OPINION: A stream of consciousness

Whenever I talk with friends or family outside of the CNA world, I’m always asked about my columns. You do a new one every week? How do you come up with so many ideas? Well, let’s talk about it.

Some weeks are easy to decide on a topic and get 700 words out. Maybe something has been happening in the world that I’m passionate about, often regarding human rights. Working in news, we’re generally up to date on different bills and ideas the state is pushing forward.

When I first started working here, I was convinced I would never write a political column. I’m someone who doesn’t like arguments or confrontation, so why would I share my political opinions with the whole county? Well, when you’re as entrenched in the daily going ons of the world as we have to be, it’s hard not to become enraged or to despair over the actions and words of people in power. It didn’t take long before I felt I had to start writing about political problems, at least occasionally. If you have a voice, you shouldn’t waste it.

Of course, less than half my columns are political. It doesn’t take much scrolling through past issues to see I write plenty about my passions, such as books. As a proud book nerd, I like to check in on my reading progress throughout the year, as well as highlight different themes or issues going on in the book world. However, when I’m busy like I have been recently, I don’t have much time to read, so those columns fall to the wayside.

I try to be sparing with the Disney-related columns. While I’m extremely passionate about these theme parks, I know it’s a very niche topic and most people couldn’t care less. However, I appreciate getting those chances to gush about something I love.

When I do something fun or exciting, or maybe a little stupid like last week, I’ll use that as a jumping-off point for a column. However, as a homebody, that doesn’t happen as often as one might think. For example, this weekend was the first opportunity I had in a while to sit back and chill. All I did was clean and finally finish a book.

So when none of those options work out, what do I do? Unfortunately, this is a situation we all run into in the newsroom when it’s time to write our column for the week. At least once a month, Cheyenne and I are calling back and forth across the office asking for ideas on what to write.

I’ll think I have a good idea but then realize I wrote about that six months ago. Other times, I might have a reasonable plan but know I can’t get 700 words out about it. Even now, as I write about struggling with ideas, I’m still below 500 words.

I do know this is a privilege. There are many people who would probably love to throw some word-vomit on a page and have it published every week. Sometimes this is my favorite part of working at a newspaper, having a chance once a week to write about whatever I want. Other times, like today, it’s one of my least favorite things. Why should people care what I have to say? What if I have nothing to say at all?

Before I get too existential, someone will usually see me in person and compliment a recent work, often one I thought was just a passion piece, written for no one but me. This will usually bring me back around and make me feel better about what we all do here in the newsroom.

It can often feel like we’re writing into the void, but every once in a while that feedback is a reminder of what really matters: the reader and getting them the information they need. In a world of instant news from around the world, it can be our silly little columns that bring the information needed- not hard facts but human experiences.

Thanks for bearing with us each week, whether you connect with every column or not. Whether my next piece is political or all about Disney, know it at least comes from the heart. Hope you appreciated this week’s stream of consciousness, whether it’s sensical or not.