Katie's Top Four Faves

Do Not Surrender to the Mom Jeans
I recently revisited this article at Rocket City Mom while revamping my portfolio.  I was thrilled (and a little shocked) to see that my little lament on "mom fashion" had received 35 Facebook Likes!  Connecting with people is a reason that I started blogging several years ago.  Making readers laugh is one of the greatest feelings in the world.  I have often found that it is easier to get your point across with a joke and a smile.

Madison City Schools conducting fundraising campaign for St. Jude children
I decided early on that I would approach writing for the newspaper differently than I did penning my online humor pieces.  In the humor pieces, I could let my personality burst through the lines, but the newspaper articles were not about me.  In my print articles, I try to include as many quotes from interviewees as possible, because I feel that they can tell their stories much better than I.  I am simply a conduit.

Teatime in the Toilet
This story is not for the faint of heart.  While writing, I worried about grossing out RCM's readership or embarrassing my tenderhearted daughter.  After discussing my concerns with my husband, I decided to finish the story, but omit her name to avoid any embarrassing Googling a decade from now.  I could just imagine a potential employer Googling her name and finding this lament on her toddler toilet escapades!


Elementary storybook garden honors teacher
I will be honest: I cried when I wrote this.  When I received this assignment from Madison Weekly News, I proceeded as I usually do, emailing my contact person and sending her a list of questions.  Her answers brought me to tears.  This was not just a story to Tasha, this was a labor of love for her best friend.  My main goal was to capture the admiration and love that Monrovia Elementary felt for Jill.