"I have a dream." Perhaps one of the most famous lines in all of American history. On August 28, 1963, a mere 5 years before his death, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered these words on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, painting … Continue reading The Beginning of a Dream
The Plow That Broke The Plains
In the mid-1930's, Roy Emerson Stryker and his band of photographers were roaming the Dust Bowl, capturing images of the devastation in hopes of rallying support for Roosevelt's New Deal. This "documentary division" of the Farm Security Administration captured images, not of the dust storms, as news outlets across the country had done, but of … Continue reading The Plow That Broke The Plains
A Wonderful, Awful Idea
"Why for 53 years I've put up with it now!" So laments the Grinch, the titular character of Dr. Seuss's holiday masterpiece How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The book was an instant classic when it was released in 1957, the same year its author turned...53. It's not a coincidence. Yes, fans of the lovable, silly, … Continue reading A Wonderful, Awful Idea
#NaNoWriMo, Post-Op
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
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
