Category: Articles
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When the Flowers Die
I stood by the compost box at the back of our yard, staring at the wilted roses and lilies I had just tossed inside. Only a few days ago these same flowers had been at the center of our dining room table, bursting with vibrant shades of pink and purple. Now they had been overtaken…
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Detox
Since leaving the career I’d once given my life to, I’ve felt the cold and calloused fingers of an identity crisis gradually tightening their grip around my neck. I guess that’s what happens when you morph from a teenager with a crystal clear picture of what your life’s supposed to be into a 30-something with…
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An Open Letter to Chuck Hockema
Dear Mr. Hockema, Congratulations on this week’s election victory, and welcome to the board of the Lafayette School Corporation. Although you don’t know me and I don’t know you, I commend your desire to support public education in our community. I firmly believe that our schools are some of our most important cultural institutions, and…
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An Awkward Exchange
I’m sitting at the car dealership, waiting on an oil change and new brake pads for our beloved family minivan. It’s fall break, and this is a long way from where I want to be. But with the responsibilities of adulthood and car ownership being what they are, here I am. Sitting, waiting, trying to…
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Stop the Slander
It’s that time of year. Backpacks are flying off the shelves at Walmart, school hallways are glistening with a fresh coat of wax, and parents are making their kids smile on the front porch for Instagram. As summer break comes to a bittersweet close, some 50 million American students will find themselves walking through the…
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Hold the Confetti
A younger version of myself would have been elated. In his eyes, this was a dream scenario, a climactic moment of ultimate victory on one of the key battlefields of the culture war for America’s soul. But the present version of myself couldn’t celebrate. I couldn’t even muster a half-hearted smile. When the Supreme Court…
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What Boston Taught Me
It all started as a sixth grader on the middle school cross country team. I wouldn’t have considered myself a runner at the time; I was just a shrimpy basketball player who wanted to get in shape for hoops season. But somewhere deep in my psyche, a seed had been planted. Since then, running has…
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A Hell of a Problem
On the evening of August 14, 1994, two young women were walking together down a quiet street on the outskirts of Casper, Wyoming. Best friends since middle school, Tammy Sloane and her roommate Jennifer Durkin were returning home from their shift at The Rusty Spoon, a local diner where they both worked as servers. They…
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14 for 14
On a snow-covered day in March of 2008, my life changed forever. I was just a kid back then, and I didn’t have any clue what I was doing. But it turned out to be the best thing I’ve ever done. I haven’t been the same since. And now, in March of 2022, I get…
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That Ain’t It
If you’re looking for high drama and political intrigue, you’re not likely to find much of it here in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Our humble little slice of America isn’t exactly the most exciting or influential of places. But in the past few weeks, a notable controversy has captured headlines and caused quite the stir. It…
Drew Thomas Humphrey 