I’ve got to say, my time with Watermark was one of my favorite writing jobs I’ve ever had, and that was certainly thanks in large part to my editor at the time — Steve Blanchard, who continues to write for Watermark as a viewpoint columnist. I remember breakfast meetings with Steve to discuss upcoming stories and deadlines, and his enthusiastic leadership always made me eager to get out there and get the best story I could.
During my time with Watermark, one thing that always stood out to me was the variety in the stories I got to write; everything from tackling heavy topics like speaking with survivors of human trafficking, to lighthearted and fun projects like interviewing Hedda Lettuce and Kathy Griffin, to talking to the cast of a production of “The Wiz” at the Mahaffey in downtown St. Pete.
I never knew what was coming across my desk from one week to the next, but I was always eager and excited to see what assignment was on deck.
I remember covering the 2014 Santa Speedo Run when they debuted Mrs. Claus In Bras. If you read that story it has one of my favorite quotes I ever got from someone, when Jay Aller — who was explaining the process of developing and implementing the Mrs. Claus In Bras event into the run — told me that “It took a while for [the city of Tampa] to give us the ok to have girls run around in their bras. As long as the areolas are covered, we’re good.”
Looking back at 2014 with Watermark also gave me a laugh. Members of the team shared what we were thankful for during Thanksgiving that year.
“I’m really thankful that I get to write for a great publication like Watermark,” I shared, a sentiment I still relate to. Then I noted “I’m thankful for coffee, otherwise I don’t know how I’d make deadlines.”
Maybe one of my favorite and most memorable stories, however, was interviewing a man named Bill Kanouff in 2012.
Bill had lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident in 2011 and learned to walk and live again with the help of a prosthetic limb. His resilience and positivity in the aftermath of the accident and during his recovery was truly remarkable.
His exact quote about the incident was, “The first responding officer to arrive on the scene of my accident called the coroner first, and the ambulance second. The facts are, in my mind, if I were meant to go, I would have been gone. Since I wasn’t gone, I was still meant to be here, so I had to get my act together and go forward.”
In the end, I think the most memorable part for me was always the people. Having the opportunity to sit down and speak with someone about their story, their experience, their life, and just make space to listen always showed me how much we all truly have in common, and how we all want to feel connected and heard.
I thank Watermark for giving me the opportunity to remember that with every story I wrote. Cheers to 30 years, Watermark. Thanks for the memories!
