By By Adam Prestridge
Time flies when you're having fun. But it seems to soar at the speed of light when you are publishing a bi-weekly newspaper. If you have ever been in the business you know exactly what I mean – your life becomes like clockwork except not the life of a normal 8-to-5 businessperson. Your life becomes more like a rock star performing in a different city each night only you have the pleasure of sleeping in your own bed at night.
Waking up in the morning is sometimes difficult because of the midnight oil you burned the night before following election night or to ensure your readers get up-to-date sporting news even though the game went into triple overtime. You arrive at work and as usual begin working to "make deadline" whether it's for the next edition or for a special section. But once deadline is made, it feels like a standing ovation and prepares you for the next day's tasks. You respond by giving the readers an encore that continues week after week.
The newspaper business is a demanding profession that requires very special people to operate. But anyone who is apart of or has ever been apart of the business understands that we do what we do because we enjoy it and enjoy offering our readers the news of the town they call home. No matter if you have been in the business for 25 years of two years, seeing your name in print is equally exciting.
Last week, while working on the 2006 Year in Review for the Sunday paper, it became scary of just how fast time really does fly. Looking back at all the stories was very intriguing; it took me back to a very exciting year in Atmore and the surrounding areas, but also gave me high expectations of the year to come. That's why the Advance chooses to publish the large review each year – to preserve Atmore's history for its residents. We understand that our readers have an unconditional love for Atmore and encourage readers to help preserve the city's past by hanging on to the edition for years to come. Put it in a plastic cover or box and store it in a drawer or cedar chest and share it later with children, grandchildren or great grandchildren.
A lot of the events documented in the Year in Review that occurred in February or June seem just like yesterday. I guess that's a testament of just how much is put into every story. You become connected with the people and organizations you interview. You laugh with them and cry with them, but most of all, you become their friend in a time of rejoice or sorrow. That is what makes hometown and "big city" newspapers like night and day.
As for now, it's time to focus in on 2007. That's right, 2-0-0-7. Weird huh.
It's amazing that the first decade of the new millennium is almost over. Just saying that the year is 2007 is surreal. It too felt just like yesterday when ball dropped in Time Square to usher in 2000, while everyone was glued to their televisions fearing a worldwide power outage with wallets full of money afraid that computers would reject the new century.
Rest assured, no mass power outage is expected in 2007. But if there were, the Advance would be there.
Adam Prestridge is publisher of the Atmore Advance. He can be reached at 368-2123.