Penoptic

Just over 13 years ago, I got into my parents' car to drive to a motel near LAX airport. It was August 2001, and the ultimate destination for my parents and I was Bryn Mawr College outside of Philadelphia, Penn., where I was about to start college. There are many things I remember about the days that followed, but the first night of my trip to the east coast? That night itself is mostly a blur. The only thing I really remember about the trip to the airport that August night is fear. I don't really know where that fear came from--I'd started packing for college about five months earlier, and planning for it at about 8 years of age. Now the day was finally here, and all I could feel was fear mixed with sadness. I was 17 years old, so ready for the chance for a little independence from my overbearing family and from classmates who, like most teenagers, thought they knew who I was without hardly speaking a word to me. I only had one or two really close friends, and they were ...

Back in 2012, I was asked to help with an application to Great Spaces in New Jersey. This video--though long--is the result. If memory serves correctly, the essay portion of the application was limited to one-and-a-half pages, which really was not long enough to discuss all the wonderful things Memorial Park in Chatham has to offer. While the application did not win, I'm so proud to have been part of it, and proud of the work I did on this video. It really is a beautiful park, especially at this time of year with the flowers in bloom.