Following the urge to be a writer

Written by Abi Humber Tuesday, 30 August 2011 16:16

I think I want to be a writer. In fact, I’m almost positive. I saw “The Help” about a week ago, which really solidified that desire in my heart.

If you’ve seen the movie and/or read the book—which everyone absolutely must do—and can recall Emma Stone’s character, just pretend that’s me. That’s who I want to be.

That’s not what I want to get into right now, though. Maybe another time.

But what kind of a writer will I be if I can’t even conjure up solid column ideas on a weekly basis? This is the question I ask myself every single time I sit down to write.

You’re pathetic. Your words are petty. Who cares?

This is what I say to myself as my fingers begin to dance across the keyboard. I try to stop those thoughts...

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Making lists organizes an overcrowded brain

Written by Abi Humber Tuesday, 09 August 2011 15:37

For those who regularly read my column, or know me well in real life, the following information will not come as a surprise: I am a little bit insane.

I suppose I’m not much crazier than the typical almost-20-something, but when my mind gets incredibly full of billions of thoughts and I haven’t been able to properly process them all, things get weird.

This is usually when I grab a friend and say, “Hi. I really need to talk through my life right now. Will you sit silently for 40 minutes while I blabber on and on?”

Most times, that verbal vomit does the trick, and I’m back to “normal” in no time.

But sometimes a listening human isn’t available and I have to implement a different brain-normalizing strategy. People have...

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Mom may be goofy and quirky, but she’s the best

Written by Abi Humber Tuesday, 02 August 2011 19:54

Most of the time I have trouble coming up with column topics. It’s not that I don’t have tons of ideas, it’s that I’m never sure that my random life musings are worth putting into print. Last week, though, I found myself with a surplus of “good ideas” when Mama Humber came to visit.

Page after page could be written about the goofy and quirky things that make her unique and wonderful: her ridiculous catchphrases (a breathy “yeeee-haw” during a lull in conversation), her laugh (always big, always loud, always full of life) and her dramatic story-telling mannerisms (much like mine—my Chicago friends would understand so much more about me if they met my mother).

She also does this thing I call “spider voice.” I have...

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Parents’ move sparks nostalgia for home town

Written by Abi Humber Tuesday, 12 July 2011 15:45

I’ve known my family was moving for about six months, but up until two days ago, I have been pretty cavalier about the whole thing. Since I’ve already been gone for two years, I didn’t see myself missing Hillsboroites any more than I already had been—nothing so intense that a quick Skype video chat couldn’t fix!

I didn’t think this move would actually bring about any additional change for me. Sure, going home for Christmas break would be different. I’ll crash on the couch in a two-bedroom apartment instead of in my perfect bed in my giant Hillsboro room. But, again, that didn’t seem too bad and I didn’t think much of it.

A simple Sunday trip to Parkview Church completely changed my mind.

When I tell my Chicago...

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