The best part of being a journalist is going to interviews. You get paid to have great conversations. Then, the hard work begins in translating those great moments into articles. No matter how well I write, the words never seem to live up to hearing people tell their own stories.
Last year, I started to lose the ability to hold a pen. My right elbow, wrist and thumb won't stay in the joints anymore, so gripping -- especially chopsticks and writing utensils -- is painful. I bought huge pens, which helps, but ultimately, I decided to start recording my interviews. I just can't write as fast as people talk anymore. But there's a gift in this pain: I now have records of those original, beautiful conversations. I'll share some of the ones I've liked best here in the coming months.
First-up, Debbie Wooten. She had polio as a kid, and in her later years, the symptoms have come back. A few months ago, she couldn't walk. I'm following her as she tries to get back into the comedy scene. I loved this little part of our conversation where she told me about the time she first realized she is black.