Congratulations to Senior Editor Richard Talcott, who this week celebrated his 25th anniversary with Astronomy magazine! And Rich, on behalf of the staff, I sincerely apologize.
Senior Editor Richard Talcott (holding the cake) celebrated his 25th anniversary with Astronomy magazine this week. Here, he’s joined by (from left) Senior Editor Michael Bakich, Copy Editor Karri Ferron, Associate Editor Bill Andrews, Associate Editor Liz Kruesi, and Editorial Assistant Valerie Penton. Chris Raymond photo
That last comment needs an explanation. You see, I’d love to say that Rich’s co-workers and I eagerly circled the date in red on our calendars far in advance, surreptitiously planning a big ta-da behind his back. I’d love to say that, but if I did, my pants would catch on fire. Instead, I only discovered the arrival of this significant date (his silver anniversary!) after Rich dropped off a ho-made cake on our “buffet table” — the long line of waist-high filing cabinets that previously served as the site of
our luncheon for an imaginary co-worker. That’s right — this poor fellow had to supply the very snack that would sustain and signal his otherwise oblivious professional peers.
What’s more, he didn’t even hang around his cake “casually” afterward, wistfully hoping one of us would pass and go, “Hey, Rich, what’s that?” Instead, he simply left this delicious work of chocolaty art in plain view and went to his office to start his workday. When I wandered past it about 30 minutes later, Valerie Penton filled me in on the meaning behind “Astronomy 25.”
Despite Val’s edification, I shamefully admit the knife Rich left next to his cake actually rested in my hand, poised to pierce, for several seconds before a vague unselfish thought finally formulated in my gray matter. “Wait a minute, this occasion is a big deal. You can’t just fill your cakehole and mumble thanks later.”
With that, every available co-worker gathered at the buffet table (Editor Dave Eicher is presently at the
Tucson Gem and Mineral Show), where we formally — and properly — congratulated Rich on the significance of this milestone.
And
then we attacked the cake. Long before lunchtime, about a dozen black (cake)holes had accreted most of the moist Devil’s-food matter from this delicious frosting-and-sprinkle galaxy concoction. That’s only fitting since this is
Astronomy magazine.
A close-up of the highly appropriate (and delicious) cake that Astronomy magazine Senior Editor Richard Talcott provided for his co-workers on the occasion of Talcott’s 25th anniversary. Chris Raymond photo
Incidentally,
Astronomy’s other senior editor, Michael Bakich, also celebrated a milestone this week — his eighth year with the magazine. Unfortunately, this fact might have passed unnoticed too had he not provided a few dozen donuts on the buffet table this morning. I promise we’ll secure a list of anniversary dates so this doesn't happen again, but congratulations to both Rich and Michael!