• Writing

    The Beat Goes On: How Allen Ginsberg Inspired Me As A Writer

    Allen Ginsberg, one of the most famous poets of the 20th century, was also a dedicated mentor and advocate of emerging writers, including me. My experience as Ginsberg’s protégé taught me valuable lessons that I apply to my own careers in freelance writing today. So, I’d like to share some insights into what it was like to work with this legendary writer and learn from his legacy while he was still alive. Before meeting Ginsberg, I thought the most important component of writing was tight structure and coherent thoughts. I wrote in third person, avoiding first-person to keep things impersonal and consistent. The old adage “show, don’t tell” had been…

  • Writing

    The Man Who Wrote The Lyrics That Defined My Generation

    Michael Stipe, lead singer of R.E.M., has given us the soundtrack to our lives. He’s given us songs like Losing My Religion, Imitation of Life, and Everybody Hurts that define our emotions and experience as we grow up in a chaotic world where anything can happen at any time, and often does. R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe has been one of rock music’s most prolific lyricists over his decades-long career. He’s won Grammys for writing songs and been included in many lists of top lyricists, including Rolling Stone’s list of greatest songwriters ever and VH1’s Top Musical Muses. Writing lyrics is not only an art but also a science; as is true…

  • Writing

    Making The Case For Why I Didn’t Need An Education

    Some people say that the only way to get the job you want and live the life you dream of is to go to college, but I disagree with this idea. Not everyone has what it takes to get through a degree program, and in some cases, it can be more beneficial to skip college altogether. This article will explain why I didn’t need an education, and why you might not either. I was misdiagnosed with ADHD in eighth grade. My high school principal hated me, and my teachers told my parents and I that I wouldn’t be able to get into college. They made outrageous claims that I would…

  • Writing

    My Photography Style Was Inspired By The Feelings Of Abandonment

    When I was eight years old, my family moved from New York City to a small town in Upstate New York. At first, I hated living in this small town and all the changes that came with it. But as I got older, I began to love my new life there, especially the quiet and the abundance of open space. My interest in photography was spawned from my fascination with abandoned buildings and urban exploration. A lot of people often wonder why someone would want to go into a creepy old building, but they’re missing the point—I don’t go there to be scared, I go because I like the way…

  • Writing

    Lyrics That Influenced A Generation

    Much of my writing was influenced by the song lyrics I grew up listening to as a child.  The music artists from the 1990’s era were especially influential, such as Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Toad The Wet Sprocket, Counting Crows, and Sarah McLachlan.  They are lyrics that influenced a generation, and those which inspired me creatively. While a handful of the individual song titles eventually became titles for my writing and photography, creativity in and of itself is nothing more than a mashup of the experiences in ones life.  It is the culmination of thoughts, experiences, conversations, and ideas. Recently, Amelia and I were discussing the band R.E.M., and how it…

  • Writing

    The Changes That I Need

    With the societal changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, I have started to realize what is most important, but perhaps most importantly, I have made note of how this pandemic has changed me personally, and in almost concurrent fashion, I make the changes that I need. It has been a difficult and trying time during the pandemic. I thought about keeping a daily journal simply to document the spread, though quickly abandoned the idea as there is an enormous amount of press coverage already, and outside of the daily news updates, every single day seems identical to the one before. These days are seemingly unprecedented, historic perhaps, and unlike…