One Bold “Yes” It was a dry, fall evening. Summer had abruptly ended with a chapter I didn’t want to read out loud, and I was content with silently turning the page. I remember wondering what my life would look like if every plan had gone my way—would I even be happy? I was sharing … Continue reading
Each and every one of us holds a library full of stories. Each story will present a challenge, a climax and then it will end. Some story plots might sprout into a trilogy or series before the story is complete. And other narratives will unfold and close with a nice lesson learned. We are the … Continue reading
I sit by this large, bright window every day. It’s not a particularly spectacular window. In fact, the window and what it looks out to is arguably very boring. The glass faces a concrete parking lot, but the view is mostly hidden behind some shadowy tree branches that watch you with a sort of tired, … Continue reading
I’ll admit it. I’m a serial leaver. When situations seem out of my control, I like to slowly retreat then checkout. I like to leave. You see I like the feeling of starting over. When I was younger, I played a lot of Pokémon. I would restart the game each time my starter wasn’t a … Continue reading
Right now, I’m sitting outside. It’s a little after 8 p.m., and though I don’t have a mirror, the sunshine’s rays are hitting my nose in a way that feels good and golden, and maybe my skin is glistening a bit from its warmth. You wouldn’t be able to tell tonight, but the seasons are … Continue reading
These past few days I’ve thought a lot about what kind of stories tug at a person’s emotional chords. This is mostly because I write hard stories to encourage people to give to nonprofits. Earlier this week, I was looking at statistics on hunger in America. It truly hurt my heart thinking about how these aren’t … Continue reading
Crazy love. When I think of “crazy love”, I think of unrelenting, passionate and overwhelming love. I think of the way I crave chocolate during finals week, or the way my dog reacts to an untouched rawhide bone. When I think of love, I think of E.E. Cummings’ last stanza of “somewhere i have travelled, … Continue reading
I consider myself a creative – most journalism students do. I like creating things: writing copy, taking pictures, playing with design and color palettes. When prompted to join USC’s CreateAthon team, I hesitantly said yes. For those of you that don’t know, CreateAthon is 24-hour marketing blitz that helps non-profit organizations receive marketing they otherwise could … Continue reading
In high school, English teachers are all for starting a piece of fiction with a b a n g. It’s a pretty great trend – really. All my favorite books, from Gatsby to The Prince of Tides, have enticing introductions laced with pretty words and sheer suspense. I don’t think I’ve ever stumbled across … Continue reading
The last time you worked for a homeless shelter, you ended up bringing home a dog. Now you’re working for a children’s shelter? A wise observation by my father. There are many things I have learned working for both an animal shelter and a children’s shelter. The most important thing I have taken away from … Continue reading
