Bio: Brecht, Valorie – New TRG Editor (Dec 2022)

Transcriber: Stan

Surnames: Brecht

----Source: TRG (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 21 Dec 2022

Greetings! Well, here we are. My first column for the Tribune Record Gleaner, on the Winter Solstice, as it turns out. I’m glad that the hours of daylight will be getting longer from here on out, as I like to get up somewhat early to work out, but I have a hard time getting up when it’s still dark.

I can’t promise my columns will live up to the legacy of my predecessor; in fact, I can guarantee I won’t be as funny or witty, and I probably won’t make you laugh out loud. I haven’t been able to figure out how to write humorously. If people do find me funny, it’s usually when I’m not trying to be, so there is that. When people call me funny, not sure if they mean “funny” as in comical or funny in the head, maybe both, but that’s beside the point. So I apologize in advance for that. But I hope my ramblings are of some interest.

Getting back to the subject at hand — Dean, I wish you well on your next chapter of life. Thanks for the guidance and direction you’ve given me as I’ve gotten started at the TRG. Feel free to stop in and say “hi.” And if you ever get the writing bug again and want to write a guest column, I’m sure you are welcome to do so.

It’s been a good start so far. Interesting how life leads you down different roads. Several weeks ago, I saw my fourth-grade teacher when out and about. We talked briefly about what we were up to in life lately, and I told him that I would be starting for the TRG soon. “Could you ever have imagined back in fourth grade that one day you’d be working as the editor for your hometown paper?” he asked. “Nope,” I replied. “I had no idea.” It some ways it’s surprising I ended up here but in other ways not really. I’ve always enjoyed writing and it seemed to come naturally to me. English was arguably my favorite subject in school, if we’re talking strictly academic subjects. I was that kid who loved to read—the Magic Tree House series, The Baby-Sitters Club, Nancy Drew, the Chronicles of Narnia, the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings—and would have a book in my hand whenever I got the chance, even at the kitchen table while eating supper. Now, I read far less often, but still certainly enjoy picking up a good book when I get the chance.

I once had a dream to be an author, mostly because I thought it would be cool to write something that could help a reader escape to another world like I did through the novels I read. Well, I never wrote that novel (maybe someday), but I did end up becoming a published author, just not in the way I expected. I chose English as one of my majors in college partially because of that love for literature and writing that I always had. But I never really thought through how exactly I was going to use it in a future career. Heading into the spring of my junior year of college, my mom told me I should probably explore some career options and encouraged me to apply to do an internship at a local paper. I sent out letters of interest to a couple of places and got connected with The Clark County Press. Although I wasn’t sure what to expect, it wasn’t long before I was like, “Hey, I can do this.” And I did have an “aha” moment where I was like, “I’m getting paid to write? How cool is that?!” So, overall it was a good experience. After college, I was hired by The Press and ended up spending four years there.

When this opportunity came up, it seemed like a great one, so I took it. A lot of the contacts I had at The Press are the same as here, so that helps. And yes, I know the community, but at the same time I certainly don’t know everybody and I don’t know everything that’s happening. There’s always more to learn. So please feel free to send me a tip if you see something newsworthy, or even just a small tidbit like a photo with a caption. I’d be happy to share your news.

My starting at a new job got me thinking about change/transition. In life, we all go through any number of transitions. Change is inevitable. Even it’s a positive change, it can come with some amount of apprehension. In my experience, most people are not real keen on change, even if there are the select few that enjoy it. In fact, from doing a quick search, one Forbes article I found asked people to respond to the following prompt: “Change is good, even if (or especially if) it means leaving our comfort zone.” Thirty-eight percent of participants agreed with that statement, meaning the majority (62%) did not like leaving their comfort zone, or perhaps only on select occasions. But, change affords the opportunity for growth, for reflection, for renewed purpose and maybe even a new perspective.

A couple interesting quotes about change: “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” — Rumi “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” – Maria Robinson Many times, it’s less about the change itself and more about our response to it—whether we resist it or make the most of it. That’s a lesson we can all take to heart.

Also, I want to say “thanks” to all those who have congratulated me on this position. I appreciate your encouragement and I will endeavor to serve you, the readers, well.

Well, that about does it for this week. May you all have a very merry and blessed Christmas!