Big step in a new direction

By Scott T. Holland
Associate Editor

February 14, 2007 11:29 am

— Dear Mom,
Well, it’s official. We’re packing up and moving to Ottawa — Illinois, not Canada — leaving behind family, friends, our church and the first house we ever owned. The house we brought our baby home to, the house we put our meager life savings into, the house I almost can’t bear to leave.
But, duty calls, and after a lot of deliberation, Kristie and I decided this new job is the best thing for our family for the long term. It was a tough call (you know, we leaned on you and Dad for advice), especially since I so enjoyed my time at the Herald and living in Clinton. Yet sometimes you just know when something feels right, like at my wedding, and you realize you’re being led in a specific direction.
I’ll be the associate editor of the newspaper there, working closely with a talented team of reporters, photographers and page designers to produce an excellent local newspaper, something I have a lot of experience doing after four and a half years with the Herald. In that time I’ve seen a lot of changes — pushed hard for more than a few myself — and am really proud of the work we’ve been able to do as a team.
I’ve also enjoyed coming to work every day, something they don’t tell you about at the college career services department. There’s something to be said for liking the people you work with — trading rapid-fire pop culture references, dodging projectiles thrown in protest of a bawdy comment and listening to an animatronic turkey sing “Feliz Navidad” over and over and over and over again.
When I was in Independence, we played name that tune to the oldies station with the loser agreeing to buy lunch and laughed about who got what stuck in the wax machine. In Clinton, we discuss whether Randy Newman sang the song that plays during the opening credits of “Major League” and use baseball-reference.com to see which Cub outfielder has worse career numbers against left-handed pitchers (Jacque Jones).
But living in a town is more than just a job, it’s about being part of a community. I wish I had lingered longer during my last summer walk on Riverview Drive, not knowing then it’d be my last as a permanent resident. Every time I go to church now I feel sad because of how many good times we’ve had there, the people we’ve met and the things we’ve done. I’ll miss the kids from youth group and my tone chime choir, the people from our small group and the unpredictable nature of Pastor Scott’s children’s sermons. In fact, I may never again see a raw chicken used as a prop during a worship service.
I’ll miss playing drums with the Fulton High marching band and having impromptu picnics at Eagle Point Park. I’ll miss admiring the architecture on Fifth Avenue South and dodging potholes on nearly every city street (well, I guess I won’t miss that part, but there’s at least one pothole in every town).
As you know, Kristie has a lot of family here, and I know they don’t want us to leave. Well, not me, so much, but Jack — and I can’t say I blame them. That I’ll have to be away from him weekdays while Kristie rounds out the year teaching is tough to swallow, but I’m pretty sure he’ll handle it better than I will.
Still, living so close to such a strong extended family has been a blessing in many ways. We’ll be close, though, and back very often. Especially if they feed us.
It’s a brand new adventure, Mom, the kind of thing you tried to prepare me for when I was a carefree kid living in a house where I never cooked dinner, washed laundry or paid a cable bill. Of course, you never had cable when I lived there, but that’s another story. And I washed the cars and mowed the lawn plenty of times, so it’s not like I was a total slouch.
Still, it was home, and a wonderful home at that. It’s the kind of thing I want to create for me and my family, and you’ve done so well leading by example. Even at the age of 27 (and a half) I still feel like a kid sometimes, despite the mortgage payments, trips to the pediatrician and what not. But now it feels like we’re making adult decisions, doing adult things and making our own world.
It’s a bold step, a challenging choice and a thrilling opportunity. I love my yesterdays, cherish each today and have great anticipation for the potential of our tomorrows.
Scott T. Holland has been with the Clinton Herald since Aug. 16, 2002. His last day with the paper is Friday.

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