I have discovered one huge advantage of working at home.
I married her 37 years ago.
Being married to a newspaper editor is not a walk in the park. Don't believe me? Ask my wife. She is the one who covered for me at all those events I did not make. Work, you know.
She raised two great kids for the most part alone. Sure, I was there, but work always intruded. She will tell you I always put work first. She's probably right.
Now that the kids are grown, it's just the three of us - me, her and my laptop.
The technology that has made it possible for the most part to put the newspaper out from home has now intruded into her space.
We both look forward to the day when I can chuck the device that rules my life.
For now, she tolerates the early-mornings when I awake to update the website, and that one last glance at my email before bed.
She's always been smarter than me.
Now I'm taking advantage of it
I have written many times about the most important decision I make every day.
Even in these days when so much of what we do focuses on our online content, the front page of the newspaper - especially for a tabloid newspaper - remains incredibly important.
Every time I field a complaint from a person who wants to point out - usually in fairly salty language - that the only reason I put that story on the front page was to sensationalize the story and sell more copies of that "rag" of a newspaper, I have always wanted to admit they are exactly right. At least in part.
Yesterday as I was sitting at the kitchen table staring at this screen looking for a couple of words to sum up the day's coronavirus developments, I decided to lean on my better half.
She did not disappoint.
It was clear that the major development of the day was Gov. Tom Wolf's decision to extend his stay-at-home order through the end of April. He also announced all state schools would remain closed. This hits close to home for my wife, who is a special education teacher's aide.
I was looking to come up with something tied into April, without crossing the line into making it look like something of an April Fools' joke. Yes, even I have my limits. I know that will come as a surprise to many readers.
As usual the tumblers clicking in my head focused on April Fools and what kind of combination of words would adequately describe the situation.
Keep in mind, that for most of those 37 years, she has lived with someone who has a habit of spitting out two or three words to sum up every story we encounter.
The best I could come up with was 'April Rules.' I wasn't thrilled with it. For one thing, there is the matter of 'rules' having different meaning. I was looking for a set of rules, norms, that had been upended. But in its verb form it could be construed to mean dominate or rule over. That's not the thought I was looking for.
At this point I noticed my wife scribbling on a piece of paper.
On it were two words.
April Sours.
Perfect.
Don't blame me. This front page is all hers.
After 37 years, I figure that's the least I owe her.
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