Osegueda: After 10 years, one word seems right: thanks

When I began my job at The Bee, I was 22 years old and a week out of college.

The executive editor of The Bee at the time made me promise two things: That I'd stay for two years and I wouldn't try to jump to the sports department after six months.

They knew me. Up until that point, all I wanted to do was write about sports. It was what I did in college, and what I did in two internships, one of which was at The Bee two years before they brought me back full time.

Turns out I gave The Bee 10 years and I never once tried to wiggle out of my gig writing about local entertainment for a sports job with The Bee.

But last week, I made a big decision. I told The Bee I was leaving and that I'd be going back to sports -- specifically to Yahoo! Sports where I'll join their Major League Baseball blog, Big League Stew.

My last day at The Bee is Jan. 31 and my final column will appear Feb. 1.

Here's what no one told me: Leaving after two years probably would have been much easier than leaving after 10.

Even so, I know I'm making the right decision for my future and my family. Part of me will always love my time with The Bee and the years I spent writing this particular weekly column.

I was 24 when The Bee made me a columnist in 2004, still a baby by journalism standards.

I grew up right here on these pages. Over the years, loyal readers got to peek into my life as I found (and lost) love and eventually got married.

You got to see me morph from a kid exploring a new-to-him-city to a new dad with a kid of his own.

Sometimes you hated me, sometimes you loved me -- really, a columnist should expect nothing less.

I'll always laugh about one lady who called me to tell me she'd never read my column again, then called me practically every week for the next six months, one time telling me, "I feel sorry for your friends, your family and whatever poor children you might have one day." Funny is funny.

I'll remember fondly the bonds that were forged -- like the lady who sent me a scathing email about one column I wrote. I responded. Eventually we became "friends" separated by 60 years. Eight years later, she still responds to my writing, sharing stories about her grandkids and occasionally asking me to explain the entertainment they're interested in. (Hi, Mary).

One thing I'm proud to share: I'm not leaving Fresno. Not in the foreseeable future.

My new job allows me to choose where I live, and right now, Fresno is the best place for my family and me.

I've long been a champion of this city -- an adopted home that I've come to love like it's my own.

In a place where the haters are vocal and adamant that they'll leave the first chance they get, I'm proudly staying put.

I genuinely enjoy the people, the culture and the experiences I've had here.

To those of you who have let me into your life every Friday to share these experiences, I'm ending this column with one word for you.

Thanks.