Farewell After All

Ok

This has been a long time in coming, but with the busyness of finishing work in Bentonville, packing up all our belongings, giving away half of them, and moving halfway across the country, I sort of neglected the blog there for a bit. Consider this my big fat farewell to the White Knuckled Wanderer blogging about NWA issues all the time.

Nearly three months ago, I took a giant leap and sent an application to Smart Growth America, one of the organizations that I've had under my links for quite sometime now. After a fairly drawn-out interview process, and much hand-wringing and waiting, I got the job, and we made plans to move. Maybe I'll tell some of the moving stories soon enough, but this isn't the time.

I lived in downtown Bentonville for more than two years, and really grew to love the place. I started fishing again (all the time), learned how to fly-fish, and was never more than just an hour or two away from great camping, hiking or floating. This was the first home for Rachel (gasp, real name) and I, and no place could have been more perfect. I had a fantastic job at the Benton County Daily Record that afforded me the opportunity to meet so many people and learn more about the area in two years than most people can learn in 20. And it's scary to say, that reading and blogging about these issues here in Bentonville is part of what helped me get this job.

I want to especially thank Matt, Greg and Andy, Rita, Techography, Don Elkins, and any other NWA bloggers that I'm forgetting about for all of the continual great banter and links back and forth. It's a bit discouraging to know that in DC I'm going to just be one tiny fish in a huge pond. Thanks to all of you guys for making the NWA blogosphere so much fun.

So if you want to stick around here, feel free. It won't be the same ol' White Knuckled Wanderer, but if nothing else, you'll be able to find some good pictures of DC on here.

I had my first day of work today at Smart Growth America, and I can say that moving and changing careers was definitely the right thing to do. Wish me luck as I abandon the skill set that has earned my paycheck for the last 3 years and I move on to something entirely different. A month ago, my day might have consisted of hunting for pictures in the park, photographing murderers outside the courthouse, covering a city meeting, and standing on the sidelines of a football game.

Tomorrow, my morning will be filled with scouring newspapers and blogs for smart growth-related stories, as well as reading papers on Kelo v. New London, eminent domain, and Oregon's Measure 37. Actually, I used to do that at work all the time. Except now, I won't to hide the fact that I'm doing it.

Thanks, and goodnight.