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This week marks the 300th edition of the Times that I have published! This August it will be 7 years that I have been working for Whyville. A lot has happened in 7 years, in Whyville, with the Times, and in my life.
The first edition of the Times I published was on August 21, 2005. I remember how nervous I was to submit the last article. The first year was definitely a learning process. Whyville was a very close-knit community, and coming in, I was an outsider. The editor before me was greatly loved, and his parting was difficult for a lot of the writers. It took time for them to accept me, and to let me help them. But once we got past that initial phase, we developed our own relationships and the Times flourished. I grew with each article and so did our writers. It was really a wonderful time in my life. 7,333 articles later, I am still learning and growing as an editor.
One of my biggest accomplishments as the editor has been the Times Awards. The first Times Awards was in 2007. A very talented and dedicated Times Writer, Cobd, approached me with the idea. We worked together to create the first ever Times Awards. The Awards highlighted and congratulated the best articles of the year. It was a huge success! All of our writers and readers were excited to finally have an event dedicated just to them. This January we celebrated the fifth Times Awards, and each year it gets better and better.
Since I started working for Whyville in the summer of 2005, there have been so many additions and improvements to our site. Scions, pearls, Style Studio, Science Chicago, and many more. We've grown in massive numbers, and yet, we still hold true to our standards and values.
Throughout the last 7 years, the Times too many ideas come and go. We've had Sudoku, Classified Ads, Columns, Whyvillian in the Spotlight, and the growth of Comics and other games. Some ideas stuck (comics aren't going anywhere!) and some ideas faded away (Classified Ads and Columns). The Times is always looking for new ideas and ways to make our paper great, so if you have one, please send me an email with your idea.
In my personal life, I cannot believe how much has happened in the past 7 years. I graduated from UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television, worked at a major Hollywood Talent Agency, worked for a writer/director and on the film "Fired Up!". I moved across the country. I started a new job making commercials. I've made commercials for Walmart, Pizza Hut, Hanes, the X Games, and USTA. I've been to the US Open, my first NFL football game (Go Steelers) and seen a concert I had dreamed of seeing (Garth Brooks). I bought my first car, and I paid it off. I bought my first house (still paying that one off...). I formed a relationship with my parents again, and they are now two of my best friends. I took my first international vacation to Jamaica, ya mon! I became an aunt to the sweetest little girl. I met the love of my life, and got engaged (and in 84 days I will officially be a Mrs.)!
Almost 7 years, 300 editions, and 7,333 articles. What comes next? Who knows! Anything can happen, and most likely everything will. And that's what is so wonderful and thrilling about being a part of Whyville, the Times and life in general.
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