When I found out I’d been named Best Newspaper Columnist in the 2025 Discovering Bulloch Readers’ Choice Awards, I did what any emotionally well-adjusted adult would do: I texted my husband in all caps and then immediately got mad I couldn’t publicly celebrate it until the magazine hit newsstands. (Secrets are hard, y’all!)
It’s humbling, truly. I’ve written Sarcastically Southern for years now, and I’ve always kind of assumed the only people reading were my family members and maybe a couple of people who pick up the magazine in the doctor’s office waiting room. Turns out, more than three people are actually reading — and some of y’all even like it! This award feels like a group hug from the community I call home, and for that, I’m so thankful.
When Sarcastically Southern first launched, I knew I’d be walking the line between relatable and possibly offensive. I don’t sugarcoat much, and I have opinions about everything from football rivalries to people who think it’s OK to take a call on speakerphone in the middle of Hobby Lobby. (Pro tip: It’s not.) I’ve always hoped that readers would find comfort in the fact that someone else is just as irritated by public nuisances, the fact that there’s not an IQ test required to join social media, and the ever-mysterious modern etiquette rules.
But the column isn’t just snark and sarcasm. (OK, it’s mostly snark and sarcasm.) I’ve also shared openly about my struggles with infertility, anxiety and finding joy, even when life feels like it’s one load of laundry away from collapse. My most recent piece on mental health — about the power of therapy, medication and honest friendship — felt like one of the most personal and impactful columns I’ve ever written, and if just one person read that and felt less alone, that’s a real win.
People sometimes ask how I come up with topic ideas, and the honest answer is that life keeps handing them to me. I can’t go to the grocery store without someone doing something column-worthy. Sometimes inspiration hits while I’m working on other stories, mindlessly scrolling Facebook or just minding my own business, listening to someone vent. This isn’t even my full-time job. I’m the lead account manager at Davis Marketing Company by day, and a chaos-driven columnist (every other month!) by night. But I’m never short on opinions; just short on time.
Humor is how I process everything. If I can laugh at the hard stuff — even just a little — I handle it better. I try to write with that same mindset: Mix in enough honesty and vulnerability so that the jokes land with heart. And if people add me on Facebook just to say they laughed or felt seen, I count that as a win, too. I mean, no one’s written angry letters yet, so either I’m doing OK, or no one owns stamps anymore (and my phone number hasn’t been leaked).
Winning this award is especially meaningful because Sarcastically Southern was born during my eight years at the Statesboro Herald in the advertising department. That job fueled my love of writing and community storytelling, and while I’ve moved into marketing, this column lets me keep that creative spark alive. It’s a way to still share my voice — even if it’s rambling and peppered with really Southern sayings I stole from my aunt.
To whoever nominated me: Bless you. You have made me feel seen in a way writers often don’t. People read the feature stories I write because they’re about other people, but the column? That’s just me — a 30-something Southern woman rambling about a complicated relationship with church, people’s lack of manners and/or common sense and my own struggles with the world. And somehow, y’all are into that.
So, what’s next for Sarcastically Southern? More surprises. More rants. More heartfelt moments hidden inside punchlines. If readers want my take on a topic, I’d love to hear it. I’ll keep bringing the sass and the Southern, and maybe a little wisdom, if the mood strikes. But mostly, I’ll just keep being Ashlee.
Because apparently, that’s award-winning now.