Once I decided on my career path, I always thought I would be a newspaper reporter.

Coming up with story ideas, researching topics, interviewing people and telling stories were always so satisfying. Sure, there were abhorrent assignments and dull days. But, overall, reporting was interesting and fun.

Then the newspaper industry really changed. Business was shaky at best. I wanted something more stable.

So I took a marketing communications job at a healthcare organization and learned a wide range of skills, including many I never considered. Like most reporters, I thought public relations was all about dealing with the media. But that is just one aspect, and I’m happy to be challenged by the work. Still, I missed being a reporter, and changes at my job were going to take me further away from what I enjoyed most.

These days, after a break to refresh and refocus, I’m doing both journalism and marketing communications. There needs to be separation, of course. I only do marketing communications for the healthcare industry despite having spent half my newspaper career covering the beat, for example, but there are so many other topics to explore in print and online.

Travel, crafting, agriculture and business provide a bounty of stories. Human interest features are always so appealing. And I’m just getting started.