It's so hard to think in terms of doing something differently, because all my choices have made me who I am today.

If I had NOT let a boy cause me to drop out of school, I never would have moved back in with my mom and gotten a little bit closer to her. I wouldn't have had three years of journalism experience under my belt by the time I moved West. I might never have moved West, which is where it feels like I was meant to live.

OK, here's a good one: I would have NOT ridden crazy down an eroded singletrack and tried to hop the side at 20 mph, which resulted in a full knee construction and a 30-pound weight gain that I've spent the past 9 years trying to shake. Know your limits, ride within them.

But being a bit manic, living with abandon, being a little crazy... that's all part of me, and it's served me well.

Maybe a better question for me would be: "How would you raise your daughter to help her avoid some of your less glamorous choices?" But since I haven't yet decided whether to have one, that's a bit moot. Here's the answer anyway: Make her play sports, give her plenty of attention so she doesn't need it from boys, raise her self-esteem and keep it high so she believes she can do ANYTHING she wants to do!