Thirteen years ago this month, I was faced with the task of picking just one more. It was my senior year at Columbia College Chicago and I had to complete an internship before officially graduating. My college counselor, Howard Schlossberg, told me that I needed to apply to five different companies as part of the assignment. I picked four: O, The Oprah magazine; Chicago magazine; Cosmopolitan; and Playboy.
Howard insisted, “You need one more!”
I couldn’t think of any other magazine, but Howard had a binder full of them. “Pick one from here,” he said. So I did what any other college student with one foot out the door would do. I played eeny, meeny, miny, moe, and landed on The Concrete Producer.
That summer internship eventually led to a full-time position, and the rest is history. I remember Howard telling me, “If you can write about concrete, then you can write about anything.” At first, I took that to mean concrete is so boring that if you can make it exciting, the rest is easy.
I was wrong.
It’s not that concrete is boring; it’s actually the opposite. Concrete is complex. It’s beautiful. It’s strong, and it’s what connects us to each other, from streets to bridges and buildings to tunnels, it’s everywhere. Now, I know that if you can write about the intricateness of concrete, then you can see the beauty in everything else.
I sure hope to take that understanding with me on the next journey.
After 13 years of learning to love concrete, and all the people that put their hearts into making it what it is today, it’s time for me to move on to a new opportunity. This will be the last blog from me, and I would be remiss if I didn’t send out a HUGE thank you to all of you who have helped make this a great experience.
I couldn’t be more grateful that it was my “one more,” and I will forever be a proponent of concrete!
For now, I pass the reigns back to Bill Palmer, editor-in-chief of Concrete Construction, and editorial director of the Commercial Construction Group. Be sure to keep an eye out for the September issue of TCP’s sister publication, Concrete Construction. It’ll be the 60th anniversary issue with a special tribute showcasing why you’re all proud to be in the concrete industry. It’s really going to be a special issue!
All the best, Sharon
