View from the fray

Well, I finally got the aquarium out of the office. If the carpet smells fishy, that’s because a bit of tank water sloshed over the sides of a full pail.

I left some files in the cabinet. I’ll come by with a box this week. You can start moving in anytime. It’s a great office. I love the view of Morrill Hall on the UNR campus in winter.

I feel bad about dumping the editor’s job in your lap. This wasn’t part of some Machiavellian scheme to screw up your life. Think of it as a gift that you deserve for having vast experience and talent—for sticking with the alternative press since its early days in Reno as Nevada Weekly.

Being the editor of the Reno News & Review can be fun—at least part of the time. I had a great year. We wrote some interesting stuff, took some chances hoping our readers would get it. Of course, sometimes what sounded like a great idea didn’t turn out so well: “Why do you have two young kids smoking pot on the cover of your election issue? Oh, I didn’t know they were both girls. Both adults, you say? I get it now. I guess. Sort of.”

One of the best things about being the boss of the RN&R is that you get to work with editors and writers like Carli and Miranda. Between the two of them, you’ll know every place in town with great vegetarian food. When you need meat or fish, you can have Awful-Awfuls or sushi with Photo Dave.

But there’s more to this job than experimental cover art, fixing typos and eating lunch. Really. The 2003 Nevada Legislature is right around the corner. And before you can finish a post-legislative Symphony milk chocolate bar, folks’ll be campaigning for the 2004 elections. You’ll be great at covering that. I’m looking forward to your holding these politicians accountable for their contributions and expenses. Somebody’s gotta.

You already know about the continuous e-mails from folks like James Calkins, Janine Hansen and Sam Dehne. Sam’s going to be furious if Mayor Bob Cashell doesn’t let him speak 14 times on every topic imaginable at every meeting of the Reno City Council. How do you feel about this? Can a person abuse his right to freedom of speech enough that it should be restricted? Hmm. My jury’s still out. Sam is entertaining and distracting. And he does play his guitar.

For my part, I can’t wait to get started doing more writing, more juicy cover stories, some news and features. Thanks for letting me keep my column. I’ve enjoyed viewing things from the fray for the past year and a half or so.

Speaking of frays, is anybody going to the University and Community College System of Northern Nevada Board of Regents’ meeting Thursday and Friday? Howard Rosenberg disciplined? It’s not like he’s a racist drone who calls women “orangutans” in public. Geesh.

I made a folder with all of the Best of Reno information from this year. If some of the same people win in 2003, you won’t have to retype everything. That was a bitch.

Beware the anti-fluoride people.

Congrats and all the best,

Deidre