I went for an early morning walk on Monday along a trail near where I live. Four deer pranced in the shadows. A rabbit and squirrel scampered in the dew, foraging for food. Pockets of fog rose up above the river. An idyllic scene. Or so it would seem. But, it suggested to me that... Continue Reading →
Tips on writing: Timeless lessons
One night when I was in college, I was working in the library on a paper that my journalism professor had assigned. He asked us to write a news story on the college trustees' decision to make several program cuts and raise tuition for the fifth year in a row. I was struggling with the... Continue Reading →
A foreigner in a foreign land
You step foot in one of the five boroughs in New York City and you can feel the pounding heartbeat of the city that never sleeps. You land in Las Vegas and the sounds of slot machines ring in your ears. You may have the first dollar you ever earned hanging up in your office,... Continue Reading →
Signed, sealed, and delivered
I look over the contract for the hundredth time. I've signed a few contracts in my day. There were the loans for college. I signed contracts to pay for various cars and for the mortgage on my house. Even with that experience, though, I can't help but feel like I'm signing my life away. This... Continue Reading →
The writing process: The long and winding road
I sit at my desk and crank out a 500-word post. I struggle at first, but once I come up with an enticing lead, the post "writes itself." Key sentences and phrases originate in my head. I can't write them down fast enough. I try to keep pace. I don't want to lose any of... Continue Reading →
Six unwritten rules of life
There's unwritten rules in life. You're walking into work or a store, you hold the door open for the person behind you. If you see an older person or someone walking with a limp, you hold the door an extra beat longer. It's an unwritten rule. Life is full of rules like this. I'm noticing... Continue Reading →
Giving poetry a chance: I Am From
When I was in fifth or sixth grade, I had a teacher who would use the Mad Libs books or some version of them to help make grammar fun and interesting. The Mad Libs contain short stories on each page with key words replaced with blanks. She would prompt us for specific parts of a... Continue Reading →
On the run from the police
I take a peek out the front window every few minutes. I pace the floor. I expect a team of police officers in riot gear and a battering ram to knock down my door at any minute. A whole week has gone by and I'm still waiting for them. In my mind, I see them... Continue Reading →
A twist on The Purge
The other day a friend was giving me the run down on the futuristic sci-fi horror movie series, The Purge. The gist is pretty simple. Once a year, crime, including murder, is legal for 12 hours. The government suspends all laws, allowing citizens to commit any crime without fear of punishment or police intervention. A family must... Continue Reading →

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