for the past couple of years. It has the same concept, and all I have to do is send in my articles and photos and let someone else take care of its publication.
I also left out the photo equipment over the years…the different cameras, and something I am really scared to try….videos. Will it ever happen for me? I don’t know.
I have done a gazillion stories in my life, but they don’t compare to what our co-owner/editor, Gaylen Blosser, does. I am amazed at how he gets to all of the events that he does and still has time to work for the veterans’ organizations in the county and probably at the state level.
I thought I did a lot over the years, but not compared to Gaylen.
I feel bad that I am not able to cover more things now, but hopefully, a visit to a medical specialist today will try and get me back to where I once was. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but manageable, at least. I just hope it’s a great fix with an affordable outcome that doesn’t involve surgery or prescribed medications. I can handle over-the-counter remedies for a natural cure.
In the meantime, I will keep praying things will work out for the best. That’s all I can do.
I’m not ready to give up yet.
Those wanting to get hold of me can do so at linjam66@gmail.com
******
Jamie and I extend our condolences to the families and friends of Inez Clevenger, Dan Billenstein, Todd Crawford, Helen Karn, Dallas Osting, Harold “Skip” Hoover, Lavone Birt, Kenneth “Jack” Midlam and Mary Ellen (Schlechty) Fields.
******
Please pray for these people: Kara Didier, Carl Francis, Phyllis Brumbaugh, Sonny Custer, Betty Burnfield, Dan Lockhart, Roberta Hall, Pam Norman-Penticuff, Kelly Kelch, Michelle Coppess Hiestand, Mike Mayse, Greg Moody, Kelly Jo Eikenberry (kidney transplant) and son Allen (donor), Larry Linder, Steve Waymire, Allison “Ally” Miller, Grace Boyd, Jeff Brocious, Jamie Knick, Jenny Pitman, Nikole Baldridge, Chester Bryant, Melinda (Batten) Stacy, Michelle Young, Margaret Hoening, Manual Macias, Kathy McNutt Dapore, Lester Beisner, Delores Beisner, Kermit Foureman, Chuck “C.W.” Cruze, Mark Lovejoy.
Also, Connie Buemi Hodson, Michelle Grottle Wright, Judy York, Donald Booker, Dennis Leeper, Connie Stachler, Randy Heck, Ronnie Norton, Jeremy “Jerm” Burke, Gary Eichler, David Pretzman, Clinton Randall, Ralph Byrd, Doug Winger, Rusty Maloy, Debbie Mayse, Sonja and Dan Coppess, Jeanie Francis, Harvey Hinshaw, Bruce Kaiser, Amanda Mote, Gary Francis, Anthony and Theresa Grillot, Lee Everhart, Paul Gigandet, Doug Whittington, Tracy Pratt, D’Arleen Waymire, Zach Urbancic, John Rimmer, Joan Keen, Carol Hemmerich, Larry P. Fitzwater, Jim Thomas, Neal Gray, Michael Mowery, Kenny Edwards, Judie Hathaway, Ned and Brenda Wallace, Rick Marker, Randy Garrison, Jannie Barrow, Kathy Gragorace, Danny Foster, Becky Everhart, Becky Oliver, Steve Neff, James Enicks, Cathy Collins Peters, Donna Bixler, Linda Subler, Sally Burnett Ganger, Gloria Hodge, Jeff Baltes, Cathy Melling, Scott Clark, and all of those who are suffering from other life-altering illnesses.
******
Happy birthday:
Nov. 15 to Adam LIette, Ryan Carpe, Randy Mayo, Doug Lyme, Haleigh Luce, Jeremy Pepper, Ryan Bayman and Karen Gibboney.
Nov. 16 to Derek Specht, Chelsea Thwaits, Caron Stoltz and Rowena Stump.
Nov. 17 to Goethe Rodeheffer and wife Patty, Jerry Neal, Shirley Marker, John Boehner, Shawna Meadows, twins Jacob and Caleb Custer, Denny Barga, Grace Widener, Steve Mills, and Kara Reier.
Nov. 18 to Greg Whittington, Mona Stachler, Deborah Pohl, Menddi Burns, and Kara Harter.
Nov. 19 to Susie Brown, Evan Mann, and Pam Idle.
Nov. 20 to Nina Bensman Barga, Dave Shellhaas, Jake DeMange, Dave Westfall, Kenny Edwards, Steve Mehaffie and Sondra Armstrong.
Nov. 21 to Jacob Erwin, Tracy Leeper Wendel, Dalton Burk, Phyllis Bennett, Michelle Coppess-Hiestand, Yvonne Runner and Katrina Hoening.
Happy anniversary to Jim and Robin Hesson, Dane and Linda Leeper, and Jack and Jodi Smith, all on Nov. 20.
******
