Hello there and greetings from your new editor of the Osceola News-Gazette. I appreciate you reading this space; I believe you won’t regret reading the rest of this column.
Many years ago, when newspapers were profitable, the stock market was risky and much of Florida was still a swamp, a newspaper editor decided that, if they were going to spend their time telling you what they think, they should offer readers an idea of what they stand for and truly believe.
So here it goes.
I’m a family man, husband to one and father to two. It’s two jobs I’m proud of but not always the best at. Chalk it up to a lack of brains over a lack of effort.
I enjoy water flavored with Mio, a proper Bloody Mary or good scotch, a few select TV shows and reading a couple online sites and blogs. I like doing these from comfortable furniture. My bed is nice but it’s the fourth-most comfortable spot in my house. Good recliners are a commodity and I have a comfy, blue one.
I’m an avid golfer. I try not to go overboard spending on what can be the pricey equipment. Nirvana is reached when I’m happy throughout my bag and am not thinking, “I really could use a new driver/3-wood/wedge/putter.”
I just bought a new putter about a month ago.
My wife is a database analyst for a pharmaceutical company — so yes, she earns far more than I do. But that and my newspaper salary are our sole sources of income, outside the meager dollars I might win on the golf course or at local smalltime poker games. I run a pretty solid tournament, if I say so myself.
While I have little use for the major political parties — they now exist to solely serve themselves rather than the members that form their backbones — I’m a registered Republican. But let’s get this straight: I’m a Reagan Republican, from a time when if the candidate you pulled and lobbied hard for didn’t win, you’d be disappointed but you moved on and worked together to make the world better. These days there’s two clear sides of an aisle (that might as well be an ocean) on every issue. We could come up with an iron-clad plan to solve world hunger and half the political world would vote against it because it wasn’t their idea.
Message to everyone: get over yourselves.
Don’t be surprised if, the next time we do this, I tell you I’m a registered independent or even a Libertarian. I’m just not looking forward to getting bombarded by messages from both sides of the spectrum trying to get my vote. We already get enough of that as a split household — I married a Democrat.
On that note: yes, I’ll be spending time and ink in this paper telling you what I think. I promise to never tell you what to think.
I’m about as moderate and middle of the road as they come. I vote for people on both sides of that aisle ocean. Since my first election in 1992, I’ve voted for a major-party presidential candidate just four times.
I believe I can be my brother’s keeper, but let me choose how I do this. I believe America’s never taxed-and-spent its way into prosperity, but there’s certain things you gotta spend money on: education, infrastructure, health care for ALL ages. If you want to show me my “tax dollars at work,” then put them to work.
I’ve never met an argument I didn’t like, but I’m probably the best person in my circle at playing devil’s advocate and understanding how both sides of the argument will hear it. I enjoy hearing all opinions. That doesn’t mean I value them all.
I like to write and work, but also hang out with my goofy kids, who are now 12 and 6. I also like to take time away from all of that; it doesn’t hurt that a round of golf takes four hours.
I watch a lot of sports, including during the week. I used to write sports for this paper — don’t be shocked to see me on a high school sideline next season. I am a die-hard UCF Knight — and a Catholic, which often comes in handy watching them. Against certain opponents, I often want someone crucified. I refer to USF as “that place at the wrong end of I-4.” After years of acrimony, I’m good with Gators and Seminoles fans.
Other than the Bulls, I dislike unreliable people, and those who overpromise you things. They're probably the same thing.
But above all, I’m eternally grateful to have this job and work for this paper again. Each issue, I hope to express how grateful I am that you are reading our publication.
I’ll share again soon. I can’t wait.
