It was a hectic autumn. I had big plans to finish multiple projects by Thanksgiving. I finished none. But there's always time for work: December is about family and contemplation, and so I've been thinking a lot about this year, my first full year freelancing.
What I've Been Writing:
In case you missed it, here's my article on Suzan Russaw, a 70-year-old woman who lived in her car for nearly two years after losing her Palo Alto apartment. It was a long project, more than a year in the making, but that's not why you should read it. I really hope, going forward, we start to consider the ways in which the middle class needs to be built and maintained. Economic security for the average joe doesn't just happen on its own.
My Past Writing on Poverty:
Working on Suzan Russaw's story has had me thinking about my small collection of writing about poverty. I began with this piece on Kentucky, swooped through Denver to write a piece about homeless families living in hotels, investigated the early deaths of poor white women, explored how the poor are criminalized in cities like Baltimore, and stopped to reflect a couple of times on my writing philosophy. Obviously I've been doing other things, too, but it feels like a good collection for three years of work. I'm working on a book project now that I hope will serve as a capstone to this, but this will be an important topic as far into the future as I can see.
My Writing This Year:
I'm most proud of my opinion pieces for Vogue.com; my two pieces for The Trace, a new magazine devoted to reporting on guns and gun violence, on the Charleston shooting victims and a man who accidentally shot and killed his sister when he was 10; on the hollowing out of the middle class in my generation; and the piece on Suzan. I have some other really cool projects I'm gearing up for next year, so stay tuned.
What I've Been Reading:
Two fantastic books by awesome women: Michelle Goldberg profiles the fascinating woman who helped bring yoga to the West, and the slightly creepy history of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore. The magazine articles I've read during my months of newsletter negligence are too numerous to count, but if you read one story this year, let it be this horrifying, deeply-reported, gut-wrenching and enraging story of rape.
What I've Been Listening To:
Serial is back. I haven't formed a full opinion yet about how I feel about the Bowe Bergdahl story. I didn't pay much attention the first time around, but the storytelling is as captivating as always. Also, when I was traveling for work in August and September I listened to all six episodes of Starlee Kine's The Mystery Show, and it is utterly charming. This sounds ridiculous, but trust me: The episode called "Belt Buckle" will make you cry.
Cute Animal Pic of the Week:
If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you haven't missed any animal pictures. The highlight is that I've moved to an apartment on the edge of the farm, and my landlord boards horses, raises goats and chickens, and lets dogs run around to their hearts' content. It's an animal lover's paradise. Here is Sammy, munching on some grass on a vibrant fall day.
