I’ve had a lot on my mind over these last five months as far as work is concerned. Two weeks ago, I got another piece of news for my cluttered mind. Back on the 13th, I told you my news director is leaving for Ohio. That’s been bothering me ever since.

I’ve got a few mixed emotions on this. Our ND was always easy to talk to, and he was always considerate. However, a year ago, he sat down with Liz and me in the bureau. We had just finished buying out WSFA in Montgomery, and changes were being talked about. We were told we’d get a new East Alabama Bureau, among other things, since we were “growing.”

Needless to say, that got us excited because we work in a two-room “closet.” One office is ours, and the other belongs to our sales lady. In our “news” office, we have two people, one desk, one computer and one news truck. It won’t take you long to figure out that we honestly need two of everything.

I asked him back in December if a new bureau was still in the works. “No.” Last summer, I even tried to help things along by telling him about a space twice the size of our current office at half the rent we now pay.

“No.”

If there’s been two things I’ve been unhappy about, it’s that and another issue. I work alone in the bureau on Thursday and Friday, and we need a night side person those days (either a photographer, or another reporter). I’d say 90 percent of my Friday afternoons get interrupted with breaking news. It’s been that way three of the last four Fridays, and I’m already expected to turn out multiple stories those days. I desperately need another pair of eyes and ears. I can’t work on my stories and get a new one at the same time.

I don’t want this to sound like a complaining session. It’s not completely, but I just wanted to sort through some mixed feelings about my ND leaving. I don’t know what our next ND will be like, but maybe some equipment/office space changes can be made this next time.

I do like him, and I’ll certainly miss him. I’ve been through one ND change in my career, and it wasn’t bad. I pray this one isn’t, either.