July Thoughts

Well, that was a hell of a month.

My lease was up at the end of July and so now I'm out of the Retreat at Fox Hollow. I'm glad to be done with it, done with the lady with the beagles and away from the old lady upstairs who can't manage her air conditioner and has a loud boyfriend who yells at crucial moments. It was expensive and noisy, but I'm going to miss the attached garage and the convenience of city living.

I'm now living in Pine, CO and working for the High Timber Times as a staff writer. I think some of my friends are surprised and maybe a little resentful that I got the job. But it does come down to doing what's being asked of you. I attended Doug Bell's Portfolio Presentation class last spring and did what was asked of me. I found internships and worked for them. I volunteered my media services for a non-profit and sent letters out to all non-profits who were looking for help. I went to the Society for Professional Journalist's award ceremonies and networked and talked to people. I made as good a work as I could and turned it in to Doug and I put a lot of effort into my website and bugged teachers to give me feedback on my writing. These are all things you have to do when you want a job in journalism.

So, I live in a mountain house in the woods, surrounded by wildlife and darkness, summer storms, whispering trees and wildflowers. It's quiet and quieter.

July was a hell of a month.