Morning Glory : My Town, and Nancy Drew

Thursday, July 12, 2012

My Town, and Nancy Drew

This is not really my town.

If I were to consider anything "my town," it would be Chicago. Because I am from the suburbs, and like everyone from the 'burbs, whenever someone asks where we're from, we say "Chicago." I fancy myself a city mouse even though subways give me panic attacks and pigeons make me scream.

Those beady little eyes.

But for now, Peoria is home. So I'm trying to adopt it.

Working in the media has helped a lot. I sometimes feel like Peoria is like something out of a comic book, like Gotham City. Where the cops, politicians and reporters all run in the same social circle. Not to say it's corrupt, but it's like this weird small-town city thing. So strange. Anyway, my jobs have helped because I've had to get out, explore and get to know people. That is when my job is pretty neat.

For those who don't know, I work at the local NPR affiliate as a reporter, and a magazine company as an editorial intern. So lots of interviewing and writing. I get to do cool things like see the behind-the-scenes at the oldest bakery in town and talk to carp hunters and chat with congressmen and women. Neat, right?

Today I felt like Nancy Drew, as I sometimes do in my line of work. (Not that it makes sense, seeing as I am not a wealthy young detective, but whatever. I can dream.)

Today I had to go to the library to research an old theatre that I'm writing a feature about. Whilst there, I filed through endless piles of newspaper clippings (which I LOVE to do. So cool to see old stuff, old writing styles.)

Then I researched an old, supposedly haunted building called the Cornerstone Building. Since I'm a sucker for a good ghost story, I paid a visit to it. Too afraid to go inside? Yes. But when I bring my boyfriend with? I will probably succeed. On my bucket list (AKA how I convince myself to anything.)