Facebook has an awkward way of keeping it real.

There鈥檚 no shining up the sulky messages from my disgruntled early 30s that are now being re-distributed to me on a daily basis. Nor is there a word that expresses how thankful I am that I鈥檓 too old to be held accountable for the thoughts of my teens and 20s.

This week, one of the memories the social media monster directed me to was from eight years ago and read 鈥渢ime to circle the wagons, friends鈥� because my days in reporting were over.

A plucky little news website I worked for died a sudden death, making me unemployed for the third time in two years. It was a tough time to be a junior reporter in an industry being shaken by the interweb and I thought, perhaps, it was time to call it a day.

It felt like being knocked down by a ton of bricks, if I recall correctly 鈥� I鈥檓 sure Facebook 鈥渕emories鈥� will help beef up what my grey matter has let go, in the days to come.

For one, I spent a lot of money getting a degree and was very disappointed to learn there was no refund policy.

Also, this industry 鈥� next to my child, husband, dog 鈥� is my great love.

Stories, ultimately, are my jam. Before I had a print product to help fill, I was telling people the news. My news, mind you. And it was gloriously overblown to make me seem all the more amazing.

Thankfully, I was hired on at the Capital News within days of this old Facebook post and I got to keep telling stories, in print.

Working here taught me a few things about telling stories. One has to tone down the hyperbole and do the reader a favour. Give them the facts, ma鈥檃m 鈥� the world is mind bending enough without giving in to sensational slants. Also, it鈥檚 completely cliche and true, everybody has a story to tell and it鈥檚 almost always surprising.

That鈥檚 not to say it鈥檚 all been roses. There has been a healthy dose of angry mail and phone calls also keeping it real over the years. Once I had a business owner tell me, without realizing who he was speaking to, that there was a real beast at the Capital News, saying hateful things about the elderly and disparaging her mother.

I couldn鈥檛 figure out who it was until he quoted me to me. I鈥檒l be honest, having my words twisted and being misunderstood was slightly less painful after realizing I was being quoted鈥� #reportergoals. Also, my mother was grateful someone was there to keep me on my toes, so I owed thanks for that.

While I haven鈥檛 always realized it as it was happening, there鈥檚 cause to be grateful for all of these experiences.

Now, however, it鈥檚 time to take on a new challenge. In the same building, mind you 鈥� you鈥檙e not getting rid of me that easily, my favourite detractors.

It鈥檚 time for me to step into the 琉璃神社 managing editor鈥檚 chair 鈥攖he first woman to do so, by the way 鈥� and I couldn鈥檛 be more thrilled. There will be less time for my own stories, and more time to get a refreshed team of reporters motivated to come up with new ideas and fresh views on the issues of the day. Isn鈥檛 that sensational?

In the days and weeks to come you will see the Capital News infused with new energy. We鈥檙e turning a page, so to speak and we can鈥檛 wait to hear what you think.

So, pick us up. Click on us. Find us on Facebook and help us keep it real.

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