I did it. After several years of cowering in fear at the very thought, I successfully completed my very first #NaNoWriMo. 50,000 words in 30 days. Yes, you read that right. 50,000 ever-loving words in 30 stressful, sleep-less days. You know when you're either really distracted or really tired, and you have to go somewhere … Continue reading #NaNoWriMo, Post-Op
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The Biggest Humbug
Mickey Mouse. Patrick Stewart. Bill Murray. George C. Scott. The Muppets. And those are just the versions I've seen. It's rare to find a tale with as many interpretations and variations as A Christmas Carol. Movies. Cartoons. TV specials. Musicals. Charles Dickens's beloved holiday classic has been transformed into them all. It's become so much … Continue reading The Biggest Humbug
I’m NaNo’ing!
Hi, all! Just wanted to give you a quick heads up that this page may be updated less frequently during the month of November due to NaNoWriMo. I'm finally doing this year! Or I'm going to die trying! For those of you who don't know, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, and it takes place … Continue reading I’m NaNo’ing!
The Propaganda Experiment
By 1935, the Plains were in shambles. The crops were withering, the dust was swirling, and the drought showed no signs of slowing. Thousands of people were suffering in poverty, dying from from too much dust or not enough food. The war with Mother Nature was inherently lopsided, and the residents of the Dust Bowl … Continue reading The Propaganda Experiment
Lost Dreams and Found Hope
When I was growing up, I wanted to be a news reporter. Other kids my age idolized Michael Jordan or Chuck Norris or Debbie Gibson (yes, I'm dating myself here). I, on the other hand, worshiped Jane Pauley. At only ten years old, I never missed an episode of Dateline and would spend hours conducting … Continue reading Lost Dreams and Found Hope
Hotfoot Teddy
For more than 70 years, Smokey Bear has been the face of the National Forest Service's wildfire prevention campaign. The cuddly, ranger-hatted bear appears in posters, commercials, and brochures, warning people about forest fires and their responsibilities when camping or hiking. Smokey even visits local schools, teaching children about the danger of playing with matches. … Continue reading Hotfoot Teddy
A World of Country to Settle
In the early 1820's, Stephen F. Austin led a group of approximately 300 families to an area that is now modern-day Texas. By 1836, after several bloody skirmishes, including the famous battle at the Alamo, the land had broken free from Mexican oppression, becoming the newly formed Republic of Texas. At the time, the countryside … Continue reading A World of Country to Settle
“This rusty car creaking along the highway to the west…”
In 1935, facing mounting pressure from Congress about the "Dust Bowl" problem, and thanks in part to Hugh Bennett's passionate plea to save the Plains, President Roosevelt created the Resettlement Administration. The main purpose of this entity was to give a buy-out, about seven hundred dollars per family, for people affected by the drought and … Continue reading “This rusty car creaking along the highway to the west…”
The Winged Plague
A black cloud on the horizon races towards your homestead. In the life of an Oklahoma farmer during the Dust Bowl, this was not an unusual sight. You'd herd what livestock remained into the barn and gather your family inside your house, stuffing wet sheets into the cracks to keep out the incoming dust. Then, … Continue reading The Winged Plague
#ShareYourRejections, Oz Style
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. To me, the title alone stirs up images from my childhood, curled in bed as my mother made the story come alive or hiding my face behind the pillow every single time Margaret Hamilton's neon face came on screen during the classic film adaption. It's a tale universally known by … Continue reading #ShareYourRejections, Oz Style
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