Here it is: the chance to pen the Flyer’s famed “Letter From the Editor” column. This week, I hold the keys to this journalistic kingdom and can lead off with whatever topics I deem fit. At last, an opinion column! Sounds like fun, right?
The reality is that as press day ticked ever closer, my Google Doc remained the same, a lone cursor blinking steadfast in the upper left corner. What did I want to say? Do I have anything to say for a piece like this? There are already so many voices needlessly screaming into the internet ether; do I really need to add another one? Should I even be penning such a column? I’m an editor, sure, but for our sister publications Memphis magazine and Inside Memphis Business. My co-workers all expect a column about soccer, but no, I won’t give them the satisfaction.
But my existential pondering didn’t matter; deadlines still exist, and time was almost up. You may have noticed that the Flyer’s letter from the editor has featured several different names over the last month or so, mine being the fifth to appear in this “temp-editor” carousel. As we continue our hunt to find a new editor to help carry our alt-weekly forward, I like to think of us as a motley crew of mad hatters, each with a staggering variety of headgear piled high as we juggle myriad responsibilities and adjust to the demands of 21st century journalism. The writing, editing, social media, event planning, endless conveyor belt of irrelevant emails, and who knows how many other random miscellaneous tasks every week add up to quite a bit, but we soldier on.
That packed schedule that we all deal with has got me thinking about “time” lately. My perception of it has faded into dust since we entered Covid lockdown back in 2020, and it’s all hazy from there. That trip to Kentucky I took recently? That was actually in 2016. Didn’t I go to the Bar-B-Q Shop last month? Nope, that was back in March. But again, it’s the looming deadlines that fill me with the most anxiety.
I looked up at the calendar and, wow, it’s been almost seven years at Contemporary Media, a good bit longer than my initial two-year plan. My 30th birthday approaches in several months; does that milestone signal the end of fun, and a long, slow decline into bitterness? Or is that when the fun truly begins? When my lease expires in March, does that mean I buy a property and take on a mortgage that will stretch my finances to the brink, or do I re-up on an overpriced ramshackle apartment because “the rent is too damn high”?
The big decisions and milestones coming thick and fast get you thinking about your time, and what you do with it. I imagine it’s been easy for many over the past couple of years to just end up drifting as the world burns, as social media platforms demand our attention and try to dictate our lives, and as puffed-up malcontents in government try to dismantle our country piece by piece. What you do with your work, and what you do outside of it, matters greatly. It doesn’t necessarily mean big-picture, but rather, finding that thing which brings your zen or purpose.
Some might say you need to be constantly productive in your spare time. They’re wrong, of course, just as I’d be wrong to say that overloading on leisure time is key, because there is no one-size-fits-all solution. I head home after work and glom in front of a TV after booting up my PlayStation 5; others might grind out a side hustle or work on a passion project. Ignore all the noise and find what works best for you. It can be hard to tune it all out, but a small respite, even just a little peace of mind, goes a long way after the years we’ve had.
What we here at the Memphis Flyer choose to do with our time every day is to continue bringing you news, columns, and stories about anything and everything Memphis, and it means a lot when you pick up one of our issues and validate the hard work of our entire crew. If you really like what we do, consider becoming a Frequent Flyer and donating to the cause. Heck, you can even just give me cash directly (my Venmo is @Samuel-Cicci). And if you really, really, like what we do, then perhaps apply to become our new editor. If you’ve picked up this week’s issue, I hope the content is well worth your time. Anyway, looks like mine’s up for today.
The Memphis Flyer is now seeking candidates for its editor position. Send your resume to hr@contemporary-media.com.