Note: I have revised this story in several ways based on my parents' more accurate memories of this difficult time.The day I turned eighteen, January 3, 1984, I came home from school imagining that we would celebrate my birthday that night.  Whatever the celebration was would be low-key, but...  read more

It was one of my greatest joys as a parent

arrived on campus. nervous, excited, ready. found it way harder to make new friends than i expected. this probably had to do with having so many of my high school classmates around, including my roommate and my boyfriend.  somehow stumbled my way into my major and things began to get much...  read more

Finally! the culmination of my years at UCLA, I am walking at graduation! It is a hot day in the court of Sciences, but it is worth it considering I am one of just a handful of students walking with my particular degree.  Thanks to everyone who helped me get to this point!

Attended UCLA for undergraduate degree.  Originally I came in with the notion that I was going to come out as a Computer Engineer, but boy was I wrong (unfortunately it took me 2.5 years to realize it).  Finally finished in December, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathemati...  read more

As my best friend and I moved into our first home away from home (a smoky one-bedroom near the outskirts of town), her mom decided it was high time I get a cat. I grew up with cats. First there was Oreo, who had kittens when we lived in Kentucky, one of which we kept - Tubs. I vaguely recall bein...  read more

At the time, it was a 4-year campus of the University of South Carolina. I was an English major, with absolutely no idea of what I was going to do with my life.

Four bored college guys, an abandoned missile silo, and rapelling gear...  what could go wrong? One of the guys was big into rappelling, but where can one rappel in the desolation around Roswell, New Mexico?  Somehow, he came across some maps showing the locations of old missile silo...  read more

So I am really happy that I am now out of school for almost three months. I'm not looking forward to the big move, but it's always better once you've moved - the process of actually moving is what sucks. Anyway, I still have quite some time before we have to get outta here. Until then, I'm goi...  read more