PinnedMember-onlySo, I Changed My Pen NameI can explain — I made mistakes in the beginning. I thought if I told family and friends from Day 1 about my writing, they’d be all for it. I thought I’d be writing forever and not need to worry about looking for a job because I’d get successful quickly. …Writing2 min readWriting2 min read
Published in The Expat Chronicles·5 days agoMember-onlyWhen You Don’t Use DuoLingo To Practice ChineseThere’s a good reason I haven’t tried again — Living in Northern Michigan, you don’t get many opportunities to practice Chinese. Most people either never left the state, or are learning Spanish. When you approach people and say you know Chinese, they look at you like you’re an alien. …Language3 min readLanguage3 min read
Nov 21Member-onlyI’m Not Sure How To Feel About The EmailMy thoughts on an email I received from the Education Department — This morning, I woke up to cats trying to get my attention. I did my usual morning routine then checked my phone. Today, I received an email from the Education Department updating me on my loan application. …Opinion2 min readOpinion2 min read
Nov 16Member-onlyAnyone Else Feel Like They’re Getting Punished For Voting Blue?A judge blocked Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness program days after the election — Imagine waking up to a statement from the Education Department saying loan forgiveness got blocked. It’s how I found out. The Education Department and the Biden administration says they’ll appeal, but with the media already focusing on the next big thing, I’m not holding my breath. Days after the election…Politics5 min readPolitics5 min read
Nov 12Member-onlySo Apparently, I Have PCOSNo wonder I’m fat and hairy — Do you know how good it feels to find out society is, yet again, wrong? There’s a good reason for things being the way they are. I found this out about a month ago, but I finally have the energy to talk about it. …Health3 min readHealth3 min read
Published in The Expat Chronicles·Nov 2Member-onlyI Made A Guest Appearance On A Podcast!Here’s to hoping it inspires others to see China one day — A few weeks ago, an old coworker reached out and asked me to be on his podcast. I could talk about my experiences in China and what I’m doing now. And I could promote my writing, of course! Today, my coworker sent me the link, and now I can share…China1 min readChina1 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Oct 30Member-onlyEven If You Think Your Candidate Will Win, Vote AnywayHilary had good numbers, too — No day taught me the value of voting better than November 8, 2016. I tried to vote from China, but I don’t think my vote went through. …Politics4 min readPolitics4 min read
Published in The Partnered Pen·Oct 24Member-onlyIf Writing Doesn’t Pay Well, Why Continue?Here’s why I do it — Here’s the ultimate dream for me. By day, I take a trip somewhere. Maybe it’s in another country; maybe I drive to a different city. No matter where I go, I spend my nights sitting at a desk and writing poetry, fiction, or whatever’s on my mind. My writing takes…Writing4 min readWriting4 min read
Oct 20Member-onlyThe Student Debt Relief Application Is Live!Go apply! — If you didn’t get the beta application, don’t worry! Today, the application launched! Federal Student Aid Edit descriptionstudentaid.gov If you’re like me and applied with the beta version, you don’t need to re-apply. Your application is processing. If the Education Department needs more information from you, they’ll call you. …Money1 min readMoney1 min read
Oct 16Member-onlyThe Beta Launch For Loan Forgiveness Is OutCheck your email — Days after writing an article bitching about the application, the beta version launches. Today, I received an email inviting me to apply. Part of me got paranoid the government reads my shit. Maybe they’re spying on people like me. I have no idea why they’d be interested in me. Despite…Money2 min readMoney2 min read
