Two years ago, I packed my bags and officially began work as a journalist at Gulf Coast Media, a journey that has been incredible.

Just for some quick backstory, other than spending a summer with my parents in Colorado Springs as I looked for a job following college, I have pretty much spent my entire life living in the South, and I am about as Alabama as it gets, having been born in Birmingham but spending most of my childhood in Prattville. At the time, my dad was working for the Department of Human Resources, so I got to experience a lot of the Montgomery area and everything that went down during that time.

I won't bore you with all the details, so long story short, life changed and I ended up moving out of Alabama during my teen years. I moved to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, where I finished high school and then attended Mississippi State University. There, I wrote for the student newspaper, The Reflector, and worked for the school's sports broadcasting department.

As the years went by, I didn't know if I would ever come back, so when Gulf Coast Media had an opening in its newsroom (alongside a fellow Mississippi State and Reflector alum), I knew I couldn't pass it up.

I don't know where to begin but, man, have there been stories to tell.

As many of you already know, Baldwin County ranks among one of the fastest-growing metro areas and counties in the United States, and with that comes so many events and happenings.

Whether it's heated meetings over library books or a public school system, interviewing the owner of a Michelin-recognized restaurant or being feet away from Post Malone as he walks down the stage at the Sand In My Boots music festival, I am very proud of what I have been able to contribute to Gulf Coast Media since I first started working here, and I am forever grateful for the experiences and the connections I have made along the way.

I want to take the time to thank Kayla and Micah Green, the fearless leaders of our newsroom, as well as Publisher Vince Johnson, for taking a chance on me two years ago and helping me grow and improve my craft.

I also want to shout out our extremely talented newsroom that has put in the work to make Gulf Coast Media the fabulous organization that it is, which includes Growth & Development/Environment Reporter Gabriella Chavez, Sports Editor Parker Gillam and our Editorial Assistant and Promotions Manager Whisper Vaughn-Edwards. It has been such an honor to work alongside them, and I am very happy to call them not just my newsroom colleagues but also my friends.

Of course, though, none of this would be possible without you, the reader. Thank you for supporting independent journalism, and shout out to the people I've met and friends I've made along the way, whether it was on the scene, at the beach or at a show along the Gulf Coast.

Here's to two years and many more stories to be told.

Colin James covers food & dining and the Eastern Shore for Gulf Coast Media. To support the newsroom with a tax-deductible donation, go to www.donate.mazloweb.com/donate/gulf-coast-media.