It’s Time to Pay It Forward, Des Moines

Today, the city of Des Moines received another glowing accolade, this time from the Kansas City Star. Over the past few years and recently, publications, notable well-known people, and a good part of the nation have taken notice on how nice, progressive, and promising Des Moines is. “We come a long way, baby”* indeed. As I…

In Search of…an Identity

Mike Draper’s column in Juice tripped my trigger on something that I’ve put off writing about. I’ve been a Des Moines resident for 15 years. I didn’t grow up here, left the state, and came back, like Draper did. I’m from Waterloo, went to Wartburg College, and came here after college. And yet, I’m still…

The Stranger At The Party

“We like to be the strangers at the party, two rebels in a shell.” –Hall and Oates We’ve all been there before.  The feeling of being the stranger at a party you were invited to, and yet don’t feel like you belong.  The feeling that you’re in the middle…of nowhere, when it comes to being accepted or welcomed in the social world….

“Really New York?!” No, “Really Des Moines?!”

See this sign above?  This was taken on May 21, 2011, by Andrea Laug.  Andrea is a great friend of mine.  She moved to New York City two years to take a job at a salon after graduating from Aveda in West Des Moines.  She posted this picture on her Facebook page.  I sarcastically posted a…

Role Reversal

    “I’m the dumbest guy in the room.” – Ben Milne, CEO of Dwolla   Growing up, I was always the “smartest guy in the class”.  I knew more about current events, sports, and miscellaneous facts than all of the other kids in school.  One classmate asked if she could have my brain so…