Four months: Still working on this going, going, gone thing in Kalamazoo

Michigan
newsrooms

Four months into "semi-retirement" and Tom Haroldson still finds the pace surprising. Equally surprising? The words that spring out of his mouth during the most unexpected times.

He's 57 and worked 30 years in as a reporter, editor and bureau chief for the Kalamazoo Gazette in a state where 30-and-out was almost a requirement

There are pluses in being able to stay up late when you want and choosing what to write about. But still:

"I have discovered that what I am is semiretired, which means I am in the middle of two worlds and wrestling with which one fits best and is the most enjoyable. I am too young to retire and too old to play around all day long. I am semidevoted to serious working and semi-interested in goofing off. "

Malcolm McBryde, Generations editor for the Kalamazoo Gazette, shared his nervousness of becoming a grandfather and being without a job as he gets ready to leave on his buyout.

I missed James Sanford's last column and an interview with him. The arts & entertainment coordinator ended his 12-year Kalamazoo stint in early June for Martha's Vineyard and in hopes an entertainment magazine that spans continents. Some of his work is still online at the old place and soon at the new place. He's still Tweeting and blogging.

When his stay on the vineyard ends - a summer too good to pass up with a buyout offer equally attractive - he'll see what the next step is.

I missed too that Anne Holcomb, a librarian who also knew much about making mlive.com work for her newspaper, also left the Gazette, moving to a new job at the Willard Public Library in Battle Creek. She can blog, created multimedia packages, and pull together information in amazing ways.

Also recently gone are Dave Person, Tim Lehman, and artist Richard Jordan.

Paul Morgan, former sports reporter and page designer, is still pulling together a daily sports TV listing and covering some sports and fitness for the news organization. But mostly he's gone.