What's with the rush?

At the risk of sounding a little crazy here, it seems like Monday or Tuesday was just yesterday. I did have two regular meetings for this week -- but wait! there's more.

Indeed, last Tuesday turned into one of the most hectic days I've had in a good while.

The morning was almost non-stop -- from an early wreck north of Greencastle on U.S. 36, to covering the Area 30 Board of Directors, to a fire at DePauw University's Peeler Art Center that closed down one of the main thoroughfares out of the city. Also add in being part of surprising South Putnam senior Evan Steffy as this year's Lilly Scholar.

Oh, yeah, I'm still forgetting about the Cloverdale Town Council's meeting this week.

All of these events got a story out of me, one way or another. As Jared took the day off to celebrate his 40th birthday, I pretty much held down the newsroom on Tuesday.

"After the morning (*day, really*) I've had, it's very much appreciated," I told a guy from the Greencastle Fire Department after he gave me more info about the Peeler fire. I meant it. One thing I will greatly oblige having in this job is this cooperation.

Still, we as reporters can't get to this point without the effort to be there -- or at least to follow up later on. Can it be frustrating sometimes? Yes. Is it necessary? Absolutely.

Some things might be beyond our control efficiency-wise. It's pretty difficult to get a shot of a crash scene when you're actually stuck in the traffic. I went a business day without updating the U.S. 36 crash because those more timely stories compounded.

I suppose that I'm different in my thinking from more seasoned journalists, who will place a stricter value on urgency. I won't get flustered with writing multiple stories in one day. To be honest, this is a pretty good way to temporarily lose a little of your sanity. Spacing out my priorities some is how I can get better-quality stories written.

However, I still stand by the notion that -- oftentimes -- you've got to get the story up online immediately. That is a little thrill I will get when the scanner starts going crazy.

Can you hear Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries?" This is how it feels initially at times. However, I have to be ready for what I might see. I can't be -- I'm not -- the hero here.

This is how being a small-town reporter goes. We have to always adapt to the situation before us, a part of the know-how I'm still getting the hang of. What makes the effort worthwhile is knowing that it is not just expected or anticipated, but has real value.

I will get out there, and do so the best that I can. That is when it all becomes exciting.

This may take a hint from Jared's blog, and Randy Bachman implying that I "start (my) slaving job to get (my) pay" is off-base. However, I think his song might be more about being your own. I relish the purpose and freedom that comes with this job.

This newsroom is going to do our best to be at that fire, that ribbon-cutting and that council/school board meeting, because it matters. That's us takin' care of business.