The Downsizing Decade

At some point as recently as last week, I remembered that I was coming up on my 10-year anniversary at work -- and I better bring treats. But with all the excitement and activities over the weekend, May 19 passed without one thought about it. Whoops.

The guys in my department didn't forget. Look! I feel so special!

I seriously can't believe I've been commuting to Iola for 10 years. That's about 260,000 miles of wear and tear on one Saturn and two Honda Civics and, once in awhile, our Honda CRV. Good thing gas is cheap, right?

Probably more astonishing than the fact this is my employment longevity record is how much my career field has changed in that decade. I don't think there is a man or woman in publishing who could have predicted what was in store for our industry.

Ten years ago, I would have thought: People will always want their daily newspaper or favorite magazine. We'll be here forever. Well, I was right, they still want their news and information, but they don't want to wait for someone to deliver it. They want it now. And they can get it.

They don't need the middle man or the printers, for that matter. If they don't pay the big bucks to subscribe or advertise, then the publishers -- mindful of their bottom line -- have to do without the writers, editors, support staff and advertising representatives, too.

This has been the story across the print media industry. Sadly, as a result, I have seen a lot of my co-workers at my present place of employment come and go. Mostly go. Thankfully, both hubby and I have hung in there and kept our jobs. This is good since he reminded me I have 10 years down and only 25 to go!

There are days we feel like dinosaurs compared to what "these young people" know today. But we have experience that can't be replaced and we have a willingness -- and ability -- to learn. And quickly. And that's what makes it fun.

Most days.

I have to think of myself as the consumer and how I want and get information. Then I have to think how we can deliver our information in that fashion, as quickly as possible, and as cheaply as possible. But accurately, too!

Today, for example, I was sitting at a baseball game when I learned of the devastating tornado in Oklahoma. (God, help them!) I wasn't looking at a newspaper. I was looking at a story on my smart phone. This, we could not envision a decade ago when I personally didn't have a cell phone and at work, we were just starting up websites for our publications.

Technology has changed so fast, it's almost scary to think where it will go in the next decade. Scary but exciting, too.

We dinosaurs will have to keep fueling ourselves with treats -- which I have to make now -- but not move too fast that we forget to stop and smell the roses.

'Cause boy do they smell good!!