It’s strange how certain situations saw me in half. When I have a microphone in hand, I’m a reporter, and my senses are sharp. When I’m in my yoga pants, I’m just “Cass,” and my guard is down. My two identities collided when I unknowingly stepped on the scene of an incident, and, as fate […]
I’m feeling right at home here in Chicago, but I don’t think that’s saying much. Every transplant I’ve spoken to says they became fast friends with this town, despite the unfriendly winters and brutish traffic. I’ve been wondering what makes this urban hub such a pleasant place for uprooted southerners and internationals, and the answer […]
This post originally appeared on The BEZ blog. I was managing the soundboard during Alison Cuddy’s interview with Yvonne Maffei, the blogger behind My Halal Kitchen. Yvonne originally came to the studio to talk about halal food and Ramadan, but the conversation shifted when she talked about her conversion from Catholicism to Islam. Her story resounded deeply with […]
The most cherished experiences I’ve had as a journalist are the ones that were entirely unplanned. This week was no different. I went to The Field Museum the other day to interview a curator about his research on a Neolithic settlement in Greece. After our conversation, he offered to show me the special collections — […]
The cost of living in Chicago is chipping away at my bank account, so I’ve been scrambling to find a part-time job to bolster the loans. To my great pleasure, the search has been a chance for me to tap into unused reservoirs of creativity — like my hedonistic obsession with food. I applied for […]
Good morning, ladies. Today is my 24th day as a Chicagoan. And finally, I’m ready to dive back into a writing routine. I’m inspired. And wired. And I have a potent iced coffee from Elaine’s Coffee Call to thank.
