Welcome. I’m glad you’re here.

I’ve spent the last several years writing from the journalist’s chair and the editor’s desk — always informing, explaining, and telling the stories that mattered to others, but rarely sharing my own.

The Write Side of Me is where that changes. This is my space to write my way — without deadlines, word counts, or assignments. Just honest thoughts, real experiences, and a little bit of everything that makes life interesting.

You’ll find a mix of life, family, community, culture, and politics here. Some posts will be light and personal, others might dive into tough topics or current events. It’s honest, heartfelt, sometimes messy — but always written with purpose and passion.

I know what I have to say might not be for everyone… but maybe it’ll be for someone. If something here makes you think, laugh, or even question things a little, then I’ve done what I came here to do.

So go ahead — bookmark this blog and stop by every now and then. I’ll be here, writing from The Write Side of Me — where life, culture, and a little chaos collide.

**The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own and do not reflect the views, positions, or policies of my employer or the newspaper for which I work. Content on The Write Side of Me is personal and independent of my professional role.**

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The Hard Things

The Hard Things I failed out of college. I stopped eating. I got married when I shouldn’t have. And still, I built something good. This is what the hard things taught me. I couldn’t wait to leave this town. I don’t even remember why I hated it, only that eighteen-year-old me was certain freedom lived anywhere but home. Back then, you think life will go your way just because you’ve decided it will. I was going to be a history teacher, the thing my dad had always wanted to be but never was. I had a plan. My best friend and I were supposed to move to Gunnison together, share a dorm, live out the dream. But a week before we left, she backed out. Just like that, my security blanket was gone. I remember begging both my parents. “Please don’t make me go,” I begged. Looking back, now that I'm a mother myself I know how hard it was for my mom to tell me I had to go. So, I would look to my dad for the answer I wanted. He looked at me for a long time and said, “Raina Jo, nothin...

Official Statement: My Journey (Still Winning Though)

I am a proud woman. Strong. Resilient. Built Ford-tough with just a touch of emotional instability during March Madness. And while I’ve faced many challenges in life… nothing quite prepared me for what happened yesterday. Duke. A buzzer beater. The moment came when I was finally settling into a dangerous level of confidence. It wasn’t perfect—mistakes had been made—but we had battled back. Me from the armchair. Them from the court. A true partnership. Ten seconds left. We had possession. And then… A decision was made. A bad pass. Not just bad— horrendous . The kind of choice that makes you question everything you thought you knew about basketball, life, and trust. Turnover. And then… a 35-foot three. Braylon Mullins. Let me be clear: Braylon Mullins was 0-for-4 from three-point range. Zero. For. Four. And yet—naturally—he chose that exact moment to hit the most important shot of his life for UConn. Of course he did. That tracks. Meanwhile, Cameron Boozer stood there after the game—eye ...

The Write Side of Me

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