We all strive for balance in our lives. Or at least, I think we all do.
If you do not or did not struggle to balance your work life with your family activities, you are/were one of a fortunate few. Even after we became empty nesters, carving out personal time with my wife was often a challenge — which explains her eager anticipation of my retirement from full time duties back in … wow, I can’t believe it has been a bit more than six years already.
She has wondered aloud, on occasion, whether I ever really did retire but she will readily admit that there’s no comparison. A number of my friends have completely retired. Frankly I don’t know how they do it. I like to have something to do, but six-plus years later I am beginning to question my balance.
This is not, I feel compelled to insert at this point, any kind of announcement. God willing, I will continue to contribute to the N-B efforts to some degree which gives me something to do that I enjoy and keeps me out of jail (as I often tell my friends). There will obviously come a time, but that’s not the point of this Saturday morning entry. So yes, I digress.
For years, my morning routine was, to say the least, rushed. Get up and go. Six days a week. My wife says I have mastered the art of dilly-dallying in the morning. Recently however, particularly since we returned from our now-annual January change of latitude, I’ve had a number of projects close enough to deadline to have reason to cut the dillies and dallies a little short. Which has led me to question that balance. Maybe she’s right. How “retired” are you if you’re worried about balance?
But not this past Monday morning. There was a story I’d come across that needed finished up, but it was not on deadline. So it was a good time to mosey in later than normal and clean up a desk that had become overly disorganized more than normal. It is instructive in what was found.
• Regular readers will not be surprised that there were loose papers of data and printouts of emails and spreadsheets — all things property taxes. Some of it was notes from conversations and interviews, some of which includes angles that might develop into another story some day. They all went onto the Property Tax Pile that is (no exaggeration) now more than three inches tall (I measured it). That will need some further culling some day.
• A bunch of local historical stuff that I thought I might do a story about on another “some day.” Most of it is from Craig Leonard, some also from Kenny Ellenberger. I miss his occasional calls.
• Some notes about Wells County generals. In the aftermath of our own Mike Stohler being promoted to the rank of general in the Indiana Air National Guard sometime last year, we wondered in print whether there had ever been any other generals from these parts. There have been. I need to put that back up towards the top of my to-do list.
• Some other notes written on a napkin, buried in one of the piles. I cannot even interpret what story it might have been about. An easy trash-or-keep decision.
• Several clippings that I thought might be developed into a Saturday column some day. My favorite is a story that Ernst & Young, a large — well, “mega” would apply — accounting and consulting firm, agreed to pay a $100 million fine because some of its auditors had cheated on a required exam. What were the exams about? Ethics. You can’t make this stuff up. But I am equally amazed that a company can afford to pay a $100 million fine.
• There were several emails received in the wake of the story about the Craigville railroad depot that’s now been restored. Again, the thought had been there might be a column there some day. The jury’s still out.
• A folder with Joe Smeken’s name on it. Justin Peeper and I have been working on getting Joe inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame. Frankly, we were quite amazed that he was not included in the 2019 Class; we were, with encouragement, told his name would remain on the nomination list. And then 2020 happened; there have been no new classes but we were again given encouraging news.
Looking for any kind of update, a quick internet search found that a Class of 2023 has been selected and will be inducted in April. Arggh. Frankly, I am not encouraged after reading their resumes. These six made it and Joe did not? Theirs were distinguished careers, and we are admittedly biased, but some day, maybe justice will prevail.
• There were any number of our older publications like Who We Are and Fact Books. The older ones can be tossed, but it reminded me that this year’s Who We Are, still one of the N-B projects that I’ve held onto, will need some planning some day. Soon.
Balance. Well, at least my workspace looks a little more balanced. That was some day.
miller@news-banner.com
