In the shadows

We all hear about the people who work behind the scenes, but we rarely see them. That’s the idea. Some folks like to be front and center — and they should be. Others appreciate being in the support role, making sure the final presentations are precise. 

We see this with the stage crews who set up for concerts. We know about the camera crews who cover sporting events. And some of you may even understand the work that so many people do with this magazine to get it ready for you each month. The same is true at the Des Moines Art Center, where the works of art are the attraction. Even so, a number of people are involved in the installation, and they enjoy their roles in working to ensure that these wonderful works are presented in the best possible scenarios. 

For a moment, we take them out of the shadows, and we share their stores in this issue of CITYVIEW. 

Our Christmas classic

I first shared the “Twas the Night Before” story in CITYVIEW 18 years ago. Michael Gartner reached out and told me about this wonderful piece from 1977 by Bob Hullihan, a writer for The Des Moines Register. Gartner, who was the editor then, asked Hullihan to write a Christmas story for the newspaper. Hullihan obliged, and it ran in the Register. Years later, when Gartner co-owned The Tribune in Ames, he ran it there as well. He encouraged me to do the same, and I did. In CITYVIEW. In the Daily Umbrella. And in the Guthrie County Times Vedette. 

So, why would I run a 43-year-old story over and over again in so many publications? The answer is in the story itself. It is about tradition. It is about the old and the new. It is about change. It is about respect. It is about understanding. Bottom line, it is a beautiful Christmas story made even better by the creative images that Brian Duffy made for me to accompany it. 

I hope that in another 18 years, this story is still publishing — somewhere, somehow. Most importantly, I hope you enjoy it today as much as I do and can make its reading a tradition for you and your family as well.

Merry Christmas to all of you, and thanks for reading. ♦

Shane Goodman 
Editor and Publisher
CITYVIEW
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.dmcityview.com