My Last Day
My Last Day
Dear Bosslady,
It is with some reservation that I must tell you this: Today is my last day at Daddy Daycare and Wordworks Emporium, Inc. I’d have told you earlier—given you my two weeks notice, perhaps—if I thought you’d understand. Frankly, it’s a small miracle that you even know who I am, or at least it feels like a miracle when I hear you say, “Dah-dah.” (My heart aflutters especially fast when you enunciate a little extra, “Dat-tee.”)
The unfortunate part is that I’m leaving your side, which has been my special joy for the majority of the last 17 months. For a while, it will be your Mommy—fresh from her latest semester and off for the summer—who will get to witness and then relay stories about your day. I will take the night shift: feeding, bathing and readying you for sleep. We will reserve most of our playing for the weekend and holidays.
You know I wouldn’t do this if there wasn’t a good reason. A great reason, in fact. This Monday, I will begin work at WMAZ as the Manager of Digital Content, joining their excellent editorial team and leading a talented trio to further develop their web-first news culture and increasing their reach on digital platforms, among other exciting things.
Between us, Madeline, I’m thrilled to be back in journalism. If I may, I’m nuts about storytelling and I’m enthralled by the potential for online news. Not to sound selfish, but this really couldn’t get any better for me. This is a rare and awesome opportunity, which is another reminder that I may, in fact, be the world’s luckiest man.
I know, I know. I have worked hard and I like staying busy because nothing is ever really handed to you. But when I think about you and your Mom and how I got here, I can’t help but feeling like I have a debt I can never repay. That’s part of this too, though. Because I don’t feel like I deserve a kid as wonderful as you or a wife as fantastic as your mom, I know I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to prove myself worthy of you.
Likewise, but obviously different, I am fortunate to have this chance to be part of a news organization that I’ve respected all my life. I have no doubt that they had their pick of quality applicants and I know they took hiring for this position seriously, which makes me want to work that much harder to prove myself worthy of it.
So it’s going to take some getting used to. I’ll have a new schedule with long days. I’ll be on-call some weekends and whenever there’s serious breaking news. And when you see me clean-shaven and regularly wearing a shirt and tie, don’t panic—I’m just dressing like an adult now.
You’ll wake up shortly and I’ll get you some breakfast then get you ready for your swim lesson. You’ll look adorable in the pool—and you’ll probably cry some too. If I could, I’d take you for ice cream afterwards, but maybe we’ll just go home for a snack, play with some toys, do some dancing, roam wild outside and take a little nap then see how cute you can be when you get up, see if there’s any way you can out-cute your bedtime.
Do as you please today, Pickleface. I’m going to enjoy it no matter what.
Yours,
Dad, Vice President of Tickling and Piggyback Rides
FAQ
Q: Wait. No more tickles or piggyback rides?
A: There’ll be plenty of both, just not during the workday. The resignation thing was just a running metaphor that I probably stretched too far with my sign-off here, but I don’t care because it’s my blog and I can do that if I want to.
Q: Speaking of, what’re you doing with your blog?
A: Not sure yet. Want to figure out how to do the blog and my job, so in the meantime, out of respect for my new situation, I’m on hiatus. Sometime soon, we’ll know where ThisChrisHorne.com, the Macon 500 and whatnot fits into what I’m doing. Seriously, my blog has been my outlet when I haven’t been working as a journalist—acts as a steam valve, vents me so I don’t blow up. Going back to my days at The 11th Hour, I hardly blogged once I got on board there even though I was doing it all the time leading up to it. So we’ll see.
Q: Are you going to be on TV?
A: Maybe, but not as much as I’ll be off-screen. If I do show up on the tele, my apologies in advance because WMAZ is in HD.
Q: What happens to the Crossroads Writers Conference, quite possibly the most amazing writers’ conference on the planet—nay, the universe?
A: It continues this October 5-7, 2012, but this time at the Marriott City Center like a real live conference, and we’ve got an incredible group of out-of-town guest writers representing novelists and nonprofit founders, editors, screenwriters, poets and publishers and a Pulitzer Prize winner. Like NaNoWriMo founder Chris Baty, Bernice McFadden, Adam Mansbach, Nichelle Tramble, Chuck Wendig, Susannah Breslin, Kevin Coval, Rosemary Daniel, Kevin Maurer and Mitch Weiss, Johanna Ingals, Charles Bethea, Annabelle Carr, and some of our favorite local and state folks are coming back, like Sarah Domet, Lauretta Hannon, Tony Grooms, Robert Venditti, Barry Reese and the awesome Emilie Bush. In other words, I get to keep doing Crossroads, which makes me extremely happy. (Stay tuned to www.CrossroadsWriters.org for details.)
Q: What about last summer’s youthful indiscretion?
A: If by that you mean my unsuccessful run for city council, I’m sure it gave my new bosses pause but I’ve assured them—as I’ve said to everyone else for months and months—that I’m done with running for office. To be on the safe side, I’m recusing myself from coverage of city council.
Q: So you’re not a reporter?
A: No. No one wants to see that. They have lots and lots of trained professionals there, and I’m going to do my best to make their audience bigger. That’s one of my prime directives.
Q: So you’re Robocop?
A: You caught that. Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.
Q: What’d you think of “The Avengers”?
A: I think this is going off the rails now, but I’m glad you asked. It was well-done and though I didn’t adore it, I think it deserves the hype. I’d probably even see it again in the theatre, which has become increasingly rare, if for no other reason than it may be a perfect popcorn flick. Best thing about it: Joss Whedon and Mark Ruffalo rescued The Hulk franchise.
Q: Do you feel like admitting you liked “The Five-Year Engagement”?
A: What is this?
Q: I ask the questions here. Now answer.
A: Yes, I liked it. More than I thought possible. Extremely well cast, very well written and it featured the most realistic couples fight I’ve seen on film. Now, can we go?
Q: Sure.
Good for Daddy. It will be good for Maddy too. But don’t be surprised if you get misty for a few weeks at the thought of not being home. I’m sure you have already.
If by “misty” you mean welling up like a dammed river… yep.
How very lucky she was to have had you home with her for so long. And lucky for you to have all those amazing memories to pull from when your grown up job becomes at times shitty and unbearable.(and no matter how great a job it is;
it will) Congratulations and best of luck on your new adventure!
Thank you, Tina. That’s exactly how I’m trying to take it too. Storing some of these memories for those rainy days. (And those days when we’re threatened with a tornado and I have to be at the station.)
Well Stated and I want to also Wish You God’ Blessings in your new endeavor.
I am confident that WMAZ has placed their confidence in the correct, talented person.
I, also wish you well!!!!
Congratulations, Vice President of Ticklin’ and Piggyback Rides. You served in that Office very well. Your constituent was always smiling and happy when I saw her exercising her citizenship.
Your new position is the next step in serving her some more. Soon, it will be new hairdos, new high fashion shoes in all the colors to match the dresses, hair ornaments, lipstick, etc. No pressure and nothing compared to the dating age when all the boys that show up at your door will be suspect of whatever your imagination congers up, Over Protective Dad!
Good thing that is a Lifetime Position!!!
Are you tired, already!!?
amb
Alice, that makes me want a nap… and a drink. Wow. Thanks for the kind words (and the preview of things to come)!