Last week I packed up my notebook and pen and flew to West Virginia for a reporting assignment. I was there to cover the chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, Deborah Hersman. I loved being somewhere new and getting to have lunch with the chairman. I walked away with a story, a few additional story ideas and plenty of photos. Plus, I totally want an official NTSB jacket.

Heading out of my home office is always a fun way to get my creative juices flowing. A few years ago I wrote this blog post for The Editorial Advantage titled Bring Back the Field Trip. I talked about how my stories grow richer when I get out from behind my desk. As a write-at-home freelancer (and mom), most of my research is done via telephone interviews and e-mail correspondence, but there is a lot to be said for going on assignment.