NANCY CHEEVER -- Notebook

The first time I drove into the parking lot of the Daily Pilot, I

thought I was going to puke.

I was on my way to meet Steve Marble, the managing editor, to talk

about a possible internship. Yeah, I was nervous.

Until that day, my only exposure to journalism was through my college

newspaper, where the toughest issues I tackled were school government

elections and a small demonstration about tuition increases.

Aside from the aftermath of a few bad fish tacos in Mexico, and the

day I defended my master’s thesis at Cal State Fullerton, the urge to

lose my lunch at work had never again befallen me. Until two weeks ago,

when I had to face Steve and Bill Lobdell and Tony Dodero and muster up

these words: “I’m leaving.”

Since that day -- seven years ago -- when I shook with anticipation at

the prospect of making journalism a career, I’ve learned from the best

and had more than my share of fun.

Besides the camaraderie inside the newsroom, I’ve had the opportunity

to meet and interview celebrities, jazz greats, Olympic gold medalists,

and everyday people who are caught in not-so-everyday situations.

I can’t count the times someone declared: “I used to deliver the

Pilot,” or “You guys did a story on me when I played high school

football.” That community spirit, which is steeped in the content of this

paper, is also evident in the people who run it.

And that’s what I’ll miss the most: the adrenaline that comes with

working together on a breaking news story; bantering over the order of

the Pilot’s 103 most influential people; whistling the “Jeopardy” theme

in our editorial budget meetings; getting the paper done when there’s 30

minutes to deadline.

Then there’s the other fun stuff: trying to persuade Gay Wassall-Kelly

to take her grand kids to see “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” and then

write about it; entering and winning reporting and design contests;

nailing a difficult interview; helping others reach their full potential.

Every morning as I zoom down the 405 Freeway, I smile and think what

an exceptional job I have, how lucky I am to be able to work with such

imaginative and vibrant people, to have amazing tools to do the best job

I can and to be able to laugh through the stress of deadline.

But now I have a new reason to smile. And I’m looking excitedly

forward to my new job as editor of Orange Coast Magazine. I will sorely

miss my colleagues and friends at the Pilot, and the many columnists,

freelance writers, photographers and designers I’ve had the pleasure of

knowing over the years.

I would love to tell everyone “keep in touch” and mean it. But good

intentions don’t equal guarantees, so what I will say is this: thanks,

for everything.

And hopefully, the next time I feel like puking, it will be the day

after a hearty celebration.

* NANCY CHEEVER is features editor of the Daily Pilot.