It’s time for a difficult post. I’m leaving Emporia by Christmas, and I’m leaving The Emporia Gazette one week from Thursday. Life in this kind-hearted town has taught me plenty, not to mention all I’ve learned as a journalist.

Interviewing and telling stories teaches you to see people through a strangely honest lens that few can access. I made plenty of mistakes. But I also learned plenty. I learned how to ask the right questions — the ones that show I’m not just interested in the two-paragraph scoop, but  that I sincerely care about what people have to say.

My most memorable assignments include:

• An area UPS driver who does beautiful woodworking on the side
• A fatal motorcycle accident
• A juvenile tried for aggravated robbery
• Puppies swimming in a pool
• A woman recovering from a multiple-story fall with her community’s help
• Our nationally watched governor’s campaign
• Why Emporia does and doesn’t want chickens
• A girl battling a lifelong genetic disorder
• Every story that shows Emporia’s desire to grow

I learned what it’s like to work in city government, how to get along with cops, why problems happen, how to work in an office, and why people work as hard as they do. I worked under pressure, found my own stories, worked two beats and created relationships. The lessons I learned from this job are unbelievably invaluable. Thank you to everyone who has helped me grow during my time in Emporia.

Ultimately, it has become clear that newspaper journalism is not the field for me. Long-term survival requires a toughness, cynicism and skepticism that I don’t have and don’t want. Part of journalism is about stress, a 24/7 schedule, working holidays and sacrificing too much for a career path I sincerely respect, but never really wanted. I’ve always wanted to earn money writing, and journalism seemed the most practical way to achieve that. But in the end it’s constant stress, and it’s a distraction from a risk I have always wanted to take.

Small Town Field Guide will continue under the same name in Kansas City for a short time, then in Wichita for (hopefully) a long while. I see no reason why the blog should stop, simply because I will no longer live in a small town. Thank you for your support so far. This has been a fun release from work, and it’s sparked my interest in web publishing and humor writing.

Next, I want to join a workforce of the most impractical people known to society: creative writers. I will now have more time to write, work and in a craft I have always loved before any other interest. After I find a job (That’s right, Mom! A real job!) and apartment (complete with a cat) in Wichita, I plan to work toward a Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Wichita State.

Wichita State has a great creative writing program. The point of an MFA is not to apply to a specific job, or for a line on my resume. I plan to write long-term on the side while earning money in copywriting, freelancing or public relations. Working daily with a community of serious and talented writers would be an incredible opportunity. I’m confident I’ll one day be able to support myself through a variety of writing forms (fiction, blogging, web copy, etc).

I have loved my time in Emporia. The sweet old ladies who call the newsroom, early closing hours and cute historic buildings are endearing and keep their history well. The people here are the best. However, I am excited to return to friends in Wichita, where all the grocery stores have conveyor belts and 20 varieties of potato chips.

I am so thankful for my time at The Gazette and in Emporia. The people I met taught me plenty, and I’ll carry those lessons with me. For now, it’s time to say thank you, and goodbye.

(Well, I’ll stick around for another week or so. Then it’s goodbye.)

Ciao, baby!

P.S. Emporia: Let’s get a beer sometime. FYI, I’m not buying.