[for Friday, July 13]
This, in honor of one of our copy editors, who lost his battle with lung cancer early Friday.
Kent was a quirky dude, but a really good copy editor. The thing that always makes me laugh when I think of him is how he’d do bicep curls with a dumbbell while reading proofs. And the sign he posted on his cube following the release of Hustle and Flow that said “Hustle and page flow” — a nerdy newsroom joke. And, of course, there was the giant Yoda that Kent won and erected on top of our cube island, that spent many months staring down at my desk.
He’ll be missed.
Aw. Requiscat in pace, Mr. Copy Desk Dude. The Desk abides.
I still find myself using snarky phrases our copy desk chief used, possibly because the guy I now share an office with worked with him, too. (Long story. One of those small-world things.) The chief’s been gone for … OMG, 12 years now. Lymphoma. But boy, did he leave us all with hilarious memories.
I hope you all will still be using — and properly attributing! — your pal’s snarky remarks (and signs) in a dozen years, too.
(Unrelated remark: I hope whatever distracted you during “OoTP” was pleasant and didn’t involve posting bond. HA!)
Oh, man. I just read that hed in his obit. That dude was GOOOD. I’m proud you got to work with him.
Long before anybody knew about WWJD, I’d write heds and say, “What would C.B. do?” The answer was usually “torment the M.E.,” hahaha, but his work was always the ideal we strove for. And when he complimented you, usually with something like, “Smacked it outta the park on that A-1, slugger,” boy, you’d just beam for three days.
Here’s to co-workers who inspire us. Long may they wave.
*clink*
Yknow I’ve started doing the Dave Ramsey financial thing recently and its working pretty well so far. I mean, its not fast results, but the planning is working. I’ve got access to a book or two, plus maybe some Ramsey-on-cd if you wanted to share in the knowledge.