A few words of thanks are in order
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Most of us who find ourselves busy enough trying to stay one step in front of the Repo Man (or, in my case this week, a few feet ahead of the Snow Plow Man) often forget a few of life’s simple courtesies.
We have very few rules at The Highland County Press. Maybe that’s because our newsroom sports metaphors, analogies and comparisons center around two memorable football institutions of my youth: the Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish and the John Madden Oakland Raiders. (And, yes, John Madden really did coach – to those of you who only know of him as a broadcaster or video game maker.)
The Irish locker room exit has the famous sign “Play Like a Champion Today.” I know that’s true because Ernie Blankenship took me to South Bend, Ind., in 1987.
Our HCP walls have signs reading “Edit Like a Champion Today,” and “Sell Like a Champion Today.” During those long forgotten championship years of the Raiders, the Al Davis/John Madden motto was “Just Win, Baby.”
The competitive side of me still likes the old Irish and the old Raider mentality. But the practical side of me has learned, through these many years, there’s a little more to it in this brief passage through life.
In addition to the aforementioned sports references, all of us at The Press have a much more important obligation – and that is to say “thank you” to a reader or an advertiser each and every day. Most days, we do.
Since the publication of our Feb. 6 edition, in which we asked for a voluntary payment of $10 per year, we have been most humbled by your generous response. Words cannot fully express our appreciation. But please let me say this, and please know it comes from the heart: We are grateful and we thank you.
In 2010, it may seem a bit unusual for a newspaper to offer its publication for $10 a year, and even more unusual for it to be publicly appreciative when a few readers decide we’re worth it. But we are most appreciative.
The Highland County Press not only wants to “Write Like a Champion,” it wants to “Just Survive, Baby,” in an era when locally owned, independent newspapers are as rare as Ohio sunburns in February.
When you walk into our Main Street office, as many of you have, and offer your votes of confidence, please know that all of us thank you. And we’ll do our absolute best to live up to your expectations.
And to the individual who told me Monday that my columns are “horrible,” but the rest of the writers make up for it, thanks. You’ll get no argument from me.
With contributing writers in print and online at www.highlandcountypress.com like Bill Horne, Bob Patton, Gary Lewis, Pat Lawrence, Suzanne Hopkins, John Grimes, Rose Fisher-Merkowitz, Jerry Pruitt, Mike Ballentine, Sabrina Fawley, Josh Roach and others, (By the way, we’ve invited John Wend to bring back his famous “Pressbox” columns!), I’m confident that on those days when my weekly column fails to inspire, theirs will.
Thanks for reading and thank all of you for your kind comments.
There are a few things, I am convinced, the Good Lord did not intend for me to do in this lifetime. One, I was never meant to attempt to coach a junior high school basketball team; and, two, I was definitely not brought forth to run a business.
Oh, I can do both admirably well if I set my mind to it. It’s just that, well, to borrow from the late Bob Dylan (he’s gotta be dead by now, right?), “It Ain’t Me, Babe.”
When it comes to sports, try as I might, I cannot coach. I cannot officiate. I can’t spectate. I simply must participate.
And when it comes to running a business, I must let calmer heads prevail. (Note to self: Thank the new chairman of the board, and her fellow board members, etc.)
For example, it was my intention today to publicly thank one of our loyal advertisers not only for his advertising, but also for his prompt and courteous payments. I was told that that might be misinterpreted by some of our other loyal advertisers. That’s certainly not my intent. This particular advertiser doesn’t know it, but a few months ago his checks were the difference between me making payroll or yours truly making a serious investment (of roughly $5) in the Ohio Lottery or placing two bucks on a horse at River Downs. (Thanks, CLC!)
On a more serious note, one other thing I’ve learned in more than three decades of employment in this town is this: Highland County does, indeed, appreciate its local businesses that try hard to offer quality and service at a fair price. We hope to measure up to all three.
The support we’ve received from around the county has been encouraging – and humbling. Again, thank you. We hope to live up to your expectations. And we will make every effort to do just that. Thanks.
Lastly, Buckeye Country’s John Barney must be publicly thanked for arranging a visit to the Reds Caravan 2010 for HCP Sports Editor Stephen Forsha and my daughter, Caitlin. They had an absolutely wonderful time with Marty Brennaman, Brandon Phillips and others with the Reds. Marty and Brandon even posed with last week’s edition of The Highland County Press. That was very nice of them.
Thanks, John. I owe you a couple at the H-Gate in the fall.
Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]
We have very few rules at The Highland County Press. Maybe that’s because our newsroom sports metaphors, analogies and comparisons center around two memorable football institutions of my youth: the Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish and the John Madden Oakland Raiders. (And, yes, John Madden really did coach – to those of you who only know of him as a broadcaster or video game maker.)
The Irish locker room exit has the famous sign “Play Like a Champion Today.” I know that’s true because Ernie Blankenship took me to South Bend, Ind., in 1987.
Our HCP walls have signs reading “Edit Like a Champion Today,” and “Sell Like a Champion Today.” During those long forgotten championship years of the Raiders, the Al Davis/John Madden motto was “Just Win, Baby.”
The competitive side of me still likes the old Irish and the old Raider mentality. But the practical side of me has learned, through these many years, there’s a little more to it in this brief passage through life.
In addition to the aforementioned sports references, all of us at The Press have a much more important obligation – and that is to say “thank you” to a reader or an advertiser each and every day. Most days, we do.
Since the publication of our Feb. 6 edition, in which we asked for a voluntary payment of $10 per year, we have been most humbled by your generous response. Words cannot fully express our appreciation. But please let me say this, and please know it comes from the heart: We are grateful and we thank you.
In 2010, it may seem a bit unusual for a newspaper to offer its publication for $10 a year, and even more unusual for it to be publicly appreciative when a few readers decide we’re worth it. But we are most appreciative.
The Highland County Press not only wants to “Write Like a Champion,” it wants to “Just Survive, Baby,” in an era when locally owned, independent newspapers are as rare as Ohio sunburns in February.
When you walk into our Main Street office, as many of you have, and offer your votes of confidence, please know that all of us thank you. And we’ll do our absolute best to live up to your expectations.
And to the individual who told me Monday that my columns are “horrible,” but the rest of the writers make up for it, thanks. You’ll get no argument from me.
With contributing writers in print and online at www.highlandcountypress.com like Bill Horne, Bob Patton, Gary Lewis, Pat Lawrence, Suzanne Hopkins, John Grimes, Rose Fisher-Merkowitz, Jerry Pruitt, Mike Ballentine, Sabrina Fawley, Josh Roach and others, (By the way, we’ve invited John Wend to bring back his famous “Pressbox” columns!), I’m confident that on those days when my weekly column fails to inspire, theirs will.
Thanks for reading and thank all of you for your kind comments.
There are a few things, I am convinced, the Good Lord did not intend for me to do in this lifetime. One, I was never meant to attempt to coach a junior high school basketball team; and, two, I was definitely not brought forth to run a business.
Oh, I can do both admirably well if I set my mind to it. It’s just that, well, to borrow from the late Bob Dylan (he’s gotta be dead by now, right?), “It Ain’t Me, Babe.”
When it comes to sports, try as I might, I cannot coach. I cannot officiate. I can’t spectate. I simply must participate.
And when it comes to running a business, I must let calmer heads prevail. (Note to self: Thank the new chairman of the board, and her fellow board members, etc.)
For example, it was my intention today to publicly thank one of our loyal advertisers not only for his advertising, but also for his prompt and courteous payments. I was told that that might be misinterpreted by some of our other loyal advertisers. That’s certainly not my intent. This particular advertiser doesn’t know it, but a few months ago his checks were the difference between me making payroll or yours truly making a serious investment (of roughly $5) in the Ohio Lottery or placing two bucks on a horse at River Downs. (Thanks, CLC!)
On a more serious note, one other thing I’ve learned in more than three decades of employment in this town is this: Highland County does, indeed, appreciate its local businesses that try hard to offer quality and service at a fair price. We hope to measure up to all three.
The support we’ve received from around the county has been encouraging – and humbling. Again, thank you. We hope to live up to your expectations. And we will make every effort to do just that. Thanks.
Lastly, Buckeye Country’s John Barney must be publicly thanked for arranging a visit to the Reds Caravan 2010 for HCP Sports Editor Stephen Forsha and my daughter, Caitlin. They had an absolutely wonderful time with Marty Brennaman, Brandon Phillips and others with the Reds. Marty and Brandon even posed with last week’s edition of The Highland County Press. That was very nice of them.
Thanks, John. I owe you a couple at the H-Gate in the fall.
Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]