Opinion

I have always loved to read and write. I can remember spending lazy summer days curled up with a good book as a kid. I would get lost into the wonderful world of fiction for hours, always dreading to return to reality. As a teenager, I spent several sleepless nights pouring my soul onto a piece of paper after a messy breakup with my boyfriend. However, as I grew older, I locked away my gift and buried it in the sea of unlived dreams. Until I came to college, that is. […]

I’m no expert on health care. I’m not a doctor, a nurse or a physician’s assistant. My only medical training is a first aid and CPR class or two. Oh, and watching reruns of “House.” For that reason, I don’t hand out health advice, and I wouldn’t want people to listen to it, anyway. I don’t know what I’m talking about. Know who else isn’t a doctor? Jenny McCarthy. Yet, for some reason, people across the country are still listening to her when it comes to vaccinations. McCarthy’s credits include 1993’s “Playboy” Playmate of the Year, the MTV dating show “Singled Out,” the slapstick comedy “BASEketball” and, most recently, “The View.” I don’t think she has enough star power to get invited to the Oscars. […]

A good friend is hard to find. But sometimes a good friend finds you. That’s what happened the day before last Thanksgiving, when I got my Jack Russell terrier, “Puppy.” It started with an inhumane act. I was in my back room painting and talking to my girlfriend. I couldn’t help but notice a woman behaving strangely in the alley behind the apartment. I continued with my conversation but also kept watching the woman. She had a bulge underneath her robe. She walked quickly to a dumpster and opened the top. A furry white face stuck out from under her arm. […]

The Scene newspaper office was buzzing with reporters and photographers on the morning of Feb. 19, when we received word of breaking news on campus. Police had taken several students into custody because of a possible gun threat. Members of our staff rushed to the cafeteria to find out what was going on. We hadn’t even finished reporting when we heard two more students were being handcuffed outside the theater building and led away. After all the dust settled, I finally learned what had triggered both of these incidents, and my stomach churned. Two fights had broken out on this campus within hours of each other, and both were cases of domestic violence. […]

I consider myself a pretty good student, always keeping my head down and my eyes on the prize. But I’ve got to admit that every year about this time, the A’s start turning into C’s … as in “C-ya later turkeys!” I mean, how am I supposed to concentrate when spring is in the air, flowers are blooming and all the little birds are frolicking just outside my window? I can’t help but daydream about a life without teachers or bosses or homework, a life where I could go outside whenever I wanted — the life of a farmer, the life for me. […]

It was a cold winter’s morning. I was doing my normal routine; rushing the kids out of the car into the school building. As I quickly made my way back to the car to avoid the harsh wind, something caught my eye. I noticed a little boy, maybe about 10 years old, playfully making his way to school. But on the other side of the street, something caught my eye and caused a silent alarm to siren inside of my body. There was a man dressed in dark attire who seemed to be keeping a safe distance behind the boy. He had the collar of his coat popped up, and he seemed to be keeping up with the child’s every move. […]

The alarm clock sounds, beginning a new day. After my morning ritual, I put on headphones and leave the house in a jolly mood. I arrive at the Metro bus stop as if I haven’t a care in the world, letting my music set the tone. A guy standing nearby starts moving his lips, hoping to lure me into a mind-twisting conversation. Not yet buddy, I’m still waking up. My chariot arrives, and I’m suddenly reminded of what I’m about to encounter: A commute to college on public transportation. I jump back a little to avoid being struck by the anxious bus driver. Giant tires splash a wave of slush onto the sidewalk, falling just short of my feet. […]

There’s no question that I’m addicted to technology. I love new gadgets and devices, and all those things that make our lives easier, while at the same time making life more complex and adding junk to keep on my person. In the past decade, we’ve seen the evolution of the smartphone, of motion-controlled video games, of 3D televisions, iPads and e-readers. Google has introduced its Glass device, a wearable computer that, while looking really, really nerdy, does a lot of cool stuff. […]

Many years ago, North St. Louis flourished with booming businesses and big Victorian and New England-style homes. Business owners, teachers and journeymen lived in the affluent neighborhood, and many walked to work. The area suffered a considerable loss with the deterioration of streetcar service after World War II. It became less enjoyable and convenient for residents, who no longer had easy access to amenities in the city. […]

2014 has begun, and it promises to be a year of changes. Among them are changes for me, personally. I’m managing editor of The Scene this semester, and I’m looking forward to working with new and veteran staff members at the paper. If all goes to plan, I’ll graduate from Forest Park this summer with my associate’s degree, and I’ll start at a four-year school this fall. I’ll enter my second year of marriage, and if it’s anything like the first, it will be great. But those changes are pretty insignificant when compared with what’s happening in the social climate of our country. […]