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Industry > VISOR

After 30 years on the motoring beat, a much-needed pause

As I restart, I intend to lead (and serve) a team that is serious about its purpose

Pardon the pompous picture. We can’t find a better one. PHOTO FROM VERNON B. SARNE

I dreaded writing this piece. You see, VISOR has not been publishing content since July 10. The whispers around the industry—I assume—are whether our website is still alive. The good news—at least to us—is that we still have a pulse. In fact, our stories have been piling up in our content management system. Our writers have been producing; it’s I (the editor-in-chief, of all people) who have not been carrying my own weight.

What happened?

First of all, allow me to say that our business is fine. So fine that more brands are partnering with us—even with a temporarily dormant website. If that’s not grace from above, I have no idea what is.

So, what’s the problem?

To be honest, I’m not sure I could properly explain it to you. It was a Molotov cocktail that had long been waiting to detonate.

Maybe I was burned out by having worked this gig for three decades (I became a motoring journalist in July 1995).

Maybe unforgiveness on my part paralyzed my own being (I learned that some individuals were bent on destroying me).

Maybe a carelessly uttered word succeeded in taking apart my self-confidence (I was told two years ago by a high-ranking executive that colleagues were questioning the wisdom of inviting me to an exclusive supercar test drive in Italy). I don’t know if this was the exact culprit, but the “information” messed with my head big-time. After this say-so, I couldn’t write like before. I retreated to a corner and even had to discontinue my newspaper column (a welcome distraction which I had commenced earlier that year).

Or maybe I just think too much. Midlife crisis, anyone?

Indulge me this bookmark piece to serve as a signpost that indicates a new chapter for this website

All of these made me wonder whether I had overstayed my welcome in the industry. Should I retire? But I’m still relatively young, my medical issues notwithstanding. I’m still passionate about what I do. And I’m certainly happy that I’m able to glorify my God in my own, humble way.

Indulge me, then, this “bookmark” piece to serve as a signpost that indicates a new chapter for this website.

So kindly let me restart VISOR right now. There’s a lot to do. Purposeful things. Relevant things. Definitely helpful things.

Please accept my apology for shrinking and withdrawing. I had to. Small and not-so-small things were gnawing at me. Hopefully, they’re all gone.



Vernon B. Sarne

Vernon is the founder and editor-in-chief of VISOR. He has been an automotive journalist since July 1995. He became one by serendipity, walking into the office of a small publishing company and applying for a position he had no idea was for a local car magazine. God has watched over him throughout his humble journey. He writes the ‘Spoiler’ column.



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