OK. So, a journalist from the nationally respected Pensacola News Journal got in touch with me a couple of months ago because she was interested in writing something about tremble for an “add to favorites” column – some ongoing weblinky feature that runs in the paper each week. She was a charmer and we exchanged several emails. Most of hers were of the “I’m so sorry, but they still haven’t printed it yet” variety and I played it so cool that I actually forgot about it altogether. I suppose at some point I decided the Florida Gulf simply wasn’t ready for a certain literary hurricane named “Levin” and I’d have to wait for The Celebration, Florida Daily Mandate to scoop the Pensacola News Journal on the tremble story.
Well, today a friend who happens to be heavily invested in my mental well-being did the favor of searching for my name on Google (i hope they get lots of hits from that mention; they deserve it.) and aggregating any online mentions of me in a long email. Not sure why she did it, but it was funny because I hadn’t read about half the entries prior to receiving the email. (though i experienced a burst of nostalgia over a real friendship with a real person that started with a silly, and certainly embarrassing, web page from a million years ago. sorry, mars.) It was a nice surprise, and I’m sure I would have seen all of these entries if only I were a smidge more self-absorbed. (add that to new year’s resolutions, beneath “finally use that old gas mask!”)
One discovery from today’s email was that, lo and behold, the PNJ came through after all! (you knew i’d get back to that, right?) I will include the link but it was sort of hard for me to find it on the page, crowded as it was with late-breaking Pensacola news. I thought about quoting it here, too, but even copying the bit to my clipboard felt far too onanistic and I had to purge it. So allow me to just say it was nice. If only the other gulf states were this kind. (texas, are you listening?)
According to the Pensacola tourism board web site, “Pensacola offers the best of all worlds to visitors. From history and shopping to sports, nature and attractions, there’s something for everyone.” Well, Pensacola tourism board web site, maybe it’s time you added another world to that list – perhaps a world called “long-winded online journal entries soaked with dirty swears, mean swipes at easy targets, and cranky insight?” Yes, Pensacola – you are truly a city where thousands live the way millions wish they lived. And you will always live in my heart. Thanks, PNJ, and thanks Elizabeth Trever Buchinger!
