Well, if I had known it was going to spark that kind of reaction, I would have announced I was leaving the Daily Times years ago.
Honestly, what happened yesterday after I noted in my weekly print column that this would be my last week after 38 years at the Daily Times was a bit overwhelming.
It's one of the old adages of the news business. We're supposed to cover the story. We're not supposed to be the story.
My deepest thanks for all of you who reached out with voicemails and emails, while also flooding Twitter and Facebook.
It's a humbling experience.
I have said any number of times in the last 20-plus years that the newspaper really belong to the readers. That remains true today. I am just the steward. The Daily Times will still be here after I'm gone. As well it should. Newspapers are needed now more than ever.
I'll have more to say about that later this week.
For now, forgive me if I'm a bit awash in memories.
The other constant in doing this job for this long has been that other small task that I have overseen every day.
I call it the most valuable piece of real estate in Delaware County, although I'm guess some local Realtors might not back me up on that.
And it measures all of one square foot.
It's our front page.
Every day, the most important decision I make - even in these days of online news - is what image and story will dominate our front page.
I could not even guess at how many front pages I have made up during my tenure at the Daily Times.
And yes, there are more than a few I would probably do differently if I had such a thing as a 'do-over.'
As I've told any number of reporter for years now, there is no such thing. Print is forever.
Over the years, I have been accused on any number of occasions of putting a certain story or photo on our front page just to "sensationalize the story and sell newspapers."
They invariably offer one more flair, always referring to that "rag" of a newspaper.
It's a badge I wear proudly. That "rag" has been my life.
When I speak to various groups, I always talk about the importance of our front page and the vital role it has always played in the paper. Then I do something people don't always expect. I tell them there is some truth to the critics' claims. Yes, part of this job - not the most important part or the only part - but an important part nonetheless, is to sell as many newspapers every day as possible.
That's where that front page comes in.
Its job is to stop people in their tracks - as they prepare to board the train, or when they duck into the Wawa for their morning up of Joe.
If a person stops, that front page is starting to do its job. If they lean in and look at the image in the window of that vending rack, we're getting warm. If they put their money in and snag a paper, it's a sale. Of course, if they take out three papers, we kind of frown on that.
All of which gets me to something I'm asked all the time, and it has popped up again in these last few days.
What is the favorite front page you've ever done.
That one is easy.
After all, I waited my whole life to do it.
This is the front page that graced Delaware County on Monday, Feb. 5., the morning after the Eagles won the first Super Bowl championship in team history.
As usual, I played around with the words, zeroing in on the eternal wait for lifelong Eagles fans, and the notion that Philly was finally on top.
I did it with one word: Phinally!
Ironically, I guess I could break that one out again this week, my last week at the Daily Times.
Phil is Phinally Phinished.
I think my wife would agree.
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