have output() return errors on null data

main.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"database/sql"
+	"errors"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	_ "github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3"
@@ -70,31 +71,26 @@ func (db *TimelineDB) closestEvents(t int64, n int) ([]EventsRow, error) {
 }
 
 func (event *EventsRow) Output() (int64, string, string, error) {
-	timestamp, err := event.timestamp.Value()
+	if !event.timestamp.Valid {
-	if err != nil {
+		return 0, "", "", errors.New("null timestamp")
-		return 0, "", "", err
+	} else if !event.description.Valid {
+		return 0, "", "", errors.New("null description")
 	}
 
-	desc, err := event.description.Value()
+	timestamp := event.timestamp.Int64
-	if err != nil {
+	desc := event.description.String
-		return 0, "", "", err
+	yearknown := event.yearknown.Valid && event.yearknown.Bool
-	}
-
-	yearknown, err := event.yearknown.Value()
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, "", "", err
-	}
 
 	var ago string
-	date := time.Unix(timestamp.(int64), 0)
+	date := time.Unix(timestamp, 0)
-	if yearknown == nil || !yearknown.(bool) {
+	if !yearknown {
 		yeardiff := time.Now().Year() - date.Year()
 		ago = strconv.Itoa(yeardiff) + " years ago"
 	} else {
 		ago = date.String()
 	}
 
-	return timestamp.(int64), ago, desc.(string), nil
+	return timestamp, ago, desc, nil
 }
 
 func main() {