The Vortex

I've decided to start calling my workplace The Vortex because it sucks in all the logic, common sense and creative enthusiam into a giant black hole.

Now, I am lucky to have a job and am grateful for it, as I say over and over, especially after Ann Arbor decided to shut down its priont edition, fire all its workers and go online only. I must say, however, just because I'm lucky to have a job doesn't mean I can't say I'm happy with it. It's like being in a bad relationship -- saying you're happy to be with someone even when he or she is abusive or self-destructive seems odd to me. That's where I'm coming from.

Anyway, what inspired The Vortex label was an e-mail sent to me last week in which I was named the new agriculture reporter! I was immediately assigned to drive 50 miles away to a six-hour trade conference on fruit handling. Do you hear the sucking sound?

Also, I was told by my boss that I don't know how to write business stories (what do you think agriculture is!) and that's a reason why I was removed from my job and was not considered eligible for the newly created assistant editor position (my old job!). The Vortex.

There are so many more examples of the giant sucking sound, but I'll save those for later.

Just showing up

Woody Allen said 80 percent of success is just showing up.

I think that sums up my career (not that it's a success) and why I will be removed from my job, maybe by December.

I was hired at the paper as the weekend editor, a job few people sought, because there were only two candidates. The then-editor said she would never, ever hire the other one, so I got the job by default, not ability.

I moved to the night desk because no one stepped up to take the job. I had several reasons for doing it, but I got it because I showed up, not ability.

When I finally got the job I wanted and liked because I happen to be in the building at the time, I was happy. Then, after about six months, a new boss told me how bad at it I am, what a rotten leader and terrible example I am (yes, that's what I was told). I was demoted, told to leave the office and work from home so I was out of sight. I have the Saugatuck reporting job not because of ability but because I live in the area -- I show up in the community by default. If I lived in Holland Township, I would have been let go.

Now, I'm being told to work more out of the Allegan office, even farther away and out of sight than my home.

So, I'm not allowed to even show up anymore!

Woody Allen is right on. People I used to work with seldom speak to me, I hear many bad things about myself from my superiors, when they even bother to communicate with me. I should be laid off or fired by December, maybe into the first quarter of 2010, depending on the economy. Sooner is always a possibility too because I am old and not part of the in crowd.

With the loss of my bike column, my name will fade from public view pretty fast. I'll be "just another reporter," so the uniqueness of me showing up will be gone.

I have been marginalized to the point of professional nonexistence.

Riding into the sunset

My bicycle column has been eliminated by my supervisor.

I was informed today that I am now to cover all the court activity in Allegan County because our police reporter has too many other things to do than worry about the courts. Also, it was not worth her time to drive to Allegan to cover cases. So, my time is worth less than the police reporter's time.

I like being treated like dirt. I have job, so I am grateful.

I told my supervisor that I couldn't do all the things being requested of me, so she said to eliminate the bicycle column.

So, after about seven years of writing, of building an audience and an identity at zero cost to the newspaper (remember, I am salaried and took my own photos and submitted no bills for this), another piece of my identity has been ripped away.

Here's good timing: Just tonight I was stopped by two people independent of each other. The first one said, "Hey. Aren't you the guy who writes the bicycle column for the paper?"

"Yes," I replied.

"I enjoy those. Keep it up."

Then later, a man I'd never met before but who knew my face and name from the column, called my by name and asked if I'd been riding yet. I was impressed because he was a local fire chief whom I had not met before.

It's a shame that all I have enjoyed about my work has been cut away from me, like I'm being forced to quit by being submitted to more and more indignity each day.

Thanks for reading. At least someone is listening.