Alright, so I got a bit ahead of myself thinking I was writing my “last” Last Word last week – so here it is everyone, the first ever Second Last Word.

I drank a bit too much coffee this morning, which was chock-full of sugar, so my typing is reaching NASCAR-like speeds here. In tapping away at my final assignments, I have been thinking about things I have learned, and things I have thus far failed to learn – like how to spell inaugural on the first try. That is something that is well above my intelligence level, and you would think a journalist would know, yet I still to this day can’t get it right without the spell checker.

I’ve learned about the fact that Jasper lives in its very own time zone, and all events should be attended at least a half-hour late. This is a simple reflection of the relaxed nature and flexibility this town has.

I never did quite learn how to keep up with the insane schedule you all keep. On some days (including my last day) I spent my work day running around like a chicken with my head cut off. There was always one more photo to take, one more quote to scribble down, and one more person that had a fantastic idea to tell you about or an event for you to stop by. 

I was told when fall 2010 came that we would have a “shoulder season”, but I never did experience it. To Jasperites, I guess a shoulder season is only 50 things going on in one weekend instead of 100. Then in the spring, another shoulder season was supposed to arrive, and it never did either. I was hoping for a quiet last day at work, but it certainly didn’t happen, if any of you I spoke to on my last day may have noticed.

I have obviously learned that 22 ounces of coffee is just a bit too much. I can tell because my poor heart is hammering against my chest and I am making unnecessary puns about being too “perky” (get it?). I generally have the attention span of a four year old as it is, but things are getting out of control.

I didn’t drink coffee when I started in this job. I remember getting a few sideways surprised glances when people offered me some and I declined. Apparently to be a fully functioning journalist you must drink pot after pot of Java.

I started up when my boyfriend and I went on a road trip across the country, and a few too many nights in campgrounds and long hauls between our destinations got to be too much. I wondered how he ever slept drinking gallons of it every day, but then I started myself and I wondered how I ever lived without it every day. 

As per my first last Last Word, I said I needed to do Old Fort Point before I left. I did get around to it; while I was packing, my wonderful roommate Sarah dragged my sorry butt out of bed on my only day off and I did it. I ticked that off the list, but the tramway is going to have to wait till next summer, and I’m happy with that – perhaps I’ll see you all again.

So long, Jasper. I’ll miss your crazy weather, the wonderful mountains, the smiling faces and so much more.

This is my bittersweet second-last, Last Word. 

DISCLAIMER: The Last Word is an opinion column, it is meant to provoke thought and debate. As such, any opinions written here are the writer’s own and do not reflect the viewpoint of any other Fitzhugh staff member or the directors of the Jasper Media Group Inc.