As it happened, my editorial fell on the last day of 2024. I was set to write about favorite articles that we published in the paper, but as I looked back over the year, what stood out the most were the times I got out of the office.
In 2024, I got the chance to present on what it’s like working at a print newspaper at Fremont Chamber’s Leadership Fremont program and Connect 2 Succeed Connection Club. I’m not really a “subject matter expert,” but people always seemed curious to know what goes on behind the scenes and how they can collaborate with newspapers.
In September, I moderated a debate for the Fremont Mayor candidates, which was extremely challenging. It’s a big responsibility to be the one in charge of the flow of questions and answers and keeping everybody on track.
Writing about new restaurants for the paper also meant I got to try delicious soup buns at Din Ding Dumpling House and Yemeni desserts and coffee at Qamaria Coffee.
I even made it out to some local events covered in the paper. It should be a no-brainer that you can cover an area better when you explore it and do the activities locals do, but it’s hard to prioritize those things when they aren’t “work.” In April, I joined the Hayward Lit Hop and read with the East Bay Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my husband having more fun than when we went to see Plethos’ improv play Yes And D&D. I also brought my husband to Ride the Rails for Relay as neither of us had been on Niles Canyon Railway or seen the canyon from that perspective before.
Usually I think that my writing is the real me, and my face is incidental. This was the first year in my career that it seemed like people were recognizing me in person as a point of contact from Tri-City Voice. I want to continue working hard for everybody in 2025.
