My Work

Below are links to some articles I have written. Like most writers, I tend to neglect my clip book and converting the work to electronic files is a huge undertaking. If you decide to create an online clip book of work published in the print media, I suggest you start immediately and convert five or ten files a week. Trust me, it will take a huge amount of time.

All of these files will open in a new window. Just close the window to return to this page.

Web Writing:

• Smell Affects Your Business, WebProNews.Com
• Six Tips for DIY Product Shots, The Work at Home Index
• Trusting the System: Organization has More to do with Consistency than Neatness, JIAN.COM

Newspaper Writing:

2000

• Batavia eyes land for trash station, pg 1 and Page 2 (.pdf files), The Chicago Tribune, June 8, 2000
• City plans new bridge and bridge repairs (.pdf files), The Chicago Tribune, Jan. 19, 2000

1998

• Hanging up the latchkey: School-based daycare a hit among parents and kids, The Wheaton Sun, Oct. 21, 1998
• Hope for the Blind: Researchers spend career developing microchip for damaged retinas (.pdf file), The Wheaton Sun, Sept. 30, 1998
• Virtual Education, The Wheaton Sun, Sept. 30, 1998
• First grade, first day, pg 1 and Page 2 (.pdf files), The Bolingbrook Sun, Sept. 2, 1998

1997

• Local women's rights debate focuses on abortion, The Lisle Sun, May 2, 1997
• Lisle leads the way in school bus safety, The Lisle Sun, May 2, 1997
• Lisle play about nun causes holy uproar, The Lisle Sun, April 30, 1997
• Fox Valley pagans seek self identity, understanding from others, pg 1 and Page 2, The Beacon-News, Jan. 11, 1997

1996

• Homemade Halloween, The Beacon-News, October 1996
• Summer Camp '96 -- feature package coordinated by me, The Beacon-News, May 30, 1996

1995

• Art teacher encourages his colleagues to stop handicapping disabled students, The Beacon-News, October 25, 1995
• Child Care Challenge: Subsidized centers give low-income families good care providers at affordable rates, The Beacon-News, Oct. 13, 1995
• This is no junior women's club (.pdf file), The Beacon-News, Sept. 29, 1995
• Warrenville offers one of nation's 2 high school Montessori programs, The Beacon-News, April 2, 1995
• Junior Woman's Club program matches clothes with needy children, The Beacon-News, 1995
• Youngsters making some funky moves toward self-confidence, The Beacon-News, 1995

1994

• Youngsters making some funky moves toward self-confidence, The Beacon-News, Nov. 17, 1994
• She's an animal: Holy Angels team small, but tought, in City of Lights tournament, The Beacon-News, Oct. 20, 1994
• Rosary's 30th anniversary celebration is a family affair, The Beacon-News, April 25, 1994
• Rosary High celebrates 30 years of searching for the Truth , The Beacon-News, April 21, 1994
• MADD vigilant for victims of drunk drivers, The Beacon-News, 1994

Press Releases:

• STI to provide safe room systems (.pdf file), Oct. 17. 2001
• Grand Victoria Casino helps customers breathe easier using... (.pdf file), June 6, 2001

My Career

Since 1991, I have written and edited for a variety of different media. My career started in journalism as a stringer (freelance writer) for the local newspaper.

In 1992, while still in college, I got a job as an editorial assistant for that same newspaper. At first, my main responsibility was typing press releases into the newspaper's computer system and editing the press releases for length and style. Eventually, however, I became a true assistant for the editor. I proofread pages, wrote articles, edited columns, spoke with freelancers and arranged feature packages that included artwork. During the editor's absence, although I was only in my early 20s, I was the one everyone turned to, to handle any problems and to make sure the section was ready by deadline. (More)

In October 1997, a reporter's position opened up at one of our sister newspapers. Although I was young and still hadn't finished college, I thought I would take the chance and apply for the job. That year, my dream came true, I was a real reporter. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would; it is a dark business that focuses too much of its energy on people's misfortunes.

Our paper did some major reorganization just before Christmas 1998, my position was among the 20 or so that was cut from the budget. Then, I began freelancing. I thought it would give me a chance to find myself. This is when I really started writing for a variety of media: writing for the various area newspapers, content for Web sites. This is when I discovered my interest in computers may be able to mesh with my talents as a writer and editor. So, I went back to school and got an IT Webmaster certificate from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Rice Campus.

Now I was a Web designer.