What's up? I'm Ashley. I have probably made you a bagel. Actually, try me: I bet I know what bagel you get, if you are a regular at the Broad Ripple Bagel Deli. I may have even kicked you out on a late night.

Unlike your loyal, longtime editor, I have not been a permanent resident of Broad Ripple my entire life. I was born in Chicago (go Bears???), moved to Northwest Indiana, and made my way down to Indianapolis to attend Butler University, where I majored in Journalism and Political Science - and dabbled in Chinese.

However, after the joy of Freshman year was over, I made the scary realization of what living outside the dorms meant: I needed money (aka, I needed a job).

Clueless about where to work, my friend, co-worker, heterosexual life-partner Lisa and I (read her Beats from a Ripple Rat!) found ourselves walking through Broad Ripple. There was a hiring sign hanging on the front window of a gutted building. We called the number. We had no clue what we were getting into.

What we found was our surrogate family in the owners of what soon became a Broad Ripple staple. We found a tight-knit community that offered numerous outlets of enjoyment for both of us...and made connections with people and places that we could probably not have found anywhere else.

We made friends that I could not imagine living without for even a heartbeat. We both also met this guy who brought in this paper to the deli every other week.

Originally, I did not understand why he put so much energy into such a small area, but after three years of working here, I understand. Even though some of us take it for granted (I am very guilty of this), Broad Ripple kind of rocks.

Long story short, the guy who brought the paper in (Alan, as if you did not know), gave me this pretty awesome gig working at his paper after I graduated.

And now I am filling in this space that I hope some of you will eventually fill (otherwise, you get to read more from me on randomness). Tell me what you love about Broad Ripple...and hey, get published! I know there are numerous aspiring writers out there.

Or take a Broad Ripple photo to be published in the space above. Be extremely adventurous and do both! Then email me with what you have: ashley@broadripplegazette.com.