Recognizing the Assistants

Producing the daily entry in this blog requires the assistance of a small team. Selecting a topic to write about, copying and reducing the photos to include with the text, and researching information to expand on our impressions involves efforts of staff members who often go unrecognized.

Today we honor two of our top assistants. (Since the work is intense and steady, the photos below were taken after the day’s work had “gone to press.”)

Lizzie Borden is the senior production advisor. She has a sweet disposition and is very sensitive to frowns.

She takes pride in advising what the right word to use when describing experiences and is the house grammarian. But that can be quite emotionally draining.

O.R. Deal is in charge of deadline management. His demands, however, put speed ahead of the right way of making a point, and this often puts him at odds with Lizzie.

These disagreements can lead to chases and scuffles. The end result, as you can see here, is that both will often knock off work early to get some sleep.

And they are both very good sleepers.

But by dawn of the next morning, the frustrations of the previous night are forgotten and the sunrise can be enjoyed.

Viewed from Galveston Island, sunrises over the Gulf of Mexico present a daily show—no reruns, but some masked arrivals.

Ships were lined up as they prepared to enter either Galveston Harbor or head up the channel to Houston.