Editor’s Foreword Signing On: Big Shoes to Fill

By Benjamin G. Shatz

Benjamin G. Shatz

Your immediate past Editor-in-Chief, John Derrick, had a pre-law background as a publisher and editor. John was an outstanding Editor-in-Chief, and had he chosen to decree himself Editor-in-Chief-for-Life, the Section leadership no doubt would have responded with a cheer. Alas, one of the best parts of volunteer work is calling it a day and passing the torch. Hence, John’s farewell Editor’s Foreword in our last issue displayed near giddy delight in relinquishing the administrative reins, allowing the heady joy of freedom to drive his purple prose ever upward in prematurely extolling his successor. (Too bad his column lacks an audio feature, because his encomiums would indubitably sound even more creditable in his impeccable Received Pronunciation, or — for you non-linguistics majors out there — his refined British accent.)

This is not the first time I’ve followed in John’s footsteps — literally. John is addicted to half-marathons, seemingly running one every month or so. I am not a runner. But with his encouragement, I followed him — as best I could — in completing the Santa Barbara half last November. Thus I know I have big shoes to fill, because I have seen his actual shoes racing off into the distance ahead of me.