By Staff
Happy, sad goodbye
By Adrienne McKenzie
It is with both happiness and sadness that I write McKenzie’s Monologue this week because it is the last time I will have the opportunity to share my thoughts with the Atmore area.
Friday is my last day at the Advance as I will move to Troy to begin working as an advertising sales representative at The Messenger. My first day at the Troy newspaper will be Aug. 11.
As many of you already know, I am engaged to former Advance sports editor Matt Nascone. He left Atmore in March to become sports editor at The Messenger. We met when I started this job as a reporter on Jan. 15, 2007. We went on our first date that February, became a couple that March, got engaged a year later and are planning our wedding for April of 2009.
So, this move to Troy makes me so happy because I will begin my new life with my future husband and I will also be stepping into a new realm of the newspaper world.
However, I will miss all of the great people of Atmore. In the job as reporter/editor at the Advance I was often out in the community meeting new people and Atmore residents are some of the best I’ve ever met.
I hope I have not been too annoying with all the questions I had to ask for the job. Most of the time the stories I had to write were about pleasant topics, but there were a few not-so-pleasant ones and I’m sure those people interviewed did not want to really talk to me. But, the majority of the time everyone opened up and shared with me the things I needed for the stories. Sometimes I feel people would even confide in me about their personal lives and I’m glad they understood that just because I am a ‘journalist,’ that didn’t mean they couldn’t talk to me about things going on in their lives.
I have enjoyed going out and meeting the different individuals of the Atmore area. The people here are wonderful. I’ve covered all sorts of activities here in Atmore. From pageants to plays to elections, there is a lot that goes on in this little town and the people that live here is what makes these activities so much fun to cover.
The Messenger, which is a sister paper of the Advance, will be a whole new ballgame for me. I have not ever worked in sales, but I feel the personalities of a salesperson and a journalist must be similar. In either capacity, I must go out with a smile on and meet new people, putting all shyness aside.
As for my time in Atmore, I will miss the little town where my first ‘real’ job was located. I could’ve named the people who I will miss, but I know I’d leave people out.
So for all those people I’ve met in Atmore, thanks for being helpful and friendly to me during my time here.
And to all my co-workers here at the Advance, you guys are awesome and I will miss you all!
I would love to keep in touch with all of you who I’ve become close with in this small town so feel free to shoot me an email every now and then at aleighmck@hotmail.com.
Best wishes Atmore.
Adrienne McKenzie is managing editor for The Atmore Advance. She can be reached at 368-2123 or emailed at lifestyles@atmoreadvance.com