So far, I’ve eaten two chocolate, frosted Pop-Tarts, downed three or four cups of coffee (I’ve lost track) and am now starting on a stash of almonds. Soon, I’ll wander to the vending machine for peanut butter crackers and a Coke. Eventually, there will be Snickers bars, Moon Pies, and maybe those gooey raspberry-filled cookies.

Any illusions I have of maintaining a healthy diet pretty much disappear as deadlines loom for FACS Magazine articles.

Although I’ve been in Dawson Hall for 7 1/2 years, to many of you I’m only a name on the masthead of FACS Magazine. It’s probably time you at least have a face to go with my name and that I share just a bit about what it’s like to be director of communications for the greatest college at the University of Georgia.

After more than 20 years as a writer and editor I’ve learned that some old habits (such as snacking while writing) will never die, but I’ve gained so much new knowledge that spending a few extra minutes on a stationary bicycle (or having a better excuse to play tennis in the evening) is a small price to pay to have the opportunity to share this information with readers.

Interviewing people is fun. Whether it’s talking to an alumna who has grown her business from an idea to a profit-making corporation or to a researcher who’s discovering new information about diabetes or obesity, I love asking questions, taking notes and trying to understand the dreams that lead people to their goals. That’s the easy part.

The hard part is turning that information into a 1,000-word story that both explains the information in a way readers understand and captures the excitement and wonder of the person I interviewed. That’s where the Pop-Tarts and almonds come in. A few writers have the gift of capturing the excitement in someone’s voice or on their face into words, most of us struggle.

Majoring in journalism was an easy decision for me. I’m very practical, not particularly strong in math or science and I knew I didn’t want to teach. Once you apply those parameters, journalism becomes the best option.

I spent several years as a reporter and editor before joining the University of Georgia in 1990. Since arriving on campus, I’ve had nine offices in five different buildings and have written stories about everything from centenarians to mercury in dental fillings to ostriches.

As the FACS director of communications I’m involved in projects ranging from working with reporters writing stories about FACS research, developing brochures to tell students about FACS, and helping keep our website up-to-date. But FACS Magazine is always waiting for me.

There are a lot of anxieties that go into the finished product you hold in your hands. Statistics say that, in general, we’re spending fewer and fewer hours reading. That means there is less chance of capturing a few of the precious minutes you dedicate to reading. To maximize those chances, I have the good fortune of working with talented photographers and graphic designers who relish the task of making FACS Magazine visually compelling. The photographers have traveled with me from Elberton to Augusta to Vienna and spent hours pondering how to arrange things “just so” to capture an image. The magazine’s graphic designer takes those photos and my stories and combines them with white space, typefaces, and innovation to create a finished design that stands out among the other magazines, junk mail, and assorted bills that arrive together in your mailbox.

I’m lucky to have a job I love. I get to talk to lots of interesting people and share those conversations with all of you. I hope when you finish thumbing through each issue you feel a little closer to Dawson Hall. Now, where are those peanuts?