Holiday labor

For the first time in nearly 13 years, I will work New Year's Day. No complaints. But somehow my career has sidestepped holiday work shifts. I will likely work on Christmas Day in 2014.

Speaking of labor during the holidays, I have started the next book. The idea is to bundle a collection of short stories about life as a local musician. The working title is "Song for the Local Musician." The book is for any musician - amateur or professional - who chased dreams of rock stardom and curtain calls.

That's the direction I'd like to go. The status of local musician extends beyond guitar bands that blast up the bars. How about the social worker who moonlights as a jazz trumpeter? Or the high school choir teacher who wished she were a concert pianist at Carnegie Hall?

"It's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll," according to AC/DC. That rings true whether you play a guitar, piano, harp, fiddle, flute or drum kit.

Reprogramming my brain

Toward the end of my time in Federal Way, the job was routine. The to-do list was infinite. I did what needed to be done, and I did what I wanted to do.

The adjustment in Olympia is the specialization, so to speak. In Olympia, one reporter handles crime, while another covers business, and another tackles the school district. I cover everything else about Olympia. What's interesting is that all those other "beats" are intertwined with the community fabric. The challenge is to find my place in the machine and help maximize output. The other reporters own their beats. I must learn the best way to own mine.

One thing I've learned in my career is that the newspaper must act as a catalyst for community discussion. If the community is talking about an issue I've written about, then I consider that article a success. I've got a couple of ideas to riff on, and I hope they keep the city talking.

Olympia

I am three days into my new gig as a reporter for The Olympian. I work with a mellow and good-natured staff. I look forward to growing as a journalist, and I will learn a lot from my new colleagues.

I am impressed by the love that Olympians show their city. It's an easy city to love. I love the view of the Olympic Mountains and State Capitol Building behind the office. Breathtaking scenery - especially when the morning fog wraps its tendrils around the cityscape's torso. I need to post a photo.

The commute is reasonable, especially in the morning. Smooth sailing the whole way. It will take time to learn the nuances and find the pulse of Olympia. That is the frustrating part. The best stories come from experience in covering a city's trials and tribulations.

I recently heard an old saying, so it's new to me: In life, the test comes first and the lesson comes later.