my ode to journalism

I couldn't leave journalism without one last Big Story. Okay, so it didn't end up being much of a story, but when the newsroom was hopping and no one knew where the next funnel cloud would whip up, it was at least the possibility of a Big Story and a reminder of one of the things I'll miss the most.

There's nothing I've found in my quarter-century of life quite like the feeling of a buzzing newsroom - the excitement of being at the center of information during a moment when lives are being changed, and the charm of experiencing that amid a collection of intensely curious people.

These are folks who pursue challenges as a trade ... no wonder so many are reluctant to give up on the cantankerous industry. And as much as newsrooms can resemble some caricature sketch, loaded with exaggerated personalities and eccentric quirks, they've also been full of people I'm thankful to know. People who have challenged me and taught me. People who have inspired me.

When I leave journalism next week, it will be with no small amount of nostalgia. But it will be with a headful of lessons and a heartful of gratitude. Not to mention more than a few inspirations for that novel I may write one of these decades ...

But it's time to move on. Vaya con Dios, journalism.