. . . the secret to enjoying and loving life is intellectual curiosity and keeping an open mind.

Learning and evolving is the reward, and it’s the best reason I can think of to embrace and treasure every day and look forward to each new challenge that comes my way.

Janice and I recently relocated to Williamsburg, Virginia — where she’s from — and would like to settle somewhere on the East Coast.

It’s a new opportunity for me, having spent my whole life in the Midwest.

Early on, my dad’s work as an air traffic controller took us to the Chicago area, where I spent my formative years. Dad was a sports fan, and it rubbed off. And if he were still around, we’d both be groaning about the Cubs even if they do show signs of promise from time to time.

I spent 15 years in Wisconsin learning the journalism trade from the ground up. In college at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, much of my time was spent working with campus media, regularly reporting and doing play-by-play and commentary of all the major sports and many of the so-called minor ones.

By the time the real world called, having also experienced newspaper reporting at my college paper and professionally in Chippewa Falls (Wis.), I opted for bylines over sound bites and began a career journey doing seemingly every job in the newsroom — even as they were inventing new ones.

That’s been the most fascinating, and yet scary, part. Being in the middle of an industry trying to reinvent itself. It has brought uncertainty at times, but has also kept things fresh and constantly challenging, while giving me the opportunity to do what I love to do most. Learn.

Following forays into news reporting in Shawano and Wausau (Wis.) and nearly 10 years as a sports editor in Fond du Lac (Wis.), Janice — who works in graphic design — and I landed at the Des Moines Register in 2001.

There, we helped our company bridge into the growing world of online publication. I embraced that change fully and viewed it as another challenge to continue to thrive as a journalist.

My love of information and passion for the power of words brings great excitement as I think of the myriad of career opportunities for someone with those skills in today’s world. Newspapers, magazines, brochures, journals, pod casts, blogs and other information-based industries call.

In sum, I look forward to bringing the skill, passion and energy I have for working with words into another yet endeavor. I can’t wait.