Category: Stories about my life

Danah and I have decided to close down The Oak Ridge Observer, the paper that we’ve been running the past nine years.

I’m still processing how I feel about all this, but more than anything, I feel relieved. As my friends know, I’ve worked my tail off the past nine years and while I’ve had the time of my life,  it’s time for the next phase of my life.

Now, for a quick trip down memory lane. A quick photo essay, of my past nine years with The Oak Ridge Observer…

(Note: Click on the first photo of the newspaper banner and a pretty cool slideshow will begin that shows captions!)

The beginning… We started with big dreams and a $20,000 loan.

We tried to limit spending. (Note the folding table and old chair without a back.)

Our first big shipment of racks during our first year.

Here’s my original business card. (Don’t worry, it improved.)

Our first T-shirts. You’ve got to market!

Much of my job was meeting with various groups.

And calling and interviewing people.

Wasn’t too long till we moved to a nicer building.

And my business cards took a big step up, thanks to Danah!

Here’s what the new office looked like when you walked in.

Our office had six cubicles, and usually about half of them were full.

Our sign out front, which was at the third busiest intersection in Oak Ridge.

Besides being Editor and Publisher, I also helped start the Young Professionals of Oak Ridge, serving as its first president.

But, it wasn’t all work… Me playing tennis with the Oak Ridge Mayor at an annual, city festival.

Once the recession hit in 2007, we had to become a paid publication. Bye, bye red stands, hello blue refurbished stands.

But in the end, no riches came. Just a feeling of satisfaction knowing that I attempted my dream, helped others, and (hopefully) helped the city that I love.

Now that I’m no longer going to be spending so much time in this cubicle…

Or, looking out this window… I’m not sure what I’m going to do…

But, I’m pretty sure I’m going to do some more fishing. (I’ve got a canoe that I never even put in the water this past year…)

And, probably some more fishing…

I’m going to be doing a lot more kung fu…

And a lot more karate…

I’m finally going to make my way back to the beach. It’s my favorite place in the world, and I haven’t been since 2008.

I’m going to take this girl to her favorite place in the world… Disney… We were supposed to go in 2013, and it was a big disappointment that we didn’t…

Finally, I plan to write more. Mexican Heat, the follow up to Sold Out, is nearly done. AND, the follow up to Little Man has already been started.

Clay says he approves.

And I can’t wait to spend more time with this woman and spoil her the way she truly deserves. (How she put up with me and this business, I’ll never know…)

And, please, don’t worry about me! I’ve been in some tough spots before. : )

Good bye, Oak Ridge Observer. We’ll never forget the time that we shared…

Thanks for watching. Danah and I are looking forward to 2014, and whatever new direction our life takes!

UPDATE:

First media report: After nine-year run, Oak Ridge Observer closes.

Keep the faith,

Stan R. Mitchell

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

P.S. If you enjoy fast-paced books, you just might like my works. “Sold Out” tracks the life of a legendary Marine Sniper after a CIA unit decides to kill him for reasons of national security. “Little Man, and the Dixon County War” tells the uphill fight a young deputy faces after surviving three years of war only to find himself in the sights of a mighty cattle baron. And “Soldier On,” a short novel, follows the lives of several German soldiers in a depleted infantry company trying to make it through the final, miserable months of World War II.