Daily Reporter writer says ‘goodbye,’ in 389 words

By Paul Snyder

Before writing this blog, my Web editor told me I had 250 words to tell my editors that they can go … well, I won’t repeat what he said.

I got a good chuckle from it, but mostly because the editors likely would place bets on if I could do it in 250 words.

I know I could (the suggested phrase was only six words), but I’m not going to.

I do have a few things to say, though.

Friday will be my last day with The Daily Reporter. I’m moving back to the Chicago area for a new job and because, seriously, the Cubs need as many lifelong supporters in close proximity as they can get for the second half of this season.

I’m excited about the new opportunity and I know there are probably a few of you out there who are thrilled to know you’ll no longer have to return calls from Paul Snyder of the Daily Reporter. But I admit there’s a tinge of sadness.

The Daily Reporter believed in me enough to hire me right out of college, despite the fact that my Writing-Intensive English degree provided me no firsthand knowledge of daily deadline pressure, government procedure, or (and this is kind of important) the construction industry.

Suffice to say, I had to learn a lot quickly.

Five years later, there are still some things that befuddle me. A lingering question: Why must state lawmakers delay a vote and go into caucus 15 minutes before my deadline? I mean, I understand TIF districts and probably all the arguments for and against project delivery methods, but I’ll never get all those poorly timed caucuses.

Nevertheless, the reason I have the knowledge I do now is because of the fabulous staff here and all the readers and story sources that helped make sense of a complex industry. I offer you a very sincere, “thank you.”

But I admit I’m looking forward to driving past construction projects without thinking, “Who’s building it? Who’s paying for it? Does it comply with zoning?” and other such story-starters.

Oh, who am I kidding? I’ll still think all those questions. I just won’t be as hard-pressed to get the answers in five hours or less.

Thanks for the memories … and the 150 words beyond what was allotted.

Paul Snyder is — for three more days — a staff writer at The Daily Reporter. He was “edited” down to 139 words over the allotment.