STRANGE how identical periods of time can feel so wildly different. That those immutable units of measurement can differ depending on circumstances is one of life's little quirks. I've recently returned to work after six weeks' paternity leave. Six weeks off work is a long time but it has gone so fast. Already my son has changed and grown so much that in a blink he seems like a different baby but, at the same time, he's been around so long that I can't remember not having him. When I got back to work this week, someone hit the fast-forward button and time went into hyper-drive. On Monday, we learned the terrible news that the much-admired Launceston Deputy Mayor Jeremy Ball had been killed in a car crash on the Bass Highway. Many at The Examiner had worked closely with Alderman Ball and found him to be warm and welcoming. They admired his passion and commitment and mourn the loss of a future leader of Launceston. He was someone who could unite people behind the common cause of making our city a more vibrant, successful and inclusive place. Then we learned of the passing of Jennifer Lyons, a former assistant to several chiefs of staff at The Examiner. Jennifer remained in contact with the newsroom as a book reviewer and was heavily involved in Friends of the Library. She was a kind, warm and lovely person and will be sorely missed, too. It would be both remiss and a little odd to mention the resignation of editor Martin Gilmour in a column dealing with the deaths of two people. We have not lost Martin in the way we lost Alderman Ball and Jennifer. But he was, like Alderman Ball, a leader in Northern Tasmania and, like Jennifer, a friend and teacher to staff at The Ex. When you farewell a colleague whose name was scratched into the Supreme Court press gallery two years before you were born, you know you're losing someone of great experience. (He'd hate me mentioning him but he's not my boss any more, so too bad, Marty.) There are people who think that an editor stands behind the desk of his or her reporters and tells them what to write. Not so. He's going to the "dark side" to work for the state government, and his influence on editorial decisions ended with the announcement of his resignation. Greens leader Kim Booth tried to score a cheap political point by asking whether The Examiner had written pro-Liberal editorial since the appointment. It was a disgraceful smear on the hardworking and independent-thinking reporters in the newsroom, but sadly not unexpected. Those young reporters will be the ones to keep fighting for Northern Tasmania's interests and become the future leaders and contributors to our community. If they aspire to the passion of Alderman Ball, the leadership of Gilmour and warmth of Jennifer, then they will have have served their community well.
STRANGE how identical periods of time can feel so wildly different.
That those immutable units of measurement can differ depending on circumstances is one of life's little quirks.
I've recently returned to work after six weeks' paternity leave.
Six weeks off work is a long time but it has gone so fast.
Already my son has changed and grown so much that in a blink he seems like a different baby but, at the same time, he's been around so long that I can't remember not having him.
When I got back to work this week, someone hit the fast-forward button and time went into hyper-drive.
On Monday, we learned the terrible news that the much-admired Launceston Deputy Mayor Jeremy Ball had been killed in a car crash on the Bass Highway.
Many at The Examiner had worked closely with Alderman Ball and found him to be warm and welcoming.
They admired his passion and commitment and mourn the loss of a future leader of Launceston.
He was someone who could unite people behind the common cause of making our city a more vibrant, successful and inclusive place.
Then we learned of the passing of Jennifer Lyons, a former assistant to several chiefs of staff at The Examiner.
Jennifer remained in contact with the newsroom as a book reviewer and was heavily involved in Friends of the Library. She was a kind, warm and lovely person and will be sorely missed, too.
It would be both remiss and a little odd to mention the resignation of editor Martin Gilmour in a column dealing with the deaths of two people.
We have not lost Martin in the way we lost Alderman Ball and Jennifer.
But he was, like Alderman Ball, a leader in Northern Tasmania and, like Jennifer, a friend and teacher to staff at The Ex. When you farewell a colleague whose name was scratched into the Supreme Court press gallery two years before you were born, you know you're losing someone of great experience.
(He'd hate me mentioning him but he's not my boss any more, so too bad, Marty.)
There are people who think that an editor stands behind the desk of his or her reporters and tells them what to write. Not so.
He's going to the "dark side" to work for the state government, and his influence on editorial decisions ended with the announcement of his resignation.
Greens leader Kim Booth tried to score a cheap political point by asking whether The Examiner had written pro-Liberal editorial since the appointment.
It was a disgraceful smear on the hardworking and independent-thinking reporters in the newsroom, but sadly not unexpected.
Those young reporters will be the ones to keep fighting for Northern Tasmania's interests and become the future leaders and contributors to our community.
If they aspire to the passion of Alderman Ball, the leadership of Gilmour and warmth of Jennifer, then they will have have served their community well.
