100 Sideways Miles by Andrew Smith is the story of Finn Easton, a sixteen-year-old boy, attempting to find himself despite unusual circumstances. Finn sees the world through distance rather than time, which provides readers an interesting perspective. He views each second as twenty miles; the distance Earth travels in that amount of time…
In my first quarter century, I’ve done my best to travel and explore this vast, beautiful planet that we call home. I’ve reached three continents and aspire to explore all seven by the time I turn 30. I don’t pretend to have been everywhere, or even a fraction of the world. “A fool thinks himself to be wise,” but there’s something unique about Nashville, Tennessee that I have yet to discover anywhere else.
Film has always played a powerful role in my life; one that I’m incredibly thankful for. It has helped me make sense of the world and open my heart to perspectives outside of what I could ever hope to experience in my immediate surroundings. At its finest, film is an art that showcases the power of the human imagination and inspires us to dream bigger, love harder, and discover the beauty in life.
The movement towards sustainable agriculture and away from processed foods is well under way and only gaining momentum as new facts and studies continue to circulate in the public forum. A significant portion of the population is no longer content with sitting by and blindly accepting the heavily processed substances that bear a vague resemblance to food or the ensuing consequences.
In order to excel in any realm of life, whether it be a hobby, at work or with family, there is a need to prioritize. When I use the word ‘excel’ I mean really thrive and achieve great things. Mediocrity can be managed with little to no prioritization. A key component to this is not biting off more than you can chew. Instead of doing ten things and stumbling through them, identify three or four and really get after it.
A few weeks ago, I listened to a segment on NPR titled "The Town Where Everyone Talks about Death.” I’ve seen a few fellow NPR nerds discussing the piece on social media and am delighted to see it has generated quite a bit of buzz. The story focuses on La Crosse, Wisconsin, population of just over 50,000, and their unified focus on the importance of advance directives and meaningful conversations about death.
Last Monday evening I found myself in a creative crisis. I was attempting to write my first piece of fiction in fifteen years. For those keeping track, that was fifth grade. In hopes of challenging myself creatively, I set my sights on a short story contest at the local, independent bookstore. The only requirements were to stay under 1200 words and include some element of a non-traditional family. Easy, right?
