I survived my first residency at VCFA. If you want to read about what residency is like, head over to my classmate Lisa Papademetriou's blog or learn a little about my faculty adviser Kathi Appelt at Through the Toll Booth.

Read more here.

As I sit here, taking a break from packing for grad school, I can't help but think about all the different adventures I've had in my life. I left home when I was 17 for an internship in our governor's press office, and I feel as though I've been on the road ever since. In my eyes, that's not a bad thing. I've been lucky enough to put down roots in ( Read more... )

The past five weeks have been a little crazy, but it's been one of those crazy wonderful months. I know that I posted a couple of these pictures, but they kind of bear repeating. So here are the five best things that happened to me in the past five week.

Chicago Trip
When you get to spend an entire week with your family and best friend, you'd be ( Read more... )

Growing up in the shadow of man-made mountains, I never realized that most kids don't go to Broadway plays or museum exhibits practically every week. It wasn't until high school that I discovered even the kids from my hometown didn't spend their summers exploring the ethnic neighborhoods, swimming in the largest of the Great Lakes or cheering on ( Read more... )

I spent a lot of childhood summers having adventures on lakes--it's kind of a way of life in the Midwest. Summer camp and family vacations and trips with friends. So this past weekend I finally took my friend up on her offer to spend a few days with her at her lake house writing and talking and having adventures ( Read more... )

One of my most memorable summer vacations was the first time I went to Washington, D.C. I was going into middle school, and I had just read Mary Higgins Clark's Stillwatch, so I was obsessed with political journalism and Washington, D.C. Not only was that trip the first time I would visit my future home, it was also on that trip that my mother read ( Read more... )

Remember that old story Three Billy Goats Gruff? I discovered their bridge this weekend. I think they told people a troll was living under it to discourage visitors. But I know better. It's really surrounded by amazing waterfalls and inspiring forests. Those billy goats just didn't want to share. Selfish billy goats!


( Read more... )

I was in San Antonio this week to teach a couple courses on social media and messaging. While I didn't say anything terribly earth-shattering, it reminded me how much I miss working in schools. It also makes me sad that tutoring is finished, and if all goes as planned with grad school, I won't be doing it again for a couple years ( Read more... )

I have my two Metro cards tucked in my wallet--one for the city I'm leaving behind and the other for the city I'm heading for. I'm trading monuments and the Potomac for skyscrapers and the Hudson. At least for a little while ( Read more... )

( Read more... )