It’s strange how change - even good change - can sometimes make the heart heavy. I’m saying good bye to an apartment and with it, the plan of how my life was supposed to unfold in the next year. And I’m so very sad about it. So frustrated with the state of the world right now. But at the same time, my new apartment is very cute and the life I’ve built in Chicago - the people I know and love - make my life here a truly beautiful thing. I should be happy to have more time here,

When I was a little girl I would always stand with my toes pointed in. This was a constant source of frustration to my mother, myself, and my gymnastic teacher. I cannot tell you how many times I heard the words snapped at me, “Don’t stand with your toes in”. After which, I would correct my positioning... only to find myself right back that way after only a minute or two. I think on that often, and it makes me want to cry. I know my mother was trying to do right by me, fix my

I have a tendency to take care of everyone around me before I take care of myself. I used to get into fights a lot as a little kid, always in one spat or another. But they were rarely - if ever - brought on because of attitude or aggression. They were usually an insult or threat against a friend being brought to my attention, that would escalate into a fight. For instance, one time in maybe the second or third grade, a friend of mine had made some little boy mad. Mad enough h

Humor and sorrow go hand in hand. We laugh when we see someone trip and fall. We laugh when we ourselves have fallen. We laugh through tears. We laugh when something feels too painful, too crazy, too troubling to process. We protect ourselves with humor. And we heal from humor. Making a joke at our own expense is a way to ease embarrassment. Making a joke about a taboo subject is a way to ease awkwardness. And making a joke about something that is sad is a way to get co

I’m tired of embarrassment. Anger, excitement, joy, sorrow... 99% of the emotions we experience I understand the usefulness of. There is a time and a place for responses of a wide spectrum of emotions. But embarrassment...? That’s one gets me, more than anything. Embarrassment causes us to avoid trying new things and meeting new people. Embarrassment leads to shame. Embarrassment makes us sit on the sidelines of our own lives because we fear the way we might be perceived and/

I keep seeing ads about how "piracy is not a victimless crime"... but it's always in relation to illegal music downloads of big-name stars. What about small-time artists?? Those are the people who most often get worked over, ripped off, and financially destroyed by piracy! For instance, I recently found out that an acquaintance- a talented artist who produces stunningly beautiful glass pieces Brewer & Marr - had her designs stolen by a popular clothing line. No credit to her,

The books that have made lasting impressions on me are always the ones with multifaceted characters. The more complex the character and the more emotional development that they go through, the more believable and intriguing a story. Because of how my love of literature has progressed over the years, I strive to write elloquently, entertainingly, and personally. Eloquently to create clear mental images, entertainingly to spur a reader on, and personally to create an investment

It's so easy to get swept up into the hustle - the money making machine - of society. We often confuse the pursuit of happiness with the pursuit of wealth. And don't get me wrong, I know a lot of problems and stresses can be solved with having more cash to spend, I get that. That's not the root of the problem. The root is that everything is run by money, by greed, by the drive to always get more, more, more. It hurts me to my soul to know how much suffering and neglect exists