Hello, OnMilwaukee.com readers. I've missed you. Whether you've noticed or not, I've been largely absent from the site this summer. It was about 12 weeks ago that I traded in my laptop and digital recorder for soft receiving blankets and diaper rash ointment; late night concert reviews for late-night feeding sessions.
Being at home with a newborn was an incredible experience, but one for which no amount of typing, writing and reporting could have prepared me. Needless to say, I entered -- or shall I say, was completely engulfed by -- a completely new world with a practically foreign set of rules and responsibilities. Spell-check wasn't going to help me with this job.
As any parent can likely attest, my three-month maternity leave was overwhelming, wonderful, scary, exhausting and totally amazing all at once. In many ways, I'd be perfectly happy continuing to uncover the mysteries of motherhood day in and day out, but on the other hand, I'm appreciative of my chance to return to my career.
Today marks my first day back in the editorial office at OnMilwaukee.com and although this desk feels slightly unfamiliar and the lack of solid sleep is taking a small toll on my creative flow, it's good to be back.
Still, I might need your help. I've spent the last five years with my finger on the pulse of this city, dutifully keeping the public informed of the many things Milwaukee has to offer. But these last few months, it was all I could do to check my e-mail once a week.
Sadly, I'm a bit out of the loop, so if any of you readers think I've overlooked an article-worthy event, please feel free to e-mail me and let me know. Milwaukee and I have a lot of catching up to do, and I look forward to it.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
