What are you doing currently?
Currently, I am an AP English high school teacher. A position that I never thought I would hold. Life is funny that way.
What position, if any, did you hold in eleven40seven?
I was vice president the first year that eleven40seven was in existence and then when John Connor graduated, I took over as president.
What was your favorite part about being on staff?
My favorite part of eleven40seven was just having a group of friends that I could meet with every week and talk about writing and music and whatever we were interested in at the moment. The journal was home.
What knowledge and skills did you learn from being on staff that help you now?
I learned that if you want to start something, you just start. There is no waiting for the right time. If you want to start a journal: research, find the right people, or they will find you. If you want something bad enough, it will happen.
What made you want to join/how did you hear about the magazine?
I remember seeing a flyer in the commons area offering free pizza to start a literary journal and so I went to what would be the first meeting of eleven40seven, because: free pizza. I had just switched my major to English from Social Work and I was ready to get involved in writing as much as possible. I remember there were maybe six of us who showed up to that meeting, including Dr. Rode, and probably half of us actually became involved in starting the journal. Being at TCU had been a difficult adjustment for me, I come from a smallish town, and so when I joined eleven40seven I remember feeling like I had finally found my place. The only people I still keep in touch with from my college days are my friends from the journal, you just can’t lose touch with the people you share something so special with.
What does “art” mean to you?
Art, to me, is when you are able to create a dialogue. Whether it’s a piece of writing, music; hell, even math or something like that. When something is created and then put out into the world for people to go home and tell their spouse and friends about, then it’s become something new. The conversation is about the “art,” but it’s also creating new ideas and thoughts and connections between those two people. I think that’s what defines good art is if you keep talking/thinking about it. Do you still want to talk about it 10 years later? Yes? Art.