so anyway...the kids who actually did show up i really appreciated...they were freshmen and they were young and irresponsible, but they were there when they could, a lot to ask for 14 yr olds, and i loved them for that

last night one of my best reporters, Christina Ortiz, was involved in a serious car accident and passed away...she was 16 years old.

i don't really know what to say about that...i don't really believe that any one goes to a better place when they die, unless not being around "spiritually" is considered better than this life...i've never been good at going to wakes, especially under the circumstances, where a family loses such an intregal part of their existence, such a young, beautiful and talented girl

i remember her most of all...she had that writers flair, right down to her physical appearance...she's the girl you would have thought you'd see a couple years later, maybe at a movie theatre or the grocery store...and we'd look at each other, exchange double glances, and then hold a two minute conversation, where'd she'd talk about how tough college was, and i'd give her a bit of useless advice like "well, hold on to it, cause now i'm in grad school and it all goes down hill from there", she'd have that look you only get when you're 18, one that tells everyone you've got your whole world ahead of you...

but instead, Christina Ortiz, at age 16, died in a terrible car accident last night...