Voices

The Chocolate-Covered Crone: A Dem Bones Fairytale
The Chocolate-Covered Crone

A Dem Bones Fairytale

She dared to peek over the edge of the vat and tumble in. A few gulps and she was coated from head to toe. But beneath the chocolate crust, her heart beat on...

Detour: Auf Wiedersehen
Detour

Auf Wiedersehen

Brigitte departs Europe with no regrets; she lived her year there to the fullest and returns with a clearer eye and a fuller heart.

Detour: Handwritten letter is the best tour guide
Detour

Handwritten letter is the best tour guide

A letter from my Great Uncle Fritz sent me on a journey along the Rhine River, deepening my appreciation for family and my German heritage.

Detour: One-hour trips across Europe
Detour

One-hour trips across Europe

What’s the benefit of dealing with another family's dirty laundry (literally) five days a week? Easy: travel. I want to see the world.

A Dollar Short: Shine On
A Dollar Short

Shine On

A dirty kitchen space at work inspires Molly to purge the mess.

A Dollar Short: It’s all in the details
A Dollar Short

It’s all in the details

Honors graduate Molly's call-center training continues. This week: nothing is so certain as constant contradiction.

A Dollar Short: Tomato, Tomahto
A Dollar Short

Tomato, Tomahto

Molly gazes longingly into the office building across the alley.

A Dollar Short: Time after time
A Dollar Short

Time after time

Stop me if you've heard this one before: every time I start a new job, I promise myself that I am done showing up late.

A Dollar Short: Who will watch the children?
A Dollar Short

Who will watch the children?

Can Molly afford day camp? A real life math story problem.

A Dollar Short: Accentuate the positive
A Dollar Short

Accentuate the positive

"Maybe it's going to be okay," I said to myself as I was stepping off the elevator. But it wasn't long before my sense of control dissipated.

A Dollar Short: A poetic interlude
A Dollar Short

A poetic interlude

A passive-aggressive ode to cube farm life, in acrostic poem form.

A DOLLAR SHORT: Is this really happening?
A DOLLAR SHORT

Is this really happening?

My second night of training was not entirely successful. I couldn't keep up. I kept dropping important words and phrases. The technology overwhelmed me. I forgot to use the appropriate, soothing voice. I was tired and frustrated. Somehow, learning all this new stuff was incredibly stressful AND somehow boring at the same time. I spent a little time wondering how it was possible to be in a total state of fight-or-flight while simultaneously having a bad case of ennui - and then I realized that my pondering had set me back. The rest of class was about two simulated calls ahead of me.