I used to humor myself by judging the monotony of workplace elevator conversations—you know, the typical, “How’s it going?” met with a, “Well, the weekend was too short.” Then one day, I got on an elevator with a man who asked the question, “How’s it going?” and I pulled one of the expected responses from … More Metro: To Talk or Not to Talk?
Several months back, a friend and I were discussing the recent break-up of a colleague of ours. My friend had expressed to this colleague’s bromance partner that she thought his delivery of the break-up—via email—was an inappropriate way of communicating such a topic. In response to this sentiment, and in full support of his bro, … More Casualties of the Information Age: @girlfriend #itsover
To quote myself, quoting someone else, a crisis can be defined as such, “(1) a crucial stage or turning point, and (2) an unstable or precarious situation.” Yesterday, I had officially lived for a quarter of a century, and although technically, based on Wikipedia’s current life expectancy of 81 for a female living in the … More Quarter-life Crisis
My relationship with D.C. started as an arranged marriage. Coming out of college as a Planning, Public Policy and Management major with an urge to be a part of the work that changes social structures, my union with D.C. was predestined. We did not immediately fall in love. But, a little over a year ago, … More I’m in Love
No. We’re not all social workers. We’re not all extroverts, we don’t always feel safe, and we don’t always know what to do. However, I would wager that when most of us see someone in need, we want to help. I work on homelessness issues, and the numbers I see in my research are disheartening. … More The Man in Chinatown: What You Can Do to Help
(For the first chapter of this journey, read “History and the Call to Adventure.” For the second chapter, see “Crossing the Threshold and Riding with Jesus.” For the third chapter, see “The Land of Adventure and an Introduction to Totems.” For the fourth chapter, see “Death, Rebirth, and Honoring the Ancestors.”) Days earlier, my dad … More The Chevy and Me, A Hero’s Journey: The Final Chapter
(For the first chapter of this journey, read “History and the Call to Adventure.”) And so the story’s end begins one December night in Northern Virginia. A few days earlier, I had received the text from my dad who, after a good bout of rumination, saw that the beauty in the idea could not be … More The Chevy and Me, A Hero’s Journey: Crossing the Threshold and Riding with Jesus
It has taken me a long time to write this. Sitting down to do so has been an arduous task. Every time I’ve committed hours of my day to telling this story, to capturing it for eternity into words, I’ve found other projects, tasks, or naps on which to focus. The tale is one that … More The Chevy and Me, A Hero’s Journey: History and the Call to Adventure
Wearing comfortable boots and warm layers, I walked through the chilly night along Massachusetts Avenue towards Thomas Circle. Passing 16th Street, I gazed down rows of city buildings framing the illuminated White House and Washington Monument, icons of American history. I smiled at this quintessential Washington, D.C. moment where I clearly saw where I was … More The Faces Behind HUD’s PIT Count Data
Life is a composition of story arcs. This is one. I first met him one year and one month ago today. I use the term “met” lightly. One year and one month ago today, I was dragging my feet in self-pity up a metro escalator at Union Station. I was hanging my head in disdain … More To Say, I Love You
ROUGH OUTLINES 