What do virtual-officegoers do on a colleague’s last day?  In my old days in a traditional office setting, we’d have a cake and maybe a luncheon, or get together for drinks after work.  Here in the virtual world, though, all we can do is write about the departure of a colleague and a friend.

Unfortunately, today is that day at Hot Air.  Our friend Tina Korbe joined us just short of a year ago, having come to us from the Heritage Foundation. In that time, Tina has written 1,370 posts for Hot Air — so far! — and has provided us a new perspective and a fresh voice for conservative analysis.  But Tina’s impact on us at Hot Air goes beyond just the written word.  I’ve had the privilege of working with Tina at events such as CPAC and the Ames straw poll, and have been fortunate to know her in person.  She has always demonstrated professionalism, energy, hard work, and a joyful attitude that made our jobs that much easier.

We’ve also become friends, which I know will continue after her departure today.  Whether it’s the “movie night” into which I harangued her and Guy Benson in Ames so that they had to sit through Zombieland, or the quiet dinner Tina shared with my wife and me at CPAC two months ago, I’ll miss hanging out with her at events (although I hope she’ll continue to attend a few of them).  I’m hoping that we’ll continue to tease each other on Twitter and exchange e-mails about the latest absurdities in politics.

Fortunately for Hot Air readers, Tina isn’t going away completely.  Her new job as the Policy Impact Director at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs will still allow her some time to post in our Green Room from time to time.  She will tell readers more about the new job herself in a post later today, but it will involve media relations as well as policy research, her strength and passion, so we’ll be hearing more from her in the future — and I’m betting not just in our Green Room, either.

Thanks for a great year, Tina.  Your virtual colleagues will be cheering you on as you move from success to success, and don’t be a stranger.