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From the editor: what do you want to be when you grow up?

4 min read

As a kid, one of my favorite summer pastimes was digging in the dirt. We had a creek (or crick if you’re from my neck of the woods) in the backyard, so my sister and I would take our shovels, plastic beach buckets and other assorted toys to the murky waterbed, mixing up potions, making mud pies and just generally making a mess and causing mild chaos. I can see the both of us now in my head, toddling down the hill to play in the water.

The other day, I asked my mom what she wanted to be when she grew up when she was a little girl. She worked in a nursing home for as long as I’ve been alive and then some, so I had no clue what her childhood dreams may have held. She told me she wanted to be an archeologist as a kid, which floored me. I wasn’t expecting that at all. Mom has always been interested in history, though, so it shouldn’t have been that shocking.

I recall a family vacation to Kellys Island in Lake Erie. It’s near Put-In-Bay, if you’re familiar, though with a little less drinking and more of a family-friendly vibe than the attraction known to many for bachelor and bachelorette parties. Kellys Island is home to glacial grooves created 18,000 years ago. I’m sure vising those indentations was her idea. Mom has always been fascinated with giant rock faces on hikes, historic buildings and more, so her love of the ancient era and wish to uncover a piece of history made sense when I investigated it further. And maybe this love manifested in my own desire to stick my fingers in the soil. However, I did not inherit a green thumb, so I’m not much of a gardener.

Would-be archeologists are uncovering pottery and other bits and bobs at a dig site this summer and looking for interested members. Read C.R. Nelson’s cover story for more on Greene Tree Tavern stand, the truck stop of yesteryear. She spent a day with the group as they carefully excavated the area. The base of operations lives in the Greene County Historical Society Museum.

Speaking of what you want to be when you grow up and that nursing home my mom worked at, that’s where I found out I wanted to be a journalist. I volunteered in the activities department (both for fun and for college and scholarship applications). One day, the director didn’t have anything for me to do, so she handed me a notebook and told me to interview some of the residents hanging out in the dining room. She told me to take notes, mainly to prove I’d actually done what she asked. As I chatted with these people, I realized I genuinely enjoyed this task, asking people about their lives and the crucial moments that shaped them. When I figured out I could make a career out of talking to people and writing about what they said, I decided to become a journalist and never second-guessed it.

As always, thank you so much for reading. I recently got another magazine story idea when a reader called the office and suggested it, so I mean it when I say I love hearing from our readers. If you think something might be worth an article, I will absolutely consider it. If you know of a new business, a group doing worthwhile work, a charity with a creative idea or any other feature-worthy effort, I want you to reach out. Call me at 724-222-2200 ext. 2421, or email me at tthurston@observer-reporter.com.

Take care, stay safe and see you in the next edition.

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