Election Day is over.

Really, there’s nothing better than that right now. Except maybe the fact that I am no longer sitting upright at my desk but am writing this in my bed with two snoring dogs near me.

Election Day is typically the longest, or at least one of, days of the year for journalists. I know that I put in about 13.5 hours Tuesday, Cyndi Brown got to the office shortly after I did (solely because I ignored her advice to come in at noon), and Hope Hodge began her work day at 6 a.m. covering the 3/10 deployment. She took a nap though, at least that’s what she assured me via Twitter a few minutes ago.

Typically there are around seven local stories in an edition of The Daily News. Wednesday’s paper will contain 12 or 13 depending on space since a local woman punching a cop in Myrtle Beach was unexpected.

Then there’s blotter… which we all know is some people’s favorite part of the paper. I had not checked blotter in quite some time but, go figure, the first warrant I pulled tonight was a friend. I’m not going to clarify which one because, frankly, I don’t want to look at what he was arrested for again. There are some things that pain me about this career, and the fact that I typically hear if someone I know gets arrested is definitely in the top 3.

Anyways, I’m going to sleep soon. Provided the 2 liter of Mt. Dew I drank tonight doesn’t get in my way.

Each day, we check warrants. Sometimes those warrants end up in blotter, sometimes they lead to briefs, other times they end up forming an article. If we’re incredibly lucky, the process ends with the person or family member calling to discuss the item. Often times in those conversations, they mention that we don’t know what it’s like to have that happen to our family.

I haven’t taken one of those phone calls in a while, but I can safely say that is not always the case.

I grew up in Jacksonville, my family’s been here for the better part of the last 23 years, and I’ve been lucky enough to see both my parents’ divorce printed in The Daily News and my brother appearing in the blotter. Neither occurred while I was working here, but I remember seeing them and just shaking my head. Particularly when my brother got arrested.

I’ve seen more friends end up in the blotter and in Lindell Kay’s articles than I’d like to remember, have seen more people I’ve known being brought to the magistrate’s office in cuffs while I’m checking warrants than I’d like to acknowledge. I know what it’s like to wait in a courtroom and watch a relative appear in those amazing orange jumpsuits that the Onslow County Jail allows its vacationing guests to wear. I can definitely understand what it’s like to be dealing with the situation while it’s being broadcasted through the media. I also understand that when that relative turns their life around and works hard to do it, there is nothing better than being able to say, and mean it, “I’m proud of you.”

Those of us who work at The Daily News understand more than many readers would like to admit. Some know what it’s like to have a spouse deployed to a war zone, some know what it’s like to have a homicide in the family while others, like myself, understand what it’s like to have crazy family members and the occassional relative appearing in The Daily News.

It’s a great time, I’m sure you would agree.