I’m finally at a loss for words

As I sit here and attempt to fill this space with words, I find that I am a loss for them. A strange thing that, considering I make my living through words - both spoken and written.

Or perhaps it’s more appropriate to say I don’t have enough room for all the words I want to write, all the things I want to say and all the people I want to mention. After all, how does one list all the many, many people that have made an impact on me during my time in central Wisconsin, and specifically Abbotsford and Colby?

I’m sure by now you’re wondering just what it is I am trying to get at. I guess what I’m attempting to do is say my goodbyes. It’s a hard thing to write those words, harder still to see it happen.

But yes, my time here, and as your reporter, is quickly coming to an end. And how quickly, how swiftly it seems to come!

It feels like only yesterday that I came here, a guy who wanted to test himself and prove himself. A guy who wanted to know if this crazy profession called journalism was a good fit.

I definitely answered that question for myself, and hopefully to all my readers as well. I’ve won awards from my peers, with several shiny plaques adorning the walls of my cubicle and the walls of the front office.

But the awards are not why I do what I do, or why I took so much pleasure being youre reporter. What really made this job so memorable and enjoyable was the people.

I met so many wonderful people. People who are kind and caring and fun-loving and interesting and so much more than this poor space can possibly fit.

I’m sure many of you are wondering what happened and why I have chosen now to bid my adieu. The truth is, I’m tired. The last year has been a true struggle, with sports not starting until late spring, and going right into the summer and the festival season. During this whole time, my editor Kevin O’Brien was dealing with his mysterious medical malady. I shouldered a lot of the burden through the summer, covering festivals and meetings and sports.

The lay-off from sports was incredibly short. The spring season did not end until late June, a month later than normal years. Of course, the last few years have been anything but normal with COVID-19. But that’s life. It throws curve balls at you, forces you to zig when you would have preferred to zag. No bigger curveball was thrown my way than when Kevin resigned at the beginning of this year.

I have endeavored to carry on as best I could, but eventually the burden became too great, the constraints on my own life too much, and the strain of trying to hold it all together was greater than I could handle.

So, to take of myself, I have also made the hard decision to step away. Now, I’m not done with journalism, and I’m still here for another week and half. So if you happen to see me walking outside, or covering a game, stop by and chat with me. If there was ever a story you liked that I wrote, please let me know.

And now that no matter where I go, I’ll take the memory of you with me for as long as I live.

M USINGS AND G RUMBLINGS

ROSS PATTERMANN REPORTER