Girl on Fire: A nice, little introduction

[As seen in Creston News Advertiser, June 20, 2013]

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

My cousin Christy’s blog starts with that quote, and I think it’s relatable to me.

First, I’d like to introduce myself. I’m 23, and have been a staff reporter for the News Advertiser since mid-November. I cover education and other interesting things going on in the area.

I moved from Centerville to Creston several days before starting at the newspaper. Being from Centerville, a couple of hours away, Creston wasn’t a big change for me, which I’m glad for.

That being said, I’ve already found how much of an adventure it’s been. Aside from college, this is the first time I’ve been on my own, and I love it.

I attended the University of Iowa and studied abroad at Lancaster University in Lancaster, England, in 2011. I graduated from Iowa in 2011 and had no idea what I wanted to do with an English degree. My mom suggested applying at Centerville’s newspaper, the Daily Iowegian, and I ended up writing human interest and sports features there for a year.

Over the summers, I mowed for my parents’ mowing business, so it was nice being able to get some sort of writing experience. I also waitressed at The Continental, a restaurant and hotel on the Centerville square, when I got this reporter position. I love waitressing, mowing and feature-writing, but I was so happy to be able to move and have a full-time writing job. And, here I am.

While I enjoy writing news, I also like writing short stories. I read all the time, and my favorite authors right now are Gillian Flynn and Tana French, but I’ll read anything that interests me. Some of my favorite bands are Imagine Dragons, Of Monsters and Men, Queen and Saw Doctors. I also like Phillip Phillips, Andy McKee and Christy Moore, as well as Alison Krauss and Robert Plant’s collaboration album “Raising Sand.”

I’ve been trying to get more out in the community since moving here, and two ways I did that were becoming a member of the YMCA and Creston Fire Department. The past couple of years, I’ve been getting into working out and doing different races and fun runs. I ran the Dam to Dam 5K June 1 and participated in my first sprint triathlon in Nevada, Iowa, over the weekend. My next race is the Color Run in July, and I’m running it with my sister Brianna.

I just finished the firefighter I class offered by Creston Fire Department. It was a great way to meet people, get a workout and be part of the community. I like how close the guys are there, and that it’s so much like a family.

Well, I hope that gives you something of a glimpse into who I am. I look forward to writing more, and hearing from people!