I would like to take this time to personally thank the great Marysville, Arlington, Lakewood and Darrington communities for making the last 14 months a fun and memorable time.


Greetings great members of the community.
As many of you know, this was my first official entry into the world of journalism after graduating from Washington State University in the spring of 2005.
I would like to think that my lack of experience was not blatantly obvious every Wednesday in the form of my reporting and/or photography.
One of the natural progressions in the world of journalism is to advance from small weeklies to a larger metropolitan daily, and I am happy to say that I will be stepping on the next rung in the ladder of success beginning next week.
It is with bittersweet feelings that I recently accepted a position as a sports reporter at a small daily (six days a week) in Colorado, and will be severing the friendships and ties that I have spent the past 14 months building in this great area.
My family resides in the great Pacific Northwest and I look forward to not only returning for family visits, but I also intend to follow the progress of the four main school districts I have become acquainted with.
Despite the fact that I have spent most of my life in and around the Northwest, I still felt like a relative stranger to the coverage area ranging from Marysville to as far north as Darrington.
Thank you for your unending friendliness, genuine hospitality, and overall acceptance as I have intruded into your lives with a microphone, note pad and camera.
There have been times that I have had to consciously remind myself not to become emotionally attached as a friend or supporter, and merely revert back to the unbiased perspective of a member of the media.
I had forgotten how big of a thrill children, parents, grandparents, etc. get out of seeing their name and/or photograph in the newspaper and I would like to extend an apology to all of those that I may have left out.
Who would have ever guessed that there would so many different and unique spellings of what I thought were common first names?
Needless to say, one of the most important lessons I will carry with me is the desire to be individualistic and shall never take a name for granted.
Thank you also for accepting the fact that I have been stretched thin as the lone sports guy at The Globe and Arlington Times, and realizing that in an ideal world I would get everybodys name and picture in the paper.
While I am excited to begin a new chapter in my life I am also slightly bummed at the timing, as I would love to follow the progress of the winter sports student-athletes.
Last year I enjoyed covering the Mat Classic at the Tacoma Dome and the state swim and dive finals in Federal Way among other exciting events that are sure to be lifelong memories for all involved.
Thank you once again to everyone I came in contact with from the energetic mutton busting kids at the Darrington Rodeo last summer to the little league kids that had an endless supply of energy to the talented and humble student-athletes and their parents to the coaches and administrators at the respective schools.
Best of luck in all of your academic and athletic endeavors.
Remember what Herman Boone said at a recent M-PHS student assembly it doesnt matter how many touchdowns you score or how many home runs you hit, because without an education nothing else will be possible.