One thing that hasn't changed since Tucson: I'm incapable of meeting any deadline outside of journalistic ones. I'm so bad in fact, I didn't do an update last time, so let's just fast forward to 2011. Also, a big shout out to Jamie, who is wonderful for putting up with my epic procrastination.
Wanderlust kicked in big time at the beginning of 2011, leading me to start my year in South Africa. I spent two months there as a part of a study abroad program aimed at exploring how the racial and social structures of Apartheid set the groundwork for what became the worst HIV epidemic in the world. The whole program was amazing, and took me from Cape Town to Johannesburg to the Mozambique border. Though it was all fascinating, but the best parts were the days we spent among the people. I learned so much, and made friends there who I will probably never see again, but will never forget.
The end of my senior year was a total blur. I was the editor in chief of my college newspaper,The Diamondback, so, naturally, I didn't eat, sleep or go to class very much. We did, however, manage to win first place in SPJ's midatlantic region for best college paper and I graduated on time, so all's well that ends well, am I right? Another highlight of my senior year: calling for the impeachment of the student body president for being a Nixonian liar, but that's another story for another time.
After graduation I headed down south to the Sunshine State for an internship at the St. Petersburg Times, where Jamie and I reunited. Using my living room floor as home base, the two of us went on many adventures including Disney World, puppy walking and long days at the beach. We went to the NAHJ convention in Orlando, where we ran into Don and Derek and networked as hard as we partied.
But as all things do, the summer had to come to an end. Jamie left Florida to go on to bigger, better and colder things up in Pennsylvania and my sixth-month internship kept me here through winter.
Guess I didn't tell you what it is I do -- I'm a NOW! reporter. Which, I'm sure you can guess, means I cover anything that's happening RIGHT NOW. Only "right now" for me starts at 5 a.m. I wake up and get to work before the sun rises and do a lot of murder and mayhem reporting. It's been a lot of fun.
I did manage to make it home to New York City for New Years, which, though a brief visit, was much needed. I miss home. There's no place like it.
And since I didn't write a 2010 update, I'm going to cheat and get a head start on 2012: The last couple weeks have been crazy. The Baltimore Sun called me up to talk to me about a job last month. They flew me up to Maryland, and, the (now newly named) Tampa Bay Times panicked that they might lose me and made me a permanent offer. The Sun countered and for the last two weeks I've been going back and forth between the two. I've made more pro-con lists than I ever want to admit and agonized over a decision.
On March 1st, I will become a full-time, 100 percent staff member at the Tampa Bay Times, still covering breaking news at the crack of dawn. I've been tapped to be part of the Times on-the-ground team for the Republican National Convention in August so... if you hear about reporters getting arrested, you might want to give me a call to see whether or not I'm incarcerated.
Another thing that hasn't changed since Tucson: I miss you all a lot. Here's a shameless pitch for Florida -- we have beaches! We have dolphins! Manatees! Delicious oranges! And me! So, come on down. I've got a futon that's Jamie Klein-approved, and I'd love to play host to any one of you.
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