Back in Editor’s chair after brief sabbatical

DUST IN THE WIND
by Bill Boyle
I have always envied those who work in higher education, where many scholars take advantage of the option to go on sabbatical. They step away from their teaching or research endeavors and work on another project for a brief period of time.
After what became a four-month “sabbatical” as Publisher, Editor, and Janitor of the San Juan Record, I am once again back in the seat where I have spent the previous 24 years.
Research shows that those who take a sabbatical report higher levels of satisfaction and lower levels of stress once they return to their previous work.
I certainly hope that is the case for me.
Believe me, running a weekly newspaper can be a grind. The most recent three years were particularly challenging, with an incredible amount of controversy surrounding voting rights and Bears Ears National Monument.
It was very difficult to straddle these divisive issues, and I simply wore down.
Now, after four months away from the newspaper, I am ready to re-engage and move forward.
I am committed to serving the wonderful residents of San Juan County by providing a good source of information about what is happening in this remarkable corner of the world.
I understand the controversies in these divisive times, but I commit to do my best to be professional and objective.
I do admit that I have biases: I want San Juan County to succeed. I want the residents of the entire county to have great opportunities and to prosper. I want all of our communities, from the north to the south, to grow.
I want the Cougars and the Raiders and the Broncos and the Buckaroos and the Jaguars to win. I want the schools to succeed and the kids to thrive and the adults to secure life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
So as I return to the Editor’s chair, I appreciate your support over the prior 24 years and look forward to moving ahead to a brighter future. Thanks!
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A quick reminder: A letter to the Editor provides a forum for readers to contribute to the paper.
We generally run every letter we receive, with very few exceptions. Exceptions include letters which contain libel, slander or are in poor taste, letters which have nothing to do with San Juan County, or letters about issues that have already been addressed at length in the paper.
Aside from that, we are glad to receive a letter and will most likely run it.
Please be kind.
Whether or not the Editor agrees with the content is never a part of the decision to run a letter.