More Published Opinion Columns 

The thought of entering a Victoria’s Secret store scares me. I am not ashamed of what they sell or how their products are used, but I cannot bring myself to venture into the store.
(Opinion Column: State Press, 1997)  

What this world needs is a talk show with O.J. Simpson. I realized this when watching the Third Annual Useless Talent Contest on the Jenny Jones Show last week when I was home ditching class.
(Opinion Column: State Press Magazine, 1997)

“Greeting Peons.” Being a member of the moral high ground club must be a daunting challenge, constantly correcting and criticizing the peons of the world. Sitting on top of that high ground could get tiresome but there must be some satisfaction knowing that you are better than all the peons down there. 
(Opinion column: State Press Magazine, 1997) 

My girlfriend of nearly five years boldly announced last week that I needed to pen a sonnet as a way to prove my love for her. Never mind the jewelry, flowers, cards or other tokens of affection. It all comes down to a sonnet. 
(Opinion Column: State Press Magazine, 1997) 

I can still see the people bobbing in the water, hoping to be plucked from the freezing Atlantic by one of the nearby lifeboats. Some of them yelled. Other climbed on top of debris from "the ship of dreams" to survive. 
(Opinion Column: State Press Magazine, 1997)

Summer, for many teenagers, is the time to look ahead to the what the future holds and look back on what the past has contained.  Summer is the time to have fun, relax, and spend time with friends. Summer is also the time that youthful stupidity seems to be contagious.
(Guest Editorial: The Arizona Republic, 1996)

The Arizona Supreme Court has said it needs to be fixed. Gov. Jane Hull has ordered legislatures to focus on the problem. Administrators from poorer school districts have begged the lawmakers for years to repair the system. 
(Staff Editorial: The Arizona Republic, 1998) 

Pot smoke, Ev Mecham and public urination – it was all just another Saturday night at the Arizona State Fair. The Arizona State Fair can be an interesting place to try new foods, get a cheap thrill or purchase some exotic gift. But for some, that small fraction of those who attend the annual celebration of rides, rodeos and wrecks, the fair provides a public venue for self-embarrassment. Take, for instance, Ev Mecham.
(Guest Column: The Arizona Republic, 2004)

Barry Goldwater slowly walked into the crowded classroom without saying a word. The eyes of all the students in the freshman-level political science class watched the legend walk down the steps to take his seat at the front of the classroom. He looked like an old politician, I remember thinking that day - Oct. 6, 1994 - when "Mr. Arizona" visited Arizona State University for his annual visit.
(News Analysis Upon the Death of Sen. Goldwater: The State Press, 1998)
(Quotes from Sen. Goldwater) 

When the Director of Student Media at Arizona State University defended the Stale Mess April 1 issue of the student newspaper, a well-respected publication, I could not let it go without comment. This missive was published by the Poynter Institute Website, commenting on the leadership required to prepare tomorrow's journalists.
(Commentary: Poynter Institute, 2003)

Unpublished Commentaries

The bell rang, sending a chill down my spine as if  I had not been expecting it. “My stomach just jumped,” Kristen timidly said. She demanded a hug; I obliged. I needed the hug as much as she did.
(Personal Journal, 1994)