Another week, another sore thumb.
Last week my left thumb was throbbing from all the writing I was doing. To compensate I switched my spacebar thumb to my right side. And, well, now both my thumbs hurt.
It was another incredible week of newsing.
NRHEG’s sports banquet was Tuesday night and what I couldn’t be more grateful for, may surprise you. All but one of the NRHEG coaches provided me with a copy of their speech in electronic format. Last year I had to listen through the entire banquet recorded on my phone, the equivalent of 2-3 times in order to write all of the articles from the event. This year, I didn’t have to do any of that.
I was also able to solely focus on taking pictures because I wasn’t worried about getting their speeches or taking notes. If I’m being honest I wasn’t going to take notes or listen through the recording again in order to take notes. I quite literally can’t do that much typing on a computer anymore if I want to avoid surgery on my hands.
They have a saying in basketball playoff time, “survive and advance.” Well I say, “adapt or avoid.”
On the bright side, I would have written season summaries regardless as I was at a lot of the games for every team, and (yes they’re all important) all of the important games and matches.
I was reminded Tuesday night during the banquet why I wrote about John Schultz last week. His name and the words “thank you” were spoken in the same line many times that evening. It made me glad I put in those extra hours on that story.
Those extra hours also earned me a new “first.” Mark Domeier told me I wrote a great story. Albeit after correcting an error about when John started coaching. Still, given how much praise, rightfully so, he gives me sister, it felt nice. My dad told me two of my stories in the past week were quote, “Not award worthy.” I really felt good about the story about John and also the stories I wrote about the Petsinger family and Annabelle’s state championship. I plan to submit both of those stories for recognition in the MNA writing contest this fall. We’ll find out then whose right.
My dad covered/wrote about the Petsingers, all four of Annabelle’s uncles, when they were going through that run of wrestling success. He was literally there, so for him, the Petsingers have just always been great.
Thursday was the annual Farm and City Luncheon. Two New Richland folks were recognized: Mark Bernard and Charlie Priebe.
That was cool.
So, to make a football reference but for my writing career, it was that first hard week of football practice which has a nickname not appropriate for print.
But somehow I made it through, and in a timely manner I might add. I guess that’s because I did it all last year.
Oh and I can’t forget Waldorf. They will have more than one article in the coming weeks with updates from their city council about their mural and Veteran’s Memorial Park.
Exciting stuff.
And if I didn’t mention it, all other hours were spent writing and talking to people. Two things I love.
"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." — Anne Bradstreet