Changes
Edelweiss
… They are a comin’.
The past week and a half has been a complete whorl wind (hence the lack of updates here). A whorl wind in a good and a bad way.
I work for a small, daily community paper. Or rather, I should say worked (in a few weeks). I like my job, it’s not the dream job, but it’s a job that gave me some level of fulfilment, and my co-workers were fabulous.
On July 2nd we found out a competing paper bought us.
On July 5th we found out they were shutting us down.
On July 9th we found out they’re shutting us down as of July 16th.
That puts about 30-odd employees completely out of a job, not to mention the casual and part time staff that are now out the extra income. Not even including the 110+ carriers we employ (many of which were adults).
In a town of just under 10,000 people, that’s a big blow.
There’s no one person to blame (not even the company that bought us), but a large and long line of things that maybe could have been done, but weren’t. But it’s in the past, nothing can be done about it now.
Me, personally, I’m fine. I don’t have kids, or car payments, or a mortgage to worry about. Life will move on, and I’m positive there are bigger and better things ahead of me. In fact, things are looking hopeful with me getting a position at one of the other papers in another market that the company that bought us out operate in.
Which, of course, brings me to my next whorl wind event.
We’re moving. Me, B., and the dog are all picking up and moving on. And we’re moving on in a few months. To Victoria, in fact, a city that I’ve lived in before and quite enjoyed. Victoria is warm, it rarely snows, and it has the best gardening weather in Canada.
Nelson doesn’t hold much for any of us anymore, and it’ll be nice to be closer to family.
Of course this now means I have to orchestrate the moving of the seed bank. I’m excited with the prospects of having the seed bank in a much more highly populated area, especially one that is renowned for its gardens and gardeners. I smell good things in the future.
I did say this was a good and bad whorl wind. It’s mostly bad because I feel for my wonderful co-workers who are here in Nelson, who do have the car payments and the kids and are now out a rather good job. I also feel bad for a paper that’s been running for 109 years and is now being shut down, no longer to be a part of the history of this town (or, I guess rather, relegated completely to history).
But it’s mostly a good whorl wind. I’m excited, I’ve been itching to move for a while, and this is a good kick in the ass to do it. As I said, I feel good and wonderful things in the future. Scratch that, it’s not just a good feeling, I know there are good things lined up for the future.
I’m sorry about the paper–it’s symptomatic of the plight that is ravaging newspapers around the world, but I especially feel for small town, locally oriented papers like yours. It sucks enormously. However, your own whorl wind of changes (love it!) sound like very good news. So that is a happy thing. Wish you all the best.
Have you ‘met’ young Owen Bridge, who lives here in NS? He operates a small seed company but he moved here with his family FROM BC; he got his start as a pre-teen, and I don’t think he’s even 18 yet, but he’s doing very well. I’m sure you and he would have much to talk about. You can email me or DM me on Twitter if you want contact info.
Hey! Victoria rocks! You’ll love it here – we’ve got the BEST gardening weather too! I just found your blog and having a good read. I think we have something else in common, not sure yet….. must read more! Hey, your photos are fantastic – lovely blog!