As I watch the blinking cursor my mind spins with so many things that I could type. The first column of a new year. So much potential ahead of us, memories to be made and opportunities awaiting.
But then there’s the rain. The days, upon days of much needed rain we’ve received in our area, which is a good thing. However inconvenient it might be, it was a welcome way to send out the 2022 year – almost poetic in many ways.
What was not so delightful would be the amount received inside our 122 South Third building. Yes, rain water has become a common occurrence around our building on days of heavy rain. As most of you know, 122 South Third is an old girl. Standing tall as the home of the Oakdale Leader for decades.
Editor Marg Jackson has penned her column on this topic and what it means for us as a staff in her column space “Marg-Ins” this week.
There just seemed to be a poetic side to it all for me, as I woke up New Year’s Day to a bedroom full of bright light which rang promise of opportunity. That’s how I feel about 2023.
Truth be told, isn’t this the way most optimists greet a new year? This time, however, felt different and much of that stems from our pending move to a new location in the new year.
Case in point, I am writing this from home in the wee hours of the morning, snuggled under some blankets well before the sun (or my children) rises. I have officially written from my desk at 122 South Third for the last time, thanks to the rain. The water which is now occupying our building has largely taken over the corner where my desk has been perched for the past several years.
As the ceiling tiles above my desk continued to grow like an expectant mother it seemed best and most prudent to simply pack up my things and house them in our new location until move in day. So yes, from now until then, I’ll simply work as a freelancer does, carting my laptop with me wherever I go and keeping notes of things to come in my day timer.
As I thought about it before typing this piece this morning, I thought about our old building, her patch jobs here and there over the years. A small renovation a decade ago and her overall tired nature as so much of the space is now filled with storing stuff rather than people. She’s due some TLC and perhaps some fresh new life and so are we.
Looking to our new space is very much different to what we have become accustomed. I for one have not taken it well, but that’s a topic for a different day, as right now, we just need to make things happen. Sometime in this month of January, hopefully sooner rather than later, the eight of us will mark our movables and head west on F Street.
It will be different, that is for sure. Yet just as the sun shone on New Year’s Day 2023, I feel this transition will bring a similar spirit to our new building as we navigate together how the building will lay out, where will everyone go and how will it function in a proper office space.
Personally, I’m excited to have a proper office again. Not to mention super jazzed to be sharing the space with my colleague and friend Virginia Still as we look to the new year and all the brainstorming we have planned for the 209 Magazine, as well as podcast. It’s going to be fun and it’s been decades since I’ve had a proper roomy so I’m here for it for sure.
Mostly it’s just going to be nice to not be tripping over tarps and moving buckets to get into my desk.
So as the rain continues to tease us with future promise, here’s to taking cover, staying dry as much as possible and greeting a new year, with a fresh new start. Cheers.
Teresa Hammond is a staff reporter for The Oakdale Leader, The Riverbank News and The Escalon Times. She may be reached at thammond@oakdaleleader.com or by calling 209-847-3021.
