Recently, I had dinner with a friend who’s a college professor.
“So, any plans for the summer?” I asked, making general conversation.
He looked at me like I had two heads.
It was early July and, for my friend, most of the summer was already long gone. His mind was on returning to school, just a month or so away.
“Oh, I guess you’ve already been off awhile,” I said, catching my mistake and quickly changing the topic.
I realized then that the world is split in two—those whose lives are divided by the school year and those who aren’t. I’m definitely in the second camp.
In contrast, my life is broken into monthly segments, the cycle of publishing this magazine. As soon as one issue is finished, the next one revs up.
The story list must be finalized, the planning meeting held, the art arranged. That’s followed by weeks of writing, editing, designing, proofreading, etc., culminating in another completed issue, ready to be printed, distributed and read.
This cycle has now been going on, without interruption, for nearly 17 years. I call it the “monthly miracle.”
Once a year, my schedule and my friend’s schedule converge. Each August, TheBurg has an extended focus on “youth and schools,” as we mark the start of the new academic year. I hope you’ll enjoy our special section, which includes a dive into the Harrisburg School District, now that it’s out of a six-year state receivership.
Otherwise, we have our usual mix of news, community stories, small business features, cultural happenings and events—always all-original and always all-local. Enjoy this last official month of summer, whether that means back to work, back to school or just another day in the life.
Lawrance Binda
Publisher/Editor
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