Dear Readers:

My staff is playing songs in the office right now in an effort to make me cry. We've gone from Vitamin C's "Graduation" to "I Hope You Dance" by LeAnn Womack. We've heard "Go the Distance" from Hercules and "Time of your Life" by Greenday. I think it all began with "I'll Remember" by Madonna - a personal hero (ahem, obsession) of our interactivity editor Drew Hainz.

Believe it or not, I'm not going to cry. Heartless? Maybe. But in reality I'm so proud of all that we've accomplished this year, I just can't summon the tears. I keep remembering that quote: "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." And I'm definitely smiling now.

On Saturday, managing editor Sarah Mchie and I traveled to Indianapolis to the Indiana Society of Professional Journalists' annual awards dinner. We expected a third place photo award. We walked away with a plaque for Best Web Journalism site in Indiana. The category was open to every professional and student site in the state.

Coming into this job I was worried that I couldn't live up to the hype that past editors Jaki Clark and Trenton Taylor had created. The two of them did more for this publication than can ever be recounted in a letter. I didn't know if I could compare. Sarah Mchie is now preparing for the job of editor-in-chief of Ball Bearings next year. And I know that she's feeling a few of the same trepidations I felt last year. I didn’t know how to convince her that she would be fine until this moment. But as I think about it, I didn’t have anything to worry about, and neither does she. Here’s why: Ball Bearings can take care of itself.

This year has been unbelievable. I've had an editorial board that any editor could dream of. (And actually did at times.) They did their jobs to the best of their abilities every day. They consistently encouraged, pushed and threatened our staff to produce better story packages each week. They were there through the ups and downs, through midterms and finals, through late nights and lattes. They were there when Ball Bearings needed them, simply because they cared.

Ball Bearings is special. It’s different. It has its own identity that is carried by the people who love the Internet. Ball Bearings is dancing in the office and glee club. It’s Papa Johns pizza and chocolate bubble yum. It’s worshipping Anderson Cooper…. as God. Ball Bearings is the crazy web kids who are always coming out of the closet (and by that I mean our office).

Sarah Mchie is an amazing leader. For the past year she has been an irreplaceable person in my life. She is responsible, organized and annoyingly always right. She’s been a constant source of laughter and friendship. She’s passionate and dedicated to whatever she puts her heart to. And I know, without a doubt, that she will make a fantastic editor-in-chief.

But even if something goes wrong (as it undoubtedly will with technology), Ball Bearings will pull through. Because with a publication like this, you just can’t keep us down… Or make us cry.

Forever one of the crazy Web kids,
Jacque