If you are reading this column, then congratulations – you made it through 2020.
I’m sure that most of our readers welcomed the New Year with considerably less fanfare than years previous.
My better half and I spent the holiday weekend packing and moving. As most know, Here's the Scoop merged with Great West Newspapers back in July and we now work together within the walls of the Airdrie City View. That meant there was no longer a need for our 4,700 square-foot office. Lois and I listed the property for sale with local commercial realty guru, Andre Aubot, and he found a buyer that was a perfect fit.
I was quickly reminded that most buyers of property are interested in the property itself. The contents of the property are not typically desired by the buyers, as they usually have plans of filling the space with their own stuff. That meant we had to move, sell and give away 20 years' worth of stuff we had accumulated. That sounds a lot easier than it actually is.
Our purge began a few months ago, when we emptied out our basement at home to make room for things we wanted to keep from the office. This required us to have our adult children come and get the rest of their belongings that they had left behind when they moved out six years ago. We listed things no longer needed for sale and in many cases gave things away, just to ensure that we had lots of empty space.
The next thing we did was slowly go through the office and decide what we would keep and what we would get rid of. I had become quite attached to a lot of it and my better half had to consistently remind me that we couldn’t fit 4,700 square feet of office contents into a 1,400 square foot basement. This meant that once again, we listed stuff for sale and gave a lot of it away.
Time waits for no one, and before I knew it, it was nearing the end of the year. I now had to come to terms with the fact that unless something had tremendous sentimental value, it had to go. I obliged, given the time crunch, and by Jan. 3, it was all done.
As I walked through the now-empty building, a sense of melancholy overcame me. I mourned a little for the past 25 years of serving this community, but also excitedly look forward to serving in a new capacity. I reminded myself that the past cannot be improved. The only thing we have the power to improve is the future.
It seems fitting that we would be handing over the keys at the beginning of a new year. It feels almost symbolic to have a new exciting venture occupy our former building while we concentrate on exciting new roles ourselves.
To Jeremy and his staff, we wish you well in a building that we know will bring you as much success as we enjoyed for many years. And to my new co-workers here at the Airdrie City View, it’s nice to be settled in our new home. Bring on 2021.
