Today the article about Isabelle was published in the local paper. A paper I used to work at. By a woman who once upon a time, was a good friend of mine. This meant a lot to me and I couldn’t hold in my excitement when I saw the front page with a picture of Chris and Isabelle on it. Front page. Holy shit.
My newspaper past has come up recently and I have enjoyed spending some time in those memories of paste up. Remembering when I applied for my first job out of college and began a career with the largest pair of scissors ya ever did see. Someone posted a picture of Photoshop version 3.0 3 1/4 discs and immediately I remembered the day those came in and the lucky few who had it installed on their new PowerMacs. I was one of them, and that changed my career from an aspiring reporter to a graphic designer. I can still see the house photos I had to scan in for real estate ads.
After being at the Rutland Herald for a few years I decided it was time for me to come back to Massachusetts. I brought my husband and one year old daughter with me. I was going to get a design job that would launch a great career. Let’s just say that didn’t happen and I ended up at the Old Colony through a series of events called “Working at the Community Newspaper Company with Angry Hippies who Lived on the Cape.” When I got the call that the job was going to be offered to me I was so excited. I was going to work right up the street from my house. I could bring our daughter to school. A month after I started I ended up getting a divorce and thrust myself into the single parent life.
I met some amazing people at the paper. Emily Clark is one of many. Kim Keyes, Jim Curran, Nan Anastasia, Mark Pothier (who probably wouldn’t know me if I ran right into him), Ed Colley, Tom Santiago, Joanne, Walter, Tamson Burgess, Sandy Barker, Tom Booth and Bob Bishop. It was an incredible time and I learned a lot. Looking back I wonder if I should have left when I did. The road I chose has been very unpredictable and hard. It has been so unbelievably hard. I’ve met some great people on those travels too, but none have been like the ones I met at the paper. It was truly an incredible time in my life when I was learning what path I wanted to take as an artist.
Hearing Emily’s voice on the phone the other day made me feel as though I had come full circle. It was awesome. Like having a cup of coffee with an old friend. I can’t imagine anyone else I would want to write our story. My past met my present and future.
hopeinaheartshape 