lettitor

Oh man, this is it. My last “Lettitor.”

I know, I know, this is hard, so don’t
be a hero. If you need to take a moment,
Pll understand.

Better? Good. Okay, let’s do this.

I suppose I should use this space to
take the high road and thank the won-

August 10/2005

 

derful writers, editors, production
staff, and numerous other contribu-
tors to the Other Press over the past
year. I suppose that would be appro-
priate. I suppose that would be nice.
Well, if it’s nice you’re after, go get
your own column. This may be my last
“Lettitor,’ but it’s still mine, and ’'m
not going out on some namby-pamby
“T couldn’t have done it without you”
note. No way.

Instead, much like the weekly OP
strip-poker game, I think I'll use this
opportunity to get a little something
off my chest.

First of all, 1 don’t care if they have
doctors’ notes; it makes me uncom-
fortable when section editors Brandon
Ferguson and Colin Miley don’t wear
pants in the office. And while I value
Kerry Evans’ services in External
Relations, I still don’t believe all those

strange men she brings around are real-
ly “clients.” Oh, and what’s the deal with
Sports Editor Darren Paterson? He
runs up a $4,000 phone bill calling 1-900
numbers and then just takes off to
Australia? Are you kidding me?

And that’s not the half of what I’ve
had to put up with. Illustrator/colum-
nist J.J. McCullough is constantly leaving

7

his George W. Bush blow-up doll lying
around, which can be dangerous, what
with proofreader Barb Adamski’s dis-
turbing habit of burning things. Then
there’s Features Editor Kevin Welsh and
A&E Editor Iain Reeve, who have some
suspicious operation going on in the
darkroom. I can’t say for certain what
they’re up to, but they keep charging
Sudafed and iodine crystals to the OP
expense account. And speaking of
expenses, is it just me or does it seem
that Alyona
Luganskaya and my boyfriend, Layout
guy Simon Hatton, have been spending

weird accountant

so much time in the Caymen Islands
together lately?

Of course, not everyone is so diffi-
cult to work with. Photographer Kat
Code and Graphics gal Angela
Blattmann are both incredibly talented,
brilliant, and beautiful young women.
And yes, I would say that even if they
weren't constantly threatening to pub-
lish incriminating photos of me.

But, overall, Pve enjoyed working
with this group of misfit toys, and what
can I really say to express that? Other
than: I think you are all great and I
thank you for letting me spend a year of
our lives together. Oh, and I hope you

 

enjoyed the cookies I made for you at
our meetings. And I hope the arsenic
levels were small enough so as not to be
traceable to me.

Before I go gently into that good
night, however, we still have the month
of August together. And it’s the best
month of all, because it’s “Best of New
West” month here at the Other Press.

Inside this issue you'll find all sorts
of informative and entertaining bits of
information about the city you love. Or
at least the city you live in. Or go to
school in. Or SkyTrain over en route to
somewhere else.

Thank you to all of the readers who
took the time to send in Best of New
West responses. Much obliged.

And while I’m doling out the grati-
tude, thank you to all of the readers who
took the time to read the Other Press
over the past year. Starting next month,
the devilishly handsome Colin Miley will
take the reins and I just know yall are
going to have a great year together. But
not foo great. Not like it was with us.
Right? Right?

All my love,
—Amanda Aikman, Managing Editor

www.theotherpress.ca