It's Great To Be a Florida Gator

Sweet victory; recently published stories; this and that

It’s great to be a Florida Gator!

Note: I wrote this newsletter a few hours before news broke about the mass shooting at Florida State University. I’m heartbroken for the victims and their families, the school, and everyone affected. There have been 81 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

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It’s been nearly two weeks since my alma mater, the University of Florida, won the NCAA title in men’s hoops (marking our third title in both basketball and football, the only Division I school to achieve this). But I’m still riding the high from that glorious 65-63 win: a scrappy, come-from-behind, nail-biting triumph against the University of Houston in which we only led for one measly minute and seven seconds. If that stat doesn’t tell you everything about the power of never giving up, I don’t know what does.

I was lucky enough to be in the States for work, so I could watch the game live. And even though I was jet-lagged as all get-out, I put on my Florida baseball cap and marched myself down to the hip lobby of my far-too-hip-for-me hotel and cheered on the Gators, from tipoff until the final scrum, shouting and sweating and pacing and praying — my usual performance when a team I support is in a high-stakes game. But IMO, not much else comes close to March Madness hoops in the thrills department.

I still can’t quite believe my boys pulled it off, and I’ll remember this win for a long time. I’ll also remember the calm, unwavering confidence of a dude name Logan, who, along with several other people, wandered over in the second half to see what all the fuss was about (read: watch this crazed woman have a full-blown panic attack). Logan and his buddy had rolled in after the Heat game ended just across the street, and for the next few minutes, he sat in a chair, one foot draped over his knee, and shared the kind of casual, insightful commentary that signals someone who really knows his stuff. As the game appeared to be slipping down the drain yet again for me and my Gators, Logan just smiled. “You got this,” he said matter-of-factly, over and over. “You’ll win.”

And, somehow, they — we — did, just as Logan predicted. I may not be able to achieve that kind of cool, collected assuredness in much in my life, but when there’s something as big as a national title for your beloved alma mater on the line, it sure as hell is reassuring to be in the presence of someone who can.

Thanks, Logan. And GO GATORS!

Recently Published Stories

For Afar:

• Several European Countries Have Now Issued Updated U.S. Travel Advisories—Here’s What to Know

• What It’s Like Sailing Norway With a Cruise Line That Guarantees You’ll See the Northern Lights

For CNN: ‘It feels terrifying:’ Why some Americans are anxious about traveling abroad under Trump (note: In the US, this is for subscribers only)

For Robb Report: Why Water—Yes, Water—Is Now the Hottest Amenity at 5-Star Hotels

What I’m Not Covering Right Now

Just a few overarching trends I’m seeing in my inbox that I’m not covering right now. I hope this is helpful for your pitching efforts:

• Stories tied to Spring Break, Easter, Earth Day, or any [fill in the blank] Month for April (those ships sailed so long ago they’re already docked again, folks)

• Mother’s Day gift guides

• Graduation-related stories

• Products that are launching via Kickstarter

• Still no golf, pets, or finance stories (for a quick refresher on more about what I cover and what I don’t, here’s a recent-ish Q&A with me as TravMedia’s Writer of the Week)

And That’s a Wrap!

On the flight to the U.S., I watched the film adaptation of a book I read while we were living in Berlin: The Boys in the Boat. Both were excellent, but the movie in particular really brought to life the extraordinary true tale of a 1930s-era University of Washington rowing team whose grit and heart took them to places nobody ever could have imagined.

If you haven’t watched/read it yet, do yourself a favor and get to it. I won’t give anything away, except to say that I highly recommend it if you, like me, love a good underdog story.

Happy Easter,

Blane