My self-assigned job Monday was to get to the office early and answer the telephone calls.

That, of course, was because Sunday afternoon we began the process of actually changing the way your Decatur Daily looks. Some of you wanted to talk about the changes.

The calls were mixed, but most of them were calls of congratulations. Others, however, were complaints about specific changes and callers wanted them changed back.

The one we heard most often had to do with obituaries. Our goal is to anchor, or to put the same type of news and features in the same position in the newspaper each day.

Because the Riverfront section is about local, regional and state news, we thought obituaries would find a comfortable home there.

To do that Monday, we had to put obituaries inside the sports section. We didn't like doing that, and neither did you. One reader said putting them inside the sports section was insensitive. We agree.

We are working on that problem.

Some of the most interesting calls were about the type size. Some people called to say that they liked the larger type and that it is easier to read.

Other callers complained about the type being so small that they can no longer read it.

In truth, the type size is exactly the same, it is just a different type face.

One reader threatened to summon my wife's late Emmie Lou Williams, her former grammar school teacher, if I didn't change things back.

Another reader wanted to make sure that the redesign didn't include getting rid of Dagwood and Blondie and Peanuts. If not, the new look "is great."

For the record, both comics are staying.

The comment I enjoyed most was a negative one from a reader given to hyper-bole.

"Congratulations, you have taken a bad newspaper and made it worse," he said.

Most callers didn't think so.

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