Editorial Crunch Time

When the first couple of issues of Street Sense came out in the winter of 03-04, there was serious doubt that they would actually be completed and in the vendors hands in time. But with the great efforts and creativity of Ted and I, we made it happen, even if we did not have the content to fill 16 pages (the size we started at.) This would include making really large pulled quotes, including random stand alone pictures we took at the last minute, pulling stories from other street paper or creating ads or wish lists for us, NCH or other nonprofits helping us out. In fact, there was only one time, I recall, that we came out late (outside of the 15th falling on a weekend) and that was just by a day or two.

Now, there is no longer the question of will the paper come out on time. It always does, no matter how frantic or calm the days following its release is. We have dedicated volunteers and vendors that are willing to make it happen. And for that I am ever grateful because its allows me to keep my sanity and few extra hours of sleep.

Case in point, today Jesses Smith, who typically is managing and helping out the vendors did a last minute restaurant review today after several other canidates fell through. (He is typing it up at home as I write.) On his way there, he also ended up snapping a photo for the recipe contest. And Cliff Carle took a last minute photo for the library article this morning. And Corey Bridges gave up 20 minutes of prime lunchtime selling time to be interviewed for the vendor profile, which we nearly forgot about after skipping it last issue.

As for volunteers last minute efforts, as I write, Marian Wiseman and David Pike are also doing a preliminary copy-edit of the laid-out issue, and David Hammond will be doing the final proof (as he has done for nearly the last year) tomorrow. And today Linda Wang and Joe Knight did some last minute photo formatting, allowing me lots more time to work on lay out.

Its great how everything comes together. I really don't have to worry and my fretting has gone down considerable in the last year, because I know that things will get done. People will step up and all will work out, and we will have a pretty damn good paper in the end!

LAURA