Eyes: Times Hard, Getting Harder

JeanieS: I’m shocked! I went to school with Bill (Morlin’s) sister . I’ve wondered if he ever met my Dad, Don Rice, on the Chronicle. And I’ve loved everything that Karen has written. “Incalculable loss” is an understatement. It’s almost too much to take, Dave, along with everything else: the economy, my son’s lay off; every Tom-Dick-and-Harry company wanting to raise their rates; my 401(k) disappearing off the chart; my dreams of retirement fizzling; papers closing; more layoffs being treatened; and now this.

Question: In the last 7 years, I’ve watched half of the SR newsroom disappear, going from 164 employees in our heyday to about 85 today. I dread the days when the layoff notices are made. I still enjoy my work, however. What we’ve built together here is something special. It helps me answer the wake-up bell in the morning. What silver linings do you cling to as you digest the bad times all around?