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Harvest season can be a hectic and tense time, especially for the corn and soybean growers I lived among most of my young life in rural Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. I consider this story a terrific example of what it can feel like to live in a rural, agricultural community.

Nearly 15 years ago I was a guest at the nuptials of Sunflower and Wingnut. These newlyweds were just two members of the hobo community celebrating in Britt, Iowa during the National Hobo Convention held every August. I hope this piece transports you to a humid, love-filled day in a rural Iowa Hobo Jungle. This… Read more: Join Me at a Hobo Wedding

Before moving to the Monterey Peninsula in 2017 I had little exposure to golf. And now I am Orphan Annie to these legendary Daddy Warbucks courses. I hope these pieces transport you to this little slice of paradise, golfer or not.

I have several examples of how my business has shifted since the fall 2024 election for U.S. President. The two stories excerpted below are clear examples. Both of these programs may be gone forever; one is already eliminated and the other squeaked in under the wire as similar programs were cancelled around the country. I feel fortunate to have learned about Diplomacy Lab and Graduation Affinity Ceremonies.

Several of my major adult decisions have been motivated by coupons, including my choice of undergraduate institution. Many of my peers received the same terrific scholarship I did, but what we didn’t realize was it was the college’s going-out-of-business sale. Halfway through my college career, the news broke that the institution was in serious financial trouble and another entity was buying my school. I’ll never forget the President struggling to describe the college’s financial position (debt which we now know totaled nearly $20 million), finally saying the decision became sell or close the doors of this place I called home. My ultra-small, religious, nonprofit college in rural Iowa was purchased by a for-profit, online university from Alabama in 2009. As a journalism major and the editor of the college newspaper, I imagined being able to practice my skills with a story that was truly meaningful and newsworthy far beyond my campus. But I definitely learned other, harder, lessons about working in journalism.