Because it's time.
I believe I can play a small role in making my hometown a better place to live and that requires me working and living there. I am going to focus my professional efforts on a startup news organization. What will its focus be? That remains to be declared. I have a few ideas, but I need to work through them some more. While following news in Seattle, I realized I cared so much about the place I called home that I could no longer allow myself to not do my part to improve the city I love so much in my own way. I realize I can take the large risk necessary at this time in my life. My last day at seattletimes.com will be Dec. 10 and I'll be returning home the following day. As I said, now's the time.
The Seattle Times has been a great place to work. The journalists there are top-notch, professional and care very deeply about this community. I also work very closely with an amazing, intelligent and dedicated team of Web journalists and I will miss them very much. It's been great to work in a place that allows the freedom seattletimes.com does to try and better tell stories to our audience. I never thought I'd have the opportunity to do the work I've done here.
Hell, I never thought I'd be part of a team as recognized as this newsroom has been over the past year. While I don't want to drop an entire list of names of people that deserve my thanks and have earned my respect (I'll tell them later and possibly post something, too), I do want to take this brief moment to thank David Boardman, Kathy Best and especially Cory Haik for taking a chance on me. The professional and personal lessons I can take from you three will always be remembered and they have my utmost respect.
San Antonio and South Texas: I've missed you so. I look forward to returning home and doing good work for you. I look forward to working with the crew at TheBMPR again. And what the hell, I'm going to return to school, too. I'm both excited and nervous as hell about this next step in my life. I hope I can live up to my expectations and do right by those who have done so much for me, whether it be in person or digitally.
All my best wishes to Seattle and The Seattle Times. And my love to those at seattletimes.com who know they mean so much to me.
